Gideon
From Cam-Wiki
| Clan | Ventrue •• |
|---|---|
| Covenant | Lancea Sanctum • |
| Bloodline | House Ladrone |
| Coterie | Unknown |
| Sire | Cesare Puglisi |
| Embrace | 1926 |
Contact: IC E-mail
Apparent Age: 33
Notable traits: Tends to use a lot of early 20th Century slang
Titles: Confessor
Nickname: The Gargoyle. (As hard, often completely motionless, and hangs around churches)
Description: He is powerfully built (designed to loom threateningly one might say) standing at over six feet, three inches tall, and has slight burns and scars across hands and shoulders, with buckshot scars on the right side of his neck. Despite his size his stillness often causes him to blend in, becoming part of the scenery.
Concept
At the core of the character of Gideon is his apparent belief that he serves the greater good of the Covenant, because in the service of others he has rules of behaviour and guidlines, things he doesn't trust himself to maintain alone. Mafioso of the breed that makes sharks seem compassionate and lawyers look ethical.
Gideon likes....needs.... to keep busy.
The 'strong silent type' is a facade that can be dangerously threatened by inactivity. There is nothing more dangerous then a bored killing machine, because when he is bored he tends to think about the unending existance stretching before him, or the place in hell reserved for the damned. Both concepts terrify him, and like many men raised in violence, the more scared he becomes the more likely he is to lash out at those around him.
Inspiration
Archetype Lasombra from Old World of Darkness based on Eddie 'The Dane' from Millers Crossing and Mel Gibson's Porter from Payback, Viktor from the Underworld movies with a little Caleb from Buffy the Vampire Slayer thrown in.
Story So Far
A snapshot - January 2010
The man in black stands over his writing desk staring at the newly opened letter.
The envelope shows the stains of sea travel, but the covering penmanship is impeccable. Inside, written on high quality writing paper is a long letter in his native Italian. The white paper contrasts sharply with the red stained wood, drawing attention to the importance of those few thin sheets of paper. He reads the words one more time, a flush coming into corpse pale cheeks as excitement rises.
A release, a pardon, second chance. No longer an unwanted pawn on his masters board, this letter made him once again a free-agent. Carefully picks up the symbolic pewter cross shaped dagger that was bestowed on him with the title of paladin, slowly crushes it into a ball of metal, then tosses it over his shoulder. Slowly, deliberately, he peels off his leather gloves and tentatively touches the paper with a sort of perverse reverence.
“Your gloves are off”
“Yes,” flashes an unnerving grin that makes the man tremble, and has nothing to do with humor, “Yes they are.”
Timeline
1893 Born to Rosa and Antonio Mori in Palermo, Sicily
1910 Becomes a cosca with the Sicilian underworld
1912 Has garnered a fearsome reputation for his terrible strength and lack of empathy
1918 Promoted and put in place of 'collections' (protection rackets) for his family
1925 Benito Mussolini begins a crackdown on the Mafia
1926 As part of the last-ditch effort to fight off the government Michael is promoted to a 'night position'
1927 Michael Mori is 'killed' in a car crash, age 35. He watches his own funeral from an overlooking hill
1928 Leaves Sicily for the last time following the destruction of the families
1929 Like so many others he finds himself in the Americas (Chicago), just in time for the great depression.
1930 Without guidance and disturbed by his 'death' Michael turns to the religion of his childhood.
1931 Refuses an offer from Joseph Bonanno to come to work in New York
1932 Tries (and fails) for admission to the Order of the Thorned Wreath and leaves America
1933 Employed by Inquisitor Jebediah Creed to track a kindred while in Madrid.
1985 After 55 years of being unaligned Michael joins the Lancea Sanctum as part of his contractual service with the Bishop of Sicily, he takes the name Gideon. It is rumoured to be a tactical choice to allow unrestricted access to his client, rather then one of faith.
1988 With the coming of a period of peace Gideon steps down from Paladin to serve as Confessor.
2002 With internal upheaval in the Dioceses and the destruction of the bishops more people-friendly Paladin, he is called to once again serve in that role.
2002-2007 Kindred die. Implacable and unrelenting, Gideon brings the peace of the grave to the domain and the covenant, knowing full well that the resentment will linger.
2008 An uncomfortable year as the Bishop tries to find a use for his paladin that will not enrage the congregation further.
2009 (Apr) As an alleged test in his sanctified service he voyages to the back-water of Armidale Australia to find out the fate of those that once ruled there and provide support to any Lance that try to resettle the region. It is no secret that the real reason is to remove a reminder of more hostile times.
2009 (Jun) Arrives in Armidale as ordered. Seeing the opportunity of a courtless area he quickly assesses the only threat to Lance power as Smythe. When Smythe declines the position of seneschal, making clear his ambition, he puts forward the most favoured of the sanctified to take that position in exchange for the Lance's backing.
