Cadabra/Origin

Like all men, Jean-Luc's story truly begins with his parents. His father was Gustave Thériot, a renown French and uncharacteristically ruthless businessman and an all-around not-nice guy. His mother, Louisiana native Elisabeta Boudreaux, lounge singer and notorious flirt. It was thirty years ago, on a hot night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana when the two first met. Gustave was in the States on business, but all his business trips eventually turned to vacations. He rarely visited America and as such, always did all he could to have a good time. Thoroughly enjoying the humid Louisiana nightlife, Gustave bar-hopped, until he ended up in The Owl and the Queen; a sultry jazz tavern where the drinks were hotter than the chili sauce.

And then he saw her on stage, belting out a tune that would make any man sweat. Legs that went on forever and a body to die for, Gustave knew he had to have her. And he always got what he wanted. Only Gustave was a married man. But that had never stopped him before. They danced for what seemed like hours. They stayed in touch after he'd left the country and he'd often travel back every few weeks. She held nothing back, and in return Gustave professed his love for her. But he refused to leave his wife. Splitting his money in half was not something Gustave ever planned on doing, not even for Elisabeta.

Throughout their torrid affair, their love blazed like a wildfire. They'd consummated their "relationship" that first hot night in Louisiana, but nine months later, they both received something neither of them wanted; a baby boy. After the birth, Gustave distanced himself from Elizabeta and their son, who'd she had named Jean-Luc. His trips became less and less frequent until he stopped visiting at all and only spoke to them over the telephone. Heartbroken, Elisabeta often drank herself to sleep at night, leaving young Jean-Luc to his own devices.

Largely ignored by his mother, Jean-Luc came and went as he pleased. He'd often spend nights away from home, wandering the city streets with a pack of friends. Luc discovered his magical abilities early on in his adolescence. He embraced and practiced his abilities in secret, hiding them away from his mother and friends.

Now in his teens, young Luc began performing his "magic" on the busy boulevards of Baton Rouge for money. A very successful street performer with natural charm and charisma, Luc amassed a considerable fortune by the age of twenty-one. By this time, his mother's drinking habits had turned into a full-blown addiction. He spent most of his earned money paying for his mother's stints in rehabilitation, which never lasted very long. Eventually, the alcohol took it's toll and Luc's mother passed away at the age of forty-one. Life went on for Jean-Luc.

The rest of his money now went towards women and cards. A notorious gambler, Luc spent many a nights, betting away his cash in any one of the many bars or casinos in the city. He won many fortunes, and lost countless more. Over time, his luck ran out and Luc found himself in debt to a number of unsavory characters.

It was only after being regularly hounded and harassed by the criminals he was indebted to, that Luc discovered the full extent of his abilities. No longer summoning roses to charm pretty girls or turning tissues into doves on the street, Luc was forced to use his powers in self-defense now. But after his penthouse was burned down with him inside, Jean-Luc had had enough. Luc confronted the shylocks and during a brief struggle inadvertently killed one. Distraught and with nothing holding him to the city anymore, Jean-Luc left Baton Rouge for good.

After leaving Baton Rouge, Luc traveled westward, moving from city to city, town to town, state to state. Luc became quite the nomad, never staying in one place for more than a few weeks. Often finding himself in tight spots and hot water with the locals. A skillful rogue, Luc blurred the line between hero and villain often. A sometimes-thief, Luc spent a month robbing trains in Texas. In Oklahoma, he saved an elderly man from being hit by a truck, stealing his wallet in the process. He charmed his way into the heart of a small town woman in New Mexico, only to find out she was married to the local sheriff. Luc was run out of town by drunken locals soon thereafter. Eventually, Luc ended up in Las Vegas, Nevada; a gambler's paradise.