Andrei is a seventh generation Brujah from the Soviet Union. He fled his homeland after Baba Yaga awoke and destroyed his sire Sigfried.
Biography[]
Andrei found his place in the Soviet Union to be a most comfortable one, for his parents were Party faithful, and their son was raised in the best Communist tradition. From a young age, he was groomed for a place in the Politburo, and his future seemed assured.
Then came World War II. All able-bodied Russians, even the children of the Party, had to do their part. In 1940, Andrei joined the tank corps and was soon a commander. He was typical of the sort of armored troops the Soviet Union spawned in those days — loyal, intelligent, and extremely competent. He fought in the great battles that spelled Hitler's downfall, including Stalingrad, Kursk, the liberation of Kiev, and the lifting of the Leningrad siege. By the time his tank rolled into Warsaw, Andrei had become a colonel and one of the rising stars of the Soviet Army.
Andrei had long ago attracted the attention of Sigfried, one of the enforcers for the Brujah Council that ruled the country. Even before the war, Sigfried had set his sights on Andrei, but the war sped up the process. The Brujah needed to replace the vampires who had died in the war and also needed more members to facilitate their planned expansion through Eastern Europe.
One night, while the Soviet troops were being shelled by some of the few remaining German artillery pieces, Sigfried planted a bomb by Andrei's tank. He then spirited the young colonel away, subsequently detonating the bomb and killing the crew. Sigfried took Andrei to a nearby bomb shelter and Embraced him.
Sigfried did not have the Council's permission to Blood Bond Andrei, so he Dominated the neonate into following orders. Andrei remained in Poland when the war ended, helping to ensure Soviet control of the land, and then traveled throughout Eastern Europe. He spent most of his time ferreting out disloyal Kindred and leading assaults against those he could not kill personally.
He was called back to the Motherland in the 1980s to deal with domestic threats to Brujah rule. He had barely begun when the Council launched its coup against Gorbachev.
The next few days were a whirlwind of blood and destruction — ancient, powerful Brujah disappeared, and the Council's control of the country was shattered.
As the coup fell apart, Sigfried and Andrei gathered the remaining Brujah to try and deal with the threat. Suddenly, an ancient, horrendously ugly Nosferatu burst into the room. Screaming and cackling, she tore into the Brujah, ripping their heads from their bodies and setting others on fire with but a touch.
Sigfried was one of the first to go. As the decapitated body fell to the floor and the Nosferatu popped the head into its gaping maw, Andrei felt a great weight lift from his mind.
The freedom that coursed through his undead body inspired movement, and Andrei bolted from the room. He ran as fast as he could to Sigfried's private hangar, passing speeding cars along the way.
He flew northwestward until dawn, landing in an old wheat field to sleep. He passed the day in Sigfried's concealed coffin but awoke the next night to find his plane in the hands of Finnish police. This did not deter him for long — he sneaked out of their holding area and continued his journey west.
Hoping to put as much distance as possible between himself and the horrors of Russia, he caught sail to the United States.
Landing in New York, he was quickly discovered by the Sabbat and fled to New Jersey. Here, he encountered Carlyle and managed to escape his Black Hand pursuers.
Andrei feels he owes Carlyle a great deal and has agreed to help him with his plans. Together, the pair traveled to Chicago. Andrei handles much of the group's planning but little of its action. He fears both the Nosferatu and the Sabbat and has no idea what to do with his newfound freedom.
V5[]
Andrei is mentioned in Annabelle Triabell's Whispers, where she mentions that when Kevin Jackson took power, Annabelle suggested some names of Tradition-breakers for her purges. Most of them were guilty. Some were just political thorns in her side that she wanted to get rid of, among them the Brujah Andrei and the Nosferatu Tammy, however this tab is considered uncertain leaving his fate undetermined.
Sheet[]
Notes: Andrei was an important figure in the Soviet Union, and his name is known among well-traveled Brujah. While some might be inclined to help him, most fear the consequences of aiding a former member of the ill-fated Council.
Image: A young, strong man with close-cropped blond hair. His pale skin contrasts with his intense blue eyes.
Roleplaying Hints: You are aware of the powerful enemies you've made, so you do everything in your power to avoid being noticed. Freedom is a new concept for you, and you are only beginning to understand and enjoy it. You owe Carlyle a life boon, and until that debt is paid, you remain in his service.
Haven: With Carlyle.
Secrets: C
Influence: Carlyle recognizes the wisdom in listening to Andrei, but Andrei himself holds no influence within the city.
References[]
- VTM: Chicago by Night Second Edition, p. 75-76