Penance App
Aug. 27th, 2020 02:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brujah_barkeepOOC Info
Name: Wizera
Age: 35
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
Wizera
Current Characters: N/A
IC Info
Name: Denise Feene (originally Olivia Turpin)
Age: Denise appears to be about twenty years old. She was Embraced back in 1692, however, making her about 314 at her "canon" point.
Appearance: Denise is about five foot eight, with dark brown hair, generally messy. Her eyes are light brown and she has absolutely perfectly white whites. She has pale skin, being a vampire and all. But that skin is certainly flawless. She wears an abusive amount of eyeliner, but that's about it as far as make up goes. Anyway, she doesn't need it.
Despite her "tough guy" attitude, Denise is surprisingly beautiful. She's the Tudor ideal, really; broad shoulders, ample bosom, incredibly narrow waist, and hips that don't lie. Of course, it helps that she can supernaturally enhance her appearance. With enough Presence, she can transform herself into a goddess, capable of entrancing an entire room. The physical change isn't apparent, and it's difficult to put into words. One minute, she's a beautiful woman, the next, she's just radiating sheer beauty.
Even though she had an upper class upbringing, Denise has sloppy posture. All things considered, she'd rather crouch than stand. She has a hard time sitting in chairs, usually ending up on tables, ledges, or windowsills. When anxious, she has a tendency to pace and engage in certain nervous ticks, like snapping her fingers or cracking her knuckles.
As far as dress goes, Denise always dresses like she's about to hop on her motorcycle. When she's off duty, it's jeans and comfortable, dark tee shirts. Gym shoes or combat boots. Biker gloves. At work, she'll wear black with excess buckles and studs. She also wears a silver earcuff, pretty much all the time, shaped like a wolf's head. A leather jacket, too, if she's feeling a fight coming on. Plus, pockets are nice. Pockets are great for hiding any kind of weapon that pleases her.
PB: Hilary Duff
Background: Denise hails from White Wolf's old World of Darkness. It's like our world. Only darker. That's where the name comes from. You can read all about it here. Below is a very quick primer that I've compiled on vampires in particular:
Origin of Vampires
Once upon a time there were brothers named Caine and Abel. Caine killed Abel. This displeased God. As punishment, God placed a curse on Caine, known as the "Mark of Caine." This was the curse of vampirism. To try to redeem himself, Caine turned two young lovers into vampires, by killing them and feeding them his blood. He thought that by making their love immortal, he would bring goodness into the world. When the two lovers learned that they couldn't have children in their new condition, they killed themselves. Frustrated, Caine tried again. He Embraced three new vampires, known as the Second Generation. They, in turn, sired a third generation of thirteen, known as the Antediluvians. When the Great Flood came, Caine disappeared. The Antediluvians survived, devouring their Sires. They each went on to found a bloodline of their own. In the modern nights, there remain thirteen clans, although there have been some changes and adjustments. It is the belief of many devout vampires that, some day soon, the Antediluvians will return to devour their descendants. A vampire's age is calculated by the number of generations removed from Caine they are. As a signal of the End Times--known as Gehenna--many vampires of the fourteenth and fifteenth generation are being created with weaker powers ever than before.
The Clans
Every time a vampire Embraces a new vampire--called a "childe"--that childe is awakened into their sire's clan. There are thirteen known clans, each with its own unique set of abilities and stereotypes. They are divided up into three sects (although there is some crossover):
The Camarilla is a sect of vampires which strictly adheres to a set of ancient laws known as the Traditions. The Camarilla was created as a reaction to the Inquisition and sees its purpose as maintaining the Masquerade as a means of ensuring the survival of all Kindred. The Traditions are enforced and order in each jurisdiction (usually one city in the mortal world) maintained by a powerful leader known as a Prince (a gender-neutral term). It is the Prince's duty to interpret the Traditions and act as judge, jury, and executioner. The Camarilla describes itself in idealistic terms suggesting it is a genteel society of undead peers but harbors a vast, complex, and rigid hierarchy that breeds ancient rivalries and vicious political machinations.
The Sabbat is a sect of vampires which does not openly follow the Traditions but instead adhere to a system of self-rule, freedom, and interdependence. The Sabbat actively believe that Gehenna is real and it is their duty to protect Cainites from the predation of the Antediluvians. The Sabbat believe themselves superior to humans and ultimately believe that they should rule over the human world rather than hide from it. Many have a flagrant disregard for human life which is evinced in the brutal tactics they use. While anyone may ostensibly claim membership in the Camarilla, the Sabbat have brutal initiation rites where characters must prove their loyalty. They also practice cult-like rituals and a form of ceremonial group Blood Bonding, called Vaulderie, to ensure loyalty.
Vampires who do not belong to the Camarilla or the Sabbat are known as Independents. Although any vampire from any clan can be an Independent, there are certain clans more likely to be. Some of these clans even function as a sect in and of itself.
Shared Abilities and Weaknesses of all Vampires
Abilities
Weaknesses
Some Useful Vocabulary Words
Denise's History: From her birth in the late 1600s, it was well known in Camarilla circles that the young Olivia Turpin was destined for Kindred life. In fact, her birth was manipulated by a Ventrue Primogen named Darius Kaur who, through his social connections, arranged for the marriage of Olivia’s parents, a young count and the daughter of a penniless lord, in the hopes that they would produce a female offspring. A year after they were married, Alexander and Mary Turpin were proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Olivia.
Olivia grew up, raised in the finest of high society, receiving the best of everything that money could buy. Tutors educated her and the church kept a spirited child in line. She was introduced at court at a very young age, thanks to her maternal grandfather's title, and even met Darius Kaur once or twice before the age of twenty. On the whole, she found him utterly unimpressive, although he could certainly dance well for an old man and dancing was always Olivia's favorite thing. In fact, she liked any sort of activity that allowed her to move. It was something of a concern to her parents that their daughter was more interested in running through the halls than sitting still to do her needlepoint, but on the whole, it wasn't the worst of things.
Alexander Turpin arranged for a marriage between his daughter and the son of his cousin, a very wealthy boy named Jonas Mayenca. The marriage was set for the week after Olivia’s twenty first birthday and it seemed that Olivia and Jonas actually liked one another. Jonas could dance and it helped that they were close to the same age. Kaur was determined to Embrace Olivia on her twenty first birthday, but in the weeks leading up to that day, a Brujah rival of Kaur’s, named Marquez, caught wind of his intentions and decided to screw him over. Marquez and Kaur had been responsible for the deaths of countless of each others's underlings during the Spanish Inquisition. Just how and why an animosity between the two of them developed is largely unknown, but it was intense and raging and resulted in Olivia's life changing forever.
As Olivia and her parents were riding back to their country estate one evening, the Brujah attacked the carriage. The footman and coachman managed to get away, but Olivia’s parents were brutally slaughtered in front of her and Olivia was Embraced. Marquez, having no real desire to be associated with an illegally sired childe, abandoned Olivia near the edge of a forest. He went on to Embrace Jonas Mayenca as well, worried that Kaur might change his plans and Embrace the boy instead. Oliva understood none of this, however, and would not learn the full truth for a very long time.
