Application for Exit Void

[mousquetaire]

player.
NAME/HANDLE: Kerry
PERSONAL JOURNAL: halfbloodly
ARE YOU 16 OR OVER?: Yes
CONTACT: Aim: mysterytourist, Plurk: halfbloodly
OTHER CHARACTERS: Scott McCall wolfteen, Mirar dreamlinks, Nikolai Lantsov sturmhond


character.
CHARACTER NAME: d'Artagnan
SERIES:
⚜ The Musketeers
⚜ Character biography: d'Artagnan
CANON POINT: The end of episode 5, 'The Homecoming' (aired 23 February 2014).
AGE: 23 (approx)
APPEARANCE:
⚜ On horseback
⚜ Full costume
⚜ Close up
PREVIOUS GAME HISTORY: N/A

PERSONALITY:

"My name is d'Artagnan, of Lupiac in Gascony.
Prepare to fight, one of us dies here."

D'Artagnan is a young man, filled with notions of bravery, honour and justice. His introduction shows him fighting for his life and then, on witnessing his father's murder, swearing to avenge him. His courage and valour are two of his most notable traits. He is a confident swordsman with a brash and impetuous nature. He is the kind of person who jumps into every fight convinced he will win, and he's often right.

On an ordinary day, d'Artagnan has a quick, somewhat dry humour, and a frequently sarcastic wit that sits alongside a manner that appears calm and almost lazy when he's at peace. He will often be seen leaning against walls, looping his hands over his belt or leaning back in a seat as though he’s utterly calm and unflappable. He will stand to the side, leaning against a wall or sitting quietly while other people talk or argue. He is fond of other people and is quick to seek their friendship and trust - in particular the three Musketeers, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. He becomes fast friends with them and settles easily into their group, expressing curiosity about their pasts and acting in general as a supportive presence. Despite his youth, he's not afraid to challenge or backtalk others, and he'll generally have a dry comment to fit whatever situation he's in.

"Pastor Ferrand: Then you're outnumbered. I have God on my side.
d'Artagnan: Oh, I do hope he's good with a sword."

While this attitude is often displayed as a strength, and the reason why he succeeds where others fail, it is also a notable weakness. For all that he seeks justice, he is also vengeful. His need to avenge his father's death obsesses him, turning his mood darker than it would usually be and driving him through multiple duels, challenges and fights until at last he can face his father's murderer. This trait comes to the fore again when he discovers that the criminal Labarge has burned down his farm, and he exhibits the same obsessive, vengeful attitude all over again.

Even when his reaction is not so extreme that it leads him to seek vengeance, his bravery and confidence often lead to a lack of caution. His confidence slips very easily into arrogance, both when it comes to his skill as a fighter - especially when faced with an opponent of equal, or superior skill - and the strength of his opinions. He is often not as respectful as he should be, having a tendency to run his mouth off when he disagrees with someone, to demand answers from his superiors when he's upset, and to imagine that he will always be better than his opponent no matter how experienced they are.

The combination of his bravery and his arrogance means that d'Artagnan is prone to getting into trouble. His recklessness means that he is generally willing to take a course of action that others see as dangerous or inadvisable. He is far more likely to assume he will succeed than worry about what will happen if he fails. He is capable of both logical and strategic thinking, and despite his recklessness he's not stupid - but when his temper is hot, he tends to follow his heart rather than his head. His easy, lazy demeanor only lasts until he loses his temper, or rushes into a fight. An angry d’Artagnan tends to be something of a loose cannon, throwing himself into dangerous situations with very little care for his own safety.

"And that could have been your back!
Now, fight me, or you will die on your knees! I don't care which."

This is why Athos describes him as promising, but raw, and cautions him against his tendency to let his heart rule his head. His temper can be his undoing in a fight, since it leads him to act with reckless abandon instead of precision or control. In order to truly fulfill his potential, d’Artagnan needs to learn to control his emotions and fight with a clear head. This is something he clearly struggles with, and is something that the other Musketeers – and Athos in particular – are trying to direct him in. The importance of this is that d’Artagnan is not yet the complete soldier. For all his skill and natural ability, he’s still young and brash, lacking both the experience and the formal training of his friends. Yet just as his strengths are also his weaknesses, so is this weakness also a strength; despite his youth and relative inexperience, d’Artagnan is able to keep pace with (though not defeat) the other Musketeers, and he’s able to bring down the majority of enemies he must face. It is this potential that has made him a part of the already established and more experienced team of Athos, Porthos and Aramis, and he seems to fit as easily into their number as though he has always belonged there.

