Post by Trueblade on Jan 12, 2016 21:04:40 GMT
VAMPIRES
"Humans. Werewolves. Vampires. It doesn't matter. When the time comes I'll be sitting above them all."
BASIC INFORMATION
Name: Victoria Bradford
Aliases: Lady Bradford, Evelyn Grimshaw, Justine Richards, Mary Forrest, Victoria Valentine
Age: 65
Gender: Female
Faction: Court of Fangs (House Valentine)
Rank: Neonate
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Image:
Appearance: Always bearing a sly smile or vicious grin, Victoria seems to have struck a near perfect balance between soft and sharp features. It's namely in the shape of her jawline compared to the sharpness of her cheek bones, but coming from a long line of highborn families tied to the UK, it isn't too surprising. Her complexion is fair, though she seems to grow a bit more pale each passing year for...somewhat obvious reasons (the moon isn't quite so good for tanning compared to the sun), and contrasts with her hair, which has been described as “black as night” on more than one occasion. Her hair is quite long so to keep it manageable she often wears it in a half up, though ponytails and a variety of buns and braids are sometimes chosen instead.
Victoria stands at 5'7” and weighs about 140 lbs, though she's not about to tell you that. Like many of her kind she appears far more youthful than she actually is, having only aged barely if at all since the night she was turned. As such her appearance is that of a young woman, around late teens to early twenties. with red eyes and long black hair tied into a half up. Her body itself is fit but certainly not muscular, and curvaceous but not greatly so.
On the subject of clothing, Victoria wears quite a bit. Or rather quite the variety. As a human she always “dressed well”. She recognized that darker colours suited her on most days just as she recognized that she looked most striking in red. Since her turn and indoctrination into the court Victoria's solid dress sense evolved into lavish mastery. From short red dresses to elegant midnight blues she's truly taken to the elegant fashion of her kindred. The red dress is a favourite of hers, as she can wear it more freely than her more elegant dresses, and she does have a formal suit consisting mainly of a white jacket, matching skirt, with black thigh high heeled boots and matching gloves (it even comes with a short black cape and a larger, more elegant red and gold one), neither of these are her “go-to” outfit or style. For the everyday wear or common situation, Victoria wears a white top with a black fur jacket along with navy short shorts and thigh-high brown boots. Simple, yet striking. All about balance with this night-walker.
It should be noted that Victoria speaks with a, self-titled, “High London” accent. It's just a London, or Essex, accent but she insists it is “more refined”...whatever that means.
Personality: As long as things are going according to plan, Victoria's attitude is always graceful, never blaspheming and displaying a beauty similar to that of a swan. She can weave her way through conversations with practiced elegance and displays a higher level of education when she speaks. Victoria prefers that most people see this side of her, as she was raised to behave as such in nearly any situation even before her turn. It's simply what she was raised to do, and what she must do, if she is to match up to her obsession with power.
Of course, when with someone she's close with, alone, or if she's angered, this side of her personality cracks. When that icy mask is shattered Victoria voice raises to loud volumes and her tone grows deadly cold, her graceful expressions turn to less-than graceful frowns, and her shrewd, arrogant, bossy, perfectionistic tendencies can come to light. Even then both of these sides of her personality make up the entirety of the young noble, along with many other traits, but this particular rift in her personality is caused by the stress of her balancing her personal pleasures, her emotions, and her dedication to the Court for the entirety of her life.
Victoria, more than anything, is dangerously clever. She proved able to adapt and thrive in the political intrigue that surrounds the Court of Fangs. A logical woman, Victoria prefers facts, science, and logic over anything abstract any day of the week. Fittingly she sees most people, kindred or not, as a means to an end. Her cold logic, elegance, and pride have her come off as haughty and cold, when she's not incensed to the point of fury, but despite it all she does mean well for anyone she truly cares about (of which there are very few).
It should be noted that Victoria enjoys teasing others, playing with their emotions in a...usually harmless manner, but she tends to take opponents more seriously. Towards opponents her desire to tease becomes a more sadistic glee. Once she is certain she has the advantage or can she victory in her grasp she will bask in it, indulging her ego and pride while tearing apart what remains of her opponent. She especially enjoys teasing serious people and males that she's come to crush on, as a distant method of flirting. This is hypocritical, as she does not enjoy jokes or teasing when SHE is being serious.
Victoria greatly desires to rise high among the ranks of not just the Court, but of vampiric society itself. Her “Neonate” status does not satisfy her in the slightest, and much of her cunning and time is dedicated into refining and strengthening her blood and her connections so that she may climb up. Lady Bradford has a high elitism attitude as a noble and has always seen others from above, but it should be noted she rarely talks down to any of her kindred and is wise enough to know her place among the Court, however much she may detest it.
