Alternate New Orleans X

Chapter Ten: The Ventrue

 
                Alejandro (6th)
                      |
                Francesca (D)
                      |                                                   Christophe (9th)
 Slane (8th)-----Guillaume (D)---Rebecca (8th)          |
     |                                                                          Jennifer (10th)
Walter (9th)
 

The Ventrue are a deeply divided clan, still shaken by the loss of their clan head nearly 10 years ago. They are in the midst of resolving the situation. Unknown to any of them, the aged Ventrue Alejandro, once Prince of the city, still lives and lurks among them.

Alejandro ("Joey Stern")

Alejandro Ruiz-Castillano was a Spanish nobleman embraced into clan Ventrue in the middle of the 15th century. At the time, the Inquisition was at its height, and his sire was slain shortly after his embrace. Along with another of his Sire's progeny, Dominique (from Children of the Inquisition), Alejandro chose to join the only organization he felt was doing anything about the mortals' rampage and the elders' inactivity, the newly formed Sabbat. He enthusiastically participated in the destruction of what he considered to be corrupt elders, and even advanced a generation via diablerie.

The Sabbat held on longer in Spain than they did elsewhere in Europe, and for this reason, Alejandro remained a member. As time went on, however, he became tired of the Sect's tendency towards chaos and random violence, and found its opposing organization, the Camarilla, more appealing. At last, he decided to break with the Sabbat, and in 1727 fled to the New World, specifically New Orleans. A group of Black Hand Assamites followed him, but Alejandro faked his own death by using his Vicissitude.

Alejandro spent the next 70 years out of sight, quietly establishing his power in the city and waiting to be forgotten by other vampires. When Louisiana was sold to the United States in 1803, he was ready to reemerge, and made overtures to the Camarilla vampires of that country. Kindred of that Sect started to enter New Orleans, and Alejandro established himself as Prince.

Alejandro's only experience with this sort of rule was under his own sire, but that autocratic style did not adapt well to New Orleans. Most of the vampires entering the city were leaving other, equally domineering princes in the east, and were not willing to put up with his heavy-handed style of ruling. After the Civil War, they rose against him, led by the Toreador Accou, whom Alejandro had alienated years ago. Even Alejandro's childe, Francesca, turned against him.
Alejandro barely survived his overthrow. His haven was burnt to ground, and only by burrowing deep into the earth did he escape. He lay in Torpor for half a century, only rising again in 1927. He discovered that his rival Accou still held the throne, and secretly started to undermine his power. Alejandro was successful enough that Accou was soon in desperate straits, nearly about to be overthrown himself.

Accou, unaware Alejandro had returned, hit upon the odd ploy of claiming to be only the "Lieutenant" of the "true Prince", in the hopes that the rest of the vampires of the city would hesitate long enough for him to regain control. Alejandro was vastly amused, and took this as a sign. He caught Accou alone and unprepared, battered down his mental defenses, and took control of the hapless Toreador.

Since that time, Alejandro has maintained the charade Accou set up, and reigns as a shadow prince. There are enough elder vampires in the city (some of whom were involved in his overthrow) that Alejandro is not sure he could safely hold the city if he acted openly. Accou makes an effective buffer, and gives Alejandro the reality of power, if not the form.

Maintaining this precarious balance has kept Alejandro busy, especially during the visit of Justicar Alexis. Lately, though, the fact that little has changed since he took control of Accou has made him suspicious. Alejandro realizes that the dynamics of the city's vampire community are inherently unstable, and the system should have collapsed long ago. Because of this, he has begun to fear that the Jyhad exerts its influence over his city, and is beginning to look for other behind-the-scenes manipulators.

Age: "30", 6th Generation, born 1508, embraced 1545 by Titus, arrived 1727

Image: Originally a slim, dark young Spanish lord with a hint of Moor in his features, he now looks Jewish, thanks to his Vicissitude. He has built for himself an identity as a young Caitiff (named Joey Stern) who came to the city shortly after the war between Alexis and the Anarchs. He adopts this persona to mingle with the other vampires of the city now and then. He has a good sense of humor and a warm smile, but tries hard not to laugh, as he hasn't figured out how to disguise his laugh yet and fears it will give him away. His "Joey" persona is bookish and a little shy, but Alejandro enjoys socializing and is a bit of a ladies' man.

Influence: Alejandro has numerous ghouls amongst the police of New Orleans, and believes he controls them completely (he's wrong). Alejandro's most important tool is the "Lieutenant prince" Accou, whom he believes he controls thoroughly via Dominate. Alejandro leaves most of the operation of the city to Accou and his progeny. Although Accou is his greatest enemy, Alejandro spends more time with the Toreador than anyone else, and secretly believes Accou is the only one who understands him. For this reason, he will never actually do anything to endanger his tool.

Secrets: A+

Habitat: Alejandro keeps a small apartment as the haven of his Joey Stern persona. He has numerous secret havens in various places in the French Quarter, some of them built before any other vampire entered the city. His feeding restriction is that he is limited to those of Spanish descent. This is becoming more difficult for him to find, Hispanic blood being too thin for him. He secretly keeps several dominated pawns specifically for feeding.

Goals: Alejandro's goals are nebulous at the moment. He wishes to maintain control of the city, but more than that wishes to protect his unlife. He is constantly seeking hidden influences of other kindred.

Francesca

Francesca Dumont was a haughty young creole woman from an influential family She was embraced in 1837 by Alejandro, partly to counterbalance the Camarilla vampires entering the city, and partly out of fascination with the lovely and spirited woman. Alejandro lavished Francesca with gifts, but did not allow her free rein to manage her affairs as she pleased. She was charmed by the mulatto Toreador Accou, and turned against her Sire with the rest of the city after the Civil War. In return, Accou let her run the Ventrue without interference. Francesca did just that until she was killed in 1985 by one of her own ghouls, Raymond.

Her murderer escaped with the help of the Anarchs, and her progeny took only minor punitive actions before they fell to squabbling over who would be clan leader. Both her childer suspect the other of arranging Francesca's death. In reality, Alejandro had begun to suspect that she had learned of his continued existence, and between this and lingering bitterness at her betrayal of him, decided to eliminate her.

Slane

Slane Holland was a loyal son of the South, and fought valiantly as a lieutenant in the Civil War. His family's fortune was ruined in the war, but Slane was adopted by the wealthy "widow", Francesca. She had him take care of her business dealings, and sometimes acted as her social companion. After he had earned her trust, Francesca revealed her vampiric nature to him. He was entranced by this vibrant woman, and the potential power of vampiric life, and agreed to be embraced by her.

Slane was long Francesca's greatest supporter, but as his own power grew he began to resent serving under a woman. He began to develop his own plans, made his own progeny, and generally set about distancing himself from her. Slane particularly worked to take over Francesca's contacts in the criminal world. Eventually, Francesca grew tired of this, and embraced another Childe, Rebecca, to manage her affairs.

Slane resented this new Childe, but before he could act against her, Francesca was slain by one of her own ghouls. Slane concluded that Rebecca had arranged this, and his estimation of her ruthlessness went up. Most of Francesca's business dealings were now under Rebecca's name, so despite Slane's advantage of age, he felt unable to challenge her immediately. Slane worked on collecting the allies he felt he needed to establish himself as the new Ventrue clan head.

