Malenkov

THRALLS AND TOOLS:

MALENKOV’S CRITIQUE

Banu Haqim

“I was murdering a bunch of you bastards back in Afghanistan. I might have killed your sire. Your clan turns to begging so easily. Too easily. I guess fleeing from your problems like a bunch of cowards is better than standing up for what you believe in.”

Brujah

“Oh! One of those self-entitled extended pricks. How goes the brainwashing of fledglings and neonates? I’m sure you punish those who dare think outside the box of the Camarilla with a firm hand. Good for you! Individuality is toxic, as we all know.”

Caitiff

“And here we have it. The “Oh Caine didn’t have a clan, that makes it okay for me to walk around clanless” type. Only fools seek away from the flock in nights like these, and I suppose you just don’t have the mental capacity to comprehend that.”

Gangrel

“It must be interesting to suck up to a sect and kiss their feet just to be the absolutely cast out of it. You must really think the top view of the Ivory Tower is amazing since you so desperately claw your way towards it, despite all claims to the contrary. Nothing but mutts.”

Malkavians

 “So…what exactly do you do in the Camarilla? I mean, aside from acting as comic relief. Watching your clan interact with normal and well-balanced beings is like watching a shitty movie with a hero and his useless sidekick. You just feel pity.”

Ministry

“What’s the matter, did you finally work out that your god is dead and now you’ve become an all-faith church? Christ, the fact you’re even allowed in a domain makes me sick. My kind have spent centuries stamping on your kind.”

Nosferatu

“How the Prince of this domain allows walking breakers of the Masquerade to emerge from their rat nests and sewer homes is beyond me. Maybe he just doesn’t give a fuck if you’re destroyed by a group of hunters.”

Thin-Bloods

“I won’t even waste a second of my time on you. You glorified blood-bag. Disgusting.”

Toreador

 “You are that clan everyone knows exists, but that’s really it, isn’t it? You are too politically unintelligent to contribute anything of value and you can’t use your hands for anything practical. So, you resort to your looks. What a waste of vitae.”

Tremere

“The clan that murdered its way into the curse and the Camarilla. Although it’s something I can stand behind, you can’t escape your usurpations. No wonder nobody trusts you and you sit isolated in your libraries. Always treacherous.”

Ventrue

 “Ah… the wonderchildren of the Camarilla! The Clan of Kings! Tell me, does the Prince like his balls played with or is he more of a straight to the point kind of guy?”

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Mortal Days: Forged from Ice

Born in a raging Siberian snowstorm, Malenkov’s childhood and upbringing faced hardship from beginning to end. While the entire world passed him by, he was stuck in a world with no progress and a family constantly fighting for the most basic of human needs.
At 14 years old, Malenkov caught anthrax from the reindeer his family herded. He survived, but his mother did not. His father placed her in a locked shed far from their living quarters, since the frozen earth made interment at that time impossible, and they could not waste tinder on a burial fire. Malenkov snuck off to see his mother’s body many times late at night, the sight of her frozen corpse sticking with him, keeping him company every time he sleeps.
Malenkov grew increasingly bitter at the world and his urge to flee was almost unbearable. He knew his father would never survive on his own, but would not agree to leave either. On his 30th birthday, on the warmest day he’d known in some time, he drowned his infirm father in the reindeer trough. Malenkov packed his belongings and rode into the night, placing his father’s body in the shed that had once housed his mother’s corpse. Although living with the harsh climate for most of his life, he did not predict his reindeer giving out early in his journey. He was exhausted as the cold set in and the snow started to fall.
Days and nights passed without mercy from harsh weather. Malenkov felt death closing in around him and fell unconscious. The next time he opened his eyes, his heart no longer pounded in his chest.

KINDRED NIGHTS: THE BLOODY KHAN

Coincidence brought Malenkov into the night. Talley had been waging a campaign of butchery against several Russian werewolves and, after losing his pack to the ferocious Lupines, discovered the near-frozen Russian lying in the snow. Talley’s first instinct was to feed from the well-placed meal, but then he considered: How did this man get here, to the middle of nowhere? How did he survive? Perhaps he would make for a fighting childe.
The Lasombra drained the mortal’s life and replaced it with undeath. The two made a journey of many hundreds of miles, burying their bodies beneath great sheets of ice and snow day after day, feeding from vermin and the occasional farmer, until they reached Omsk. From there, the two traveled south and within the year were on a ship destined for North America.
Talley showed Malenkov the western world of the 1870s, while learning all there was to know about the Russian reindeer farmer’s simple-but-hard life. Talley was impressed by how quickly the man adapted to his new state of being, the speed with which he picked up languages, and his untapped strategic wit. He was also curious about Malenkov’s eroded morality, which, if the Russian was telling the truth, had been melted away like ice under heat. Talley would refer to his childe as “my oil well,” as Malenkov proved himself a rich find and clan prodigy. In turn, Malenkov became fascinated with his new parental figure and all the human excesses he’d never had the opportunity to experience while alive. He did everything he could to impress and be useful. Malenkov did not understand Cainite society, but knew he had to fight for survival, which wasn’t a new concept.
As Malenkov grew older and the reality of his undead life sank in, his morality dissolving even further, he felt the urge to give in to his Beast time and again. His sire suggested that returning to his home might help, either to come to peace with his inner monster or let it loose on the past that hounded his dreams. In 1941, Malenkov returned to Russia for the first time since his departure a century before. It was during the war that Malenkov’s primal urge broke through and took over. He hid within the ranks of Soviet soldiers and compelled them to devastating massacres, often achieving great victories at the expense of thousands of lives. To him, there was no difference between women, children, men, soldiers, or civilians. There was only blood. He lost his few remaining attachments to self-control and morality, and only through his sire rediscovering him close to Wassail was Malenkov able to restrain himself.
Upon returning to the United States, Talley placed Malenkov in charge of Sabbat war packs on the east coast. Malenkov had a great mind and a thirst for war, so the Sabbat used him as their “Khan” during the sectarian wars of the 20th century, styling him after the Mongols of old. The Sabbat considered him a war hero, the Camarilla a bogeyman of legend. Even Talley thought Malenkov was twisted, and became convinced his childe would lose himself to the Beast one night and never be seen again. To Talley’s surprise, Malenkov still clings on to self-control through routine outings of his bestial instincts.
When the Gehenna Crusade commenced, Malenkov embarked upon it with gusto. He felt sure this would be his Waterloo, to triumph or perish fantastically. Talley’s summoning him back to the States, to sit beside Sierra Van Burrace and make peace with old enemies, leaves nothing but sourness in Malenkov’s mouth. He should be fighting, spreading his terrifying reputation throughout the Middle East, but instead here he is: in Chicago as a poster boy for Lasombra penitence.
Now Malenkov is split between serving his sire loyally, as he’s always

