Alyssia's background (ends July 2001) and 13 Questions
Born to minor noble and admiral in Vigo, Spain: 1574
---father Admiral Benico Aragon, mother Cordelia Aragon
--father was admiral in Battle of Lepanto against Ottoman Turks (historical battle)
Skinriding starts: 1580
---Puppeteers getting ready for uprising against Charon
---use small noble child to move fetters and investigate haunts
---constant skinridding causes child to be able to see and hear across the shroud
---Alyssia withdraws into herself almost completely, terrified of the world of the dead and fearful of the cruelty she sees there.
Philip Unties Spain and Portugal (historical): 1580
Speaker of the Dead: 1584
---consort (puppeteer) is destroyed, sending the child into terror and fear
---vision across the shroud does not fade due to long amount of skinridding during years of development. The constant exposure across the shroud influenced the growing child's mind so much that it retained the ability.
---parents do not believe her, view her as child in fantasy world Mother dies (Alyssia is 14), sees her wraith torn apart by specters: summer 1587
---is killed by horseback riding accident in front of husband and child
---Alyssia goes into deep shock and withdraws into herself completely, barely talks
Sent to be turned into proper lady by the Church: fall 1587
---in formal morning all of 1587 for Mother
Father leaves spending all time with fleet, becomes missing after defeat of Spanish Armada (historical): 1588
---in formal morning all of 1588 for Father
---this event causes her to "find God." After both her parents were taken from her, she turned to the Church that was caring for her to find comfort.
---Church slowly brings her out of her shell, slowly starts talking to more people
---The dead are buried behind the Church, and there she finds many wraiths. Over the years, she slowly starts speaking to them and gaining information.
--- the Church sends her to many court functions and dinner parties in which she becomes an advisor to many of the young people in the court. While she is still young and does not know answers to relationship questions, she gains answers from the wraiths. She becomes valuable to the younger generation at court, and receives several marriage offers. The Church turns them all down, telling her that she is not yet ready. In truth, Alyssia is heir to a large sum of money which she cannot access until she is wed. Until then, the Church maintains complete control over it, thus not wishing her to wed.
Meets Alec Reade (who will become Adam Orelton) and becomes engaged to him: 1590
---In 1592, the Tremere pull Orelton back to Italy and the Church introduces Emilio to Alyssia, and the engagement is dissolved
Meets Emilio: summer 1592
---One of her contacts at court invites her to a elite dinner party that his father is hosting to meet guests from Portugal
---In an attempt to seduce Alyssia after dinner, her contact makes sure she receives strong, un-watered down wine
---sitting next to Emilio
--- the wine causes her to be talkative (for her) and Emilio and her discuss tactics and current war conditions in Portugal
---uses knowledge from the wraiths that is not yet public knowledge and gets his attention through it
Ghouled: winter 1592
---left alone to figure out her own gifts and skills
---Emilio doesn't teach, but merely watches her progress
---Emilio is very cold and aloof through this period of time
Became interested in British East Indian Company, which would beat out Portugal in trade by 1612 (historical): 1600
Move to England: winter 1592
Embraced: 1602
---after twenty years as his ghoul he informs her that she is ready to take the next step, due to her dedication and how she has handled his affairs (personal, financial and political) without her actions becoming visible. He tells her that she earned her embrace when he threw her to the wolfs and she proved she was strong and cunning.
---Emilio now teaches his first childer everything he knows
---His relationship with his childer would have been very hot and cold with her never being able to predict how he was going to act from one night to another which would have made her self-sufficient. She would always be able to sense great pride in him for her success. The cold moments would be EXTREMELY cold and the warm moments would be EXTREMELY warm.
England goes to war with Spain over religion and failed marriage treaties(historical): 1625
---Alyssia becomes worried over the war between her homeland and that of where her sire chooses to live.
---Becomes active in gathering information from the English court for Emilio. Released:1632 ---still spends much of her time with her Sire, lives with him when not traveling
---returns to Spain to see ravages of the war with England which had ended two years before ---listens to the wraiths stories of what happened, becomes very concerned with how the common man was treated in the war
Travels around Spain and Portugal to prepare for the war for Portugal's freedom: 1634-1636
---tries to influence aids to influence their generals to make the upcoming war less tragic for common man. Fails completely at this attempt.