She was discovered by an Independent Gangrel elder named Areous a few nights later, as she struggled to survive an existence she did not fully comprehend. Although Areous knew full well that she was Brujah, he adopted her, breaking with Gangrel traditions to help her in the transition from mortal to vampiric life. He diligently taught her the ins and outs of Kindred society and Denise's Brujah abilities manifested. She proved a valuable asset to Areous defending him in both social and physical confrontations. Olivia's feelings over her parents' death were left largely unaddressed. Areous was aware of the fact that she was avoiding the trauma. Like a father, he did what he could to support her through her darker moments and, they gradually became a quiet background noise.
Together, Olivia and her adoptive Sire traveled Europe. Although a staunch Independent, Areous’ business was in mediating between Camarilla and Sabbat factions in an effort to minimize Masquerade breeches that would draw the attention of vampire hunters. Olivia was helpful in these endeavors but she soon became restless. The unresolved matter of her existence left her desperate to know more about why Marquez did what he did to her. Realizing that Areous couldn't help her, she eventually parted from her mentor, on good terms, to try and find her actual Sire. Areous was wary of the decision, but acknowledged that she needed to make her own mistakes. His parting words were words of warning however: She needed to control her passions. Olivia did not understand what he meant by that.
With only the faint memory of Marquez's face and voice to go on, Olivia moved south. In Spain, she chanced to meet Darius Kaur. Unbeknownst to her, Kaur had gone Jonas, after Olivia's family was slaughtered. He found the boy, also a newborn and abandoned Brujah, and took him under his wing. He offered Olivia membership to the Camarilla and the same mentorship, but she declined. Enraged, he tried to force her to drink his blood. Areous had warned Olivia of the danger in that, how blood binding would reduce her to another Cainite's slave. As fierce as a Gangrel, Olivia fought back, sinking her teeth into Kaur's throat. Although she tried to stop it, she started drinking. And kept drinking. And drinking. Until, without meaning to, she sucked the soul clean out of Kaur, an act among Kindred known as diablerie, punishable by death. She fled the country. It was widely held in the Primogen Counsel that he had been diablerized by Marquez and no blood hunt was called as most of the Primogens wanted Darius dead anyway, due to his social manipulations during the Inquisition that got many of their ghouls killed.
The act of dialberie frightened Olivia. She realized the full extent to which she was capable of evil. Having Kaur's soul swimming around inside of her made her sick and caused her to spend many years hiding from all people and vampires. The feral, Gangrel tendencies she picked up from Areous grew stronger as Olivia shed the remaining skin of her mortal life as a girl of the privileged class. She forced herself to remain isolated, fighting against the whispers of Kaur and his ambition inside of her until, at last, the diablerie cooled. When she was finally ready to be among people again, Olivia's first and only thought was of Areous.
Olivia returned to Areous in 1780. Although he suspected she'd done something horrible, as a sign of deep love and trust, Areous never questioned her about it. Together, they returned to London where Areous continued his work with Olivia’s help. Unfortunately, her time in the wilderness left Olivia with little patience for politics. It was clear that her help was only out of love for Areous, not out of actual interest. When not on duty, she often drifted to pubs and taverns, enjoying the rough environment, which was the closest she could get to the wilderness within the confines of a city.
The two of them traveled to Virginia shortly after their reunion. Although Olivia hoped that a change of scenery would cure her restlessness, she only found herself more agitated. On Areous' advice, Olivia took off on a quest for Golconda, a sort of Cainite state of nirvana. Unfortunately, Olivia didn't have the first clue how to begin this quest, and simply ended up spending more time alone in the woods. She eventually gave up on finding peace and returned to civilization, largely living off of oddjobs and nights in the pubs.
As she went along, she was frequently called upon by Areous to do some scouting of the vampire scene in local towns across the newly formed country. She would dutifully report back to him, but in Manhattan in 1790, a Camarilla Gangrel intercepted one of her communications. Mistaking her and Areous for Anarchs, he confronted Olivia. Words were exchanged, quickly leading to blows. Although Olivia could have easily trounced him, using her social disciplines, she preferred to fight physically, like a Gangrel. He was much more powerful than she and soon beat her into a torpor. The Gangrel turned her over to the Camarilla government for execution, but the Sheriff, a friend of Areous, hid her body until everyone was certain she was dead. In 1804, Areous finally arrived to claim and revive Olivia.
Olivia wanted to start over. She'd tried to find peace and it hadn't worked. She'd tried to find her Sire and it hadn't worked. She'd tried doing Areous' work and it hadn't worked. Disheartened, Olivia was facing an identity crisis and she didn't want to rise to the occasion. A chance encounter with a friend of Areous', however, changed her outlook.
The Malkavian was named Artemis. She was the leader of a Cainite cult called the Order of the Silver Crescent. Half a peace-keeping force, half a school for the protection and training of Dhampir, the Order had a strong hold in the New World and had, for years, been calling on Areous. He had, in fact, kept many of the members of the cult informed of Olivia's development and activity, in the hopes that one day she would demonstrate the potential to join.
Members of the order traveled the world, on Artemis' command, sorting out trouble in the Kindred world. It all sounded too much like politics to Olivia, but Artemis had a different take. She described their work as a fight. Olivia liked fights and she liked the idea of giving them some kind of meaning. What really drove the point home, however, was the realization that Artemis' work meant that no young girls would have to suffer the fate that Olivia once suffered at the hands of Marquez. No innocent bystander would watch her parents die and be murdered for the sake of a feud between two immortals. Artemis encouraged her to try doing Areous work again. She also helped Olivia to reinvent herself. Olivia changed her name to "Denise," using this to try to close the chapter of unresolved questions in her life.
With new resolve, Denise plunged herself into Areous' world. Throughout the latter half of the 1800s, she became whatever he needed her to be, in whatever city he and Artemis had business. She became more accustomed to the company of other people, leaving behind her wilderness days. Hints of the mortal girl she'd once been, who loved to socialize and dance, began to reemerge. This was a time of her third iteration, a cross between Olivia Turpin the society brat and Olivia Turpin the reclusive vampire bruiser. She also experimented with a wide variety of jobs, in the process. She was everything from a cable car operator to a a theatre usher. Anything to get the job done.
In 1900, as a new century began, Denise was invited to join the Order of the Silver Crescent as a full member, on her own merits. She accepted the offer and went through the initiation rites. It was during this time that she began to learn more about Cainite lore. She was introduced to the Book of Nod and the history of the vampire race, dating all the way back to Caine and Abel. Not being the quickest of studies, it took Denise years to gain a basic understanding, but in that time, she grew close to the other members of the cult. It was a new family for Denise.
During the 1970s, Areous caught wind of what was happening on the vampire scene in Atlanta. Trouble was brewing in the form of a Sabbat incursion that would lead to catastrophic collateral damage among the mortals. He set Denise up, working for the Keeper of Elysium in a bar in order to get reports about the situation. That was when Denise fell in love. Being a bartender proved to be everything Denise never knew she wanted. It was a position of subversive power, allowing her to know everything about everyone without having to give any of herself, unless she wanted to. She could combine business with pleasure, using the social scene of a bar to gather information for Areous and Artemis. And yes, she did learn all sorts of Coyote Ugly-style bartending tricks. Just to show off.
