Jacques Lombar

Name	Jacques Lombar
Race	Human
Type	Monster Hunter
Faction	Night Stalkers
Premiere	Desideratum: Blood Bonds
Relative(s)	Meline Lombar

Jacques Lombar

"Ma hache tranche les loups aussi bien qu'elle tranche les arbres!"

Biography

Jacques Lombar was born in Canada in a town called Mont-Tremblant (Saint-Jovite area). Always hiking, always running off into the forest, his parents were not at all surprised when he grew into a strapping man and claimed that he’d be a lumberjack. Right out of high school, he began his work as a forester. If he was not working in the woods then he was camping, but whenever he’d come into town to see his parents the family would go to a nice place to eat, and that’s when he met Meline Tremblay. Meline worked at a restaurant in 940 Rue de Saint Jovite, and Jacques became smitten with the waitress. She also enjoyed the outdoors and the two camped often until finally marrying.

For a few years all went well; they bought some land in the countryside by Boreal forest. Idealistically beautiful, they were living their dream. However, that all changed one strange night. Jacques had often heard rumors and stories about mountain monsters, but never believed them. Occasionally while working as a lumberjack or even on his homestead with Meline they would hear strange sounds or sometimes see odd lights in the woods, but rational minds can rationalize anything, and so, they ignored these occurrences as nothing more than animals and swamp gas. But this night as the pair camped far out in the wilderness, they heard sounds they could not ignore. As the howling, snarling growls grew near their tent, Jacques looked at his small wife and assured her that everything would be alright. Grabbing his ax, he crawled out of the tent- and a massive force struck him.

The very large man flew through the air as if he were weightless and crashed into the nearby trees knocking him unconscious. It was a werewolf, and it had come for Meline. While Jacques laid out, the creature slashed open the tent, grabbing Meline and pulling her close. It forced itself on the woman, biting and clawing her, and as the werewolf used her body, she turned from human into its kin. By the time Jacques woke, it was far too late to save his wife from the curse. Confused, hurt, and frustrated, he ran at the pair. The two were too lost in their mating instincts to notice the massive man’s approach and Jacques literally beat the werewolf with his bare hands, his fists a flurry of rage. With the werewolf now hurt and dazed, Meline lashed out at her husband, scarring his face for life. Jacques managed to throw the much smaller, female werewolf away and grabbed his ax. Blow after blow he gave the werewolf, literally dismembering it. She attacked again, and he had no choice but to also slay his wife.

After that, he walked away from his entire life. As far as any authorities know, he and Meline were lost in the forest and never returned to civilization, but Jacques did. The beautiful landscape of his home, once a heaven, had become a hell. So, he made his way southward and into America. He preferred to remain in obscure small towns near wilderness, and in those places he often would find werewolves. He carved a path of destruction on the hairy beasts, only hatred in his heart- a thirst for revenge forever pushing him forward. That is how he wound up in Portland. There, he met the Night Stalkers and joined them. For the first time in almost twenty years he opened up a little and found somewhere to call home. The mountains and woods around the city were brimming with monsters for him to hunt, and he did well. On Mount Hood he made friends with the barbegazi and often aided them.

Things stayed relatively balanced for Jacques at this time, but soon, things would change. The dark elf, Adrasteia, had deigned humanity a threat to the mountain. She found that the constant mortal hikers were reckless and cared nothing for the land, and finally reaching a breaking point, she conjured a massive storm. Over the next few months, whenever people tried to climb up the mountain, she summoned tumultuous blizzards. This led to fewer humans, which meant more monsters. With the arrival of the monsters, the barbegazi sought aid. Jacques came to the mountain and tried many times to assail the summit, but the magical weather forced him down.

During the time period, Absinthe Van Gothen arrived at Sanctuary. Katerina Mordova summoned the alarm. As far as the mighty man knew, evil had come right to their very home. Bursting into the hallway, he fought Absinthe and found himself promptly defeated. As he watched, she systematically defeated every Night Stalker, until Roy and Molly McCoy got the drop on her. As Jacques nursed his wounded pride, she explained the situation and that he meant no harm. He did not trust her, but as Roy pointed out, she could have killed them all- but didn’t, so he went back to the store room where he spent most of his time. The situation on Mount Hood deeply bothered Jacques and he began formulating a plan. Just after he finished writing some notes, Absinthe came into the storeroom and talked with him. Feeling emasculated and desiring to save the barbegazi, he left Sanctuary and went to Mount Hood.

Once there, he met up with the little hairy creatures and they went with him. He climbed to the summit and the barbegazi forged an ice bridge for him, allowing him to enter the cavern where the dark elf dwelled. However, when he faced Adrasteia, she used her icy magic. Though a massive, muscular man, he had no experience fighting mages or elves, and within minutes, he stood encased within enchanted ice. Absinthe Van Gothen, however, was not far behind him, and she managed to enter the cave as well.

Jacques had given Adrasteia some entertainment, and she saw Absinthe as the same. The two sparred, but her Van Gothen power, the Blood Suit, and items procured at the House of Haggle gave Absinthe the upper hand and the fledgling monster hunter managed to kill Adrasteia. As death grew near, in anger and disbelief, she sought to collapse the entire cave to kill everyone present, but no more power remained in her corporeal form. Upon her demise, she vanished from the Physical World and rematerialized within Niflheim, yet would forever remember the human that had soundly beaten her.

After Adrasteia died, a hidden chamber opened, holding the artifact which the elf had guarded- the fire sword named Dyrnwyn. Abby used the magical flames to melt the enchanted ice that held the lumberjack, and together, they descended the mountain to the joyous songs of the barbegazi. That night Jacques learned about humility and grew as a person. He also now trusted Absinthe as she had saved his life. However, he still held onto the pain over Meline’s death. Later, Abby asked him about his scars and he told her the story which seemed to only strengthen the guilt and frustration he felt about his wife’s death. These negative emotions came to a head when Lycaon, an ancient king came to Sanctuary.

Lycaon had been cursed by the god, Zeus, forever wearing the guise of a wolf. Over millennia, he had learned to control the wild nature of the beast so that he could control his shape between man and wolf. Though completely different than the creatures known as werewolves, Jacques did not see it that way. His own guilt and helplessness at what happened to Meline forced the lumberjack to place blame on Lycaon. In the courtyard of Sanctuary as Abby and the Ute shaman, Sani Lightfoot spoke with Lycaon, Jacques arrived in a fury. He fought Lycaon, but Absinthe intervened and someone’s life was saved. Jacques talked with her about the incident and ultimately apologized to Lycaon. He learned from the experience just how bitter he had become and took the first steps towards closure in regards to Meline. Lycaon and Jacques fought the Nightbred together, back to back, and made a formidable team as they defended Siri Solen during a raid on the Sanctuary.

Abilities

• Strong Physical Attacks
• Expert Ax Wielder