Nothing is True. Everything is Connected.
Tag: <span>Inspiration Block</span>

Tag: Inspiration Block

Character Introduction / Sylum Clan1

Sylum Inspiration: Mac Taylor

Sylum: Hunter

 

Mac Taylor was born and raised in Chicago.  His parents David & Kristen both worked, and provided him with a good childhood.

He was mostly raised by his Uncle Dan Taylor, a Vietnam Veteran.  He learned a lot about life, and ended up following his footsteps and joined the US Marine Corps.  After boot camp he learned that his uncle had passed, leaving him everything.   Not needing the money at the time, he set up charities in his uncles name, and set some aside.

Once he left the Marine Corps he joined the NYPD – working his way up to Lieutenant in the Crime Scene Unit. He met Claire and the two married and settled into life in New York.

Mac lost his wife Claire in the 9/11 attacks. He threw himself into his work, avoiding feeling anything. The only one who stayed close to him was his friend and colleague Stella Bonasara.

His Uncle had told him about Vampires, having fought with a unique group during the war.   So when he arrived at Daniel Messer’s home to the scene of Sonny Sassone Turning the young man, he reacted instantly.

Lucky for him Erik Brooks (Blade) was pursing Sonny and finished Daniel’s Turning.

Less than 24 hours later, Mac was Turned and Mated to Danny.

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Character Introduction / Sylum Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: John Winchester

Sylum: Hunter

 

Born in 1954 in Kansas, John has no idea who his real parents are, and has never bothered to find out. He was raised by Michael and Ellen Winchester, who was the older couple that had found him as a baby. He grew up learning everything about cars from his dad’s side. They encouraged him to go to school and do more with his life, but he had enrolled in the Marine Corps and ended up serving in Vietnam. He received many medals and left the services as a corporal.

When he returned to Kansas, he had learned that his parents had died. Michael had a heart attack, and Ellen soon followed. He wasn’t surprised the two loved each other dearly. He inherited the Winchester Auto and set out to expand the business. He met Mary Campbell while taking night classes in business. The two fell in love, and before the Campbells knew it, they were married.

A year later she gave birth to their first born son Dean Winchester. John couldn’t have been more content or happy. He loved his wife and child, his business was growing, and when she told him she was pregnant again, he only smiled.

Tragedy struck the small family when Samuel Winchester was six months old.

Balthazar came into the family home, intent on claiming what was his. He killed Mary, and was determined to take his son and wife. John fought back and gave Sam to his brother, and told them to run. As he ran out of the house himself, he grabbed his boys and never looked back dropping off the grid.

Snippets of John’s location would pop up but only on rare occasions. The only person who had full contact with him and his sons was Robert Singer. He helped John on his Hunt for Vampires. In time John isolated himself from even his boys.

Sam left for Stanford.

Dean left to Hunt on his own.

John came back on the radar when he lost full contact with both of his boys. He had heard rumors of them being captured by Balthazar, and set out to find out what had happened. Only to get himself captured by the very creature he had been Hunting. He learned of his boys Turning from Balthazar, who tortured him physically and mentally, telling him gruesome details of what he had done to Dean.

He was rescued by his boys and the contacts they had made with in the true Vampire Society. Now he just need to learn how to handle the new life given to him.

Being the one thing he had hunted most of his life.

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Character Introduction / Integridad Kin Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Máximo Barrosa

Integridad: Hunter

 

Máximo barely knew his father, and though his mother loved him dearly had a hard time taking care of him.  He ended up on the streets trying to survive, when was taken in by Aguilar.   It didn’t take him long to see Aguilar as a father figure.

Aguilar made sure he was educated, and had him work in Nerha Silks to learn a trade.   As a young boy Máximo had a crush on Aguilar’s oldest, Josephine, and was devastated to learn she loved another.    During that situation, Máximo learned that his father had a twin brother, Callum, and a hidden identity as an Assassin.

He trained with two of the for a year, taking the pressure off Aguilar during that time.

Maximo ended up going to Maysaf where he trained for ten years, and became a Master Assassin.  He returned home with Aguilar, and started to take over the business.  Knowing that Aguilar would soon have to ‘die/disappear’ he asked to be Turned.

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Character Introduction / Sanctuary Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Ethan Hunt

Sanctuary: Lead Hunter

 

Ethan grew up during the American Civil War, and had heard the stories of his Uncle who fought gallantly during the war, and then disappeared into the Far East.  Never to be seen again.

He followed in his Uncle’s footsteps and joined the Army. He was recruited by James Phelps out of the Army and into the Military Intelligence Division.

