Raymond Carson
- New Orleans -x- Camarilla -x- Caitiff
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Sobriquet: The Auctioneer
Appearance: A tall, thin man with thick, blond hair and bright blue eyes. He prefers casual dress, but when mixing with "proper" society he dresses much more formally.
Behavior: In the hot and humid environment of New Orleans' criminal under-world, Raymond is a very friendly face, but he also plays his hand fairly close to his vest. Beneath the surface, he is all business. Raymond can be a very tough customer, and at times, very unforgiving. Underneath his play-boy exterior, Raymond has the air of a jaded Roman emperor who could turn on his closest ally, should they give him a glimmer of a reason to do so. Only those with power, position or something that Raymond wants are entirely safe from slavery or sale.
History: Those who know of Raymond believe he is an 11th or 12th-generation Tremere, mostly because he associates himself with the clan as much as he is allowed. There is speculation, however, that he may be a Ventrue or even a Giovanni. Even Raymond is unsure of his heritage -- but anyone who calls him Caitiff has made a determined enemy.
Raymond's first memory is of the home of a mage in New York City. This mage introduced himself to the young vampire as Aaron Carson. Carson informed Raymond that he had found him wandering aimlessly through back alleyways near the harbor, uncertain of anything save his name. Carson, who had helped Kindred before, took Raymond to his house. There, the vampire spent several nights recovering from injuries.
The only further clue the mage could give Raymond was a battered map of New Orleans, which Carson had found in Raymond's pocket. Though the vampire questioned Carson for hours, Carson could tell him no more. He finally suggested that Raymond journey to New Orleans to seek his past.
Faced with no other prospects, Raymond agreed and, with the mage's help, traveled to New Orleans. Gaining admittance to the city, however, proved no easy task. Uncertain of his clan, Raymond did not know how to Present himself, or to whom. Nor could he verify his sire, for he could not even recall his true name. Karen Chartry, the Ventrue primogen, took an interest in him and took him to Prince Marcel. Raymond told Marcel his story, omitting only his rescue by the mage.
After listening to Raymond, Marcel considered denying him admittance, seeing the clan-less vampire as potential trouble. Raymond, however, ardently begged to be admitted to the city. He told Prince Marcel of the stories he had heard of New Orleans and of his hope to find some part of his past in New Orleans. Marcel allowed Raymond to stay temporarily in the city, but insisted that he leave should he prove unable to find some clue to his past or his clan.
For the next several months Raymond scoured the city, questioning every Kindred he could find as to whether or not they knew him. Most had already heard of him, however, and may avoided him as best they could. Others refused to talk at all, simply turning their backs on him.
After months of this, Marcel finally summoned Raymond and told the neonate that he must claim his clan or leave the city. With no solid proof to offer, Raymond accepted the prince's decree as he had agreed.
With nowhere else to go, Raymond returned to New York City, where Carson willingly took the neonate back into his home. Hearing of Raymond's experiences in New Orleans, Carson suggested that Raymond's search had not been a failure; rather, it had never really been given a chance to succeed. Aaron immediately suggested that Raymond court the favor of the Tremere, for that clan would likely prove the greatest help in finding his past.
Raymond agreed to Aaron's suggestions, and the mage taught him a number of basic occult powers. When Raymond returned to New Orleans and again sought admittance to the city, he claimed affiliation to the Tremere clan, stating that he had manifested certain magical abilities since he had left the city and felt the Tremere of New Orleans might be able to help in his search.
The prince considered Raymond's request and finally allowed him to stay in the city, but again only for a limited time. Raymond found that nothing else had changed since his last visit to New Orleans. His claim to be a Tremere did little to help his search; indeed, it only caused him further problems. Kindred who had merely avoided him now ostracized him altogether. No Kindred in the city would say so much as a word to him.
After several frustrating nights, Raymond saw no point in waiting to be told to leave. Despite his efforts to assimilate himself into a clan within the city, it was clear that the Kindred of New Orleans wanted nothing to do with him.
Raymond returned to Carson's home, more angry than disheartened. He now wanted some sort of revenge against New Orleans' Kindred, who had so coldly turned their backs on him and refused to help in his search.
Aaron patiently listened to Raymond's story and agreed with the vampire's feelings. The mage claimed that he had been similarly hurt once, denied something of great importance to him. Because of that, Aaron said, he would do what he could to help Raymond search for his past and avenge himself against the Kindred of New Orleans. The mage, however, gave the young vampire's wrath more focus. The other Kindred, he explained, likely only did as Prince Marcel commanded. Therefore, though the others were not blameless, his anger should be centered on the prince.
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