Alternate New Orleans III

Chapter Three: The Brujah

Annie Christmas (8th)
         |                  Dezi (D)
     Pinch (9th)               |            (Foxfire) (9th)
         |                Isis (10th)             |
     Elaine (D)                |             Jonah (11th)
         |                 Horus (D)              |
   Bastian (11th)                            Eris D. (12th)

The city's Brujah are typical of the clan, in that they have little political power, and often work against the establishment. A fair number of them are Anarchs. A significant portion of the clan is black, and most of the Brujah are sensitive to civil rights issues. The Brujah are involved in many diverse activities, not always in cooperation with one another. They will, however, help each other out in a scrape.

Annie Christmas

Annie was born a slave on a Georgia plantation controlled by a white Ventrue with a taste for immortal blood. The plantation was home to several Brujah vampires, all of whom were blood bound to an overseer, who was bound to the Ventrue. This ensured the Ventrue a steady supply of kindred vitae. After serving as part of the herd for the Brujah for many years, Annie was turned into one of the vampiric slaves. Unwilling to accept her lot, she encouraged the overseer to rebel. He was slain, but she and several other Brujah were able to flee (including Pug Jackson of Dark Colony).

Annie made her way west into the newer territory, and was attracted to New Orleans for its large free black community. She worked to expand her influence within this community, initially through the Voudou religion, and after the civil war through the newly enfranchised blacks in the Republican party. As she grew in physical power, she became a local mythological figure, Annie Christmas, a powerful black woman who could do anything. Annie made extensive use of ghouls to maintain her control in the black community. The most important were Marie Laveau, the Voudou Queen, and P.B.S. "Pinch" Pinchback, an opportunistic black politician.

In 1881, Marie was embraced by a Tremere for her magical power. Infuriated, Annie quickly embraced Pinch, and prepared for war. Only the intercession of the Prince Accou, whom Annie respected as a fellow negro, prevented bloodshed. The Tremere agreed to leave the Voudou community alone, and Annie let them be. Unfortunately, with Marie gone the Voudouns split into numerous small factions. Also, reconstruction was ending, and black influence was waning. Bitterly, Annie watched her power crumble and her people wane.
Annie began the slow process of rebuilding her power, culminating in the civil rights victories of 1960's, but she never forgot her initial defeat. Although Annie is physically powerful, she feels inadequate in the political arena, and is constantly worried that she is being manipulated by the other elders of the city. She is particularly bitter towards Accou, for she is certain he had a hand in her fall, and feels betrayed.

The only other vampire Annie truly respects is the gangrel elder Jesse. Annie and the Choctaw shaman have been friends for more than a century, and lovers on and off. She admires his strength and nobility, but worries about the remorse he feels for his lost people. She wishes he would free himself from the past, to be better able to help in battle in the here and now.

Age: "25", 8th Generation, born 1786, embraced 1813 by Joseph, arrived 1825

Image: Annie is an imposing black woman, and her tremendous strength shows in her build. Her facial features are solid, but not unappealing. She is probably the most physically powerful vampire in the city. She keeps her long black hair up in a "southern" kerchief, as she did in her days as a slave. As for the rest of her dress, she tends to be pragmatic, wearing jeans and dark button-down shirts.

Influence: Annie has extensive contacts in the black community and with civil rights movement. She also has several black street gangs under her thumb, for muscle. She has a lot of influence with the Anarch gang KLF. Annie's main weakness is an inability to handle politics. She tends to take a direct approach to problems. The other elders see her as easy to manipulate, but if Annie can find a clear target, she often gets what she wants through simple brute force and persistence. Her only support amongst the elders is the Gangrel Jesse; in fact, they are blood bound to one another.

Secrets: B

Habitat: Annie has several havens in the black ghettos, with "her people". She hunts in white urban neighborhoods, cross-dressing as a male mugger, using this to work out some of her frustration at the lack of progress in civil rights. She occasionally hunts the Elysium, as is her "right" as an elder.

Goals: Annie still wants to improve life for African Americans. She also would like to see most of the other elders taken down, but has little taste for ruling herself. She has begun to work on the Brujah in the Snake Hunters, to get another group of powerful warriors under her influence.