Ethan was good at espionage. He was fast on his feet and thought three steps ahead of everyone else. James used him for many operations through Europe, including to help steal top secrets from Intelligence sources in Britain.

It was at during one of these missions, that Ethan began to realize Phelps was playing a double sided game. When he confronted the man, he found himself in a far worse situation.

 

 

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Character Introduction / Mod Kin Clan2

Sylum Inspiration: Enki Sumer

Mod: Member

 

Enki isn’t a Vampire, nor is Human.

He’s a Navigator and from the same planet as Davy Jones and Blackbeard.

He was pulled into their war, when Blackbeard enslaved his mermaids.  He was dragged to Earth, and severely wounded.  He found a safe place, in the Northern Seas, specifically like to stay near Iceland and Norway.

He became more known to Vampires after he met Hiccup and Toothless.  He ended up helping out Noromer, yet hasn’t told him quite yet.  He has a soft spot for him, especially after he faced Davy Jones head on, and won (sort of).

He finally got his mermaids back, after Jack Sparrow tricked Blackbeard back into the locker, leaving them finally free of his influence.

To this day he still prefers the Northerns Seas.  He stops by to see Gran, and talks to the Mariner a lot.  He gets a kick out of Jack Frost, always had and is happy he has his ‘Bunny’.

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Camelot Clan / Character Introduction0

Sylum Inspiration: Callum Lynch

Camelot: Hunter

 

Callum and his twin brother Aguilar were born October 21st in the year of our lord 1460 AD and was in Masyaf.

They’re parents were Assassins, the little they knew of them, was that their father, Sebastiano was from Spain and their mother, Brigit, who was from Ireland.  Their father was trained at Masyaf, who on a mission, fell in love with Brigit, brought her back and trained her.  The two had been killed during the Spanish Inquisition, a year after the boys had been born.  They ended up raised by the Assassin Order, and trained to follow in their parents footsteps.

When they set out on their own missions, Callum went to Ireland, while Aguilar went to Spain.

Callum kept a low profile, finding an a small farm owned by the Lynch family, they took him in, and became the son they never had.  When they died he took over the farm, and used it as a hiding place and information stop.

During one of his own missions, he heard about Il Duce and the vendetta he seemed to be on. He made sure to casually meet him in the pub, only to discover his own mission.

The two became friends, and during a mission when they went after a corrupt Bishop, Callum ended up Turned.

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Character Introduction / Serenity Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Paul Bunyan

Serenity: Hunter

 

There are many hypotheses about the etymology of the name Paul Bunyan. Much of the commentary focuses on a Franco-Canadian origin for the name. Phonetically Bunyan is similar to the Québécois expression “bon yenne!” expressing surprise or astonishment. The English surname Bunyan derives from the same root as bunion in the Old French bugne, referring to a large lump or swelling. Several researchers have attempted to trace Paul Bunyan to the character of Bon Jean or Tit Jean of French Canadian folklore.

For More Information contact the Vampire Council Library

Paul’s family is from the French Canadian, he knows it ties directly back to France, and he’s pretty sure straight to the Good King. He was the youngest son out of 12 siblings. He was also the largest. By the time he reached puberty he was pushing 6ft.

He left the family farm at sixteen, moving around the Canadian wilderness.  He quickly earned a reputation as a lumberjack, able to knock down a tree in one swing.

Paul was never one to settle down found himself in New Orleans, when a call went out for removal of trees to begin building a small town. He presented himself to the foreman and was hired instantly. He liked the community that was building, but was curious about the Plantation that was funding the efforts.

Paul had laughed lightly when he surprised Malcolm, the Foreman, with his philosophies and the fact he was educated. The two found a quick friendship, enjoying the bantering and snark.

At a Harvest Festival that the Plantation had put on, he was called to compete in the Axe competitions. One of the lumberjack’s lost control of the ax, sending it towards the crowd. Paul stepped in and took the blunt of the impact.

He finally discovered what was going on at the Plantation.

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Character Introduction / Sylum Clan1

Sylum Inspiration: John Rhys

Sylum: Member

 

John Rhys was born in Abereiddy, Wales, to a fisherman family.  He was always on the edge of the society, not fitting in very well.  He fell in love with the landowners daughter, Mari.  She was forbidden to be with him, but it didn’t stop them from seeing each other.  When she discovered she was pregnant she ran away, finding herself in a Monastery seeking sanctuary, not soon after John found her.  He married her instantly, and the two stayed with the Monks, Mari cooking, while John helped with Hunting for food and taking care of the grounds.  Tragedy struck the small family, when Mari died in childbirth, leaving John with a son.  He knew he wasn’t in a position to take care of the young child, so left him with the Fr. Dewey and set out to find work.

