Maximilien Turpentine Marcoux

[Warden Marcoux]

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Maximilien Turpentine Marcoux

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hopes apart
And they turn your dream to shame

And still I dream he'd come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed

~Vitals~

~Name: Dr. Maximilien Turpentine Marcoux
~Title: Warden says Gen, so Warden he be
~Nicknames:
~Age: 29
~Gender: Male
~Race: Mylian – A race of humanoid beings blessed with extreme intelligence. They are able to utilize all areas of their brain, and by doing so have the potential to uncover unique powers of the mind.
~Planet of Origin: Halta – A technologically advanced planet. Many years ago Halta was in the midst of revolution, but that has long since passed. Now the totalitarian Parliament is in full, peaceful control of the government and has strengthened support from its citizens…largely thanks to the Force.
~Sexuality: Heterosexual
~Faction: The Force
~Reputation: Highly intelligent, highly respected scholar and author in the world of academia.
~Specialty: Intelligence, “Dream-Warfare”/Mind Games
~Former Life: You may be familiar with the works On Dreams and Dreaming, Unconscious Minds, or Theories of Dream Projection by a certain M.T. Marcoux. He has a thing for writing and research and enjoyed a short career as an author and journalist. It was more of a hobby than anything, really.

~In Combat~

~POWERS:
Marcoux is a master of astral projection. That is, he is able to allow his conscious mind to leave his body at will in a form he dubs the “subtle body”. He is able to use this most strongly to manifest himself in the dreams of others. While he may claim this allows him to see into one’s “inner soul,” that can’t exactly be proven. However, this ability does in fact allow him to interact with his target, investigate the dreams of others, and participate in what Parliament has labeled “Dream-Warfare”. Marcoux will use his experience with a target in the dream-world to judge their character and unveil their “true” desires to the rest of the waking world, at times throwing a bull’s eye on the backs of innocents. But it must be done.

On a lesser extent, Marcoux may use his abilities to project himself to a location in the waking world. Restricted to his subtle body, Marcoux is unable to affect the world around him, unable to touch his surroundings or attack and enemy. Therefore, this skill is only useful for things like delivering messages or warnings to waking allies, for keeping an eye on the whereabouts of enemies, etc.. He prefers to save his energy for dream-world interactions.

These abilities do not come without pitfalls. Overusing the subtle body can be very taxing on the mind. After long sessions delving into the world of projections, Marcoux often leaves his brain restlessly exhausted. At this point he’s not beyond turning to drugs for a restful night of sleep. In addition, during the time spent out of body Marcoux’s physical form is completely defenseless. Therefore, projections must be thought out and his body must be left in a safe location. Though unproven, he imagines the death of his physical body would lead his subtle body trapped in the unconscious of his target.


~Weapons and Equipment: They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Only sleeping pills may be mightier than the pen.
~Skills: Marcoux is a highly skilled lucid dreamer. He is able to control most every facet of dreams, virtually making him the God of the unconscious mind. For example, he can alter the setting of a dream, alter his appearance, create matter, and so on. In the world of dreams, His will be done. And, of course, he is a very skilled writer.
~Former training: Marcoux received a doctoral degree in the area of psychology from the well-known Kroston University of Halta. Here he held a strong focus in studies of the unconscious mind and dream interpretation.

~A Face to Fear~

~Height: 5’10”
~Weight: 158lbs
~Hair Color: Brown
~Hair Style: It varies. Sometimes he keeps his hair close-cropped, while on other occasions he may allow the slightly curled tendrils to reach the bottoms of his ears. He usually sports a thin veil of stubble about his face.
~Eye Color: Brown
~Play-By: Guy Berryman
~Clothing Style: Most everything he wears is rather simple and a tad worn. He enjoys wearing the occasional scarf, and usually dresses for cooler weather with long sleeves and layered jackets. Most days he prefers to dress rather casual, though he’s not beyond wearing a nicely tailored suit.
~Distinguishing Features: Marcoux sports one silver hoop in his left ear and two small, hardly-noticeable moles on his upper right cheek.

~OVERALL APPEARANCE:
Physically there isn’t all too much imposing about Marcoux, at least not in a time when so many possess powers of the body rather than powers of the mind. He hardly seems to fit in with his hulking allies. However, this inner strength is not wholly lost on those who behold him. There is a sort of aura about the Mylian as if he is aware of absolutely everything, a wise glint in his dark eyes that seem to bear witness to even the minutest details. His movements are regal, slow yet calculated. Gears always turning in his head, brain whirring, it’s almost audible to those around him.

