Lucien Robillard

Lucien Robillard

Pupil of Llewelyn Harlech "the White Hand of Pysgotwala". Robillard is known for his more studious and academic approach to studies like alchemy, chemical, and agricultural sciences.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Strength isn't something to remark about for Lucien but he is still taller than one might think for an alchemist and magician known for his soil and wellness potions.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Born sometime in the early 630s to a merchant father and a seamstress mother, a young Lucien was the third of six children and often found he had a knack for complicated problem solving and intricate puzzles. In their hamlet by the sea, Lucien often built elaborate sandcastles and got his siblings to help him pile rocks in an effort to block the approaching sea from destroying them. He claims to have once built a sandcastle almost fifty feet high as a boy. This burgeoning creative mind was repeatedly encouraged by his mother who had him help her weave garments with her. Lucien credits time with her as his fondest memories of his childhood. Lucien's father, a Stracian forced Lucien along on a few trading journeys to the inner Cassena where the thought to teach his third boy some of his trade. During a stop in Lepoi on the way home, Lucien had his first encounter with any form of magic when he saw a Pellephoni fire thrower in action and studied the movements and breaths the thrower took with detailed accuracy. On the return voyage home, Lucien attempted the movements of the fire thrower and managed to nearly burn down the masts of the ship. When they arrived back home, Lucien's father announced the abilities of his son and the hamlet cheered that night, save for Lucien's mother who remained solemn. The next week, Lucien was sent a few miles north to a growing community there that was built around an eccentric magic man named Llewellyn Harlech who had begrudgingly begun to train magic users.

When Lucien arrived at the little house of Harlech, he could not be more confused by the appearance of the man who was supposed to be his teacher, Harlech was at this time, sporting a tangled mess of hair down to his waist and seemed to be able to conjure a booming voice despite his smaller frame. He ran his students like they were army conscripts, awakening every day at the crack of dawn for miles upon miles of running, balancing water buckets on sticks even whitewashing the outside of the magic man's home. The boys under Harlech endured this without a peep until Lucien had had enough and openly questioned the meaning behind these activities to Harlech. Apparently this was a part of their training as Harlech commended the boy for questioning why they had been doing activities that had nothing to do with magic. Harlech stated that the mindset of a magic user had to be adaptable and inquisitive, that just accepting a task blindly was not in keeping with maintaining a creative and "rebellious" mind.

Life at Harlech's abode was strenuous, stressful, and educational as potential students slowly left until it was just Harlech and Lucien remaining. The personal education Lucien received at Harlech's hands would have a profound effect on the boy's later teaching style as Harlech drove him hard in ways the protege often thought went too far. In alchemy and pharmacology as well as more academic corners of magic, Lucien excelled, but in conjuring, precognition, probability, and weather manipulation Lucien was hopeless. The difficulty here was that these were the kinds of aspects of magic that were preferred by Harlech, the showy, and in reality, more powerful aspects of magic that tapped into very old and ancient corners of magic that did not interest Robillard. Robillard and Harlech differed greatly in their perception of what constituted magical adeptness and this was the source of their falling out on top of the general dislike both men had for each other. Robillard and his mentor had a strongly worded disagreement one day and this resulted in a fight between the two that spiraled out of control into a magical duel. Both men attest that this duel was a mistake and could have been avoided but Robillard sees it as soemthing he is deeply ashamed of while Harlech seems to revel in the spectacle the two put on and calls it,

"One of the greatest light shows ever to grace this corner of the world."

In the aftermath, Robillard had been beaten and bruised by his mentor but not after himself singeing the top of Harlech's head with a defiant fireball. The two men fell out and Robillard set out to make a practice of his gifts while Harlech settled into the life of a hermit.