Pinch (Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback)

P.B.C. "Pinch" Pinchback was a free black, who made a good living as a riverboat gambler along the Mississippi. After the civil war, he used his money to launch a political career, taking advantage of the new black power during Reconstruction. He was elected lieutenant governor, became governor for 25 days after the death of his white predecessor, and was finally elected the US Senator of Louisiana. Pinch's career ended there, however. Unknown to him, Pinch had been the ghoul of the Brujah vampire Annie Christmas all this time. The changing circumstances of the 1880s forced her to embrace him. He was unable to continue in politics, and in any case, reconstruction was ending.
The next 50 years were bad ones for the blacks and the Brujah, and Pinch made due as best he could. He took to controlling several gambling houses, and was often at odds with the Ventrue organized crime elements of the city. Pinch was resourceful though and managed to rebuild his wealth. He branched out of the white community, and took to controlling white businesses, much to the disgust of his sire, Annie.

When the civil rights issues of the 1960s rolled around, Pinch was taken completely by surprise. He had been so used to black oppression that he never conceived of anything different. Pinch was shaken and reconciled himself with Annie, and together they worked to help lift up the black community. After 30 years of little progress, however, Pinch got tired of the work, and thought of going back to his old ways.

Pinch began to quietly support the Ventrue Slane in his bid for clanhead. Pinch hoped to snatch up some of the Ventrue businesses once Slane won his position, believing Slane to have little in the way of business sense. Pinch moved quietly, not wanting to alienate his sire. He was quite surprised at Slane's sudden victory. Pinch was rather upset since he'd hoped that his backing would be more crucial for Slane. Slane still expresses his gratitude, but Pinch is unsure what to do. The business contacts might not be worth the trouble Slane seems to be bringing on himself.

Age: "30", 9th Generation, born 1837, embraced 1881 by Annie Christmas

Image: Pinch usually appears as a well dressed, upwardly mobile black businessman. His hair is always impeccable, short and straight. He keeps a gold watch in his right pocket, a souvenir he won in his riverboat gambling days.

Influence: Pinch owns several businesses. For the last twenty years, he has tried to implement policies favoring black employees, to please Annie, but is thinking of giving it up as pointless. Pinch is somewhat accepted by the more social Creole vampires; they respect him as they respect no other Brujah. Pinch keeps several ghoul bodyguards for protection, as well a few femme fatales, both for pleasure and espionage. All of Pinch's ghouls are white.

Secrets: B-

Habitat: Pinch has havens in a few of his businesses, one uptown mansion where he normally stays, and a ghetto haven for emergencies. He keeps a herd, made up of his employees and important business acquaintances.

Goals: Pinch is trying to maintain a balancing act of keeping the respect of his sire (for her physical power) and the Creole vampires (for their influence).

Elaine

A strong black woman, embraced by Pinch in 1902 to help balance the Tremere's growing influence. She was killed by the vampire hunter Nathaniel Bordruff in 1923.

Bastian

Robert Bastian was a visionary for his time, realizing that if socialism was ever fully practiced, it would mean full racial equality as well. His commitment attracted Elaine, a young black vampire, who embraced him to help him further the revolution. Bastian's communist vision didn't mesh well with the older black Brujah, however, and he was forced to take a separate course after his sire died. He eventually learned of the Anarch movement, and saw in it the same struggle as the workers against the rich.

It was long before Bastian could find sympathetic ears, but when the Anarch movement in New Orleans began to grow, Bastian was leading it. Bastian invited many Anarchs to the city in the late 50's, to take advantage of the city's freedom, and perhaps turn it into one of the Anarch Free States. Their arrival coincided with the Gangrel Justicar Alexis, with disastrous results. This severely hurt Bastian's relationship with Anarchs outside the city, though he is still well respected locally for his performance in the Anarch war. This is Bastian's greatest shame, however, as he is afraid he was a tool of the elders by bringing the Anarchs here to counter Alexis.

Still, Bastian made good use of his time since the end of the Anarch War. He has started to act more conciliatory toward Annie, the Brujah elder. He has no intention of knuckling under to her, but her support is useful, and he might be able to pry her away from civil rights into the Anarch movement. Under the "cover" of her support, Bastian has been able to rebuild his Anarch gang, and 
start making digs at the other elders of the city.

Age: "30", 11th Generation, born 1882, embraced 1911 by Elaine

Image: Bastian usually dresses in tan slacks and sweaters, and looks more like a college professor than an Anarch. His brown hair is cropped short in a hairstyle that is 20 years out of date. His brown eyes are usually soft, and his demeanor calm and reserved, but he can get very intense when speaking about the "cause".