Finally, frustrated with the slowness of elder politics, Slane decided on direct action. Slane dominated one of Rebecca ghouls into sending information about her to a tabloid newspaper. The ghoul was then conditioned to kill her. The ghoul failed to kill Rebecca (as Slane expected), but Rebecca lost a face, looking like she could not even control her own blood-bound servants. With Rebecca out of the way, Slane is ready to step into the position of Ventrue Clan head.

Age: "45", 8th Generation, born 1840, embraced 1886 by Francesca

Image: Slane is the stereotypical image of a pre-Civil War gentleman. He dresses in white, speaks with an exaggerated drawl, and almost always has a cigar. His light brown hair is streaked with gray. He carries himself with an air of confidence, and always moves to control any situation he is in.

Influence: Slane has extensive control of organized crime in New Orleans through his childe Walter. He is trying to build a new network of political and business contacts to counter Rebecca's influence. He is a fairly old vampire, and has more respect from the elders than any of the other Ventrue. On the other hand, he has made mistakes in the past, and is not particularly well-liked.

Secrets: B

Habitat: Slane keeps a traditional southern manor on the edge of town, but has the place rigged with modern electronic security. His feeding restriction is Yankee's, so he has always had mixed feelings about the presence of Northerners in the city.

Goals: Slane wishes to take what he considers to be his rightful place amongst the elders of the city. He is nearly of age with most of them. Now that Rebecca is out of the way, there is little standing in his way.

Walter

Jacopo "Walter" Andretti came to New Orleans from Sicily with his family in 1906. He was ten years old. When he was thirteen, his uncle Tomas began to pay him ten cents a week to carry messages around the city to certain members of other Sicilian families. By the time he was fifteen, he was an established, hard-working member of the New Orleans mafia. The mob in New Orleans never reached the level of influence that it did in cities like Chicago, but it still made itself felt, and when Walter decided to move up in the world and become a legitimate businessman, he found his mafia connections very useful.

They were especially useful in 1935, when Italy invaded Ethiopia. Walter decided that he liked Mussolini's style and that fascism appealed to him. Through his mafia friends, he funneled a good deal of money to Mussolini's regime and never got caught. At the same time, he found it prudent for his shipping business to support the US war effort, and was one of the first Louisianans to employ women (he used them as dock workers).

Walter was enormously successful in his ventures, the result of a natural talent for seamlessly merging legal, quasi-legal, and quietly illegal activities. He also instinctively avoided being too greedy and thus managed to evade attention. However, these very qualities caught the eye of one observer. Slane had been searching for someone who could help him weaken Francesca's hold on New Orleans business and the mob, and Walter was perfect. After observing the shipping magnate for a year, he met Walter late one night at the Cafe du Monde and made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Francesca was suspicious but allowed Slane to keep his Get.

Walter has been Slane's faithful lieutenant since then. He has his own ambitions, certainly, but he feels that the surest route to power at present is to back Slane's bid to become the Ventrue clan head. However, he thinks Slane has lost ground to Rebecca and may be beginning to falter. Walter has been building up his resources and preparing to advance his own schemes should his sire fall. He still maintains his mob contacts, both in the US and Italy, and he has recently been approached by mob-connected agents of the Giovanni about the possibility of mutual aid.

Age: "40", 9th Generation, born 1896, embraced 1937 by Slane

Image: Walter is a middle-aged Italian-American businessman, always impeccably dressed, though his clothes can be a bit dated. He was balding when he was embraced. He can be quite charming, but avoids associating with blacks and other "undesirables".

Influence: Walter virtually controls the New Orleans mob, though it is not large or influential. He makes a fair amount of money on smuggling, and has some contacts with South America drug lords.

Secrets: C-

Habitat: Walter keeps his haven with the New Orleans mafia, though his presence is unknown to all but a few members of that organization. This gives him easier access to his feeding restriction: young Italian men and boys. He is ashamed of this, and always wipes his victim's memory after feeding.

Goals: Walter is always on the look-out for more personal power, though he takes the long view and moves very cautiously. He has some twisted views on the nature of racial superiority, but is ultimately a pragmatist. His views don't get in the way of his quest for power.

Guillaume

Guillaume was a French businessman embraced in 1948 by Francesca as her first attempt to replace Slane as the manager of her affairs. Guillaume proved to be uncontrollable, and was killed (with Francesca's approval) in 1956 by the Krewe of Janus for making a brood.

Rebecca

Rebecca supported the anti-war movement of the '60s, only to discover the males of the movement paid little heed to its female members. Like many of her female companions, she became a feminist in the '70s, fighting for her own rights as the war was ending. Rebecca tended to take a more pragmatic outlook than many of the other activists. While others attended consciousness-raising meetings and picketed city hall, Rebecca studied legal precedence and handled finances.

It was this, her independence, and drive that brought her to the attention of Francesca, the Ventrue clan head. Francesca was casting about for a replacement of her progeny and current business manager, Slane. Her main difficulty with Slane was his sexist attitude of not wanting to work under a woman. Thus, Rebecca, who felt a woman could do anything a man could, was attractive to Francesca, who embraced Rebecca in 1974.

Rebecca initially had difficulty adjusting to vampiric life. Her sire's attitudes about female power had been shaped in the 19th century, and the other Ventrue were extremely sexist. Also, Rebecca did not wish to give up her mortal activism. Still, she studied carefully under Francesca, and gradually came to feel that vampires themselves were responsible for many of the social ills of modern society. She briefly considered joining the Anarchs, but, being practical, decided the only way she could bring about real change was to advance herself in vampiric society.

About the time Rebecca came to this conclusion, Francesca was slain by one of her ghouls. Rebecca immediately decided that Slane had arranged it, but there was no one she could appeal to, so she kept this information secret. It was clear that Slane expected to succeed Francesca, and Rebecca was not about to let this happen. She moved quickly to solidify her hold on the businesses Francesca owned. Rebecca knew that this may be her only opportunity, and has been ruthless and manipulative in seeking support from other vampires and attempting to block Slane. She told herself that once she was acknowledged clan head over Slane, she would start to make changes, but secretly feared that by the time she achieves that position, she would be as corrupt and compromised as the other elders.

A few weeks ago, all hope of that Rebecca becoming clan head evaporated. One of her ghouls suddenly went rogue. The ghoul sent Rebecca's picture to a scandal magazine, along with a letter explaining how he was beginning to realize she was a vampire. Though no one has pursued it yet, this was an unforgivable breach of the Masquerade. The other vampires of New Orleans have begun to shun her, and she could do nothing to stop Slane from taking the clan leadership. Her ghoul has disappeared, and though she suspects Slane's hand in the affair, she can prove nothing. She is terrified that some mortal hunter or another will track her down.

Age: "30", 8th Generation, born 1944, embraced 1974 by Francesca

Image: Rebecca dresses as a smart businesswoman, with a preference for reds and pinks. Her blond hair short and sensible. She tends to be forward in her interactions with other vampires, but gender issues are a sore point with her.

