Sri Sansa

Born to a wealthy family, Sri could never hope to fully capitalize on his family's good fortune. A native of India, he would always be second-best to the British imperialists who claimed his country as a colony of their empire. Even during his years of schooling in Britain, he was treated as an inferior. When he returned, he was reluctant to struggle as a functionary in his father's export business. The fortune his family amassed came at the cost of the suffering of his countrymen. At first, he was overwhelmed by guilt, but with access to his family's riches, he could afford ways to numb that troublesome emotion. Growing increasingly demoralized by his contact with British culture, his diversions blossomed into outright hedonism. In the pursuit of pleasure, he became a rake, a degenerate and a scoundrel.

A handsome man, Sri charmed British women who sought an escape from propriety though indulgence in the forbidden. They held certain expectations of him, ones he was all too eager to exploit. Through rumors of Blavatsky's discoveries, India acquired a certain mystique related to the occult, one complicated by misunderstandings of everything from yoga to tantric practices. The women he found most attractive were the ones who repeatedly asked if he had any acquaintance with magic. He sought it with all the passion of a young man eager for a quick tryst. Before long, he traveled in a circle of occult charlatans eager to uncover the mysteries of India, whether real or fabricated. By learning the patter of a drawing room spiritualist, memorizing fragments of Blavatsky, cultivating a taste for illicit substances, and parroting a mishmash of topics acquired from other fakers, he learned to play the role of a occultist.

As with other victims of the Embrace, he found what he was seeking. Sri's misfortune began in England, where he sought to ply his criminal trade. The would-be Indian mystic offered his services as a fortuneteller and spiritualist to the wealthy and desperate. Smuggling various substances brought from abroad amply supplemented his already considerable income. It was a role he played all too well, for it enabled him to make gullible acquaintances eager for spiritual advancement. By presenting himself as an expert in Indian mysticism, he made the acquaintance of many curious individuals, including a pale man who hinted at his own occult knowledge. In a late night rendezvous, the pale man offered to hire the Indian spiritualist as an adviser. Sri feigned insouciance, remaining aloof as he claimed to possess secrets he could never willingly disclose. The pale man lacked the discipline to condition his associate, but by performing a "ritual" masking the first stage of a blood bond, the foolish Tremere made Sri his ghoul. He was sorely disappointed to learn of the so-called expert's fraud, but he found a student eager to learn the intricacies of Thaumaturgy. After ensuring the second stage of a blood bond, he Embraced Sri and acquired him as an apprentice.

Sri's talent for deception has served him in good stead. The opportunities afforded by his clan allow him to ascertain the truth behind many of the myths he had previously encountered. Sri still has a fierce addiction to many of the substances he sampled in his breathing days, including an exotic brew he claims to be "soma." By distilling the substance with a small portion of his own blood, he has begun to develop a blood cult fascinated by his false teachings in Indian mysticism. The most benevolent contributors learn of reincarnation, shortly followed by revelations of their mystical and supernatural past lives. They pay for it with their current lives, or at least their blood. He freely dispenses falsehood, but he reserves the truth for himself.

Sri adopts the eccentric garb of a Victorian spiritualist. Although his suit is a somber black, his white turban often sports a colorful feather affixed by a silver pin. Reputable sorts suspect he is a con artist, yet Sri can blend enough truth with falsehood, or magic with trickery, to prevent exposure. The costume jewelry he occasionally sports holds no mystical power, but the wards he wears against other supernatural creatures are potent. In his attire, as with everything else, he considers walking the fine line between fooling the gullible and exposing the Masquerade a dangerous and delightful game.

Character Sheet
Clan: Tremere

Sire: Thomas Thorne

Nature: Conniver

Demeanor: Director

Generation: 10th

Embrace: 1879

Apparent Age: mid-20s

Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2

Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3

Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4

Talents: Alertness 2, Dodge 1, Empathy 2, Expression 4, Leadership 3, Subterfuge 4

Skills: Etiquette 2, Performance 5

Knowledges: Academics 2, Linguistics 2, Occult 3

Disciplines: Auspex 2, Dominate 3, Thaumaturgy 1

Thaumaturgical Paths: Path of Blood 1

Backgrounds: Herd 4, Resources 4

Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 2, Courage 2

Morality: Humanity 6

Willpower: 5