Unfortunately, the Keeper of Elysium had a few enemies, one of whom decided to burn down the bar. Denise got away, fleeing to Augusta where a member of the Order of the Silver Crescent, Elsbeth Lennox, served as Sheriff. Denise was able to hide out there until the situation calmed down. Shortly thereafter, Denise was contacted by Artemis. Being something of a Seer, Artemis had a certain premonition about Youngston, Ohio. Denise promptly moved to Ohio in 1992 and opened her own bar, the Diamond Tavern. Since Denise was fiercely independent, politically, the bar quickly became the local hangout, a sort of neutral territory without the Camarilla taint of Elysium.
For a very long while, Denise's life there was uneventful. She moved through her nights simply enjoying her time, making friends among the various clans, regardless of political leanings. She grew especially close to a newborn Gangrel woman named Joey. Unfortunately, a cold war was brewing between the Camarilla and Sabbat in town, and the Independent members of the city were feeling pressure to join one side or the other by 2005. Denise came up with a third alternative, bringing together the Independents of the city as an unofficial, third sect. This had disastrous results, however, as her third sect turned to a powerful occultist, the Don of the Giovanni clan, for protection.
Don Giovanni required favors of Denise, Joey, and the others, leading them deeper and deeper into occult mysteries that they were ill-equipped to deal with. Both Areous and Artemis urged Denise to get out, but there was no safe way of doing so. Further complicating the matter was the sudden arrival of Jonas (Denise's former fiance) in the city. He had been following Denise's trail for years. He wanted her to join him as an Anarch and leave the city. Although she was tempted by his offer, his blunt confession of the fact that he'd seen her diablerize Kaur frightened her. In the end, the other members of her Independent sect, fearing he had dirt on all of them and would likely get them killed, staked Jonas and packed him away in a crate. Denise was the bait for the trap.
Another startling revelation occurred when Marquez showed up in the city. His greeting of, "Hey, didn't I sire you?" did not go over with well Denise, who was disgruntled to feel that particular wound open again. Despite her years of rehabilitation and transformation, she fully intended to trap and diablerize Marquez. Before she could carry out her plan, however, another Brujah in the city with a grudge against him deprived Marquez of his head. When her temper cooled, Denise realized how close she'd come to doing something unforgivable to slipping back into her old ways. She decided that Youngston was getting too dangerous for her and she wanted to leave. Areous arrived to help her make preparations, but it was too late. Denise sent Areous away, for his own protection, but chose to stay, to try and fix the mistakes she'd made. Areous was amazed to see that his beloved daughter had grown up without his realizing it.
Don Giovanni was up to something. It started with the people of the city manifesting symptoms of a strange disease. The disease spread, the population declining too rapidly to be natural. Most of the vampires of Youngston, including Denise, started to manifest signs of diseased blood as well. Soon, the corpses were piling up. And those corpses, one fateful evening, rose as zombies right before Denise's eyes.
Before too long, Don Giovanni's motives were revealed. He wanted to rip open the veil between the world of the living and the dead. This would destroy the world, most likely. Denise and Joey turned against the Don, while the rest of their friends, including a young Giovanni named Lorac, decided to stay. Denise and Joey joined with the rest of the city to fight the Giovanni. They managed to stop his ritual from being realized, but the price was high. Youngston and all of its inhabitants were dragged down into the underworld.
Denise's memories on her time in the underworld are fuzzy at best. Half cartoonish (something about an Easter egg hunt?) and half horrifying (well, they don't call it 'Hell' for nothing), time went by in a haze. All she knows for sure is that one minute she was there, the next, she was sprawled on the floor of Artemis' mansion in California. She was told about how the city of Youngston just completely disappeared and that there had only been two survivors to get out alive, Jonas (whose whereabouts were unknown) and a Giovanni named Skinny who was currently in a block of concrete in New York. Denise herself was pulled out by a Dhampir coven working for Artemis.
Deeply disturbed by what she'd gone through, Denise elected to stay close to Artemis. She took a position as one of the guards for the mansion and its surrounding compound. Artemis frequently asked Denise to serve as her personal bodyguard, when she visited Court. Slowly, but surely, Denise began to sort through her feelings (she had a lot of them!) about Youngston. In fact, she was just about recovered when, all of a sudden, the shadows closed in on her...
CRAU: N/A
Personality: The most obvious thing Denise wants you to know about her is that she's tough. She dresses tough, she talks tough, she acts tough. This isn't to say that she's overtly rude. In fact, Denise is quite friendly. But even her signs of respect and friendship are tough. She won't curtsy, but she'll shake your hand and give you a good slap on the shoulder. If you're crying, she's more likely to refill your drink than to offer you a handkerchief.
What's the cause of this? If you ask Denise, she'll tell you it's just who she is. Having been "raised by wolves," or, in this case, members of clan Gangrel, she's more accustomed to being rough and tumble than being delicate and civilized. After all, she spent a lot of her life living in the forest. And really, that's a lot more fun than the alternative. Besides, Denise isn't that fond of the prim and proper Ventrue, so she'll do anything to avoid being like them. Why wouldn't you resent the people who orchestrated your birth and then tried to hijack your unlife?
Of course, the reality is more complicated than that. Denise is a person desperate to shed the skin of her former life. One reason is that there are still way too many unresolved issues back there to deal with. The polite, well-bred society girl that she was, for all intents and purposes, was brutally murdered, after experiencing the trauma of watching her parents' slaughter. This is an issue that Denise has buried deep down and never dug up or dealt with. It's easier to ignore if she pretends that she simply isn't that girl.
Another good reason to distance herself from her old life? The fact that she committed diablerie. Denise was a very young Cainite when she devoured Kaur's soul. She didn't know what she was doing and even after the deed was done, she didn't fully understand the implications of it. When she first isolated herself, it was primarily out of fear of being caught. But gradually, she began to realize what a crime she'd committed. That fear turned into guilt and shame. And in case the years were trying to erase the guilt, watching her friend Lorac got from a young, friendly vampire, to a cold-blooded child-killer certainly reminded Denise of resolve to basically not be a dick.
Denise's emotions are strong, much stronger than her intellect. She isn't stupid; she did have a reasonably good education and downtime at the bar does mean she gets some reading done. Her intelligence usually manifests itself in the form of snark. She has a sharp wit and wields sarcasm like a blade. But the fact of the matter is that she's no philosopher. She tends to be ruled by her passions. When she feels insulted, she's more likely to punch someone out than to try to figure out the root cause of whatever insecurity is leading them to be a jackass. It's easier, faster, and keeps her away from the kind of thinking that might lead her to too much introspection which would, in turn, lead her back to facing the problems of her past that she's trying to avoid.
As a friend, Denise is extremely loyal. But her loyalty has to be earned by action. Since she really has no patience for politics, you aren't going to get in with her just by following the same party line she happens to be following. No, she chooses her friends based on merit. Occasionally, she chooses the wrong friends (after all, she's not much of a detective and can be deceived), but when she figures out what someone's really made of, based on their behavior, and if she deems it worthy, she will fight to the death for that person. This is particularly evident in her steadfast loyalty to Areous and Artemis, two people who have earned her trust through sincere deeds, rather that simply words.
