Natalya Svyatoslav was a seventh generation Brujah and the childe of the powerful Tribonius, leader of the Brujah Lexor family within the Trinity of Constantinople.
Biography[]
Rise[]
Born to a noble family just before the Russian prince Vladimir converted to Christianity. She, benefiting from Vladimir's appreciation for education, was sent to study at the University of Constantinople at an early age. She fell in love with everything that was Byzantine. The differences between her rustic homeland and the beauty and opulence of the city were enough to convince even her parents to relocate there. As she grew, her love of learning proved insatiable, and she showed great potential as a future administrator. When she finished her studies, she was offered a magistrate post which she accepted. Although it was common for a woman to be a part of the Imperial bureaucracy, her gender and attractiveness still caused problems, which propelled her to greatness in an effort to prove her detractors wrong.
Natalya rose rapidly through the bureaucracy's ranks, and by the age of 23, she attracted the attention of Autokrator Tribonius. Over the next two years, the Brujah elder watched her as she implemented a number of changes and additions to Byzantine law and administration. Tribonius saw in her the passion he possessed before the fall of Carthage, and decided to Embrace the young Natalya. She accepted the Embrace and was effused with the Brujah dream of building a new Carthage. For the first decades, Tribonius had her travel the world and learn from notable Brujah. In her journeys, she explored the ruins of Carthage and encountered the Arabs who ruled the area, which gave her new insights and perspectives and from there, she traveled to Spain.
Lexor Family[]
The First Crusade prompted a homesick Natalya to return to Constantinople. She found her beloved city had lost some of its luster. It was still home, and she rejoined her Brujah family as Tribonius' second-in-command, assuming an active role as her sire spent the nights updating the Codex of Legacies. She was careful not to alienate her clan members, but a seed of jealousy was still planted in the hearts of Theophilus and Dorotheus. With the approach of the imperial Comneni dynasty, Tribonius orchestrated a massive expansion of Byzantine bureaucracy, at times eclipsing the comprehension of even the Brujah Senate. The body urged him to restrain himself or at least codify his changes. Disaster struck in the form of the Latin riot of 1184. Had the Senate been kept abreast of Tribonius' changes, it might have been able to prevent the slaughter of the Latins. Dorotheus and Theophilus were slow to act and refused to aid Natalya as she attempted to control the situation. When the dust settled, Tribonius and the Ventrue prefect Epirus were singled out and destroyed for not preventing the slaughter.
The following years were dark for the Lexor Brujah. It took Natalya over a decade to piece together the hundreds of hastily scrawled ledgers and treatises that formed the machinery of Byzantine bureaucracy. With time, the majority of civil institutions fell from Brujah control as both Theophilus and Dorotheus proved pathetic leaders. With her recent assumption of power, Natalya managed to restore a number of crucial departments. Brujah control over the city's administration, however, is not soldid. While trying to reestablish her family's domain, Natalya, recognizing the apathy of the other Cainite families, has taken steps to control key mortals in the imperial palace and Church. She prepares to take extreme steps to save Constantinople. Ironically, the Lexor's bureaucratic machinery might be the greatest obstacle facing Natalya. Tribonius and Michael created the city's political institutions long ago. The only way for her to seize control and reorganize them is to sever Michael's influence over the city--something that is not likely to happen.
Description[]
Natalya's face has a soft beauty; she has delicate bones, supple skin and blond hair. Her crystal-clear blue eyes sparkle with intensity. Natalya prefers long flowing dresses that accentuate her figure.
In many ways, she is the only person keeping the city together as its many threads are fraying but she can only hold onto so many. Her haven is located in the Senate Basilica. She holds significant power in the mortal sphere, though certain government departments have recently become difficult to control.
Character sheet[]
Clan: Brujah
Sire: Tribonius
Nature: Innovator
Demeanor: Judge
Generation: 7th
Embrace: AD 1002
Apparent Age: mid 20s
Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3
Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 5
Talents: Alertness 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 1, Empathy 4, Leadership 4, Subterfuge 4
Skills: Etiquette 4, Melee 3, Ride 3
Knowledges: Academics 4, Bureaucracy 6, Law 6, Linguistics 5, Occult 2, Politics 3, Seneschal 6
Disciplines: Auspex 2, Celerity 4, Dominate 3, Potence 3, Presence 4
Backgrounds: Allies (clerks and magistrates) 4, Contacts 5, Influence (administration) 4, Resources 3, Status 3
Virtues: Conscience 4, Self-Control 4, Courage 2
Road: Road of Humanity 7
Willpower: 7