Category: Camelot Clan

Camelot: Member

Jerry grew up in a small community in Oregon.  He lived with his grandmother until he was a teenager, when she died.  After that, he wandered between places, trying to figure what to do with his life.

He was taken in by Henry, who raised sled dogs.  Jerry ended up being a natural with them, almost as if he understood them.

So he found himself working as a dog trainer and guide in Antartctica.  He was one of the top guides, with a fun sense of humor, and though some of his colleagues never paid him much attention as he was just the ‘dog’ guy, others relied on his information about the weather, the land and the animals.

He was requested to take a scientist named McClaren to Mount Melbourne, to attempt to find a rare meteorite from the planet Mercury.  Shepard agreed, ignoring his own intuition, which kept telling him it was too late in the season (January) to complete such a treacherous route.  Worried about the snowmobiles breaking through the thinning ice or falling into a crevasse, Shepard told Harrison and McClaren that the only way to get to Mount Melbourne was by dog sled.

Shepard and McClaren made it to Mount Melbourne, but were immediately called back to base camp due to an approaching heavy storm.  McClaren begged for more time, and Shepard reluctantly granted him half a day.  McClaren found what he was looking for and the two headed back to the sled.

On the way back to base, things went wrong and McClaren was injured.  It was only Jerry’s intuition and the work of his dogs that got them to safety.  They were immediately evacuated, along with all other personnel, due to the worsening storm that was expected to intensify.  With too much weight in the plane to carry both people and dogs, the human team medically evacuated Shepard and McClaren with a plan to return later for the dogs.  The dogs were temporarily left behind, but the storm proved far worse than expected.  Because of the harsh weather conditions and a shortage of supplies at McMurdo Station, it soon became apparent that no rescue would be attempted for the dogs until the next spring.

Jerry was determined to get back to his dogs.  So determined in fact, that he kept striving for funds to mount a rescue expedition, but no one would help him, until finally he met Ernest Shackleton, who agreed to fund the project only if he could travel with him.  He had to convince Jerry of his experience in Antarctic exploration, but it was complicated trying to tell him without revealing his true nature.

With Shackleton’s influence however, an expedition was mounted and they were able to make their way back to the base.  While traveling, Jerry misstepped and fell down a small ravine, but by the time Ernest reached to him, hypothermia had set in, and even worse his leg was broken.  Such things would normally spell the end for anyone trapped on the ice with such an injury.  Nevertheless, Shackleton told him the truth about his actual identity, as well as Vampires and Mates, not wanting the young man to be mislead about what being Turned would mean.  Jerry agreed to being Turned with a promise to figure it all out when they get home, as long as they could help the dogs.

Camelot: Member

Ernest Shackleton was born on 15th February, 1874AD, in Kilkea near Athy, County Kildare, Ireland, about 46 miles (74 km) from Dublin.

Ernest’s father was Henry Shackleton, and his mother was Henrietta Letitia Sophia Gavan.  His father’s family was Anglo-Irish, originally from Yorkshire, England.  His mother’s family was Irish, from Counties Cork and Kerry.

Ernest was the second of their ten children and the first of two sons; the second, Frank, achieved notoriety as a suspect (later exonerated) in the 1907AD theft of Ireland’s Crown Jewels.  In 1880AD, when Ernest was six, Henry Shackleton gave up his life as a landowner to study medicine at Trinity College, Dublin, moving his family into the city.  Four years later, the family moved again, from Ireland to Sydenham in suburban London.  Partly, this was in search of better professional prospects for the newly qualified doctor, but another factor may have been unease about their Anglo-Irish ancestry, following the assassination by Irish Nationalists of Lord Frederick Cavendish, the British Chief Secretary for Ireland, in 1882AD.

Shackleton’s restlessness at school was such, that he was allowed to leave at 16 years of age, and go to sea.  The options available to him, were a Royal Naval Cadetship at HMS Britannia, which Dr Shackleton could not afford; the mercantile marine cadet ships Worcester and Conway; or an apprenticeship ‘before the mast’ on a sailing vessel.  The third option was chosen.

