Brian O'Reilly's Retainers

Brian O'Reilly

The Lithuanian Guard

Based on some great service he provided the Lithuanian people in the past, Heinrich of Volstag is able to call upon service from many individuals. While it is unknown what limits there might be on this boon, Heinrich is known to take certain individuals into service periodically. In the year 2000, he provided his youngest childe, Brian O'Reilly, with a cadre eight of experienced ghouls, veterans of the armed forces, as bodyguards. When most of the original cadre was killed in 2022, the survivors (some of whom were now Brian's Childer) called upon the same service, and ten more veterans of Lithuania's military arrived, ready to take up service as Ghouls to a Vampire. They then filled out their ranks by recruiting mercenaries, veterans and bodyguards of other nationalities, with a particular eye toward any Baltic expatriates they could find. Four of these were killed by Sabbat forces in September, 2029.

Aras Valdemaras and Bronius Gintaras are now childer of Brian O'Reilly. Jurgis Ąžuolas was embraced as a last-ditch tactic by a Brujah anarch and served as an adopted childe until his death in 2029. Daumentas Skuodzius was embraced by Bronius in 2029.

In 2030, the Lithuanian Guard accompanied Lord Brian north to Yorkshire to finally end the Avalonian - Sabbat War. The assault on Leeds and surrounding cities quickly turned into a rout and then a clean-up action which lasted about eighteen months. Among all of Lord Brian, now Baron Brian's retainers, they alone were without casualties which ensured the Guard's continued place as the primary protectors of the Baron. In the twelve years following the Yorkshire Conflict, the Guard has quietly fleshed-out its ranks with Baltic expatriate soldiers to the tune of one a year. So the Lithuanian Guard currently numbers seven senior staff, thirty privates and another dozen support staff; this makes the Guard a significant paramilitary group in Yorkshire and the pride of the Baron. It also means that their activities are harder to hide due to the number of obvious soldiery. The Guard is also a significant drain on the Baron's resources as they utilize the best equipment, have their own training base, medical facilities, armory and housing. They also regularly equip themselves with the latest field tested weaponry and a few of them are producing personalized weapons crafted to their own specifications. Significant monies and Dominate are required to keep these activities from being noticed by government agencies, watchdog groups and the odd nosy mortal.

Senior Staff

• -- Petras Iljinas -- Commander of the Lithuanian Guard. His official title is Colonel. Promoted in 2031, following the Embrace of Daumentas Skuodzius.
• -- Niele Pavilionis -- Medic and last living (and not undead) member of Brian's original guard. She holds the rank of Major, but does not command the guard.
• -- Andrius Harpeng -- First lieutenant (bodyguard unit).
• -- Vilhelmas Dailide -- Senior sergeant specialist (helicopter pilot).
• -- Audra Jurcin -- Sergeant specialist (sniper).
• -- Mykolas Urbon -- Corporal.
• -- Jeanne Bikinas -- Corporal.

The Rank & File

The rank and file consist of thirty Baltic expatriate soldiers carefully selected by Colonel Petras Iljinas. All received honorable discharge from their nation's military and all were highly rated and decorated soldiers before their were contracted to serve the Baron. While a few have received the distinction of becoming one of the Baron's ghouls, most are simply blood-bound and all are well paid in addition to any other rewards provided by the Lithuanian Guard. They are all essentially aware of the Baron's special nature, if not the particulars of his immortality. Each received their blood-bond through "shots" administered by Doctor Pavilionis, the same way the majority of the ghouls received their monthly allotment of vampire blood. While a few of these soldiers are Lithuanian, the majority are not as they come from one of three different Baltic nations: Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia. All members of this elite guard speak Lithuanian during active training, while on duty or during missions.

The Support Staff

The support staff consist of twelve former Baltic expatriates split evenly between their respective nations and most only served the minimum time required in their respective nation's military. All were honorably discharged after their term of service or the Colonel wouldn't have brought them into the Lithuanian Guard. While collectively they are ranked as officers, which puts them above the enlisted soldiers, they are each members of very specific teams under the authority of one of the senior staff. One serves as the communications officer for the Guard headquarters, another serves as computer specialist, two work directly for Doctor Pavilionis as medics, two are dedicated specialists who maintain weapons stored in the armory and four serve as mechanics in the Guard's motor-pool.

Fallen Heroes

• -- <<Private Morta Karolis>> -- DECEASED -- KIA in October 2022 in Quebec City by the Sabbat Librarians Coven.
• -- <<Private Tomas Petras>> -- DECEASED -- KIA in October 2022 in Quebec City by the Sabbat Librarians Coven (He liked Freddy Murcury).
• -- <<Private Irûna ir Ieva Yoffe>> -- DECEASED -- KIA in October 2022 in Quebec City by the Sabbat Librarians Coven.

Bulgarian Ghouls

• -- Boyana Luben -- Former homicide detective and now a private eye in Leeds.
• -- Arkady Todorov -- A Bulgarian general who now serves as a United Nations military adviser.

Quebecois Ghouls

• -- Dr.Gisèle Vérène Fay -- museum administrator & free ghoul
• -- Dr. Pierre Leclerc -- mortician & ghoul

The Companions -- Bodyguards and recruits from around the world

Technically, the companions are equal members of Brian O'Reilly's bodyguard, but since the core of that group is Lithuanian, recruits from other countries hold a kind of second class status within the organization. Most were trained in Quebec City by Aras Valdemaras, but others were recruited for specific acts of competence or in desperate situations. Before his death, Jurgis Ąžuolas was particularly fond of "recruiting" those who showed potential, and had a ridiculous number of blood-bound retainers who he tried to integrate with the groups combined bodyguard force "on the fly." Following his death, it fell to his siblings and sire to sort them out.

Between them, Brian's childer attempt to ensure that at least 30 well-armed security personnel are close enough to respond to danger wherever Brian ("The Principle") goes, along with whatever assistants and specialists he might need. Aras and Bronius each keep five of their own bodyguards with them, in addition to those they "maintain" for their sire's protection. For the past decade, Bronius has been responsible for the majority of this coordination, as Aras has remained in Quebec City, maintaining his Sire's territory there and training replacements (as well as earning money by providing security services for companies around North America and Europe).

Quebecois and Canadians form the majority of these recruits: The recent War of Independence (AKA Quebec Crisis or Quebecois Rebellion) has left many experienced combatants without a legal source of income. Aras specifically looks for retired soldiers (though he is not shy about offering "retirement bonuses" to active duty officers who show potential), and jumps at the rare Baltic expatriate. Though they remain a significant minority, Aras also seeks out competent women because they blend in more easily and can go some places men are not allowed.

• -- Fabian LeBlanc -- First Lieutenant.
• -- James Smith -- Second Lieutenant.
• -- Hendrik Soosar -- Sergeant major.
• -- Coralie Martel -- First sergeant.
• -- Francoise Poulin -- Staff corporal.
• -- Andrew Benton -- Lance corporal.