Obi-Wan Kenobi
In storyline at the moment, he’s not a Vampire. Though we have hinted down the road, he will be Turned along with Qui-Gon.
So why are we showcasing him for Sylum Inspiration? Come on guys, it’s May 3rd – what’s tomorrow?
Category: Character Introduction
Sylum Inspiration: Claudio La Cruz
Knight: Co-Leader
Claudio was the youngest son of French and Spanish Aristocracy. He was raised in privilege and had the finest tutors. Though Claudio may look fancy and flighty, in truth he was very politically savvy, and had the ear of many ladies and lords in Court.
His parents gave up hope of finding him a wife, and hoped he would become someone’s ‘kept boy’.
When Lord Lucien La Croix introduced himself to Claudio at a party, their hopes were soon realized.
Claudio liked the charming Italian instantly. He was open and honest with him, told him about Vampires and that he was his Mate.
Until he saw him with the male hussy. It took Lucien months to get back the ground he lost. (Dilios Note: Ask Kirk Lazarus and Nico about that particular moment in time)
Claudio finally gave into Lucien, and he was Turned and soon after they two Mated. He still talks about how romantic it was, and how attentive Lucien was to his needs.
Sylum Inspiration: Raymond Vecchio
Tallikut: Co-Leader
Ray was born and grew up in Chicago, raised a Roman Catholic. He is the patriarch of a large family – including his mother, sister Francesca, sister Maria and her husband Tony, many nieces and nephews and a brother who lives outside of Chicago. His father, with whom Ray had a strained relationship, died in 1989 and did not care for police officers, which might explain by way of rebellion why Ray became one. The senior Vecchio did, however, bequeath his house to Ray, although this is most likely because Ray was his firstborn.
Ray has been a Chicago police officer since 1985, he started off as a beat cop then, worked up to becoming a detective. His present supervisor, Lieutenant Harding Welsh, is somewhat less enthusiastic, but nevertheless fair; he has shown great reluctance to take disciplinary action against Ray, and defended him before higher-ranking officers. Ray’s relationship with his fellow detectives, particularly Jack Huey and Louis Gardino, is at some times cordial and other times downright competitive and antagonistic.
His best friend and de facto partner was Canadian Mountie, Constable Benton Fraser, who was assigned to the Canadian Consulate in Chicago, and the two often help each other solve crimes and right wrongs in the city of Chicago. Little did Ray know it would lead to a much larger world.
Fraser is Ray’s polar opposite in many ways – whereas the Mountie is polite, well-mannered, and obeys the law to the letter, Ray is loud, brash, and will often bend or break the rules to solve a case.
When Victoria Metcalf walked into their lives, he knew she was bad news. He had never seen Benny act like an idiot. Determined to keep him away from the woman, he shot Benton, though he says he ‘accidentally’ did it.
It was when Benton was recovering he discovered the truth about who ‘Benny’ really was.
He demanded to be Turned, and once he got his head around the ‘mate’ part, he demanded to be Mated.
Sylum Inspiration: Netjerikhet
Medjai: Co-Leader
Netjerikhet was born into a merchant family. His father was a baker, and he learned the trade from him. He married their neighbor’s daughter, and after his parents died he took over as baker. Tragedy struck when his wife died in childbirth, taking his son with him.
He sold the business, not truly caring about much in his life. He became an outcast, most shaking their head at him in disgust and pity.
His life changed when he was leaning against Thebes’ outer Palace wall, and the young princess skimmed down it, landing on top of him. He yelled and picked her up, holding her still as she fought screaming and yelling that she would have him killed for touching her.
He pointed out she was running away and couldn’t quite use her princess rules if she didn’t want to be one. She kicked him, he scooped her up, walked her back into the palace, into the throne room, and dumped her ass in front of Seti.
He was surrounded in less than five seconds, spears and swords at his throat. He really didn’t care if they killed him for being disrespectful. He pointed at the pissed off princess and stated that she had landed on him while trying to run away.
He brought her home.
Seti had him locked up, then asked around, discovering the tragedy that had befallen the young man. He then called his head of guards Malik, and told him that Netjerikhet was to be trained as a Medjai and guard his daughter.
Netjerikhet asked wouldn’t be nicer to kill him. Seti liked him instantly.
For the next fifteen years he watched over the princess, Nefertiri. Everyone including Seti was surprised nothing developed between the two of them.
Netjerikhet had heard her startled gasp, and made his way onto the balcony, in time to watch as Seti confronted Anck-su-Namun. He yelled for the Medjai, but they could do nothing to stop her and Imhotep from killing the pharaoh.
