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« on: January 03, 2015, 06:13:02 pm »
Mortals
Prague
Otakar I: The most important mortal in Prague is arguably her ruler, King Otakar Premysl, who rules from Prague Castle. As the first acknowledged king of the Czechs, ruler of Bohemia and Prague, Otakar's decisions affect not only the city, but also other parts of the Holy Roman Empire. Although rumors proliferate concerning the eccentricities of the Premysl family, no one speaks openly against the king. Otakar's chief worries are to keep trade moving briskly in the kingdom and to guard against the avarice of the empire, which has tried to undermine Bohemia's independence — most recently by
attempting to have the Archbishop ofPrague (a member of the Premysl family) declared unfit for the position. Otakar is ambitious — he wishes nothing less than for Prague to assume a position as the chiefcity of the Holy Roman Empire. Nothing — not even the perversions of his family or their Cainite masters — will come between the king and his goal. To this end, he wishes to minimize the involvement of Libussa and her torpid mistress. Otakar is clever and well aware of the city's nocturnal denizens; Cainites who dismiss the king as "merely another mortal" may well find themselves the victims of a rude awakening.
Libussa: Although she hardly counts as "mortal" anymore, Libussa, whose death was faked centuries ago, remains the Tzimisce Shaagra's attentive servant and ghoul. Unbelievably strong after centuries of feeding from the sleeping Methuselah, she is a major power behind the throne. The struggles between Libussa and the irritatingly strong-willed Otakar trickle down into the doings of the Premysls as a whole, Libussa believes, as does most of her family, that she could take on many Cainites and win. Libussa occasionally walks the streets—sometimes by day, but more often by night. Pale as the moon, with waist- length wheat-straw hair, she might be found almost anywhere, watching and listening to the pulse ofher city. Should anyone threaten Shaagra, Libussa would instantly know. The revenant Premysl, having recently received the command from Libussa, have been picking off any Tremere found in the city and feeding them to their Methuselah, who shows signs of awakening.
Rabbi Mordecai ben Judah: A community leader in the Jewish Quarter, Kabbalist and magus, Rabbi henJudah is also the creator of the golem, a man like creature of great strength. Though not affiliated with any magical tradition, the rabbi is aware that other mages visit and reside in the city. He is particularly concerned since his discovery that some members of the Order of Hermes' House Tremere have apparently become "undead." Primarily involved with the safety of the Jewish Quarter, he is considering speaking to the king regarding these vampyrs. Meanwhile, he guards his own home, placing garlic at the doors and windows and spreading salt on the window sills.
Grand Prior Pierre de Varreau: Leader of the Knights of St. John in Prague, this French knight has traveled to the Holy Land and throughout much of Western Europe. A grizzled veteran, the surprisingly well-educated de Varreau takes his monastery's duty seriously as guardians ofPrague's left bank. He insists on regular arms practice to keep his men in shape and oversees patrols through the Little Quarter to keep the peace. A man of True Faith (as are a few others under his command), he has a knack for showing up wherever trouble is brewing. He has even been known to lead armed contingents through the streets after dark, in response to strange noises or screams. The knights under his command are the true rulers of the Little Quarter.
Krakow
Casmir Piast, Prince of Malopolska: As the latest scion of the Piast dynasty that has niled Krakow since its elevation to a bishopric, "Prince" Casmir claims rulership over Malopolska in fact, but still considers himself King ofPoland. In actuality, his control over the city is tenuous at best, contested often by his advisors and other nobles, who feel that he is not doing enough to reunite Poland and recover her former standing.
Bishop Stefan: Counted among Casmir's adversaries is the Bishop of Krakow, Stefan Stwosz, who sees the prince as a weakling unable to support his claim to the Polish crown. Mindful of the fate of outspoken bishops, however, Bishop Stefan works quietly to undercut Casmir's authority without implicating himself. He serves as a useful tool for the Ventrue Konrad in his bid to overthrow the current Tzimisce ruler.
Ludmilla the Clever: Now in her late 60s, this elderly hedge wizard serves as the leader of Krakow's small, but ardent, pagan community. She is a priestess and healer to those who refuse both the Christian and Jewish faiths. Ludmilla divides her time between the city, where she lives with her son and daughter-in-law above their pottery shop, and the Niepolomice Forest, where she has a small cottage and herb garden. Here she conducts services to honor and propitiate the old gods of Poland. She has made alliances with the Cainite Jolanta and a pack of werewolves, believing them to be remnants of the old religion who have come to aid her in preserving the sanctity of the ancient traditions.
Transylvania
Anonymus, the Chronicler: A humble scribe in the service of Bela III, Master P (popularly known as Anonymus) is the quintessential observer. Dressed in a simple, dark monk's robe, his face shadowed by the robe's cowl so that none may see it, he moves throughout Buda-Pest, Esztergom and even Transylvania's most dangerous territory, chronicling what he witnesses and hears. He has written the first history of the Hungarian people, the Gesta Hungarorum. By scribing in the Low (rather than the ecclesiastical) Latin, Anonymus makes hiswork accessible to all scholars rather than just to churchmen. Some Cainites claim that he writes in that language because it is his mother tongue, whispering that he has lived since the Roman Empire first rose to power. As he seems to fear nothing, quietly emerging from battles, captivity and other life-threatening situations unruffled and intact, many Cainites (and a few mortals) whisper that he is immortal—perhaps the Wandering Jew. At least a few Cainites believe him to be Caine. As his aura is as anonymous as his name, none can say for certain.
