Oceania: Legal Advisor

Thomas Jefferson was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and the third President of the United States (1801–1809). He was an ardent proponent of democracy and embraced the principles of republicanism and the rights of the individual with worldwide influence. At the beginning of the American Revolution, he served in the Continental Congress, representing Virginia, and then served as a wartime Governor of Virginia (1779–1781). In May 1785, he became the United States Minister to France and later the first United States Secretary of State (1790–1793) serving under President George Washington. In opposition to Alexander Hamilton’s Federalism, Jefferson and his close friend, James Madison, organized the Democratic-Republican Party, and later resigned from Washington’s cabinet. Elected Vice President in 1796 in the administration of John Adams, Jefferson opposed Adams, and with Madison secretly wrote the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which attempted to nullify the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Elected president in what Jefferson called the “Revolution of 1800”, he oversaw acquisition of the vast Louisiana Territory from France (1803), and sent out the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806), and later three others, to explore the new west. Jefferson doubled the size of the United States during his presidency. His second term was beset with troubles at home, such as the failed treason trial of his former Vice President Aaron Burr. When Britain threatened American shipping challenging U.S. neutrality during its war with Napoleon, he tried economic warfare with his embargo laws, which only impeded American foreign trade. In 1803, President Jefferson initiated a process of Indian tribal removal to the Louisiana Territory west of the Mississippi River, having opened lands for eventual American settlers. In 1807 Jefferson drafted and signed into law a bill that banned slave importation into the United States.

A leader in the Enlightenment, Jefferson was a polymath in the arts, sciences, and politics. Considered an important architect in the classical tradition, he designed his home Monticello and other notable buildings. Jefferson was keenly interested in science, invention, architecture, religion, and philosophy; he was an active member and eventual president of the American Philosophical Society. He was conversant in French, Greek, Italian, and Latin, read Spanish, and studied other languages and linguistics, interests which led him to found the University of Virginia after his presidency. Although not a notable orator, Jefferson was a skilled writer and corresponded with many influential people in America and Europe throughout his adult life.

For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library

During his time in the White House, Thomas Jefferson became good friends with Henry Sturges. The two would talk philosophy, history, politics for hours. When he discovered his friend was a Vampire, and was the one that helped Washington during the Revolutionary War, he requested to be Turned.

Oceania: Hunter

Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV was born 1944. Both his father and grandfather were naval officers.

He was born in Detroit, but raised in the region of Tidewater, Virginia. In high school, his football team won a Virginia State football championship. Some members of his family, including his mother and her second husband, still reside there.

Magnum attended the United States Naval Academy then served ten or more years as an officer in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant before resigning from the service in disillusionment in 1979.

Magnum was a Vietnam War veteran and a former POW who believed his wife Michelle died in bombing during the final pull-out from Saigon. He served in both the SEALs and Naval Intelligence during his Navy years, and as such maintained many contacts in both communities.

After he retired he moved to Hawaii where he became a Private Investigator. He ended up working for Robin Nest as security personnel, in exchange of room and board, and use of his Ferrari. His boss was Higgins, who he suspected of being Nest, but could never prove it.

When he was shot defending Higgins, he found out at least some of Higgins’ secrets and accepted being Turned.

Hurley was the third of five children born to parents Edward and Margaret Hurley and was raised in Glebe, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. He ran away from home at the age of 13 to work on the Lithgow steel mill, returning home two years later to study at the local technical school and attend science lectures at the University of Sydney. When he was 17 he bought his first camera, a 15 shilling Kodak Box Brownie which he paid for at the rate of a shilling per week. He taught himself photography and set himself up in the postcard business, where he gained a reputation for putting himself in danger in order to produce stunning images, including placing himself in front of an oncoming train to capture it on film.

At the age of 25, in 1908, Hurley learned that Australian explorer Douglas Mawson was planning an expedition to Antarctica; fellow Sydney-sider Henri Mallard, in 1911, recommended Hurley for the position of official photographer to Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition, ahead of himself. Hurley asserts in his biography that he then cornered Mawson as he was making his way to their interview on a train, using the advantage to talk his way into the job. Mawson was persuaded, while Mallard, who was the manager of Harringtons (a local Kodak franchise) to which Hurley was in debt, provided photographic equipment. The Expedition departed in 1911, returning in 1914. On his return, he edited and released a documentary ‘Home of the Blizzard,’ using his footage from the expedition.

Hurley was also the official photographer on Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition which set out in 1914 and was marooned until August 1916.

