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[BCOLOR=#ff0000]Duo[/BCOLOR] Pa[BCOLOR=#000080]rt 1[/BCOLOR][/BCOLOR]
Appearance:
Character Name:
Jean Valjean
Age:
Approximately 54
Attributes/Powers:
Physical Strength- During the 19 years he spent with the chain gang, Jean Valjean gained physical strength enough to greatly surpass the average human, unlocking enough power to raise approximately 500lb of wood and metal, in the form of a runaway cart, several inches from the street floor in order to save a stranger. Although his strength began to fade alongside his health during his old age, he is still strong enough (and strategic enough) to hold his own, perhaps even suppose someone half his age in combat
Knowledge of Typical 18th Century Prison Breaking Methods/Prison Culture- Again, brought in by his time in the Gallows, it is clear to see that Jean learned more than a few tricks of the prison trade, many of which a kept with him even during his time as Major. These tricks include:
Coin Blades- Involves concealing a sharpened strip of metal hidden within a hollowed out coin. This strip is too small to harm any human, but is useful for cutting ropes, weak wires and wooden bars.
Street Combat Skills-Self Explanatory
Musket Training- Valjean is not only a naturally good shot, but is able to compensate for the varying accuracy of the weapon, allowing him to shoot moving targets from up to 30 feet away. He does not, however, own a fire arm personally.
Weaknesses
Mortal- Despite his strengths of both character and physical form, M.Madaline is still only human. He could he stuck down at any time by the same things as the next man, even more so due to his age. Suffering from poor nutrition thigh out his childhood and young adult life, has provided the man with a poor immune system, which results in many illnesses during his late/retired life. Furthermore, Valjean was beaten and tortured during his time in prison, with both scar tissue and sever burn marks tainting his body, providing weaknesses, if struck with precision
A Horrid Past- After being granted parole, Valjean was flung into a work that hated him. Abused, neglected and shunned by all bar a single priest, Ex-Prisoner 24601 grew into a hardened, moral-less creature. He later learned to double cross all who welcomed him, hoping to find vengeance against the society that imprisoned him. It was only after being shown both forgiveness and value of the human soul by the same priest he stole from that the ex-con was able to leave the shadow of him own past and start anew as a kind being. He shall, however, neglect to mention his past, or even think of it, on fear of harming his own future. The brands upon his chest remain as one final reminder to him, teaching him to remember his mistakes.
Personality/History:
Selfless Nature- Desperate to recreate the kindness shown to him by the forgiving priest all those years ago, Jean expresses him gratitude by constantly putting others into his care, guarding and protecting all he meets. Constantly going without in order to better the poor peasants that swarm his streets, Valjean is willing to endanger his own life to make another's even the slightest fraction better
Loyal- Intent of keeping those within his care both safe, happy and alive, M.Madaline is willing to stand by all, even those who refuse to stand by him, until the bitter end; he is unwilling to rest until all aprons him are safe
Protective-It is this loyalty, however, that causes Jean to become very protective to those within his care, in some cases, to protective for both his and their own good. Thowing his own body between Javert's sword and already dead body in order to avoid desacrating it, and sheltering an adult Cosette from almost all forms of male contact aside from fleeting charitable actions are some examples of this
Charitable- self explanatory-see above
History- After stealing a loaf of bread to save his dying nephew, the formerly kind Jean Valjean was arrested for 19 years, to serve under the Chain Gang. It was during this time behind bars that the prisoner snapped, branded as a number instead of a human being; Valjean died and he became 24601. Without a kind soul in sight, the worker was constantly taunted by other prisoners about the death of his nephew, which he, of course, blamed his own failure for. Even after 3 failed escape attempts, he remained on that Hell for his into entire sentence, only being granted parole after completely giving into hatred.
Forced into a world that hated him, Valjean began to hate all that surrounded him in turn, expecting hatred, shunning and mockery, even, in some cases, welcoming, for nothing more that an excuse for something to scream at. Unable to find an inn to sleep in, the parolee eventually came across the humble resides of the Bishop of Digne, a kind Bishop he had forgone the life of luxury that his role had formerly entailed in order to help the needy. Welcoming him into his home out of the kindness of him heart, the poor fool was taken advantage of, with the hating man robing the resides of its valued silver after one night.