His father was able to secure him a berth with the North Western Shipping Company, aboard the square-rigged sailing ship Hoghton Tower.  During the following four years at sea, Shackleton learned his trade, visiting the far corners of the earth and forming acquaintances with a variety of people from many walks of life, learning to be at home with all kinds of men.  In August 1894AD, he passed his examination for Second Mate and accepted a post as Third Officer on a Tramp Steamer of the Welsh Shire Line.  Two years later, he had obtained his First Mate’s ticket, and in 1898AD, he was certified as a Master Mariner, qualifying him to command a British ship anywhere in the world.

The National Antarctic Expedition, known as the Discovery Expedition after the ship Discovery, was the brainchild of Sir Clements Markham, President of the Royal Geographical Society, and had been many years in preparation.  It was led by Robert Falcon Scott, a Royal Navy torpedo Lieutenant lately promoted Commander, and had objectives that included scientific and geographical discovery.  Although Discovery was not a Royal Navy unit, Scott required the crew, officers and scientific staff to accept voluntarily the conditions of the Naval Discipline Act, and the ship and expedition were run on Royal Navy lines.  Shackleton accepted this, even though his own background and instincts favoured a different, more informal style of leadership.  Shackleton’s particular duties were listed as: “In charge of seawater analysis.  Ward Room caterer.  In charge of holds, stores and provisions.  He also arranges the entertainments.”

Discovery departed London on 31st July, 1901AD, arriving at the Antarctic coast, via Cape Town and New Zealand, on 8th January, 1902AD.

After landing, Shackleton took part in an experimental balloon flight on 4th February, 1902AD.  He also participated, with the scientists Edward Wilson and Hartley Ferrar, in the first sledging trip from the expedition’s winter quarters in McMurdo Sound – a journey which established a safe route onto the Great Ice Barrier.  During the Antarctic winter of 1902AD, in the confines of the iced-in Discovery, Shackleton edited the expedition’s magazine ‘The South Polar Times’.  According to Steward Clarence Hare, he was “the most popular of the officers among the crew, being a good mixer”, though claims that this represented an unofficial rival leadership to Scott’s are unsupported.

Scott chose Shackleton to accompany Wilson and himself on the expedition’s southern journey, a march southwards to achieve the highest possible latitude in the direction of the South Pole.  This march was not a serious attempt on the Pole, although the attainment of a high latitude was of great importance to Scott, and the inclusion of Shackleton indicated a high degree of personal trust.

The party set out on 2nd November, 1902AD.  The march was, Scott wrote later, “a combination of success and failure”.  A record Farthest South latitude of 82° 17′ was reached, beating the previous record established in 1900AD, by Carsten Borchgrevink.  The journey was marred by the poor performance of the dogs, whose food had become tainted, and who rapidly fell sick.  All 22 dogs died during the march.  The three men all suffered at times from snow blindness, frostbite and ultimately, scurvy.  On the return journey, Shackleton had by his own admission “broken down” and could no longer carry out his share of the work.  He would later deny Scott’s claim in ‘The Voyage of the Discovery’, that he had been carried on the sledge.  However, he was in a seriously weakened condition.  Wilson’s diary entry for 14th January, 1903AD reads: “Shackleton has been anything but up to the mark, and today he is decidedly worse, very short winded and coughing constantly, with more serious symptoms that need not be detailed here but which are of no small consequence one hundred and sixty miles from the ship”.

On 4th February, 1903AD, the party finally reached the ship.  After a medical examination (which proved inconclusive), Scott decided to send Shackleton home on the relief ship Morning, which had arrived in McMurdo Sound in January 1903AD.  Scott wrote: “He ought not to risk further hardship in his present state of health.”  There is conjecture that Scott’s motives for removing him was resentment of Shackleton’s popularity, and that ill-health was used as an excuse to get rid of him.  Years after the deaths of Scott, Wilson and Shackleton, Albert Armitage, the expedition’s Second-in-Command, claimed that there had been a falling-out on the southern journey, and that Scott had told the ship’s doctor, “if he does not go back sick he will go back in disgrace.”  There is no corroboration of Armitage’s story however.

