Dr. Desmond Gore

Apprentice of the Fifth Circle

Clan: Tremere Sire: Ulfred Ravn Nature: Poltroon Demeanor: Deviant Generation: Tenth Embrace: 1803 Apparent Age: Mid 40s Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2 Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 5, Appearance 1 Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 4 Talents: Alertness 1, Empathy 2, Expression 3, Intimidation 2, Leadership 2, Subterfuge 3 Skills: Etiquette 3, Masquerade 2, Research 3 Knowledges: Camarilla Lore 3, Finance 1, Kindred Lore 2, Linguistics 2, Medicine 4, Occult 3, Politics 2, Science 3, Tremere Knowledge 3 *Desmond speaks English, Greek, and Latin. Disciplines: Auspex 4, Celerity 2, Dominate 3, Fortitude 3, Thaumaturgy 3, Thaumaturgical Countermagic 3 Thaumaturgical Paths: Biothaumaturgy 3, Movement of the Mind 3 Thaumaturgical Rituals: Brand of the Paramour, Defense of the Sacred Haven, Deflection of the Wooden Doom, Encrypt Missive, Learning the Mind Enslumbered, Wake With Evening’s Freshness, Incantation of the Shepherd, Blood Walk, Craft Bloodstone, Extinguish, Sanquineous Phial, Ward versus Ghouls, Donning the Mask of Shadows, Cleansing of the Flesh, Ward versus Lupines, Shaft of Belated Quiescence, Incorporeal Passage, Pavis of Foul Presence Backgrounds: Allies 1, Contacts 2, Herd 1, Influence 1, Resources 3, Retainers 1, Status 2 Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 4, Courage 2 Morality: Humanity 5 Willpower: 7 Backstory: Desmond was born to an upper class Boston family. His mother died when he was six due to pneumonia during a harsh winter. This left him to be raised by an overly strict and demanding father and an abusive stepmother when his father remarried a couple of years later. He was given little time to socialize with his peers as his father made him focus almost all of his time on studies and chores. Combined with his stepmother psychologically abusing him on a frequent basis made him socially awkward. He went on to become a doctor but focused his practice on medical jurisprudence so he wouldn’t have to see patients and interact with others very often. Not liking Boston, Desmond moved to Ravenhurst hoping for a fresh start. Things weren’t really better in Ravenhurst, however. Desmond still had his social awkwardness and low self-esteem. He still couldn’t attract a woman by normal means and had to resort to paying for prostitutes who showed no enthusiasm when the weird doctor would come for them. He even visited Mr. Osgood’s whorehouse and paid to couple with a 16 year-old Agony several times, for which she despises him still. It was during these visits that he caught the attention of another man who frequented the Osgood establishment in search of easy feeding, one Ulfred Ravn of Clan Tremere. Ulfred studied Desmond and read his mind. He deduced that Dr. Gore could be a minor threat to the Masquerade but that he could also be an asset to his Clan, as well. So he followed Desmond home from the Osgood house one night, knocked on the door, and forced the Embrace on him after he answered the door. All that was needed was an application of the Dominate Discipline. Ulfred was as demanding to Desmond in undeath as his father had been in life. He taught him how to be a Kindred for twenty years before Presenting Desmond to Prince Lothaire. Desmond found the other Kindred mostly frightening or annoying or both in the case of Agony who remembered him and sneered at him frequently. His clan gave him little solace either. He fears Sarah Anne Wolff even more than he fears the Prince, for she can have him transferred to another city at any time. He hates Owen Norcross for constantly out-competing him and generally acting smug while making put-downs of his efforts. He even holds antipathy toward Samantha Constantine for acting indifferent toward him. Eventually, Ulfred screwed up an experimental summoning ritual and unleashed a demon on Ravenhurst. It took the whole Clan almost an entire autumn to track down and banish the creature, during which the Masquerade was almost broken. Ulfred was called by Clan Tremere to Vienna and hasn’t been heard from since, paralyzing Desmond with fear over what happened to his Sire and worrying that his own actions were under scrutiny because of "guilt by association". Currently, he bides his time. He does his best to keep his head down and get tasks done for the Tremere as a way of inching up the hierarchy. He hopes that one day he can finally rise high enough to either pass Owen and run the Chantry if Sarah Anne Wolff gets promoted some night. Then he’ll make Owen Norcross pay for trying to keep him down. The problem with this is that Dr. Gore is too much of a coward to take bold and decisive action toward his goals when necessary. While he can be incredibly manipulative and sneaky, he mainly reserves those talents for covering his own ass or for targets that pose little threat if they turn on him, such as mortals. Image: Dr. Gore is of medium height and thin build. He has shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes. His face is a bit gaunt with wild staring eyes. He rarely smiles but when he does the effect can best be described as predatory or “reptilian” as Agony describes it. Most people who meet him describe him as being a bit of a creep and a weirdo. He almost always dresses conservatively or occasionally in ceremonial black robes. His hair is often unkempt and his suits are often rumpled from being worn for a few days at a time. Roleplaying Hints: You’re a skittish little weasel and you not only know it but can’t help it. If you think you can lie to benefit yourself and get away with it, go for it. Make weird expressions and stare at people with unblinking eyes as you talk to them if you think they’re weaker than you. If you’re talking to someone you think is more powerful, do the same but shrink from them a little more.