V5 Chronicle – Faction Profile – ‘The Oratory’

Xaviar - Former Gangrel Justicar Presumed Destroyed

When Marius's Sire Xaviar was destroyed, Marius was one of the few kindred with even the vaguest idea of the former Justicars global activities.

Xaviar had been coordinating packs of Gangrel who stood by his cause. He insisted that they remain mobile, for a moving vampire would be a harder meal for the Antediluvians than one who remains in the city, and he periodically required them to provide 'scouting reports' of territory through which they had recently passed. Slowly, Xaviar was amassing an enormous database of supernatural activity. Of course, most believed that this database was only in his head; Xaviar would not know a computer if an enemy dropped one on him. They were however, not entirely correct. Xaviar may have had no such capabilities, but he had many followers who did.

Upon word of Xaviar's Final Death, those packs under his control scattered once more until another decided to preserve Xaviar's legacy.

Marius has installed his own childer, grandechilder and even more distant relatives either as leaders, or trusted advisors in as many of the packs as he could locate. Many who had separated, now reformed under the control of a new sponsor and continued their previous activities. Some resisted Marius's attempts to install his own people within their existing Pack but nonetheless saw the benefit in once more having a kindred with some resources behind them. Those who were particularly keen to maintain their independence nonetheless continued to refuse Marius's offers, their current whereabouts of the majority of these is unknown though some that may have been considered a threat are certain to have been eliminated. Marius has however left an open invitation to any Gangrel or Gangrel Packs who wish to join him in this endeavour and his promised that their independence will be honoured and any services they provide will be amply rewarded.

Xaviar's legacy, or 'The Oratory' as it is now known is a worldwide organisation of Gangrel Packs, possessing information to rival a Neillson library and with a collection of both vampiric and supernatural artefacts. Marius is the inheritor of this legacy and he continues to control it through his own bloodline when possible, or when not, by making the benefits of working with him outweigh any negatives. He has spent virtually every waking minute since his sire's destruction on this endeavour and other schemes that would ultimately support it. Consistent efforts to increase his personal power and influence have ultimately been with the goal of supporting this endeavour.

His hold over his brood is a matter of much conjecture amongst those aware of it. Theories range from blood magic, submerged directives, and even more outlandish conjectures. Regardless of their feelings towards him, when he summons them, they go where he wills. Marius had recently summoned a number of these packs and other individuals to facilitate the prevention of Vannevars expansion into Los Angeles, a goal that has now been achieved. Though some have theorized that he had other goals too.

The Gangrel are now the second largest vampire clan in Los Angeles, second only to the Brujah, and that gap is closing. That so many of these Gangrel go where 'The Fixer' wills is becoming an increasing concern to those with an interest in keeping a stable balance of power within the Anarch Free States. 

Fortunately for the cities barons it seems that Marius's focus is now upon continuing the legacy left to him by Xaviar, rather than accumulating power within Los Angeles. Other more suspicious kindred have pointed out that to all intents and purposes he can influence L.A. in any way he pleases and so effectively already has all the power their he needs or desires.

Knowing that the Baron of Hollywood's scheme to liberate Isaac's own sire, Christopher Houghton, would result in either Marius's own ascension or destruction, Marius contacted many powerful Camarilla elders and negotiated significant boons in exchange for the promise of the removal of this disruptive new element to their eternal schemes. If he survived then these boons would enable him to establish 'the Oratory' as a legitimate part of kindred society along with other organisations such as 'The Pony Express' and 'The Circulatory system' to name but two. Now possessing boons and favours in all layers of kindred society, up to and including the Inner Circle of the Camarilla itself, even the threats of the Camarilla power broker Fiorenza Savona are now meaningless.

Xaviar controlled upwards of twenty packs across America and half a dozen outside it.

