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Theda (Clan Assamite)

...and the Red Death held sway over all.

Description:

At 5'0";, the wiry Liverpudlian does not strike an imposing figure. Fit, yes, but far from threatening.

Her characteristically unaffected tone coupled with acerbic wit belies her as someone's cynical sister, or a romantic interest in a Generation X indie, perhaps.

However, a good deal of her attractiveness lies within the raw charisma she exudes.

What attributes she possesses she has learned quite well how to utilize to her full potential: Discipline is tantamount to her existence, driving her to extreme physical torment and duress merely to refine and hone her physique, her mind, and her choices, seeking to achieve a balance between desirable and mechanical.

Her obsession to incite desire and provocation to possessiveness motivates a good deal of her time, and fuels her inherent addiction to destroying those who cannot measure up to her unreasonably high standards--especially Kindred.

Recently, her physical appearance seems to alter with each new sighting--as though she were not only aware of the constantly fluctuating chain of those who seek her for various ends to their means--but as if she were able to alter her very presence to suit the occasion of meeting them on her terms...

Background:

The young student at Kensington Preparatory School for Ladies spent much of her time immersed in the arts;sculpture, painting, sketching, writing, and received a good deal of both praise and remonstration for the subject matter she chose: human sexuality.

The year was 1900.

In fact, the 20-year-old was terrified of the actual consummation of "the act", but the speculation and study of attraction itself fascinated her to no end. It was this attraction which prompted her submission and resultant acceptance to an exchange programme to India, based upon her efforts in journalism and provocative artistic contributions; to study and document the developing cultural mores and the effect of British presence in the colonies there.

More importantly, to continue her efforts to find the source of the Nile in human sexuality--by studying the then-closely guarded secrets of the Tantra.

The summer proved fruitful: the Indian days unbearable, she preferred the evenings to explore the culture outside of her secluded flat--

And one evening she met the Maharajah.

The Maharajah, somewhat reclusive by nature, gradually warmed to her efforts at communication. Her genuine interest--unabashed zeal, no less -- in his culture, accentuated by her terse and often invasive confrontations with the paradigms so staidly held by the British bourgeoisie impressed him. He allowed her access to his estate--in secret, for the Europeans were still held in contempt by many locals--and purely for educational purposes.

She spent a good deal of time there, where she became a student, first hand, of the diverse and reclusive arts of the East.

Until the Jyhad irrevocably scarred the face of India. In a single night, the reins of the Sabbat led a monstrous ghouled horde on a swath of bloody destruction throughout the region, decimating villages, cities...all in efforts to quash the Camarilla presence indoctrinated through the European settlements.

The Maharajah, upon returning to his estate that evening, found his staff slaughtered...and the young foreigner in his courtyard bloodied, sundered, and moments from death.

The Assamite Maharaj Tariq had a choice. Oppose once again the traditional mores of Assamite khabar, and not only by renegade Embrace, but a woman, no lessùor allow the mindless actions of the Jyhad to dictate his own livelihood once again.

Upon her embrace, he trained her himself for a period of 49 years--seven times the seven years tradition at Alamut, in personal atonement for his actions based in human emotion, rather than purity of blood.

No regrets, however, as the insipid Jyhad rages on.

And Theda, the pariah, acknowledged by blood, scorned by that same blood, stands at the fringe. Like her sire, she has proven her Assamite heritage to the rafiq who, as they scorn her, so does she return the sentiment with a vengeance.

And those who persist, end.

Character Perceptions: From hatred to lust, fascination to fear, the deadly flower attracts many an emotion--very few have so many who desire them for so many different reasons.