It should be at note that Victoria does hide a deeper secret, and that would be the affections for her hound, Raleigh. She does not love Raleigh in a romantic sense, but she cares for him more than she would ever display to any of her kindred. When she feels especially frustrated by the various factors in her life she vents to the Hound and even seeks his advice. Though these social and mental frustrations are not the only ones she's taken out on the Hound...
History: The Court of Fangs may not yet be what they once were, but their ties across Europe are ancient and deep all the same. Many human noble houses were only able to ascend with the aid of vampires from the Court, who used their power to raise loyal humans up in order to take various favours from them. Free feedings from the peasantry, more swords to fend off or even hunt werewolves, and of course coin. Of course with all that happened throughout history many human houses were able to shed themselves of these ties to the night-walkers and their whims. Many, but certainly not all.
Victoria was born to Edward and Lilian Bradford, descendants of the rather old English-Welsh house Bradford. Though they had little to no political power and simply owned valuable land, the Bradfords did have access to an enviable fortune. It was almost questionable in size, in fact many of the Bradford's peers would wonder and ask how their fortune was amassed. Vague answers and jokes were given by Edward, stating “the value of old blood” or “luck of the land”. The Bradfords were rather generous towards their closest peers and that generosity was usually enough to satisfy their envy and curiosity. Victoria never questioned it, though she did learn early on how easily people were bought. How simple it was for them to throw away their pride. Rather than be like that Victoria clung to her pride tightly, and from a young age learned how to safely and subtly lord her family's wealth over the children of her peers to maintain a sort of “alpha” status among them.
Young Victoria was a fierce leader of her tiny friends. If a girl she had a rivalry with fancied a boy she liked she'd buy the boy's attention with new clothes and candies. She'd go so far as to kiss the boy only when this rival was around. That said she did enjoy the company of her friends, she could just be kind of a bitch. This was before she was even ten years old.
Though much of her life was spent in London and at her family manor, Edward would often travel with some associates on business across Europe. There were multiple occasions where Victoria was allowed to come with him. After all she didn't attend a school, she was home-taught by highly paid tutors. So notes of absences and such did not need to be prepared. Victoria has seen nearly all of the UK and much of France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and Spain. She grew particularly fond of Paris for it's various luxuries, but got in many a spat with girls her age there.
In hindsight Victoria should have seen some things coming. When she was about twelve years old she noticed that her father had a few friends who only came around during the night. They seemed well enough, and often times brought gifts for the spoiled Bradford girl. This was usually enough for her to overlook how pale they were, or how their eyes seemed to almost glow. Besides, pale or not they were undeniably beautiful. They had nearly perfect skin and elegant features, and they dressed even better than her parents did!
Edward would claim they were business partners and old family friends mostly from Wales, so the trip to London took so long that they'd arrive at dusk. The most common visitor was a man Victoria would only know as Richard, and he did take a shine to Victoria. He'd give her some chocolate and she'd tell him stories. Namely of how she handles her friends, as those small stories of “conquest” seemed to entertain the pale man the most.
As time passed Richard would spend weekends and occasionally weeks as a guest of the Bradford manner. He was particularly fond of the piano room during the daytime, and would listen and teach Victoria during her studies. During evenings he eventually convinced her to take up fencing and taught her this as well. The two even played chess together at least once a day, though Richard won every single game. Victoria grew to trust Richard more than even her uncles or aunts, of which she had few, and grew to respect him as much as she respected her parents. There was little reason for her to question anything about such a good personal friend. No longer was he simply a family friend, but he was HER friend. She even finally learned of his surname: Godfrey.
When she grew older still, into her late teens, Victoria did start to notice somethings. Her parents began to grow a bit stingy. This did not affect Victoria directly, but she'd hear from her friends that their parents were starting to grow less than thrilled with. After all their fortune never DID get explained, and jealous nobles needed constant rewards to keep their silence. Before long Victoria heard of some investigations into the family business. It was around this time that Victoria started to see less and less of Richard, which only frustrated her more. When she pressed her parents for answers they got shockingly snippy with her, demanding her silence on the matter. It frustrated her and yet there was little she could truly do about it.
It wasn't long before her family's apparent fall from grace did begin to affect her directly. Without wealth and status the friends that she had mistreated to various degrees seemed inclined to exclude and avoid her. This hurt Victoria more than she'd ever care to admit. Though she may have lorded them around she had been a loyal friend to them. She didn't believe she deserved such treatment, and such a simple action would not be forgotten by her. It was far from the worst yet, though.