Of these, Marius has bought approximately fifteen back into the fold and supplemented this number with new packs with which he has influence. It has been theorized that he now controls more than double the Packs his sire once did. Gaining control of Xaviar's stockpiles of vampiric artefacts has proven more problematic as several have fallen into the hands of rival clans with an interest in such things. For this reason the pack known as 'The Oracles of the Crone' have been given almost limitless access to the resources of the Oratory in order to facilitate the return of these items.

He has however accumulated a collection that rivals even the hordes of artefacts held by the Tremere and The Ministry. Many of these are held in a bunker-like facility below Hallowbrook and are issued to the packs under his influence on a case by case basis. It is also rumoured that several Kindred prisoners of Marius lie in torpor in this same facility. Including the former duskborn 'messiah' Jenna Cross. With these many tools at his disposal, 'The Oratory' now allows Marius to act as a 'Fixer' to not just L.A., but to extend his influence far beyond.

Twelve of the packs continuing Xaviar's Legacy are of particular note.

Bloodhound

Adversary 2 ('Vein'), Fame 1/Infamy 3 (Various historical massacres)

Blanche's family were a terror in the old west long before the embrace of their matriarch.

As the frontier moved West, trappers and hunters moved ahead of settlers, searching out new supplies of beaver and other skins for shipment to Europe. These hunters were the first Europeans in much of the Old West and they formed the first working relationships with the Native Americans in the West. They added extensive knowledge of the Northwest terrain, including the important South Pass through the central Rocky Mountains. Discovered about 1812, it later became a major route for settlers to Oregon and Washington. When the trade-in beaver fur virtually ceased around 1845, Blanches family became outlaws and raiders instead.

A childe of Marius known simply as 'Talon' embraced Blanche Johnson and then watched in turn as she passed the gift onto her four sons and three daughters. They were originally created to be a weapon against a kindred enemy of Talon's whose name has long passed into obscurity. After the destruction of this enemy, the Johnson family still hunted animals, though for blood, not fur. Though they now also hunted humans too.

It was over a century before their grandsire made an appearance and taught the Johnson family of the greater kindred world that they knew of only peripherally. He also taught them that they had barely scratched the surface of the potential of their innate abilities.

It was at this time that they met another of Marius's grandechilder. A smooth-talking and entirely amoral drifter named 'Vein'. How their animosity came about is something known to only them, their respective sires and, more than likely, Marius. Vein however avoids contact with them whenever possible and only deals with them when he is under the protection of Marius or his own sire as without such a defence, the Butchers would undoubtedly bring his unlife to a swift and unpleasant end.

To the initial observer, the Johnson family or 'the Butchers' as they became known, are a blunt and brutal tool useful only for shock and awe attacks. The truth is however that their years as Mountain men and women, traders and trackers and outlaws gave them wilderness skills that are second to none. This, combined with training in some unorthodox disciplines, has created a force that is more than capable of approaching an enemy unseen, destroying them with overwhelming force, then disappearing silently into the night.

Not all of their image is incorrect though. Their preference when in combat is for simple and effective weapons, applied with brutal force. Occasionally these enemies are skinned too. Some habits are hard to break, though at least they wait until their targets are dead...

The Gangrel of the corsairs were once the enforcers of a pirate queen named Jacquotte. With striking red hair and the legendary status of surviving many dangerous encounters, she was given the nickname 'Back From The Dead Red.' Only her inner circle knew just how accurate that moniker actually was.

Though she herself was of Clan Lasombra, she had a number of Gangrel who followed her lead. The life of a pirate gave one many opportunities to feed and no-one really complained about the fact that she and her guards always took the night watch. Their preternatural senses gave them many advantages when attacking settlements and ships during the hours of darkness, though the rest of her fleet tended to act in a more traditional manner. The main appeal of Jacquotte to her Gangrel followers was that she treated them with far more respect than other members of the so-called 'High Clans' had ever done.