Bilal al-Hanbal: This Muslim trader owns a stall on the outskirts of Pest's Royal Market. Once a year he leaves the city to make the dangerous journey south and east, where he acquires trade goods and arranges for caravans to deliver whatever he cannot bring back personally. Bilal is a friendly and curious sort who enjoys talking with all the customers who frequent his market stall. Although he retains his Muslim faith, he seeks to learn all he can about Christianity, "to better know and understand his neighbors," so he says. Citizens of Buda-Pest believe he is a spy; some say he is an assassin sent to murder their king. Most people discount such stories since King Bela entered the merchant's stall and emerged unharmed and in possession of a fine new blade some years back. In actuality, Bilal is the ghoul of Fariq the Assamite. He loyally does his master's bidding, including supplying Geza Arpad with potent Eastern drugs that the Prince of Esztergom feeds to his sire, Bulscu.
Delizbieta of the Dark Eyes: Some years ago a small group of dark-skinned, dark-haired people dressed in brightly colored clothes entered the city of Buda-Pest. Many folk claimed they looked tike the depictions of ancient Egyptians shown on old scrolls. Clearly different from the Hungarians in dress, speech and customs, the group lives in a wagon in New Town, just outside the town walls. One of them is a tinsmith who works in the Royal Market; others in the group trade horses at the Cattle Market. However, a particularly striking young woman, has set up a small tent in the Royal Market. There she tells fortunes and predicts the future for any who will make her a gift of silver. It is rumored that those who have lost something valuable, and who are willing to pay to have it returned, may go to Delizbieta and tell her of the missing item. If "God is with her," she can "find" the item and return it to its owner—for an agreed-upon price. Delizbieta is one of the kumpania (traveling companions) of the Ravnos who calls himself lzydor (the reason many of the items in question are "missing").
Sofia
Andras Tibor, Protector of Serdica: In his late 20s, the protector of Serdica (or Sofia) has linked his fortune with that of his brothers-in-law, Peter and Ivan Asen, the liberators of Bulgaria. Andras Tibor projects an air ofutter confidence as he goes about his responsibilities as ruler of Bulgaria's largest city. Privately, however, he worries about the consequences he will suffer if the Asens fail in their rebellion. To this end, he is amassing a private hoard of valuables against the possibility of having to leave the city suddenly. In the meantime, he has encouraged the growth of his city, hoping that it will one day become the capital of a Bulgarian Empire. Andras has begun to suspect that the odd sounds he sometimes hears late at night in his palace may be more than the wind blowing through the lower chambers. He often feels as if someone — or something — is watching him and whispering suggestions in the hours just before daylight.
Brencis Vidor, Patriarch-in'Waiting: In his early 50s, Archbishop Vidor epitomizes the bitterness of his people. Despite his devotion to the Church, he resents the relegation of Bulgaria's former patriarchy to a mere archbishopric. He hopes that if Bulgaria succeeds in shaking off the reins of Constantinople, the new Bulgarian Empire will regain the right to a patriarchy, with himself as Patriarch of the Bulgarian Church. He is considering beginning a concerted search for heretics, apostates, blasphemers and pagans, believing that purging Bulgaria of all non believers (including Jews) will prove his worthiness to ascend in the hierarchy of the faithful.
Father Patryn, Guardian of the Purified: An austere man in his middle 30s, Father Patryn leads his flock ofBogomil Christians by his example. Given to lengthy fasts and many forms of self-denial, Father Patryn strives to lead the perfect life, rejecting the world and all its temptations and holdingonly to the spiritual. If he could live on air, he would do so, considering even the act of taking food or drink as a sin (albeit a minor one). The Dark God is all too real to him, for one of the Evil One's daughters has asked him for sanctuary and forgiveness, which he has granted, but he now wonders if he has given himself up to damnation. Although Patryn has learned much from Amalia about the creatures who call themselves Cainites, he fears that he has bought this knowledge at too great a cost. To this end, Patryn has recently convinced her that both their salvations depend on saving other Cainites from damnation — by any means possible. If it entails staking the unrepentant out in the sun so that their souls may be purified, so be it.
Jorgi the Bear, Proprietor of the House of the Eagle: Jorgi's father and his father before him managed the prestigious baths known as the House of the Eagle. After the Asens began their war against Constantinople ten years ago, Jorgi encountered a charming foreigner who offered him long life in return for the simple act of drinking the stranger's blood. Now, Jorgi serves the Cainite Prince of Sofia, Basilio the Elder, with all his heart. Although he does not understand the precise status of his master, he realizes that it is his duty to listen carefully to all that goes on in the "privacy" of the baths and report what he hears to Lord Basilio.
Lithuania
Father Sergeyev: This elderly Orthodox priest acts as the city's metropolitan, though Kiev no longer has such a position. He was present the night that Darvag Grozny defended St. Sophia from the Prince of Suzdal's soldiers. When he tried to thank the hero who had defended the church through the dark night of the sacking, Father Sergeyev discovered that the holy cathedral had been saved by a monster. Since that time, he has lived in the cathedral and watched each night to see if the "devil" will return. He has spent long hours in prayer and contemplation wondering what it means. He has yet to determine whether he believes that the Church (and his faith) is now corrupted or whether he is supposed to save the soul of the monster whom God called to his service (if only for a night).
Galatia Karlanova, "Queen of Kiev": Long red hair and blue eyes betray Galatia's Varangian ancestry. She has been the ghoul of Darvag Grozny for over 60 years, though she appears to be little more than 20. Galatia is the owner of The Sign of the Skull, a disreputable inn where anyone can find anything — for a price. Most of the bandits and pirates of Kiev find her inn highly useful and support her "reign" as queen. They would certainly defend her from outsiders. Galatia is one of Darvag's favorites, a pet he has trained to revel in inflicting mental and physical pain on others. She is quite intelligent and a talented actress; most Cainites would never know she meant them anything but goodwill. Galatia would rejoice at the chance to help Darvag capture traveling Cainites (through supplying them with drugged vessels) and watching them writhe under her master's mercies.