The reason for this is not solely to do with his abilities as a soldier. In common with his three friends, d’Artagnan possesses a very strong sense of personal loyalty and duty. His word is his bond, and he takes very seriously any promise that he makes and any debt that he owes. He seeks always to behave with honour, which to him means that he will defend those who cannot defend themselves, he will protect those who need it even when they do not ask for it, and he will stand by his friends when they need him. In part this is because his meeting with them coincides with the death of his father, and for d'Artagnan this represents a crossroads in his life. Having grown up as a farm boy, he now aspires to join the regiment of Musketeers as a soldier, and in place of his father are three older Musketeers who both inspire him, and earn his respect. He finds with them the sense of belonging that he loses with the death of his father, and once his initial need for revenge abates, he's able to find something or a surrogate family among their number. His response to this is that he treats them as though they are his blood. He will take on any amount of risk for them, seeking only that they should repay that loyalty by placing their trust in him.

"If this gets me hanged, I'm going to take it very personally."

Time and time again, he takes the harder road rather than let down one of his friends; he helps to conceal a known criminal when Aramis seeks his aid in doing so, he refuses to hear that same criminal’s accusations against Treville because he is loyal to his Captain, he seeks the life of his father’s killer no matter what the consequence may be for him. Even on the one occasion when he doubts one of his friends – when Porthos appears to have murdered someone in cold blood while drunk – d’Artagnan still works to exonerate him and later says that Porthos being guilty had never crossed his mind. He would both kill and die for his friends; he considers this a duty and a privilege, and to have any other attitude would seem dishonourable to him.

Yet this attitude is often what gets him into trouble, particularly when his loyalty for one person clashes with his loyalty for another. When Constance challenges him over not telling her that Aramis’ friend Marsac is a criminal, d’Artagnan angrily states that he had owed Aramis his loyalty – and then apologises, remembering that he owes loyalty to Constance as well. It’s not always easy for him to strike the right balance when it comes to the trust he places in others, and he’s been shown to make, regret, and apologise for, mistakes. His determination to be loyal means that he does not always make the 'right' choice, but so long as he considers that he behaved with honour, he will live with the consequences of that.

As the case with Marsac proves, he has also been shown to place his own idea of what it means to be a loyal friend and honourable person over what is strictly legal – despite the fact that he aspires to be one of the King’s Musketeers. However, this trait is also something he has in common with Athos, Aramis and Porthos, all of whom have a sense of natural justice which has been known to fly in the face of official law. This is most notably seen when all four of them conspire to hand the tax-evading slaver Bonnaire into the hands of the Spanish - despite the fact that relations between France and Spain are difficult, and despite the fact that Bonnaire has been commissioned by the King to establish colonies abroad in the name of France. It is acknowledged that to give Bonnaire up is technically treason, but the Musketeers do it anyway because of their sense that slavery is morally wrong (despite being legal) and their belief that Bonnaire should be punished for his crimes and not rewarded. This does not mean that the Musketeers (and d'Artagnan, by extension) are not loyal to their country. By contrast, they protect the life of the King at all costs, and as a general rule they act in the interests of France. However, they all abide by what could be termed as a shared sense of chivalry - a duty to serve one's Lord, to defend the weak, to defend one's honour, and to do so in a manner that is right and fair. When their duty comes into conflict with their honour, they will do what they believe is right - even if that means trying to find a way around their orders. D'Artagnan already displays this attitude when he meets Athos, Porthos and Aramis, and his association with them only serves to reinforce it. This means that as a soldier he will follow orders, but he will place his personal sense of justice above those orders if and when the two conflict.

The idea of chivalry also evokes the notion of romance. D'Artagnan is a particularly romantic character, with a capacity to love very deeply. This is not to say that he will not engage in a relationship unless he is in love; in fact he seems familiar enough with casual relationships, as shown when he sleeps with Milady in the first episode after having just met her. There is no sense that he loves her; at the time he is mourning the loss of his father, and he indicates both that he does not want to talk about what is wrong, and that he would like to just lose himself in her and forget for a while. Despite this, when he discovers that her neck is marked from where (as she explains) a man she loved tried to kill her, d'Artagnan offers to kill the man in question without even knowing the full story. Even without being in love, he acts on the instinct of his feelings rather than with logic or discernment. It is only later, after Milady tries to frame him for murder, that he becomes more suspicious and wary of her, and even then she holds enough of a sway over him that he accepts her help when she offers to sponsor his entry to a competitive fight. He is not quite able to forget his association with her, even when her duplicitous nature reveals itself to him. This particular relationship is likely to get him into yet more trouble, considering that unknown to d'Artagnan, the man who had tried to kill Milady had been his friend, Athos.

This tendency to put romance over reason becomes even more evident when he meets Constance, and begins to become her friend. It's soon very clear that he has a growing affection for her, far greater than any form of lust he shows for Milady. Constance is a person who challenges his ideals, who tells him that she wants to be seen as his equal and not just someone he protects, who becomes a trusted confidante and who has helped him and the other Musketeers on more than one occasion. D'Artagnan reacts badly (and violently) towards anyone who threatens Constance, and he is impressed both by her humility and by her capacity for kindness, eventually telling her that she is the finest woman he has ever met.

"You shine so brightly in my eyes,
it puts every other woman in the shade."