Influence: Rebecca has inherited Francesca's extensive business network, and has worked ruthlessly to keep control of it ever since. She has numerous well-placed ghouls in the business world. She also enjoyed a "favored underdog" role in her attempts to become Ventrue clan head, but now no one will give her the time of day.

Secrets: C (though she suspects more must be going on behind the scenes, she simply doesn't know)

Habitat: Rebecca has havens in various business offices, usually well guarded. Her feeding restriction is male businessmen, and she often "mixes business with pleasure."

Goals: Rebecca wants to find her ghoul, figure out what Slane did, and get revenge. She is also being cautious to the point of paranoia, for fear that someone may have learned enough about her to track her down and kill her.

Christophe

Christophe's appearance belies his age. He was embraced nearly 150 years ago, but he tends to dress in the latest business styles. Christophe was the Lieutenant of a powerful Ventrue in Chile. When Pinochet's regime came into power, Christophe was forced to flee the corresponding change in vampiric princes. Unfortunately, his sire did not make it out of the country with him.

Upon arriving in New Orleans, Christophe found himself independent for the first time in his 125 years of unlife. He was just getting used to the situation, when the current Ventrue clan head, Francesca, was killed. Christophe suspects that one of her progeny, Slane or Rebecca, was responsible for Francesca's death, but is not sure which, and is not even certain if it is important. Christophe is too busy enjoying his role as the pivotal member of the clan.

Christophe has yet to decide who to support as the new clan head. He realizes that his backing is crucial, and has been playing to both Slane and Rebecca. He isn't ready to give up this game, since it brings him numerous benefits from both of the better-established vampires. For example, he got both of them to support the presentation of his new Get, Jennifer. Once they have whittled each other down to the point where the winner cannot survive without him, Christophe will choose whom to support.

Age: "30", 9th Generation, born 1823, embraced 1852 by Ramone, arrived 1977

Image: Christophe is a dapper Hispanic businessman, always impeccably dressed in the latest styles, often in silk. He keeps his clothing up to date, and few in the city realize he is as old as he actually is. He occasionally espouses "Anarchish" opinions, to maintain this facade of youth.

Influence: Christophe is relatively new to the city, but has developed some influence in the small Hispanic community of New Orleans. His position as an uncommitted Ventrue has given him a lot of influence over Rebecca and Slane, the two competitors for the Clan head.

Secrets: C- (but seeking more knowledge).

Habitat: Christophe has bought a small mansion in the nicer section of the city with the money he brought with him from Chile. He often "entertains" young Hispanic women at his home, since they are his feeding restriction.

Goals: Christophe is still reveling in his freedom, but is starting to advance himself in the world. He wants to place the next Ventrue in the position of Clan head, but wants them to be weak enough so that he can eventually become clan head himself. He is unaware of the machinations of the elder kindred on this issue.

Jennifer

Jennifer was a young computer science student who specialized in accessing places she shouldn't have. Aside from her area of expertise, Jennifer had little experience with life and her social skills were hopelessly inadequate. She longed to find a man who knew of more than microprocessors. Unfortunately, her talents attracted the newly arrived Ventrue Christophe, who realized computers were important, and an area neglected by many other kindred. He hoped she would give him an edge over other vampires, and embraced her.

There was no romance in Christophe's pragmatic siring. Jennifer was horrified at her change, and loathed her sire. She fears him too much to do anything, though, and realizes he is more powerful than he lets on. Christophe is careful to make sure she is dependent on him for guidance and blood. As she adjusts to unlife and explores her powers, her opinion of vampirism is beginning to change. With her Presence, she can manipulate people who would have ignored her when she was just a computer geek. She longs to break free of her sire, and finds the Anarchs particularly attractive.

Very recently, she has begun to do favors for the Anarch gang, the KLF. They have asked her to "fix" a few inconvenient records in town hall for them. As she spends more time with them she is slowly coming out of her shell. Christophe knows of her relationship with the Anarchs and approves; he hope to use it too his advantage.

Jennifer is slowly gathering the skills and courage she needs to make her own way. The recent fall of Rebecca and the changes in the Ventrue power structure have shaken her, however. If a woman as strong as Rebecca can be brought down, maybe Jennifer isn't ready to make it on her own. For now, she is backing off from the Anarchs, and waiting to see how things develop.

Age: "25", 10th Generation, born 1956, embraced 1981 by Christophe

Image: Jennifer dresses like a computer geek, but is slowly gaining some fashion sense. Her glasses aren't horn-rimmed any longer, and she wears T-shirts as often as she wears white blouses. She is rather flirtatious with mortal males, but is shy and reserved when she deals with other vampires.
Influence: Jennifer has little real-world influence, but can get around computer systems with ease. Christophe has encouraged her to "freelance" and help other vampires with computer-related problems, and she has accumulated a few favors this way.

Secrets: D (but she knows much about the mortal world through computers).

Habitat: Jennifer rents a small apartment where she sleeps. The place is cluttered with equipment. She hits the clubs to feed, but relies heavily on Presence to get her prey. Her feeding restriction is young, good looking males (the type that ignored her in life).

Goals: Jennifer would like to break free of Christophe, but has done little in this direction so far. She is always looking for better computer gear.

Alternate New Orleans IX

Chapter Nine: The Tremere

    Bristol (D)                                         (Isaac) (8th)
        |                        (Reginald) (9th)            |
Marie Laveau (8th)             |                   Emyl (9th)
        |                    Leah Hirsig (10th)
   Rafael (9th)

The Tremere of New Orleans all fall under the shadow of Marie Laveau. Her towering influence spreads beyond the clan, and is much greater than what one might expect for a vampire of her age and generation.

Ah yes! The Tremere have been one of my favorite Clans to play. I know I started playing Brujah when I began playing VtM, but eventually, the alienness of the system subsided: I branched out to play some of the other clans. I started roleplaying, picturing wizards throwing magick around to save the day. The Tremere are the Wizards of the Vampire world like the Brujah are akin to Warriors. My fondest memories are of one of the LARPs I played at one of the Conventions I attended; I played a Tremere Archon.

Bristol

An old British Tremere, Bristol came to New Orleans in 1874 to establish the clan's presence. He started the Tremere's current feud with the Brujah by embracing an important ghoul servant of the Brujah clan head, Annie. His new Get Marie eventually betrayed him, revealing his hiding place to Nathaniel Bordruff, who killed him in 1925

Marie Laveau

Marie Laveau was a legendary figure in New Orleans Voudou, a quadroon woman ruling as Voudou Queen for 50 years, from the 1830s to the 1880s. She held a great deal of power, both from her magical abilities, and from her extensive network of spies and black-mailers. Unknown to those under her, Marie had a powerful vampiric ally, the Brujah elder Annie, who gave Marie immortality as a ghoul. Marie lived long enough that she had to retire, in the 1850s. She had another woman pose as the elder Marie Laveau, and returned as her own "daughter", though still using the same name.

