The Puppet Masters of Paris
Ancient Kindred always have used their lesser berthren to further their own aims, in the same way the the younger Vampires used mortals. Paris was chosen by destiny to become the battleground of immortal creatures that battled each other for ages, creatures so old their names are only remembered by the older and most paranoid Kindred.
Few things can be said about the Lords of Paris. As they are the one holding the strings, their reaction is harder to predict.
Contents
Organization
There is no organization between the Kindred called Lord or Lady in Paris. They are usually opposed to each other and have no desire to meet with the others. If they know at all the presence of others, that is.
Lasombra Antritribu Francesca, La Signora Negra
Francesca
5th Generation Lasombra Antitribu. Childe of Montano, Grand-Childe of Lasombra. Elder Status: ****
Francesca was among the Lasombra to join Gratiano into the growing Sabbat sect, and soon became, thanks to her political talent, respect among her fellow Sabbat Founders. She kept a presence in Rome when others fled to America, or hid themselves among their asciendas in spain. Her mastery of Obtenebration made her feared, too, by the Camarilla Elders, and by her own Sabbat friends. She was working hard to destroy the Camarilla, and she was such a danger for the sect she was among the ten most wanted Kindred by the Camarilla. Then she disappeared, making some Sabbat wonder if some Methuselah, an Antediluvian puppet of course, had not destroyed her.
She is still remembered as one of the Founders of the Sabbat, and one of their greatest loss as war casualty against the Camarilla, thus explaing her Elder Status of 4 (still valid for those knowing she is still alive).
She is now masquerading through Vicissitude as Carla, a Toreador, after asking Villon the right to establish herself in Paris in exchang of vital information about the Sabbat. Still, someone, probably Montano, plays chess behind her, manipulating events to fit his own needs and the needs of the Lasombra Antitribu: The Sabbat Pack of Paris is one of her Childer, and only Montano's influence had prevented her from asking herself if something wasn't behind this apparent luck.
Her actual aim is, now, to establish the Lasombra Antitribu as a full Clan within the Camarilla. She knows it will be difficult, and so, works hard to make herself absolutly necessary to the Sect. She choose Paris because of the concept of Primogen there was different from other Camarilla cities: Indeed, a Setite Elder, Theti-Sheri, had been accepted as full member by the Camarilla. Soon after, the Setite became Duchesse. The fact that a Daughter of Cacophony, Constance had became Duchesse too only reinforced Francesca's conviction.
She is wondering if she could unite the Caitiff, known in Paris as the Gueux or the Bâtards, creating a force equal to the Sabbat Panders Clan. It would be a powerful force, but the Anarchs existence makes this difficult.
Her greatest pawns are her Childer, Gianluca and Tania, and she now wonders if she could use Tania's friends to further her own aims: Juan is a very powerful Gangrel who could if circunstances helped it, take the place of Diane, or at least use his influence within the Gangrel Clan to help her; Catherine is a strong-willed Bâtarde who already started subtles tries to unite the Gueux within the Anarchs...
She also have great influence over her lover, the Toreador Arnaud.
Her mortal pawns are different medias (one TV channel), and not so successful tries to infiltrate the French Intelligence Agencies.
About François Villon: Like everyone else, she doesn't know about Villon's Omniscience, so most of her Intrigues are uncovered and countered if needed. The problem is that she does not know about the influence her own Sire, Montano, as over her, so Villon can't learn it, even if something bothers Villon's Auspex...
About Marduk: She doesn't know of Marduk's presence, even if the existence of republican Ventrue never fail to surprise her...
About Meryt-Neith: She doesn't know anything about her, but what is whispered among the older Kindred about the supposed Wife of Thoth, Sechat, who created the Hieroglyphs and the Magick, supposed destroyed in the time of the last Ramsesides. Montano, still, saw Meryt-Neith's and Nebneferptah's hand in the fight between two powerful Methuselah in the begining of the christian era.
About Nebneferptah: She knows nothing about it.