Victoria was either 19 or 20. She lost count a couple decades ago, as the difference is so minimal and insignificant, but she knows it was one of those two ages. She woke up at night to hear shouting and screaming on the main floor of the manor. Irritated and more than a little frightened, she got up and walked down to see her parents standing face to face with Richard Godfrey and several other “Welsh” business partners. Edward looked distraught and Lilian was on the verge of tears behind her husband. At first Victoria believed there to be some sort of altercation. Richard gave her a reassuring smile, however, as soon as he saw her. In fact he was the only one in the room to do so.
Richard then whispered to something to Edward and, after a moment of hesitation, Edward approached his daughter and explained they'd be flying out to America for a few months on business, and that Victoria was to pack as much as she could. Victoria was skeptical but dared not question it. Besides she had all but lost her friends, so her ties to London were naught but her possessions.
The flight to America was a tense one yet it was filled with mostly silence. Richard joined the Bradfords but none of her father's other associates did so. While Edward and Lilian sat together Victoria sat with Richard. She asked the man about what was happening, but he merely gave the simple answer of “a business exchange”. Whatever that truly meant.
Upon landing in the state of New York the quartet took a limousine straight to New York City itself, their belongings apparently having been “taken care of”. It was nighttime when they had arrived in the city but rather than stop at a hotel or something as per usual, the limo took to them to a large building and stopped there. The four exited the limo and entered the building, where after taking an elevator to the 13th floor, Victoria was met with a shocking sight.
It was similar to a ball room, and yet different in so many ways. Namely different in the lack of dancing. However there long tables scattered across the floor and nearly each of them were full. Men and women wearing masquerade ball masks and absolutely elegant dress-wear sat at each table, laughing it up and enjoying what appeared to be red wine. How was Victoria to know what they really were? She had attended dinners so similar to this, been among those at the tables and sipped red wine as well. The majesty of it all, the hypnotic tones laced and weaved between the very laughter of those around her...Victoria fell into an odd state. Like she had suddenly entered a dream. Her worries, fears, and even her guard dropped almost all at once, and she didn't have the sense or willpower to question why.
Richard took Victoria's arm and brought her forth to a table at the back. For some odd reason she could hear her mother crying. Why? This place seemed lovely. However the laughing and joking at the table ceased when Richard bowed before them. Things began to get hazy at this point for Victoria, and to this day she struggled to recover exactly what happened. Richard presented her before them and they seemingly judged her. “Young” “Pretty” “Promise” these words were not tossed around as praise but were presented to the table as questions to be answered, strangely enough. There were mainly agreements on...something.
One of the men at the table suddenly stood up. He seemed to glide towards her and he removed his mask. His face was that of a young man's, skin pale but perfectly smooth, much like Richard's. Then she felt something odd, yet absolutely magnificent. This man bit into her neck, but it didn't hurt in the slightest. Quite the opposite. Victoria even moaned as she felt her legs wobble. It was one of the most wonderful sensations she had ever experienced, and when he released her throat and licked it she nearly wanted to ask him to do it again. She was too lightheaded to speak, barely conscious enough to think.
“House Valentine approves” are among the last words she remembers from the night.
The next day Victoria awoke with a headache, almost as if she had too much wine. She was in a rather luxurious bed, with soft silk sheets and the fluffiest pillow she'd ever laid her head upon. As such getting out of bed was a mission, but her curiosity forced her up. She didn't recognize the room she was in and she wanted to discover why she was here.
However before she could truly exit the room Richard entered. He told her to sit down before explaining...quite a bit. Evidently the Bradford family owed much of their success and wealth to a family even more powerful than them. Richard referred to it as House Valentine, which had a seat among some “Court of Fangs”. Victoria's ancestors struck an agreement with this Court, or at least House Valentine, and slowly rose to great fortunes and status. The agreement lasted for centuries, and even remained to that day. The Bradfords paid a handsome tribute to the Court, and the Court would bring them success.
Richard then added that the tribute was not always money. In the past it was often peasants themselves to be used as slaves...and as food. A very panicked Victoria then had to listen to an explanation that the Court of Fangs was a sect of influential vampires. An even more panicked Victoria was then told that she was now a member of the House Valentine...and that she had already been turned.
Apparently the House's demands of the Bradfords had increased quite a bit over the years. They had lost numbers over the centuries from a mixture of...unfortunate circumstances. Night Hunters and the Church playing at least a small part, with a few desertions that ended tragically as well. So they felt the need to tap deeper into their resources to rise up again, the Bradfords being a valuable resource.
