Nothing is True. Everything is Connected.
Category: <span>Character Introduction</span>

Sylum Inspiration: Lucy Pace

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Lucy grew up in a small western town. Her father was a local rancher, who had good standing in the territory. Her mother made sure she had an education, which was provided by the Nuns that worked at the Mission just outside the town.

She was always happy to talk with the Priest who ran the Mission. He always seemed quiet and soft spoken. Took the time of the day to talk to her about many things: religion, philosophy, theology, and even world politics. He told her many times that she could be more than just a wife.

She was never sure about that, as all she saw in front of her was to get married and have children. He advised her to marry for love not duty and with that in mind she set out to court Roy Hicks, the local sheriff.

It was then all hell broke loose. Roy grabbed her from her home when Rogues entered the town and started killing anything that moved. He got her up to the Mission for protection.

They both stared in fascination as Priest set into battle taking out Rogues where they stood. Until the one with a black hat walked in.

They don’t talk about what happened afterwards

Sylum Inspiration: William ‘Billy the Kid’ Bonney

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Knight: Hunter

 

William Bonney was born to Irish immigrants, it is uncertain who his biological father was. Some researchers have theorized that his name was Patrick McCarty, Michael McCarty, William McCarty, or Edward McCarty. His mother’s name was Catherine McCarty, although there have been continuing debates about whether McCarty was her maiden or married name. She is believed to have emigrated to New York during the time of the Great Famine.

In 1868, Catherine McCarty had moved with her two young sons, William and Joseph, to Indianapolis, Indiana. There she met William Antrim, who was 12 years her junior. In 1873, after several years of moving around the country, the two were married at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and settled further south in Silver City. Antrim found work as a bartender and carpenter, but then became involved in prospecting and gambling as a way to make a living, and during that period spent very little time at home with his wife and stepsons.

McCarty’s mother reportedly washed clothes, baked pies, and took in boarders in order to provide for herself and her sons. Boarders and neighbors remembered her as a jolly Irish lady, full of life and mischief, but she was already in the final stages of tuberculosis when the family reached Silver City. On September 16, 1874, Catherine McCarty died.

At the age of 14, McCarty was taken in by a neighboring family who operated a hotel. He worked there to pay for his keep. The manager was impressed by the youth, contending that he was the only young man who ever worked for him who did not steal anything.

In 1877, McCarty (now widely known as William Bonney) moved to Lincoln County, New Mexico. Bonney, along with Brewer, Bowdre, Scurlock, the Coes and Saunders, was hired as a cattle guard by John Tunstall, an English cattle rancher, banker and merchant, and his partner, Alexander McSween, a prominent lawyer.

It’s here the story gets legendary.

Billy along with Scurlock, Chavez and the rest of Tunstell’s crew set out to bring justice to the man who murdered their employer, and became known as the ‘Regulators’.

For More Information contact the Vampire Council Library

Billy the Kid became more legend than man over the next few years, leading to confrontation with Garrett in Mexico. When Pat dragged him away from the area and told him about Vampires, and that he should ask Doc about it, Billy attacked him, for insulting his friend.

He didn’t call many friend, but Doc was one of them.

Garrett took him to see Scurlock, who was tending to Chavez, who had been Turned after the shootout with Garrett. Doc went after Pat’s throat, only to be pulled back by his Mate. Billy sat down with him and asked a lot of questions.

In the end he walked back into the desert and demanded Pat do what needed to be done.

Sylum Inspiration: Lucius Malfoy

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Mod: Legal Advisor/Spy Liaison

 

Lucius Turned his Mate instantly.

The two easily settled with Mod, though the uncouthness sometimes drove them both to long vacations in civilized society.

Lucius has been a good lawyer to Builwyf. His sneakiness has saved their Clan’s lands a variety of times, and his outright manipulation of Nazis during World War II had saved many lives.

When he had learned of Tavington, he was curious about a family line, but when his feud with Timothy Quinn popped up, Lucius always made sure that Timothy understood he was the handsome one with long hair, not that other one.