Social

Contacts & Relations

• Arkady Lavrov (Retainers 2) Dmitri Kiriyenko (Retainers 1) Veterans’ Descendants (Contacts 2) Although Malenkov has few friends among Kindred, he still has contact with some of his Soviet soldier comrades and has managed to further that contact to their sons and even the sons of their sons. He keeps Arkady and Dmitri with him as ghouls, still as youthful looking as they were during the Siege of Stalingrad.
• BDSM Scene (Contacts 3) Malenkov never got to experience life’s many pleasures as a mortal and, despite his age, routinely drinks from vessels high on drugs or indulges in kinky sexual escapades, less due to a fetish and more due to his hardening jadedness. He has made a name for himself in several large clubs and BDSM societies along the east coast, with many having banned him while others appreciate the air of “hardcore” he brings to their establishments. His reputation is such that it might have permeated Chicago.
Escort Services (Contacts 1) Whenever traveling to a new city, Malenkov initiates contact with sex workers. He considers people in that profession his most likely friends, since they are the only ones who listen to him ramble on about his shitty life and long war stories. Most of them believes he’s delusional, as he’s clearly too young to have served in World War II.

Family Ties

• Talley (Mawla 3, Gratitude) Despite cutting him off to pursue a childe with a little less baggage, Talley could never truly let go of his creation. Knowing Malenkov would never forgive him, he decided to help his childe discreetly. He sends servants to provide Malenkov with places to sleep during the day, act as easy targets for him to feed upon, and to be drinking buddies so he is not alone. Talley believes Malenkov’s presence in this deal may convince the Camarilla of Lasombra sincerity. Clearly, Talley has underestimated his childe’s monstrosity.
• Sierra Van Burrace (Resentment) Sierra never understood her sire’s reason for Embracing a person like Malenkov. Likewise, Malenkov sees Sierra as a usurper and weak. She’s never fought in a war and, as far as he knows, has never even taken a mortal’s life. Still, they’ll work together for now. 
• Talley (Mawla 3, Gratitude) Despite cutting him off to pursue a childe with a little less baggage, Talley could never truly let go of his creation. Knowing Malenkov would never forgive him, he decided to help his childe discreetly. He ends servants to provide Malenkov with places to sleep during the day, act as easy targets for him to feed upon, and to be drinking buddies so he is not alone. Talley believes Malenkov’s presence in this deal may convince the Camarilla of Lasombra sincerity. Clearly, Talley has underestimated his childe’s monstrosity. 
• Bret Stryker (Business) Though Malenkov doesn’t know Stryker personally, his contacts reached out to the Toreador’s contacts to arrange potential entertainment in the form of sex workers. It’s through Stryker Malenkov found out about Red Noº 5s existence.
• Kevin Jackson (Condescension) Malenkov hasn’t met Jackson but despises the thought of him. He’s personally murdered Princes with more credibility than this jumped-up punk who hasn’t even participated in a vampire war. Malenkov will act formal and with grace if he has to, but he’s not going to make nice with this ludicrous excuse for a Prince. 

Chicago By Night    Kindred, Kine & Others    The Unaligned      Malenkov

Character Prototype

Sire: Talley
Embraced: 1868 (Born 1838)
Ambition: Find another war to fight
Convictions: Obey authority
Touchstones: Arkady Lavrov — Soviet army veteran and ghoul
Humanity: 2
Generation: 8th
Blood Potency: 3
Attributes

Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5;
Charisma 2, Manipulation 1, Composure 2;
Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 4
Secondary Attributes: Health 8, Willpower 6
Skills
Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Craft (Leather) 4, Firearms 2, Melee 3, Stealth 3, Survival (Cold Climate) 5; Animal Ken 3, Intimidation (Reputation) 4, Streetwise (Escort Services) 3, Subterfuge 2; Awareness (Ambushes) 4, Medicine 2
Disciplines
Dominate 1, Oblivion 4, Potence 3
Powers

• Oblivion Sight Can see in the dark and ghosts
• Arms of Ahriman Wits+Oblivion (8) 2S, grapple with 10 dice. Dodges with 8 dice. Grabbed victim does a Resolve + Compuse vs 8 dice to escape.
• Stygian Shroud Creates darkness up to 16 meters around himself.
• Souring Leap Jump 9 meters vertically, or 15 meters horizontally.
• Uncanny Grip Hang from the ceiling

Attacks

• Knife or Melee 7 dice 4 damage
• Brawl 6 dice 3 damage
• Dodge 5 dice