For more information contact the Vampire Council Library

Hurley had to fight with Shackleton on keeping the images he had taken during the expedition. In the end the two compromised and he kept 1/4 of the glass plates. He found this a hard earned reward, considering he had dived into freezing waters to save a portion of them.

It was this act that had him being Turned by Shackleton.

Oceania: Hunter

The tales around who Azazel is and where he comes from is legendary.

Some say he was a fallen angel from heaven.  Others say he was part of the Neyaphem, and was at war with the Cheyarafim, who banished his people to another dimension.  Only Azazel escaped due to his teleporting capabilities.

When asked how old he really is, and where he comes from he only smiles.

There are legends through history that talk about the ‘red devil’ or a demon who just appears in front of you seeking your soul.

But the first time recorded history of Azazel is in the Caribbean, and Captain Jack Sparrow.

Oceania: Hunter

Roland was born into slavery, on a plantation in South Carolina.  When the war broke out between the states, his father took the advantage and fled with him and his mother.  He found himself out west, moving from town to town.  His mother had taught him how to read, and his father taught him how to survive.

He learned quickly to use a gun, became known for his natural skills.

And when a posse came for him, he ran.

Roland ended up in Australia, if you ask him how, he really couldn’t tell you.  He used his skills to help those he could, and in time found himself protecting the aborigines and those who were being pushed out of their lands by wealthy men with power.

He kept to his father’s code:

I do not aim with my hand;
He who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with my eye.

I do not shoot with my hand;
He who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with my mind.

I do not kill with my gun;
He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my heart.

It was Jake who finally caught up with him, along with Dundee and Quigley.  They sat him down to explain about Vampires.  He was intrigued by the way they lived their lives, and protection they gave.

So he agreed to be Turned.

Oceania: Member

Mason Anne Weaver was named after her grandfather. And since her first roll call most people think she’s going to be a boy. Now she mostly uses that to her advantage. She grew-up in the suburbs of Chicago during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Her fascination with photography began in her teens when she borrowed her father’s old Leica III camera. She began taking photos of the her neighborhood, kids riding bicycles, local pets and the animals at the zoo, the “L” train, and the city. She entered several of her photos in local contest and even managed to win a few.

In 1963, her future prospects, according to her mother, were to find a husband or go to college to find a husband. She opted for college but omitted the plans to find a husband. She decided that her hobby was a good start for a degree in either photography or journalism and pursued it along with a degree English. She began working for the college paper and in her senior year earned a spot to travel to New York City to hear Martin Luther King speak at Riverside Church.

After listening to the “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” speech Mason began taking photos at Civil Rights gatherings; as well as the protests in D.C. A few of her photos appeared in newspapers and magazines.

By 1970 she found herself in Vietnam as an investigative photojournalist or, as some would call her depending on what was on the other side of her lens, an “anti-war” photographer. She believes (and still does) that pictures speak for themselves and she always tries to stay out of the politics of it all.

She was embedded with the MAC V-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group). And, by the end of the war in 1973 Mason had one of her photos on the cover of Time magazine.

Her last excursion before leaving Vietnam was to take one more trip into the jungle following a former SAS Captain who was reportedly looking for a down helicopter and its pilot. The little adventure was more harrowing than being embedded with the MAC V-SOG. After all, she had been right, there was something very suspicious about the story of the downed craft and the pilot. There were chases, gunfire, vampires, dying, and James.

By the end only four people walked out of the jungle. No one talks about it.

Oceania: Hunter

Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV was born 1944. Both his father and grandfather were naval officers.

He was born in Detroit, but raised in the region of Tidewater, Virginia. In high school, his football team won a Virginia State football championship. Some members of his family, including his mother and her second husband, still reside there.

Magnum attended the United States Naval Academy then served ten or more years as an officer in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant before resigning from the service in disillusionment in 1979.

Magnum was a Vietnam War veteran and a former POW who believed his wife Michelle died in bombing during the final pull-out from Saigon. He served in both the SEALs and Naval Intelligence during his Navy years, and as such maintained many contacts in both communities.

After he retired he moved to Hawaii where he became a Private Investigator. He ended up working for Robin Nest as security personnel, in exchange of room and board, and use of his Ferrari. His boss was Higgins, who he suspected of being Nest, but could never prove it.

When he was shot defending Higgins, he found out at least some of Higgins’ secrets and accepted being Turned.

Oceania: Hunter

Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV was born 1944. Both his father and grandfather were naval officers.

He was born in Detroit, but raised in the region of Tidewater, Virginia. In high school, his football team won a Virginia State football championship. Some members of his family, including his mother and her second husband, still reside there.