When the leader of the Medjai showed up, Netjerikhet stayed with the group determined to see this through. When Imhotep was cursed and buried, his focus was purely on Ardeth. Something about the man made him curious.
When Malik informed him that in Thebes Netjerikhet was being declared a hero for dying to try and protect Nefertiri who tragically died at the hands of Imhotep’s men, he knew his life in Thebes was over.
Ardeth stated he would take them to the Medjai. Netjerikhet decided to confront the Medjai warrior, demanding to know what was going on. Part of him wished he didn’t ask.
It took him some time to get his mind not around the Vampire, but the Mates. He hadn’t committed to anyone after his wife died. And the only he had truly opened himself to was his princess. Plus there was a lot he needed to tell Ardeth.
After a while he agreed to be Turned, and he was grateful for Ardeth for taking his time for their Mating.
He had to fight his way through the Medjai to earn their respect, but over time, he earned it.
Sylum Inspiration: Gwenhwyfar
Camelot: Co-Leader
Born in Wales in the year 506AD, Gwenhwyfar is the daughter of King Leodegrance.
At the young age of 13 she ran away in defiance against her father. She was rescued by John Rhys, who saved her from her pursuers and escorted her back to her father, where he became the head of her guard.
Her betrothal to Arthur Pendragon was meant purely as a political match but upon their first meeting when Arthur came to the rescue of Wales and banished the rebel King Rience from his enemy’s lands, they fell in love. Their Courtship was conducted in much secrecy and amidst great danger as there were many on either side of the English/Welsh border who were opposed to all that such a match would entail, both politically and in terms of social change.
Her Wedding Train was raided as she crossed the border into England, five days before the wedding was due to take place in Cornwall, and her abduction forced Arthur, Lancelot and Galahad to ride forth to avenge her honor and rescue her and her entourage. The resulting massacre is now the stuff of legend.
Arthur knew he had found his Mate in Gwenhwyfar but did not tell her of his true nature until the eve of their nuptials. Her resulting outrage from his suggestion that she remain human in order to bear the children he could not give her, and thereby supply an heir to the throne for Camelot’s future, resulted in one of her maidservants misunderstanding what was said and spreading the rumor that she had, in fact, slept with Lancelot.
Gwenhwyfar has a strong belief in employing only the most scrupulously honest of servants as a result of this notorious incident.
Sylum Inspiration: Jack Reacher
Tallikut: Hunter
Jack Reacher was born on a military base in Berlin, on 29 October 1960. Jack’s mother Josephine Moutier Reacher (née Moutier) was a French national, making Jack fluent in French from an early age.
After being shunted around the world, growing up on U.S. military bases as his father Stan was deployed, he gained an education in basic survival as well as an education that allowed him to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point. Graduating from West Point, Reacher worked to achieve the ranks of 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, Captain, and Major including an intervening demotion from Major to Captain in 1990 during his tenure in the Military Police. During his 13 years of service, his achievements were recognised in the form of citations and awards including the Silver Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Soldier’s Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Bronze Star, and a second Silver Star and Purple Heart for wounds sustained in the bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut in 1983.
Among his formal qualifications Reacher is fluently bilingual in English and French, passable in Spanish, outstanding on all man-portable weaponry, and beyond outstanding at hand-to-hand combat, Reacher describing himself as a brawler, his fighting is akin to a thrown chainsaw with the motor running.
He left the service, only to be pulled back into it, after 9/11. Reacher continues to work as an Investigator, despite now starting to reach retirement age. He’s mostly a loner, no wife or family, and doesn’t have an online footprint. Even for the Military there are times he’s hard to track.
While following a suspected killer, he ended up in Chicago working with Detective Vecchio to bring in the suspect. In the process of saving Vecchio he was wounded, it would seem his age was starting to show. Vecchio approached him in the hospital about another option.
Sylum Inspiration: Jocelyn Carter
Tallikut: Hunter
Carter grew up in New York, and was always that person who was going to do something. She ended up joining the Army, where she met Paul. The two married and they had their son Taylor. She ended up back in Afghanistan for a year, then moved to Iran. She was a trained military interrogator, and had secured information that saved many lives.
Though she will tell you there are also regrets and lost lives she still deals with.
She returned to New York, and joined the NYPD. Paul returned soon after, but was dealing with PTSD but refused to get treatment. She refused to let him see their son, until he did. He disappeared.
She worked up the ranks until she became a Detective in the Major Crimes Squad.
Then she met John Reese. He had been attacked on the subway by known punk arms dealer. He had got the best of them, she had tried to get his prints but nothing seemed to stick. She searched for months, following the path of the ‘Man in the Suit’.
