Marina Blackwell

The greatest battles are fought, not on the battlefield, but inside of our minds and over our hearts.

## Description

Marina is a tall, pale, and stoic visage. A visage that stands in stark contrast to her excessively expressive eyes and words. She engages strangers with a subtle, generally placid curiosity. Despite appearances, it takes little time for others to come to recognize the turbid maelstrom of passion that lingers beneath her calm surface.

## Personality

Where some are said to wear their heart on their sleeves, Marina wields hers like a tool, lashing out to explore the world and interact with those around her. Sincere and passionate, her voice and mannerisms are so saturated with her motivations it's almost as if her feelings leave a tangible residue on the air around her.

Although her family is technically independent, she has close ties with many in the local Camarilla, and can often be found at Inadora's socializing with others of her kind. Her graceful social maneuvers are empty of any pretense or ambition, and her lack of any specific allegiances often make her a welcome guest in local kindred affairs (particularly those hosted by Clan Torreador). She is not universally appreciated however, as she makes no effort to filter her observations and is seen as somewhat of a gossipmonger to those who hold dark secrets close. She's occasionally asked to help mediate minor disagreements as her calming presence and conversational talents are well suited for building consensus.

When not hubnubing with the local kindred powers that be, she is usually home running a small midnight cabaret behind the local yacht club. The Compass Rose is located in an unmarked historic factory building frequented by an eclectic mix of Hamilton's less monstrous inhabitants. She also maintains a small catamaran, The Lacrimosa, in the marina nearby, and is known to take it out for a week or so at a time when she finds herself craving solitude.

## Personal History

A resident Hamiltonian since the 80s, Marina moved with her post-life family from New York seeking a more stable home away from the schemes that so often swamped over those with the desire to remain independent. Her father and maker in unlife, Vidal Beaulieu, was unusual for his kind. He despised other kindred's penchant for social posturing blind ambition, instead believing that their immortal status was best used for creative pursuits. Marina was the third of three daughters sired, each chosen for their self-awareness, emotional depth, and talent for the arts.

Prior to receiving her gift of unlife, Marina had been something of a child prodigy. Gifted with an extraordinary vocal range blended with her ability to express complex emotions, her younger days were filled traveling to various clubs, fairs, pageants, and festivals where she would perform while her mother/manager lined up their next venue. She had never received any formal schooling, and instead picked up what little she knew of the world by chatting with strangers between gigs. She loved to study people, learning what makes them react, why they lie, how they're motivated... Over time, she became quite skilled at manipulating others, a secondary talent her manager learned to exploit.

As she matured, Marina began to tire of her manager's structured existence she was confined to. She began by revolting against her wardrobe, then by wanting to choose her own music, and soon after was in full rebellion against her parental manager's authority. Her manager tried all of the usual tactics that had previously been effective: pity for how was her mother going to survive with no career or skills of her own, fear in describing how dangerous the world was and how much she sheltered Marina from, and guilt. Guilt over how much of a burden it was to raise her alone, how shameful it was to ignore her mother's wishes, but mostly guilt over her father, how he chose to leave them along with the rest of the world and it was somehow the newborn Marina - not Black Thursday as the catalyst.

Marina struck off on her own, finding a regular gig at the Beacon Hill Cabaret and Jazz club living off a combination of pay and the generosity of patrons. It was there that she met Vidal and her sisters to be. Vidal was an enigmatic figure. He was ambiguous in age with the vigor and spirit of a man new to his 40s but the somber wisdom of someone well into their 60s. He would speak in intermittent French for emphasis, and simultaneously herald modern jazz as a divinely inspired gift while lamenting the loss of baroque era classics in society. The man would jump from one topic to the next like a lounge pianist testing their scales spouting a strong and frequently controversial opinion on the topic before bridging to the next. Marina found his company intoxicating.

Vidal's oldest daughter, Isabella, was a tall woman with dark enchanting features, she had a fierce femininity that commanded attraction without a hint of vulnerability. Isabella was a dancer, and moved with a grace that was almost unnatural. Dauntless and inspiring, Marina imagined there was nothing Isabella couldn't accomplish even if just through sheer force of will.

His second daughter, the soon-to-be middle childe Charlotte, was a striking contrast in many ways. Aside from her shorter stature, radiant hair, and brighter eyes, her personality was akin to a personified maelstrom. If Charlotte wasn't interested in something, she neglected to partake enthusiastically. Otherwise, she engaged with the full intensity of her being. Charlotte was always involved in something, be it her painting, sculpting, pottery, metalworking... there was little of physical artistic merit that she didn't find joy in exploring.

Marina spent the following weeks enthralled in Vidal and his family. She would walk the streets in the evening with him discussing music and society. She would spend hours dancing with Isabella, trying to keep up before they all inevitably yielded the stage and watched in awe. She spent entire nights in Charlotte's study while they chatted about their hopes and dreams and Charlotte created some delightful new work of art for Marina to take home before they would realize the time and she would have to race the sun home to prep for the next day.  Eventually, Vidal approached her with an offer. He explained the gift and curse he could bestow upon her, and invited Marina to join his family. This was the happiest moment of Marina's life.

Soon after, they were forced to leave Boston. Marina didn't ever get the full story of what had happened, but she suspected it had something to do with the local prince resenting another independent vampire being turned along with their growing influence in the coveted Beacon Hill domain. They settled on the harbor in nearby Hamilton where Vidal negotiated a smaller more modest domain with the local prince. The slower pace of their new surroundings and growing familial bonds suited them well, as they spent several years happily keeping to themselves and practicing their crafts.

Sadly Marina's macabre fairy tale would come to an end, as all things must. Her family found their home once again threatened, this time by a Sabbat offensive. Rather than flee once again, Isabella convinced her sisters and eventually Vidal, that they should join with the local Camarilla and defend Hamilton. The aftermath was horrific, leaving many dead, including Isabella, and sending the rest of the family deep into bitter mourning. Vidal became reclusive, staying in his chambers and working furiously on what Marina believes to be a new composition. Charlotte, unable to cope with the loss of Isabella, fled from Hamilton and has not made contact since. Marina often calls out to Charlotte with her gift, wishing her well wherever she happens to be, and takes some solace in hoping that her sister is able to hear her.

Marina's mourning has taken on a different form. She remains as the steward of their old home, reminiscing on the brief time of joy, and capriciously hoarding over what remains. She immerses herself in her poetry, writing somber songs although she doesn't perform nearly as often as she used to. There are many in the local Camarilla who remember that she fought and bled beside them, and their company helps to fill the hollow void she feels. When her sorrows and the interference from the fugue are at a peak, she escapes, taking refuge in the undersea caves off the coast where the ocean dampens the noise, and she can repair her thoughts.

Character Sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MD8hG6VCis-QPdbsElk9AgWvyiav\_RFukvHTnY1OeZA/edit?usp=sharing

Extended Background: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MD8hG6VCis-QPdbsElk9AgWvyiav\_RFukvHTnY1OeZA/edit?usp=sharing