When his wife took the idea to go to school to get her own degree, he supported it 100%, and when the schools refused to take a woman, he made them cry and question their life choices.

Lucius has worked hand in hand with many of Kin Clans’ lawyers to make sure to protect Clan assets and members.

 

Sylum Inspiration: Gran

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Mod: Advisor

Gran will tell you she is as old as dirt. She probably is. She has a way about her that makes anyone see the world differently.

She had an arranged marriage, and though she didn’t love him they got a long. So despite the fact she didn’t like Hägar that much, she saw he loved her daughter and she loved him in return.

And she would never admit she admired his protective streak.

She outlived her husband, and all but one of her kids, and that was before she was Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

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Mod: Lead Hunter

The island of Berk is a remote Viking village, from which dragons periodically steal livestock. Hiccup, the awkward son of village chieftain, Stoick the Vast, is too small to fight the dragons and instead fashions mechanical devices under his apprenticeship with Gobber the blacksmith. During one attack, Hiccup believes he has shot down a Night Fury, an extremely rare and dangerous dragon. Hiccup later finds it trapped in his bolas but finds that he can’t bring himself to kill the dragon and instead sets it free. Stoick assembles a fleet to find the dragons’ nest, leaving Hiccup in a dragon-fighting class taught by Gobber. Hiccup realizes that the Night Fury cannot fly properly because of its crippled caudal fin. Hiccup gradually domesticates the dragon and gives it the name “Toothless”, for its retractable teeth. Hiccup makes a harness and prosthetic fin that allows him to guide the dragon in free flight. By studying Toothless’ behavior, Hiccup becomes proficient in subduing the captive dragons kept for training. Stoick’s fleet arrives home unsuccessful, but he is cheered by Hiccup’s success.

Astrid, a tough Viking girl who Hiccup has a crush on, discovers Hiccup is training Toothless but before she can tell the village, Hiccup takes her for a ride to demonstrate his relationship with the dragon. Toothless unexpectedly takes the pair to the dragons’ nest where they discover a gigantic dragon named the Red Death that eats the smaller dragons unless they bring it stolen livestock.

Back at the village, Hiccup trains a captive dragon instead of subduing it in front of his father but Stoick mistakenly angers the dragon. Toothless attempts to protect Hiccup in the ensuing panic but is instead captured by the Vikings. Hiccup accidentally reveals to Stoick that Toothless is capable of locating the dragons’ nest. Stoick disowns his son and sets off for the nest with Toothless as a guide. The Vikings expel most of the dragons but are overwhelmed by the Red Death until Hiccup, Astrid and their fellow pupils fly in riding the training dragons from the academy and provide cover fire. Hiccup almost drowns trying to break Toothless free from a sinking ship but Stoick saves them both and then reconciles with his son. Toothless and Hiccup destroy the Red Death but Hiccup’s left foot is torn off in the fight. Hiccup regains consciousness on Berk where his foot has been replaced by a prosthesis.

Five years after the Viking village of Berk made peace with the dragons, they now live among the villagers as helpful companions. Hiccup goes on adventures with his dragon, Toothless, as they discover and map unexplored lands. Now 20 years old, he is being pressed by his father, Stoick the Vast, to succeed him as chieftain, although Hiccup remains unsure if he is ready for this responsibility.

While investigating a burnt forest, Hiccup and Astrid discover the remains of a fort encased in ice and encounter a group of dragon trappers led by Eret, who blames them for his fort’s destruction and attempts to capture their dragons for an insane conqueror named Drago Bludvist. The two dragon riders escape and return to Berk to warn Stoick about the dragon army that Drago is amassing. Stoick orders the villagers to fortify the island and prepare for battle. Hiccup, however, refuses to believe that war is inevitable. After Stoick interrupts Hiccup’s plan to get Eret to take him to Drago, Stoick explains that he once met Drago at a gathering of chiefs, where Drago, mocked after offering the chiefs his service in return for their servitude, murdered them all, with Stoick as the only survivor. Undeterred, Hiccup flies off with Toothless in search of Drago to try to reason with him.

