Name: Jean Cedric Carteneau
Age: 32
Where do you hail from?: Jean hails from the temperate island nation of Lulia.
The Kingdom of Lulia, or the Isles of Lulia, is a small nation consisting of a large main island and four small satellite islands. The main islands are separated into nine main states, or prefectures. The main island, Lulia, has five prefectures, Pem, Oshington, Hayes, Gusto, and Ocros, with the remaining four belonging to the four satellites. Ruled by the Crown since time immemorial, Lulia is a fundamentally mercantile nation with many colonial holdings. A highly industrious state, it is known for three things: manufacturing, navy, and education.
A staggering 75% of the country’s gross domestic profit is international trade, with the remaining 25% attributed to primarily agriculture and statistically insignificant markets. Lulia is renowned for its nearly unrivaled manufacturing and industrial capability, which is centered nearly exclusively in the smoggy Oshington Prefecture. Oshington is Lulia’s geographically smallest prefecture, consisting of Lulia’s five major cities and their governing zones. These five cities together account for the majority of the kingdom’s population, and are the reason for Lulia’s arguably unwarranted image amongst foreigners as a sooty and densely populated nation. Unlike the cities of other nations, Lulia’s major cities are not homogenous. Over the course of centuries its centers of trade have become melting pots of cultures and religions.
Contrary to the image put forth by Oshington, Lulia’s other prefectures are of a slow, peaceful agrarian nature, with rolling fields of wheat and sweet rustic towns. Life is quiet in these lands, and even in the larger coast side fishing towns there is a pleasant atmosphere that makes one want to relax outside and sip coffee during the warmer months. Farmers are the minority of Lulia’s population, and are well regarded out of patriotism, for most food is imported from other nations.
As a mercantile, maritime nation, Lulia has a sizeable and powerfully equipped navy to protect its commerce and cruise the seas. At present, it has a comparatively small army, used only to hold down colonial holdings, or settle domestic disputes. It was only in recent memory that the Lulian army was this small, however; Lulia was the very same nation that sent its armies into the Labyrinth in a series catastrophic expedition. Happily enough, the Crown regarded the expedition as a success, although in one incident the Labyrinth yielded part of a mountain that crushed most of the countless artifacts that were spit out in equivalent exchange.
Regardless of gain or loss, the destruction of this grand army had little effect on Lulia in the grand scheme of things as its superior navy has always protected its nation. Indeed, the main islands have never experienced a major nor successful invasion of their land in the millennia Lulia has existed as a sovereign state, and this is reflected in the proud and patriotic nature in even the most diverse citizens of the kingdom.
The academic institution is an important aspect in Lulian life. Upper and middle class citizens are socially expected to be schooled at a young age, starting from five until fifteen, when one has the option to attend university. Privileged peasants or magically competent people can potentially secure a university education by showing sufficient potential and petitioning a lord, but this is uncommon.
A typical Lulian University is situated usually in the countryside in grand and sprawling campuses, away from the hustle and bustle of the Oshington cities. Most Lulian institutes teach two core curriculums: The Common Arts, including history, art itself, mathematics, politics, and professions of the paper and land, and the simply put Magic Arts, which encompass the realms of alchemy, healing, summoning arts, elemental arts, magic theory, and the like.
The Lulian people have an odd and somewhat morbid philosophy in regards to the Labyrinth that has raised controversy time and time again. There is a popular tradition among the lower classes to sacrifice oneself at an old age, for the greater good of the people and their families. The old would not die wretched, the burden upon the family would be lifted, and the state would be strengthened through their sacrifices. This practice is not ubiquitous, but it is not uncommon to see the elderly make pilgrimages to the Labyrinth.
Interestingly, the political and academic elite have not yet given up on attempting to unlock the secrets of the Labyrinth. While military generals and navy admirals are simply interested in the shiny weapons that come out and send in military squads, it is not uncommon that entire academic expeditions end up sacrificing themselves in vain attempts to beat the system alongside their military and elderly counterparts.
What are your reasons for crossing the Gate of the Labyrinth?:He crosses the gate in pursuit of knowledge, enlightenment, and probably a good mixture of morbid curiosity in between.
How would you describe yourself?: Jean has a mild personality. He is a soft spoken, gentle person, but at the same time strong in resolve and will. Perhaps suiting to his profession, he strives to be helpful and benign at the outbreak of conflict, and he was known as a judicious arbiter at Hayes when solving academic disputes amongst colleagues and students.
A hard-working, inquisitive sort of guy, he can be found staring intensely at papers at his desk, or in the field studying plants and animals for an experimental potion or even the odd ingredient for some homebrew alcohol. He is enthusiastic by nature, but does well in hiding this, appearing as a reserved and thoughtful professor that likes to joke about idle things.
When things are serious, however, he is merciless as anybody would expect him to be, whether he is acting as a professor, a healer, or a citizen of Lulia, Jean would not hesitate to wreck an academic career for dishonesty, perform to his utmost ability as a physician, or do his civic duty in protecting the state.
And your morals and ideals?:Like most of his colleagues and peers, Jean shares a conventional sense of Lulian code of ethics and morals. That is simply common sense and doing what is right. He doesn’t press his ideals on anybody, and does not particularly judge somebody for their morals and ideals, but he’ll probably poke fun at it.
What do you consider yourself to be skilled in?:Jean lives and breathes magic. He is well versed in Lulian ‘General Alchemy’ and ‘Grand Alchemy,’ and the white arts, or the Lulian school of healing.
General Alchemy, or informally referred to as Field Alchemy, is the more practical, rooted school of alchemy. To put it simply, Field Alchemy is the practice of creating potions, elixirs, salves, and other various magical implements.
Grand Alchemy, on the other hand is more in line with the oft told “make lead into gold!” type of Alchemy, and is not unlike the Labyrinth in that Grand Alchemy induces a sense of equivalent exchange that transmutes one material into another. Often times, this requires a lengthy set up, requiring powerful catalysts and significant quantities of mana to transmute something as mundane as steel to a more rare metal, like the light aluminum. Grand Alchemy is almost never done on the field.
The whites arts are simple in nature. The entire school encompasses benevolent arts that mend the body (and soul, if some Lulian philosophers are to be believed). The art has universal boundaries of course, and can never revive the dead or regenerate or reattach severed limbs. It can never return an injury to its previous state, only nearly so, and for this reason the art is closely intertwined and supplemented with general medical practices.
Having nearly twenty years of being involved in the more arcane academia, Jean has a fair grasp of the principles of the main pillars of Lulian magical arts. While his field of study is healing magic, and alchemy, he is able to incorporate his extensive knowledge of the Lulian schools and weave in arts and tricks that the normal practitioner of Lulian magic cannot.
He has an inkling of knowledge of how to wield a sword, for person defense and simply as a tool, but it's likely he can bested by a swordsman’s apprentice in a fair duel.
Any fears or weaknesses that you hold?:Jean does not have any particular or notable fears outside the realm of a normal person of his age, but he certainly has physical weaknesses unique to him.
He really is not athletically fit. Jean is an academic, not a warrior or a battle mage. His eyesight is not the best and wears glasses to see at great distances. Jean certainly can’t run miles or swim laps, but his upper body strength is at least reasonable from working on his property, which he returns to tend every weekend.
Which part of your body do you value the most?: Jean’s left arm, as it is his dominant arm.
Stats: Strength: 6
Leg Stuff: 4
Dexterity: 7
Homogenized Body Stuff: 3