2009 (Sep) Called to the Prince's inquiry Gideon proves himself ineloquent and extremely uncomfortable as the (albeit temporary) focus of attention.
Quotes
- "Remember that curiosity killed the cat. And its owner. And her boyfriend. And pretty much anyone else that had to find out about what was going on. Some things you just don’t need to know and don’t want to know!"
- Theology? No clue, I just follow orders and let the priests worry about the justification.
- Why didn't I join the Invictus? What, and be one more man-at-arms in a sea of conformity? No thank you, here I can make a real impact.
- Then I wondered "Why would Einstein want to talk to a gorilla?" So I grab the gorilla and I beat it out of him.
- What I do, I do for the good of the Covenant, whether they like it or not.
- The Church actually needs some muscle to back the talk, and who better than Gideon to do the walk... with a lead pipe. - Julian Carmine
Wealth
The depression was a boon for Gideon, with few expenses the money he gathered from freelance work (yay prohibition!) usually went to buy bottomed out stocks, many of which would eventually recover over the following decades. While no longer as insanely rich as he was in the 80's Gideon is now financially comfortable.
Information Known by Kindred Society
- The Ventrue turned Lance acts as a gun for hire for his family and a bodyguard for his Covenant.
- It is unusual for him to be without a patron.
- He has a hatred of sea travel and investigators.
- At the end of October 2009 Gideon had a very public split from the New England Domain, particularly as it stood under Prince Smythe.
Kindred of the Armidale Court.
Due to the mismanagement and inactions, of those based in Armidale I have
been left with little choice.
I hereby dismiss the facade that the hundreds of desolate miles between towns are owned, much less controlled, by a single Prince. This fiction is both painful and damaging to our security.
I refuse to gather once again like lambs to the slaughter in an Elysium watched by hunters who know us so well that they have the Prince on speed-dial.
I also tire of being part of a personal conflict that pits one paranoid lord against an entire covenant. Especially as we have witnessed that man employ torture as a means of questioning, and questioning as a means of control. I do however wish him luck when his bondsman is driven Draugr by this ‘service’.
Most of all I cannot tolerate the foolishness of one that would debase the currency of our kind so easily, dismissing the foundations of the Covenant he professes to be member of.
With that in mind I hereby claim Praxis of the second largest city in this region (after Uralla), the place of my residence, Tamworth and the satellite districts of Manilla, Kingswood, Calala, Nemingha, Hillvue and Oxley Vale. I offer safe passage and welcome to all Kindred of good will, on the prevision that all who pass through here keep in mind the traditions, particularly that of the First Tradition. Please contact me should you wish to establish business, herds, or territory here.
As close neighbours I am happy to maintain ties with the Armidale court, but make no mistake, I reject its authority outside the limits of that town and it's satellite suburbs. I would also urge those dwelling outside Armidale to take a similar action that conflict may be resolved by distance rather than destruction.
Should there be sufficient numbers attending this city then formal court structure will be established once I know the names and abilities of those who will dwell therein.
Mathew Gideon of the House Ladrone
- In December of 2009 this became even more evident with the following declaration
Kindred of the New England,
I Michael Gideon, childe of Cesare Puglisi, Lord and scion of House Ladrone, do hereby publically announce that I have set aside my role as Paladin, and I officially sever my ties to the court of Armidale.
I do this in order that I may serve the faithful more fully in my reinvoked role as Confessor, that all may come to me without fear or favour. With this action I place myself at the service of those kindred of faith that would wish to give confession and be cleansed of their feelings of guilt and remorse. To ensure the inviolate nature of the confessional I claim dominance in that city known as Tamworth. I claim no title as this town would lack the presence for a full court, but I allow for no others to claim praxis (unless they are willing to grant a full regency), or the title of Bishop over this town.
I have distanced myself from the affairs of the covenant as a whole by removing myself from the service of Bishop Evelyn Chapel. While this frees me from directly reporting to the Bishop of the New England, it does not however in any way indicate a move away from the path set down by Longinus. All Sanctified of the New England are expected to make use of this service Invictus of the New England are welcome to make use of my services. All members of other Covenants encouraged to seek absolution in the holy rites.
Lineage
Known Descendants
None
Rumors
Anecdotes, rumours and damned lies. Feel free to add any that you hear.
- Gideon isn't allowed out in public without a senior Lance to keep him in check.
- Has been a member of the Carthian, Invictus and now Lance covenants. He's a complete mercenary.
- Is collecting boons at a horrendous rate, possibly to buy his way back into the Invictus.
- Has been fuming after the public questioning in court.
- Was beaten to Torpor by a Nosferatu pack in Canberra, but revived by the blood of an Elder.
- Has a sense of humour... maybe
- Has declared Praxis of Tamworth, and is waiting for his Prince to do something about it
- Has had a falling out with the Lancea Sanctum of New England
| OOC Information | |
| Player: | Joel |
|---|---|
| City: | Armidale |
| Storyteller: | Christopher Gough |