After Jacquotte's disappearance in the late 1600's her fleet, lacking an obvious successor, fractured and was absorbed by other pirate captains. 'The Corsairs' as they later called themselves, continued in the only trade they knew and, along with their ghouls, became the bane of shipping in obscure areas of the world for the next three centuries. They had also branched into smuggling of drugs, weapons and migrants looking for a better life in the west.

Attrition and infighting has meant that a kindred known as Pierre is the only original member of Jacquotte's crew that still clings to unlife. He would likely have remained the packs leader if not for an error of judgement that led his crew into an ambush by authorities off the coast of Africa. Fortunately for them, an unusually sociable pair of Gangrel Mariners who had been quietly observing the mixed crew of Gangrel and ghouls decided to intervene.

Sirena and her childe Marabbecca added their own skills to those of the crew, and after a brief but intense contest between herself and Pierre, Sirena took her place as pack leader.

At Sirena's suggestion they contacted a Gangrel 'Fixer' who she believed would consider their skillsets valuable enough to provide the additional resources they needed to exist in the modern age. Marius Walker was, of course, more than happy to oblige and they now supplement his own smuggling operations. Of course they're not above accepting other, even more unsavoury, jobs too. Together with 'The Water Rats', they are the beginnings of what Marius hopes will eventually be an entire fleet of vessels at his beck and call.

These operations now come under the broad umbrella of 'The Oratory'.

Xaviar had created a pack from a number of highly skilled killers amongst Gangrel he knew of who also possessed the right state of mind for a particular mission. He gave them a sacrificial target to destroy that would be guaranteed to draw the attention of the Sabbat. Their job was to then infiltrate the sect with a backstory of Camarilla betrayal, and then feed him as much information as possible.

Meredith Lang, a grandechilde of Marius, was selected to be their leader due to a history of black-ops and wet-work as both a mortal and kindred. She was also an expert in manipulation and infiltration. These skills had been enhanced by training from her own sire, Emmanuella Booth, 'the Pale Lady', an extremely skilled assassin in her own right. The operation was a spectacular success and resulted in over a centuries worth of tactical information and useful intelligence. 

With Xaviar now destroyed and the Sabbat now based mainly in the middle-east, Marius decided that it was time to bring 'The Hunters of Ennoia' back into the fold. In his opinion, the communication issues with managing a pack over such distances, while avoiding the attention of the Second Inquisition, would inevitably result in the loss of a valuable asset, sooner rather than later. The Hunters of Ennoia, became Ennoia's Hunters and turned on their supposed allies within the Sabbat, destroying and diablerising as many as was practical to prove their new loyalties, then made their way towards Los Angeles.

Only two of Ennoia's Hunters are childer of Meredith, the rest were selected entirely on their skillsets. They are universally amoral, sociopathic killers who love their work but are so self interested that they would never risk themselves as true supporters of the Sabbat. Mainly because they support system previously provided by the Camarilla, and now by Marius, guaranteed protections that the Sabbat could never offer. At least that is what has been indoctrinated into them all.

Though it is the Butchers who have the image of brutal killers, their atrocities pale into insignificance compared to what Ennoia's Hunters have done in order to maintain their cover. Meredith and Marius's P.A. Victoria, get on tremendously well, which should tell you all you need to know about Meredith's morality. There are quite literally no limits to the depths to which she and her pack are willing to sink in order to accomplish any goal set them. In fact they do so gladly.

Agata Starek (1: Terrorizing the Powerful), Low Clan (4: Trade Amongst Equals - Potence)

Lupine Expert (2: Tactician, 4: Trophy)

The pack of the childe of Marius known as 'Talon' are more of a shock and awe weapon than even 'The Butchers' and are the most blunt of The Fixer's tools. Nonetheless if uncompromising brute force and destruction are necessary, then the Lunatics are perfect in the role.

All the members of Talon's pack are violent criminals or amoral psychopath's, the eldest being mercenaries who both fought on, and sold weapons to, both sides during the American Revolutionary War. The youngest have been selected from fighters in some of the most brutal wars of the last century. They are kept in some form of order by Talon who uses both blood bonds and personal power to ensure that their worst excesses are focussed upon the appropriate enemies. Fortunately such foes are never in short supply. Their critics are swift to point out that the difference between The Lunatics and the average Sabbat Pack is difficult to discern.

