Raphael Christian Villalobos de Cartejena

League of the Night

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Sobriquet: The Sable Duke or simply Don Raphael.

Appearance: Despite the title, the Sable Duke is fair complected as many Spaniards of the northern provinces are wont to be where the Moorish armies never came to call. He stands a fair 165 centimeters tall and 85 kilos in weight, he is given to wearing the latest in European fashions. Don Raphael is compact with a professional athletes build and the strait backed carriage of a man raised in the era of whale-bone and a military gait. Nonetheless, Don Raphael can be civil, even charming, but implacable to his enemies in and out of court.

Behavior: Don Raphael can be described best as charmingly polite and surprisingly upbeat, few who meet the Sable Duke are expecting so modern a use of dialect or a willingness to use the vernacular of the era or setting. Many often take Raphael for a much younger immortal because of an uncharacteristic ability to keep up with the times which has won him many allies at court and few surviving enemies on the battlefield.

History: As the first and only vampiric ruler of Phoenix Raphael de Cartejena first came to power in the 1870's. If there were Kindred in Phoenix before this time, none now survive to tell of a time before Don Raphael's rule. According to the stories told in the court, Don Raphael was alone save for his childer in the rough frontier town of Phoenix for decades before the first Kindred arrived and asked his permission to remain.

All are aware that Don Raphael is much older than any of the other Cainites of Phoenix and the most extreme stories paint the origins of the Sable Duke as a conquistador come to the new world in the train of Cortez. Whether the stories are true or fiction, Don Raphael has ruled Phoenix first as prince under the Camarilla and then as Duke under the League without challenge for nearly three hundred and fifty years.

League Investiture: 2007

Rumors: Its well known that the Sable Duke had more than a hand in the formation of the League of the Night despite his absence at the 2006 Declaration of Secession and the Charter of Regency. What the plans of the Sable Duke are for the future is anyones guess, undoubtedly they involve the governance of the league; some believe that Don Raphael seeks the Archduke’s seat, but those who have studied the history of the Lasombra know better for the Lasombra prefer to rule from behind the throne.

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