Maxim

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Discord: A Duck#0728

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Player Info:
Username/Handle: Elly
Preferred Contact: AIM: luvinanellyvator

Character Info:
Character Name: Maxim the Jägermonster
Canon: Girl Genius!, an online webcomic. (girlgeniusonline.com)
Character Age: Estimated at 250-300 years old.

History:

http://girlgenius.wikia.com/wiki/Maxim

http://girlgenius.wikia.com/wiki/Da_Boyz (links mostly for flavor!)

The world of Girl Genius is set on a type of alternate Earth--there are place names that are somewhat familiar, like Europa (Europe) and Albia (England). The main story is set in Europa, and focuses on the heir to the House of Heterodyne, Agatha. Maxim himself is more of a minor character, a wild Jägermonster who's sworn to serve the house of his creators instead of giving his allegiance to the current ruler of Europa.

Jägermonsters are a type of construct monster, originally created centuries ago by an ancestor of the Heterodyne family. Most are fanatically loyal to the family, and when Bill and Barry Heterodyne, the last two known scions, disappeared, the majority of the remaining Jägermonsters swore allegiance to the current ruler of Europa, Klaus Wulfenbach. However, a few were ordered to leave Mechanicsburg, the ancestral Heterodyne home city, and not return until another Heterodyne heir was found.

Little is known about Maxim and his "brodders", Ognian and Dimo, before they're first seen in Zumzum. But they flat out say that they are a part of the group of Jägermonsters sent to find a Heterodyne heir, and thus are considered "wild". (Though it's a question as to whether or not any Jägermonster can really be considered "tame" as it is. Also, as Oggie and Dimo don't much resemble Maxim, it's doubtful that they're brothers, it's probably a term of close friendship.)

Luckily for them, they were also the ones who found the Heterodyne heir in Zumzum--though they had been captured and hung (The townsfolk had a bet on who would die first. It was doubtful anyone would have won it.), but Agatha Heterodyne cut them free when another wild Jäger attacked the town. (In truth, Jenka wasn't really attacking. She just wanted to pass through, and with other wild Jägers already in town, the guards were nervous, and, well. Accidents happened.)

Little did Agatha know that Maxim and the others knew Jenka, and after they left town, they reconnoitered outside, where Jenka took something of a report from the other Jägers. She charged them with keeping Agatha alive, while she went for instructions.

So Maxim and the others joined the traveling circus Agatha had already joined. Maxim helped destroy a town full of creatures when the circus stumbled upon it.

When Agatha was kidnapped by the Storm King, Maxim was among those who went to rescue her, helping navigate the sewers of Sturmhalten with some of her friends from the circus. Unfortunately they didn't rescue her before she was possessed by the Other, but they did get her out before Baron Wulfenbach could capture her. This happened despite the Baron's best efforts, and his coming upon the Heterodyne at the circus outside of town before they could make their escape. This is where Lars, one of the actors, protects Agatha, dying valiantly to do so. When the circus steals an airship, rescues Agatha, and escapes the Baron again, Maxim is the one who retrieves Lars' body and returns it to his circus 'family', admonishing one of the others to make sure Lars is buried with a hat, a token of esteem and honor among Jägermonsters.

Maxim and his brothers, however, have to remain outside Agatha's next destination--Mechanicsburg, because of an oath--"no Jäger is to enter Mechanicsburg until a Heterodyne is again in residence". As Agatha is Heterodyne in name only, not accredited by the monstrous Castle itself, they feel they have to remain outside.

Or not get caught sneaking in.

Maxim and the other boys (and Jenka) end up doing precisely that, as well as taking the Baron's son, Gilgamesh, into a bar. Gil had been wounded protecting Mechanicsburg from a number of war machines that had shown up to lay siege while Agatha was in the castle. They have to get through another Jäger, Captain Vole, to get there, and Gil is the one who actually has to subdue him. Luckily, the bar he's taken to by the Jägers is not just a bar, but a thinly veiled cover for one of the other Jäger Generals, Gkika. After all, "ven pipple see lots ov false Jägers, dey don't look so hard for de real vuns".

Maxim is EXTREMELY excited to give Gil the clothes he needs to be able to sneak into the castle--especially his "nize hat", a giant red and purple monstrosity labled with "GILGAMESH WULFENBACH: SCHMOTT GUY!". This only serves to reinforce the love of hats that the Jägers all share. With the help of the Heterodyne seneschal, Maxim and the brothers lead Gil up to the tunnels leading to Mechanicsburg, and leave him there.

In an interlude, Maxim and Ognian go visit an "Old Man Death", a human who rode with the Jägers, an impressive feat. As it would be dishonorable to buy a new hat for any Jäger, and Maxim is without one, he goes hand to hand with the undefeated Ol' Man for HIS hat--and interestingly enough, wins it through the use of subtlety (and ordering a sandwich).

At last report, the boys had made their way to the Jäger Generals on Castle Wulfenbach, the airship, and were making their report to Goomblast, Zog, and Khrizhan about Agatha's whereabouts and condition--and discussing whether or not she was possessed the Other, a being of incredible power and scientific knowledge bent on mayhem, or not.

It is known that Maxim is a former cavalry officer. It's speculated that the monster horse at the beginning of the Advanced Class was actually his steed, getting out from his control due to him being detained in Zumzum. However, it's not clear as to where and when he got his prosthetic arm, just that he has one.