As one of Marius's childer and a leader amongst the organisation now known as 'The Oratory', Talon's presence is often required elsewhere and on those occasions the leadership role is taken by Zaine Grant.

Zaine is a former mercenary and occasional freelance scourge who Talon 'liberated' from a Camarilla regime where his overzealous and uncompromising dedication to seeing tasks through to the bitter end attracted the ire of the local Prince. The ruler was of the opinion that the rules didn't apply to his own childer, a point on which he and Zaine differed. Talon smuggled Zaine to another domain and disposed of what was left of the Prince's childe. To be fair, there wasn't a lot left anyway...

Though an extremely capable member of the pack, his tunnel vision sometimes blinds him to the realities of kindred politics. ironically this is exactly why he is so valued. Titles mean nothing to him, a target is a target and if 'The Lunatics' kick down your door, it's Zaine's opinion that you probably had it coming. He is also unwaveringly loyal to Talon.

ADHD (Rebecca)

Less a 'pack' and more a selection of useful allies to facilitate the activities of their leader Rebecca.

Lacking the skills of her sire and and the patience to devote herself to obtaining them, she has instead gathered a number of useful kindred to act as a support team of sorts for her activities. Though all can trace their ancestry to a Gangrel sire, many are Caitiff, making this one of only a few packs of Xaviar's Legacy to contain members not of Clan Gangrel. The pack also contains a single duskborn.

These include a pair of private investigators, a spotter, and a hacker who provides technical support during operations. The team is also assisted by several ghouls who can act on Rebecca's behalf during the day, along with Kathleen 'Kathy' Clark , a duskborn who is also a Day Drinker.

Despite Rebecca's tendency to get distracted, the pack has proven itself to be useful in a number of minor tasks allocated to it by Marius with an acceptable degree of collateral damage. They are now being given more responsibility, though Rebecca's attention span is the real handicap to their continued success.

The team's recent neutralisation of a Circulatory System attack helicopter that threatened her grandesire and his allies of the moment, has elevated them even further. The rest of The Mollies can only hope that Rebecca doesn't do anything to sabotage that reputation.

As part of 'The Oratory' they are now more a less a kill-team who eliminate any threats to the organisations operations, though they are also an effective information gathering asset.

Week of Nightmares (1: Oral History, 3: I Was There)

Paranoia (Elisa Karina), Dependent Personality Disorder (Cherubim and Elisa Karina), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Celeste Lamontagne)

The Oathbreakers are all former Sabbat members who were either spies within that organisation or pack members who became disillusioned with an organisation that has strayed so far from it's originally declared aims. Several of it's members are Grandechilder of Meredith Lang's own childe, Celeste Fleming and therefore of Marius's own bloodline. Meredith was herself an infiltrator of The Sabbat, though still leads her own pack, 'Ennoia's Hunters'.

With their knowledge of The Sabbat's hierarchy, tactics, and internal workings, the Oathbreakers are tasked with keeping track of any Sabbat packs that might pose a threat to the Gangrel of Xaviar's Legacy, or other operations directly or indirectly associated with Aegis. They also make note of any danger that they may pose to important members of the Anarchs, Camarilla and Independent Clans, and how that information can be leveraged for profit or boons.

Having the advantage of a broad set of talents due to their eclectic past and varied membership, they are infamous for coming up with innovative solutions to problems. They also sometime operate as individuals or split into smaller teams.

Scarlet Carson O'Toole was the leader of the Misery Lords Sabbat Pack, but still fed information back to her grandesire who had also infiltrated the Sabbat. As Marius began to use his long-term sleeper agents to disrupt their West Coast operations, Scarlet was bought back into the fold, though first she used her position to sunder her own Pack.