As he made his way towards a larger city, he came across a young woman being chased by a group of men.  Without thinking he pulled his sword and confronted the attackers, defeating all of them.  He discovered the young girl was Gwenhwyfar, the daughter to King Leodegrance. He escorted her back to her castle, and her father promptly awarded (though John wondered if it was punishment) the position of Head Guard.

Over the years, John became the big brother to Gwen, and was one of the few people she trusted.   She was also one of the few that new of his son, and made sure money was sent to the Monastery for his education.

When she was set to marry King Arthur of Britain, John organized and guarded her wedding train, only to be betrayed from someone on the inside, leading to the train being attacked and Gwen being kidnapped.

John took down over half the raiders, and even with an arrow in his side traveled and fought with Arthur, Lancelot, and Galahad to get the future Queen back.  It was on the journey back, he finally fell to his wounds, and Nico refused to loose his first born child, Meridia.

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Character Introduction / Shogun Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Mushu

Mushu is a different dragon that Draco or Tiny Terror.   He has the ability to talk like Draco, but not nearly as big.  Mushu is about 8ft long, and stands about 3 ft high on his four legs.  He can if concentrates sit up, balancing on his back legs which makes him about 6ft high.  He can wind himself around trees, and as the ability to camouflage.  He can also mimic statues, making him a good spy.

No one knows how old Mushu is, just one day he showed up to Katsumoto, and ended up art of the clan. When Nathan appeared, Mushu declared that Nathan was his human and he takes care of him.

There are running bets in Shogun on when Nathan will be able to walk across the large open field without tripping over Mushu, who slides in and around his feet while he does it.   There has only been one moment in history where it almost happened.  Nathan was recovering from the concentration camp and was stalking across the field – everyone watched holding their breath as he was only a few feet from the forest line – when he went down.

Katsumoto had found his Mate curled up with Mushu.

He helped Nathan deal with his ordeal.  It’s the only reason he keeps the snarky annoying dragon around.

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Character Introduction / Shogun Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Niccolò Polo

Shogun: Member

 

Leaving Niccolò’s infant son Marco behind, Niccolò and Maffeo left Venice for Constantinople, where they resided for several years. The two brothers lived in the Venetian quarter of Constantinople, where they enjoyed diplomatic immunity, political chances and tax relief because of their country’s role in establishing the Latin Empire in the Fourth Crusade of 1204. However, the family judged the political situation of the city precarious, so they decided to transfer their business northeast to Soldaia, a city in Crimea, and left Constantinople in 1259 or 1260. Their decision proved wise. Constantinople was recaptured in 1261 by Michael Palaeologus, the ruler of the Empire of Nicaea, who promptly burned and razed the Venetian quarter and reestablished the Byzantine Empire. Captured Venetian citizens were blinded, while many of those who managed to escape perished aboard overloaded refugee ships fleeing to other Venetian colonies in the Aegean Sea.

While in Constantinople the two brothers 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.

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Character Introduction / Shogun Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Shao Jun

Shogun: Hunter

 

Jun was born into imperial captivity and was raised to become a concubine in the Forbidden City during China’s Ming dynasty, under the lackluster rule of Emperor Zhengde.

At first she was one of the lower ranking concubines who hoped to become Empress, a wife of the Emperor. To this effect, Jun was taught the traditional arts displayed by the ladies of the imperial court, such as embroidery, singing and reading, but showed exceptional talent for dance and music early on.

As a child, Jun witnessed Liu Jin’s execution and torture with the Ling Chi technique (“slow slicing”, or death by a thousand cuts), a punishment for betraying the Emperor, which she would never forget.

Zhengde, known for his juvenile nature and lack of interest in the urgent matters that concerned his country, regarded Jun highly among his concubines after she had reached her teenage years, for her agility and cat-like discretion fascinated him. Living a decade of her life under Zhengde, he often used her as his spy or thief and to stage jokes against eunuchs and ministers.

By the age of thirteen, Shao Jun had risen to the rank of Imperial Concubine through her talents and Zhengde’s affection. Along with her best friend Zhang, she was poised to become Imperial Consort or even Empress. Jun always won her friendly competition with Zhang using her cat-like grace and talents against her foot-bound and breast-bound friend. Even then, Jun had never visited her Emperor’s bed who preferred the intimate company of prostitutes and other ladies he invited in.

