Updated: 04 September 2000

Arnaud
6th Generation Toreador
''La Grand Couturier''
Gardien de l'Elysée (Keeper of the Elysium)

	Sire:	François Villon (1556)
	Nature:	Gallant
	Demeanor:	Avant-Garde
	Humanity:	5
	Secrets:	***
	Status:	****
	Esprit:	****
	Elder Status:	**
	Toreador Prestige:

Background:

                    Arnaud was an obscure dressmaker apprentice who worked for a cynical and jealous master. Soon, his talent was recognized by the clientelle, and the master hid the young boy, telling him his works were almost, but that he needed to work more... The young, well fed, but closed in a chamber, could only agree.

The problem is that his art attracted the attention of the Kindred. At first, a Ventrue (who would disappear later in the 1789 revolution) took the master as his ghoul, and made the Toreador jealous. It was Villon, at Beatrix's demand, who investigated, and found how the master ''created'' his art. Villon appeared to the young Arnaud, and told him he would free him if he could create in secret ten dresses in less than one month. Of course, the teenager, charmed by the stranger, worked hard to create the dresses. And of course, Villon knew that so little time for so much work would only let him make less-than-creative clothes.

In the end of the month, Villon came back, and saw the ten set of clothes, and even in so little time, they had some trace of imagination in them. Villon took him from the grasp of the master, and took him to Beatrix. The Ventrue, oblivious of the true identity of the boy, never reacted when Villon, asked the right to Embrace him, some even gossiping about the homosexual tendancies of the ex-Anarch, who visibly felt in love with a fifteen year-old teen.

The Toreador only smiled, criticizing the newly fashioned clothes of the Ventrue, done à la va vite, with inspiration but little regard for those who would wear them. The Ventrue first thought it was typical Toreador jealousy, but asked their ghouled fashion-master... Arnaud saw with a perverse pleasure his master destroyed as he had to explain his masters how he had enslaved the boy and taken all the merits. Since that time, the Ventrue started to lose the track of fashion...

Arnaud, now feeling powerful, and masterless, began to alternate periods of furious creations and periods of lazyness, where he could indulge in his repressed ''hobby'': Seducing female mortals into his bed (and under his fangs!), thus acquiring a confortable herd.

But during the revolution, he met Francesca. The Lasombra Antitribu Elder was hiding from the Sabbat. It was love at first sight. For Francesca, Arnaud was refreshing by his apparent youth, which shone even in his Toreador soul. For Arnaud, Francesca was older than he, fascinating, beautiful, and perhaps, excited his Oedipus Complex...

As Francesca was searching for protection, he offered his, and even his Sire's, François Villon. Villon didn't seem overhappy to see a Lasombra asking him protection. In fact, just because she was Lasombra, and had been Sabbat, he would have ordered her destroyed at once. But his Childe was deeply in love with her so he accepted, to the condition Francesca would remain hidden, and would not interfere in Paris' affairs, and to the condition she would reveal all she knew about the Sabbat ways. So the raven-haired Francesca became the blonde Carla.

But after less than a century, Arnaud had grow up. Francesca, while still beautiful and friendly, was not fascinating anymore. And her mastery of Obtenebration made the Arnaud shiver. And last but not least, Arnaud was feeling attracted to other female Kindred.

Until the begining of the 1980's years, he kept his wishes to himself, knowing both Francesca and Villon would highly disapprove. But he was but a Toreador, and Loving the same person for two centuries was too much for anyone with a sane mind.

It is whispered in the dark corners of the Cour the ''chaste'' Arnaud was now ''hunting''. And his first ''victim'' could have well been Elle, for a brief but passionate week. Since then, while Arnaud still keeps the appearance, and Carla keeps her anger to herself. But lately, Arnaud seemed interested in a Bâtarde called Catherine. This ''Cinderella's'' love affairs are unknown, and her exact relation with Arnaud are no much more known. But the fact Carla remains most of the time at home (of course, she avoids mirrors!), while Arnaud continues to frequent the Cour doesn't help stopping the gossip...

Destiny

                    Unknown.

Appearance:

                    Arnaud is a young teenager of fifteen years, with a youthful appearance, and without the ''ageless'' stare his fellow Elders seem to have. He has shoulder length brow hair, pale face and large brown eyes.

As Arnaud is in control of almost every aspect of fashion, he always wear the most ''in'' clothes, varying from the highly styled to the most punk, but always wearing them with almost a supernatural style.

Role Playing:

                    Arnaud dreamt lately of Gehenna. While he still have doubts about the awakening of the Antediluvian, what he saw of Arikel was so beautiful and fascinating he dread and hope for her awakening soon. While he already love her with all his heart, he fears her as he never feared anyone, and believe he will be destroyed as the other Kindred. So he indulges now in a frenzy of parties, creation and love affairs.

Arnaud is, thus, extremely charming, with a touch of otherwordly passion that never fails to move any female mortal heart (and even, somtimes, immortal ones!). He is never aggressive, and while he is not more courageous than his fellows, his control of his beast is strong, and is known to be able to masquerade as a mortal and lure even witch hunters to believe him to be nothing more but a beautiful youth...

Notes:

                    Arnaud is a very important Kindred of Paris as he is not called the Grand Couturier for nothing: The greatest chef d'oeuvres in the Art of Fashion were created by him, and somtimes even adapted by mortal creators to appear in the world fashion. Some Toreador like to say the most beautiful models in the world are not the most famous, but are kept by Arnaud as his Herd (the famous were rejected because of flaws...). In the same way, he is the Keeper of the Elysium, and most probably the first Kindred officially seen by any vampire arriving in Paris. Last but not least, he is the master of the parisian Atrium, the Club Elysée, in one of the most famous avenues of the world: The Champs Elysées.

His relation with Francesca is cooling, as he looks for the change the Lasombra Elder, despite her italian passion, can't offer to him. While he still loves her, it is more in a friendly way than in the passionate way Francesca would like him to feel... But such is the ''Toreador way''...

Actual Aim:

                    To live new, entertaining, refreshing love.

Rumours:

• Arnaud is said to have an affair with the Bâtarde Catherine (False: The two met in 1994, and while Arnaud created a egyptian/greek-like dress for her, it didn't go beyond... At least, until now.)
• Arnaud and Juliette are in the beginning of a new love story (False... For now. But another True Rumour tells about a past affair...).
• Arnaud and Elle had a brief affair some years ago (True: It lasted one week...).

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