Meets Sandaga's to help plan for war: 1636-1639
---studies tactics, share information, share skills
---She remains a background figure during the planning, gathering information(through both the wraiths and normal means) for Emilio and letting him take the credit for finding it out.
---Does not share her secret of the wraiths with the Sandaga's War against Portugal
Emillio's apparent death: 1640
Portugal regains independence from Spain (historical): 1640
Saved from Emilio's "slayer": 1640
---Dioghaltis rescues her as she is staked and on fire. Emilio vanished behind her badly hurt, bad guy followed him, bad guy comes back after battle noises and tells her staked body he will finish her like he finished her sire. Dioghaltis steps over her and kills bad guy, and takes her away.
---Dioghaltis takes her to the border city of Badajoz (cam stronghold) and leaves her with the scourge as he does not know the status of her acknowledgement. Scourges name is Xavier Grayson (Logan Boatfield, loganvobis@memoriesofsunlight.org)
---Xavier is a strongly cam loyal gangrel who understands how well educated a Lasombra Anti must be to survive in the Camarilla. He finishes the education her sire did not 'survive' long enough to complete.
---Xavier's wanderlust and her desire to be away from the memories of her sire lead them around Europe. They spend the next 80 years making a slow loop around Europe. France to Belgium, Belgium to Germany, Germany to Italy (with a brief passing through of Switzerland) and then back to France.
Works to bring peace between the land of her home (Spain) and her Great-Grandsire's current home (England): 1727
Talks between the two nations start in March, with peace not coming until Nov(historical): 1728
---this time her involvement is much more patient, with an understanding now that all great plans take time. She is still unable to help the common man from the devastation of war, but is active in manipulating the peace talks.
Attends to her Great-Grandsire (Dominus Lucius Sulla, aka Thomas Sellas) in England: 1729-1780
---As Alyssia enters England to work for peace in the war, she presents herself to the member of her family whose space she will be occupying. As this man is also the patriarch of her line, she stays with him to learn of the Camarilla and of what it means to be a Magister.
---travels through England's strong Camarilla cities with Senor Sulla so he may verify her ability to interact in the Camarilla. Alyssia maintains a background role and never steps forth in any leadership position. These trips are not overly frequent to allow for Senor Sulla’s reclusive tendencies.
---Lucius Sulla lives in a monastery in Northern Scotland. The people of the monastery refer to Alyssia as the “night lady” and begin to think the graveyards as haunted due to her long walks through them, speaking to nothing.
---Lucius seeks to further re-enforce the teachings of her childhood, in which women have a proper respectful place. As such, a woman should always have a man to watch over her in the form of a husband or a father. As her power grows, Alyssia begins to inwardly question these teachings but remains dutifully obedient to Lucius.
---During the periods when Lucius becomes in need of his own space, she spends time with scholars and necromancers learning about wraiths. Being so strongly cam, she is not fond of the Giovanni clan due to their independence. She seeks knowledge from them and quickly leaves them behind, having no need to interact with those that do not uphold the Camarilla.
---Starts studying the affect obtenibration has on wraiths, this becomes her hobby that occupies her time when Senor Sulla does not have her attention.
---follows the expanding of new world from England, mainly Spain's areas. Watches the unfolding of the American revolution and starts to worry about New Spain (Mexico). Not many wraiths return over the ocean at this time, and the ones that do paint a very dark and scary picture of the New World.
East India Company gains opium monopoly (historical):1773
---investments from 1600 pay off, sells shares to become small amount of resources
Anti-Catholic rioters plunder and burn London (historical): June 1780
---This is Alyssia's first real encounter with the darker side of human nature when put together in large groups. War is organization fallen apart, but this was just chaos. It disturbs her greatly, and she takes time to study humanity in large groups. During this time she restudies wars, this time looking at humanity rather then tactics. The Church's role in the world becomes even more clear to her, as humanity clearly needs to be guided to help follow God's will, otherwise they fall into such Godless actions.