Though powerful, Marie chafed at her dependence on Annie's blood, but events moved rapidly to change this. The newly arrived Tremere Bristol chose to embrace her, both for her power and to undercut a potential rival. Annie was furious, but Accou intervened to prevented war. Marie has long suspected that Accou helped engineer the whole situation, and dislikes him for that.
Marie found life under the Tremere even more stifling, and she lost nearly all her mortal Voudou contacts. Now she was a vampire though, and she still had most of her magical powers. She waited until Nathaniel Bordruff started killing vampires in the 1920s. She carefully planted information leading him to Bristol, and made sure his magical protections were weak at a crucial moment. Bristol was slain, and the only thing that marred her plan was that Bordruff was embraced rather than killed, and lives today.

Marie was the only surviving Tremere in New Orleans, and was thus able to deal with the clan on her own terms. She never openly opposed the clan, but in a myriad of small ways made her independence clear. She then worked to reestablish her mortal contacts, and is once more influential in the Voudou and black communities. She has expanded her efforts beyond this as well, and has many contacts with other magical groups, including modern neo-pagans and ceremonial magicians.

Marie carries on her sire's old feud with the Brujah, but makes an effort to stay on the good side of the other kindred of the city. Few of them trust her, thinking her ruthless and power-hungry. Still, she is respected and feared for the immense power she wields.

Marie sees herself in a totally different light. She was once the Voudou Queen, and this shapes her unlife. She still sees herself as the servant of the Loa, and only unfortunate circumstances forced her into becoming a vampire. She feels that she is trying to protect the Voudou community from outside influences, and tries to bring other vampires into balance with the will of the spirit world. For this reason, she is given to doing many mysterious things. Seldom does she give explanations to those she helps or hinders.

Age: "35", 8th Generation, born 1796, embraced 1881 by Bristol

Image: Marie Laveau is a stunningly beautiful mulatto woman with long brown hair and milk chocolate skin. She usually wears simple cotton dresses, and keeps her hair up in a kerchief, but she knows the power of apparel, and will dress appropriately for most situations. She carries herself with a regal air; one would almost think she were Prince. She was once a queen, and still expects to be treated that way.

Influence: Marie Laveau is nearly universally feared and respected by the vampires of the city. Not only does she have access to the usual power of the Tremere, but she has many secret Voudou related rituals known only to her. She still has some influence in the Voudou community, but it is hotly contested by other groups, including the Brujah and secretly, the Setites. She has recently branched out, looking into other magical groups.

Secrets: A-

Habitat: Marie Laveau keeps a small house in the French Quarter. She also maintains hidden havens in several locations, not the least of which is her "grave". She visits her supposed gravesite, occasionally performing small "miracles", to maintain its mystique. In this way, she ensures that the name Marie Laveau is not forgotten. Marie feeds on her servants and followers.

Goals: Marie would like to strike out on her own, perhaps even founding her own bloodline. She is not so egotistical as to believe that she can challenge all of Tremere, however. She keeps a careful eye on the city's politics, always looking for any advantage.

Rafael

For the longest time, Marie Laveau jealously held her position as the single Tremere in the city, but she eventually realized that to maintain her status in the clan, she would need an apprentice. After a careful search, she found one of the descendants of her mortal children, a Voudou Bokor named Rafael. In him, the power had bred true, and she chose him to be her childe.

Rafael was overwhelmed by the power and knowledge of his ancestress, and desired nothing more than to serve and please her. Rafael acted as Marie's emissary to younger kindred and mortals, leaving Marie time to work on her own magic. Rafael became powerful and intimidating in his own right, but still pales in comparison to his sire. Rafael took to quietly speaking to Leah Hirsig about the rest of the Clan. He believes that if he can raise his prestige amongst the Tremere, he might slowly work himself free of the influence of Marie.
Leah was only too happy to pass his sentiments along to the rest of the Tremere, knowing that this would weaken Marie's hold on New Orleans. Recently, the elders of Tremere ordered a "cultural exchange". The New Orleans Chantry was to accept a Tremere from Hartford, and Raphael was on his way to New England. He believes this is the break he has been looking for, and intends to make quite a splash in the greater Tremere community.

Age: "40", 9th Generation, born 1905, embraced 1947 by Marie Laveau

Image: Rafael is a heavy-set black man, given to wearing business suits and smoking cigars. On his own, he is forceful and intimidating. On the rare occasions when he is in public with Marie, he defers to her.

Influence: Rafael maintained the political influence the Tremere have in this city. He was often in direct competition with the Ventrue and the Toreador for political pawns. He is talented enough to have played this game well. He was also considered more accessible than Marie, and many who wish to deal with the Tremere (especially younger vampires) come to him first. Now he is struggling to make a place for himself in the New England chantry.

Secrets: B-

Habitat: Rafael used to live in Marie Laveau's home, the city's Chantry House. Rafael fed on the Chantry House's servants, but is given to searching elsewhere for "special treats". At the moment, he is in Boston.

Goals: Rafael is still loyal to Marie, but is stifled by her in the same way she is stifled by the Tremere. He would like more independence.

Emyl Hillary

Emyl Hillary loved few things more than the secrets of the past, and would have happily devoted his entire life to the study of history at his native Oxford, had not an affair of his come to light. The affair was one born of genuine trust and affection, but it was between Emyl and one of his male students, and Emyl was forced to resign in disgrace. He emigrated to Germany in 1934 and secured a position as a professor in a small university, where he did his best to immerse himself in history and forget his loneliness. A year or two passed, however, and he allowed himself to fall in love with a beautiful young man named Christian. For a little while, they were very happy.

The relationship ended well and Emyl thought little more about it until 1938, when he was arrested by the Nazis. It seemed that Christian had been marked as a homosexual and arrested, and in a vain effort to save himself he had offered up his past lovers instead. Emyl wound up in a concentration camp, and the number the Nazis tattooed on his arm seemed like a stark code of doom.
A little while before, the demon known as Chagaediul had been exiled to earth as punishment for some transgression. It wandered naked and nearly powerless until its own true Name drew it to Germany with a promise of sustenance. The number Emyl had been tattooed with was, coincidentally, the numerical rendering of Chagaediul's Name, and it bound the professor to the demon. Chagaediul lived within Emyl's mind and fed on the misery surrounding them. It slowly grew in strength and ensured that Emyl stayed alive, luring him with promises of escape, if only he would aid it.

The director of the camp learned that Emyl was a scholar and put him to work translating some old documents that had been seized from a rabbi. They were descriptions of cabbalistic rituals, and in studying them Emyl managed to awaken his own magical potential. Then the true owner of the documents came to retrieve them, and Emyl came to the attention of the Tremere. Isaac decided he couldn't let the professor go to waste and Embraced him.

Since then Chagaediul has had to be careful not to be noticed by the Tremere, but that hardly bothers it; it is quite pleased with its powerful pawn. For his part, Emyl is now aware of the true nature of his "benefactor" and longs to be free of the demon. Chagaediul has a very strong grip on him, however, and it punishes Emyl without mercy whenever Emyl does not obey its wishes. It has grown quite strong and intends to keep doing so, eventually returning to Hell in glory. Recently it was able to engineer things so that Emyl was sent to New Orleans in order to aid Leah Hirsig in bringing Marie Laveau to heel. Chagaediul intends to make the city its own, and the only thing in its way is a mighty Wyrm spirit called the Blighted Swamp, an elemental of the polluted bayou.

