Sckekto, Nosferatu Primogen

 Image: Sckekto is cursed by the blight that all Nosferatu endure.  His face is a hideously distorted nightmare with his skin pulled back grotesquely, his entire visage is pinched and exposed. When encountering the city’s homeless, he often times hides behind his obfuscate powers to allow him to look like an extraordinarily pale lithe man with flowing white hair.  When he speaks he speaks clearly with a faint accent and his voice suggests that he may have been embraced relatively young in life.  Nevertheless, when he does speak, a heavy sense of world-weariness permeates his tone and makes him sound far older than he actually is.

Background:  Originally Ruldolph Grantil, the creature known only as Sckekto made his entrance into the world of the Damned in the year 1723 during an annual raid on his village by a pack of Sabbat Nosferatu.  He and some other villagers banded together and conspired to fight back the creatures.  Come the night of the attack, Ruldolph and his comrades launched a very daring (and very foolish) raid against the Nosferatu, actually killing three of their number with fire and burning spears before they were summarily slaughtered.  The Nosferatu, amused by the leaders defiance, embraced him and made him part of their pack christening him “Sckekto”.  Sckekto wandered many an unhappy decade with the pack, doing his best to absolve himself from as much of the bloodshed as possible.  Unfortunately, the bonds of Vinculi can be stronger than ones convictions and Sckekto was forced to commit his share of atrocities.

Finally, just near the turn of the 20^th century, his pack bit off more than it could chew when it tried to raid a Lupine Cairn.  Of course the fact that they didn’t know it was Lupine holy ground may have had something to do with their demise. The fact that they didn’t know it was Lupine holy ground may have had something to do with Sckekto’s clever omission of the fact.   Sckekto utilized his powers of Obfuscate and Animalism to escape unmarred. 

  Over the next few decades, the remorseful creature did his best to make amends, watching over different villages and trying to spare them from the Sabbat’s depredations. Alas, trying to defend against the Sabbat in Romania is much like trying to destroy a tank with a toothpick: impossible.  Thus did Sckekto languish in his own self-perceived failure.

  It wasn’t until the fall of Vistalki to the Camarilla in the late 20^th century that Sckekto saw his chance at redemption. Aiding the Nosferatu resistance leader, Vladimir Marko, he saw the fall of the Sabbat in Vistalki and the rise of the Camarilla.  Unfortunately, his elation was short-lived, as Alexei and the Toreador clan orchestrated Marko’s fall and the banishment of the Nosferatu from the city.  Still, Sckekto persevered and waited for the time when he would be able to aid his clan in regaining their former honour.

  That time came with the arrival of an unlikely ally: the warlock and industrialist, Nicholae Zaitsev. Sckekto watched in morbid glee as Alexei was outmaneuvered time and time again by the ambitious Tremere.  Aiding Nicholae subtly where he could, he felt no small measure of pride when Alexei was deposed and the Toreador clan cast into shame.

  Of course, Nicholae was appropriately grateful when it was revealed to him that Sckekto and his clan aided him greatly in his bid for princehood and graciously granted them the suitable compensation, granting them greater territories than they had ever seen and a place back on the primogen council with Sckekto at their head.  Sckekto and his clan now work steadily to ensure that Nicholae’s reign is a long and prosperous one and Nicholae and Sckekto personally have become close friends and comrades, a sight that is unusual to be sure.

Sckekto also keeps a close eye on Mischa, the Malkavian, whose fascination with the grotesque and her constant exposure to his clan (and her obsession with him personally) causes him great concern.  He is wary of Jacen, who he believes will attempt to wrest control from Nicholae.  Sckekto has no illusions about what will happen to the status of his clan should a Brujah claim the seat of power, and thus often times works covertly against Brujah interest, supplying information to their enemies, and allowing the Gangrel to use their sewers freely.  Also, Sckekto maintains vigilance against Bella Giovannni and her necromancers encroaching upon his sewers.  While there have been no serious acts of violence yet between the pair, most feel it is only a matter of time.

Roleplaying Hints: You are in a desperate search for peace, for redemption.  Like an atoning angel, you watch over your flock: the poor, the homeless, the discarded and unwanted.  Nicholae has entrusted you with caring for the underdwellers of Vistalki and you intend to do just that.  Of course, the prince could use someone to watch his back and that someone is you.  You’ll be damned if you’re going to see your clan cast out again in shame and thus your prince and your friend can count on the support of you and yours for many years to come.  Still, the nagging fear that someone may discover your shameful past haunts you still and sometimes you wonder if it’s only going to be a matter of time before the whole thing comes crashing down around you. Outwardly you exude an air of cynicism, inwardly though, you do your best to hope for, and work for, a chance to be able to be rid of this shame once and for all.  Above all else, do not fail again in your duties to protect those who are weaker than you.  Any who would seek to do them harm must be met with terrible vengeance.

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