---last investments and ties pulled out of England, and after explaining her reasons of protecting Spain and the strengthening of the Church to her elder, returns fully to Spain
---using this event, Alyssia is able to rebel from Lucius teachings that a woman’s place is in the home protected by a man. She sets out to help the Church and Spain, and to slowly develop her own independence. Yet the teaching of Lucius, Emilo and Spain cloud her mind and perceptions for the rest of her unlife.
French Revolution is successful, King Louis XVI beheaded (historical): Jan 1793
---becomes more interested in the well being of the people, and becomes active behind the scenes in the Spanish nobility to try and prevent such actions from occurring in Spain
France and Spain ally to invade and defeat Portugal(historical):1801 Napoleon enters Madrid and forces Spanish abdications (historical):1808
Napoleon arrests Pope Pius VII (historical): 1809
Alyssia becomes active in gathering information for Spain: 1809-1813
---Uses wraiths to keep track of battles and Napoleon's movements
---Halts her study of the occult and shadowlands to try to protect Spain and the Catholic Church
---Works quietly to make sure that the Church remains stable while the Pope is in Napoleon's control
Napoleon recognizes and releases from prison King Fredinand VII (historical): 1813
---Alyssia returns to her studies, learning more about the wraith world and the occult
---During this time she realizes that the wraiths slowly seem to steal her love for the people and the very emotions which make her human, making her colder and further from God. This is clearly because they live in a land which God does not smile upon, so her studies become widely spaced apart. This is something that must be studied, but following God and protecting his Flock are more important then the studies of the dead. Because of this, she will study the world of the dead for no more then a month before again becoming involved with the Church, State and the common man.
Generals of the Spanish army chase the Queen out of the country leaving them in control (historical): 1868
---this pulls Alyssia from her studies and other projects fully back into the world of politics
---she works with the popular support and generals to try and keep Spanish way of life the same
New Constitution is appointed in Spain, allowing for a constitutional monarchy (historical): 1869
Spanish republic proclaimed (historical): 1873
---Alyssia continues her support for the monarchy, and continues to work to ensure Spain's traditional way of life
---Works quietly with both the nobles and the common man to show how the Monarchy is better for the people, as it is the best tool of God's will.
Spanish Monarchy reinstated (historical):1874
Her growing interest in the populaces view leads her to notice the ever growing sabbat: 1875 - 1931
---starts using influences to expose the sabbat to the Church and to hunters
---fights the sabbat using the Church and mortals, only getting her hands dirty occasionally
---Starts to think that the sabbat are truly monsters, and this is what happens to Kindred when they forsake God and his virtues. It is clear to her that both the Camarilla and the mortals must be guided so that they never follow this horrific path. That the traitors to her blood lead this sect is even more of an insult, and she feels they must be sent from this earth to the hell from which they have earned.
Watched over Justice O’Shea from 1924-1929
--- O’Shea needed to become closer to her humanity and to God, thus appealed to Alssyia for help. Unknown to Justice, due to early connection with her sire (Seneca), Alyssia accepts this ward.
---They stay in Toledo to allow Justice access to the Churches and allow Alyssia to continue her political manipulation.
---Alyssia reports on Justice’s condition and thoughts to Senior Sullas.
Spain is neutral in WWI, mainly unaffected
Saves young Tremere from sabbat as his ship stopped to resupply on the way to Italy: 1927
---Tremere is Alec Rutherford
---Justice stays in Toledo, while Alyssia is at Vigo viewing Opera
---Alyssia gained a major boon from him because of this Second Spanish Republic established (historical): 1931
Justice O’Shea is released from Alyssia care into the hands of a friendly warlock: 1929
---Justice’s final test is the offer to release Alyssia’s ghoul and give him one lifetime to live as he chooses in return for a major boon. With the passing of this test, Alyssia allows Justice to continue her life.