Indeed the Bradfords continued to earn great wealth but sending live humans to the Court grew more and more difficult as the years pressed on. Investigations into missing persons were stronger and more thorough, and the Bradfords were not trained body snatchers. They had too much status to risk it all trying to nab a pauper for the vampires. But as much as the Valentines valued money, nothing was more valuable than blood. And if the Bradfords would not give them supplies then they would pay dearly for the Court to obtain their own instead.
As such Edward and Lilian grew stingy, which irritated their “friends” enough into opening up investigations into the Bradfords fortunes and business earnings. If it was discovered that much of their wealth was unaccounted for in their business ledgers then they would be ruined. The Court had agreed to take care of the problem if Bradfords sent a sum of money, some sources of blood, and...Victoria. Richard believed Victoria could rise high within House Valentine and later explained to Victoria that her parents were incompetent. Their sect of the Bradford family would likely fall to pieces in a decade or less. After all losing their daughter to vampires was likely quite the mental blow to them, and all the stress of appeasing the Court would almost certainly cause them to collapse in some way.
Richard saw Victoria's indoctrination as saving her. He truly did see potential for her among the ranks of her house and, by proxy, the Court of Fangs. Of course Victoria didn't know what to think. Perhaps it was still part of some long, detailed dream. In time Victoria would learn that if it was a dream then she wouldn't be waking up from it. Ever.
Victoria, to her credit, did learn very, very quickly. She adapted to life as a vampire well enough and was soon able to fill the voids of her human life with the perks of her new status. Victoria soon learned that Richard was not an actual member of House Valentine itself, but was rather of a sect known as House Tepes. He served as an invaluable agent, an arm of the Court if you will, as he lacked a few of the weaknesses nearly all members of the Court possessed, including Victoria. He could travel over bodies of water, walk in the sunlight (though he could not tan) and even not burn when in the presence of anything holy. Apparently a stake to the heart and fire itself were still deadly to him, but he could travel more freely than most vampires could even dream.
Victoria had to deal with quite a bit. Not only being a vampire and member of the House Valentine and the Court, but also learning about a world she believed only existed in children's tales and bad films. Werewolves, the true nature of the Church, daemons, and then some. But what topped it all for her were two things. The fact that her parents clearly believed becoming a vampire was something terrible and STILL sacrificed their daughter to such a fate, and the fact that she was likely never going to be able to return to the UK. It was “across the pond” after all.
Victoria eventually came to genuinely love immortality as a vampire. Her beauty was eternal, never to wither away with age. While her blood was that of House Valentine's and, as such, was more focused on illusory and persuasive abilities, she was still stronger and faster than she had ever been as a human. In time she earned a solid reputation among her kindred, having many fans and admirers among the Court. Of course she did have her fair share of rivals, being loyal to House Valentine. It was only natural and nothing that Victoria was not used to.
But she was still at the bottom. Victoria may have been saved from the fall of the Bradford family but she was still at the bottom of her new family. A Neonate. Weaker, younger, and not quite as experienced as those above her. And above her was where she wanted to be. Up, she had to go up. To the top of House Valentine and further above even then. That goal kept her focused and driven.
About a decade ago she did earn a very nice reward. A submissive werewolf, a Hound, known as Raleigh, was gifted to her. Night Hunters and the Church were always threats that a vampire needed to be prepared for. A Hound served as a great bodyguard against such threats and could do most of the fighting for her. Though she always kept up with her fencing lessons and took to marksmanship with firearms as well. Can never be too cautious when it came to Mystic Kind, or those that hunted them.
Alongside Raleigh came the permission to create a lair within Lakecrest City, and serve the Court on behalf of House Valentine. An exciting opportunity for Victoria, as most of her time since her turn was spent in a rather large but carefully managed lair just outside of New York City. It seemed she was truly getting her opportunity to shine. With Raleigh and a lair she could work to further her own power and climb up the ranks.
STATISTICS
Blood: E (20 units)
Strength: E
Endurance: F
Agility: D
LOADOUT
Equipments:
Name: Basket Hilt Rapier
Rank: E
Description: Victoria's current weapon of choice. The blade is 39” in length with the entire sword being 45”. It weighs 3 lbs and the blade's width is a fine 2.5 centimetres. Usually used in thrusts, parries, and careful slashes. Victoria has not yet mastered the weapon but is very competent with it all the same. It has an elegant black and silver sheath with a complex wave of dark steel surrounding it's hilt.