As he had exceeded in more foundational and academic aspects of magic, Robillard opened a practice for these skills in the city of Vaseau, close to his hometown of Fostat. Doubling as a place for him to teach and mentor students of his, his business specialized in selling personal medical remedies derived from herbs he'd carefully cultivate, strong distilled remedial potions with some specially enhanced cannabis used for relaxation and recovery. Robillard himself took some contracts issued by nearby lords when their crops began failing, Robillard became known as the man to call to disperse locusts, formulate strong pesticide spells as well more scientific soil analysis which was used to better analyze what crops to plant, in what field and when. He was always busy in this practice and always profitable as very few in the world could compete with his specialties in his many fields of study. his teaching style was very hands-on and very supportive as he attracted wide acclaim and a horde of would-be students. Lucien employed his own family as extra hands to help with his business and act as aides while he instructed his students. Lucien himself would acclaim that the worst student he ever had was Gadau Van Der Kovay, she was headstrong, impetuous but wickedly talented, and capable of refinement. She was a student of his toward the end of his active teaching career and he prides himself on being able to have taught her a great deal while remaining in her good graces, a fact he contrasts with his own relationship with his mentor Harlech who he has not spoken to in years.

These days, one can find Lucien Robillard happily in retirement, surrounded by his extended family on his newly established estate just outside Vaseau. He still maintains his love of learning and will happily converse with those who come to his door with questions. He is not, however, in the education business anymore and always makes sure to recommend his star pupil Van Der Kovay as being far more active and educational than himself nowadays. Any departing questioner will happily receive a few books on the subjects they pondered about and always a helpful smile and well wishes from the jovial old alchemist, botanist, potionist, agronomist, and first of all, teacher.

Education

Educated and mentored under Llewellyn Harlech, the White Hand of Pysgotwala

Employment

Retired botanist, alchemist, potionist, agronomist and academic

Mental Trauma

Greatly influenced and spiteful of the teaching style of his mentor Llewellyn Harlech

Morality & Philosophy

Education that is locked away by the educated's inability to convey their intelligence is one of life's greatest tragedies

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Further the wellbeing of as many people as he can
Advance mankind's understanding of the nature of its surroundings

Virtues & Personality perks

Patient
Intelligent
Gentle
Compassionate

Vices & Personality flaws

Proud
Stubborn
Contentious

Hygiene

Manufactured himself a batch of anti perspirant derived from vanilla extract

Social

Contacts & Relations

Star pupil of Llewellyn Harlech
Teacher and friend of Gadau Van Der Kovay

Family Ties

Brother in law of Roger de Bourdet via his sister's marriage to him

Religious Views

For many in his field, religious adherence is something in the back of their minds. Lucien's continued belief in the Ecclesia is something of a peculiarity but he claims that nothing of the faith conflicts with his livelihood, so he continues in his faith.

Social Aptitude

Ever gregarious and gentle, Lucien's temperament can put any at ease as he slips into conversation on a wide array of fields that he has familiarity and even unfamiliarity with. Very much an academic yet remains sociable and very likable.

Speech

Refined and dignified in everything he does, Lucien has an ear for how he comes across to those he speaks to so he always makes an effort to sound and appear helpful, reassuring and useful.
Ethnicity
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Professions
Date of Birth
6th of Herrena
Year of Birth
634 A.E 68 Years old
Circumstances of Birth
Born in the western Areul town of Fostat in Vaseau to a minor Stracian merchant father and a Halsat seamstress mother
Birthplace
Fostat, Western Vaseau
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark Brown, Small
Hair
Long Greying Beard and Curly Hair
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tan
Height
5'7
Weight
180 lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
"I taught my students how to make wheat grow efficiently in untenable soil, how to heal and effectively regrow damaged dactylys and I did it all without singeing the hair off their heads or without hitting them over the head with a stick."
Belief/Deity
Mundana Ecclesia
Aligned Organization
Known Languages
Hasdinian
Lakic
Iolan
Galuk
Yarmeza
Gangleri Tunga
Character Prototype
Hippocrates
(The Robillard Estate)
(Robillard's prize student and friend, Gadau Van Der Kovay)

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