Alyssia works for several years to reinstate the monarchy 1931-1934
---During this time she only works with humanity, leaving the wraiths and Kindred to their own devices. She attempts to manipulate the court to elevate another monarch, and convince the common people that a monarchy is the only true way for God to guide them. Despite patience and slow manipulation, her attempts fail and the new government stands.
---Leaves Spain out of disgust for new government, wishes to explore New World to see what they have done with their government: 1935
Tremere Alec Rutherford guides Alyssia around Untied States to repay major boon: 1935-1942
---Shows her San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and other major cities
---find common interested in the occult, she teaches him how to fight the sabbat
---follows her sires advice on the Tremere, they are useful and deadly. Treat them like a wolf. Care for them and train them, but understand they must always be watched. For a wolf, once rabid, will bite anyone around it.
---Finds current ghoul, Anton, during Great Depression
Settles in New York:1942
---spends several years growing influences, then proceeds to start a long, quiet influence war against the sabbat in the area
---Alec spends much time with her in New York, making sure she is settled in and okay in the New World
---Alec's company is hard for Alyssia to deal with at first, and she is very slow to open up to him. However, once she does they speak late into the night and he educated her on the society of the New World.
Meets Angelica (lost wraith) by owning fetter: 1947
---very excitable wraith, high strung and very in touch with the mortal world.
---the fetter is a ring that Alec gave her. (just a ring, not any sign of romantic affection)
---Alyssia educates the poor, lost wraith for two years at which the wraith promptly leaves rarely being seen by Alyssia over the next fifty years.
Becomes active in New York academically learning differences in the supernatural society of the New World: 1950 - 67
---increases her study of wraiths and their society. This study takes a long time, as she only works with them for brief periods to help retain her humanity
---watches the local Camarilla courts to learn how they work, is shown around them by Alec
---learns the papal hierarchy and attitudes of the Church in the New World Alec feels she has adjusted properly and returns to his work, they visit now and again: 1961
Returns to Spain to see if culture has changed: 1970
---forty years after the fall of the monarchy, elections are taking place for seats in the Cortes (think parliament) (historical)
---tries to again bring about Monarchy, but her influence has been weakened with time
Visits the battle site where Emilio "died": 1971
---spends much time in deep meditation, missing her sire and trying to figure out what to do next now that her Spain has changed so much
---decides to return to the New World and prevent the sabbat from overtaking the New World
Returns to New York: 1973
---restarts her influences and her scholastic studies
---studies the culture of humanity in the United States, becomes intrigued by capitalism and the decadence of the society
---feels that this society is even riper for sabbat infiltration and take over, tries to work with the Church to raise the morals of society.
New York falls to the sabbat: March 2001
---they overrun the Camarilla court, Alyssia was not present due to the very background nature she kept in New York
Alyssia finishes her business in NY; leaves: June 2001
---has several close calls with the sabbat, decides that her staying in New York will result in her death
Visits Emilio's "death" site and battleground: June/July 2001
---reaches the same conclusion as the last time she visited this battleground; the sabbat must be stopped from gaining new territory.
---Meditates on best place to defend the New World from their advance
Goes to CA sabbat front against Mexico: Late July 2001
Builds influences and starts reading herself for the new area: July to present
1. What does your character hope to accomplish in the near future; why these particular goals?
Near future is completely relative to the type of character you are planning to play. The near future for a lasambra anti is within the next year or two, in my opinion. So the following goals may seem long term, but they are the current plans on the characters mind.
Set up shop. This is the building of influences and the establishment of herself into a camarilla court. The entrance into kindred society will have to be slow, as to not alert the sabbat in the area to the new threat. It will be some time (few months) before she can do anything against them, so this would be a perfect time for them to strike at her. She lost her sire when he directly attacked the sabbat, now she prefers to work from behind the scenes and use influences and others to get to them. Setting up carefully in the area is also important, as the sabbat are likely to come after a lasambra anti once they find out about her.