Although she considers herself fairly worldly, there is one glaring bit of experience missing from Denise's life. Love, romance, and sex. Denise has never dated, never been in a relationship. She's a beautiful woman, with supernatural enhancements to her visage right at her command. Really, she could have her choice. But she's never met anyone she's ever been remotely interested in pursuing that kind of relationship with. Likely, she would be open to the possibility, but that poor soul would be in for a bumpy ride. After all, Denise gets bored easily and most of the rituals associated with "dating" tend to be a little bit too prim and proper for her. Maybe a little too "Ventrue-ish." Frankly, she'd rather go to a dog fight than to the opera.
Game Setting: In terms of the game setting, Denise will probably be striving, and failing, to achieve redemption. Her experiences have driven her to try to "do good" and not become the monster that a vampire can be. So she'll definitely try to resist temptation. But she'll also probably slip and fall. A lot. At best, she may achieve a middling road with a few redemptive qualities, but she's never getting retired.
Weaknesses/Temptations:
Sins:
Powers/Abilities:
Celerity: Using the blood in her system, Denise can increase her speed. She can act up to four times faster than a human. It's a draining ability that requires her to keep well-fed.
Potence: Is that refrigerator in the way? No problem. Denise is strong enough to move it on her own.
Awe: When activated in social situations, this ability makes Denise and whatever she's saying much more appealing. It's not mind control, it won't get anyone to do anything unwillingly. But anyone not innately inclined to dislike her will think she's pretty cool.
Dread Gaze: With this power, Denise brings out the Beast--the vampire inside of her--and reveals it to whoever she chooses as a target. It strikes fear into the heart, so much fear that the person seeing it will flee from her, and continue to flee, for about ten minutes. They will do whatever it takes to get away from her, even if it means knocking down little old ladies.
Entrancement: When this power is activated, it's love potion number nine. The target is utterly entranced by Denise and wants to take her to the senior prom in the worst way. Well, for ten minutes or so, anyway.
Summoning: If Denise has met you, she can summon you to her location, no matter where either of you are (obviously, limited to the game setting). The target is suddenly filled with a burning desire to seek out Denise and magically knows which way to go, even if they don't know why.
Majesty: All hail Denise. Denise is a goddess. By exerting some willpower, everyone in a room will obey Denise. Until she acts violently against anyone in any way. Then all bets are off.
Feral Whispers: Yeah, Denise can talk to animals.
Feeding: A Cainite's bite is a singularly pleasurable experience. Denise might want to nom on you. She's pretty good about not killing, though.
Ghouling: Drinking Denise's blood basically makes you her bitch for a month. You get some super strength though, which is awesome. And you stop aging.
Embracing: Probably a non-issue, but yeah, Denise could totally make you a vampire.
I've got a Permissions Meme here. And am happy to nerf, as needed.
Items: The clothes on her back include: jeans, tee shirt, fingerless gloves, a leather jacket, combat boots, underwear, jewelry, brass knuckles. Since Denise was on guard duty at the time of her entry into the setting, she's equipped with the following:
SAMPLES
Network: Network sample from a previous game here.
Log: Log sample from a PSL here.
Name: Wizera
Age: 35
Contact:
Current Characters: N/A
IC Info
Name: Denise Feene (originally Olivia Turpin)
Age: Denise appears to be about twenty years old. She was Embraced back in 1692, however, making her about 314 at her "canon" point.
Appearance: Denise is about five foot eight, with dark brown hair, generally messy. Her eyes are light brown and she has absolutely perfectly white whites. She has pale skin, being a vampire and all. But that skin is certainly flawless. She wears an abusive amount of eyeliner, but that's about it as far as make up goes. Anyway, she doesn't need it.
Despite her "tough guy" attitude, Denise is surprisingly beautiful. She's the Tudor ideal, really; broad shoulders, ample bosom, incredibly narrow waist, and hips that don't lie. Of course, it helps that she can supernaturally enhance her appearance. With enough Presence, she can transform herself into a goddess, capable of entrancing an entire room. The physical change isn't apparent, and it's difficult to put into words. One minute, she's a beautiful woman, the next, she's just radiating sheer beauty.
Even though she had an upper class upbringing, Denise has sloppy posture. All things considered, she'd rather crouch than stand. She has a hard time sitting in chairs, usually ending up on tables, ledges, or windowsills. When anxious, she has a tendency to pace and engage in certain nervous ticks, like snapping her fingers or cracking her knuckles.
As far as dress goes, Denise always dresses like she's about to hop on her motorcycle. When she's off duty, it's jeans and comfortable, dark tee shirts. Gym shoes or combat boots. Biker gloves. At work, she'll wear black with excess buckles and studs. She also wears a silver earcuff, pretty much all the time, shaped like a wolf's head. A leather jacket, too, if she's feeling a fight coming on. Plus, pockets are nice. Pockets are great for hiding any kind of weapon that pleases her.
PB: Hilary Duff
Background: Denise hails from White Wolf's old World of Darkness. It's like our world. Only darker. That's where the name comes from. You can read all about it here. Below is a very quick primer that I've compiled on vampires in particular:
Origin of Vampires
Once upon a time there were brothers named Caine and Abel. Caine killed Abel. This displeased God. As punishment, God placed a curse on Caine, known as the "Mark of Caine." This was the curse of vampirism. To try to redeem himself, Caine turned two young lovers into vampires, by killing them and feeding them his blood. He thought that by making their love immortal, he would bring goodness into the world. When the two lovers learned that they couldn't have children in their new condition, they killed themselves. Frustrated, Caine tried again. He Embraced three new vampires, known as the Second Generation. They, in turn, sired a third generation of thirteen, known as the Antediluvians. When the Great Flood came, Caine disappeared. The Antediluvians survived, devouring their Sires. They each went on to found a bloodline of their own. In the modern nights, there remain thirteen clans, although there have been some changes and adjustments. It is the belief of many devout vampires that, some day soon, the Antediluvians will return to devour their descendants. A vampire's age is calculated by the number of generations removed from Caine they are. As a signal of the End Times--known as Gehenna--many vampires of the fourteenth and fifteenth generation are being created with weaker powers ever than before.
The Clans
Every time a vampire Embraces a new vampire--called a "childe"--that childe is awakened into their sire's clan. There are thirteen known clans, each with its own unique set of abilities and stereotypes. They are divided up into three sects (although there is some crossover):
The Camarilla is a sect of vampires which strictly adheres to a set of ancient laws known as the Traditions. The Camarilla was created as a reaction to the Inquisition and sees its purpose as maintaining the Masquerade as a means of ensuring the survival of all Kindred. The Traditions are enforced and order in each jurisdiction (usually one city in the mortal world) maintained by a powerful leader known as a Prince (a gender-neutral term). It is the Prince's duty to interpret the Traditions and act as judge, jury, and executioner. The Camarilla describes itself in idealistic terms suggesting it is a genteel society of undead peers but harbors a vast, complex, and rigid hierarchy that breeds ancient rivalries and vicious political machinations.
