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📁 The Vernier Clan (Canon Data)

1) Luc Étienne Vernier (The Protagonist / The Analog Architect)

  • Born: Nov 12, 1978 (Scorpio), 47

  • Role: Independent Contractor / Forensic Technician. The Architect of the Lens platform.

  • Based: Lyon (A small, cluttered apartment in Croix-Rousse that smells of old paper and espresso).

  • Current Situation: Until late 2023, Luc was a part-time father. Élise lived with her mother in Provence. After "The Incident," Élise moved in with him in Lyon full-time. He is now drowning in casework AND trying to raise a rebellious teenage daughter in a cramped apartment that wasn't meant for two people.

  • Status within HeroTerminal: He is not Claire's employee. He is a high-level independent contractor.

  • The Deal: Luc refuses to hold shares in HeroTerminal. However, he agreed to the licensing of Lens on one condition: a significant equity stake was placed in a trust for his daughter, Élise, which she inherits at age 25.

  • Motivation: The unsolvable disappearance of his father, and now, the terrifying reality of being the sole stabilizing force in his daughter's life. The deal with Claire (the trust fund) is now essential for her future.

  • The Paradox (Why he built Lens): Luc is a technophobe who is paradoxically a brilliant systems architect. He built Lens out of frustration with existing tools. To him, it's not software; it's a necessary workbench to organize the chaos he gathers in the field.

  • Methodology (The Field Operator): Luc refuses to run investigations solely from a screen. He drives his father's old Peugeot 504 to the physical location to gather sensory data before using Lens.

  • Motivation: The unsolved disappearance of his father. A deep need to prove that human grit and intuition still matter in an automated world.

  • Luc’s Note on Himself: “Claire tried to buy me with shares. I told her I don't want her corporate paper. We made a deal: the platform is hers to sell, but the future belongs to Élise. I'll do the work, I'll use the tools, but I won't become one of them. I do this so my daughter never has to rely on anyone.”

2) Claire Dominique Vernier (The CEO / Older Sister)

  • Born: Jan 4, 1975 (Capricorn), 50
  • Role: CEO of HeroTerminal; the corporate shield. She is the "break glass in case of emergency" option when Luc’s street-level methods blow up in his face.
  • Based: Paris (La Défense).
  • Personality: Controlling, protective, fiercely pragmatic. She views Luc’s adherence to "old-school honor" as a dangerous liability.
  • Relationship to Luc: She respects his integrity but finds it maddeningly impractical. She knows the only way to get him to cooperate is by framing it as being "for Élise's sake." She uses the trust fund as a subtle reminder of why he needs her network to succeed.
  • Luc’s Note: “We despise each other’s worlds. She thinks I’m a dinosaur; I think she sold her soul to shareholders. I don't take her money—I have my pride. But she's the only one with the leverage to fix things when the law fails, and she's holding Élise's future. I hate that I need her influence.”

3) Julien Christophe Delacroix (Claire’s Husband / The Fixer)

  • Born: May 18, 1972, 53
  • Role: M&A Partner; the mechanism of Claire's help. He set up the trust structure for Élise.
  • Relationship: They loathe each other. Luc distrusts his motives.
  • Luc’s Note: “He calls me a 'technician'. I call him an empty suit. He set up the trust for Élise, and I'm sure he buried a dozen loopholes in it for Claire. I don't owe him anything; he's just her tool.”

4) Sylvie Hélène Vernier (Younger Sister / The Archivist)

  • Born: Sep 22, 1976 (Virgo), 49
  • Role: Head Archivist, Bibliothèque de Lyon; neutral, precise, remembers everything; source for offline records.
  • Based: Lyon.
  • Relationship: Ally to Luc, nonjudgmental; supplies old newspapers/church records.

5) Madeleine Yvette Vernier (née Dubois) “Maman”

  • Born: Mar 14, 1948, 77
  • Role: Widowed; anchor of the family; Sunday cooking.
  • Based: Lyon (old family apartment).
  • Relationship: Knows Luc is chasing his father; avoids the topic.

6) Élise Marie Vernier (The Daughter / The Runaway)

  • Born: Jun 14, 2009, 16
  • Role: Student, rebellious teenager.
  • Current Location: Living with Luc in Lyon (since Nov 2023). Before that, she lived with her mother and stepfather in Aix-en-Provence.
  • Personality: Smart, angry, hates phoniness. She despises her stepfather Alexis and the fake wealth he represents. She adores her aunt Claire ("La Marquise") for her genuine power. She loves Luc but finds his lifestyle frustratingly stubborn.
  • The Incident (Nov 2023): Rebelling against life with Alexis, she ran away to Paris with friends. They got caught shoplifting high-value items at Galeries Lafayette. It wasn't just teen acting out; it was a cry for help.
  • The Rescue: Luc didn't know she was in Paris until he got the call. Helpless in the capital, he forced himself to call Claire. Claire sent Julien to fix the legal mess.
  • The Fallout: It became clear she couldn't stay in Provence. Luc stepped up and took her in. She wants to be with him, even though it's harder, because it's "real."

7) Jean Paul Vernier (The Father / The Ghost)

  • Born: Jun 20, 1946
  • Disappeared: Jan 12, 2000
  • Role: Detective Inspector (Police Nationale); missing/presumed dead.
  • Legacy: Left Luc the Peugeot, the investigative mind, and a void.

8) Camille Sophie Moreau (née Laurent) - (The Ex-Partner / The One Who Escaped)

  • Born: Apr 18, 1980 (Aries), 45
  • Role: Élise’s mother. Luc’s former long-term partner (they never married).
  • Based: Aix-en-Provence (Luxury villa).
  • The Backstory: Left Luc years ago because she couldn't live with the ghost of his father. Married a wealthy, stable man (Alexis) to give Élise a "good life."
  • The Failure: She loves Élise deeply but couldn't control her rebellion against Alexis. The Paris incident broke her confidence as a mother. She agreed that Élise needed to be with Luc.
  • Relationship to Luc now: No lawyers. They talk directly. There is mutual respect mixed with sadness. She wants Élise to visit, but knows Élise prefers Luc's "authenticity" over her comfortable life. Luc doesn't blame her; he blames Alexis.

9) Alexis Victor Moreau - (The Stepfather / The Slick Empty Suit)

  • Born: Dec 5, 1975, 49
  • Role: Camille’s wealthy husband. Private wealth management in Southern France.
  • Vibe: Slicked-back hair, expensive suits, polished exterior with nothing underneath.
  • Relationship to Élise: Disaster. He tried to buy her affection with gifts (horses, designer clothes). When that failed, he viewed her as a "damaged asset". He is secretly relieved she moved to Lyon.
  • Luc's Note: "He had ten years with her in sunshine and luxury and he blew it because he’s empty inside. Now I have to fix the damage in the rain in Lyon. I don't hate him for taking Camille; I hate him for failing Élise."

10) Antoine Marc Besson (Friend / The Muscle)

  • Born: Jul 12, 1978 (same age as Luc)
  • Role: Head of Security (Private) / ex-Police. Best friend; was fired in 2010 (Luc wrote the report; Antoine eventually forgave him).
  • Value: Physical access (doors, CCTV), “old police favors,” friends on the force.

11) Henri Jacques Gautier (Friend / The Old Badge)

  • Born: Feb 2, 1950, 75
  • Role: Retired Commissaire; best friend of Luc’s father Jean.
  • Value: Protects Luc inside the police when he can; warns him not to dig too deep.