Find a prince whose goals and beliefs follow the traditions and the protocols, and gain a strong place in his court. A strong place could be defined either as a trusted member of the court, or a member of his/her court. There are many Princes in play who do not really uphold the spirit of the traditions and merely do what the hell they want because they are Prince. While the interpretation of the traditions is their choice by the 2nd tradition, Alyssia has no wish to support or be part of a domain that does not loyally respect and uphold the camarllia and its full structure.
Her plan is to move into the area will be without exposing her true clan. It would attract to much attention from the sabbat on this area so close to the Mexican border. The Prince and Senshal have reason to know her clan for acknowledgment within their domain, however none other need to know. She will avoid the answer of "what clan are you" with the attitude of "are you the Prince? Then you don't need to know." Her clan will know, as will any Princes she seeks acknowledgment under. Its not that she's ashamed of her clan, she just doesn't wish the big ass target on her head from the sabbat or does she feel the neonates need to know, or have the capacity to understand such a thing.
2. What are your characters long term goals?
Keep the sabbat from gaining more of a hold in the New World. This has been her goal since the monarchy in Spain fell a second time. Since she has been here, the sabbat have gained more and more of a hold onto this New World. Coming to the southern part of the SW region is a way to try and watch the sabbat for the rest of the clan and the camarillia. She is very aware that she cannot destroy the sabbat herself, but by providing information to others she can have them be the tools of the conflict.
Learn to further understand and control the link between obtenberation and oblivion. This is her main goal.
The others are things she feels she has to do as part of her loyalty to Church, God, State and Clan. Her love and scholarly passion comes from the study of the Void and its affects upon wraiths. While some may garden or knit in their spare time, she studies wraiths and shadows through books, religious texts, bad b movies, novels, conversations with wraiths, ect. Each piece of information gained must be studied and proven, so many many years have been poured into this task, and will continue to be.
Protect and uphold the clan, and help the others of the clan punish Gratanio's children. While this is one of those things I feel every lasambra anti should hold dear, Alyssia watched her sire 'die' at the hands of the sabbat lasombra and wishes to make sure this does not happen to any others of her clan. However, from watching that happen she very much understands that a full frontal assault may not be the best way to go. Her fight against the sabbat is one of influences, information and support of the camarillia. Fighting the sabbat helps keep the clan safe, which is one more reason to work against them. Each time she has encountered her clan, they have been firm, testing, protective and kind. Her loyalty towards her new family is very strong, due to the relationship that her sire and Alyssia had and also from being saved from death by Dioghaltis.
Maintain the Monarchy in Spain, uphold the Catholic Church and it decrees. This is a roleplay goal, not something I ever expect to touch in chronicle. Since Alyssia is in the states to see if a democracies, parliaments, and all that really work, I doubt she will have an IC reason to leave any time soon. However, it was her main effort and work for 100 years, and still sits upon her mind. She feels that a Monarchy, appointed by God, is a more effective way to do Gods work for a nation then a parliamentary system. A large group of people might be able to overlook the Well being of the common man, while one King guided by the Church will have a better chance of serving the people properly. Upholding the Catholic Church does not come from her being a lasombra anti, but rather from how she was raised. When her father, in grief over her mothers death, got rid of her to the Church they took her in and finished raising her with kindness and care. Granted, this kindness and care was bought by the large amount of gold her father donated to the Church for her education, but she feels the Church and God where there for her in her time of need. She will remain loyal to the Church for the care they have shown her.
3. What is the real reason the character is in his/her current domain?
It is the last camarilla holdout between Mexico and the USA in the California part of the world. It is important to her to stop the sabbat from gaining the New World and with the recent fall of New York, and other parts of the world, this seems like a good front to fight. However, she learnt from the fight in 1640 that directly attacking all of the sabbat gets your killed (what she thinks happened to her sire) so she is planning a long influence war against them. From the point of the elders of her clan, it should be a good use for the 'young' member of the clan. Even at almost five hundrad years old, her blood (at ninth gen) is most likely going to be consittered weak by most memebers.