Brujah (this is Denise's clan): In ancient times, the Brujah were a clan of noble philosophers and warriors-poets. In the modern nights, they have become a clan of malcontents, rebels, rogues, and anti-authoritarians. Brujah possess great passion, but this same passion makes it harder for them to resist frenzy. Gangrel: A clan of animalistic shape-shifters who shun the cities for the wilderness beyond. Independent and more interested in their own survival the Gangrel prefer to run with wild animals rather than play politics with others of their kind. Gangrel are masters of the Discipline Protean which allows them to change their bodies into bestial shapes. When Gangrel frenzy they begin to resemble the Beast taking on animal features and disfigurements. Malkavian: A clan of lunatics whose madness grants them strange insight. Their Discipline of Dementation allows them to spread their insanity like a plague. All members of this clan are insane in one manner or another. They are also largely connected by shared visions and prophecies, sometimes known as the Malkavian Madness Network. Nosferatu: Clan Nosferatu are doomed to wear their bestial nature on the outside. The Embrace turns its victims into hideous and deformed monsters who are marginalized by their appearance and forced to dwell in the shadows of the sewers. Their lives on the fringes and their stealthy abilities allow them to learn secrets others would rather keep hidden; and as a result, they often traffic in information. All Nosferatu are hideously ugly and obviously monsters to the point that appearing openly would break the Masquerade. Toreador: A clan of sensitive, artistic, and sometimes debauched hedonists fascinated by the mortal world and its artistic creations. The Toreador are enthralled by the ever changing mortal world and are one of the few clans, as a whole, to seek to keep up with it. Toreador often Embrace for beauty or to preserve some artistic talent. Beauty can utterly captivate them causing them to become immobilized and unable to act for a period of time. Tremere: A clan of blood sorcerers and mages originally belonging to the Order of Hermes. The Tremere gained their immortal status by experimenting with Tzimisce Vitae. Their ambitious founder devoured the soul of the Antediluvian of the former clan Salubri, solidifying the Tremere's status as a clan. Their Discipline of Thaumaturgy allow them to use the power of their blood to cast spells but their dependency on Vitae makes them more easily susceptible to Blood Bonds. The clan is highly organized and its members are all partially Blood Bound to the ruling seven Elders of the clan. Ventrue: The Ventrue are the aristocrats and kings of vampires having historically played a leadership role among the clans. Clan Ventrue seek power and wealth to support their legacy of rulership over Kindred and Kine. Ventrue, as a clan, may only feed from a specific kind of vessel (e.g. virgins, blondes, youngest siblings).
The Sabbat is a sect of vampires which does not openly follow the Traditions but instead adhere to a system of self-rule, freedom, and interdependence. The Sabbat actively believe that Gehenna is real and it is their duty to protect Cainites from the predation of the Antediluvians. The Sabbat believe themselves superior to humans and ultimately believe that they should rule over the human world rather than hide from it. Many have a flagrant disregard for human life which is evinced in the brutal tactics they use. While anyone may ostensibly claim membership in the Camarilla, the Sabbat have brutal initiation rites where characters must prove their loyalty. They also practice cult-like rituals and a form of ceremonial group Blood Bonding, called Vaulderie, to ensure loyalty.
Lasombra: Darkly aristocratic vampires who see power over others and self-mastery as their noblesse oblige. As one of the two founding clans of the Sabbat they gained notoriety for allegedly destroying their Antediluvian founder. The Lasombra practice a Discipline known as Obtenebration that allows them to manipulate shadows and darkness. Perhaps as a result of their signature Discipline they do not appear in mirrors or on film. Tzimisce: Otherworldly and scholarly, the Tzimisce ruled over their lands in Eastern Europe for centuries. Like the Lasombra, the Tzimisce also claim to have destroyed their founder and are pillars of the Sabbat. Alien but mystical, the Tzimisce use their unique flesh and bone shaping Discipline of Vicissitude to transform themselves into superior beings. The Tzimisce are deeply tied to the lands where they were Embraced. If they do not rest within proximity of at least two handfuls of the land where they were born or Embraced they become increasingly debilitated.
Vampires who do not belong to the Camarilla or the Sabbat are known as Independents. Although any vampire from any clan can be an Independent, there are certain clans more likely to be. Some of these clans even function as a sect in and of itself.
Assamite: A cult of undead assassins based in the middle east. They kill for hire, and are paid in Vitae for use in special rituals that bring the clan's members closer to Caine. They possess a specialized Discipline called Quietus, which aids in stealth and killing. In the ancient past, the Tremere placed a curse on the entire clan in order to curb their rampant Diablerie. As a result, the clan could not consume Vitae without suffering terrible wounds and is unable to benefit from Diablerie. Followers of Set: A clan of cultists who worship their Antediluvian progenitor, the Egyptian snake god Set. They are masters of secret and forbidden lore and foster corruption and desperation in the world as part of their worship of their god. Their signature Discipline is Serpentis which allows them to take on aspects of snakes. Setites are especially sensitive to light and take twice as much damage from sunlight as other Cainites. Giovanni: The Giovanni originate from a wealthy Venetian merchant family of necromancers whose patriarch, Augustus Giovanni, was embraced into clan Cappodocian. Giovanni exterminated the parent clan, Diablerized its founder, and founded a new clan but in doing so gained the enmity of the larger Kindred community. Branded "Devil Kindred" the Giovanni were able to make peace with the rest of the Kindred by swearing to remain neutral. The Giovanni are tight-knit, highly organized, and embrace only within certain mortal families. The Giovanni appear to be only interested in wealth and necromancy but these are simply a means to an end. The clan's founder wishes to remove the barrier between the living world and the dead in order to reign supreme. The clan's weakness is that their bite (which in other vampires is normally pleasurable to the victim) causes excruciating pain. Ravnos: Clan Ravnos have reputations as outcasts and troublesome thieves and charlatans. While some among them follow Indian spiritual beliefs of cycles of incarnation others are simple opportunists taking advantage of whatever chaos can be had. Ravnos rarely embrace those not of Eastern European Romani backgrounds. They practice a special Discipline known as Chimestry which allows them to create illusions. All Ravnos indulge in a particular vice as their clan weakness.
Shared Abilities and Weaknesses of all Vampires
Abilities
Embracing: All vampires can make another vampire by killing a human and feeding her a little bit of their blood (Vitae) Blush of Health: All vampires can use their blood to make themselves look alive for a few hours at a time Immortality: Cainites are immortal, assuming nothing kills them. They do not age and they do not change from the moment of Embrace Ghouling: Vampires can feed some of their blood to humans, making them ageless slaves for a month at a time Healing: By using up the blood in their systems, vampires can heal themselves of wounds Disciplines: Vampires can unlock special disciplines, specific to their clans. Powers include mind control, the ability to run very fast, heightened senses, charisma, supernatural strength, and others.
