"Foul? Is joy foul? Why do you assume that the Lord of Delight expects only perversity from His followers? Slaanesh is, amongst so many other things the personified manifestation of pleasure, and more importantly, the desire to experience pleasure. How we generate that pleasure's not important to Him, the fact that we experience it at all is enough."
- —Extract from Alphonse Dolmancé's interrogation.[1a]
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Alphonse Dolmancé was the last in a long and noble line of Bretonnian marquises. Some say that his family roots begin with the pirate lords of Sartosa, and that they only moved to Bretonnia after amassing a considerable fortune from their corrupt activities, sometime in the 15th century IC.[1a]
Whatever the case, the marquis' father, Jean-Chevalier Dolmancé, the Comte de Dolmancé, was a powerful and decadent man; a noble who ruled by sword and fear rather than a more benevolent policy. Being a grossly debauched man, Jean-Chevalier lived with two "wives" and was rumoured to have enjoyed countless lovers and courtesans throughout his life. Despite all this, Jean-Chevalier was also a learned and free-thinking philosopher, his controversial writings finding their way across Bretonnia, Estalia and the Empire.[1a]
In the end, Jean-Chevalier came to a no-good end, and his son, Alphonse Dolmancé, took up his father's libertine mantle with startling vigour.[1a]
Though sent to train as a knight, as indeed all the young aristocracy of Bretonnia are required to do, Dolmancé never took to the life of a warrior. Although it is said that he possessed a fiery spirit and showed considerable savagery in battle, he had no respect for his tutors and lacked the humility required to earn the spurs of knighthood. He left his training without a backward glance, and they say he never once showed the slightest remorse or shame for doing so; a terrible thing indeed to the honour-bound nobles of Bretonnia.[1a]
What followed was a life filled with such extreme controversy and hedonism that even his late father's colourful reputation seemed dim by comparison. It was not long before Dolmancé was brought before his king to account for his "base and unchivalrous" behaviour. This accounting turned into a criminal trial when suspicions were roused as to the true nature of Dolmancé's debauchery. Some suspected the hand of Chaos in Dolmancé's deportment, but the marquis denied all such accusations.[1a]
Dolmancé was released shortly afterwards, although he was banished thenceforth from Bretonnia. Disgraced and exiled from his own country, the marquis settled in the free port of Marienburg. There he continued with his wicked ways, and in time his true nature became obvious to the local authorities.[1a]
No longer content to enact his petty perversions, he took the extreme step of establishing his own coven dedicated to the worship of the Chaos God Slaanesh. The success and eventual size of his coven was truly remarkable, helped in no small part by the marquis' personal charm and fabulous wealth, and prompted the burgomasters of Marienburg to take the unprecedented step of requesting special assistance from the Imperial templars of Sigmar. The Templar Witch Hunters agreed, their only proviso being that should they find enough evidence to arrest Dolmancé, he would be deported to Altdorf for trial and execution. The burgomasters agreed and Dolmancé was captured and brought to Altdorf to face his doom.[1a]