Overview
Commissaire Jules Delaroche is the police commissioner of Lyon, a man of law and order who has been ensnared in Savarin’s web through coercion and blackmail. He is not a cultist by conviction—he is a hostage in his own authority, forced to use his office to protect the Choir’s operations.
Appearance & Demeanor
- Age: Mid-40s
- Appearance: Formally dressed in his uniform, bearing the insignia of his office. His face shows visible strain—creases of stress, eyes that dart nervously, hands that tremble slightly.
- Manner: Rigid, formal, but with visible cracks. He speaks in official tones but his voice carries an undertone of desperation.
- Tell: His eyes frequently flick toward Savarin across any room; his jaw clenches when her name is mentioned.
Personality
Delaroche is a good man trapped in an impossible situation. He is not naturally a coward, but he has been broken by circumstance. The threat to his daughter is absolute and credible; he has seen what Savarin’s people are capable of.
This makes him simultaneously pathetic and sympathetic—he is an object lesson in how power corrupts not through ideology but through terror.
Role in Chapter 2
The Blue Sash Incident (at the Ball)
At the Ball at Château de Camberonne, a servant wearing a blue sash (one of Fouchard’s men) blocks a drunken officer from passing through the garden doors. The crowd grows tense. Delaroche appears quickly, ordering the crowd back and commanding the servant to stand down. His voice trembles.
A successful Spot Hidden roll reveals:
- Savarin watching Delaroche intently across the room
- A young woman’s miniature locket in Delaroche’s hand—his daughter
Later That Evening
If the investigators intervene diplomatically (Charm, Persuade) or bravely (Intimidate), Delaroche notices their poise and courage. Later, he approaches them discreetly:
“You don’t know what she’s capable of. Some of us… cannot choose to disobey.”
His demeanor is soft, almost pleading. He is simultaneously grateful and ashamed.
Path to Redemption
If the investigators later offer help or protection for his family, he becomes their inside source within Lyon’s gendarmerie:
- Access to city records and surveillance logs
- Warning of police movements or raids
- Intelligence on who in the police force has been compromised by Savarin
- Potential military support in a final confrontation (though limited by his caution)
Motivations & Secrets
- Primary: Protect his daughter from Savarin’s threats
- Secondary: Obey his orders to the letter (to minimize Savarin’s interest in him)
- Tertiary: Find a way out without leading to his daughter’s death
- Quaternary: (If offered protection) Redeem himself by helping defeat the Choir
Knowledge & Capabilities
- Law Enforcement 70%
- Psychology 55%
- Persuade 50%
- Spot Hidden 60%
- Listen 55%
- Bureaucracy / Record-Keeping 80%
- City Intelligence: Pervasive knowledge of Lyon’s police operations, informants, and movements
- Authority: Can access city records, move police units, and facilitate arrests
Key Dialogue
On his situation:
“You do not understand. It is not fear for myself. Savarin has made it clear: if I resist, if I fail, if I disappoint her—my daughter will suffer in ways that…”
(His voice breaks. He composes himself.)
“I would burn the city to keep her safe.”
On the investigators:
“I do not know what you are, but you frightened them. For a moment, in your eyes, I saw men and women who might not break.”
If offered protection:
“If you can truly offer my Marie safety—I will tell you everything. Police records, movements, the names of every compromised officer. Everything.”
Keeper Notes
- Delaroche is not a villain; he is a victim of circumstance who has become complicit
- Do not allow the investigators to manipulate or abuse him; he has already suffered enough
- His redemption arc is optional but rewarding if pursued
- If his daughter is saved, he becomes fiercely loyal and useful
- If his daughter is harmed, he may become either suicidal or consumed by vengeance
- He is not combat-capable; his value is information and procedural access
Campaign Design Notes
Delaroche represents the reach of Savarin’s influence beyond the purely occult. She has corrupted institutions of civic order through fear and blackmail. His story illustrates the Choir’s true horror: not the supernatural, but the weaponization of human vulnerability.
Campaign History
Delaroche was coerced into serving Savarin through threats to his children, who were held captive at the Orphans’ Hospital. At the Ball at Château de Camberonne, the investigators witnessed his terror and gained his tentative trust. When the party offered to rescue his children, Delaroche committed fully — providing his police force for the assaults on both the hospital and the Silkweavers’ Guild.
The Orphans_Hospital_Raid succeeded in freeing his children and over a hundred captive orphans. Delaroche was then taken over as a player character by Phil (Jay’s player had already taken over Moreau after Augustus’s death).
Death: During the Silkweavers_Guild_Assault, Delaroche led his police in through the front door of the Guild, fighting hand-to-hand with Blue Sashes at the barricades. He died trying to scale a barricade — a Blue Sash behind it cut him down. Phil’s second character lost in a single chapter.
Connections to Other Files
- Mathilde_Savarin — His blackmailer and master
- Luc_Fouchard — Savarin’s enforcer; the source of threats against his family
- [Chapter_2_Lyon](…/…/chapters/Chapter 2 - Lyon/chapter-2-overview.html) — His jurisdiction
- Marie_Delaroche — His daughter (NPC, unseen but critical to his motivation)
Relationships
- Serves Mathilde Savarin — Blackmailed by Savarin; has no choice but to obey
- Enemy of Luc Fouchard — Fears Fouchard's violence; aware of threats to his daughter