When Zhengde fancied himself as a warlord and went to fight the Mongols in the north, Shao Jun was one of the concubines he took with him. Jun traveled with him to his expeditions in various places and met many foreigners; to serve mostly as his spy, and finally, for his personal leisure.

However, after Zhengde’s death in April 1521, when Shao Jun was sixteen, the royal ministers fell into disarray and bickered over who should succeed the heir-less Zhengde; Jun realized that her opportunities to becoming an Imperial Consort would be lost, unless the new ruler took a liking to her. She used her spying talents to find a way to maintain her Imperial Concubine priveleges, and uncovered a secret war between the Tigers which were working for the Templar Order and a Brotherhood of Assassins. Soon, Jun fathomed that the Tigers were plotting to control China by using their power to place their puppet on the throne. She saw a chance for freedom in the Assassins and since the Tigers already controlled the most influential people in the court, she decided to contact the Assassin Order through Wang Yangming and joined them. Shao Jun was rescued along with several other concubines after the Assassins broke into the royal palace.

Years after her rescue, Jun and her Mentor decided to save the remaining concubines whom she had grown up with. After breaking into the Imperial Palace, Jun discovered that most of her friends had been tortured and killed through the use of Ling Chi, by order of Zhengde’s cousin and successor, Jiajing. Jun and her Mentor then fled the palace.

Before leaving, Shao Jun took the incredible risk of infiltrating the Forbidden City to free her friend Zhang. Although she knew the place by heart, the eunuch guards would have slaughtered her if she’d been caught. Fortunately, the level of security was lower than usual for Jiajing was often away in his own private palaces. Jun found Zhang and was astonished to hear that she wanted to stay, even if the Emperor was a brutal man. Zhang was lucky enough to please him and was now the Imperial Consort. She told her old friend to leave in peace.

Jiajing sought to detain and execute any opposition or possible threats against his rule. Shao Jun could only flee for her life.

Isolated, Shao Jun decided to leave the country in order to seek the help of Italian Mentor Ezio Auditore. She came up on the Villa outside Rome, where she was confronted by two men, demanding to know why she was there. She explained her story, and how the few Assassins that were in China were now destroyed. She sought training to seek revenge against those that were hurting her people.

She later discovered the companion was Nicolaus Meridius, a fellow Assassin. She stayed at the Villa for a few weeks, recouping from her journey. Ezio came to her to tell her she could travel with him, he knew a place to go. She was smart enough to let Ezio and Nico have their farewells without her presence.

Ezio and her traveled to Masyaf.

The arrived in the middle of the battle. Determined to show her skill, Ezio pushed her to the side told her to stay and strode into the middle of it. She knew then – he was the one that could train her.

She ended up Trained at Masyaf, holding her own against men who felt that a woman couldn’t do the job. It was Tamara that encouraged her, and Dastan laughed as she held her own against the ‘bigger’ men.

Before she left to go back to China she requested Ezio Turn her.

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Character Introduction / Shogun Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Yasuke

Shogun: Hunter

Yasuke was taken from his home country of Ethopia and was sold into slavery.

He arrived in Japan in 1579 in the service of the Italian Jesuit Alessandro Valignano, who had been appointed the Visitor (inspector) of the Jesuit missions in the Indies. He accompanied Valignano when the latter came to the capital area in March 1581 and his appearance caused a lot of interest with the local people.

When Yasuke was presented to Nobunaga he suspected his skin to be have been coloured with black ink, Nobunaga had him strip from the waist up and made him scrub his skin. These events are recorded in a 1581 letter of the Jesuit Luís Fróis to Lourenço Mexia and in the 1582 Annual Report of the Jesuit Mission in Japan, also by Fróis. These were published in Cartas que os padres e irmãos da Companhia de Jesus escreverão dos reynos de Japão e China II, normally known simply as Cartas, in 1598.  When he realized that his skin was not coloured and in fact black Nobunaga seems to have taken an interest in him. At some point, although when is not clear, Yasuke entered Nobunaga’s service.

Yasuke was taught Japanese, perhaps due to Nobunaga talking with him. He was perhaps the only non-Japanese retainer that Nobunaga had in his service, which could explain Nobungas interest in him.  

In June 1582, Nobunaga was attacked and forced to commit seppuku in Honnō-ji in Kyoto by the army of Akechi Mitsuhide. Yasuke was there at the time and fought the Akechi forces. Immediately after Nobunaga’s death, Yasuke went to join Nobunaga’s heir Oda Nobutada who was trying to rally the Oda forces at Nijō Castle. Yasuke fought alongside the Nobutada forces but was eventually captured. When Yasuke was presented to Akechi he said that the black man was an animal as well as not Japanese and should thus not be killed but be taken to the nanban-dera or nanban-ji. There is no further written information about him after this.