Maxim is taken from the end of the "Jager Meeting" mini-arc in Chapter Eleven, after he, Oggie, and Dimo report to the Jäger generals on Castle Wulfenbach.

Personality:
For a Jägermonster, Maxim is surprisingly resigned. Which means that he tends to be more patient than the average, and somewhat thoughtful and observant. He'll speak up when he has something to say, and stay quiet otherwise. Perhaps because he was a cavalry officer, Maxim has a definite sense of honor and respect. This is proven when he brings Lars' body back to the circus. "Dot Meester Lars vos scared to death. Ve could schmell it on him. But he come to get Miz Agatha anyvay, und he sacrifice himself vitout thinking. He fight vit us Jägers und die for the House of Heterodyne. Dot make him as goot as vun of us. Ve don't leave our own behind. Ennyvay, you ken take him und try to gets him zapped beck, but that don't vork much. So ven hyu bury him, make sure he gots a hat." Interestingly, that is where Maxim "loses" his first hat, because he gives it to Abner the circus fellow along with Lars' body--for a Jäger, a hat is a serious symbol of status, and to lose one or give it away is almost unthinkable. Or, in that case, a token of just how impressed Maxim was with Lars and his actions.
With Jägers, it's hard to tell if they're brave, stupid, or insane, at times, and Maxim is not really different from many of the others seen in the series. For all that he (presumably) started out as a human, his view of things is certainly skewed now, shown by his fanboyish adoration of an assassin in the employ of Anevka Sturmvoraus, who left them for dead in the sewers. He enjoys fighting, as all his kind do, but has little understanding of subtle (though he's slowly learning!). For a wild Jäger, he is fairly smart example of the breed--not quite as simple as Ognian, but not as sneaky and subtle as say, Jenka or Dimo. It is said, however, that wild Jägers have had to be smarter than the ones serving the Baron, though if there's a specific reason for that divergence, it hasn't been shown.

Chosen Position: Villain, specifically henchman. Despite history as a cavalry officer, Maxim works better taking orders than giving them.

Powers:
http://girlgenius.wikia.com/wiki/Jägermonster

"Effry vun of us reached out our hands und took der Jägerdraught by choice--and ve got der goot end ov der deal, hyu bet ve did!"--Jäger General Goomblast, speaking about the transformation method.


The Jägerdraught is a chemical beverage of sorts, created by Vlad Heterodyne, "the Blasphemous", in an attempt to create an army of super-soldiers. The exact composition is unknown, though water from the River Dyne is a component. The source of the Dyne is beneath Castle Heterodyne itself, and legend says that the spring was a shrine venerated to a local battle-goddess. Legend also says that drinking that water *usually* leads to a horrible death. However, Heterodyne family legend claims that the first Heterodyne drank from that spring, and instead of dying, had his Spark enhanced.

Unfortunately, the Jägerdraught itself isn't as potent, or maybe coherent, as its mysterious, undisclosed components, as it's suggested that it has a low success rate. That in and of itself wasn't a deterrent to those taking the brew, however.

Jägermonsters are stronger, faster, and much more resilient than a normal human being. They have better senses of sight, smell, and hearing, and a lifespan extended past the human norm (the three oldest known Generals, Zog, Khrizhan, and Goomblast, are around 600-700 years old; Maxim is the youngest at around 250 to 300). The downside to this is that they refuse medical treatment from anyone but another Jäger, or the Heterodyne themselves. Luckily, they are resilient and fast-healing, so usually that tends not to be much of a problem...

Abilities: Maxim, as a former cavalry officer, is skilled at horsemanship and command, and also has been shown as being very skilled with a rapier. It seems to be his preferred weapon. One of his hands has also been replaced with a fully working metal prosthesis. He THINKS he's a ladies' man, but he also has professed to "haff never luffed", so his success is debatable.


Sample:

Riding a horse usually brought back happier times, but the bitter taste left in his mouth remained. Maxim grimaced, showing a mouth full of fangs, and the horse beneath him danced anxiously (mostly because it already didn't like him; he smelled funny, like something that might want to eat it instead of ride it). The Jäger patted the beast absently with a clawed hand, and it settled somewhat, pawing the ground with a hoof.

"Hy'm surrounded by idiots. Hy'm schmotter den dem. How deed dis even heppen?" Maxim grumbled to himself, shoving his hat down further on his head. It wasn't likely that either Rita or any of her lackies would note his absence--and if that pompous gasbag Zetta noticed anything but himself, it'd be a miracle. And they wondered why nothing ever got done? As crazy as the Heterodynes had been, they'd been a step up.

Even if Maxim was, technically, biased, being a Jäger and all. The Heterodyne family had created the Jägermonster breed, after all, and that in and of itself was why he was here. Without his wild brethren, it was true, but here nonetheless. And most Jägers couldn't say they'd been on a moon. Yet.

It was at least a little impressive.

And really, he kind of sympathized with the Power Rangers. Just a little. Oh, he'd never express that, but after a few decades of warfare, a body got to be a bit observant about one's enemies. And these kids had honor--most of them, at least. Something that the Alliance of Evil, or whatever in the Name they were calling themselves this week, didn't seem to be passing familiar with.

Well. Maybe that was why he was here. And Maxim could show them a thing or two.


also presented: Maxim vs. Deathbringer Saurfang!

Note: I also use moves_like_jaeger for an icon journal!