Shackleton and Scott stayed on friendly terms, at least until the publication of Scott’s account of the southern journey in ‘The Voyage of the Discovery’.  Although in public they remained mutually respectful and cordial, according to biographer Roland Huntford, Shackleton’s attitude to Scott turned to “smouldering scorn and dislike”, and salvage of wounded pride required “a return to the Antarctic and an attempt to outdo Scott”.

For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library

Camelot: Member

Joshua was raised in the Wild West.  His father was a Union Soldier, and had installed in him the values of being a good man.  He learned to ride, shoot and herd cattle since he was a wee child.

He watched as the Wilderness closed.

Towns began to flourish as Ranches began to decrease.  He sold the family ranch, took the money and decided to travel.

A year later he found himself in London, where he was befriend by a real English Lord who was fascinated with Cowboys.  He took him to ‘David’s House’ where his life changed drastically.

Coming down the steps was the cutest boy he’d seen, who promptly tripped and landed in his arms.

The rest they say was history.

Camelot: Member

Patrick was born in 1966AD, in Armagh, Northern Ireland to Mary Ann McKenna, a former Nun.  His biological father is unknown.

She raised him to be a devout Catholic, attending Mass every day of his life, and teaching him that God loved him, and He had a destiny waiting for him.

When he was six years old, he lost his mother in a UVF bombing at Armagh Cathedral – a protest against the visit by a Titular Archbishop on an Apostolic Mission from the Vatican, who had come to Ireland to try and broker peace.  The boy’s survival saw him labelled as ‘The Little Miracle of Saint Patrick’.

The Archbishop took Patrick back with him to Italy, formally adopting him, stating that he would raise the boy in God’s Church.

Patrick had the Vatican as his playground and school yard.  He remembered most fondly the Vatican Police officer who usually caught him running from the Nuns and dragged him back to his studies.

As he got older, he found himself talking with that same officer for hours, looking to him for wisdom and companionship.

Though he didn’t have to, when he was 18 he demanded that he follow through with his National Service to the Italian Military.  Though he never learned to use a gun, he excelled at flying helicopters.  Patrick never told the Vatican Police Officer, that he knew it was him who had made sure Patrick was safe during those two years.

When he returned, he dedicated his life to the Church, going through Seminary and becoming a Priest.  When his ‘father’ became Pope, he took the position as Camerlengo – much to the dismay of many older men in the Church who had sought the position for themselves.

He was proud to see his friend go on to become Inspector General of Vatican Police.

When his father suddenly died, he was devastated.

The night of Conclave 2006AD, everything changed.

Camelot: Scientist

Thracius was the second son of a Senator. He did not have the patience for politics, and no head for the military life.

He was educated instead, in the art of medicine. His bedside manner left much desired, but his results were well appreciated.

Severus did not take to fools, and never had a problem saying as such, getting himself in to trouble on many occasions.

It was a Senator who introduced him to Imenand, following an enquiry about the doctor’s manner. Imenand, however, spoke up on behalf of the doctor, and took him in to have him work at the Council.

Within moments, Severus demanded to know what was really going on, berating Imenand that he was not to be treated as a common fool, whereupon he took the knowledge of Vampire existence in his stride, and continued to advance his skills as a doctor of medicine, learning everything he could from the Vampires, and how they healed themselves from the mere ingestion of blood.

Imenand eventually approached him about being Turned, and Severus just rolled his eyes, wondering why it had taken so long for anyone to ask.

Camelot: Member

Paul’s family was originally from Poland.  His grandmother, fled with her husband and children, to England in 1936.  She talks about the regret she felt leaving behind her sister, her husband, and son, all who had perished at Auschwitz.

He was in college when he was recruited by James Bond into MI:6.  His gifts in languages, and the ability to crack any safe gave him a skill set they could use.  He rose up the ranks in MI:6 and is now a Double O Agent.

