Stoker

Formerly a Combine soldier that was sent to Redwater under Bloody Anne's command, he was drained dry by Toussaint and left for dead. In the one case the old vampire's thoroughness failed him, Stoker rose from the battlefield, newly undead. He later made his way south and took over Choc's home settlement of Haven, Louisiana. He was killed by Choc and a newly harrowed Antoinette after the NW6 infiltrated Cadson Labs.

## History

### Arc 8: Redwater

Stoker—former name unknown—had been involved in the Combine raid on Redwater's military base, seeking what was located in a highly secured vault underneath the building. Under the immediate lead of a Red Hat cyborg named Sugar Ray, Stoker and his fellow soldiers set up on the lowest floor of the base, trying to find a way to open the safe.

On April 28th, Stoker went to meet with Sugar Ray and was quickly ambushed by Toussaint, who'd already killed his officer. Toussaint drained him of his blood and left his corpse, forgetting to behead him.

Stoker reawakened later, after the raid was over, alone and newly undead. He'd been made into a true vampire.

### Arc 14: Choc's Way Home

In September, Stoker made his way down to Louisiana with a few followers, finding a small settlement called Haven in the midst of a conflict with local raiders. He offered to help with the town's problems, and a desperate Antoinette took him up on it. The townsfolk overlooked his strange abilities for the help he gave them. Stoker helped Antoinette push the Tarbabys out of Cadson labs and break their hold over Haven. He then took up residence in the labs and turned the town's sheriff and head of security, Grissom and Brice, into full vampires. He used them to aid in thralling the whole town, turning them into a food source and a resource for experiments in making nosferatu foot soldiers. Some of the Tarbabys turned against their family and joined his efforts. Stoker eventually took Antoinette prisoner when she attempted to rebel against him, and used her body parts to help in finishing Project Salamander: a powerful clone of Sybil Rose. He then took the girl, a youthful mind wearing an older woman's body, and 'adopted' her, making her his subservient daughter. He used her power to maintain his authority.

On October 9th, Stoker felt through his hold on Grissom that the man was trying to reveal his plans, and used his connection to him to blow his skull to pieces. Realizing his base would come under attack, Stoker lay in wait within the lab's lowest floor, eyeing the security cameras. He spotted Choc as soon as he dropped the invisibility upon entering the bottom floor, and greeted the "little intruder" through the speakers. Stoker told him they'd crossed paths before in Redwater, when he was under the employ of Bloody Anne. He tells him he had Toussaint to thank for his immortality. The vampire attempted to use his influence to enthrall Choc, but was pushed back, and snapped that the junker's mind was messed up. Stoker instead gives him a proposition: leave, and he'd let him and his merry band live. Stay, and he'd introduce them to Sala. Choc proceeded to threaten Stoker, saying he'd rip off his jaw and arms and beat him with his own limbs.

Stoker called for Sala to take out the intruders, but was met with no response. Stoker decided then to move in himself, and came into the room as mist. He grabbed Choc, turning the both of them to mist and moving through the ceiling. He brought him up through the floor and flung him against the wall, dazing him. Choc shook off the blow and ran under his guard, grabbed his jaw, and summoned up magic bolts with his hand to blast into his face. Stoker began healing immediately, and was soon met with Addie and River crashing through the wall. Addie summoned a blessed's circle to keep Stoker from escaping while River attempted to slice him with her blade. The vampire side-stepped, pulling out a pulse rifle and shooting Choc in the face. He was then crippled from a blow by Addie's sword, and collapsed.

Choc proceeded to rip out Stoker's jaw and beat him with it for a long while. Later, Choc and Antoinette returned to continue to beat on him. The two contemplated keeping him around to torture him, but Addie dissuaded them, saying it would only drag out the pain he'd caused. After he was able to heal slightly, Addie interrogated Stoker, and he told her he'd made two other vampires. One had gone to Junkyard, another had gone to wander the wastes, most likely getting themself killed. The three then severed his head, smashed his body, staked his heart, and set him on fire for good measure.