Jean-Claude is an Anghenfil, an artificial animal built by Ascent to serve the Viperalm ground forces as a working beast. She was one of the prototype Anghenfil species and was designed after the long-extinct therizinosaurus, with influence from eagles, snakes and dogs in her genetics. Anghenfil were proven as versatile and useful assets, with the ability to serve as visual intimidation for Wasteland threats, move faster than a human officer, track hidden or fleeing suspects, guard and pin caught suspects, and detect hazardous substances or goods. They were also large enough to serve as ground transport for officers and carry baggage. Anghenfil were genetically designed to obsessively imprint onto one human and respond only when commanded, with training to respond viciously if their handler is threatened and otherwise remain non-reactive unless given command. The project was well-received by the Ascent board, but they insisted on testing the creatures before further funding would be given. As such, the Anghenfil were deployed into the active field.

The theropod Anghenfil was assigned to a wall patrol team under the command of Commander Jean-Claude Moulin, a Wars veteran and one of the few remaining witnesses of the Closure. While he was reticent to accept the project, the theropod was imprinted on him regardless and he took it on as a new asset. Under Cmdr. Moulin’s charge, the theropod Anghenfil proved very efficient and prompted further funding into the Anghenfil project by the Board.

Simultaneously to the Anghenfil project, Ascent ran another experiment on the recreation of the Wasteland phenomena known as “Slipskins”, humans that could become one with a bonded animal in both mind and body and vice versa at will. While this experiment proved largely a failure, the ability to transfer a human mind into an animal body was discovered.

Cmdr. Moulin was eventually caught aiding Wasteland refugees into Viperalm and was subsequently shot thrice in the chest, arm and neck by a new recruit. However, this proved a mistake. Cmdr. Moulin was one of the few remaining people who had directly witnessed the Rift and thus was wanted alive by the Viperalm board for his blue blood. He was rushed to surgery in an attempt to save him, or at least his memories. His Anghenfil followed closely behind, unable to be parted from her handler and unable to understand why he was away from her. The team worked rapidly, but the damage to Moulin’s already-aged body proved too much and there simply was no way to save him. Yet they needed his memory. A drastic decision was made.

Commander Jean-Claude Moulin’s mind was implanted into the body of his beloved Anghenfil using the Project Slipskin technology. It was a last ditch attempt to preserve his knowledge. Once the operation was complete, it was expected that the Commander’s soul would win out over the Anghenfil and he would reawaken as a man in a monster’s body, still very much sound in mind, personality, and most importantly memory.

That hypothesis was proved wrong when the beast awoke not as the Commander, nor as the animal, but as an entirely new intelligent being with the knowledge of Moulin and the instincts of the Anghenfil. The new beast proved unruly and impossible to reason with or control, with an entirely animal psyche yet the reasoning and logic of a man, and was subsequently scheduled for destruction.

However, the creature escaped during the Drunk’s rampage, and fled into the Wastelands. Ascent teams pursued her, but were soon recalled as tensions rose with the other Cities.

The Anghenfil wandered the Wastelands for a while and eventually discovered Lust, the Remnant of War, hiding in a disused section of the Undergrowth. Using her knowledge of the Rift the beast took control of the Remnant and began using it to breed a new generation of monsters she was able to communicate with and control.

The escaped monster dubbed herself Jean-Claude after her old handler, and took on his role as a commander of monsters.

Jean-Claude is a confrontational, headstrong and overzealous monster, with very strong desires and single-minded ambition. She’s decisive and blunt, with a tendency for tunnel vision and great capacity for sudden violence (likely not helped by her animal nature). However, she is very intelligent, rational, and observant, with fantastic strategic ability and an adaptive resiliency. She is at her heart a good commander, with the ability to sympathise with her command and treat all as equals using interpersonal skills honed from memories that aren’t hers and instincts that are. Monsters of course require a different command than men, but Jean-Claude can handle both with ease, and often is the one making deals with human factions.

Jean-Claude has a powerful alliance with 0UTRUN, the AI running the Undergrowth, in large part due to her handler’s name and knowledge. Cmdr. Moulin was one of the men who helped make the AI, and as his last surviving legacy, Jean-Claude inherited his connection with the AI. As such, Jean-Claude is able to sequester Lust in the Undergrowth, as well as consult 0UTRUN for its’ knowledge and opinions. While this alliance is currently kept secret, there are plans in place to make this a more established relationship.