Thomas Gerhieren is a Gangrel and one of the most experienced werewolf hunters among the Anubi in the entire domain. He served as second-in-command even before Decker became Prince and is now known as the "Relentless Anubi of Milwaukee."
Biography[]
| “ | Wendy was my first love. I could see her every night at all the hangouts. The first night I saw her, it was like looking at life itself. She looked young, maybe 15, and her smooth skin seemed to glow like a candle. I longed for one kiss of those rosy lips. What did I know of love? I was only sixteen. The more I longed to see her, the farther she seemed from my reach.
Asking her out took more courage than I thought I had, but she said yes. For the next months we dated, if that's what you call what we did. I loved her deeply, but she seemed amused by all my attempts to woo her. The more we dated, the worse things became. Sometimes she would disappear for weeks at a time, only to reappear, intent on resuming our relationship. One night she seemed even weirder than normal. She talked about immortality, hatred, and fear. Then, while we were necking in my car, she Embraced me. She told me she had plans for incredible power, and she knew where she could find items of great power. I, who had before only been part of her herd, would help. At first, my transformation horrified me, but eventually, I learned to accept my curse. No sooner had Wendy taught me what it meant to be one of the Undead than the Werewolves came. I was powerless to stop them. They left me bloody and broken on the floor, failing to defeat even one of them. They took Wendy away. Where they took her, I cannot say, but I am certain they must have killed her. I could not hunt for days, and I almost fell into torpor from my despair. Then a frenzy came upon me like a tantrum, and I rampaged through the city, drinking the blood of the mortals. I learned later that I killed four people that night. I stormed out of the city and into the lands of the Lupine. I found one wolf hunting alone, and this time my anger carried me to victory, but others soon came. Decker saved me that night. He and the Anubi ambushed the Werewolves who were chasing me and gave me time to escape. I joined Decker the very next night, and I have been with the Anubi ever since. I have lived through 20 years of this mad battle and am now one of the oldest members still alive. I have seen others come and go, and only a few strong Kindred remain in the Anubi. The rest are scared off or are killed. Down here in the Outlands, we risk the final death every day, just like mortals do. Like mortals, we know what death is, and this makes us more alive than any of the Elders or the Anarchs could ever be. |
” |
Thomas was just a teenager with little direction in life when he crossed paths with Wendy, an enigmatic Gangrel who Embraced him with grand plans in mind. Among her goals were acquiring powerful artifacts of mysterious origin and leveraging Thomas's youthful connection to the mortal world to further her schemes. However, those plans were abruptly cut short. In the early nights following his Embrace, they were attacked by Lupines, leaving Thomas convinced that his sire had been destroyed. Lost and disoriented, he wandered aimlessly, feeding recklessly until succumbing to frenzy, which resulted in the deaths of four mortals.
Later, Thomas ventured into Lupine territory, where he fought one of the beasts but was soon surrounded by more. It was then that Mark Decker, a veteran Gangrel, and the Anubi intervened, saving him from certain death. Following this harrowing rescue, Thomas decided to join the group the very next night.
While his youthful appearance and innocent demeanor might fool the unobservant, seasoned Kindred can sense the weight of decades on his shoulders. Since his Embrace, Thomas has battled Lupines night after night, nearly rivaling Decker in experience within the Anubi. As one of the group's earliest members, he remains among the few who persist in the modern nights, playing a crucial role in their leadership. His influence is so significant that many see him as Decker's natural successor should the veteran Gangrel meet the Final Death.
Despite the harshness of his existence, Thomas retains a trace of his lost youth: the habit of feeding and living among wealthy young women while their parents are away on extended travels. This behavior, perhaps, reflects a lingering echo of his former life—a reminder of who he once was before being consumed by eternal darkness.
V20-Dread Names, Red List
It is said that in 1999, the Anathema known as Angelo, a member of the Blood Brother bloodline who was placed on the Red List for destroying numerous Kindred in Baltimore, roamed the West Coast, attempting to Embrace individuals who reminded him of his lost brother—only to have them turn on him in Frenzy.
The Blood Hunt for Angelo spanned five cities, notably including Chicago and Milwaukee. In these cities, the scourges gathered to bring down the Anathema. Thomas represented Milwaukee as a scourge, alongside the Brujah Balthazar, who was the sheriff at the time. Together, they confronted and defeated Angelo. However, eyewitnesses unanimously credited the killing blow to Thomas, the Anubi, claiming the decisive strike as his. This enraged Balthazar, the former sheriff, and ignited a rivalry with Gerhieren, the Anubi's leader, a tension that would endure with vehemence over the years.
V5-Let the Streets Run Red
The decades have passed, and they seem only to have hardened the former child soldier further. After the events in Milwaukee and Mark Decker's rise as Prince, Thomas served him faithfully for decades. As the first of the Anubi, no one has served as long as Thomas, whose experience has made him intimately familiar with every shortcut, hiding spot, and secret tunnel in the city, surpassing anyone else's knowledge.
However, in modern nights, Thomas appears to have fallen into a downward spiral, losing grip on his humanity. His enemies fear him more than any other Anubi, as there is mounting evidence that his sadism has escalated to monstrous levels.
Appearence[]
Thomas is young and boyish-looking. His hair is a rumpled blond mat, and his eyes are a soft pastel blue. His clothes are usually wrinkled and a little sloppy-looking.
Despite his innocent and youthful appearance, any Vampire who looks into his face will see age. Though Kindred do not age, Thomas seems to have a few more lines in his brow than a 16-year-old should. Or perhaps it is the way his eyes seem to look through you, as though you were not quite there.
Character Sheet[]
Thomas Gerhieren, Child Soldier
Sire: Wendy
Nature: Survivor
Demeanor: Fanatic
Generation: 11th
Embrace: 1971
Apparent Age: 16
Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5
Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 4
Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 4, Dodge 5, Leadership 2
Skills: Drive 1, Firearms 4, Melee 1, Stealth 4
Knowledges: Computer 1, Investigation 1, Lupine Lore 2, Politics 2, Science 1
Disciplines: Animalism 2, Celerity 4, Fortitude 3, Obfuscate 1, Potence 2, Protean 3
Backgrounds: Herd 4, Resources 2
Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 3, Courage 4
Morality: Humanity 7
Willpower: 8
References[]
- VTM: Milwaukee by Night, p. 37-38
- VTM: Dread Names, Red List, p. 19
- VTM: Let the Streets Run Red, p. 87
