Stephen Zuko

Origin
Born in 1967 in Bankhead, GA a suburb of Atlanta, Stephen Zuko was the child of 2nd generation Armenian immigrants. The Zuko family was part of close knit family clan that had a long history of being involved in the Armenian Mob and other more interesting criminal enterprises. As such Zuko was schooled in the "family business" alongside his normal education. Prone to anger, he learned early on to channel that anger into words after his uncle broke his cheek at the age of 13 for throwing a punch after the older man slighted him. His uncle taught him, "Anger is good. It can be used to fuel you, but smarts let you know how you can win. Never let you anger overwhelm your head."

Stephen was also introduced to the more supernatural side of the world he lived in by that same uncle at the age of 15. He learned all the things you saw in horror movies were out there somewhere. Werewolves, vampires, mummies, ghosts, wizards, even dragons and mythological Gods dwell out in the spaces beyond this world. He said, some were family, most were enemies. He had their blood in him, even if very distantly, which protected him but also made him a target should others know. He had to be stronger, to be tougher than everyone else, it was a savage world and you had to fight every step to keep ahead and assure your place in it.

At the age of 16 he killed his first man, a snitch who had seen Stephen breaking into a company warehouse and was going to blab to the company he'd been stealing things from. By age 22 he was a minor Lieutenant in the Armenian Mob, due to his silver tongue, absolute ruthlessness, a respectable body count, and a number of trusted employees and family all under his direct control. Everything he did was for family, and to claw out a hold for himself.

At the age 32 he was a prime mover for much of Atlanta's illegal trade and being considered for advancement to the Armenian Mob's ruling council. Controlling a good portion of Atlanta's west side, he had grown his business 3 fold within 5 years. He sent his pawns out to move his products but was not above going out and getting his hands dirty when he felt the need or the inclination. One of these outings ultimately leading to his embrace.

The Embrace
Stephen had gone to teach a street dealer that skimming was not appreciated when he caught the eye of Bruno James of clan Brujah, also known as Bruno the Bone Breaker by his Sabbat pack. He was passing an alleyway when he head the unmistakable sound of flesh and muscle breaking bones. Having heard, and been responsible for, that sound many times he stopped to see what was happening.

Stephen was systematically breaking every bone in the dealers legs, starting at the bottom and working his way up. Bruno was impressed and saw potential in Stephen and so jumped him, seeing how he could fair against Bruno's Potence and Celerity. Predictably the fight did not go in Stephens favor, he did however put up enough of a fight that Bruno thought he'd be an asset to the Brujah clan and embraced him on the spot.

The Sabbat
Being embraced into the Sabbat was a shock, even to a man like Stephen. He'd kill a man, or torture them if they deserved it. Sabbat packs did it for the sheer fun and games of it. Pain filled screams were common and basically everything horrible he'd ever heard about being a vampire was present in the Sabbat. He did hear them constantly talk down about the other side though, The Camarilla. They called them sticks in the mud, hiding, pretending to be human, weaklings for caring about humanity, etc... Stephen thought they sounded like the more sane side of the equation.

Bruno's Downfall
5 Weeks after embracing Stephen, he and Bruno were out scouting the Camarilla strongholds for the coming attack on Atlanta by the Sabbat. Bruno was remarking on how the Camarilla wouldn't know a real fight if someone walked up and slapped them in the fucking heads. Ironically it was Bruno who was smacked in the head, after coming around a corner into the 14 foot tall frame of a werewolf in full Crinos form. The werewolf, black furred and quite angry, proceeded to beat Bruno to torpor before tearing his head off all before Stephen could even decide to help or run away.

Turning to Stephen, the werewolf sniffed and growled before grunting and walking off, perhaps deciding that the low level vampire standing stock still wasn't a threat, or maybe just perhaps it had other things to do and didn't feel like killing him. Stephen didn't know and didn't care, he lit off from the place and right to the nearest Camarilla stronghold he could reach. He shared everything he knew, Sabbat plans, havens, ID's, everything.

The Camarilla
Even though it didn't stop the fall of Atlanta, those Kindred that heeded his warnings escaped or survived, cementing his loyalty among those Kindred and gaining him a full pardon form the Camarilla and membership in its ranks. Reluctantly the Brujah accepted him as their own, despite his antitribu origins. Soon after Stephen moved away from the continued fighting in Atlanta. Keeping in contact with his former criminal contacts but saying he was striking out on his own, he began again in Savannah. Starting slow and over the course of 14 years he built a strong empire in Savannah occasionally coming into conflict with the local Ventrue named Reginald Mordaunt who seemed to find Stephens very presence distasteful. Stephen returned the sentiment and disliked all the Ventrue stood for and delighted in tweaking the Ventrue's nose just enough to annoy him but not enough to incite repercussions.