Valjean was, of course, court easily by Parisian policemen, who, in turn, beat him half to death. Returning his bleeding body and silver to the priest, Jean gave his testimony, claiming that he had been given the riches. Much to his surprise, the Bishop agreed with the man's lies, and sent the officers on their way. Giving Valjean all of his precious silver, he sent the man on his way, causing him to vow to changes his ways and turn to honesty.
And that he did
Several years late (10 to be precise) M.Madaline appeared in Montreuil-Sur-Mer, with no parole card in hand. Valjean had taken a new name and a new face, and with them, a new set of morals. After facing the previous major's children from a house fire, the wanderer was flooded with rewards, almost all of which he either invested into an honest business or gave to the poor. His business shaped the town, providing jobs for masses of the population. He continued to invest and give to the needy, living within his means, just like the Bishop Of Digne. He continued to rise in both power and dignity until he won the role of Major in 1823, aged 54, with the police inspector Javert, his former prison guard/head, as his assistant. Funny how things turn out.
One of his workers was a woman named Fauntine, a woman who fate had taunted for years. She had had a child outside of wedlock (a big deal back in the day) with a lover who abandoned her to avoid shaming his own name. Unable to raise her on a single salary, she left he daughter within the care of two innkeepers, as husband and wife know as M. and Mdm. Thénardier, and began to work on of Madaline's factories. The Greedy couple, however, extorted Fauntine, setting her child to work for them as an unpaid servant, tricking her mother into supplying them with ludicrous abouts of money to pay for medical fees. He child was later found by one of Madaline's foremen, and he negligently fired her, leading to her, to pay for her child's 'Medicine' become a whore, falling deadly ill within days.
After realising his mistake, M.Madaline sent for the poor woman to be sent to the finest of hospitals, while he sent for her daughter. To give he hope during her recovery, Madaline lied, tellering her that her child was already downstairs, and couldn't greet her until she was better. As he suspected, her desire to meet her child again lead to her health to increase dramatically.
Sadly, in a novel that's title quite literally translates as 'The Miserable', happy endings do not come easy. The inspector Javert was lead to the conclusion that Valjean and Madaline were the same man (due to their similar stength levels, ages, and physical features), and sent a report of to Paris, only to find that they authorities had already caught the man they believed to be Valjean, a petty Apple theif. After hearing this, the Major was crippled by guilt; how could he let another pay for his sins? But if he let him be killed for his crime, he would he not be forever free? After a long night of contemplation, he chose the formost path, and admitted to his crime. He escaped the courtroom desperate to complete one final task before he returned to face his fate; he had to be sure Fauntine would recover. Sadly, after arriving at her bedside, he was met by Javert. Humiliated by Valjean's deicpt, he declared that the Major was a criminal, and that he had not brought Fauntine her child infront of the sick woman, she had a heart attack and died. Uncaring of this, Javert swore to follow Madaline wherever he tried to flee, and thus it was pointless to flee, ignoring the woman he had indirectly killed. After escaping the inspectors custody once more, Madaline took it upon himself to raise the daughter Fauntine never could, blaming himself for tragedies that had befallen her. He set course for Northen May, to rescue a Girl named Cosette from the claws of the monstrous Thénardiers.
He did so
And that is where the hotel comes in
Costume: A night is shiny armour, minus a head piece. If I were to go all poetic on you, I would say that it signifies both the moral strength and bravery of the character, putting emphasis of his chivalrous and charitable side. Furthermore, the pure night of silver is the being that Cosette envisions him to be at this stage of her life; in the eyes of the child, the man who saved her from the claws of an abusive innkeeper and his family can do no wrong...
Canon: Les Miserables
Other Info: Part of a Duo. Part 2, Titled 'Cosette', shall be uploaded tomorrow
Sorry for any typos or errors- it's a really long mobile post