Influence: Bastian has a lot of contact with local college students, especially those of a more alternative bent. He is still trying to instill them with communist ideals, in the face of the Soviet Union's collapse. He also keeps a few ghouls in city government, to foil elder schemes and to bail out Anarchs who get in real trouble.

Secrets: B- (He doesn't share all his knowledge with other Anarchs. This helps him keep what power he has amongst them.).

Habitat: Bastian keeps one haven on the Tulane campus, and another in a small suburban home that has been "for sale" for years. He hunts on the Tulane campus, but never kills, since it would ruin things for him.

Goals: Bastian sincerely believes in the Anarch cause, and want to overthrow the elders and set up an Anarch free state. After the debacle of the Anarch War, however, he is moving cautiously, countering the elders where he can. He is currently trying to learn their weaknesses, in the hopes that he can turn them against each other.

Isis

Isis was originally Emily Thurmon, a dedicated Egyptologist. She was embraced by a Brujah vampire named Dezi to further his personal vendetta against the Setites. After experiencing first hand the cruelty of this vampiric clan, Isis needed no more convincing. She came to New Orleans because it seemed to be one of the major ports of entry for the Setites. She planned to clean the Setites out of New Orleans, and go on to their Haitian strongholds, but they proved to be more tenacious here than she had expected.

Isis's unlife is absorbed by her hunt. In the past, the only person who could draw her out was her childe and lover, Horus. When he was killed fighting Setites five years ago, Isis became more driven. She constantly scours the Setite's typical feeding grounds (drug dens, ghettos and sundry) looking for their presence. Once she finds a Setite temple, she ghouls a large number of human cannon fodder to use in her fight.

Isis helped to organize the Setite-haters of the city into a unified force. Despite her efforts and many victories, the Setites still slip into the city. Isis is beginning to realize that she is only swatting flies, while the real power behind the Setites is untouched. She is unaware that in her long fight with the snakes, she has adopted their ruthless treatment of mortals, and is becoming more like her enemy. She has recently been contacted by the Children of Osiris, another group of vampires that has long fought the Setites. She has yet to decide whether to ally with them, or to maintain her independence.

Age: "20", 11th Generation, born 1913, embraced 1936 by Dezi, arrived 1940

Image: Isis has long, straight, black hair and very pale skin. She usually keeps her hair up, especially when she is on a hunt. She makes her hazel eyes up in Egyptian style. She has a tendency to wear white blouses and cotton skirts, but has taken to wearing khaki when hunting at the suggestion of Charlie.

Influence: Isis is too busy with the hunt to develop outside influences. However, she is intimately familiar with the ins and outs of the darker places of the city, and knows where to find various different types of weaponry.

Secrets: C-, she also knows much of the Setite Clan's abilities and tactics.

Habitat: Isis changes her haven regularly, to avoid being tracked by Setites. She is currently sleeping in the Anthropology Department at Tulane university, because she is interested in a promising young Egyptology professor. Isis feeds on Setites and their ghouls when possible; otherwise she is not too discriminating.

Goals: Isis wants to destroy all Setites, everywhere. She would dearly love to learn who is the power behind the other Setites in the city. She has also been considering embracing another companion to take the place of the dead Horus.

Horus

Horus was embraced in 1962 by Isis, to aid her in her war on the Setites. He was killed in battle 1989, and Isis is still shaken by his death.

Jonah

Jonah was embraced in the '60s at the height of the civil rights movement, and worked to further the movement in his unlife. He came to New Orleans because he had heard that the Brujah elders of the city fought the same fight. When he arrived, however, he found himself unable to understand the aged vampires, who had been raised when slavery was still a reality. Instead, he became caught up in the struggle of the Anarchs and the Justicar Alexis. He felt that the oppression of the young by the old to be the vampiric equivalent of racism, and joined the gang of the Anarch Bastian.

The violence of the last year of the Anarch War of shook Jonah deeply. He sought for meaning in a religion, and began his study of Voudou. The African roots of this religion appealed to him. In his quest, Jonah was secretly guided by the elder Brujah Annie, who wished to have more Brujah influence in the Voudou community. Afraid of the power of the Voudouns, and worried about crossing the territory of the Tremere, Marie Laveau, Jonah co-opted a white magickal group with connections to Santeria, so he could study Voudou safely from a distance.