They are captured by a dragon rider named Valka, who is revealed to be Hiccup’s long-lost mother. She explains that she, like her son, was unable to kill dragons. After being carried off during a dragon raid, she spent twenty years rescuing dragons from Drago’s traps and bringing them to an island nest created out of ice by a gigantic Alpha dragon called a “Bewilderbeast”, which controls smaller dragons. Stoick tracks Hiccup to the nest, where he discovers that his wife is still alive. Simultaneously, Astrid and the other riders kidnap Eret to find Drago, but Drago captures them and learns of Berk’s dragons.

Drago and his army lay siege to the nest, where he reveals that he has his own Bewilderbeast to challenge the Alpha. A battle ensues between the two colossal dragons, which ends with Drago’s Bewilderbeast killing the nest’s Bewilderbeast and becoming the new Alpha. Drago’s Bewilderbeast then seizes control of all the adult dragons, who hypnotically obey. Hiccup tries to persuade Drago to end the violence, but Drago orders him killed. Toothless, under the Bewilderbeast’s influence, approaches Hiccup and launches a blast, but Stoick pushes Hiccup out of the way and is hit instead, killing him. The Bewilderbeast momentarily relinquishes control of Toothless, but Hiccup drives him away in a fit of despair. Drago maroons Hiccup and the others on the island and rides Toothless, again under the control of the Bewilderbeast, to lead his army to conquer Berk. Stoick is given a Viking funeral and Hiccup, now having lost both his father and dragon, is unsure what to do. Valka encourages him by telling him that he alone can unite humans and dragons, and inspired by her words and his father’s, Hiccup decides to return to Berk to stop Drago.

The dragon riders fly baby dragons back to Berk, as they are immune to the Bewilderbeast’s control. They find that Drago has already attacked the village and taken control of its dragons. Hiccup confronts Drago and a brainwashed Toothless while the other riders work to distract the Bewilderbeast. Hiccup succeeds in freeing Toothless from the Bewilderbeast’s control, much to Drago’s surprise. Hiccup and Toothless briefly separate Drago from the Bewilderbeast and confront Drago on the ground, but the Bewilderbeast attacks them, encasing them in ice. However,
Toothless blasts away the ice, revealing that both he and Hiccup are unharmed. He then challenges the Bewilderbeast, firing at it repeatedly, which breaks its control over the other dragons, who now side with Toothless as the new Alpha dragon. All the dragons repeatedly fire at the Bewilderbeast until Toothless fires a final massive blast, breaking its left tusk. Defeated, the Bewilderbeast retreats under the sea with Drago on its back. The Vikings and dragons celebrate their victory and Hiccup is made chieftain of Berk.

(Dilios Note: He sat down one day to tell me the story – it’s not well known – if it is it’s a children’s story)

The fight with Drago did not end. A few years later Drago returned, attacking the village. Astrid, who Hiccup had married, was giving birth to their first born. Toothless had stayed, protecting mother and child.

Tragically they had lost Astrid.

Hiccup, in his rage, destroyed Drago and his army, giving the island its freedom. Through the battle they had lost most of the dragons they had protected. The only survivors had been Hookfang, Stormfly and Toothless.

Stormfly was found later curled up next to Astrid’s grave, giving up her own life to follow her human to Valhalla.

Hiccup raised his son Stoick Hiccup the IV to be a proud dragon warrior.

The death of Drago had brought Berk to Builwyf’s attention. He sought out the Great Chief, surprised to see such a young man, with a baby strapped to his chest. The two had a long sit down conversation and when the time came he offered to Turn him.

Sylum Inspiration: Thomas Devoe

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Oceania: Member

 

Thomas Devoe grew up in a typical suburban home. He would tell you it isn’t anything special. When he was eighteen he joined the Army and never looked back.

He moved up the ranks quickly, especially with his skill sets heavily in Military Intelligence. When a Nuclear Weapon went off in Russia, he ended up working with Julia Kelly to help retrieve the missing warheads.