Savannah was the site of multiple Sabbat attempted incursions, and Stephens criminal contacts came in very useful advising him of strangers trying to muscle into the area or providing the weaponry to repel the assaults. He made himself invaluable much to the Ventrues continued displeasure. In late summer 2014 an associate of Stephens came and told him of the potential markets opening up in St. Augustine. Some kind of near Apocalypse had happened there and it was now a hot bed of supernatural activity, with all sorts coming into conflict there, or coming to stop the conflict there. Stephen figured it might make a good market for him, after all war was good for business. Of course if the fighting calmed down, peace was good for the business as well.

Appearance and Personality
Stephen is a middle aged man, of Eastern European or Russian descent, 6 and a half feet tall, well built but slightly soft around the middle. A Black goatee and hair is usually accompanied by a hat and light suit, he has the appearance of a Savannah gentleman which is the general style he affects. A southern drawl completes the image of a man who still calls the civil war "The War of Northern Aggression" a look that would fit in, and be completely forgettable, anywhere in the south.

On the inside Stephen is a calculating and angry man, that has his own code of conduct he follows. He builds his webs of favors and Intel, he cajoles and smooth talks his way into things he shouldn't have even been invited to and talks his way out of things which should have brought him down. His mind is always working on the next deal, the next step he can take up, much like in his mortal life. His temper does occasionally get him in trouble as his Brujah nature is to strike at that which has incited his anger. Stephen prefers to use words and guile to strike his enemies down but he's not above blowing a building up, arranging an assassination, or meting out damage with his fists. Above all else he is determined to not only survive but to improve, make himself stronger and tougher, be that physically or by proxy through his empire.

Recent Events
Something came for Atlanta, it went silent. Next it came for Savannah. Stephen was already on his way to St. Augustine to expand his empire when it came. The Prince of Savannah, a Methuselah Ventrue decided to lock down the entire city and forced all kindred out so he fight it. It's unknown if he'll succeed, possibly not.

Since arriving here, Stephen was elected primogen of Clan Brujah in St. Augustine at the vote of two of his clan mates Bryce and Billy. He helped battle a war-ghoul being driven by a Nosferatu, and secured at least a little trust and business deals among the local kindred. Of course things are complicated by the Ventrue Mordaunt from Savannah also living and coming to St. Augustine and being granted the title of not only primogen but Harpy. Stephen has expanded his contact and power base, being checked time and again by Mordaunt's interference.

Later attacked in gather the following week by an astral projection of an apparent Methuselah named Destiny, Stephen managed to Dreadful Gaze her and drove her off. He then accompanied a group to the aptly named "Destiny Church" where some bikers had been guarding Destiny. Stephen contacted the police and let them know, after someone else contacted the biker gang and was informed they were aware the police were coming, of the upcoming ambush. The police and the bikers battled it out, and while they were distracted the members of the gather arrived at the church. After the death of two priests a fuel truck exploded in the midst of a good number of gather, later found to be driven by the Nosferatu Vinny possibly on the Sheriffs, an violence prone Assamite, order. The Ventrue Lexington was discovered to be a Sabbat infiltrator which he would've rubbed in Mordaunt's face had the Brujah Billy also not been one.

Bryce returned from later from a fight with he, the local Koldun, and the sheriff against Billy and a Black Spiral Dancer. Billy fled and Bryce killed the Black Spiral but not before the Koldun was struck down. According to Bryce he heard the Koldun exclaim as to why the Nosferatu Vinny was killing him but didn't witness it. The gather broke up not too long after that, more questions than answers available involving the possible betrayal of Vinny and/or the Sheriff.

Later it was discovered Vinny was in fact a spawn of the nictuku, a 4th generation monster from before the flood, and he admitted to killing Leon the Koldun. He was tried and when found guilty tried to fight his way out unsuccessfully and perished. Following the trial, the Sheriff tried to seize control through a primogen council vote, not knowing others were already aware and had bribed the vote to go against him. After a complicated status game the vote came down to the new Gangrel primogen, Zuko, and the new Tremere primogen who had in fact been nominated for the new princedom. Aesop, won the vote after the Gangrel abstained and Zuko voted in Aesop's favor as he had been paid handsomely to do.

Before he was even confirmed, it came to light the Nosferatu warren had been destroyed by Vinnys maker, and temporarily he was trapped. An excursion was planned to prevent a suspicous college drill team from drilling into the now collapsed warren lead by a Doctor associated oddly enough with the Tremere Mary Jane. Instead as they arrived the Nictuku escaped, having clawed its way out from underneath. The gather members returned for an official coronation and gather called by the new prince.

Following the coronation, the prince renamed his council, naming the Tremere druid Hector as Keeper of ELysium, Bryce as Sheriff, and Zuko as Sensechal. Much to the unhappiness of the former holders of those offices. Anyone with eyes could see that those former office holders wouldn't make life easy for new office holders. Before any such things could be plotted a problem arose with a Baali having appeared and again attacked the gather. Events led back downtown and a vial of first generation blood was found, it was ingested by the Assamite Kenneth but it rejected him, causing him much damage. It was a gift for the prince from the previous timeline, carried over by the Tzimisce, Victor Danislav. It granted the prince a great increase in his power.