Also, with her study of wraiths, Southern Cal is an amazing place with Disneyland being completely controlled by the Renegades. While she knows much about the wraiths in Europe, and some about those in New York, studying wraiths on the west coast should be a new experience. With this being more of a Renegade area, her hope is that the differences in culture and society will give her more of an insight into the wraiths world. Perhaps if she can understand the wraiths outlook on oblivion, then she can understand her own powers better. She currently would be interested in finding out if their outlook on oblivion and all that is different from hiecary wraiths.
4. What gives your character reason to continue existing?
She is very interested in learning about the connection between oblivion and obtenbration. If oblivion is the end of everything (according the wraiths) and obenbration is so linked to it, why do the lasambra have it? How did they gain it? How can the lasambra have this power and still exist? Will this link with oblivion prove to be the undoing of the clan, or can we use it against our traitorous family within the sabbat? If oblivion makes wraiths not exist, and we are that closely linked to it, does that mean that the lasambra are without a soul? And if that is possible, how would God view such a thing?
These are not easy questions, but they are the things that keep her up each morning staring at her ceiling. These are what she wants answers to before her existence is over.
In fact, if the link between oblivion and obtenbration is something that can be exploited, it might be another weapon against the sabbat. Weakening the sabbat is something that she feels needs to be done, and gathering information and resources to fight them is something she can help with. She 'lost' her sire at the hands of these traitors and while she feels it may be impossible to wipe them out, she at least would like to see them contained. Their acts upon humanity are unacceptable, and by accepting the monster inside they become abominations to God.
Just because one has discovered a new life in darkness does not mean that one has to forsake God. Due to the acceptance of the church when she was younger, she has a strong loyalty to them. Thus, one of her goals is to make sure the Catholic Church is strong and supported. In this time of agnosticism and atheism, the church needs the help of its loyal children. Through influence with the church, she both helps support them and tries to enlighten the masses.
Even though the times have changed, and she has kept up with them, the Spain of her youth is where her heart lies. To keep that tradition alive and preserve the culture of her youth among future generations of cainites is very important to her. On that same note, it needs to be said that the odds of my character embracing would be very low, as she feels that the weakening of the blood is a large problem within the camarillia. However, the youth that others embrace and leave does not need to be randomly destroyed but rather educated by their primogen. It is by the influence of this teaching that the culture of her youth can be preserved.
Because everything is a complex plot, taking years and years to work out, that she is always in the middle of some project. Leaving things unfinished is not something she enjoys, so death is really never a consideration since she always has something going on.
5. What are his/her greatest joys and fears?
Her love is scholarly. This is not just the love of books, but the love of knowledge. She is perpetually fascinated by wars, and the strife of humanity. She also has a deep love for humanity, with their fears and hopes. This is one of the reasons she is so drawn to wraiths, as they seem to have a better understanding of their passions and desires. So, her joy comes with the discovery of knowledge and the advancement of her plots.
On a more mundane note, one of her favorite moments is the long, serious conversations until almost dawn. Simple interaction between worthwhile people (no matter what kind of supernatural creature they are) with good conversation is precious to her. Few things get classified as worthwhile however, so hour long conversations are not always the most common thing.
Her fears involve failure of her plots, but more so failure that will cost the clan face or progress. After watching her sire "die" she has become wary of loosing those close to her due to her own lack of knowledge. This is the reason why she spends so much time with Dioghaltis and basically had him raise her like his own. She wants to do the best she can for the clan and herself, and that requires time and effort. She also worries about the gains the sabbat is making her in the states, and wonders if these New World kindred can hold them off. She has no interest in ever seeing the clan unified, so if the New World fell, she would have to flee or die.
6. Which emotions are the primary drives for your character?
Curiosity: There is so much to know about the world and about the powers the blood has granted. While most of the gifts of the blood have been studied, the Void has barely been touched at all (that she knows of). To explore an area of knowledge to which no one else has gone is fascinating to her, but she wants to devote her whole attention to but one area at a time. It is for that reason that she has focused so strongly on the connection between oblivion and obtenibration.