(Dilios Note: Not that I’m supposed to know that)

He became friends with Charles Evan, who at the time was a Veterinarian student, needing a place to stay.  Paul always gone, offered his back bedroom, to the student and over time the two became friends, despite the arguments over the menagerie of animals in the house.

He ended up making friends with Hannibal King, the two building an unusual friendship.

While on a Mission he was severely wounded and he still wasn’t sure if he gave consent to be Turned, but in the end he accepted his fate as one of M’s boys.

Camelot: Co-Leader

Born in Wales in the year 506AD, Gwenhwyfar is the daughter of King Leodegrance.

At the young age of 13 she ran away in defiance against her father.  She was rescued by John Rhys, who saved her from her pursuers and escorted her back to her father, where he became the head of her guard.

Her betrothal to Arthur Pendragon was meant purely as a political match but upon their first meeting when Arthur came to the rescue of Wales and banished the rebel King Rience from his enemy’s lands, they fell in love.  Their Courtship was conducted in much secrecy and amidst great danger as there were many on either side of the English/Welsh border who were opposed to all that such a match would entail, both politically and in terms of social change.

Her Wedding Train was raided as she crossed the border into England, five days before the wedding was due to take place in Cornwall, and her abduction forced Arthur, Lancelot and Galahad to ride forth to avenge her honor and rescue her and her entourage.  The resulting massacre is now the stuff of legend.

Arthur knew he had found his Mate in Gwenhwyfar but did not tell her of his true nature until the eve of their nuptials.  Her resulting outrage from his suggestion that she remain human in order to bear the children he could not give her, and thereby supply an heir to the throne for Camelot’s future, resulted in one of her maidservants misunderstanding what was said and spreading the rumor that she had, in fact, slept with Lancelot.

Gwenhwyfar has a strong belief in employing only the most scrupulously honest of servants as a result of this notorious incident.

Camelot/Sylum: Member

Camelot: Member

Hilary was the 2nd soon of the Lord Bray Family.  He was destined to marry Margaret, the oldest daughter of another high ranking family, who was considered a good match but difficult.

The two weren’t each others love of their lives, but they cared for each other dearly.

Margaret gave him 3 sons, only James survived into adulthood.

Hilary’s true love was the young servant girl, who had born him a daughter, who he made sure married into a good family from Scotland, the Bonds.

He was approached by Lamont who was recruiting him to the Vampire Council, said he had skills that would suit them.

Hilary laughed and said he should recruit his wife, M.

Little did he know, Lamont would do that and Turned them both.

Camelot: War Counsel

Draco was born into a small Viking village, Draco doesn’t remember much of his childhood, just that he was named after the Dragons.

It was Draco the Dragon who plucked him out of the sea one day and tossed him onto the shores beneath Tintagel in order to save him from drowning when his boat sank.  The dragon symbol on his leather breastplate had piqued the actual Dragon’s attention.

He settled, albeit with some effort on everyone’s part, into life at Tintagel, discovering that there were some gaps in his memory that could only be put down to having suffered a head injury while in the water.  He always wondered why Galahad would run from him whenever he was around, but he felt compelled to approach Arthur about staying and becoming one of his Knights. He could not deny feeling a comradeship toward the King, and was valuable to the Clan as a fierce fighter and excellent swordsman.

Arthur told him to go talk to Severus and Galahad before he swore his loyalty.

Draco’s stubborn attitude finally got the two men alone, and he demanded to know what the problem was, only to then discover that he was their Mate.

He stood for a few moments, taking in that particular information, before turning and walking away.

In his mind there was only one person he could talk to about being a Vampire.  So he went into the Dragon’s lair and asked his namesake why he had saved him. The Dragon simply answered, that it was because he should be part of the Clan.

Draco made his way back up to Tintagel Castle, and found Galahad, promptly shoving him against the nearest wall and kissing him in front of everyone.

Severus rolled his eyes, grabbed the ‘kids’ and dragged them off to their rooms.

Camelot: Scientist

Thracius was the second son of a Senator. He did not have the patience for politics, and no head for the military life.