Luthor Hyde is another of Meredith's sireline, who was hidden from the kindred populace of L.A. while Marius conducted his campaign against two Methusalah's of the Sabbat. With that scheme successful, Marius has found him a place within one of his own packs.

The Lost Angel's Carolina Valez betrayed her pack by passing on knowingly false information provided by Luthor Hyde of the Misery Lords. In return Marius has guaranteed the safety of her mortal grandchild Josefina, and assured her that he will provide a home for any Lasombra fleeing the Sabbat. Marius became familiar with her when she was spying on the Free States and it became obvious that she wasn't violent or open about being a vampire. Marie-Hélène Dutoit, of the same pack, was already negotiating with the Camarilla when she discovered the infernal elements infesting her home city of Quebec would never allow it to be free, she therefore went with her third choice and joined the Anarchs.

Celeste, not to be mistaken with Luthor and Scarlet's sire of the same name, is the sole survivor of The Navigators Pack. She acts as guide and pathfinder for her new pack, though in-between missions her love for nature is indulged by Marius. It is Celeste who maintains many of the Bahari gardens throughout Los Angeles, though is not of the faith herself.

Though chronologically over one hundred and sixty years old, Cherubim, real name Alice Menard, is forever trapped in the body of a six year old. A body sculpted by Vicissitude into that of a perfect porcelain doll. After over a century of abuse she gained enough strength to destroy her sire, and having no home, stayed with the Sabbat Pack who had turned a blind eye to her suffering, waiting for the right moment to betray them all. Marius provided that opportunity and now she has dedicated herself to his cause.

Elisa Karini was once a Sabbat Inquisitor trusted with keeping their ranks pure. When betrayed by scheming within her own sect, she found herself under the control of her enemies, via the Vinculum, mind control, and a body made unrecognisable by Vicissitude. Though the rest of The Orphans Pack were destroyed, she was spared and offered a chance for the first time in her unlife to choose her own fate. Now with her mind free and her body restored she has become as fanatically loyal to Marius as she once was to the Sabbat, seeing him as her saviour.

Though almost universally distrusted by the other Packs of 'The Oratory', Marius gives them the same support as the others. As long as they are useful, they will have a place.

Sidney 'Sid' Osborne

It was five years later that they came to the attention of Aegis and the fledgling organisation that was to become The Oratory, and the offer was too good for them to pass up.

They now act as the primary 'fixers' for Aegis reclamations. Their task it is to ensure that newly established operations receive no interference from locals who might already see these areas as there own domains. They have their own transports and support teams, to enable their rapid deployment to areas of concern, and are occasionally allowed access to the offspring of a childe of Marius known as 'The Mistress of the Swarm' to uses as shock troops against established underground factions that might need additional convincing to relocate.

Though in theory they answer to the Oratory, their primary source of missions is the mysterious kindred who runs Aegis reclamations on Marius's behalf and whose identity is known only to a handful of kindred within the organisation.

One of Xaviar's most favoured packs due to their variety of infiltration skills and one of the last of the former Justicars packs to accept Marius's replacement of Xaviar as their guiding force. Many attribute this reticence to one of their alleged purposes being the potential removal of Marius should his preference for diablerie ever be focussed in a direction not to Xaviar's liking. Most of the enemies they have destroyed never even knew that their killers were in the same room as them. 

The unseen are now quite rare amongst Xaviar's packs, as they have no ties to Marius outside of his position as their sponsor, and contain no kindred either related to or beholden to him. It's common knowledge that Marius doesn't trust them at all, but plays upon his heritage as first of Xaviars childer, in order to encourage their loyalty.

Their primary purpose was to infiltrate the domains of rival sects and keep track of their most powerful kindred members and had therefore undergone extensive mental conditioning and training in disciplines not typical of the average Gangrel. Despite this they often took heavy casualties, making the oldest surviving members of the pack formidable in the ways of survival too.

