Clément Poulain's page

Clément Poulain’s parents were poor merchants who lived in Isarn their entire lives. His individualist streak was apparent early on, as even a toddler he made costumes out of whatever he found laying around. His father was uncomfortable but said little about it, while his mother was devoted to the eccentric lad, especially after her next two pregnancies ended in miscarriages.

Among his friends, he became known as a gifted storyteller with a wild imagination. Though money was always scarce, he did his best to dress in ways that stood out from the crowd. And though Clément kept a happy face and attitude, he saw the horrors of Isarn firsthand nearly every day of his life. Though the inbred “nobility” were mostly gone, there were always men who amassed power and abused said power and the less powerful with impunity.

His father was one of those less powerful men. Though the two weren’t exactly close, Clément saw the abuses his father weathered by whomever was powerful at the time. He began imagining a different sort of story, one not based on mirth, wordplay, and light satire. A brutal story, violent and bloody. A story about vengeance. And the main character was Le Bourreau du Peuple, the People’s Executioner. Masked but wholly unlike the Grey Gardeners, he wore all black except for a skull mask with stylized colors of the Galtan flag. He used nooses, scythes, and sometimes his bare hands to mete out brutal vengeance on those that would hurt the weak.

But Le Bourreau du Peuple remained but a story for years. It wasn’t until his father was struck down as a bystander in the midst of a raid conducted by the Council that the People’s Executioner came to life.

While he had always felt free and independent, putting on the mask brought him into a whole new level. Though Clément was a gentle soul, the Executioner was harsh and at times cruel to his foes. The powerful would feel powerless as his rope tightened around their necks. He watched the fear percolate in their eyes until all light went out.

Clément has thus split his time since: partially rabble-rousing as a flamboyant public speaker during the day, but silently stalking and murdering abusers of power at night.

When he found the invitation in his pocket, Clément had no idea whether someone had found out his secret, but he had to find out. But if this invitation was real, and an actual attempt at righting the wrongs of Isarn’s past, that’s something with which both of his identities would love to help.

While Clément hasn’t formally sat down to plan out what exactly he thinks Galt needs, he does have some ideals he wants addressed. Never a fan of the nobility, he doesn’t want anyone taking their place, either. Aristocrats of any sort eventually fall back on abusing the people. He longs for a day that a poor merchant has as many rights as the head of a guild. Clément is willing to do a lot to further these goals. The Executioner is willing to do even more.

Clément has long, silky blonde hair that he often arranges elaborately for his speaking performances. He dresses in billowy, semi-androgynous clothes, usually pastels and purples, and often applies make-up to his face as well. He is ribald, teasing, and playful as he toys with his words and his audiences. He’ll sometimes tell ghastly tales of the Executioner as if he’s horrified by the brute.
When in that identity, Clément wears black armor he’s more quiet in than should be possible. He is covered from head to toe in black, in fact, except for the skull mask inside his hood, with red and blue patterned on it in a stylized take on the Galt flag. The Executioner speaks rarely, in a husky, flat monotone.

So a lot of stuff got put into a blender to make this character. Clément himself is a ambiguously sexual performer in the style of Bowie, Prince, and Janelle Monae; a clever, sexy artist well aware of himself. For the Executioner I’m inspired by the European horror films from Mario Bava or Dario Argento. Rough, bloody, violent. I don’t play CN as “I can do whatever I want so nyah.” CN can be a lot of things, from a true dedicant to chaos to the Executioner, who is fine with using evil or underhanded means to punish abusers of the good.

In a game, Clément and the Executioner both have strong social skills, able to influence others through friendliness, manipulation, or sheer terror. If and when combat occurs, he’s probably not a front-liner but can hold his own in melee, especially if stealth is a concern. If selected, I'll make a separate profile for the Executioner, if only for visual aid.

Anyway, I had a blast making this guy. Next up the ranger!