Richard Dunham is the Malkavian Primogen of Boston and the adopted sire of Leysha, one of the protagonists in the video game Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong.
Biography[]
Undeath[]
To preserve the Masquerade, Richard declared his death in 1902 in Zurich. He moved to France, where he continued practicing psychiatry in a number of hospitals under the name of Dr. Richard Dunham. In 1920, he relocated to the lunatic asylum in Bron, where he met a young French patient who would serve as a catalyst for a revolution in the way he viewed his psychiatric research. It was in order to save this patient and her daughter, his most precious research subjects, that he arranged their departure for the United States in 1939, at the onset of World War II. The Malkavians, in exchange for his services, aided his escape to Boston where they held a powerful domain.
Upon their arrival, Richard boasted of his research to Quentin King III, the Malkavian Prince of the city, and introduced him to the two patients in his care, Leysha and her daughter Halsey. The Court was just as fascinated as he was by the abilities of Richard's two patients and, in particular, Leysha's visions. Her gift allowed the three of them to benefit from the interest and protection provided by the Prince, who saw Richard as the greatest psychiatrist of all time, the one who would usher in the era of the Children of Malkav.
Current nights[]
In 1950, Richard exhibited his psychiatric research on the resonance of vessels, which earned him the support and recognition of his peers. He experimented on the vessels using chemical cocktails in order to significantly amplify their resonance. His experiments were a success under the reign of Hazel Iversen, who immediately realized the incredible opportunity this presented for Boston. If she could maintain the properties of the enhanced blood in containers using magic, she could corner the blood market and, more importantly, leave her mark in history.
The Prince gave Dr. Dunham the means to carry out his research and began to negotiate an alliance with the Hartford Chantry to get the help of the Tremere blood witches. Richard, however, only looked after his own interests, to advance the psychiatry of the Children of Malkav. To do so, he must satisfy the Prince, but he must also protect his most precious subject of study, Leysha, from the Prince's ambitions.
Dunham served as Primogen under Prince Quentin King, but avoided much of the backlash against the British Camarilla due to his reclusive behavior. He represents the domain's thinkers and planners on the Primogen Council.
Generation[]
Dunham claims to be the childe of the 6th generation, William Biltmore; however, his childe, Halsey, is stated to be of the 11th generation. This may be the result of Richard Dunham's Malkavian madness, and he might be subscribing his importance higher than it actually is.
Trivia[]
- Richard Dunham's Malkavian madness might be a form of antisocial delusion or narcissism, due to his pathological lying and his need for control over his grandchilde Leysha.