Brian O'Reilly's Retainers
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 2021, 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.
Current Members are:
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. Niele's once pretty face is marked with the scars of several fights, and her dark eyes reflect the horrors she has seen. She is usually quiet and withdrawn, coming to life only when her services are needed. She suffers from occasional nightmares and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in quieter times. She has been a ghoul since 1963.
Petras Iljinas Commander of the Lithuanian Guard. Promoted in 2029, following the embrace of Daumentas Skuodzius. Petras is the eldest of the new recruits, having served in the Soviet special forces before being cashiered upon the breakup of the Soviet Union. He then spent a decade training Lithuanian recruits, only to see his efforts sabotaged by bureaucrats who were either incompetent or being paid to ensure that Lithuania could never protect itself. He quit in disgust when Lithuania joined Nato, seeing it as final proof that Lithuania would never stand on its own. Petras looks every inch a military commander, from his imposing stance to his steel-grey crew cut and craggy face. He treats ignorance patiently, ensuring that it does not persist. When dealing with incompetence, Petras' lungs are the envy of any drill sergeant, and his punishments are legendary.
Petras takes a less active role than his predecessors, preferring to break the group up into teams, each lead by a Lieutenant, while he focuses on overall management and training. He trusts his Lithuanian compatriots much more strongly than he does the "Companions." Thus, he has kept them together and closest to Brian. He does his best to mix the ethnicity and skills of his other teams, the better to ensure that one failure (or even traitor) won't cause a disaster.
Andrius Harpeng Lieutenant. A lean, smallish man who took time out of his enlistment to compete for Lithuania as an Olympic wrestler. Andrius leads the team of Lithuanians that is assigned to Brian's close security. Thus, he is the commander who gets the most "face time" with the boss.
Vilhelmas Dailide Sergeant. Vilhelmas is a hot-dog helicopter pilot who is prone to taking unnecessary risks when bored. On the ground, he is the typical adrenalin junkie, enamored of fast cars and faster women. A several-times broken nose is the only flaw in his otherwise slick good looks.
Audra Jurcin Corporal. A sniper who was almost allowed into the all-male army because of her skill with a rifle.
Mykolas Urbon Private. Tall, large, blond and belligerent, though Petras is doing his best to beat it out of him. He is capable of maintaining discipline in the field, but in his dreams, he is Duke Nukem.
Jeanne Bikinas Private. A woman with very average looks and not exceptional combat ability who excels at disappearing into a crowd.
Fallen Heroes:
Private Morta Karolis (deceased - KIA in October 2022 in Quebec City by the Sabbat Librarians Coven)
Private Tomas Petras - Likes Freddy Murcury (deceased - KIA in October 2022 in Quebec City by the Sabbat Librarians Coven)
Private Irûna ir Ieva Yoffe (deceased - KIA in October 2022 in Quebec City by the Sabbat Librarians Coven)
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 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: Lieutenant. A Quebecois from Montreal by birth, Fabian opposed the separatists, and spent the War in a detention facility on suspicion of rebellious sentiments. Released and expatriated when the war was over, he was cashiered from the Quebecois military and warned not to tempt charges of treason. He usually leads those bodyguards assigned to daylight duty. His wide face sports several inexpertly replaced teeth: casualties of hockey games in his adolescence.
The Prince's Other Servants
Detective Boyana Luben (Homicide) (New Major Retainer)
Born: 1978
Ghouled: 2014.
Appearance:
Background: Boyana is a 35 year old, female police officer; she is a seven year veteran of Sofia's growing homicide department. She grew up wanting to be a police officer and spent every extra bit of her time preparing for that eventuality; she is one of Bulgaria’s most highly rated female marksman and competes each year for standing and occasionally prizes.
Notes: circa 2016 I use her influence very sparingly, as the senechel in the city keeps direct control of the police. She is now a senior Detective and we speak about every two weeks. She understand that she will need to start using makeup or something similar to show signs of age. We have spoken about what she wants to do in the next decade or so. She plans to continue her career until she can no longer hide and then move to my personal service.
When the changes in Bulgaria and her domitor's absence became too much to bear, Boyana emigrated. She now works in London as a private detective with only one real client.
Lieutenant Colonel Arkady Todorov
Appearance: Arkady is a tall man of 1.9 meters in height and he weights a solid 107 kilograms. He is muscular, without being bulky and has a lean hard look about him. He has dark hair cropped short and pale skin with a soldier’s tan. He is neat to a fault, but still has a strong five o’clock shadow; his eyes are dark and alert.
Background: Arkady was born in 1975 in the coal mining and industrial town of Pernik. The men of his family have been coal miners for nearly twelve generations; black-lung, cave-ins and 14 hour days were not just realities, but traditions in the Todorov family. While attending the mass funeral of a number of his father’s friends who had died in a mine explosion (coal dust is extremely explosive), young Arkady vowed to god that he would grow up to live a different kind of life, one where he had a fighting chance.
Arkady broke family tradition and his mother’s heart on his 18th birthday, when joined the Bulgarian Army; 17 years of service in defense of his country has earned him the rank of Kapitan, the loyalty of his men and a small fortune from the under- the - table sale of Soviet armaments after the fall of communism.
But Arkady is searching for more than wealth, status is his siren and he seeks her where-ever he can; his ultimate goal is to be elevated to the General Staff. Before than can happen, he must not only prove his loyalty to those above him in station, he must also prove his skill as a soldier and strategist. Unfortunately for Arkady, Bulgaria is currently at peace and though he has served abroad on numerous tours, only a land battle in defense of the motherland will give him the prestige he needs for appointment to the highest ranks of the Army.
Personality: Arkady is stolid to a fault and only three things really ignite his emotions: opportunity for advancement, women and the family he left behind. In all respects, he is a disciplined soldier and despite his self serving nature, he is utterly loyal to the motherland. His ambition isn’t so much a vice as a virtue which has kept his nose relatively clean compared to his compatriots who long ago gave into avarice and self gratification. Graft in the Bulgarian military is an unspoken rule and if one wants to advance, one must have the funds necessary to cover your superior’s vices.
Influence: Arkady is a Lieutenant Colonel in Bulgaria’s Active Army; through great effort and numerous bribes he has managed to gain a posting to the Main Defense Force of Sofia which places him very close to the General Staff (the central military command of Bulgaria’s armed forces). He has 1,200 men in his Battalion; they are broken down into 48 platoons of 25 men each. He has everyday access to heavy weapons, armored vehicles, explosives (including mines), body armor, medical supplies and communications gear. He can requisition additional troops and military intelligence or exchange a favor with an equal in the Air Force / Navy for the transport of troops or hard to find items (smuggling).
Notes: Circa 2016 He is directly involved with the clean up of Gabrovo Grad. He plans to stay in the military until he can longer hide that he doesn't age. Then he will come to work directly for me. He would like to attain higher rank, which might be possible in the upcoming war or the clean up depending on how that pans out. Circa 2020 due to direct intervention of Mikhail of Sophia he was promoted to General and put in direct command of a portion of Bulgrian attack force into Serbia.