Loyalty: Alyssia was born into a minor noble house that excelled in military endeavors. As a little girl on her fathers lap she learnt what it means to be part of something, and be loyal to it. When her mother died (Alyssia was 14) and her father sent her to be raised by the Church, they continued her education by teaching her to always be devoted to God. After spending over five years in their tutelage, she fully believes in it. Her sire then taught her to be loyal to the clan and camarillia and now that he is 'dead' she wishes to uphold his wishes and beliefs.
Fear: Her mother died in front of her. Her father sent her away and then went missing. Her sire died in front of her. She almost died and had to be saved by a stranger. She deals with wraiths all night long, being exposed to death and oblivion isn't the most heartwarming thing. She is trying to keep those around her alive, and is afraid that the years will pass leaving her with nothing but her wraiths. However, since she doesn't tend to leave her haven all that often (except for court) it is hard for her to make friends. This makes the friends she has very special to her, even to the point that she becomes protective over them.
7. How does your character view the mortal world and its events?
The mortal world is very important, the vampiric one is touched and deeply effected by it. More so, the mortals that make up that world are also important. They are leaders, artists, sculptures, they are indeed God's children. Therefore Alyssia stays abreast of the current events in the world. Her idea of time is perhaps different from others, as she often hears information from wraiths. Because of her constant communication with both wraiths and kindred, sometimes the newer things take awhile for her to get caught up on. She understands and can use technology, but would just rather prefer to do things the 'old way.'
Indeed, her reason for going to the New World was directly dependant on the mortal realm. After Spain's monarchy fell the second time, she chose to investigate how the New World's government really treats its people. Obviously, a King guided by the Church would have a better grip of what God wanted for His people then a large group.
8. What major events shaped your character's past; what were the pivotal moments?
Her first pivotal moment comes at her mother's death. This is what causes her to be sent away to the Church, her father to spend more time on the sea and become missing, and introduces her to the world of the wraiths. It is through this exposure to the church that she is able to meet Emilio, causing the second major event in her life. Her ghouling. This is the time she has to learn everything on her own. It stands as one of the hardest periods in her life, as Emilio let her fail and stumble, proving she was worthy of the blood. It was this period, and EARNING the blood that made her cherish her sire even more. The act of the embrace was less important to her then the fact she had earned that gift from him.
The most important event comes at the battle of 1640. This is the battle between Spain and Portugal in the mortal world, and the battle to regain Portugal from the sabbat in the vamperic one. Alyssia, her sire and his allies prepared for years for this battle, the first major event of her life after her release. Even though this battle is won, it is still her darkest moment. For here she thinks Emilio dies as she lies staked and helpless on the ground. It is only through the salvation of a stranger, Dioghaltis, that she is saved. She leaves the battle with Dioghaltis, with him treating her like an unreleased childer again for almost 90 years. It is this moment in her life that she gains the hate for the sabbat, and the deep loyalty for her clan (or at least the cam part of it). She was saved by a stranger that shares her blood, and she will do her best to do that for another. It was at this point that she also learnt that being able to interact with the dead is not everything, and she would have to develop the rest of her abilities.
The yo-yo life of the Spanish monarchy also became very important to her. While she is able to advance with the times in most ways, the desire for the Spanish culture and lifestyle to stay the same is very strong within her. The rising of the first and second Spanish republic were very annoying to her, the second one causing her to leave Spain rather then see her country's culture destroyed. Even though the monarchy is currently back up, her leaving the country for the New World is not a step that she is planning on taking back. The fight against the sabbat is more pressing here, and there are just as many wraiths to study.
9. What are your character's relations with his/her clan/tribe?
Alyssia is active with her guardian, sending letters and keeping in touch. She is on good terms with Dioghaltis because of that, and because of how she picked up his beliefs from his teaching. She believes her sire to be dead, yet when he was alive they were on very good terms. Since Dan (Emilio's player) and I will most likely run into each other at the first regional game I attend with this character (if I get it approved) we will then have to role-play that out. It would be my assumption those good terms would continue.