Her life changed when he saved her life, she began to lean towards helping him, instead of catching him. When the CIA used her to betray him, she added the moment to her long list of regrets, but this time she decided to do something about it.
She started to help him with the cases, always curious of how he was getting the information, but figured it had something to do with his partner Harold Finch.
Her life changed again when she discovered they were Vampires. After seeing John jump across a four lane highway to get to another building to save Finch, she couldn’t doubt the truth. She also learned about Mates, and Fusco owed her $50 since she called Finch and Reese were lovers.
When John sat her down to explain more about Mates, she was confused until Zoe Morgan sat down next to him. She was appreciative to Zoe for taking her time courting and answering her questions. She finally sat down with her son … who told her to go for it.
Sylum Inspiration: Leo Demidov
сила Kin Clan: Hunter
Leo Demidov is a World War II Hero and works for the Ministry of State Security (MGB). When he uncovers a strange and brutal series of child murders, MGB refuses to acknowledge the deaths as murders, however, because Soviet doctrine states that only capitalism creates serial killers. The son of Leo’s partner is murdered by the serial killer, and during Leo’s investigation, his wife, Raisa, is accused of being disloyal to the state. Leo suspects that his amoral and ambitious enemy in the MGB, Vasili Nikitin, is behind the charges. Leo refuses to support the accusation, and he is forced to take a demeaning militia position in the town of Volsk. Raisa accompanies him and must work as a janitor.
In Volsk Leo meets his new commander, General Nesterov. Meanwhile, Vasili calls Raisa and attempts to persuade her to leave Leo and join him in Moscow. When she refuses, Vasili orders a local MGB man to abuse her. Raisa later admits to Leo that she only agreed to marry him because she feared what would happen to her if she refused a high-ranking member of state security.
More child murder victims are discovered in Volsk, and after Leo tells Raisa that he suspects a serial killer, she decides to help his investigation. Together they convince Nesterov and his wife, Seleyse, that the deaths must be investigated as serial murder. Further investigation reveals that the killer has claimed at least 44 victims and that he is traveling the rail lines to find his targets.
Leo and Raisa travel in secret to Moscow to interview a woman who reported seeing the killer. The interview does not bear fruit, however, and to escape possible pursuit by the MGB, they seek out Raisa’s former colleague. During the meeting Raisa discovers that the colleague is an informer planning to turn them in to the MGB, and Leo kills him. Leo tells Raisa that she can leave him if she wishes, but she says that she wants to stay with him.
Leo and Raisa return to Volsk, but there they discover that Vasili and his men have pursued them for killing the informer. They are arrested and interrogated, then put on a train to a work camp. During the train ride, they are attacked by killers at the order of Vasili; after killing their assailants, Leo and Raisa jump off the train. They trek to Rostov, where the highest concentration of the serial killer’s victims has been found; they reason that the killer must work close to the rail yards there.
In the Rostov tractor factory, Leo identifies the killer by cross-referencing worker travel with the location and date of the murders. Leo and Raisa corner the killer, who surrenders to them. However, the killer is suddenly shot in the head by Vassili, who has followed Leo and Raisa. Vassili tries to execute them, but after a vicious struggle, they kill Vassili. Leo cleverly tells the MGB agents who arrive that the serial killer killed Vassili and that he then shot the killer. Because the serial killer was a POW in German camps, the MGB is able to explain away his actions as those of a Nazi agent.
Leo is reinstated in Moscow. Despite being offered a promising political position, he instead asks to create and lead a homicide division in Moscow. Leo and Raisa adopt 2 girls who were orphaned by Vassili.
Soon after he was settled, Leo was approached by Yevgeniy Onegin, who wanted to offer him another position. Leo questioned what Yevgeniy wanted, and when the man sat him down and explained all that he was to offer, he took the chance.
Sylum Inspiration: Heidi
Ehre/Weisheit: Hunter
Heidi doesn’t remember much of her family. She remembers her dad was tall and always made her laugh, while mom had a beautiful singing voice. After they died she was given to her grandpa Alp-Oehi.
He took her to the Von Trapps where she was raised with an education and all intents to be presented in court. Except she had no interest in court and was more interested in learning how to fight.
When she was old enough she went straight to her grandpa and asked to be Turned.
Sylum Inspiration: ThomasMagum
Oceania: Hunter
Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV was born 1944. Both his father and grandfather were naval officers.
He was born in Detroit, but raised in the region of Tidewater, Virginia. In high school, his football team won a Virginia State football championship. Some members of his family, including his mother and her second husband, still reside there.
Magnum attended the United States Naval Academy then served ten or more years as an officer in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant before resigning from the service in disillusionment in 1979.
