Naomi Stewart is a Ventrue residing in the Chicago area.
Biography[]
Mortal Days[]
Naomi Abigail Mawu was born into slavery in South Carolina in 1860. In the first 20 years of her life she saw her family separated, one at a time, until she had no knowledge of the well-being of anyone who was a blood relation to her.
One evening, a European aristocrat by the name of Emelian Marculescu came to a gathering held by the Stewarts, the family that owned Naomi. Marculescu, a young Ventrue, came prepared to see a play but he saw in the Stewarts a brutal, twisted, inhumanity he rarely saw outside the Sabbat. He found an opportunity to speak with the slaves afterward and found them to be broken shells, all except for Naomi.
Marculescu used his considerable abilities to slowly drive the sadistic Mrs. Stewart mad and caused the death of Mr. Stewart, but first he made Mr. Stewart present freedom papers for all his slaves.
On the day she received her papers from Mr. Stewart, Marculescu came to visit her. They talked the night away and before the sun rose he again offered her the Embrace. She refused, saying that she had never walked the world as a free woman and would get as much free dirt beneath her feet and between her toes as she could. The next night, Mr. Stewart had a smoking accident, and the Stewart plantation burned to the ground.
Naomi went north to New York where she found getting work as a black woman was difficult to impossible. Marculescu kept in touch with her and promised to help her find her family. He taught her to read and speak multiple languages.
Marculescu managed to locate her older sisters in a mining town called Jefferson Courthouse. Naomi found her sisters held by a white woman who had a brothel of captured women of color. Marculescu offered to intervene for her and she turned down the offer. She went to the brothel, with money, to buy her sisters back, only for the madame to try and capture her. Naomi fought back and choked the woman to death. She offered to free the women and many left, though some preferred to stay, her sisters among them. They asked Naomi to guide them. She stayed and formed Stewart-Freeman house, allowing the women to continue to work as they wished. She trained them to be businesswomen and taught them to read.
Naomi was a force in suffrage. She had a fire that was threatening to most white women. Others began to speak her words. No matter if they tried to give her credit, she was invisible; the papers only saw the uppity white women.
Eventually, the harsh winters of Chicago took their toll on Naomi. Her fate was to die from consumption, but Marculescu intervened. He offered the Embrace again. He told her it would be a crime if she were to perish like a wretch when she was a queen. He promised he would teach her the ways of Kindred, and she would be free of his control.
Kindred Nights[]
Marculescu became Naomi’s Mawla. He showed her how to kill discreetly and selectively. There were always those who deserved death, she just needed to listen and she would find them. Because she was a black woman, he assured that those who deserved death would reveal themselves to her.
When she was strong and well-connected, Marculescu was true to his word and offered himself to her in a secret ritual of Amaranth. She devoured his soul, offered willingly and with love, prepared to carry the burden that is the mark of diablerie.
Naomi entrenched herself in the politics of the Ventrue, though Lodin refused to recognize her due to his own racism. Her clanmates could all see why Marculescu adored her. She remained in Chicago and involved herself, quietly, in the various equality struggles. She inherited much of Marculescu’s money and the ear of many in Chicago. She established Stewart-Freeman Academy in the Bronzeville neighborhood, where she taught women the skills that had been reserved for men. There was a small sect of women in her inner circle who knew her secret. They spoke for her and carried her words to many politicians. In some cases, they brought back to her those who revealed themselves as people who needed to die.
In the early ‘60s, Stewart-Freeman Academy opened to all genders, but the focus was on women of color. Many human femme politicians on the South Side of the city have a connection that goes back to Naomi Stewart-Freeman. She now quietly offers tutelage to Caitiff and thin-bloods who wish to make it in the Camarilla, but do not wish to submit to Critias’ academy.
Character Sheet[]
Naomi Stewart
Sire: Emelian Marculescu
Embraced: 1912 (Born 1860)
Ambition: Manipulate mortal politics to better my position
Convictions: Never settle for the bottom rung
Touchstones: Merriam Brown — City Alderwoman who is positioning herself to become mayor of Chicago in the next election
Humanity: 6
Generation: 12th (through diablerie)
Blood Potency: 3
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3; Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Composure 4; Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Resolve 5
Health: 6
Willpower: 9
Skills: Brawl 2, Drive 1, Larceny 2, Survival 3; Etiquette 3, Insight (Prejudice) 4, Intimidation 2, Leadership 3, Persuasion (Victims) 4, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 2; Academics (History) 3, Awareness 3, Finance 2, Investigation (Abuse) 3, Medicine 1, Politics 4, Technology 1
Disciplines: Dominate 3, Fortitude 4, Presence 4
References[]
- VTM: Chicago by Night 5th Edition, p. 219-221
