dashingdignity

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Name: Cat
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E-Mail: catrood –at~ the gmail.
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Other Characters: Ellen Harvelle justrunsasaloon

Character Name: Porthos, Baron du Vallon
Series: Three Musketeers (2011)
Timeline: Post-Movie
Canon Resource Link: Movie With some fill ins from the novel
Character History:

The story begins in a dungeon in Venice, Italy. Porthos is singing a song, probably about a woman of ill-repute who has a habit with “a chicken, a frog and a rabbit” while chained to the walls and guarded by several men.

Their commander/lord appears and begins questioning him about his friends (Aramis/Athos) and Porthos denies knowing them, while keeping up the façade of a drunkard just in Venice for a bit of fun. That changes suddenly when the man claims to have ‘caught’ Porthos.

After a brief fight in which Porthos pulls the chains from the walls and uses them as weapons against the guards and the man, he takes the key to da Vinci’s vault – his true purpose the entire time. Rejoining his comrades and the Lady de Winter at the vault, he enters with the other three. His impulsive offer to go down the hall – obviously booby trapped in some way – is stopped by Athos. He stares on in amazement and not a little worry when the Lady runs down the trapped hallway, but he’s the first to laugh when she points out there isn’t much time.

While firing at the guards, Porthos asks ‘what now’ and the answer he gets is spectacular. Athos sets off an explosive, draining the canal into the vault and offering them a rather wet escape.

Celebratory wine, of course, follows. But, they aren't the only ones celebrating. Milady poisoned their wine and betrayed them, to the one person they all hate... Lord Buckingham. He’s the first to draw his weapon when Buckingham appears. He continues trying to move, but the toxin renders him completely useless.

A year later, Porthos is studying himself in a mirror with a wealthy woman – his latest paramour – at his side. He can’t decide between two jackets (dignified or dashing – both are equally important) when this impertinent little shit – a name to be added later – rams into him and attempts to hand him a random purse. (The lady had given Porthos the purse, but he’s not going to admit that! It’s undignified!)

He yells at the boy and then snatches the purse, claiming he’d ordinarily take offense, but it is a new jacket. He’s completely taken aback when he’s challenged to meet the boy at the cooper’s yard and can’t quite articulate his outrage.

Porthos is surprised to see that his friends Aramis and Athos had similar run-ins with the boy and they’re all in the cooper’s yard to meet him. A laugh is startled out of him when he’s called ‘old man’ by d’Artagnan and asks if he should put ‘little shit’ on his headstone (told you it’d come back around). He tells Athos to kill the boy so they can go get some lunch. He’s hungry. The duel is interrupted by the Cardinal’s guards. Porthos suggests they kill the boy, kick the asses of the guards and then go get some lunch. He needs the exercise.

… But after the arrival of more guards, he admits that ‘discretion is the better part of valor’. He does enjoy the show that d’Artagnan puts on before they join in the fight. At Aramis’s suggestion, they join into the fight.

Laying about him with his walking stick, Porthos holds his own in the fight. When it’s cut in half and he uses it as a projectile, he picks up a pair of buckets from a table and lays about him with those instead. Several guards rush him and he uses his thumb to show an inch of blade, causing them to run away.

Then, people start cheering. He twists his mustache and goes to bow for the crowd. They’d forgotten what it was like, what being heroes was like. He missed it. He also offers d’Artagnan some advice on women: The ladies of Paris have a thousand ways of saying no¸ and only some of them mean yes.

As they are walking to the home shared by the three, Porthos calls d’Artagnan reckless, arrogant, impetuous and probably dead by nightfall but decides he likes the boy. He extends an invitation to d’Artagnan to join them in their home.

He sits at the table and listens as Athos derides everything the boy wants to drink to, while sharing looks with Aramis. They’re well-used to Athos’ moods, so they aren’t put off at all. He advises Aramis to become a priest again. And calls for more wine from Planchet.

Summoned to the palace the next day, Porthos goes with his fellow troublemakersMusketeers to face the music about brawling with the Cardinal’s guards. He answers his King about how many guards there were – four of them, forty guards. Slow day. Porthos shows great deference to his King, despite Athos’ derision the night before.

The king orders them new suits and a pouch of gold a piece. (Part of the reason Porthos likes his King: Their punishments piss off Richelieu.) Porthos enjoys new suits and the finer things in life and finds no fault with such a ‘punishment’.

Along with the others, he appears at the ‘parade’ to see Buckingham arrive in his airship. Porthos, honestly, isn’t sure if he should attack something or run to protect the King when the flag falls in front of them.