Kelly and Devoe try to track the terrorists through an Austrian trucking company which is a front for the Russian Mafia. When the Mafia realizes they are U.S. government agents, they send thugs to kill them. Vertikoff, thinking he can pay them off, is killed. Devoe kills most of the would-be assassins, and he and Kelly escape. Information from the trucking company shows that the nukes are bound for Iran. Spy satellites place the truck in a traffic jam in Dagestan, and Devoe uses a ruse to identify it. The satellite, tracking in real time, is able to verify its license plate.

Stopped at a checkpoint, Kodoroff and his men kill the guards. Devoe then leads a special forces unit to stop them. Denied entry into Russian airspace, one of the helicopters is shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile battery, but the remaining helicopters are able to locate the truck carrying the warheads. A gunfight ensues in which Kodoroff is killed and the warheads are seized. Interrogation of the surviving member of the group reveals that one warhead was taken by another man.

Further work on the information from the trucking company leads IFOR to a Sarajevo address. Inside is a video cassette of a Yugoslav named Dušan Gavrić. Gavrić disclaims any allegiance in the Yugoslav Wars (“I am a Serb, a Croat, and a Muslim”), but blames other countries for supplying weapons to all sides in the war. Dr. Kelly realizes he intends to bomb a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York City and the city goes into lockdown. Gavrić arrives in Manhattan with the Bosnian diplomatic delegation. A flashback shows that Gavrić wants to avenge the death of his wife and daughter, who were killed in Sarajevo’s Sniper Alley. He and his brother are finally found by the New York Police Department. When his brother is killed by Devoe, a wounded Gavrić is followed into a parochial school and then a small church. Devoe confronts Gavrić, who commits suicide, knowing that the bomb is set to go off in a matter of minutes and cannot be deactivated. With only seconds to spare, Dr. Kelly is able to remove a part of the explosive lens shell of the bomb, preventing the primary explosion from establishing critical mass within the plutonium core. The primary wrecks the church, but the warhead itself does not detonate. Devoe and Kelly both survive with minor injuries.

The two continued to see each other after the incident. And when Thomas got an assignment that would take him undercover for over a year, he knew he had to call it off. It wasn’t fair to her.

Thomas moved from assignments, some of them starting to blend into each other. He met Michael Westen when trying to make a deal with an oil Sheik. The man didn’t trust anyone near his woman, so he had convinced him that he was gay. And he needed a boyfriend. Michael Westen was sent to help him out.

They laughed about the awkward two weeks, but the two got to know each other just not physically and became fast friends, close even. After the Op, he tried to keep in touch with the spy, but lost track of him.

It wasn’t until he was in Australia and ended up with an armful of Julia Kelly that he discovered he had been declared dead from OP. It didn’t help the situation he was in. He was able to get her to know he was in one, and he was proud how hard she worked to play along, but he knew he would have to work to fix the damage.

Everything went south and he found himself laying on the street bleeding out. Julia gave him a second chance.

Sylum Inspiration: Jake Lonergan

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Oceania: Hunter

 

Jake Lonergan was raised in the frontier lands of Missouri and Kansas. As a boy he saw the stress and violence between the slave and free states. When the war broke out, he found himself defending his home from Quatrill, rather than fighting for the Union.

After the war he fled the area and headed West. His gun skills improved but not his temper. He found himself involved in petty gangs, rustling cattle, robbing stage coaches. When he ran into the James Gang, he had to stop himself from shooting either of the brothers for what they did to his family farm.

He walked away from the gang he was working with and found himself in Redemption. He should’ve stayed with the gang. He ended up hired as Herod’s guard. At first it wasn’t anything special, but he began to realize there was more going on than he thought. Herod’s cruelty saw no ends, and the first time Herod attacked and Fed on him, he knew he had to get out.

When Cort was dragged back into town, the low he thought Herod couldn’t stoop any further, he was horrified at what the Vampire did to Cort. Not able to take anymore, he snuck out of town during the competition.

