Tonight I’d like to share with you a character that a friend of mine played many years ago. He was kind enough to do a write-up to put on this website, and I gratefully accepted his work, to share with you now. If you have any characters of your own that you’d like to share with us, please check out our patreon page at Patreon.com/WordsofDarkness. Enough stalling: let’s get to the character.
Type: Kindred
Clan: Ravnos
Generation: Mid to Low (7the-10th)
Predator Type: Scene Queen, Osiris, or Sandman
Origin
In the 15th Century, when the Giptanos were preparing for their first migration into Spain, the Ravnos preceded them.
Vicente was the heir to a struggling merchant family who found other means of providing for his wants and needs. He was quick with his hands, and he could slide shells and deal cards just as quickly as he could flick a knife. He could cut you out of your winnings, or cut you out of your life. He hustled his wares, gambled his profits, and defended his earnings all the same way -- with sleight of hand, quick reflexes, and misdirection.
The night he was hustled changed his life forever. A Fortune Teller caught his eye and his imagination. So he swiped her Tarot cards and ran; but these were the wrong cards to steal. Misfortune befell him. He lost his business, his family, his reputation. And when he got caught stealing from the wrong priest, he nearly lost his hands.
In jail, while staring at the moon through the bars, it is said he prayed. Not to the Catholic God as many did in his time and place, but to Lady Fortune -- to the moon. And behold, the fortune teller appeared in his cell. Her cards had been enchanted, but she was impressed he lasted that long. Taking his oath (and her cards), she brought him to the patriarch of her clan. He became Ravnos.
He became Vicente de Luna.
Notoriety
In the early days of European colonization of America, Vicente was part of an organization that endeavored to establish a new Vampire society. Ultimately, the project failed, giving in to the war that plagued the Ivory Tower and Sword of Caine. However, during that time he was responsible for the Chicago Fire. He burned down a Lyceum to save his comrade who was kidnapped by the local prince.
He believed he had prior claim to the land in Chicago, given that his presence pre-dated the arrival of the Camarilla. He decided on a quick hustle -- pretend to be a shepherd of humans, and name his comrade as his wolf, that which keeps the sheep in line. A simple trade should suffice to return her to him. Eager to establish himself as the undisputed law in Chicago, The Prince did not agree. One thing led to another, and Vicente burned the city down using his illusory powers as cover. After their escape, what started as a con grew into a way of life.
Presently
Frustrated and jaded with the endless politicking of Vampire relations, Vicente prefers to keep a herd of humans with whom he travels, region by region, avoiding princes and warlords alike. He prefers a quiet life where he delves deep into the mysteries of his disciplines (Auspex, Chimerstry, and Protean). He prepares himself for a time in the future when he will bury himself and roam the earth as an illusion, projecting his will, free from the confines of flesh.
Vicente perceives himself to be a shepherd, or a caravan leader. His herd is his priority, and he cares for every aspect of their lives. He provides for their physical, mental, and emotional needs for as long as they live after entering his service. To this end, he provides what he calls, “a Wolf”.
Every shepherd needs a wolf, he believes. It gives the sheep something to fear and a reason to follow him. They can only feel safe if they need to be kept safe from something. He is known to work with another Vampire, a Nosferatu, that is highly gifted at nurturing fear in mortals. It is unknown if this vampire is real or merely another illusion. Either way, this is just another hustle to Vicente, but one that he honestly believes to be beneficial to his herd. He manipulates them completely, creating an illusory life for them to live in which they are cared for until the gentle end. This is his service to the humanity that feeds him.
Your game can find and employ him as a guide between cities, or a conman they fall for. His herd ranges from a local group of college kids, to a group of musicians, or as migrants and refugees seeking a border crossing anywhere in the world. He prefers the intelligent, artistic, and mystically minded.