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house vaillancourt

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nobility cerberus-aligned elemental[break][break]

it can be said that the House of Vaillancourt is extremely ancient and extremely private. the earliest public records containing its name are dilapidated and highly conserved, and even they number few and far between. it is well known within the circles of genealogists and historians that any true information can only be sourced in the great library of its estate— entry of which is rarely, if not never permitted. occasionally a lucky researcher may be allowed to enter the grounds, however, the reasoning must often be exceptional and with recommendation.

[break][break]the date of its founding is unclear, but it is a rooted belief that the House was founded alongside Cerberus by a man named Charles Athenais de Villencourt. his identity and the exact relationship between the two is unknown, but it is a well-founded fact that there is a long history of Vaillancourt presence within the coven.

[break][break]historical documents record that the House is an elemental powerhouse, producing at least one elementalist per generation. noble in both blood and honour, members of the House have often been noted to be virtuous and generous, generating a glorious reputation that has lasted until present day. it is also suspected that they have a special inclination towards familiars of the Cervidae family, however, this is an observation based only on the present members of the house.

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alphonse i. vaillancourt

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the prince aer & starcalling lord[break][break]

The mighty Lord Vaillancourt, Alphonse Isidore bears the mantle of his lineage with terrifying ease and prowess. Senior in authority, he heads a noble and ancient family that stands out even to those of similar heritage, and it is his powerful influence that keeps the Vaillancourts above other lesser noble houses. To those ignorant of the workings of Salem's upper echelon, his name resonates as a hero of the Vale, his achievements well-recorded in the annals of the Great War.

[break][break]A soldier of Cerberus in his youth, tales of his chivalry and valiance linger still in the mouths of those left to tell them. They speak of a young man who commanded the winds and wielded starlight in his hands, a stalwart guardian in the face of adversary. They speak of an unbreakable shield cast of gale-force strength, of celestial bodies soaring across the skies in a fusillade of terrifying power. They speak of his unwavering courage and determination, so constant and so brilliant. So striking had he been, standing above the world at the top of the keep of Chateau de Villencourt with his familiar, they named him 'the Prince'.

[break][break]It is not well-known that Alphonse did not come into his inheritance naturally. He had not been his father's heir at the time of his birth for he was the youngest. Had Benoît lived, then things would have turned out very differently, however, the responsibilities did not daunt him in the slightest.

[break][break]Militaristic, Alphonse is a formidable man with a chilling gaze. Calculating and powerful, there is very little that he does not know and cannot do, housing a wealth of knowledge and ability within his mind. It is unwise to think that his age presents a disadvantage on his part, a warning known to all who are familiar with the Vaillancourts. A private man, much like the rest of his family, he rarely makes appearances in public— a habit he formed in the past that has stayed. He is very much aware of the happenings that unfold in the world, but it is unknown how he maintains an eye from within the estate.

[break][break]His familiar is named Crépuscule, a handsome and tremendous elk. Far larger than mundane elks, Crépuscule is Alphonse's steed who accompanied him into battle. As shrewd and as capable as his witch, they form an indomitable duo, his presence contributing to the epithet of 'The Prince'. It is not common to see Crépuscule materialised, and thus it is often a true spectacle when he is visible.

[break][break]( In Guillaume and Sylvaine's memories, he often allowed them to ride on his back when they were children. To them, he is known as 'Crépe'. )

[break][break]Although Alphonse has developed an intimidating reputation in the wider public, unbeknownst to them, he is deeply loving of his family. Much like the ancestors before him, he carries a tendency to harbour great affection for those he deems worthy of such intense emotion. Father of Guillaume and Therésè and Grandfather to Sylvaine, to them, he is a great source of comfort and stability, reliable in all facets, and they love him very much.

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adrienne de gasparin

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frostbloom aquos & ??? heir consort[break][break]

Adrienne de Gasparin had long made a name for herself before her marriage into the house of Vaillancourt. Beautiful, bewitching, beguiling, she was the epitome of an enchantress, with tremendous power to supplement her desirous qualities. She was unattainable and untouchable, a layer of ice standing in between her and anyone who dared to take a chance. Her name would frequent the tabloids from one scandal to the next, a socialite sought by the spotlight, and let it be known that it was always others who vied for a second of her attention, and never the other way around.

[break][break]One must wonder how it had come to be that she would marry into one of the oldest families in all of Salem. It was a marriage unforetold and unexpected, even within the nobility. There had been no courtship, no indication that there ever was a relationship between the two. Simply one day, the two were married. Even the Lord Vaillancourt had no words to offer other than to say that it had been diplomatic, however it was suspected that he was aware of everything. It had been the talk of the papers for months, with speculation and gossip articles published daily in attempts to unravel the mystery of such a relationship. While a Cerberus witch, there were rumours everywhere that she had heavy dealings with or perhaps even allegiance to the coven Sybaris, including a well-documented romance with a Sybarite, however there had never been sufficient proof to confirm any of this. And so, to this day, no one truly knows what had transpired between the heir of Vaillancourt and the Frostbloom to lead to such a union.

[break][break]One thing is for certain: their marriage had been mutual. Observations made by anonymous Vaillancourt enthusiasts have reported that their daughter is a witch of precocious intelligence and has been faring well in her time in Delphi. They have noted that she is every inch a noble lady from her appearance to her mannerisms. And thus a conclusion was made: her happiness is testament that she was a child born out of love, if not respect.

[break][break]Adrienne’s reputation as a powerful Ice witch is not unfounded. Naturally gifted, she has honed her affinity for Ice to an almost supernatural level of control. Her mere presence can drop the temperature of the room by several degrees, an intimidation tactic that she uses well to her advantage. Supremely arrogant in her youth, she relished in instilling fear and found great pleasure in toying with her enemies until they gave into her will. However, despite her enjoyment in playing with her opponents, it is also known that she rarely takes their life, preferring to leave her victims with an eternal memory instead. Nowadays, she has tempered her sadism a great deal, needing to curb the mercilessness due to her role as liaison, but there are moments where her bloodthirst leaks through diplomatic talks when things become difficult.

[break][break]She is a good mother, despite all of the signs pointing towards doubt. The birth of Sylvaine had been anticipated, a joyous occasion for both Adrienne and Guillaume. It could be said that the flames of her daughter had been the only thing in the world to be able to thaw her frost. From a young age, she oversaw her daughter’s training in mana control, teaching her how to harness her flames and how to suppress them. It was those lessons that have accumulated in Sylvaine’s phenomenal (or perhaps detrimental) hold over her fire. There are also no qualms that much of Adrienne’s personality has rubbed off on her daughter, and that despite Sylvaine taking after her father in appearance, her gaze and her shrewdness are all her mother’s.

[break][break]Unlike the family that she married into, Adrienne bears no ties to Cervidae familiars. Her beloved companion is Phänomene, an albino king cobra. Much larger than mundane king cobras, Phänomene is nightmare fuel for any snake-fearer, reaching almost shoulder-height when reared. He is perhaps half the reason Adrienne is feared so much, his presence able to make even the most experienced witches uneasy due to his sheer size. Wonderfully sarcastic and sharing his witch’s sadism, he is dreadfully intelligent and serves to only add to Adrienne’s arsenal.