Name: M9A1 Beretta
Rank: E
Description: A compact handgun serving as an excellent sidearm for the nightwalker. While her marksmanship isn't necessarily on the level as her fencing Victoria is still fully capable of utilizing this weapon.
Uniforms:
Name: Court Formal Wear
Description: When required to meet with other members of the Court or even vampires of other houses for business rather than pleasure, or if she's on some manner of mission, this tends to be Victoria's outfit of choice. Given to her decades ago by the Court (and replaced or modified as needed), it is a primarily white ensemble with black boots and gloves. Victoria occasionally wears black stockings beneath the boots and switches between a short black cape that covers her left arm and a longer red and gold cape. It doesn't necessarily have any defensive properties, but it looks damn good and is easier to move in than one may think.
CAPABILITIES
Weaknesses:
Name: Wood Heart
Description: A wooden stake, or any other holy artifact, to the heart is fatal
Name: Anti-Kryptonian
Description: Sunlight will burn and kill her
Name: Gold Version is Better
Description: Silver, for the same as holy energies
Name: Skipping Church
Description: Anything imbued with holy energies, makes things untouchable or difficult to touch. They are undead entities.
Name: Hydrophobia
Description: Traveling over bodies of water, making travel difficult.
Skills:
Name: Fencer (Melee Combat)
Description: Victoria has received official training in the art of fencing at various times throughout the decades. She is, as such, skilled with a rapier in combat and is perfectly capable of killing another with the weapon. That said any single edged sword of European design would fit comfortably in her hands. Her steps are elegant and her thrusts and slashes are agile and always aimed with the precision associated with the art.
Rank: E
Name: Marksmanship 201(Firearms)
Description: The Court has many resources and, as such, an array of talented people are at their disposal. It is from a talented soldier that Victoria learned to aim and fire sidearms. Though she has no practice with anything beyond a handgun or a hunting rifle she is competent with what she has practiced. Victoria averages 8 hits out of 12 shots fired with 3 shots being fatal. Not too bad for a spoiled English brat.
Rank: E
Name: Politics
Description Victoria has danced among the highborn since the day she WAS born. While she always had the advantage of status as a human, her new life had her start at the very bottom. However Victoria has managed to slowly climb her way to better positions among her kindred, earning positive reputations and learning quickly how to appease both individual higher-ups and the Court of Fangs as a collective.
Rank: E
Abilities:
Name: Self-Healing (Regeneration)
Description: Vampires are capable of healing from their inflicted wounds on their own. This is what makes them difficult to kill. Due to this ability, they actually are able to survive wounds that may kill an average person. It takes supernatural attacks to make any lasting effect, especially those of holy nature which has the most effectiveness.
Rank: E
Name: Enhanced Senses
Description: Becoming a creature superior to any normal human, vampires also have equally better senses. Many can even hear things that normal humans would not be able to. While others may have a sense of smell that are on the level or better than a dog's.
Rank: E
Name: Frenzy
Description: The maddened state of a vampire, their natural fight or flight response. Frenzy can be induced when a factor of massive stress is presented to them. Under that newly presented factor, vampires would either try to eliminate/kill what caused it to frenzy or flee out of fear. Some of it maybe a cause of their anger, desperation, or many other forms of reasons. Many vampires who frenzy tend to become numb to pain. However, they are still capable of being damaged. Most vampires who frenzy tend to lack motor functions as they are in a berserk state.
Rank: E
Name: Charisma
Description: A charming aura that is being given off from the vampire. It helps to make various people to become more susceptible to their influence. Those with a lack of a tethered mind would find themselves exploited by Fangs vampires with such an aura. Though it is to be noted that a Fangs vampire that acts most unwisely with the people around him, could easily undo dispel the effects of the aura. Of course, the vampire can suppress this aura at will.
Rank: E
Name: Lair
Description: While most vampires are territorial, Court of Fangs vampires tend to be more possessive of their own piece of land. They give off an aura that infects a given area, thus marking that place their own personal territory. Their very own lair. Anyone, who is more supernaturally inclined, is able to sense someone is occupying the place and that they are likely to not be wanted. That said, the owner of the territory tends to be strengthened while those uninvited are weakened. Each rank has its established range and the number of modifiers to be assigned. These modifiers can be alternatively +'s or -'s on the same rank, but can be assigned for the territory's owner or against the invaders respectively.
Rank: E
Techniques/Spells:
Name:
Incantation:
Description:
Rank: (Letter Rank)
Type: (What kind of spell/technique could be categorized as?)