Need an interesting backstory for a V:tM NPC

[AshfireMage]

Apologies in advance for the long post.

In the game I'm in right now (V20), my ST has asked me to give him some info (like, 1-3 paragraphs) on each of my characters human Backgrounds (contacts, allies, etc). I'm doing fine with all of them except for her Mentor, who I'm just drawing a complete blank on. Requirements:

* Reasonable power and investment levels for a 1-dot mentor (ST will probably be a little flexible since there's an ocean between him and my character, but still)
* Is a 9th-gen Follower of Set (he's my character's grandsire)
* Has or at least appears to have German origins and is living in Munich currently
* Would have conceivably have embraced a guy who's mostly been partying away his trust fund for his adult life, yet has proved himself to be a master manipulator and very receptive to Setite doctrine
* When said guy embraces his sister [who displayed similar qualities, but not to the same level] on a whim, would conceivably have responded by having the sister diablarize her brother/sire and "adopting" her as his own childe

I don't have any solid ideas yet, although I've kicked around the idea of having him be a military man at some point in his past, and have had it suggested that perhaps he follows on of the various theological schools (House of Eclipse (http://whitewolf.wikia.com/wiki/House_of_Eclipse)was the one I was looking at), but I'm not tied to anything solid yet.

IDK, maybe I'm overcomplicating this, but I'm just having a hard time coming up with anything that doesn't feel like a rehash of my character or one of our PCs or NPCs (the two major ones falling roughly into "academician with some... interesting... ideas about historical and sociocultural relationships" and "club owner who definitely deals drugs and may also be involved in human trafficking")

Any help would be much appreciated!

[fishyfishyfishy]

Former Nazi who rose up in the ranks through cunning and manipulation. Was not really interested in their ideals, but saw a method of taking advantage of bad situation to come out the better for it (personally). Maintains a "only the strong survive" mentality, though that strength need not be physical.

[AshfireMage]

Wow, you're fast, lol. Thank you for the quick response :)

It definitely could work, although I'm not sure if mid-century is early enough to give him enough power to serve as an effective mentor at this point. Then again, if he's super ambitious, perhaps he's a sort of "rising star".

Could also help with explaining why he was so upset about my character's sire embracing her- I'd already established that it was a hasty emotional act on his part, done in the heat of the moment and then covered up. Hardly a paragon of strength there.

[fishyfishyfishy]

Wow, you're fast, lol. Thank you for the quick response :)

It definitely could work, although I'm not sure if mid-century is early enough to give him enough power to serve as an effective mentor at this point. Then again, if he's super ambitious, perhaps he's a sort of "rising star".

Could also help with explaining why he was so upset about my character's sire embracing her- I'd already established that it was a hasty emotional act on his part, done in the heat of the moment and then covered up. Hardly a paragon of strength there.

Well you did say it was only a 1 dot mentor. There are younger kindred with more power and influence than that.

I find the most compelling characters are the ones with flaws in their personality. People who have some challenge to overcome and a driving goal. Maybe as an expansion to my suggestion he could see nurturing your character as another method of gaining influence. He sees your potential and wants to help bring out those qualities that best serve his interests - whatever they may be.

It's also my understanding that Setites typically indoctrinate people into the cult-like religion before the embrace. Your Sire's transgression was not forgiven.

[Mutazoia]

Well, if you wanted him to be older, you could always have him have been a vampire during the Franco-Prussian era, and eventually fought in WWI. He rises through the ranks of the German army during the first Great War, and is recalled to service during WWII. He never really completely bought in to the whole Nazi idea, but knew an opportunity to grab some power and wealth when he saw it, and took full advantage. Perhaps he could have gotten himself a post as a concentration camp commandant, which would have given him a steady supply of people to feed on, that nobody would miss if they just up and died, or disappeared completely (The commandant runs his own secret experiments...a few prisoners go missing, who cares?)

Giving him a high enough rank, both in the military, and the "party" itself, would give him an opportunity to abscond with a great deal of "Nazi Gold" at the end of the war, which he then invests in various business ventures to compound (and launder) his wealth and establish his "legacy".....

[LibraryOgre]

He was a member of the German embassy to the Kingdom of Egypt (nominally independent, actually a British puppet state) in the early 1920s. It was there that he entered into the worship of Set, being groomed as an eventual Child of Set. He was embraced in the early 30s (himself now in his mid-50s), and left in Germany during the war... a German man, he was able to represent Setite interests in ways that the more commonly Egyptian members could not.

[opaopajr]

Easy, late 1800s got caught up in the Spiritualism and Mesmerism movements in Europe. Possibly fought on the Prussian side against France during the Aneé Terrible (1871) and became a disaffected dilletante after seeing the consequences of human cannibalism from the seige. Throw in Egyptian craze, old torpored Setite, mentor is a young useful tool, brand new unified Germany seen as technological apex...
Was embraced to give an awakened Cairo elder a jump start in the modern nights, but now too tied up serving his elder to reliably shelter his grandchildren. Grandpa's busy kids!

[AshfireMage]

Thanks so much, Playgrounders! I combined a bit from most of your suggestions with a couple of things I finally came up with myself and managed to create something that looks pretty workable. Now just waiting to see what my ST thinks :)

[fishyfishyfishy]

Awesome. I'm glad you were able to get what you were looking for.