Toreador François Villon, Prince of Paris and France
Villon
5th Generation Toreador. Childe of Helena, Grand-Childe of Minos, Grand-Grand-Childe of Arikel. Elder Status: ***
François Villon is the gift of Helena to the Clan Toreador, a True Artist with such a vision he almost succeeded in creating a land where art could be free from the control and intrigues from the other, lesser Clans (i.e.: All other Clans...).
Some believe Arikel's hand should be seen there through Helena's Childer, wondering why one is an trusted Elder of the Camarilla while in the same time another, Meelinda, was (until Mexico's earthquake) the Regent of the Sabbat. More strange: The Embrace of his Sire occured in a island where Antediluvians had battled against the Baali, and now, he was among the Childer of these Antediluvians to fight what Alexis called Corruption, and what could be well a spawn of the Baali...
Still, Villon is free (a controlled Toreador would produce nothing) and is not blinded by his own partial successes. He understood others are playing within his territory and could well destroy his pet creation before it is completly born.
His power is incredible in scope: His influence among the Faerie is growing steadily since the Embrace of Violetta (See The Giovanni Chronicle II: BloodFire). His influence within the Kindred is unshakable, and his control of France through his Toreador Lieutenants is absolute.
Still, he is the younger Lord, and lacks global vision, thus trying to find clues to complete the puzzle. His Auspex Omniscience power is his greatest tool to this aim.
His greatest pawns are his own lieutenants, Lazlo, the Toreador Duc who have influence over most Kindred of the Cour; Ivan, whose control over the police, army and the Intelligence Services is total, and whose sub-sect, the Masques is a real powerful (and successful) tool of repression against Sabbat, Anarchs and enemy Elders alike; Alexis, whose loyalty can't be neglected (even if Villon knows Alexis tries to serve two masters in the same time), who control the Veilleurs; but also Elle, his prefered lieutenant, whose influence and intrigue talents are unmatched in Paris; and most Toreador or France. His ties with the Faeries gives him an edge that has yet to be correctly estimated.
About Francesca: Villon knows about her aim to establish her Antitribu as a full Clan within the Camarilla, and to drag with her the Caitiff into a Camarilla version of the Panders. While his contempt against the Bâtards does not go to murderous length, he knows his position would be forfeit, and so works hard to weaken her and still to keep her to protect Paris from the Sabbat.
About Marduk: Villon discovered Marduk's action slowly, when he regrouped information gathered over the centuries. He doesn't know the name of the nemesis, but know of his Clan: Ventrue.
About Meryt-Neith: He is the only one among the Lords to know Laureen is a simple Avatar of something more powerful (his Omniscience once breached through Meryt-Neith's Obfuscate long enough to permit him to see images of Egypt, of a powerful red-haired Kindred and powerful magicks, and of a cold computer-like mind behind the apparent viciousness and contempt of Laureen).
About Nebneferptah: For Villon, the thing called Corruption is probably a Baali, so he urges Alexis to search for this mysterious Bloodline. He has yet to understand the Corruption is a more global threat against the Kindred, but also the Garou and the Mages.
Ventrue Marduk, Bane of Gods
Marduk
5th Generation Ventrue. Childe of Tiamat, Grand-Childe of Arakur, Grand-Grand-Childe of Veddartha. Elder Status: *****
Marduk's aim is to build a civilization whose existence should rival eternity. After centuries, millenaries of research within both the Mortal and Kindred Societies, he believe to have found the way. Knowing the other Ventrue would resent his meddling in their own territories, he choose a virgin one. But with time, others came in and even conquered it. But this only strengthened his resolve, and the Republican Ventrue, who will establish in time the first step to Marduk's utopia, are growing in power.
The problem is that Marduk now believes other Methuselah to challenge his propriety, and he resents it greatly. For only they, and the Endtimes, prevent him from reaching his aim...
About Francesca: Who? Marduk doesn't know about her, but recent Obtenebration manifestations in Paris raised his interest. Should Francesca be discovered, the intrigue battle between the Ventrue and Lasombra would be mighty indeed.
