Winthrop Murray was one of the founding members of the Arcanum and personal secretary to its first Grand Chancellor, Benjamen Holmscroft.
Overview[]
Murray was one of the occultists summoned by Holmscroft on November 24, 1885 to discuss the failings of organizations such as the Hermetic Order of the Rising Day. Murray, an Egyptologist with an interest in ritual magic, agreed that these orders were not serious about their research. He agreed to join the nascent Arcanum and serve as its secretary. He was dubious about the idea of initiating women into the society, but otherwise served faithfully.
During his tenure with the Arcanum, Murry purchased a townhouse in Cairo which he referred to as "the Watchtower". This soon became a gathering site for Arcanists from all over the world with an interest in Egyptology, to the point that Murray eventually declared it off-limits to any visitors who were not close personal friends. A number of his colleagues were offended by this move, as they desired access to his extensive libraries.
Towards the end of his life, Murray became reluctant to leave Holmscroft Manor, and his role transitioned to that of Holmscroft's private secretary. He was one of the only people to even see the reclusive Holmscroft after his last public appearance in 1911. He and Grand Chancellor Clifford Parker witnessed Holmscroft's death in 1914, and Murray himself passed away some four months later while on expedition in Faiyum. While he was known as a prolific diarist, few of his personal writings survive to the present day, and what remains is largely concerned with Arcanum history. He also left the Watchtower and its contents to the organization; it eventually became the Cairo chapter house.
Modern Nights[]
Unknown to most members of the Arcanum, both Holmscroft and Murray faked their deaths. Murray departed to Cairo, where he studied Egyptian ritual magic under the tutelage of a mummy and unlocked a spell that granted him eternal life. However, Murray is not an Egyptian mummy, but rather the most recently created member of the Cabiri. To this day he occasionally interferes with the affairs of the Arcanum, and is suspected of being involved with the Red Monks.
Stats[]
The Undying
Nature: Traditionalist
Demeanor: Architect
Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4
Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3
Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 4
Talents: Alertness 2, Awareness 4, Expression 4, Intuition 2
Skills: Etiquette 5, Firearms 3, Leadership 3, Meditation 2, Melee 2, Research 4, Stealth 2
Knowledges: Alchemy 5, Arcanum Lore 5, Astrology 5, Cosmology 3, Culture 3, Egyptology 5, Enigmas 2, Linguistics 5, Medicine 1, Mummy Lore 3, Mage Lore 2, Occult 4
Backgrounds: Allies 3, Arcane 3, Contacts 5, Library 5, Mentor 4, Resources 4
Numina: Alchemy 5, Ephemera 3
Willpower: 8
References[]
- MTAs: Halls of the Arcanum, p. 20-24, 37, 88, 91-92
- WOD: World of Darkness: Mummy Second Edition, p. 34
- VTM: Cairo by Night, p. 77