In an all-out attempt to wrest Portugal from the Garou, a major attack was planned. Learning of the intended attack, Ransom led a small but powerful group consisting of five of his best warriors to the vampire haven, with the intent of delivering a preemptive strike against the vampires. The battle was a long and bloody one, resulting in the death of over three dozen Kindred ... and Ransom's entire pack, save one. Amidst the carnage, Ransom lay dying ... broken beyond even his Garou ability to heal.
The person known simply as Ransom has his beginnings nearly 450 years ago in Portugal. Ransom was then the Alpha of a Pack of Garou who held considerable political power. During an invasion by the Spanish, engineered by the ruling Vampire Coven of Spain, Ransom's pack engaged in many successful battles which held the invading vampires at bay for many years.
Onto this scene entered a vampire Elder ... a lone Assamite, who had been following the vampire coven from Spain in an effort to spy on their activities. The Elder witnessed in silence the great battle as it raged, stepping from the shadows only after its conclusion. For reasons that remain unknown to Ransom, the Elder knelt beside him, taking him in his arms, and Embraced him, despite Ransom's feeble attempts to resist. Whether it was his already weakened state, or the devastation of the loss of his pack, the Embrace took effect. The Elder disappeared, uttering but a single word to Ransom: "Alamut."
Ransom was horrified at what he had become and sought release, making his way back to his tribe in Portugal -- hoping they would do what he, as a Christian, could not. But his tribe would not give Ransom the release he sought. Ransom, despite his condition, was too powerful and important for the tribe to lose. The Tribe, fearful of the repercussions for harboring an Abomination, as Ransom had now become, kept his existence a secret, allowing him to continue his rule from behind the scenes.
Ransom maintained his ties to his tribe throughout the years, aiding them in their struggles against the Wyrm -- and specifically against vampires, a pursuit Ransom engaged in with a rage and fury that earned him growing notoriety among the vampires of the world. He used his attacks on his vampire victims as a means of gaining information on Alamut, eager to gain any insight as to the whereabouts of his Sire, whom he had sworn to slay for bringing the curse upon him.
Ransom's inquiries eventually brought him to the attentions of the Assamite Clan, who immediately dispatched a contact to meet with him and to determine if he was a threat to the Clan. The contact, utterly astounded at Ransom's situation, brought Ransom to Alamut to be dealt with by the Elders of the Assamite Clan.
Enraged that one of their own, a renegade Elder no less, would Embrace another, let alone a Garou, without the consent of the Clan, the Assamites decided that Ransom would be slain in ritual combat. But instead he easily defeated opponent after opponent, until the Elders, impressed with his skill and ability, decided to bring him into Clan Assamite.
Ransom underwent years of training with the Assamites, learning their ways -- the ways of the Assassin -- and eventually undergoing the Ceremony of the Embrace, whereby he became bonded to the Clan. It was during this ceremony that Ransom encountered and slew his Sire, exacting revenge for the Embrace forced upon him so many years ago.
Ransom was summarily ousted from the Clan, having committed a crime against one of their own ... yet having also inadvertently administered just punishment to the Elder who had violated Clan policies by Embracing Ransom without the Clan's consent. Ransom was given free rein to return to his tribe ... where he would continue to wage war against the Kindred in the name of Gaia, a task at which he excelled.
Hundreds of years later, having long since accepted his vampiric existence, Ransom stepped out one evening to feed. It was on this night that Ransom ran afoul of an enemy from his past ... an immensely powerful Daemon who had come to exact revenge upon the only surviving member of the Garou pack that had vanquished it centuries ago. After easily defeating Ransom, though at the cost of its human host, the daemon decided to possess Ransom and take his body for his own. Stripping Ransom of his Garou nature, the daemon succeeded in entering his body ... but through some quirk in Ransom's vampiric curse, the daemon failed to possess him completely, leaving Ransom largely in control not only of his body, but of the daemon's considerable powers.
Now completely denied his ties to Gaia the Garou matron Goddess, Ransom has closed off all ties to his former tribe ... walking his nights alone and bitter ... existing only for the chance at redemption in the final war against the Wyrm and its minions in the battle of The Apocalypse.
Ransom is an Assassin of the highest calibre, having had over 450 years to hone his skills and perfect his craft. As a 6th generation Antitribu, Ransom possesses many powerful vampiric disciplines, including blinding speed, incredible strength, perception and focus. He can also assume a demonic form of even greater strength and power ... but he will only assume this form when the situation has gone beyond his capability to deal with it in his natural form.
Ransom's strongest abilities stem from his control over the daemonic powers inherited during his possession. It is rumored that he could bend the very fabric of reality if the need arose.
Beyond his supernatural abilities, Ransom is an accomplished fighter, excelling in hand to hand combat, favoring the styles of Penjak Silat and Shotokan Karate. He is equally as skilled in firearms, demolitions and blade combat.
Combined with his vampiric prowess, Ransom is a formidable opponent and a greatly feared assassin in the underworld.
Ransom counts many flaws ... chief among them being the slowly weakening wall of faith he has maintained during his existence ... a wall slowly crumbling under the assault of the daemon within. Ransom can only hope his redemption in the war of Apocalypse will come before his soul is lost forever.
Today Ransom is a portrait of Torment. The majority of his existence has been as a creature tainted by the very evil he was born to to fight ... The Wyrm. He was raised a devout Christian before learning of his Garou nature and Gaia, both of which he embraced uneasily, eventually incorporating them into his Christian beliefs.
Already under the belief that, as a Garou, he was undergoing a test of his faith, Ransom has dogmatically clung to his Christian beliefs despite the continuous blows against his humanity, with the death of his mate, his being Embraced and his subsequent possession by a daemon.
As a result of his torment, Ransom is a bitter and less than social being ... given to calm, calculated revenge against those who cross him. He is also prone to extreme mood swings, casting out all who would befriend him one moment, and fiercely defending a friend the next.
Ransom is slightly pale skinned as a result of his vampiric nature. His hair, white and shoulder-length, is generally tied back in a ponytail, and his eyes are steel grey. Standing 6'2, he is slim but broad-shouldered.
When not on the hunt, he is usually dressed in the latest fashions, generally in dark, subdued tones. On the prowl, he is generally dressed in an all black, form-fitting bodysuit and black, steel-toed, spiked combat boots. He wears a bandolier-type shoulder harness with numerous pouches containing small components of various items one of his profession might need (lockpicks, throwing darts, ammo cartridges, acid, poison, etc.). He always carries two small firearms and a number of daggers/blades on his person.
Formerly Glasswalker and Assamite, Ransom counts among his friends Lady zZz, LdyofShadows, Seduction v, Arthur Deville, Zoie Tears, Viper, Druhim Vanashta and Shadowpack ... along with many others. He lists his occupation as Assassin/Financier. He hopes only to exist long enough to die an honorable and redeeming death in the War of the Apocalypse, and fears abandonment by the very powers he believes in. Indeed, Ransom teeters on the edge of succumbing to the daemon within.
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