Magnum was a Vietnam War veteran and a former POW who believed his wife Michelle died in bombing during the final pull-out from Saigon. He served in both the SEALs and Naval Intelligence during his Navy years, and as such maintained many contacts in both communities.
After he retired he moved to Hawaii where he became a Private Investigator. He ended up working for Robin Nest as security personnel, in exchange of room and board, and use of his Ferrari. His boss was Higgins, who he suspected of being Nest, but could never prove it.
When he was shot defending Higgins, he found out at least some of Higgins’ secrets and accepted being Turned.
Sylum Inspiration: Minerva
The Vampire Council: Archivist/Librarian
Minerva was born into a small family working for an influential family. She was trained by her mother, to be a head servant and nurse to a powerful family. When she was old enough, she was hired onto to take care of the young children of a Magistrate.
It was here she met her husband, who was the kid’s tutor. He wooed, then asked for her hand in marriage, and despite the fact he had no lineage, she married him.
They lived with the family, having children of their own who were given greater opportunities than they had. Their oldest son went into the Army. Their daughter married a Merchant. Their third child, a son, remained as a retainer to the family, teaching the next generation.
The Magistrate family gifted them with a small house when they retired, where they were set to live out their remaining years.
She was shopping in one of the smaller markets, when Imenand approached her, and asked if he could accompany her. She informed him that she was married, and walked away. He sought her out the next week at the same market. This time he explained to her about Vampires and Mates. She listened intently, but at the end she went home to her husband. The next week she returned with him.
In the end, her husband let her go.
Sylum Inspiration: Blair Sandburg
Tallikut: Archivist/Librarian
Blair is the only child of Naomi Sandburg, an anti establishment hippy, who dreamed many improbable dreams. His childhood was spent moving from holy site to holy site, where people worked to find whatever inner peace they could. His mother, when she wasn’t able to have him along with her on her quests, would allow Blair to live with friends and family. This exposed him to a multitude of different cultures and traditions and he feel in love with people.
At 16 Blair went to college and eventually choosing anthropology as his major, after exploring a number of minor degrees. He focused on the tribal peoples of the planet and in particular, on the tradition of the Sentinel. They were, as he came to find out, tribal protectors with
elevated senses, able to perceive things their fellows never noticed or experienced a significant time later.
A life of travel led to his willingness to travel more while he was in school. Trips to visit cultures that were at the edges of conventional civilization reinforced his search for the modern day Sentinel. He found hints that the traits he was looking for hadn’t died out in wine
tastes, perfumers and others. Until a man came into the hospital complaining of overactive senses and changed everything.
Sylum Inspiration: Johannes Gutenberg
Ehre/Weisheit Kin Clan: Archivist/Librarian
Gutenberg was born in the German city of Mainz, the youngest son of the upper-class merchant Friele Gensfleisch zur Laden, and his second wife, Else Wyrich, who was the daughter of a shopkeeper. It is assumed that he was baptized in the area close to his birthplace of St. Christoph. According to some accounts Friele was a goldsmith for the bishop at Mainz, but most likely, he was involved in the cloth trade Gutenberg’s year of birth is not precisely known but was most likely around 1398.
John Lienhard, technology historian, says “Most of Gutenberg’s early life is a mystery. His father worked with the ecclesiastic mint. Gutenberg grew up knowing the trade of goldsmithing.” This is supported by historian Heinrich Wallau, who adds, “In the 14th and 15th centuries his [descendants] claimed a hereditary position as …the master of the archiepiscopal mint. In this capacity they doubtless acquired considerable knowledge and technical skill in metal working. They supplied the mint with the metal to be coined, changed the various species of coins, and had a seat at the assizes in forgery cases.”
Wallau adds, “His surname was derived from the house inhabited by his father and his paternal ancestors ‘zu Laden, zu Gutenberg’. The house of Gänsfleisch was one of the patrician families of the town, tracing its lineage back to the thirteenth century.” Patricians (aristocrats) in Mainz were often named after houses they owned. Around 1427, the name zu Gutenberg, after the family house in Mainz, is documented to have been used for the first time.
In 1411, there was an uprising in Mainz against the patricians, and more than a hundred families were forced to leave. As a result, the Gutenbergs are thought to have moved to Eltville am Rhein (Alta Villa), where his mother had an inherited estate. According to historian Heinrich Wallau, “All that is known of his youth is that he was not in Mainz in 1430. It is presumed that he migrated for political reasons to Strasbourg, where the family probably had connections.” He is assumed to have studied at the University of Erfurt, where there is a record of the enrollment of a student called Johannes de Altavilla in 1418—Altavilla is the Latin form of Eltville am Rhein.