About François Villon: Upstart who happened to be in the right spot in the right moment. Marduk despises the Toreador Prince, and almost neglects him, trying to see the hidden hand behind the uninspired Anarch who helped the bastardization of the Latin tongue into the French thing.
About Meryt-Neith: Marduk knows of Meryt-Neith, but he would be surprised (and worried) to learn of her presence in Paris. He believes she has been destroyed when Set purged his first Childer.
About Nebneferptah: Who? Marduk knows about the Corruption effect in Paris, but believes (almost rightly) the Setite to be the cause of it. If he could, he would Blood Hunt the whole Setite community of Paris, and their Toreador protectors...
Knight of Meryt-Neith Meryt-Neith, Lady of the Knights of Meryt-Neith
Meryt-Neith
4th Generation Cappadocian Unknown Lineage. Elder Status: *****
Meryt-Neith is some kind of legend among the Kindred, through is was largely biased by the Setite's twisted view of the history of Egypt. Alexis' archeological discoveries added some truth to this history, but these answers only added more questions: Thought to be Set's own Childer, she was known to be Regent of Egypt until the Hyksos invasion (around -1750). She was thought to have created the Hieroglyphs and to be the Chronicler of the Egypt mortal and Supernatural history.
Alexis'investigations, revealed to some Camarilla Elders before she could prevent it, blured all this: Her Lineage wasn't determined exactly, as she was described in ambiguous egyptian words: Set's Lover, Set's Faithfull Sister (Queen of Egypt, as he was King, nothing to do with true sisterhood), or Set's Childe. More descriptions added no known or precise Clan Weakness, through she could well be a Cappadocian, Setite, or member of an obscure Bloodline, now extinct.
While Meryt-Neith's Obfuscate prevents discovery, this discussion and Alexis apparent (and suspect) lack of results about research about her helped her name to make surface again in the Elysiums, and some believe it is a sign of incomming Gehenna.
While Meryt-Neith is not the source of the Paris today's events, she is one of its actresses. Renegade member of the True Hand known as Hecate, her Nemesis, Nebneferptah, had been her most singleminded hunter, through her various incarnations. She thought to have destroyed Nebneferptah in Paris in the third century of our era.
It was a mistake. His power of Thanatosis protected him from the sun's light, but he was forced into Torpor and has yet to awaken. Still, it gave her time to resplenish her Knight's ranks (greatly weakened by the fight against Nebneferptah's own minions) as well as work at what would be known in the twentieth century as the Hekau Path of Veille, thus enabling her to use various incarnation (a.k.a. Avatars) to further her own ends.
It was one of them, Laureen, who discovered the presence of Nebneferptah, and his metamorphosis in a thing so foul, so corrupt, drawing to him the dying Vis of Paris even her computer-like mind was horrified at the possible consequences.
Her greatest pawns are her Knights, whose power and numbers could permit them to take over one of most Sabbat, Anarch or Camarilla city in the world. The Veilleurs are also of some research help. Among the Parisian Kindred, three of them are now powerful enough to counted as greatest pawns: Chad (who moved to Bregenz) and Juan are among the most powerful Gangrel of Paris, and if they helped each other, they could well take over the Clan through subtle manipulation and permit the uses by Meryt-Neith of its resources (among them, Lupine help!); Ron Stewart is a Brujah who is known to have destroyed three Mages by day (!) and whose power could lead it to some position of leadership among the Brujah or the Anarchs (or both!); Alexis is, too, one of her Knights, and his information network, as well as influence within french administration and french Kindred is very helpful.
One of her most surprising pawns are the Mages of the Hermetic Tradition of House Shaea. While they were weak at first, their numbers, prestige and power increased after the War of Traditions. They believe Sechat is their patron Avatar (Note: For more informations about Avatars, see Mage: The Ascension), and the effective existence of such Avatar could well surprise those who believe they know Meryt-Neith...
Last but not least, her various Avatars (a.k.a. incarnations; nothing to do with Mage's Avatar), who enable her things a normal Kindred could not do (like being murdered and still survive... At a great cost, but still, it's better than joining the Wraiths...).