Weaknesses
Sunlight: Sunlight will scar, burn, and eventually kill a Cainite Staking: A stake through a vampire's heart will put them into a comatose state until it is removed Corpselike: Vampires are essentially walking corpses; unnaturally pale, pulseless, and lacking in body heat Frenzy: When a vampire is very, very hungry, very, very scared, or very, very angry, they go into a fugue-like state of frenzy where they can think of nothing but feeding or satisfying their emotional need Feeding: Cainites (for the most part) can only feed off of blood; human food or drink will force them to vomit
Some Useful Vocabulary Words
Anti-tribu: A vampire who joins a sect other than the one their clan is known for being in Blood Bond: The result of drinking another vampire's blood; a supernatural kind of loyalty Dhampir: The biological child of a vampire and a human, considered to be an abomination and a sign of the End Times Diablerie: Consuming the soul of another vampire; considered the highest crime a vampire can commit Elder: A relative term that could indicate a vampire is anywhere between 500 and 1,000 years old Garou: Werewolves; horrifying and murderous, avoid at all costs! Kindred: The preferred Camarilla term for vampires for Cainites Kine: A crude slang term for humans Masquerade: The joint effort of all members of the Camarilla to ensure that the human population doesn't know of the existence of the supernatural Thin Blood: A vampire of the fourteenth or fifteenth generation who is considerably weaker than a normal vampire and somewhat capable of surviving sunlight Traditions: The laws of Camarilla society (keep the Masquerade, respect your elders, don't sire without permission, you're responsible for your offspring, etc.) Vitae: The supernatural blood that a vampire possesses
Denise's History: From her birth in the late 1600s, it was well known in Camarilla circles that the young Olivia Turpin was destined for Kindred life. In fact, her birth was manipulated by a Ventrue Primogen named Darius Kaur who, through his social connections, arranged for the marriage of Olivia’s parents, a young count and the daughter of a penniless lord, in the hopes that they would produce a female offspring. A year after they were married, Alexander and Mary Turpin were proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Olivia.
Olivia grew up, raised in the finest of high society, receiving the best of everything that money could buy. Tutors educated her and the church kept a spirited child in line. She was introduced at court at a very young age, thanks to her maternal grandfather's title, and even met Darius Kaur once or twice before the age of twenty. On the whole, she found him utterly unimpressive, although he could certainly dance well for an old man and dancing was always Olivia's favorite thing. In fact, she liked any sort of activity that allowed her to move. It was something of a concern to her parents that their daughter was more interested in running through the halls than sitting still to do her needlepoint, but on the whole, it wasn't the worst of things.
Alexander Turpin arranged for a marriage between his daughter and the son of his cousin, a very wealthy boy named Jonas Mayenca. The marriage was set for the week after Olivia’s twenty first birthday and it seemed that Olivia and Jonas actually liked one another. Jonas could dance and it helped that they were close to the same age. Kaur was determined to Embrace Olivia on her twenty first birthday, but in the weeks leading up to that day, a Brujah rival of Kaur’s, named Marquez, caught wind of his intentions and decided to screw him over. Marquez and Kaur had been responsible for the deaths of countless of each others's underlings during the Spanish Inquisition. Just how and why an animosity between the two of them developed is largely unknown, but it was intense and raging and resulted in Olivia's life changing forever.
As Olivia and her parents were riding back to their country estate one evening, the Brujah attacked the carriage. The footman and coachman managed to get away, but Olivia’s parents were brutally slaughtered in front of her and Olivia was Embraced. Marquez, having no real desire to be associated with an illegally sired childe, abandoned Olivia near the edge of a forest. He went on to Embrace Jonas Mayenca as well, worried that Kaur might change his plans and Embrace the boy instead. Oliva understood none of this, however, and would not learn the full truth for a very long time.
She was discovered by an Independent Gangrel elder named Areous a few nights later, as she struggled to survive an existence she did not fully comprehend. Although Areous knew full well that she was Brujah, he adopted her, breaking with Gangrel traditions to help her in the transition from mortal to vampiric life. He diligently taught her the ins and outs of Kindred society and Denise's Brujah abilities manifested. She proved a valuable asset to Areous defending him in both social and physical confrontations. Olivia's feelings over her parents' death were left largely unaddressed. Areous was aware of the fact that she was avoiding the trauma. Like a father, he did what he could to support her through her darker moments and, they gradually became a quiet background noise.
Together, Olivia and her adoptive Sire traveled Europe. Although a staunch Independent, Areous’ business was in mediating between Camarilla and Sabbat factions in an effort to minimize Masquerade breeches that would draw the attention of vampire hunters. Olivia was helpful in these endeavors but she soon became restless. The unresolved matter of her existence left her desperate to know more about why Marquez did what he did to her. Realizing that Areous couldn't help her, she eventually parted from her mentor, on good terms, to try and find her actual Sire. Areous was wary of the decision, but acknowledged that she needed to make her own mistakes. His parting words were words of warning however: She needed to control her passions. Olivia did not understand what he meant by that.
With only the faint memory of Marquez's face and voice to go on, Olivia moved south. In Spain, she chanced to meet Darius Kaur. Unbeknownst to her, Kaur had gone Jonas, after Olivia's family was slaughtered. He found the boy, also a newborn and abandoned Brujah, and took him under his wing. He offered Olivia membership to the Camarilla and the same mentorship, but she declined. Enraged, he tried to force her to drink his blood. Areous had warned Olivia of the danger in that, how blood binding would reduce her to another Cainite's slave. As fierce as a Gangrel, Olivia fought back, sinking her teeth into Kaur's throat. Although she tried to stop it, she started drinking. And kept drinking. And drinking. Until, without meaning to, she sucked the soul clean out of Kaur, an act among Kindred known as diablerie, punishable by death. She fled the country. It was widely held in the Primogen Counsel that he had been diablerized by Marquez and no blood hunt was called as most of the Primogens wanted Darius dead anyway, due to his social manipulations during the Inquisition that got many of their ghouls killed.
The act of dialberie frightened Olivia. She realized the full extent to which she was capable of evil. Having Kaur's soul swimming around inside of her made her sick and caused her to spend many years hiding from all people and vampires. The feral, Gangrel tendencies she picked up from Areous grew stronger as Olivia shed the remaining skin of her mortal life as a girl of the privileged class. She forced herself to remain isolated, fighting against the whispers of Kaur and his ambition inside of her until, at last, the diablerie cooled. When she was finally ready to be among people again, Olivia's first and only thought was of Areous.
Olivia returned to Areous in 1780. Although he suspected she'd done something horrible, as a sign of deep love and trust, Areous never questioned her about it. Together, they returned to London where Areous continued his work with Olivia’s help. Unfortunately, her time in the wilderness left Olivia with little patience for politics. It was clear that her help was only out of love for Areous, not out of actual interest. When not on duty, she often drifted to pubs and taverns, enjoying the rough environment, which was the closest she could get to the wilderness within the confines of a city.
The two of them traveled to Virginia shortly after their reunion. Although Olivia hoped that a change of scenery would cure her restlessness, she only found herself more agitated. On Areous' advice, Olivia took off on a quest for Golconda, a sort of Cainite state of nirvana. Unfortunately, Olivia didn't have the first clue how to begin this quest, and simply ended up spending more time alone in the woods. She eventually gave up on finding peace and returned to civilization, largely living off of oddjobs and nights in the pubs.
As she went along, she was frequently called upon by Areous to do some scouting of the vampire scene in local towns across the newly formed country. She would dutifully report back to him, but in Manhattan in 1790, a Camarilla Gangrel intercepted one of her communications. Mistaking her and Areous for Anarchs, he confronted Olivia. Words were exchanged, quickly leading to blows. Although Olivia could have easily trounced him, using her social disciplines, she preferred to fight physically, like a Gangrel. He was much more powerful than she and soon beat her into a torpor. The Gangrel turned her over to the Camarilla government for execution, but the Sheriff, a friend of Areous, hid her body until everyone was certain she was dead. In 1804, Areous finally arrived to claim and revive Olivia.