Emyl is Chagaediul's main assistant in this, a position that fills him with despair. He does his best to fulfill the demon's wishes and spare himself its ire, but he hates what it makes him do. He is desperate for a way out of his situation, and may seize on any opportunity to free himself, no matter how tenuous. He will not commit suicide for he knows that Chagaediul would simply enslave his soul if he died.

Age: "50", 9th Generation, born 1900, embraced 1941 by Isaac; arrived 1994

Image: The archetypical beloved absentminded professor. Emyl is nowhere near as spacey as he can seem, however. He deliberately plays the part, as it makes people underestimate him. He really is gentle-natured, though, and comes across more like a favorite uncle than a demon-bound vampiric sorcerer. He has developed a minor ritual that hides his tattoo from sight and from magical detection; it only lasts for nine hours, but that is usually enough. He has tried many ways to remove the tattoo permanently but with no success.

Influence: None, yet. Emyl spent his life in academia, however, and is no stranger to influence-peddling. He will place his pawns where few other vampires would think to.

Secrets: C+

Habitat: Emyl keeps a small house in Metairie, in a neighborhood known for its Ph.D. population. He also has gotten a position teaching a nighttime history class at Tulane. Emyl feeds on academic types as these are the humans he is most frequently around.

Goals: To free himself from his demon master and expose the corruption within the city. He is terrified of the retribution he would face from his clan and the vampires of New Orleans, but he is basically a decent sort and can no longer live with his crimes.

Leah Hirsig

Leah Hirsig was just another young, well-bred Victorian girl of England in the early 1900s when she met Aleister Crowley, "The Wickedest Man Alive". As was his wont, Crowley seduced her and she became one of his many "Scarlet Women". She joined Crowley's coven, but disputes and his wanton ways eventually drove her away. Leah continued the quest for magic on her own, having forsaken the pristine ways of her youth.

In 1945, a London Tremere embraced her in the hopes that she would be able to help them against the rampaging Crowley, now a Malkavian. As much as she hated her ex-lover, Leah was little help against him. Her lust for magic was great enough that she advanced in the clan anyway.

Recently, the Council of Elders in Clan Tremere decided that Marie Laveau needed watching, and sent Leah to New Orleans. Marie could not refuse her, but did nothing to make her welcome either. Leah had an edge, however. Before she left London, the sire of Bristol, Marie's grand-sire, warned Leah that Marie was probably responsible for Bristol's death. If Leah could produce proof of this, she would gain greatly in clan prestige.

Leah was making slow progress in this direction when the Tremere Emil arrived in the city. Naturally, she sought him as an ally. Emil, under the influence of his master, tried to draw Leah into his web by teaching her Dark Thaumaturgical power. Whether or not he succeeded is unknown. Very recently, one of Leah's own ghouls burned her haven to the ground. The ghoul was caught and killed, but Leah herself is believed to be dead.

Age: "50", 10th Generation, born 1894, embraced 1945 by Reginald, arrived 1984

Image: Leah varied between dressing as a "respectable" English woman and as a witch and a coven leader. She kept her short gray hair meticulous. She played up her Tremere mystique, dropping strange hints of secret knowledge.

Influence: Leah had little power in the mortal world, but worked to change that. She moved quietly, so as not to upset the powerful Chantry head. She had a few pawns in the magic community, mostly neo-pagan and new-age types, but avoided Voudouns for fear of meeting Marie's tools. She had the tacit backing of the Tremere Inner Council, but until she could come up with hard evidence of violations of the Tremere laws, she was on her own. She was learning some interesting secrets from Emil before her haven was burned.

Secrets: B-

Habitat: Leah kept a small house in the Garden District. She occasionally held "seances" there for her pawns. This haven is now a pile of ash, all of her magical texts lost with it. Leah fed off her magic groups, rarely doing them permanent harm.

Goals: Leah was desperate to move up the Tremere pyramid. She worked to find out something she could use against Marie, so she can please the Inner Council. Leah wanted to return to England as quickly as possible, leaving this "uncouth country", but sought to learn all she safely could about New World magic in the meantime. Now, no one knows her fate.

Alternate New Orleans VIII

Chapter Eight: The Toreador

                          Accou (7th)

                               |               
        Marguerite (8th)---------------Tristan (D)
              |                              |
Bran (9th)-----------Pablo (D)        Katherine (9th)
                         |
                 Scheherazade (10th)             Marisol (9th)
                         |                             |
        Annachie (D)----------David (11th)       Jeremy (10th)

The Toreador have ruled New Orleans since the 1860s, and have had a great deal to do with the development of the city. As is often the case, the Toreador are split between two factions, the true Artistes and the mere Poseurs. The Poseurs of New Orleans tend to be politically oriented, doing most of the day to day management of the city. The Artiste are still considered superior. Who lies in which group is a matter of hotly contested opinion.

Accou

Accou was a Mulatto slave, freed, though never acknowledged, by his white father and master. He had a talent for the piano, and his mother encouraged him, in the hopes that he could use it to make a place for himself in the world. He played at some of his father's social gatherings, and it was at one such event that Maria, an ancient Toreador, and Annabelle, her Get, first saw him. Maria was entranced by his energy and skill, and wished to preserve his talents.
The prince of the city, Alejandro, had other ideas. Fearing a break in the Masquerade, he sent servants to rough Accou up, hoping to make him less desirable to Maria. They crushed his hands, so he could no longer play the piano. Once Maria heard of this, she insisted that her own progeny, Annabelle, embrace Accou at once. This was too much for Alejandro, who insisted all of the Toreadors leave the city.

Accou traveled with Maria and Annabelle for a time, but was unable to keep the same company as the two white women. He set out on his own, and eventually ended up in the free black community of Havana, Cuba. There he worked on his abilities, nursing his hatred of Alejandro, waiting for the day when he could return to New Orleans.

Accou returned right before the Civil War, and overthrew Alejandro shortly thereafter. Accou then ruled as prince for about 60 years, until worsening conditions in the city in the 1930s were leading to his own downfall. Casting about for ideas, he decided to take a hint from the Malkavians, and pretended to be something he was not. Accou claimed he was actually the Lieutenant of the "true Prince", and had to pass any requests on to him.
The elders of the city thought this was a ridiculous ploy, but hesitated long enough for Accou to consolidate his position. Just when he was prepared to drop his facade, he was caught unaware and attacked by none other than Alejandro, recently awakened from Torpor. Alejandro fiercely Dominated Accou, and turned the illusion into reality.

Accou has been the servant of Alejandro ever since. They have maintained this "double mask", pretending to be pretending, while actually telling the truth. Most of the younger vampires believe Accou is the Lieutenant, while most of the elders "know better", but are willing to maintain the game. Everyone found it useful to be able to claim an absentee prince was "really" running things when the Justicar Alexis came to clean up the city.