About Francesca: She knows of the presence of the Lasombra Antitribu in Paris through the Veilleurs, a sect Meryt-Neith uses to do occult research in Paris with the final aim to destroy Nebneferptah. She knows of the Sire of Francesca, Montano, also known as Montou, the Falcon God, in Ancient Egypt. So she believes his other Childe, Amon is not far and will come soon. Still, she wonders at the real aim of the Lasombra Methuselah.
About François Villon: She neglects' Villon role in Paris, as a powerful, but too much young Prince to be of any real danger or influenc e. She does not realize Villon knows Laureen is not what seems to be, as he discovered through the use of Omniscience Laureen couldn't be scanned (and thus was much more powerful than she wanted to be known to be).
About Marduk: As Marduk never appeared in her Presence, Meryt-Neith never learnt of his presence. And as the Ventrue seem to be normal (that is losing time fighting the influence of the Brujah and the Toreador), she doesn't mind about them...
About Nebneferptah: She knows more than every other Lord about Nebneferptah's history among the Enneade of Egypt (the alliance between various Supernatural, including Mummies, Mages, Kindred and Garous -- See Uraeus for more information) and the True Hand. She believes Nebneferptah is still alive through an unholy pact with Apep (a.k.a. the Wyrm). She is still searching for him.
Khaibits Nebneferptah, Apep's Minion
???
4th Generation Khaibit. Childe of Japhet, Grand-Childe of Cappadocius. Elder Status:
The name of Nebneferptah is forgotten by all but a few among the Kindred. His thirst for revenge, as well as his limitless ambition made him a perfect puppet for the Wyrm. His corruption became total when he was put in Torpor in Paris, and the ashes of his body put in the center of a Wyrm Caern. His own power, combined with the Diablerie of Banes (and other Wyrm creatures) and with the natural sources of Vis of Paris changed him into a creature of nightmare, rivaling in power with the dreaded Nictuku.
He saw the power of the Kinghts of Meryt-Neith, and believes they only wait for him to wake up fully to search for him (through massive use of Auspex to search for his Corruption), and the Wyrm offered him the power to create an army of equal power. The Corruption of a Pack of Lupines was difficult, but when done, he had the most faithful guards he could hope for. He know tries to corrupt Kindred, and among them a Chantry of the Tremere. Some Kindred are already corrupted, among them the Toreador Marlène and the Gangrel Juan. But they are not enough to be reliable soldiers. The Setites were surprisingly (at first) difficult to corrupt, as they were themselves tools of corruption, but even they fell within his powers, and now work for two masters at once: Set and Nebneferptah.
About Francesca: Who? Francesca is the only Lord of Paris Nebneferptah does not know about. Her intrigues had never been directed against him, and have always been sutble, thus avoiding to catch his attention.
About François Villon: Nebneferptah believes Villon is becoming too much powerful, but intrigues to destroy him always failed (damn his Auspex!). He believes Villon is behind the Veilleurs and so is probably his greatest enemy after Meryt-Neith. He once believed Villon was Meryt-Neith, but soon changed his mind (Villon is too much Toreador to the overlogical Meryt-Neith...).
About Marduk: Nebneferptah tries to take over the Sword of Tiamat, and take the control of Dragonskyr. The Republican Ventrue are too pure, too visionnary to not try to corrupt them into serving him. For now, only the Legitimist Ventrue's corruption had enough success for NebneferPtah's taste.
About Meryt-Neith: He knows she's not far, but has yet to detect her, through her influence is plainly visible to all. He knows a lot about her: Her true identities, from Meryt-Neith to Sechat to Hecate, and how she entered the True Hand around -500 and how she was believed to have contamined herself with Vicissitude to experiment with it, and how she fled at the destruction of Andeleon. But he still wonders at her true lineage, and believe such knowledge would give him an edge over her. He ignores, too, her faculty to create Avatars for herself. As soon as the Corruption of the Gangrel Juan will be powerful enough, he will learn from the Gangrel's memory knowledge about the pact he made with Laureen, and so understand Juan is a Knight of Meryt-Neith, and that Laureen is the Methuselah herself!
