Overview
Mathilde Savarin is the architect of the Aeternum Choir’s Lyon cell. A supremely talented composer and charismatic cultist leader, she commands the Société Harmonique — ostensibly a salon of progressive musicians and patrons, but in reality a recruitment ground and operational nexus for the Choir’s global ritual network. She is magnetic, calculating, and utterly devoted to invoking Yog-Sothoth through perfect harmonic transcendence.
Appearance & Demeanor
- Age: Appears to be mid-40s; true age unknown
- Appearance: Regal, striking, dressed invariably in deep jewel tones (violet, indigo, emerald) with silver jewelry that catches light like fractured music
- Voice: Hypnotic, with a slight foreign accent (origin unclear)
- Manner: Radiant, composed, and utterly in control of every room she enters
She does not shout. She does not need to. Her presence alone commands attention.
Role in Chapter 2
At the Ball at Château de Camberonne, Savarin appears as guest of honor. She exchanges greetings with Lyon’s nobility and shares a moment of charged recognition with Marina (if Marina is present). Her presence sends subtle signals to her cultists—Fouchard visibly defers, Ferrant nods acknowledgment, and Delaroche trembles with fear.
She watches the investigators with calm assessment, as though measuring their resonance against a note she cannot quite place.
Public Reputation
- Renowned composer and cultural patron
- Présidente of Société Harmonique (a prestigious musical society)
- Minor scandal hinted at: other cities whisper that rooms close when she visits certain conservatoires
Campaign History
Savarin’s operations in Lyon proceeded largely as planned through mid-July 1814. She orchestrated the masquerade soirée at Maison du Corbeau (hosted by Lucien Goupil), conducted rituals involving a Formless Spawn and child sacrifice, and maintained control over Commissaire Jules Delaroche through threats to his children. She held the surgically altered children’s choir at the Orphans’ Hospital under Dr. Carreau’s supervision, and kept the cult’s operational base in the tunnels beneath the Silkweavers’ Guild.
The investigators dismantled her operation in two coordinated strikes. The Orphans Hospital Raid freed Delaroche’s children and over a hundred captive orphans, killing Carreau and breaking Savarin’s leverage. The Silkweavers Guild Assault followed — Delaroche and his police entered from the front while Moreau’s veterans and the investigators descended through the tunnels.
Death: Savarin was killed instantly by a volley from Moreau’s veterans in the tunnels beneath the Silkweavers’ Guild. She had been advancing behind the Chakota, ready to deploy her spells against the surviving defenders. The veterans were waiting. Their volley threw her body back against the tunnel wall before she could utter a single incantation. The Fourvière ritual never took place.
Connections to Other Files
- Luc Fouchard — Her enforcer and lieutenant
- Aeternum Choir — Full operational profile and cult network
- Société Harmonique — The society she presides over
- Maison des Cinq Portes — Her cult headquarters in Lyon
- Roman Temple Aeternox — The ritual site she has prepared
Connections
People
Courted by
- Emeric de Puyrault NPC warmTarget of Savarin's romantic manipulation1 session: Lyon
Courts
- Emeric de Puyrault NPC hostileRomantic interest; seeking to draw him deeper into the cult1 session: Lyon
Commands
- Luc Fouchard NPC neutralFouchard is her lieutenant and enforcer1 session: Lyon
- Victoire Lenoir NPC hostileSoprano performer and cultist-in-training1 session: Lyon
Allied with
- Abbe Ferrant NPC neutralPriest of St. Nizier, fervent cultist-in-training1 session: Lyon
- Doctor Emile Carreau NPC warmSurgeon and musician; experiments with resonant anatomy1 session: Lyon
- Comte Henri Vallin NPC neutralOccult financier; provides funding and recruits patrons
- Otto von Kaunitz NPC neutralIntelligence operative; surveillance and infiltration
Enemy of
- Abbe Etienne Duplessis NPC neutralKnows she is the architect of the Choir's Lyon operations1 session: Lyon
- Commissaire Jules Delaroche Player character hostileBlackmailed into serving her; died leading the raid that destroyed her operation1 session: Lyon
- Marquise Eloise de Camberonne NPC neutralSeeks to undermine Savarin's influence through social leverage1 session: Lyon
- Colonel Henri Moreau (in Lyon) NPC hostileSenses her corruption; despises her influence over soldiers
Served by
- Abbe Ferrant NPC warmFervent believer in Savarin's vision of transcendence1 session: Lyon
- Antoine Lefevre NPC warmCommitted believer serving the cult1 session: Lyon
- Luc Fouchard NPC warmHer devoted enforcer; answers only to her1 session: Lyon
- Lucien Goupil NPC warmDesperately seeks her approval; she views him as a useful fool1 session: Lyon
- Magistrate Beraud NPC neutralAccepted bribes to provide judicial cover1 session: Lyon
- Victoire Lenoir NPC warmDevoted follower; has sung for Savarin directly1 session: Lyon
- Clementine Delaroche NPC warmSoul bound to the Société Harmonique after Savarin's 'private audition'
- Commissaire Jules Delaroche (in Lyon) NPC hostileBlackmailed by Savarin; has no choice but to obey
- Comte Henri Vallin NPC neutralProvides funding and recruits patrons for the Choir
- Sabine Lambert NPC warmTrue believer in the cult's musical rituals
Places
Leads
- Maison des Cinq Portes LocationSavarin's primary headquarters
Part of
- Hotel de Camberonne LocationSite of July Ball where Savarin appears1 session: Lyon
Served by
- Hopital de la Charite Location warmHospital's resources used for occult experiments
Located at
- Maison du Corbeau LocationSavarin uses the estate as venue for the masquerade1 session: Lyon
- Silkweavers Guild LocationSavarin's operational base for the children's choir and tunnel access1 session: Lyon
Organisations
Served by
- Blue Sashes Faction warmFanatically loyal to Savarin through her performances and subtle supernatural influence1 session: Lyon
Papers
Owns
- Herzfeld Letter to Savarin Document neutralOriginal recipient — killed in the Fourvière ritual disruption
Creatures
Summoned
- Formless Spawn Creature neutralSavarin orchestrated the ritual that summoned the creature
Served by
- Ciimba Children Creature hostileUsed as cult servitors by Savarin's Lyon cell1 session: Lyon
- Chakota Creature hostileKept beneath the Silkweavers' Guild as the Lyon cell's most terrible weapon