~Beneath the Exterior~

~Likes:

Literature
Intelligent conversation
History
Cafes
A good laugh
Libraries
Silk sheets
Dreaming
Autumn
Productivity

~Dislikes:

Yelling
Prolonged eye contact
Caffeinated beverages
Being called a hack
Bright sunlight
Cursing
Unnecessary violence
Warm weather
Unannounced visitors
Poor penmanship

~Fears:

Cutting himself while shaving (Yeah, seriously.)
Getting trapped in another’s unconscious mind
Decapitation
Meeting a target in the waking world/being recognized for who he is

~Weaknesses:

Physically weak – It’s strength of mind, not strength of body he possesses. He’s a Garthian chew toy.

Completely defenseless while using subtle body – Yup, he’ll just go on snoring while you put that knife to his throat.

Mild paranoia – Who is that guy? Why does he keep looking over here? Does he know who I am? I’m going to run away now…

Curiosity – Curiosity killed the cat and many a Mylian, especially in this day and age. He doesn’t much like leaving any question unanswered.

~Strengths:

Strength of mind – Clearly you must possess a strong mind to transmit your consciousness.

Creativity – It goes hand in hand with lucid dreaming. Alright, Marcoux may not be a skilled fighter, but he can strap your subconscious into any number of uncomfortable situations he concocts in his own cranium.

Durable subtle body – Strength of mind equates to strength of subtle body. Really, just try and harm him when he visits you in your dreams. It will be entertaining, to say the least.

Vast knowledge – All of those years of study at Kroston University were surely worthwhile, plus his love of research. And don’t forget the natural knack for intelligence that comes along with Mylian blood.

~Goals:

Furthering his knowledge in the area of the unconscious mind and dreams, specifically learning how to pull others out of seemingly permanent unconsciousness

Write a few more books at his leisure

~Hobbies:

Writing
Dreaming/Invading the dreams of others
Reading
People-watching

~OVERALL PERSONALITY:
Marcoux is a touch shy – wouldn’t you be if you were virtually defenseless and constantly poking into the dreams of the Big Bad? He doesn’t much enjoy recognition of any kind, whether he meets a fan of his books or if he meets one of his targets in the dream world (though of course the former would be favored if he had to choose - most of his targets aren’t exactly friendly when they meet him in person). Along with being a touch shy, he’s more than a touch paranoid. If someone looks his way more than a few moments he usually thinks they’re out for some kind of revenge and bolts away as quickly as his legs can possibly travel. If confronted, Marcoux most always tells his pursuer they must be mistaken and comes up with some false name or another to cover his own ass.

However, in dreams the story is quite different. This is Marcoux’s world, his personal paradise, the place where he is God. There’s no reason to be shy in a world where he is the Alpha and Omega. No, here he dominates his targets. He’s completely unafraid and holds more than his fair share of pride in his power over the realm of the unconscious. Try and fight him in the physical realm and he’ll quickly recognize defeat, try and fight him in the world of dreams and he’ll laugh in your face.

Always curious, always in search of more knowledge, Marcoux is a true man of science. But do believe his intentions are pure. While he may claim his objective is to help preserve peace and aid the Force, there is more selfish reasoning behind his research. Blacklisting the innocent is a necessary evil. In order to receive funding and be allowed to continue his research, he must show obvious productivity and clear benefits to the cause of peace. However, his heart is not really in that sort of thing. In all actuality he’s just trying to remain a loyal friend…

All the doom and gloom aside, Marcoux really is just your average guy. He enjoys pleasant conversation and a good laugh among friends. Unfortunately, he wasn’t born in a time or in a location where these simple pleasures were very attainable.

~Rap and History~

~Mother: Claire Mia Marcoux
~Father: Dylan Turpentine Marcoux
~Siblings: None
~Other relations: You may or may not be familiar with his great great great great great (and so on) grandfather, Clayton Turpentine Hughes…Just sayin’.
~Companions: Ivan Cole Mere, Fate Zalixa

~OVERALL HISTORY:
You might be familiar with Angeneheim, that’s the capital city of Halta where the Parliament building resides (and the birthplace of a couple of our old friends - Asylum and Data). Well, that’s also where Marcoux was born, just down the street from Kroston University.

Life was normal, or as normal as it could be in these times. The Parliament ruled all. Food and water and power and anything else you can imagine was rationed. Education was saved only for the most promising and the most loyal families. Lucky for Marcoux, his family was dubbed worthy of education. How very lucky.

It was during his elementary school years at the age of five he met Ivan Cole Mere, a fellow Mylian and student. They immediately become fast friends, brothers even. They studied together, they played together, they talked and laughed together. Surely an inseparable duo, anyone is lucky to have a friend half as good as these two were to each other, always offering support and a good laugh in times of trouble. They were made to be together.

The two applied to Kroston University when they were sixteen years of age, a rather lengthy process in these times. Applicants were asked to pick a course of study and to write a fifteen page report detailing how they would use their education for the benefit of the Parliament and to preserve the peace. Not to mention the background checks – grades, criminal records, and so on. Again, luckily, both students were accepted – Marcoux into the psychology program and Mere into the criminal justice program.