Watching Buckingham speak with the King and Richelieu, Porthos holds onto his temper, but only barely. He really wants to take payback for Venice.

Another evening of drinking is interrupted when Constance arrives to ask them to fetch the diamonds that were stolen from the Queen. He points out that the Queen could be quite appreciative if they were to accomplish such a thing as rescuing the diamonds from the Tower of London and returning them within five days, despite the odds against them.

Then Rochefort appears with the Cardinal’s guards to roust them out before they can do such a thing. After Planchet empties the chamber pot, he and the others burst out of the stable underneath and make a run for Calais, in order to catch a ship across the bloody Channel to England.

Unfortunately, Jussac of the Cardinal’s guard and a ‘lot of help’ arrive in Calais before they do. He asks how the hell the man got there so fast. But he does smile in the background when Constance kisses d’Artagnan and talks about distracting Jussac/the guards so the men can board the ship.

Athos briefs them on how to break into Tower, and how Milady will expect them to infiltrate, including Porthos being captured on purpose.

The distraction in front of the tower is different at least. Porthos’ chicken wagon hits a wagon full of pumpkins driven by Aramis. From there, he and the other two go to stealcommandeer Buckingham’s airship. Porthos also finds a nice stash of cigars, of which he takes one and starts a couple of bombs to throw them into Buckingham’s office.

As they chase down Milady and Planchet – and the diamonds – Porthos pilots the ship, something they all take turns at. After they retrieve Milady, he watches her and Athos’ last exchange, threatening her with a gun at one point, because he knows how treacherous she can be. He turns away when she falls. He can’t offer comfort. Not here, not now.

Piloting across the Channel is rather easy. Then across the countryside of Paris they go until they are attacked by the airship the Cardinal had made “with improvements” on the outskirts of Paris. He races forward, grinding his teeth together in fury. He is surprised at Athos’ admonishment to d’Artagnan about France taking care of itself.

While the exchange – diamonds for Constance – happens, he and Planchet are belowdecks, preparing the airship for the attack and for their own counterattack. He runs along the lines of cannons andfires at the Cardinal’s airship, which has absolutely no effect at all. An unexploded bomb rolls to a stop at Planchet’s feet and he grabs the servant diving away from the bomb before it goes up. (It should be noted, however, that when Planchet asks about a raise, he does tell the man to ‘shut up’.)

After, the other ship, literally, runs into Notre Dame and before Athos rams it with their airship, he and Aramis jump from one ship to another, riding down their knives along the large balloon keeping the larger ship aloft.

This time, he actually draws his sword and attacks the guards and soldiers on the Cardinal’s airship, alongside Aramis and Athos.

When seen after they crash the airship into the gardens, he still has his sword out. He puts it away and waits until they are released by the King, telling the Cardinal he’s “independently wealthy” when turning down the Cardinal’s offer of employment.

Then, it’s out the gates and “All for One; One for All.” This time with d’Artagnan included.

Abilities/Special Powers:

Swordsman: Porthos is an accomplished swordsman, able to hold his own not only with multiple opponents at once, but multiple skilled opponents.

Brawler: His fighting specialty is brawling. He often forgoes the use of his sword in favor of using his fists, his cane, or whatever other weapons might be at hand. (For example; buckets in the cooper’s yard.)

Languages: English and French, he leaves the rest to Aramis.

Third-Person Sample: Whatever France needed. That was what Athos had said. They’d all told Planchet to shut up and headed home. They’d earned it, after the long few days they’d had.

But instead, he ends up in a place that looks to be attempting – poorly – to look like Versailles. He doesn’t see the Cardinal’s guards, or the King and Queen anywhere, and the lack of his friends is also disconcerting a bit.

Hand on his sword, Porthos moves forward carefully, hearing the soft tinkling of water falling far ahead. The mansion rises into his sight and he relaxes slightly. Perhaps, he merely imbibed just slightly too much and ended up on someone’s country estate. It wouldn’t be the first time. Though at least he wasn’t caught with their wife this time. (That had been a bit awkward.)

Brushing off his jacket, and twisting up the ends of his mustache, he strolls straight for the mansion. Better to look like he belongs and he’ll find out answers in a bit.

First-Person Sample: Well, this is certainly not how I planned to spend an evening.

[Porthos dusts off his new jacket. It’s best to look presentable, after all]

If someone could direct me back to Paris, or the nearest pub, I would be greatly appreciative.

And if anyone’s seen my friends, Athos, Aramis and d’Artangan, please have them join me. I think we’ve earned a good drink.