Olivia wanted to start over. She'd tried to find peace and it hadn't worked. She'd tried to find her Sire and it hadn't worked. She'd tried doing Areous' work and it hadn't worked. Disheartened, Olivia was facing an identity crisis and she didn't want to rise to the occasion. A chance encounter with a friend of Areous', however, changed her outlook.
The Malkavian was named Artemis. She was the leader of a Cainite cult called the Order of the Silver Crescent. Half a peace-keeping force, half a school for the protection and training of Dhampir, the Order had a strong hold in the New World and had, for years, been calling on Areous. He had, in fact, kept many of the members of the cult informed of Olivia's development and activity, in the hopes that one day she would demonstrate the potential to join.
Members of the order traveled the world, on Artemis' command, sorting out trouble in the Kindred world. It all sounded too much like politics to Olivia, but Artemis had a different take. She described their work as a fight. Olivia liked fights and she liked the idea of giving them some kind of meaning. What really drove the point home, however, was the realization that Artemis' work meant that no young girls would have to suffer the fate that Olivia once suffered at the hands of Marquez. No innocent bystander would watch her parents die and be murdered for the sake of a feud between two immortals. Artemis encouraged her to try doing Areous work again. She also helped Olivia to reinvent herself. Olivia changed her name to "Denise," using this to try to close the chapter of unresolved questions in her life.
With new resolve, Denise plunged herself into Areous' world. Throughout the latter half of the 1800s, she became whatever he needed her to be, in whatever city he and Artemis had business. She became more accustomed to the company of other people, leaving behind her wilderness days. Hints of the mortal girl she'd once been, who loved to socialize and dance, began to reemerge. This was a time of her third iteration, a cross between Olivia Turpin the society brat and Olivia Turpin the reclusive vampire bruiser. She also experimented with a wide variety of jobs, in the process. She was everything from a cable car operator to a a theatre usher. Anything to get the job done.
In 1900, as a new century began, Denise was invited to join the Order of the Silver Crescent as a full member, on her own merits. She accepted the offer and went through the initiation rites. It was during this time that she began to learn more about Cainite lore. She was introduced to the Book of Nod and the history of the vampire race, dating all the way back to Caine and Abel. Not being the quickest of studies, it took Denise years to gain a basic understanding, but in that time, she grew close to the other members of the cult. It was a new family for Denise.
During the 1970s, Areous caught wind of what was happening on the vampire scene in Atlanta. Trouble was brewing in the form of a Sabbat incursion that would lead to catastrophic collateral damage among the mortals. He set Denise up, working for the Keeper of Elysium in a bar in order to get reports about the situation. That was when Denise fell in love. Being a bartender proved to be everything Denise never knew she wanted. It was a position of subversive power, allowing her to know everything about everyone without having to give any of herself, unless she wanted to. She could combine business with pleasure, using the social scene of a bar to gather information for Areous and Artemis. And yes, she did learn all sorts of Coyote Ugly-style bartending tricks. Just to show off.
Unfortunately, the Keeper of Elysium had a few enemies, one of whom decided to burn down the bar. Denise got away, fleeing to Augusta where a member of the Order of the Silver Crescent, Elsbeth Lennox, served as Sheriff. Denise was able to hide out there until the situation calmed down. Shortly thereafter, Denise was contacted by Artemis. Being something of a Seer, Artemis had a certain premonition about Youngston, Ohio. Denise promptly moved to Ohio in 1992 and opened her own bar, the Diamond Tavern. Since Denise was fiercely independent, politically, the bar quickly became the local hangout, a sort of neutral territory without the Camarilla taint of Elysium.
For a very long while, Denise's life there was uneventful. She moved through her nights simply enjoying her time, making friends among the various clans, regardless of political leanings. She grew especially close to a newborn Gangrel woman named Joey. Unfortunately, a cold war was brewing between the Camarilla and Sabbat in town, and the Independent members of the city were feeling pressure to join one side or the other by 2005. Denise came up with a third alternative, bringing together the Independents of the city as an unofficial, third sect. This had disastrous results, however, as her third sect turned to a powerful occultist, the Don of the Giovanni clan, for protection.
Don Giovanni required favors of Denise, Joey, and the others, leading them deeper and deeper into occult mysteries that they were ill-equipped to deal with. Both Areous and Artemis urged Denise to get out, but there was no safe way of doing so. Further complicating the matter was the sudden arrival of Jonas (Denise's former fiance) in the city. He had been following Denise's trail for years. He wanted her to join him as an Anarch and leave the city. Although she was tempted by his offer, his blunt confession of the fact that he'd seen her diablerize Kaur frightened her. In the end, the other members of her Independent sect, fearing he had dirt on all of them and would likely get them killed, staked Jonas and packed him away in a crate. Denise was the bait for the trap.
Another startling revelation occurred when Marquez showed up in the city. His greeting of, "Hey, didn't I sire you?" did not go over with well Denise, who was disgruntled to feel that particular wound open again. Despite her years of rehabilitation and transformation, she fully intended to trap and diablerize Marquez. Before she could carry out her plan, however, another Brujah in the city with a grudge against him deprived Marquez of his head. When her temper cooled, Denise realized how close she'd come to doing something unforgivable to slipping back into her old ways. She decided that Youngston was getting too dangerous for her and she wanted to leave. Areous arrived to help her make preparations, but it was too late. Denise sent Areous away, for his own protection, but chose to stay, to try and fix the mistakes she'd made. Areous was amazed to see that his beloved daughter had grown up without his realizing it.
Don Giovanni was up to something. It started with the people of the city manifesting symptoms of a strange disease. The disease spread, the population declining too rapidly to be natural. Most of the vampires of Youngston, including Denise, started to manifest signs of diseased blood as well. Soon, the corpses were piling up. And those corpses, one fateful evening, rose as zombies right before Denise's eyes.
Before too long, Don Giovanni's motives were revealed. He wanted to rip open the veil between the world of the living and the dead. This would destroy the world, most likely. Denise and Joey turned against the Don, while the rest of their friends, including a young Giovanni named Lorac, decided to stay. Denise and Joey joined with the rest of the city to fight the Giovanni. They managed to stop his ritual from being realized, but the price was high. Youngston and all of its inhabitants were dragged down into the underworld.
Denise's memories on her time in the underworld are fuzzy at best. Half cartoonish (something about an Easter egg hunt?) and half horrifying (well, they don't call it 'Hell' for nothing), time went by in a haze. All she knows for sure is that one minute she was there, the next, she was sprawled on the floor of Artemis' mansion in California. She was told about how the city of Youngston just completely disappeared and that there had only been two survivors to get out alive, Jonas (whose whereabouts were unknown) and a Giovanni named Skinny who was currently in a block of concrete in New York. Denise herself was pulled out by a Dhampir coven working for Artemis.
Deeply disturbed by what she'd gone through, Denise elected to stay close to Artemis. She took a position as one of the guards for the mansion and its surrounding compound. Artemis frequently asked Denise to serve as her personal bodyguard, when she visited Court. Slowly, but surely, Denise began to sort through her feelings (she had a lot of them!) about Youngston. In fact, she was just about recovered when, all of a sudden, the shadows closed in on her...
