Legionnaire Profiles – Michel Ardan

 

Michel Ardan has proven to be one of Legion’s more adventurous members and a true Renaissance Man. On advice of Mr. Impey Barbicane, Phileas Fogg joined Monsieur Ardan on one of his exciting ballooning expeditions. Fogg marveled at this dandy’s ability as an aeronaut, photographer, businessman, bohemian, scientist and ladies’ man.  Ardan has never exhibited the slightest inkling of fear during his many death-defying feats … a quality that Fogg feels is key to any adventurer’s personality.

It was Michel Ardan who, along with Mr. Barbicane and one Captain Nicholl (and 2 dogs) were launched from a giant cannon, named The Columbiad, and made a complete journey around the moon! There were some rumors, as well, that Ardan was involved in a massive glut of real estate purchases near the North Pole – but no evidence has been presented to corroborate this story.

Ardan is one of Legion’s photographers, and along with being an integral member of many of the group’s expeditions, is the Chief Exploration Preparations Officer. He has also impressed upon his comrades a need for exquisite taste and manners of polite society – virtues that Michael Strogoff has had some difficulty with…but Ardan remains optimistic.

Honorary Legionnaire Profiles – Master Evan Streshinsky

Master Evan Streshinsky (age 10) first joined Legion Fantastique two years ago, as one of it’s “Honorary Members”. These “Junior Legionnaires” are given sponsorship from the roster of adventurers, scientists and explorers, and are given tasks to improve their minds – and perhaps better the world with Science, Exploration and Imagination!

This diligent young man has proven himself an explorer of incomparable ability! During his first interview, Master Evan had foiled Professor Moriarty’s attempts at disrupting one of Phileas Fogg’s lectures, had compared notes with Captain Nemo in undersea navigation, and contemplated the manly art of self-defense with a sword at the hands of Don Diego de la Vega.

Master Evan’s first year assignment was to bring back a field report from one of his explorations.  After months of preparation, Evan, and his family, departed for Tibet. There they encountered a vast, mountainous wilderness, and strange cultures. However, they were not alone on their journey. Here, for the first time, is Master Evan’s first-hand account of what actually happened!

I was on a holiday in the Himalayas, but actually, we were in a Tibetan monastery. There were strange rumors about a so-called “Yeti” I was hearing. It amazed me so much I wanted to find out the truth. So I asked the head monk. Since he said “humbug” (which reminded me of Mr. Scrooge), I asked Mum & Dad to go hiking. Luckily they agreed. We went to Mount Everest. I went as far as I could from the trail with a sketchbook to the nearest cave on purpose. For some strange reason I heard growling & saw Tibetan masks. There were also white fur skins. When I looked back I saw the real thing. A yeti! I was so scared I didn’t even hear it say, “How do you do?”. When I realized what it said I stopped. This yeti was not evil & man-eating but kind & polite, so I sat on a tall ice-block & and gave it a survey. Here is my Q & A:

Q: Are you male or female?

A: Male

Q: How do you tell the difference?

A: For color. Male is white & female is brown.

Q: Why are people so afraid of you?

A: It must be my appearance. I’m not bad.

Q: Do you have an idea of how we could stop people from being afraid of you?

A: Well, maybe you could get the word out with the newspapers. Then important adults would hopefully do something about it.

So you see, I would like to ask you (Legion Fantastique) to help me start H.A.G.G.I.S. (Help Abominable Beings Get Good In Snow). It’s every Yeti’s only hope.

After his initial presentation, Master Evan was awarded a brass compass for his efforts by Mr. Phileas Fogg and was, indeed, granted the proper funds to found H.A.G.G.I.S., and is currently living among his newfound friends in Tibet with his parents. Fogg has since requested that Master Evan labour on some sort of invention that would benefit H.A.G.G.I.S., and looks forward to seeing what this brave young man will create.

Legionnaire Profiles – Prof. Otto Lidenbrock.

Professor Otto Lidenbrock, formerly of Hamburg, is now one of the veteran members of Legion Fantastique. Lidenbrock gained worldwide notoriety for his journey into the center of the earth his his nephew Axel Lidenbrock and Icelandic farmer/ mountaineer Hans Bjelke. He  joined Legion Fantastique with the intention of dissuading Phileas Fogg from retracing the Lidenbrock Expedition’s route into our planet’s interior. He may have failed in stopping Legion’s daredevil President on taking a near fatal journey, but he has agreed to remain as Legion Fantastique’s chief Minerologist.

A man of extreme impatience, Prof. Lidenbrock has come to near blows with certain members of Legion over the faintest suggestion of the team returning to the center of the earth on a third journey!  However, Fogg and his supporters have assured that there will be no return trip…for now.

Return to the Center of the Earth – The Book!

Many of our visitors at #7 Saville Row have been captivated by our magic lantern presentation of  our “Return to the Center of the Earth” – in which Phileas Fogg ventures into the anti-diluvian world of ancient creatures and strange subterranean landscapes! As our educational department has pointed out to us, merely showing them on a screen limited the public’s access to these fascinating discoveries. So we have published a photographic journal of our adventure!

If you would like to purchase a copy of “Return to the Center of the Earth”, please visit our storefront by CLICKING HERE.  Proceeds from the sales of these books help Legion Fantastique further their explorations into SCIENCE, EXPLORATION, & IMAGINATION!

Even Reese Calhoun of The Ozarks has purchased a copy of this exciting scientific journal! Mostly because he could barely remember any of his own adventures…but that’s another story…

Legion Rides Again!!

After a near-fatal adventure in China (involving the fragments of a golden meteor), Mr. Phileas Fogg and his comrades of La Legion Fantastique are home – safe and sound.

This journey was undertaken by Robur (“The Conqueror”) and several others, not long after their month-long recruitment gathering at #7 Saville Row, in London. During what has been dubbed “The Dickens Christmas Fair”, Legion Fantastique (or LF as its members lovingly refer to it), the ranks of Legion were doubled with the likes of Michel Ardan, Edith Edgerton, and Mistress Dolly Brannican (member profiles soon to be posted) …

Even Her Majesty,  Queen Victoria, paid a brief visit to #7 Saville Row to honor this band of proud adventurers. In the weeks to come, we will be updating our journal to share some of our experiences with you (after a long, and unfortunate, sojourn).

Please keep checking back as we delve further into “Science, Exploration, and Imagination!”