Jonah wasn't the only vampire with his eyes on this cult. The Sabbat also noticed his interest in the group. When Jonah began to suspect the truth about another member of Bastian's gang, Simon, the Sabbat struck. The Sabbat embraced one of the cultists, Lisa, and use her to Blood Bind Jonah. For the next few years, the Sabbat used Jonah to learn about the Brujah and the Anarchs. He also firmed up Simon's position in Bastian's gang, to the point where his loyalty to the Anarchs is beyond question. Unfortunately, the Tremere Leah Hirsig spotted Lisa, and she was forced to leave town. The Sabbat, unable to risk Simon, lost their hold on Jonah. Jonah was sufficiently muddled by Dominate and the bond that he knew something had been wrong, but wasn't certain what.

Jonah has found himself a new cult, this time a group of Voudou. He drifts back and forth between the Anarchs and the Voudou community, but he is haunted by the years he cannot clearly remember, and the lingering Bond to Lisa. He is afraid he is a danger to his Anarch friends, and his nervousness has made Bastian's gang a little suspicious of him as well. The only one that really seems to trust him is Simon.

Age: "25", 11th Generation, born 1940, embraced 1963 by Foxfire, arrived 1964

Image: Jonah is the picture of a 60's black radical, complete with afro. His dated appearance has caused him problem before. If necessary, he clips his hair every night. Jasper tends to take a back seat to the more outspoken Anarchs, but is quick to respond to any racial slurs. He avoids carrying around the trappings of Voudou, still considering himself only a beginner in the religion.

Influence: Jonah has a few tentative contacts in the Voudou community. He is also secretly under the patronage of the Brujah elder Annie. He still has contacts in the more militant civil rights groups, and this is where he draws most of his strength. He is only nominally a member of the Anarch gang the KLF, but they still might help him out.

Secrets: C-

Habitat: Jonah is currently staying in a slum with a street gang of black ghouls who protect him during the day, and work for him at night. He often hunts with them, feeding off of their victims. Jonah wishes they would attack whites more often, but the gangs' victims are usually other blacks. He never feeds on the Voudouns.

Goals: Jonah wants to remember the years that he's lost, and learn more about the Voudou religion with stepping on anyone else's toes. He is torn between going back to the Anarchs, or delving deeper into his African roots.
Note: In the early edition of Alt.NObN, Jonah was named Jasper.

Eris D.

Tammy Whiteshed was a feminist and a neo-pagan, who never quite realized she had missed the 60's. She was into anything that wasn't mainstream. She enthusiastically bucked the establishment, and eventually attracted the attention of the Anarch Jonah. He magickal dabblings particularly interested him. He embraced her, but got a bit more than he could handle. Tammy took to the idea of Anarchy like a duck to water, changing her name to Eris, and has promoted chaos ever since.

Eris quickly got out from under her sire, but found she needed help in the convoluted world of New Orleans vampires. She decided to stick with Jonah's gang, since they were Anarchs, after all. She charmed them all with her energy and enthusiasm, though some of the stuffier members miss her more obscure jokes. Eris is constantly making puns and sly references to different facets of modern culture.

Then Eris met her first Malkavian, and fell in love. Eris became a Malkavian fan-girl. She is convinced that Malkavian madness leads to some deep insight into the true nature of reality. She has become good friends with Janine, and even Claire Claremont finds Eris amusing. She likes to spend time with "visiting" Malkavians as well, especially during Mardi Gras. Eris is one of the few vampires to have approached Tinker, though she hasn't begun to crack that quiet woman's shell.

Age: "20", 12th Generation, born 1959, embraced 1978 by Jasper
Image: Eris varies her appearance daily, but she nearly always looks wild. She will wear tie-dyed skirts one day and red leather the next. Her hair is frizzy from the number of dye jobs she has done on it. Eris is always bouncy and enthusiastic, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and a smirk on her lips. Think Puck in female form.

Influence: Eris is genuinely charismatic, and makes friends easily. She has little in the way of permanent influence, though the Angels like her better than the other members of the KLF. She is also liked in Malkavian Circles.
Secrets: D, but occasionally picks up random bits of information from Malkavians.

Habitat: Eris D likes to keep on the move, and doesn't have fixed haven. She does the Brujah tricks of staying in suburban homes, hiding in warehouses, etc. If she's in a tight bind, she'll hit up other members of the KLF for crash space. She hunts in a similar manner, wherever she wants, except that she generally avoids the French Quarter.

Goals: Eris is making becoming friends with Tinker her current project. It is only a matter of time before the jealous Stainlype will do something about it.