Nothing is now known of Gutenberg’s life for the next fifteen years, but in March 1434, a letter by him indicates that he was living in Strasbourg, where he had some relatives on his mother’s side. He also appears to have been a goldsmith member enrolled in the Strasbourg militia. In 1437, there is evidence that he was instructing a wealthy tradesman on polishing gems, but where he had acquired this knowledge is unknown. In 1436/37 his name also comes up in court in connection with a broken promise of marriage to a woman from Strasbourg, Ennelin. Whether the marriage actually took place is not recorded. Following his father’s death in 1419, he is mentioned in the inheritance proceedings.
Around 1439, Gutenberg was involved in a financial misadventure making polished metal mirrors (which were believed to capture holy light from religious relics) for sale to pilgrims to Aachen: in 1439 the city was planning to exhibit its collection of relics from Emperor Charlemagne but the event was delayed by one year due to a severe flood and the capital already spent could not be repaid. When the question of satisfying the investors came up, Gutenberg is said to have promised to share a “secret”. It has been widely speculated that this secret may have been the idea of printing with movable type. Also around 1439–1440, the Dutch Laurens Janszoon Coster came up with the idea of printing. Legend has it that the idea came to him “like a ray of light”.
Until at least 1444 he lived in Strasbourg, most likely in the St. Arbogast parish. It was in Strasbourg in 1440 that Gutenberg is said to have perfected and unveiled the secret of printing based on his research, mysteriously entitled Kunst und Aventur (art and enterprise). It is not clear what work he was engaged in, or whether some early trials with printing from movable type may have been conducted there. After this, there is a gap of four years in the record. In 1448, he was back in Mainz, where he took out a loan from his brother-in-law Arnold Gelthus, quite possibly for a printing press or related paraphernalia. By this date, Gutenberg may have been familiar with intaglio printing; it is claimed that he had worked on copper engravings with an artist known as the Master of Playing Cards.
By 1450, the press was in operation, and a German poem had been printed, possibly the first item to be printed there. Gutenberg was able to convince the wealthy moneylender Johann Fust for a loan of 800 guilders. Peter Schöffer, who became Fust’s son-in-law, also joined the enterprise. Schöffer had worked as a scribe in Paris and is believed to have designed some of the first typefaces.
Gutenberg’s workshop was set up at Hof Humbrecht, a property belonging to a distant relative. It is not clear when Gutenberg conceived the Bible project, but for this he borrowed another 800 guilders from Fust, and work commenced in 1452. At the same time, the press was also printing other, more lucrative texts (possibly Latin grammars). There is also some speculation that there may have been two presses, one for the pedestrian texts, and one for the Bible. One of the profit-making enterprises of the new press was the printing of thousands of indulgences for the church, documented from 1454–55.
In 1455 Gutenberg completed his 42-line Bible, known as the Gutenberg Bible. About 180 copies were printed, most on paper and some on vellum.
Some time in 1456, there was a dispute between Gutenberg and Fust, and Fust demanded his money back, accusing Gutenberg of misusing the funds. Meanwhile the expenses of the Bible project had proliferated, and Gutenberg’s debt now exceeded 20,000 guilders. Fust sued at the archbishop’s court. A November 1455 legal document records that there was a partnership for a “project of the books,” the funds for which Gutenberg had used for other purposes, according to Fust. The court decided in favor of Fust, giving him control over the Bible printing workshop and half of all printed Bibles.
For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library
It was after this that he ended up meeting Imenand, who was interested in his printed Bible as he wanted to print of it for a friend. When he heard the tale of financial difficulties, he was willing to offer more than financial help.
Sylum Inspiration: Briar Rose
Passion Kin Clan: Archivist/Librarian
Briar Rose was the only daughter of one of the merchants in the village near Lady Claire’s Castle and Vineyard. She was the miracle baby, and her parents always knew she was a blessing.
She was headstrong and wanted more than to get married and have children. She ended up working in the Castle, making friends with Snow White. The two became fast friends, taking care of the Castle and Lady Claire.
When the Lady approached them about a new life, they took it.
Sylum Inspiration: Javert
Javert was born in prison, and learned to defend himself quickly. One of the Prison Guards took him under his wing, taught him how to read through the Bible. He got him released and under his authority. He made sure Javert was raised with morality and honor. Leading him into become a Police Inspector.
His life will change drastically when he stumbles over Jean Valjean again after twenty years. In the end it leads him to questioning everything he knew and thought about morality and justice.
In the end it was taken from his hands.
(Dilios Note: Javert comments if anyone wants the story they can read the damn book Westley worked so hard to get published)