Ended up in Absolution.

Facing a snotty kid and his old gang.

It was afterwards, he confronted Dolarhyde about what he suspected. Woodrow smirked at him, stating at least he didn’t have to explain it. Jake laughed his ass off when he discovered he was his Mate. Six months later he was Turned. Six months after that they were Mated.

Sylum Inspiration: Julia Kelly

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Oceania: Member

 

Julia Kelly was raised in New York, and her parents made sure she had a good education and sent her to an esteemed Catholic School. She graduated, went to Harvard and got her degree in Nuclear Physics.  She works with the UN, dealing with countries who are seeking Nuclear Power or have it.

When a Russian General steals decommissioned Warheads and sets off an explosions in Chelyabinsk, Russia, she’s called in to help Thomas Devoe, Military Intelligence, to find the missing warheads.

Kelly and Devoe try to track the terrorists through an Austrian trucking company, which is a front for the Russian Mafia. When the Mafia realizes they are U.S. government agents, they send thugs to kill them. Vertikoff, thinking he can pay them off, is killed. Devoe kills most of the would-be assassins, and he and Kelly escape. Information from the trucking company shows that the nukes are bound for Iran. Spy satellites place the truck in a traffic jam in Dagestan, and Devoe uses a ruse to identify it. The satellite, tracking in real time, is able to verify its license plate.

Stopped at a checkpoint, Kodoroff and his men kill the guards. Devoe then leads a special forces unit to stop them. Denied entry into Russian airspace, one of the helicopters is shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile battery, but the remaining helicopters are able to locate the truck carrying the warheads. A gunfight ensues in which Kodoroff is killed and the warheads are seized. Interrogation of the surviving member of the group reveals that one warhead was taken by another man.

Further work on the information from the trucking company leads IFOR to a Sarajevo address. Inside is a video cassette of a Yugoslav named Dušan Gavrić. Gavrić disclaims any allegiance in the Yugoslav Wars, but blames other countries for supplying weapons to all sides in the war. Dr. Kelly realizes he intends to bomb a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York City and the city goes into lockdown. Gavrić arrives in Manhattan with the Bosnian diplomatic delegation. A flashback shows that Gavrić wants to avenge the death of his wife and daughter, who were killed in Sarajevo’s Sniper Alley. He and his brother are finally found by the New York Police Department. When his brother is killed by Devoe, a wounded Gavrić is followed into a parochial school and then a small church. Devoe confronts Gavrić, who commits suicide, knowing that the bomb is set to go off in a matter of minutes and cannot be deactivated. With only seconds to spare, Dr. Kelly is able to remove a part of the explosive lens shell of the bomb, preventing the primary explosion from establishing critical mass within the plutonium core. The primary wrecks the church, but the warhead itself does not detonate. Devoe and Kelly both survive with minor injuries.

After the mission the two stay close. They dated for a while, but when Thomas was pulled to go in a deep undercover mission, they separated.

Julia continued to work for the UN and gave lectures about security and disarmament all over the world. When she traveled to Australia she had not expected for her life to change.

During the conference she met Edward Courtney. She thought he was handsome and kind. It wasn’t long before she entered a relationship with him. After staying the night, she discovered that he was a Priest. Horrified that the Nuns from her school were right that she was going to hell, she fled only to come back demanding to know what he meant by ‘I was a Vampire before a Priest and knew I would a have a Mate’ then fled again. She ended up at Confession, but found herself returning back to Cort.

She demanded answers to a lot of questions.

Six months later she was Turned and they Bonded.

Sylum Inspiration: Franklin Frost

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Oceania: Spy Liaison

 

Franklin Frost would always say his only advantage was not being born a slave. He fought like hell to get his education, and then pushed even further to get noticed for his skill set.

He ended up working for the CIA.

While on one of his missions he ended up working with Frank Moses. The two bitched instantly. Moses had decided that Frost would make a good candidate working for the Vampire Council.