Their leader since the pack was formed is Flynn Jacobs, a three century old Gangrel with a talent for stealth that is second to none amongst his contemporaries. Unfortunately he finds the modern technological world completely alien and therefore leaves any interactions involving technology to the younger and more flexible members of his pack. The packs mastery of several out of clan disciplines such as Obfuscate and Auspex enable him to avoid modern surveillance systems, once they have been pointed out to them that is, but he is increasingly finding his lack of ability in this area to be a hinderance to the packs activities. He believes that it is only a matter of time until one of his pack challenges him for his position. Despite being notable for his ability to move silently, his physical strength is also prodigious which makes removing him from the leadership position in a physical confrontation no easy task.

'Precious' Beaumont, is the youngest pack member both chronologically and in appearance and is currently Flynn's lifeline when it comes to technology. It is she who forges the documents necessary for them to maintain their fleet of vehicles and bypass any issues when having an actual identity is needed by one of the pack. This is especially necessary as Flynn refuses to allow Marius and his organisation to be involved with the pack in any way that allows him to keep close tabs on their activities.

Like many Gangrel, 'Precious', was abandoned by her sire and has more or less been adopted by Flynn. Her loyalty is therefore to him first, and the pack second, a fact that any kindred who wished to take control of the pack would need to bear in mind, considering how essential she is to it's smooth running. Flynn has also passed many of his skills in the areas of stealthy killing to her, making her formidable in other ways too.

Constance has also been given access to the services of Cameron Roach, though he is more often referred to as 'Cockroach', whether he likes it or not, due to his talent for controlling insects. His talents also extend to other small creatures and so he is a useful asset for spying on, following, and occasionally harassing Constance's enemies. He was originally one of The Swarm, but wisely sought out alternate employment before he joined the ranks of devoured childer and grandechilder of the groups notorious diablerist leader, Tilly Kelly. Marius transported him to San Diego to assist Constance but has done so on the quiet so as to give her a subtle asset, to compliment the more brutal methods of her own childer, but one that few are aware of.

Baby Teeth (Flaw), Vampiric Resilience (Merit)

The Rats, as they were originally known, were a gang of young kindred dispossessed when the original incarnation of the Barony of the Angels was divided amongst it's neighbours. They attempted to make their way to the domain of David Geduld, who ruled one half of the docks at that time, via the sewers and warrens below Los Angeles.

After losing one of their members to the kindred diablerists known as 'The Voiceless Ones', they eventually found their way to the coast where they were intercepted by a Gangrel Mariner, known as Kahu. He persuaded them that Harvey Caplan, then de-facto baron of the docks, would be a better choice with which to negotiate. They subsequently ended up in his employ and gained a new nickname, namely 'The Water Rats'.

All was going well until their leader Shantelle made a pragmatic decision to assist the Toreador Methuselah, Sir Matthew Lubbock, to gain entry to the city, at Velvet Velours request, and did so behind Harvey's back. Though she had reasoned that if informed, Harvey would have attempted to intervene and certainly have been destroyed, Harvey saw the matter differently. For the second time they found themselves once more without a home. Fortunately, Baron Marius Walker of Downtown had recently recreated the Barony of the Angels and they chose to return to this relatively neutral territory.

It took less than two weeks for Marius to offer them a place within his own organisation as a pack of the Oratory. He has taken advantage of their newfound expertise with dockyard and port procedures and has set them up with a merchant cargo ship, a blood-bound crew and a selection of smuggling jobs of which they are granted a cut of the profits. They are often teamed up with 'The Corsairs' pack who have a similar role within The Oratory.

Other packs that continue Xaviar's legacy are less remarkable and though a few are known by name, their exploits are yet to be of sufficient importance for them to establish their own reputations.

The Abandoned, The Ravens, The Razor Rats, The Silent Footsteps, The Silver Daggers, The White Boars, The Wolf Soldiers and The Wolverines, are all names of Gangrel Packs associated with the Oratory.