It is my complete intend to be on good terms with the clan at all costs. I have no intention on playing anything other then a completely cam and clan loyal character. I also understand that this is a clan that will kill or severely punish my PC if she/I screw up badly. She has no wish to teach obtenibration, as indeed Emilio taught Alyssia that the clans secretes must stay within the family. She also does not wish to expand the family as her blood is weak enough, and she does not wish to contribute to the time of thin blood.
10. How will this character make the game more enjoyable for others?
This character will add a different flavor of lasambra anti and give players who normally would never get the chance to interact with the very cam loyal clan an "in" to role-play with them. Every PC with medium or any Giovanni will have their game enhanced by being exposed to the obenibration/oblivion thing. It is an aspect not many in the game seem to know about, and I think the investigations and questions because of it will make more people involved. It may also upset some Giovanni that someone has something that can threaten their wraiths thus letting that avenue be role-played out.
11. What will this character add to Sanctioned play?
This character, as all lasambra anti do, will further flesh out the camarillia and the differences between it and the sabbat. I admit that their are some very good lasambra anti in play, but the aspect of the tie in with Obtenibration and the Wraith venue is something almost completely overlooked. While it is not the standard path most would take, we have enough lasamabra anti in the chronicle that one with a slight twist would be possible. The other thing this character will do will make the distribution of the lasambra more even. It does not make sense in WW's world that their should only be one female lasambra anti in play. Adding a second will make it more realistic, and more believable. There is a side benefit here, that being that Ammie (the female lasambra anti player) and I look similar enough that we are often asked if we are related. The clan has a "look" in out chronicle, and I feel that I can further contribute and enhance it.
Further, the Giovanni clan do often not have reasons or ways to interact with strong cammarillia loyalists. I feel that adding a lasambra anti with interest in wraiths and oblivion will give the Giovanni clan another thing to interact with and bring out an aspect of our chronicle that is not normally played with.
12. Why do you want to play this concept in particular?
At NEGLECt I happened to room with Ammie. Walking into game with her made me notice the ripples that went through the room as she entered. Later in the evening my PC was forbidden from messing with Dan's character. Entranced by both of them, I found out they were playing lasambra anti. I, like most people in the cam, have always been in love with the lasambra clan. However, in our chronicle I also really like the people that portray the anti side of the clan. I think I would get great enjoyment from roleplaying with them, and I feel that I could contribute to heightening their enjoyment of the game.
I like the elegant, loyal, traditional aspect that the lasambra anti portray. Yet I wished to take that formal concept and move in a slightly different direction. This is why I incorporated the wraith idea. Locally we have many people with medium and many Giovanni in play, and I thought that someone studying the Void/Oblivion thing would work well with my local games. I also think it would be a very fun concept at regional games, giving me a topic of conversation with many people.
I also think that the roleplay will be interesting for a character who cares about humanity, yet spends her free time studying the world of the dead. Most of the people who I see with similar concepts are on Death and the Soul, but I very much wish for Alyssia to have compassion for those who have died. They are not just tools to her, but humans who have just taken another step on their way to God. Thus although she would have them to her bidding, she also cares about their existence and wellbeing.
13. How will you be like a storyteller in the play of your character?
While I have no desire to be a storyteller, I have always enjoyed plot and being involved in them. This character has a great ability to be used by ST's for plot. Often there are wraiths introduced to the game bring in plot and Alyssia would just be another tool in an ST's arsenal. Disneyland is in the area, and in our chronical it is a renegade hideout. I do not think I have ever seen this come into play since I have played in Orange County. I think that a character like Alyssia could drawn out those sleeper plots and make the game more interesting for the Giovanni and anyone with medium. By allowing my character to be used as a way to communicate plot and past information, I feel I will make a ST's job easier.
The agreement to the following statements. "I agree that the ability to play this character concept is a privilege and not a right. I understand that a storyteller may revoke the ability to play this character if I as a player abuse this privilege. I also understand that I may be denied the ability to play this concept merely because of game balance/ over abundance/ does not conform to the campaign. I have the right to ask and receive the reasons for denial of character concept or revoking of character."
I agree completely.
This was by far my favorite character to dream about. Mat may have been more fun to play, but the dream of Alyssia... Ah. Alyssia.