He also tells her that he loves her, quite by accident, in spite of the fact that she is married. Eventually this results in him having an affair with her, even though both of them know that it's wrong. D'Artagnan cares far more about how they feel for each other than anything else, meaning that his attitude towards love is another example of his tendency to let his heart rule his head. His illicit relationship with Constance is one that cannot last, and this is something he should logically know - but he acts according to his feelings instead, and this sets his heart up to be broken.

This is a very clear example of how d'Artagnan's passionate nature gets him into trouble. Whether the context is his blossoming career as a soldier, or his personal life, he is a man very much ruled by his passions. He may seem calm, witty and dry at first glance, but he is driven by ambition, by honour and duty, and by love. He has the potential to be a great Musketeer, but he is still young, and lacks both the experience and control of his Musketeer friends. However, his drive to become one of them is what pushes him on, and his attachment to them has meant that they have become something of a surrogate family to him after the death of his father. He wants desperately to be part of their number, having found a sense of belonging and community with them. It is this goal which always drives him forward regardless of how much trouble he finds himself in.

ABILITIES:

D'Artagnan is an ordinary human, with no abnormal powers or abilities. However, he is in excellent physical condition and is regularly shown to be fit, agile and athletic. He has a great deal of natural ability in hand to hand combat, despite having grown up on a farm and not having received formal military training until he falls in with the established Musketeers. He is proficient in the use of firearms (particularly pistols and muskets), though he is not as accurate with them as his friend Aramis. However his most notable skill is with the sword, with which he is extremely versatile and can use it either by itself, or with a second blade (such as his long knife) in his other hand. He is an instinctive fighter with a quick, agile style which involves him employing multiple turns, pivots, changes of position and movement while fighting. He rarely fights with just one weapon, and his quick style allows him to easily switch between his sword, his knife and his pistols - as well as using each of them in combination with the others, while taking on groups of enemies.

D'Artagnan's personal level of skill is shown to be very high, and is regularly remarked upon by others. He is good enough that he has been shown teaching others (notably, Constance) the basics of shooting and fencing. He is generally able to defeat any enemy that he takes on, with the notable exception of the three Musketeers whom he befriends - Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Where they are concerned, he is able to keep pace with them and fight alongside them without looking out of place; however, he cannot defeat them. His proficiency develops further under their (particularly Athos') guidance. Athos initially describes him as 'promising, but raw', indicating a high degree of natural talent which needs to be refined through formal training. He has a tendency to let his temper get the better of him when it is raised, and so when a fight is particularly personal, he loses some of his focus and his fighting ability suffers as a result. It is this aspect that Athos begins to work with him on. He shows improvement in this area as the series continues; however at his present canon point, it will be his most notable weakness in battle.

POSSESSIONS:
⚜ Clothing:
⚜ 1 belted, studded brown leather jacket with detachable sleeves
⚜ 1 pair dark brown leather trousers
⚜ 1 pair leather boots
⚜ Undergarments
⚜ 1 greying undershirt
⚜ 1 pair brown leather gloves
⚜ 1 dark brown woolen cape
⚜ 1 brown leather belt

⚜ Weapons:
⚜ 1 sword belt (equipped as shown here
⚜ 1 sword (epee style)
⚜ 2 pistols
⚜ Ammunition - the amount that he would begin a day with
⚜ 1 long knife
⚜ 1 coinpurse, containing loose change contemporary with early 1630s France
⚜ 1 monocular

samples.
INTERACTION SAMPLE:
[ The video opens to show a young, dark-haired man, who peers dubiously at the lens. Behind him is one of the classrooms, still in a state of disrepair. He's new; he'll deal with that later. After a moment he seems to decide the camera is working, because he smiles, and tries to look as though it's not ridiculous to talk to an object no larger than a Nuremberg egg. ]

Hello. Apparently, I'm now talking to all of you. Even the ones I haven't met, which seems unlikely. But I'll take their word for it.

My name is d'Artagnan, of Lupiac in Gascony. I've just recently joined your-- [ He glances around, eyes taking in the cracked ceiling, and the vines poking through the window - ] fine community, here. I must say we've been housed in a quality establishment. Though, I like the running water. That part's actually impressive.

[ ...Moving on. His wandering eye comes back to the camera and his smile returns. ]

I was wondering if any of you could tell me where I might sharpen my sword. I've not seen a blacksmith thus far, and if anyone could show me where the local Garrison is, I would owe you a debt. I'd like to report for duty.

[ For a moment that seems to be all, and the camera jostles as if he's going to turn it off. Then he hesitates, thins his lips into a line, and looks up again. ]

One more thing. If the fellow I accosted on the train platform is listening to this, I'd like to apologise, and ask your forgiveness. I was in the wrong, and shouldn't have attacked you. I give you my word, it won't happen again.

[ And finally, he ends the feed. ]

Additionally, here are some linked examples of interaction with him:
⚜ Musebox thread with Athos
⚜ Musebox thread with Constance
⚜ Dear Player thread with Aramis (slightly meta, which is why I've included the others as well)
⚜ The Rescue Mission Meme - open log format

INTROSPECTION SAMPLE: I'm already in game!