V5 Chronicle – Faction Profile – The Circulatory System (Updated)

 During the course of the various stories of this chronicle the coterie has and will meet many characters so I'm therefore creating several profile pages for different groups within my version of kindred Los Angeles to help them keep track. I'll also amend these profiles as new information comes to light...

Such precautions are necessary when these transports sometimes contain incredibly valuable vessels destined for important buyers.

Their primary bases of operations are known as 'farms' and contain valuable vessels with the most potent blood. These are something between clinic and prison and though some of their guests are willing participants, or believe themselves to be, the majority are not. The system also has contacts within the mundane human trafficking operations of mortal criminal networks which allow them to obtain a steady supply of new potential candidates. Of course, those who don't have blood of sufficient interest or quality find themselves either put back into the hell from which they were obtained, or quietly disposed of.

Operational control of a farm is only given to the most ruthlessly efficient of The Circulatory Systems senior representatives. Those given such an honour are also given authority over a veritable army of ghouls and blood bound mortals to protect each site as well as access to a fleet of heavily armed and armoured vehicles for transportation purposes. As long as the profits keep rolling in, each Farm Director is given free rein to run their facility as they please.

The Circulatory System - Haematology

Of course The Circulatory System care little for the long-term well-being of their vessels, beyond the dip in profits they suffer when such kine die prematurely. Though the occasional farm director runs their clinic with compassion and care, they are extremely rare, the majority see their charges as little better than cattle. Many Kindred can look past such minor issues to the pioneering studies the System makes possible by unlocking new and valuable features of the Blood.

Though the majority of it's customers are of the Camarilla, The System will supply to anyone who has the resources to pay their exorbitant fees, recognizing that even Anarch domains contain Ventrue Barons with identical issues to their Camarilla counterparts.

Membership level is indicated by a simple colouring system upon the membership cards themselves and the level of authority of the contact that the number upon the reverse gives you access too. These follow the traditional hierarchy of Bronze, Silver and Gold though the most important customers are rumoured to have a Platinum Card giving them direct access to a particular farm's director.

Certain individuals have let slip that a card of pure black also exists, though what services this gives access to is a matter of much conjecture.

The leader of a particular farm is known by the title of Director and she will have under her control several Recruiters. Recruiters methods vary wildly from kidnapping and brainwashing, to people smuggling, modern slavery and any number of other methodologies depending upon their contacts and areas of expertise. Recruiters may also have their own retainers who assist in these recruitment drives. The most common title for these is Bloodhound, though local variations exist for all ranks.

The Farm in Los Angeles is based a few miles into the San Gabriel Mountains at the extreme point of a Anarch Barony known as 'The Wilds'. It's safety and security are ensured by hefty bribes, blackmail and blood bonded officials. It's area of responsibility covers Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and the newly acquired Camarilla domain of San Jose though it will operate further afield if necessary.

The 'Director' of this particular facility is named Marcelina Black.

Empathy Deficit Disorder (Severe), Intermittent Explosive Disorder (Severe), Megalomania (Severe) 

Marcelina comes from a long line of renowned Ventrue and can trace her lineage all the way back to Hardestadt the Elder. A fact she will be more than happy to relay to anyone who questions her suitability for any role. Though many of her clan have a tendency towards arrogance, Miss Black takes this to new extremes. She has complete and utter confidence that every decision she makes is the correct one, and woe betide any who question her or fail to obey her dictates instantly and enthusiastically.

The unfortunate kindred who was initially required to assist Marcelina Black in this venture, was Arla Hartley. Arla is currently believed to have been destroyed, but this was actually an elaborate ruse in order to free her from her service to both Marcelina, and The Circulatory System. She now resides in the Anarch Barony of San Diego, with a new identity.

Should Marcelina ever discover this deception she is likely to hunt down and destroy both Arla, and those who aided in her departure.

Arla's replacement is a Malkavian named Celia Monroe. A significantly more ruthless and ambitious operative than her predecessor.

Celia Monroe is a favoured agent of Bronwyn, one of the five founders of The Circulatory System.

Her youthful appearance and disarming smile cause many to underestimate her, and this is a mistake she's more than happy for mortals and other kindred to make, for behind that smile is a mind unburdened with concerns such as mercy, remorse or limitations of morality.

Her ability to acquire vessels has made her a valuable 'Recruiter' for the system, and she is often sent to underperforming 'Farms', or ones who need an increase in vessels 'no questions asked'. Should the organisation ever extend it's trade to include kindred vessels, it is likely that she will be put in charge of their acquisition.

She has recently been assigned to the L.A. as a recruiter for it's current Director, Marcelina Black, due to Bronwyn's concerns about the aforementioned directors split loyalties. 

Haris - Caitiff, Bloodhound for Celia Monroe

Should it become apparent that Marcelina's loyalties to The Shattered Spear in any way negatively effect the Circulatory System, then Celia is certain to get a promotion to Director, quite literally over Marcelina's dead body. Of course Miss Black is well informed enough to be well aware of this fact.

Celia is aided in her acquisitions by her Bloodhound Haris. A Caitiff with unusually acute senses and a gift for sniffing out particular resonances or mortals with unusual blood types. He has no great love for his job, or his employer, but is now far too involved to back out.

Also, and most importantly, he knows that Celia would never allow him to leave her service. The last Bloodhound who attempted to do so lost his unlife, several hours after Celia had already removed his face. It now resides with other similar trophies in the collection of Miss Monroe.

Arla had been at the beck and call of Marcelina in one role or another for just under a century. She was the only long-term associate of Miss Black who seemed able to tolerate her complete lack of empathy and utter indifference to her underlings. How she had tolerated ninety-five years in her service was a mystery to all.

The truth was that Arla had an unfortunate susceptibility to the Blood Bond that once discovered by Marcelina was exploited to it's upmost. The Bond felt so much sweeter to Arla than was the norm and took far longer to fade, making it's upkeep simple. In short, Arla was as much a slave of Marcelina's as the vessels in which The Circulatory System traded.

On the rare occasions she was allowed to act for herself she was an ambitious and efficient individual who had demonstrated that she would have little trouble advancing herself within the organisation. Unfortunately, this was something that her superior was never going to allow. Any individual responsible for removing this impediment to her ambitions would have find themselves with an eternally grateful ally. An ally, in fact, who would be sure to inherit control of the L.A. Farm.

Unfortunately the only way out of Marcelina's service was to fake her own destruction. She accomplished this with the assistance of Baron Tomassio of the North East. She currently resides in San Diego where, under an assumed identity, she acts as Emissary to it's Baron, Tara Kearney.