***

Franklin Frost is a mix of a few characters that Denzel has played.

Sylum Inspiration: Harry Lockhart

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Integridad: Member

 

Most of Harry’s life has sucked. He was always told he kinda looked like Stark, but more messy and pathetic.

When trying to escape a burglary gone wrong he ended up in a casting session, winning over the producers who wanted to screen test him for a role.

At a Hollywood party he met Perry.

The rest of the story is a sad Hollywood plot that even he couldn’t get his head around. By the end of it, he discovered the role went to Kirk Lazarus. The bastard.

Perry showed up, kidnapped him, and took him to Spain to explain about past lives and Vampires. Harry wished he had told him before he lost his fingers! He agreed to be Turned and the two Mated soon after.

Sylum Inspiration: Urraca of Leon

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Integridad: Council Member

 

Urraca was the eldest surviving child of Alfonso VI of León with his second wife Constance of Burgundy, and as eldest legitimate child of her father was heiress presumptive from her birth until 1107, when Alfonso recognized his illegitimate son Sancho as his heir. Urraca became heiress presumptive again after Sancho’s death the following year, when he was killed after the Battle of Uclés.

Urraca’s place in the line of succession made her the focus of dynastic politics, and she became a child bride at age eight to Raymond of Burgundy, a mercenary adventurer. Author Bernard F. Reilly suggests that, rather than a betrothal, the eight-year-old Urraca was fully wedded to Raymond of Burgundy, as he almost immediately appears in protocol documents as Alfonso VI’s son-in-law, a distinction that would not have been made without the marriage. Reilly doubts that the marriage was consummated until Urraca was 13, as she was placed under the protective guardianship of a trusted magnate. Her pregnancy and stillbirth at age 14 suggest that the marriage was indeed consummated when she was 13 or 14 years old.

Urraca’s marriage to Raymond was part of Alfonso VI’s diplomatic strategy to attract cross-Pyrenees alliances, and in 1105 she gave birth to a son, who would become Alfonso VII. However, after Raymond died in 1107, Urraca’s father contracted with Alfonso I of Aragon, known as the Battler, for a dynastic marriage with Urraca, opening the opportunity for uniting León-Castile with Aragon.

The marriage of Urraca and Alfonso I almost immediately sparked rebellions in Galicia and scheming by her illegitimate half-sister Theresa and brother-in-law Henry, the Countess and Count of Portugal.

As their relationship soured, Urraca accused Alfonso of physical abuse, and by May 1110 Urraca separated from Alfonso. In addition to her objections to Alfonso’s handling of rebels, the couple had a falling-out over his execution of one of the rebels who had surrendered to the queen, to whom the queen was inclined to be merciful. Additionally, as Urraca was married to someone many in the kingdom objected to, the queen’s son and heir became a rallying point for opponents to the marriage.

Estrangement between husband and wife escalated from discrete and simmering hostilities into open armed warfare between the Leonese-Castilians and the Aragonese. An alliance between Alfonso of Aragon and Henry of Portugal culminated in the 1111 Battle of Candespina in which Urraca’s lover and chief supporter Gómez González was killed. He was soon replaced in both roles by another count, Pedro González de Lara, who took up the fight and would father two of Urraca’s children. By the fall of 1112 a truce was brokered between Urraca and Alfonso with their marriage annulled. Though Urraca recovered Asturias, Leon, and Galicia, Alfonso occupied a significant portion of Castile (where Urraca enjoyed large support), while her half-sister Theresa and her husband Count Henry of Portugal occupied Zamora and Extremadura. Recovering these regions and expanding into Muslim lands would occupy much of Urraca’s foreign policy.

According to author Bernard F. Reilly, the measure of success for Urraca’s rule was her ability to restore and protect the integrity of her inheritance – that is, the kingdom of her father – and transmit that inheritance in full to her own heir. Policies and events pursued by Alfonso VI – namely legitimizing her brother and thereby providing an opportunity for her illegitimate half-sister to claim a portion of the patrimony, as well as the forced marriage with Alfonso I of Aragon – contributed in large part to the challenges Urraca faced upon her succession. Additionally, the circumstance of Urraca’s gender added a distinctive role-reversal dimension to diplomacy and politics, which Urraca used to her advantage.