Within the last decade Accou has gathered enough strength to throw off Alejandro's Domination. He has been slowly building up his own power, to drive Alejandro out and take back control for himself. Until that time, Accou continues to act as Alejandro's pawn. Accou realizes the irony of his situation; if it were not Alejandro's support, he would have probably died in the '30s, and certainly would not have been able to handle the Justicar Alexis. Furthermore, now that Accou is Alejandro's servant, the older vampire treats him well, and even seems to care for him. Accou's hatred of Alejandro drives him, though, and he is determined to be free once more.

Age: "20", 7th Generation, born 1762, embraced 1784 by Annabelle

Image: Accou is a mulatto male, with short kinky hair, and a charming smile. He is usually dressed fashionably but comfortably. He does his best to put others at ease, acting as the "good host". He is difficult to openly anger, and he never punishes anyone directly. He can hold a grudge for a long time, though, and will seek revenge in a way that cannot be traced to him.

Influence: Accou is the Prince's Lieutenant, the Prince or Alejandro's pawn, depending on your level of knowledge. He leaves most of the day to day administration of the city to his progeny. One area of personal interest is the police force, which he considers essential to the control of the city. He publicly claims it as his private reserve, but secretly is in competition with Alejandro for control of the group, allowing other vampires to slip in their spies.

Secrets: A

Habitat: Accou has a luxurious house in the garden district that he has owned through various pawns over the years. He has a hidden haven in the New Orleans Civic Center. Accou prefers to seduce people to feed on them, and does so regularly. He is fond of variety, but prefers his choice, male or female, to be beautiful.

Goals: Accou wishes to break free of Alejandro's yoke. Although he has struggled for many years to keep the princedom, he is not suited for it. He would let it go if he could survive the transition, and knew that it would not benefit his enemies. Since most of the other elder vampires are his enemies, this is not likely to happen.

Marguerite

Marguerite Defallier owned several houses of ill-repute in post-civil war New Orleans, and through them had plenty of material with which to blackmail local authorities. She was safe from mortal interference, but not safe, unfortunately, from immortal plans. Accou needed a powerful and cunning lieutenant to help him consolidate his power, but one that would not seem too threatening to the city's other elders, since he was not ready to make his move. Marguerite was ideal: ruthless and knowledgeable, but a woman.

Accou made Marguerite's transition to vampiric life as smooth as possible, and she continued to run her houses, feeding off her girls. With Accou's help, she expanded her influence into legitimate businesses, becoming quite wealthy. Once Accou was firmly established as Prince, Marguerite sponsored many artistic presentations in the city, as well as having a major hand in the first New Orleans world fair.

As she grew older, Marguerite began to realize her limits, as a Poseur in a clan of Artistes. Accou became attracted to the neonate Katherine, something Marguerite has never forgotten. Then, when Accou acted as if he were under the influence of the "true" prince, he withdrew all his support, and Marguerite had to fend for herself. Marguerite was left with the unenviable task of running the city without the full benefit of being Prince.

She could very well have made her own bid for power, but Marguerite had her own secret: she was desperately in love with Accou. Even after he abandoned her, she wished to do nothing to harm him. Slowly other vampires took the work of maintaining the city, such as Krewe of Janus enforcing the Masquerade. But Marguerite retained her power.

Even now she has more day-to-day influence over the Toreador clan than Accou does. Most of the younger kindred know she is more approachable than Accou; she is more likely to get things done. In many ways, she is more of a prince than Accou has ever been. Yet most of the city's elders don't appreciate her power, or offer her much respect, and after a century of unrequited love, Marguerite is thinking of doing something for herself.


Age: "35", 8th Generation, born 1839, embraced 1876 by Accou

Image: Marguerite is a classic whore-house matron, often overdressing for the part. If necessary, however, she can dress in a business-like fashion that would put a Ventrue to shame. She has the sort of build that was greatly admired in her time, and more recently in the '50s. She is very buxom, but by 90's sensibilities, a little overweight. Her long, wavy Auburn hair is usually pulled back, but she likes to let it down when she is being more casual. She mothers younger vampires, offering to help them in numerous small ways. She interacts poorly with older vampires, because of their lack of respect.

Influence: Marguerite has worked to control the Louisiana political machine since the 1890s. She has numerous pawns in the city and state government. She makes regular trips to Baton Rouge to maintain her power. She can grant individual vampires numerous small favors, and has built up considerable prestation debt over the decades. There aren't many who are personally loyal to her, however.

Secrets: B+

Habitat: Marguerite maintains various prostitution houses, and sleeps in them, though she has office buildings as well for more legitimate contacts. She feeds on her girls and boys, but is quite protective of them, and would do nothing to harm them

Goals: Marguerite wants Accou's love, the respect of the city's elders. She would dearly love to eliminate that operatic witch, Katherine, who is her main rival. She has performed numerous acts of petty revenge against her, such as secretly burning down the New Orleans Opera house in 1919, and preventing another one from being built.

Bran

When Abraham Garcia was a kid in New York City, he loved to tell stories. When he was thirteen he took up photography, since he had already decided to be a journalist. Bran found that he had quite a talent for photography and the camera soon became his favorite medium. He had a gift for using composition and light to evoke emotions in those who looked at his work, and could endow even the most prosaic subject with grandeur. The reporting on the violence of World War I hardened him, however, and he became at once more cynical, worldly and interested in politics.

He moved to New Orleans for a change of scenery and went to work at the Times-Picayune. There, Bran discovered that his work for the NY Times had gotten him a good reputation, and he found it easy to make friends and develop allies among the staffs of the city's various papers; he used this setup to expose corruption in government and to cover for speak-easies (he despised Prohibition).

While visiting a speakeasy that he'd helped to stay hidden, Bran ran into the Toreador Marguerite. Bran was in a fairly down mood that evening, and Marguerite (who was looking for a meal) found it easy to get the young man drunk. As she chatted with him she found out what he did for a living, and when he invited her to his place for the evening she was stunned by the quality of the photos displayed in his home. She fed on him, then spent the next few nights researching him. Marguerite needed someone who knew the growing news media well in order to control it effectively (there had been some trouble with yellow journalists prior to the

 war) and Bran was perfect; she used her Presence to dazzle and embrace him.
Since then Bran has run New Orleans' media more or less on his own, and has joined the Krewe of Janus because it dovetails with his other work, and because he is attracted to Marisol. He has kept up with his photography and has won numerous regional and national awards; however, most of the other Toreador, especially his sire, refuse to consider photography an art form. They tend to treat him like a Poseur, which frustrates him no end. In a kind of retaliation, he has covertly taken control of one of Marguerite's pawns in the State Legislature; he has no real plans for the human, but has acquired him "just in case something comes up."

Age: "30", 9th Generation, born 1894, embraced 1920 by Marguerite

Image: A slender, graceful man whose deep brown eyes and thick black hair contrast sharply with his pale skin. (Looks like Andy Garcia). Always dresses stylishly (on the alternative side) but keeps his clothes as casual as possible for whatever situation he's in. His personality is a mixture of charm and sleaze, absolute integrity mingled with a certain amount of unscrupulousness and dishonesty. If left to his own devices Bran would probably be quite decent; however, in order to maintain the Masquerade, he frequently has to compromise his own values. He usually manages to ignore the frustration he feels over this, but it leaks out in his impulsive moments, and ensures that his popularity with the other vampires is always shifting around.

