Character Info

[mydailybread]

Background:
Jean Otus hails from Dowa, a kingdom comprised of 12 (formerly 13) districts, each of which was once its own country and still has its own unique culture and customs. To unify the districts and keep peace, a non-governmental agency called ACCA was formed. ACCA oversees the operations of trade, police and firefighting forces, transportation, and other everyday needs of Dowa's citizens.

Jean works as Deputy Chief of ACCA's Inspections Department, which exists to make sure the independently-operating ACCA branches in each district are following correct protocol. When rumors of a potential coup d'etat began to swirl, prompted by the upcoming ascension of the foolish and egotistical Prince Schwan to the throne, Jean was suddenly sent on a grueling inspection tour to visit all 13 of Dowa's districts in just 6 months.



Personality:
At first glance, Jean Otus may appear to have little in the way of personality at all. His expression is nearly always deadpan, with only an occasional deviation into a slight smile. He speaks in a voice that is always just shy of monotone, never raising his volume nor lowering it to a whisper. He is even-tempered to almost an absurd degree, registering any surprise he way feel at ending up in absurd situations, like getting caught up in kidnappings and riots, with little more than slightly widened eyes. But Jean is not emotionless; he is simply a very reserved person with an extremely even temper.

Laconic though his demeanor may be, Jean is quite sharp and perceptive. He can tell at a glance when one set of records does not match another and notices if someone is following him, even from a great distance. He was able to figure out who was pulling the strings behind the coup d’etat plot and their motives, and even came up with a strategy to ensure the best outcome for the people of Dowa’s myriad territories. However, despite his sharpness, Jean is also fairly absentminded. He neglects to inform others of important deadlines until the last minute, forgets passwords, and frequently misplaces important items like his wallet and lighter.

Jean is actually quite popular among his work colleagues but is not actually close to any of them. He is pleasant enough to everyone, and likes people in general, but simply does not open up to others. The only two people he is truly close to are his younger sister, Lotta, and his best friend Nino, who befriended him in high school. Though even Nino sometimes needs to put in a bit of work to get Jean to open up, and will frequently take Jean out drinking to lower his inhibitions.

Fortunately for Nino, Jean is a lightweight, and will start speaking his mind after only a few drinks. Confessing his crush on Mauve, an ACCA higher up, expressing his admiration for Chief Grossular, one of the Five Chiefs at the head of ACCA, complaining of his embarrassment when he though Mauve had asked him out on a date, only to find out it was merely to meet with him about a work matter… Such are the secrets that Nino prizes from the usually-recalcitrant Jean.

Much of Jean’s popularity in ACCA is due to his dedication to his work. He takes his job, and ACCA’s role in society, seriously and is willing to put in as much work as is needed to ensure that ACCA succeeds in its duty to the people. He will pull necessary overtime without complaint, and does not hesitate to wade into help with tedious work in a pinch, rather than sitting back and letting lower level employees do the dirty work alone. But although Jean likes and is dedicated to ACCA in general, he does not actually like his position in the Inspection Department. He regularly openly complains once he’s back in headquarters, and repeatedly files job-transfer requests that are never approved, or even acknowledged.

Though he is a career bureaucrat, Jean does not necessarily follow the rules and conventions of society. His most common breach of his society's norms is constant smoking. In Dowa, tobacco is quite frowned upon, and cigarettes have been heavily taxed to the point of being affordable to all but the richest people. But Jean, who gets a steady supply of cigarettes for free through something of a side job, does not hesitate to take smoke breaks whenever and wherever he pleases. This has earned him more than a few glares and scoldings, but Jean remains unfazed.



Spoilers Below! Proceed at your own risk!
(Seriously, ACCA:13 is better unspoiled)
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Unbeknownst to jean and Lotta (until recently, at least) their mother was actually a princess, the second daughter of the King, who had faked her death in order to live freely as an ordinary citizen, away from the limitations of the royal family. As the King had only daughters, and his grandson Schwan is a full decade younger than Jean, this would put Jean first in the line of succession, were it not for that fact that he is not listed in the royal family's registry. But if he were to rise to power at the head of a coup d'etat...

Ultimately, however, Jean decides he is not the least bit interested in becoming the ruler of Dowa, and maneuvers to keep his lineage secret and remain an ordinary citizen.