For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library

It was during this time she met Rodrigo, they became lovers and when he told her about who he really was and the truth about Vampires, she agreed to be Turned and they were soon Mated. Though it had meant giving up her reign.

Sylum Inspiration: Javier Esposito

Integridad/Tallikut: Hunter

 

Javier doesn’t talk about his past.

He will only tell you, he made bad decisions and was given an opportunity to redeem himself, by working for Kiernan’s Order

***

Esposito share’s loyalty between two Clans, and at the moment is working with Mal in New York City.

 

Sylum Inspiration: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (El Cid)

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Integridad: Second-in-Command

 

As we have moved to May’s Calendar highlight Integridad Kin Clan – we will be introducing a few of the new characters that were added to the Clan.

El Cid – also known as Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar was born circa 1043 AD in Vivar, also known as Castillona de Bivar, a small town about six miles north of Burgos, the capital of Castile. His father, Diego Laínez, was a courtier, bureaucrat, and cavalryman who had fought in several battles. Despite the fact that El Cid’s mother’s family was aristocratic, in later years the peasants would consider him one of their own. However, his relatives were not major court officials; documents show that El Cid’s paternal grandfather, Lain, confirmed only five documents of Ferdinand I’s, his maternal grandfather, Rodrigo Alvarez, certified only two of Sancho II’s, and El Cid’s own father confirmed only one.

As a young man in 1057, Rodrigo fought against the Moorish stronghold of Zaragoza, making its emir al-Muqtadir a vassal of Sancho. In the spring of 1063, Rodrigo fought in the Battle of Graus, where Ferdinand’s half-brother, Ramiro I of Aragon, was laying siege to the Moorish town of Cinca which was in Zaragozan lands. Al-Muqtadir, accompanied by Castilian troops including El Cid, fought against the Aragonese. The party would emerge victorious; Ramiro I was killed and the Aragonese fled the field. One legend has said that during the conflict, El Cid killed an Aragonese knight in single combat, thereby receiving the honorific title Campeador.

When Ferdinand died, Sancho continued to enlarge his territory, conquering both Christian and the Moorish cities of Zamora and Badajoz. When Sancho learned that Alfonso was planning on overthrowing him in order to gain his territory, Sancho sent Cid to bring Alfonso back so that Sancho could speak to him.

Sancho was assassinated in 1072, as the result of a pact between his brother Alfonso and his sister Urraca. Since Sancho died unmarried and childless, all of his power passed to his brother Alfonso.

Almost immediately, Alfonso returned from exile in Toledo and took his seat as king of Castile and León. He was deeply suspected in Castile, probably correctly, of having been involved in Sancho’s murder. According to the epic of El Cid, the Castilian nobility led by El Cid and a dozen “oath-helpers” forced Alfonso to swear publicly in front of Santa Gadea (Saint Agatha) Church in Burgos on holy relics multiple times that he did not participate in the plot to kill his brother. This is widely reported as truth, but contemporary documents on the lives of both Rodrigo Diaz and Alfonso VI of Castile and León do not mention any such event. Rodrigo’s position as armiger regis was taken away and given to Rodrigo’s enemy, Count García Ordóñez.

In 1079 Rodrigo was sent by Alfonso VI to Seville to the court of al-Mutamid to collect the parias owed by that taifa to León–Castile. While he was there Granada, assisted by other Castilean knights, attacked Seville, and Rodrigo and his forces repulsed the Christian and Grenadine attackers at the Battle of Cabra, in the (probably mistaken) belief that he was defending the king’s tributary. The Count García Ordóñez and the other Castilian leaders were taken captive and held for three days before being released.

While in Exile, and his ability to combine the Muslim and Christians together in one army, he caught the attention of Azeem. The Vampire traveled to see him and talk to him about a new opportunity.