Magnum attended the United States Naval Academy then served ten or more years as an officer in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant before resigning from the service in disillusionment in 1979.

Magnum was a Vietnam War veteran and a former POW who believed his wife Michelle died in bombing during the final pull-out from Saigon. He served in both the SEALs and Naval Intelligence during his Navy years, and as such maintained many contacts in both communities.

After he retired he moved to Hawaii where he became a Private Investigator. He ended up working for Robin Nest as security personnel, in exchange of room and board, and use of his Ferrari. His boss was Higgins, who he suspected of being Nest, but could never prove it.

When he was shot defending Higgins, he found out at least some of Higgins’ secrets and accepted being Turned.

Oceania: Member

The little that is know about Kai, was learned from Marquis.

Kai comes from a long family line out of Germany (Dilios Note: My guess it started with a certain Roman General).  He ended up in France, and in jail with the Marquis de Sade.  He was rescued by Marquis and was told about Vampires and Mates.

Oceania: Member

(Dilios Note: Getting an interview with Marquis is notoriously difficult.  All I do know is he spent time in Egypt before he was Turned)

Oceania: Clan Leader

Maximilian is from the Cadbury family. He doesn’t talk about it much, just that his brother was Richard, and his nephew was John, who went off to create Cadbury Chocolate. He was named after his own Uncle, who had left the Quaker community to marry a Catholic woman, and had left England.

His mother argued it would give the boy a bad influence.

Maximilian rebelled against his the Quaker influences in his life. He wanted an education, he wanted to live. He went against family orders, and went to University to earn a degree in law, wanting to help people.

It was in London he met Draco. He was impressed with the young man. It was Draco who helped him open a law office and start taking cases. Over the next years he kept contact with his family.

He lived a fast life. He was known around town for his fast horses and women. He was also known for a quick mind in and out of the courthouse, and not always taking cases that helped the rich and powerful.

When he took the case of Herbert Westminster, who was suing to get out of his contract with his employer, his life was destroyed. The evidence he had to push the Politician to end the man’s contract had marked him. The politician refused to bow to a Quaker and a servant and had a thug take them both out.

When Herbert stopped by Maximilian’s office, he found the lawyer laying in a pool of blood. It was quick thinking that got Draco to Maximilian’s side. He asked the man if he wanted to be saved. Maximilian laughed as he was Turned.

Oceania: Member

Darren Griffin was born to a middle class family in Leeds, England.   His whole life he wanted to be a Rugby player.   He met Benjamin Turner when they were eight years old, and a lifetime friendship was born.

They were separated when Ben returned back to Australia, with his family when they were sixteen.   Devastated at loosing his friend, they both fought to stay in contact, slowly realizing they were more than friends.

Darren went on to University, playing rugby, and was recruited straight into the Rugby League team Leeds Rhinos.   It was there he started to get more internationally known, helping his goal to get to Australia.

After the Rhino’s won against the Melbourne Storm in a match between England and Australia, he was picked up the owner of the Tasmanian Devils  Marc Key. It was then Darren discovered the owner was actually Marquis and owned more than a Football team, who helped them learn about each other and got Ben onto the Devils.

Darren and Ben hid their relationship until a photograph outed them.  The team stood by them, and most of the NRL didn’t give a crap.  Darren’s parents rejected the fact he was with Ben, and refuse to speak to him.

Tragedy struck when two players on an opposing team hit Ben so hard sent him to the hospital.

When Darren arrived to see him he got the shock of his life.

Oceania: Member

Benjamin was the son of Marion and Arron Turner.   His life was turned up side down when his father took a position at Leeds University, in Leeds, UK.   He hated his parents for destroying his life at 8 years old.

Then he met Darren Griffin, who became his best friend.

For eight years they lived in each others pocket, lived and breathed rugby.  When he was sixteen, his father got a job back in Australia, and if he he had hated them when he was eight it was ten times worse when he was sixteen.

They swore to stay in contact, and slowly over the years they developed from friendship to relationship.  While Darren had ended up at University playing Rugby, Ben had been asked to join The Perth Black Swans junior team, then worked his way onto the Black Swans NRL Team, as halfback.

They worked to keep their relationship, and Ben had to admit it got easier when Darren made it to Australia.  Then he shocked him by introducing him to the owner of the Tasmania Devils ‘The Marquis’ and Kai.

Not soon after he was recruited the Devils, and despite everything it was perfect until they were forced out of the closet, leading to Ben’s injury, and subsequent Turning.