Influence: Bran has extensive control of the New Orleans media, though he tends to concentrate on newspapers over TV and radio, sometimes to his detriment. He is also a member of the powerful Krewe of Janus.

Secrets: B

Habitat: Bran keeps a haven in the offices of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He feeds where he is able, getting a quick bite from just about anyone when he is busy. If he has more time, he prefers to wine, dine and seduce his prey.

Goals: Bran has no real goals outside of maintaining his position with the media and the Krewe of Janus, and protecting the Masquerade. He has become somewhat enamored with the young Ventrue Rebecca, and in the past, tried to talk the rest of the Krewe into supporting her for the Ventrue clan head.

Tristan

Tristan was embraced in 1902 by Accou, as muscle to help him run the city. He was killed in 1924 by Nathaniel Bordruff.

Katherine

Katherine was a rising star in the New Orleans art world. As an opera singer, she expected her career to improve, as she aged, and she only was just beginning. The young vampire Tristan had other ideas. He couldn't compete with the older and more powerful Marguerite, Accou's other progeny. He chose the other path available to him: embracing art. With Katherine as his get, he could distract Accou's attention.

Tristan was clumsy with the embrace, and Katherine found the experience terrifying. Nervously, Tristan presented her to Accou, unsure of how the neonate or the Prince would react. As if in a dream Katherine sang as if her life depended on it, unaware that perhaps it did. Her talent came through, and Accou was charmed by her voice.

Accou took Katherine under his wing, showing her off to the other vampires of the city. Marguerite was livid, but there was little she could do. For his part, Tristan did not enjoy his victory long. He was one of the first vampires to fall to Nathaniel Bordruff. Accou taught Katherine of the joys of unlife. Her voice would never fail, only increase in beauty. Her art would be eternal.

As Katherine grew older, she began to see kinks in her shining savior's armor. As Accou became more isolated during the '30s, she lost faith in him. His ploy of playing at being the prince's Lieutenant was the final straw for her. He was ridiculous, and she would rely on him no longer. She had met other Toreador from other city's, and felt that her grasp of art was greater than Accou's.
Katherine established herself as the premier Artiste of New Orleans, and her reputation was made outside the city as well. She has a greater knowledge of classical arts than any other kindred in the city. Her judgment in those matters is considered supreme, and in a clan of Artistes, this gives her considerable influence. Her chief rival is Marguerite, whom she considers a low-born trollop. She doesn't understand the unreasoning hatred the woman seems to hold for her.

Age: "30", 9th Generation, born 1881, embraced 1912 by Tristan

Image: Katherine is a heavy set opera singer, and is stunningly beautiful when she wishes to be. She always dresses elegantly, preferring flowing silk dresses that accentuate her ample endowments. After all these years, she has honed her voice to a razor's edge, and she can be incredibly expressive. She lives the life of a concertina. She has adopted several, singing personas over the years, so she can maintain her public.

Influence: Katherine can make or break anyone in the New Orleans art world, and has considerable influence elsewhere. Other Toreador outside of New Orleans consider her opinion worthy, and listen to what she has to say. She has little taste for politics, and has been outmaneuvered before by the more Machiavellian vampires of the city. She prefers classical music and art, and she has a passionate hatred of jazz. It is low art, and reminds of the affection she once had for Accou.

Secrets: B-

Habitat: Katherine has a haven in the offices of the New Orleans Opera Association. She feeds on promising artists, and attractive fans. Neither are particularly difficult for her to find.
Goals: Katherine has considered leaving New Orleans for grander vistas several times, especially Europe. She fears that she would be unable to compete with the ancient kindred of the continent, however, so she has yet to do anything about it. She would dearly love to pay back Marguerite for numerous, tiny humiliations, but does not have the political acumen to take away any of her power. She does not realize that her mere existence is a thorn in Marguerite's side.

Pablo

Pablo was a Hispanic sculptor embraced in 1945 by Marguerite for his talents. He disappeared in 1972 for unknown reasons.

Scheherazade (Sherrie)

Scheherazade was a child of the sixties, an activist and a talented folk musician. She was embraced in 1963 by the Toreador Pablo, both for her talents and beauty. She quickly learned that the older Toreadors did not consider folk music to be art. More importantly, the Toreador rulers of the city had a vested interest in the status quo. Always an idealist, Scheherazade threw her lot in with the Anarchs fighting against the Justicar Alexis. She survived the war by allying with the Kindred Liberation Front, and its combative Brujahs. She has been a member of this gang ever since, though she finds the old socialist rhetoric of its leader, Bastian, a bit much.

Her first Get, Annachie, was killed in the war with Alexis, and Scheherazade waited more than a decade before making another. Her new childe, David, was a child of the '80s, putting himself first. He found it prudent to return to the fold of the Toreador clan. That loss, combined with the lack of any real change wrought by the local Anarchs, made Scheherazade extremely frustrated and unhappy. A short while ago, David disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Scheherezade passed through depressed to neurotic, wracked with guilt over her failed fledgling, and worried that perhaps what killed him will come after her.

The Sabbat have noticed this change, and have begun to quietly court her, working through their spy in the KLF, Simon. It is unlikely that her idealist outlook would mesh well with that sect's practices. She is on the edge though, and her personality may shift enough that she would be willing to convert.

Age: "20", 10th Generation, born 1942, embraced 1963 by Pablo

Image: Scheherazade is a "flower child", dressing in flowing skirts and tie-dies. She enjoys singing, but rarely has the opportunity any longer. Normally, she is outgoing and quite emphatic about converting others to the "cause", speaking of it at length, even in inappropriate settings (such as in the presence of elders). Lately, she has been nervous and withdrawn, still shaken by her childe's death.

Influence: Scheherazade is a member of the KLF, the most powerful gang of Anarchs in the city. She is considered to be the most sincere Anarch in the city, and gets some respect for that. She has no real mortal influence.

Secrets: C-

Habitat: Scheherazade keeps a haven in a small home, which she maintains as a 60's style commune. She keeps a herd there, and prefers to feed on them shortly after they have imbibed "mind-expanding" substances.
Goals: Unlike many vampires, Scheherazade truly believes what she preaches. She believes the world has many problems, and is doing the best she can to improve it. She is very principled, and will not compromise her morals to gain a temporal advantage.

Annachie

Annachie was a college friend of Scheherazade, embraced in 1964 for the Anarch War against the Justicar Alexis. She was killed in 1966 by Alexis's Archons.

David

David was a political writer and consultant, out to make or break the system. He rooted out corruption in local and state government, and hoped one day to be elected himself. He was embraced by the Anarch Scheherazade, who mistook his activities for true idealism. Confronted with vampiric control of society, David did a complete about-face.

David fled into the arms of the Toreador, and did his best to get their approval. He tried to expand his writing skills to more "artistic" areas, and has worked mostly on poetry. David never made any real impressions, and he is afraid he will never be anything more than a poseur. He usually blames his lack of respect on the Anarch taint of his sire. He fears Scheherazade, and wonders if she will someday take revenge for his betrayal.