El Cid took it without hesitation.

For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library

Sylum Inspiration: Lady Blossom

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Shogun: Spy Liaison

 

Lady Blossom was trained from an early age to work as a courtesan. Her skill set got her into the high ranking levels of Kublai Khan’s ‘pleasure house’. She became one of his favorite courtesans.

It was there she learned information, made connections, and worked through the system to make sure she was protected along with a few girls she took under he wing. When she discovered a spy within the house she used her position to approach Kublai personally. He rewarded her loyalty with her freedom, she chose to stay with the house to protect her ‘girls’.

It was through this she met Sifu, Hundred Eyes. She knew something was different about him from the beginning, and just because he was blind didn’t mean she couldn’t seduce him. He chuckled as she took her own pleasure from him, then demanded answers.

Never a man to truly lie, he told her the truth. He was a Vampire, who was there to watch Khan. He had the added benefit of watching over the young Polo.

She continued her alliance with Sifu, and when the time came requested to be Turned. Pointing out he needed her. She had an inside to Khan, he countered with the fact so did he as did Marco. She also had an in with the Queen, and knew which girls could be useful to get information from other sources, he countered with the fact no one notices the blind man sitting near by.

She finally pulled a knife and demanded. Sifu laughed as he fought with her. At the end he had her pinned to the floor. ‘Now that is why I’ll Turn you’

Sylum Inspiration: Niccolò Polo

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Shogun: Member

 

While in Constantinople Niccolò and Mafeo Polo the were invited to Masyaf to hear the stories of Altaïr and Darim.

When Masyaf was attacked by Mongols and Altaïr ended up Turning Niccolò and then helped the explorers escape by using the Apple to fend off the attackers. He gave Niccolò some of his books and sent them to Lealta.  Niccolò never told his brother about his Turning, instead continued on with life as if nothing had happened at Masyaf.

For a historical narrative of Niccolò – See Vampire Council Library

Marco was left behind with Kublai Khan as the brothers continued on their journeys. Maffeo was thrilled that they had left Marco behind, but Niccolò was contemplative and frustrated. After two years they returned to Kublai Khan, where Niccolò only wanted to grab his son and leave. When it was discovered that Maffeo was trying to smuggle out silk worms, Khan ordered the death of all of the Polos – Niccolò offered his own life, anything to save his son.

Kublai shocked by the outburst of the older man, sent Maffeo away, keeping Marco close by and demanded to know why he had even left Marco behind in the first place. Niccolò bowed low to the floor, forehead touching the ground, his soft words admitting because he had freaked out over what Kublai was to him.

When Niccolò looked up his eyes shown his true nature, along with his fangs. He explained that he was one of the undead, Turned by Khan’s enemies the Assassins. And his nature screamed at him to take what was his … the great Kublai Kahn. He panicked and knew that the Great Kahn would not hurt Marco and fled.

Hundred Eyes backed his story about Vampires, having snuck into the thrown room. Stating he himself was one. Kublai demand more information, gesturing for Niccolò to rise. Between the two, they explained the way of the Vampires. Hundred Eyes told him he worked for Shogun Clan, keeping an eye on the Khan’s. Kublai was impressed at a blind man being a spy, as it worked so well.

Kublai Khan was to be Niccolò’s Mate. But all knew what was not an option. Kublai set Maffeo out of China, and in time Niccolò learned of his brother’s Turning. The two do not talk to this day.

Niccolò began to train with Marco, the two growing close. He was happy when Marco and Hundred Eyes Bonded. Though he wasn’t sure which one he should give his condolences to.

He sat back and watched his Mate grow old and die. The two had talked for hours on a daily bases, Kublai always asking questions about his travels and being a Vampire. When the Great Kublai Khan died, Hundred Eyes grabbed the father and son and fled to Japan. Though it took them another decade before they would arrive.

***

Dilios Note:  Ernesto has no idea about his Ancestor or that his family line is descendant down from the famed Polos