CRAU: N/A
Personality: The most obvious thing Denise wants you to know about her is that she's tough. She dresses tough, she talks tough, she acts tough. This isn't to say that she's overtly rude. In fact, Denise is quite friendly. But even her signs of respect and friendship are tough. She won't curtsy, but she'll shake your hand and give you a good slap on the shoulder. If you're crying, she's more likely to refill your drink than to offer you a handkerchief.
What's the cause of this? If you ask Denise, she'll tell you it's just who she is. Having been "raised by wolves," or, in this case, members of clan Gangrel, she's more accustomed to being rough and tumble than being delicate and civilized. After all, she spent a lot of her life living in the forest. And really, that's a lot more fun than the alternative. Besides, Denise isn't that fond of the prim and proper Ventrue, so she'll do anything to avoid being like them. Why wouldn't you resent the people who orchestrated your birth and then tried to hijack your unlife?
Of course, the reality is more complicated than that. Denise is a person desperate to shed the skin of her former life. One reason is that there are still way too many unresolved issues back there to deal with. The polite, well-bred society girl that she was, for all intents and purposes, was brutally murdered, after experiencing the trauma of watching her parents' slaughter. This is an issue that Denise has buried deep down and never dug up or dealt with. It's easier to ignore if she pretends that she simply isn't that girl.
Another good reason to distance herself from her old life? The fact that she committed diablerie. Denise was a very young Cainite when she devoured Kaur's soul. She didn't know what she was doing and even after the deed was done, she didn't fully understand the implications of it. When she first isolated herself, it was primarily out of fear of being caught. But gradually, she began to realize what a crime she'd committed. That fear turned into guilt and shame. And in case the years were trying to erase the guilt, watching her friend Lorac got from a young, friendly vampire, to a cold-blooded child-killer certainly reminded Denise of resolve to basically not be a dick.
Denise's emotions are strong, much stronger than her intellect. She isn't stupid; she did have a reasonably good education and downtime at the bar does mean she gets some reading done. Her intelligence usually manifests itself in the form of snark. She has a sharp wit and wields sarcasm like a blade. But the fact of the matter is that she's no philosopher. She tends to be ruled by her passions. When she feels insulted, she's more likely to punch someone out than to try to figure out the root cause of whatever insecurity is leading them to be a jackass. It's easier, faster, and keeps her away from the kind of thinking that might lead her to too much introspection which would, in turn, lead her back to facing the problems of her past that she's trying to avoid.
As a friend, Denise is extremely loyal. But her loyalty has to be earned by action. Since she really has no patience for politics, you aren't going to get in with her just by following the same party line she happens to be following. No, she chooses her friends based on merit. Occasionally, she chooses the wrong friends (after all, she's not much of a detective and can be deceived), but when she figures out what someone's really made of, based on their behavior, and if she deems it worthy, she will fight to the death for that person. This is particularly evident in her steadfast loyalty to Areous and Artemis, two people who have earned her trust through sincere deeds, rather that simply words.
Although she considers herself fairly worldly, there is one glaring bit of experience missing from Denise's life. Love, romance, and sex. Denise has never dated, never been in a relationship. She's a beautiful woman, with supernatural enhancements to her visage right at her command. Really, she could have her choice. But she's never met anyone she's ever been remotely interested in pursuing that kind of relationship with. Likely, she would be open to the possibility, but that poor soul would be in for a bumpy ride. After all, Denise gets bored easily and most of the rituals associated with "dating" tend to be a little bit too prim and proper for her. Maybe a little too "Ventrue-ish." Frankly, she'd rather go to a dog fight than to the opera.
Game Setting: In terms of the game setting, Denise will probably be striving, and failing, to achieve redemption. Her experiences have driven her to try to "do good" and not become the monster that a vampire can be. So she'll definitely try to resist temptation. But she'll also probably slip and fall. A lot. At best, she may achieve a middling road with a few redemptive qualities, but she's never getting retired.
Weaknesses/Temptations:
Protecting her friends. Denise is loyal to a fault. And will cut you, if you go after her people. Of course, she's going to have to find "her people" first. Going back and fixing past mistakes; normally not a temptation in the World of Darkness, but you never know in a jamjar game. Alcohol! Vampires in V:TM can occasionally imbibe liquids, but they always, always throw it up afterwards. Denise just enjoys the taste and the communal activity that is drinking. Proving her macho, particularly if it's being questioned. She will fight you with very little provocation. And Brujahs are known for having a wild temper. And if they are deeply insulted, they'll fly into a "rage frenzy" that causes them to fight whatever is causing the anger. Hunger. If a vampire gets hungry enough, they will lose control and go into a "hunger frenzy," trying to bite the nearest source of blood. Fire. Vampires are terribly afraid of fire, and if put into too much contact with it, Denise will fly into a "fear frenzy" and do whatever is necessary to get away, including plowing down the people in her way. Boredom. Denise gets bored easily and tries to invent ways to keep herself entertained.
Sins:
Diablerie Killing (other supernatural creatures) Kidnapping Property damage Illegal possession of firearms Hustling pool Carjacking Lying, lying, lying Harming (sometimes killing) animals Stealing Honeypot for a vampire trap
Powers/Abilities:
Celerity: Using the blood in her system, Denise can increase her speed. She can act up to four times faster than a human. It's a draining ability that requires her to keep well-fed.
Potence: Is that refrigerator in the way? No problem. Denise is strong enough to move it on her own.
Awe: When activated in social situations, this ability makes Denise and whatever she's saying much more appealing. It's not mind control, it won't get anyone to do anything unwillingly. But anyone not innately inclined to dislike her will think she's pretty cool.
Dread Gaze: With this power, Denise brings out the Beast--the vampire inside of her--and reveals it to whoever she chooses as a target. It strikes fear into the heart, so much fear that the person seeing it will flee from her, and continue to flee, for about ten minutes. They will do whatever it takes to get away from her, even if it means knocking down little old ladies.
Entrancement: When this power is activated, it's love potion number nine. The target is utterly entranced by Denise and wants to take her to the senior prom in the worst way. Well, for ten minutes or so, anyway.
Summoning: If Denise has met you, she can summon you to her location, no matter where either of you are (obviously, limited to the game setting). The target is suddenly filled with a burning desire to seek out Denise and magically knows which way to go, even if they don't know why.
Majesty: All hail Denise. Denise is a goddess. By exerting some willpower, everyone in a room will obey Denise. Until she acts violently against anyone in any way. Then all bets are off.
Feral Whispers: Yeah, Denise can talk to animals.
Feeding: A Cainite's bite is a singularly pleasurable experience. Denise might want to nom on you. She's pretty good about not killing, though.
Ghouling: Drinking Denise's blood basically makes you her bitch for a month. You get some super strength though, which is awesome. And you stop aging.
Embracing: Probably a non-issue, but yeah, Denise could totally make you a vampire.
I've got a Permissions Meme here. And am happy to nerf, as needed.
Items: The clothes on her back include: jeans, tee shirt, fingerless gloves, a leather jacket, combat boots, underwear, jewelry, brass knuckles. Since Denise was on guard duty at the time of her entry into the setting, she's equipped with the following:
A heavy revolver A box of ammo A pack of black eyeliner A deck of cards A bottle of black nail polish A copy of The Da Vinci Code
SAMPLES
Network: Network sample from a previous game here.
Log: Log sample from a PSL here.