He was educated instead, in the art of medicine. His bedside manner left much desired, but his results were well appreciated.

Severus did not take to fools, and never had a problem saying as such, getting himself in to trouble on many occasions.

It was a Senator who introduced him to Imenand, following an enquiry about the doctor’s manner. Imenand, however, spoke up on behalf of the doctor, and took him in to have him work at the Council.

Within moments, Severus demanded to know what was really going on, berating Imenand that he was not to be treated as a common fool, whereupon he took the knowledge of Vampire existence in his stride, and continued to advance his skills as a doctor of medicine, learning everything he could from the Vampires, and how they healed themselves from the mere ingestion of blood.

Imenand eventually approached him about being Turned, and Severus just rolled his eyes, wondering why it had taken so long for anyone to ask.

Camelot: Second-in-Command

Galahad was born in France in the year 510AD (Dilios Note: Though there is some discrepancy of the date), the only child of the unmarried Elaine, herself the youngest daughter of Theodosis Meridius, he had no idea who fathered him.

He was singled out from a very early age for being a bright and noble young man with a quick wit and clever mind.

Determined to dedicate his existence to God, he was considered to be so pure of heart that his life was a gift from Heaven, but his lack of parental heritage meant he could not enter into a Monastic life.

Upon hearing of King Arthur’s Court he turned instead to thoughts of Knighthood and Chivalry, swearing himself to Arthur Pendragon and the pursuit of courage, dignity and honor.  Seeing his purity and decency, Arthur granted him Knighthood without question and had the young man of barely 14 years in age, trained to the highest standard in combat skills, horsemanship and all scholarly pursuits.

Galahad’s close personal friendship with Sir Gawain was thought to be that of two Mates who had yet to discover their Vampire destiny, but with the murder of Gawain, so Galahad became the first of Arthur’s Knights to step forward in the quest for the Holy Grail.

He returned two years later without the Sangreal but bearing with him tales of legend and miracle, having been visited in a vision by Joseph of Arimathea and been privileged to witness in a dream, the Rapture of Heaven.  His information proved the most reliable and trustworthy in the continuing hunt for the Cup of Christ.

Arthur took him into his total confidence upon this news and instructed him in the ways of the Vampire.

Camelot: Hunter

After being Turned, Jacob and Evie were sent to Masyaf, and then to Egypt with Proximo.

It was there that they learned skills to enhance their natural fighting styles.

When they returned to London, they took over Nico and Sherlock’s job of protecting the City.  A few years later, Jayadeep was sent to them for training.  They thought it ironic, but took him in no less.  Evie knew the kid (despite the fact they were the same age) had a small crush on her, but she made sure he understood her preference didn’t lean towards men.  They ended up good friends.

Leading to her Turning him, when he was mortally wounded.

Evie was glad to have Guin in her life, not having had a woman’s influence since she was young.  The two became firm friends, and if ever needed, she guarded the Queen.

She also took to Galahad, the two becoming friends who enhanced each other’s youthfulness.

She knows Jacob stays more aloof to other Clan Members, his loyalty strictly for Nico, she can relate as she has a soft spot for her Sire.

Rumor has it she may have had a child before she was Turned, but this is only hearsay.

Camelot: Hunter

Jacob and Evie are fraternal twins.  They were born in Crawley, in 1868 AD.

Their parents moved to the City of London to find work and support their family.  When they were five years old, their mother died of illness, and at twelve, their father was killed in an industrial accident.

Jacob found a job to make sure his sister had food.  She worked right next to him however, refusing to leave him behind.  They supported each other fiercely, and fought anyone who got between them.  Their actions brought them connections with local street gangs who could protect them from the law and potential threats of a less than legal nature.

Jacob moved up the ranks of the fiercest gang, his direct approach and use of brass knuckles taking out all opponents, while Evie always got the ones who snuck out the back.

Fate intervened when they met Nico and Sherlock.  (Dilios Note: Not that I know the two of them were running through London… Nope, not me)

Nico saw potential in both of them. He offered them a chance, and a future.

The siblings took it.