Recently, David life took a sudden turn for the worst. He ran into the Setite Clarise, who was posing as another Toreador, Louanda, to infiltrate the city. She decided to use David for "practice", hoping to impress the older Setite, Lafitte. David proved to be easy prey, and was soon mired in the depths of debaucherie. Once the other Toutoun Macoute learned of what she was doing, they were furious, telling Clarise to clean up the mess.

Saddened, "Louanda" convinced David that he would have an easier time if he struck out on his own in one of the smaller towns in Louisiana. This is what he did, not telling anyone where he was going. He has set up house in Alexandria, a small town in the middle of the State. It is only a matter of time before the Sabbat find him, and have him as a light snack.

Age: "25", 11th Generation, born 1957, embraced 1981 by Scheherazade
Image: David alternates his dress business suits and black turtle necks, depending on whether or not he is trying to be "artistic". He sucks up to anyone who seems like they might be important, and ignores or condescends to everyone else. He has also become addicted to a number of perverse vices under the tutelage of Clarise.

Influence: David has yet to develop any real influence, though he has taken control of a small law firm to manage his affairs. The fact that he waffled between the artistic and the political factions of the city hasn't helped any. Now that he is out of the city, he won't live long enough to get any real power.

Secrets: D+

Habitat: David has a haven in a law firm he controls in Alexandria. He feeds by seducing women, relying primarily on Presence. At Clarise's suggestion, he developed some elaborate "games" he sometimes plays with his vessels.

Goals: David wanted to carve out a place for himself in clan Toreador, but has been convinced if he goes to a city with no vampires in it, he can get much further, even be a "prince" of his own.

Marisol

Marisol was a consummate artiste, living in Paris in all is glory in 1920s and '30s. There was little that she did not dabble in. Painting, writing, sculpture, it was all the same to her. It was there that she attracted the attention of her sire, an old Parisian Toreador, who embraced her for her talent. Marisol's relationship with her sire was passionate and tumultuous, and she loved every moment of it. Marisol was enchanted with the splendor of the Parisian vampires, but as time went on she grew to feel their culture was stilted. There were too many ancient vampires, whose ideas had been formed in ages gone by, and she wished to have freshness in her life.

Marisol had some expatriate American friends, who recommended New Orleans as a place to go. She reveled in the absence of any prince, and threw herself into the New Orleans art world. After watching the activities of Anarchs, however, she began to fear that the Masquerade would be broken, and her beautiful world shattered. She allowed Bran and Harlequin to convince her to join the Krewe of Janus.

With a powerful position in the Krewe, Marisol's life amongst New Orleans vampires was assured. She had time to develop her skills in the many areas of art that she loved. As time went on, she began to become depressed. Though her artistic talents increased, she gradually began to lose her inspiration. She missed the camaraderie of the Parisian art world, and the passion she had shared with her sire.

In '73, she attended a recital of a brilliant young violinist, Jeremy. She was astonished that one so young could have so much talent. As she followed his career, she began to become concerned. She knew that the fate of most child prodigies was to burn out and fade, and she could not bear the thought. In 1975, she embraced him.

Marisol acted as Jeremy's mentor, guiding his musical development. She encouraged him to compose, and developed other musical skills. She introduced him to the Toreador of the city, and his skill amazed them all. Under Marisol's guidance, Jeremy matured, and his passion for music grew. Marisol felt the sparks in her reawaken as well. Tossing stilted mortal mores aside, Marisol became Jeremy's lover. After all, in age he was in his twenties. Her art was reinspired, and she didn't care what others would think. It was a time of happiness for both her and Jeremy. It was not too last, however.

Marisol began to have disturbing dreams. She bickered with Jeremy more and more. Marisol began to feel strange urges whose origin she could not identify. She feared she was going mad. She could conceal this from other kindred, but not Jeremy. To protect him, and herself, Marisol pushed Jeremy away, saying it was time for him to branch out on his own, and make his own place in the world. In truth, Marisol has fallen under the influence of Alejandro. He hopes to use Marisol as the first step in controlling the Janus Krewe, since Harlequin seems to be too difficult to control. Alejandro is unaware of Marisol's fears, and the effects it has on her relationship with Jeremy.

Age: "25", 9th Generation, born 1909, embraced 1936 by Henri, arrived 1948
Image: Marisol is a petite French woman with a quiet intensity about her. She keeps her medium length reddish-brown hair pulled back when working, and is often covered in bits of paint or clay. She can dress well when needed, and can be the life of the party if she puts her mind to it, but prefers to spend her time in the studio.

Influence: Marisol is a member of the Krewe of Janus, and as such has some respect amongst kindred. She has develop some influence in the media world, mostly in the areas of TV, to take up the slack for things that slip by Bran. She considers all this secondary to her work as an artist. She is good enough to have made a name for herself in the clan and the Toreador of Paris still remember her.

Secrets: C+

Habitat: Marisol maintains a studio apartment where she sleeps, and does most of her work. She also has a warehouse as an emergency haven, and where she stores her now sizable collection of past work.

Goals: Marisol has of late been torn with inner conflicts, and is struggling to keep from revealing it to anyone. She has mixed feelings about her torments; some part of her actually enjoys them, and wants it to continue.

Jeremy

All that Jeremy loved was the violin. His parents were proud of him, performing in orchestras at the age of 9, but they treated him more as a toy, something to show the world, rather than their son. It was just a matter of time before music no longer sustained him, and he would be added to the listed of washed-out child prodigies.

Then Marisol found him. Jeremy was too young to fully understand his embrace, but Marisol treated him as an adult. For the first time someone loved and encouraged Jeremy for what he was, and he answered with love as well. Marisol was all of Jeremy's world, and he would do anything to please her. That they should become lovers seemed natural to Jeremy, and he could not have been happier.

As he grew older though, his relationship with Marisol became strained. The other vampires of the city would not respect him, because of his apparent youth. Then Marisol became moody, and they started to fight. Unexpectedly, Marisol insisted he leave, and make his own way in the world. She would be his crutch no longer.

Jeremy underwent his first frenzy, and destroyed Marisol's studio. When he recovered from this, he was terrified at the destruction he had wrought, and afraid he would be unable to handle life on his own. He began to resent being a 30-year-old in the body of a child. To handle his affairs, he ghouled a young married couple, and poses as their child. Yet he has no real ideas on how he will live without Marisol.

Age: "12", 10th Generation, born 1962, embraced 1974 by Marisol
Image: Jeremy has the appearance of an innocent boy of 12, but is actually more than 30 years old. He has intensity and passion, but because of his child-like frame, this can come across as brattishness or temper tantrums. He has learned that the easiest way to get things done is to act cute and childlike. He forgets sometimes, and talks as if he were an adult.
Influence: Jeremy has a pair of ghouls, but no influence. Though he is talented, the other members of clan Toreador give him no respect.

Secrets: D+

Habitat: Jeremy has a small suburban home with his ghoulish "parents". He has yet to work out regular feeding patterns. Marisol brought him "treats", and he is not used to hunting on his own.

Goals: Jeremy wants to return to Marisol, but part of him realizes that it is already to late. They can never regain the innocence they once had.