It was soon after, that Yasuke met Katsumoto who had admired his skills and gave him a new opportunity.  He took it without hesitation.

For more information contact the Vampire Council Library

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Character Introduction / Vampire Council0

Sylum Inspiration: Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Vampire Council: Hunter

 

Ezio was born in Florence on 24 June 1459, as the second son of Giovanni and Maria Auditore. He appeared to be stillborn, but, after some words of encouragement from his father, he began to cry, leading his father to call him a “fighter”.

Up until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury amidst the members of the Florentine noble class; he was apprenticed to the renowned banker Giovanni Tornabuoni, who worked alongside Giovanni Auditore’s banking business, but was all the while unaware of his father’s allegiance to the Assassin Order.

In the year 1476, Ezio, his older brother Federico, and friends of the family fought with Vieri de’ Pazzi and his gang. Just before the fight, Ezio received a gash down across his lip – caused by Vieri throwing a stone – which would scar, and remain for the rest of his life.

Ezio’s mother introduced him to an artist that she patronized, Leonardo da Vinci. On the walk home, Leonardo struck up a conversation, beginning a friendship between the two men that would last throughout their later lives.

Ezio returned home after a errand for his father to find his home ransacked, his father and brothers missing, and his mother and sister dead. Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his sons, Ezio made his way to the Palazzo della Signoria, where his father and brothers were being held.

Climbing the building and speaking to his father through his cell window, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his office, take everything out of it, and deliver a sealed letter to Uberto Alberti, Gonfaloniere of Florence and a close friend of the Auditore family. Doing so, Ezio found his father’s Assassin robes, a broken Hidden Blade, and a letter containing details of a plot against the city of Florence and the Auditore family.

Ezio brought the incriminating documents to Uberto, and was assured that his family would be released the following day, when the information was presented as evidence of their innocence. Ezio then traveled to the home of Cristina Vespucci, where he spent the night once again.

The next day, Ezio returned to the Piazza della Signoria to find Uberto presiding over the execution of his family.

Giovanni declared their innocence, citing the information given to Uberto as evidence, but the Gonfaloniere denied any knowledge of such information. Ezio shouted that Uberto was lying, but his efforts to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain.

Ezio could only watch helplessly from the crowd as his father and brothers were hanged. When he attempted to charge the gallows to avenge his kin, Uberto ordered the city guards to kill him.

Ezio fled the Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a brothel run by the sister of the Auditore housemaid, a courtesan named Heather. He then fled Florence to his Uncle Mario’s home Monteriggioni. It was here he learned about the Assassin Order, and his heritage.

After learning of his heritage from his uncle, Mario Auditore, Ezio began his Assassin training and set about on his quest for vengeance against the Templar Order, and their Grand Master, Rodrigo Borgia, who had ordered the execution of his kin.

During his travels, Ezio managed to not only unite the pages of the Codex, written by Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad, Mentor of the Levantine Assassins, but also to save the cities of Florence, Venice, and Rome from Templar rule.

It was in Venice he discovered about Vampires.

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Character Introduction / Lealta Kin Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Isabella Olivetti

Lealta: Clan Member

 

Isabella was sixteen when That Night happened, and like everyone else who had witnessed the events, her life was changed.

Her dad Ernesto Olivetti had moved out of the house and into the Vatican to take over Security of Vatican City.  She continued with school, living with her mother, despite the hatred she leveled on her ex-husband.

As soon as she graduated, she started University and spent more time at the Vatican. She was approached by Andrew Kiernan to go into Liturgy, who was speaking on behalf of Pope Pius XVII.

In 2012 she married Pierre Chartrand, and on their honeymoon she was Turned and Bonded with her Mate.

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Character Introduction / Lealta Kin Clan0

Sylum Inspiration: Pierre Chartrand

Lealta: Hunter

 

Pierre was the only son of a simple middle class Swiss family. He joined the Swiss Army, and then moved into the Swiss Guard, after he lost his parents.

He was dedicated and loyal to his job, but was young and brash enough to ask questions, and after his four years of service he decided to stay on as Swiss Guard and move up the ranks.

His life is turned upside down That Night when the Vatican was threatened by the Illuminati, discovering that his own boss was behind the plot.

After learning about  Vampires, he went to Monseigneur Andrew Kiernan and requested to be Turned.

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