Jean le Basque

 

Jean was born in an army camp in south-western France, somewhere near Bayonne, in a time of turbulent religious hatred and violence. His mother was a Spanish born camp follower and prostitute, his father, one of countless French soldiers. When he was old enough to understand, his mother would tell him stories about his father, the dashing "Count de Boulon", who she explained, was due home any day from fighting wars in foreign lands.

 His mother died of smallpox when he was five years old and to survive, Jean turned to stealing and looting with the other bastard children. Caught red handed by a veteran musketman, old  Hubert, could have done much worse to the child, but instead put the boy to work as his servant. Besides, Hubert still recalled the memory of Jean's mother fondly and took it upon himself to raise the boy.

Jean found true family amongst the soldiery and as he grew older he evolved from servant, to drummer boy, to infantryman, eventually joining the ranks as a musketeer. As a professional soldier he gained the byname, le Basque, in honour of his mother's heritage, a title he wears with pride. Pity the poor man who questions his patriotism to France.

A survivor of many skirmishes and battles, Jean is a grizzled veteran himself these days. His face and body bears evidence to the fact in the form of jagged scars and a weather beaten hue. He is a fine soldier, not only because he is stalwart and rugged, but mostly because he holds loyalty and duty above all else. Jean likes nothing more than to recount his acts of heroism and those of his comrades in arms, married with copious amounts of alcohol. He never embellishes the tales although as he is nothing if not completely honest.