During his early years at Kroston, Marcoux moved into a small apartment with Mere. As children they shared a number of then monumental experiences – learning to ride bikes together, swimming, and other such rites of passage during boyhood. As young men that didn’t seem to change, they were there to witness the development of one another’s first loves, the crushing end of the relationships, mending their broken hearts with a week of drunken oblivion, all while seeming to magically maintain their academic successes.

It was in the fall of their senior year of study when a sort of half-assed revolutionary revival arose. A group called the Hectics was reborn, and knowing the students pledged their loyalties to the Parliament and the Force, they attempted an attack on the university. Marcoux was lucky enough to survive the attack unscathed, Mere however was not. The young man suffered a serious blow to the head, among other injuries, and was left in a long-term coma, thought to be brain dead and presumed unable to recover.

Marcoux carried on in a daze. His wing man, his confidant, his heart and soul, his constant go-to might as well be dead. He could go and visit, he could hold his friend’s hand, but he couldn’t interact with him. He couldn’t speak with him. It was a shell of their old relationship, and a huge void exploded into his life.

As a distraction, Marcoux turned his attention where most any Mylian would – to his studies. He finished up his senior year and graduated magna cum laude, quickly filing back into the system and carrying on with a master’s degree in psychology as well. This is when he began to discover his true talents.

Sure he read a bit about astral projection. It seemed a bit absurd at first, the sort of experiences only those wrapped up in delusions can have. But there was something catching there, something that sparked his undying curiosity…And so he researched further. Already a lucid dreamer, he honed his skills, practiced, meditated… He wrote his books and sent in articles to various scholarly journals.

By the time he began his doctorate he realized astral projection wasn’t some insane concept, but rather completely attainable. He could visualize distant locations, and even travel there with enough thought. Visiting the dreams of others became a simple task, and manipulating these dreams even easier. What’s more, he could talk to Mere - they could laugh, they could drink, they could talk, they could do whatever they pleased.

Marcoux spent much of his time visiting his dream-entombed companion, recollecting on the past and making plans for the future. If he could achieve this much, what other potential did he hold? The possibilities seemed endless if Marcoux was willing to put in enough work – which he surely was. He would find a way to bring back Mere’s consciousness and attach it to his body - He was a man determined.

But then Parliament stepped in. Marcoux seemed to be slacking. They needed to see productivity, they said. They needed to see the benefits of such research for the preservation of peace. Otherwise, goodbye funding, goodbye education, goodbye access to libraries and scholarly documents; Marcoux’s research would come to an end, his dream to reunite Mere’s consciousness with his body would never be realized. And so he unveiled his skills in the dream-world to Parliament. It wasn’t long before they created a niche for such a skilled dreamer. Parliament, of course, wanted to protect its position in Halta, and they were also prideful – they wanted show the other races what they had to offer.

Join the Force. Seek out the destroyers of peace, and show off the true power of the Mylians.

So it became Marcoux’s task to invade others’ dreams, to uncover their secrets and desires and unveil them to the world. Those deemed potentially dangerous to the peace were to be blacklisted and reported in order to allow other more physically able members of the Force to seek them out and destroy all threats before they had the opportunity to strike. So for the past five years that is exactly what Marcoux has done: Sleep, dream, and damn any threat to the Blacklist.

~Writing Sample~

Pink elephants in tutus. Mundane. Move on.

Sexual intercourse with highly attractive teacher. Mundane. Move on.

Zombie apocalypse. Questionable content. Possible sign of revolutionary plotting, using the undead as an army and destroying the peace. Blacklisted.

Most nights passed in this manner, moving quickly from one dream to the next in an effort to put out the tiniest spark of potential uprising. While it wasn’t exactly Marcoux’s dream occupation, it was entertaining - probably a bit like watching television or reading a book to most other people. Only if he didn’t like the plot, he could easily intervene, though that wasn’t exactly necessary protocol in most circumstances.

What the Mylian most wanted to do now was pop in with Mere and pay his pal a visit, perhaps enjoy a few drinks at a fabricated pub. But he didn’t have the time. Quotas needed to be filled and Marcoux, always the dreamer, had fallen a bit behind pursuing other unconscious curiosities. So instead he’d spend the next few hours of his drug-induced slumber combing through the dreams of strangers and seeking out the rebels. Or potential rebels, that is.

He went through the usual categories over and over - sex, ridiculous, sex, potential threat, sex, ridiculous, ridiculous – And then Marcoux caught the tail end of a dream that surely, quite certainly cut at his curiosity. A booming, thundering voice bellowed so loudly even the Dream God’s ears ached.

“-their methods, and through them destroy The Force!”

More than a potential rebel, more than a threat, this was a command. One carried by a voice so weighty it was even more than that, it was a certainty of disruption.

But before the Mylian had an opportunity to add to his Blacklist, the dream was over. Both he and his target shoved back into the world of the waking, hearts pounding, hands shaking.

Revolution was surely at hand. Let it begin.