Disclaimer: This is NOT a bio of the real person named Keith Karloff (aka Keith Gale) or the real band the Gone Jackals. This is the bio of a fictional character (and his pack) who happen to be based on these real personalities, adapted to a game as if they were vampires. This was done because of how awesome the Gone Jackals were at the time, and the idea of a gang of vampire biker-musicians sounded awesome to the 18-year old Storyteller who had recently started the game. After 25 years, the character has become an institution in the game. The use of the names, faces and alternate biographies is meant as a homage to their awesomeness, with no disrespect meant.
SchreckNet Data File
- Real/Birth Name: Quincy Gale
- Known Identity/Mortal Alias: Keith Karloff
- Place of Origin: Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
- Height: 5'11"
- Occupation: Musician
- Apparent Age: Early-30s (currently Vicissitude-altered to appear mid-50s)
- Embraced: 1864
- Kindred Status: Ancilla
- Sire: Unknown
- Notable Descendants: Cindy Walker (Childe), Duncan Caulker (Childe),Mackenzie 'Kenzi' Dubenenko (Grand-Childe)
- Clan: Gangrel
- Clan Status: Respected (no official title)
- Sect: Independent
- Sect Status: Blood Hunted (Camarilla-Ashford)
- Player/Type: NPC
Appearance
Keith looks like a classic bad-boy biker/musician. He typically sports a pair of jeans or leather trousers with some type of shirt or t-shirt, and a vest typically made of denim or leather. During colder/rainer times, a denim or leather jacket is common, typically of biker styles. His hair is typically long and wavy, verging on unruly and a light moustache and lip beard, He (now) appears as a man in his mid-late 50s in good shape - muscular enough to be notable, but not a bodybuilder. He only pays lip service to the masquerade, using the blush of life only when around mortals - and little more than blinking and pretend-breathing. He rarely pays attention to his expressions and so appears to have, as his childe Cindy put it, what women would call permanent resting bitch face. A scowl is his natural expression - and when it changes it is usually to an expression of murderous anger. His laughter, when he actually is heard doing it, is loud and thunderous, and almost as intimidating as his famous, intense glare which has been known to send neonate into Rötschreck.
As Keith is a biker and doesn't appear to have a main residence (at least in Ashford), it is common to see him with a guitar, which he takes on his bike in a special motorcycle guitar saddlebag but does not leave unattended for long periods (though he will leave it there for short periods - kindred know better than to touch his stuff and any mortals foolish enough to try to steal it inevitably end up as dismembered body parts in a ditch).
Background
Prelude
The infamous Gangrel that would come to be known as Keith Karloff was born in Lower Manhattan to a family of Irish-American labourers affiliated to the Dead Rabbits gang. He was the youngest of three siblings and, although he rarely had need, life was hard and he grew up learning that you had to fight for everything. Honest work was good, but there was always someone there trying to stop you doing it or getting what you deserve - such as the Bowery Boys, the chief rivals to the Dead Rabbits, who were native-born and anti-immigrant. As the education system in New York was heavily biased towards Protestant beliefs, he was mostly educated in a Catholic Parochial school on Catholic-leaning beliefs and subjects. But even then, his family shared the public's apathy towards schooling so he was raised more with the expectation of getting a vocation as soon as he was old enough to work, so he received more education on the streets than in school; learning how to be a labourer, and how to fight when the Dead Rabbits needed him. But despite the hardship and violence of his youth, the musical social gatherings of his Irish-American affiliations - as well as in the Lower Manhatten bars during the economic boom and pioneering spirit of the post-Great Fire of New York urban renewal - led to him developing a love for music. Or at least, a love for the social aspects of song and dance among the right people. It helped to express the angst he felt inside and an outlet for the violence and harshness that dominated his life. He participated in the two-day Dead Rabbits riot, which would be the first time he killed someone. He was stabbed during the riots, however, and would have died had it not been for a doctor who pulled nothing short of a miracle to keep him alive.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Quincy was sympathetic to the Union cause, but not enough to die for the piss-pots on their high horses. Therefore he did not volunteer to enlist to fight in the Civil War but, after the 1863 Enrolment act, enlisted as a substitute for the son of the doctor that had saved his life - both to repay his debt (honour, at the time, was something the Dead Rabbits and other Irish-Americans took very seriously), but also for the $200 offered.
He fought in various engagements over the next three years but the fateful night would occur serving with the Army of the Cumberland during the Battle of Nashfield. Although it was a stunning victory for the Union Army, Quincy's cavalry unit was chasing Confederate rearguard cavalry on Granny White Pike when they were attacked by a single man wearing the uniform of a Confederate officer. This being moved fast, like a predatory animal, hard to observe and shoot at - and his deadly attacks with clawed hands tore Quincy's fellow soldiers to pieces. This broke the courage of most of the survivors, who ran - only to get quickly chased down by the monstrous Confederate and literally torn apart. Only Quincy's courage held. Although terrified - he held his position and managed to get a clear shot into the Confederate as it gorged on the blood of one of the soldiers - but it had no effect. The monster just grinned at him and laughed as blood dripped down it's face. telling him to run as it would be more entertaining. Instead, Quincy fixed a bayonet on his rifle and charged the monster, burying his bayonet deep into it's chest. But the monster just laughed and sank its fangs into Quincy's neck.
Lilah Foxe
Quincy awoke to his unlife confused and disoriented. He quickly discovered the Hunger, which he instinctively knew he could alleviate by consuming the blood of his horse, but his first sunrise was nearly deadly to him - the lethargy of the coming dawn saving him indirectly, by making him desire a place to rest. A kindly old couple helped Keith into their home when they saw him on fire, and put out the flames with blankets - only to have their kindness thanked by his devouring their blood. But their blood and house - and the small collection of terrified farm animals they had - gave him the shelter and blood he needed to heal and get his head together, after which he went into Nashville. There, he was fortunate to stumble across Lilah Foxe, the owner of the Rattlesnake Saloon who was commonly known as "Rattlesnake Lilah" - an Ancilla of the Brujah Clan - who took pity on him and took him in. She taught him about Kindred existence, how to hunt (and feed without killing his victims), gave him a job in her Saloon, and became a mentor to him. He left his old life behind - let Quincy be another casualty of the war - and took the name Keith Karloff, an amalgam of two people he knew, a friend back in New York named Keith, and a Nebraskan soldier that he had respected and fought alongside earlier in the war whose family name was Karloff. But truthfully, much of his humanity had died in that war - gone was the idealistic young man who believed in patriotism and community spirit; instead what remained was a hardened predator who accepted that only the strong survive, by preying on the weak. When events forced them to leave Nashfield, they travelled together for a quarter of a century, before eventually participating in the 1889 conquest of Bakersfield for the Camarilla. As reward for their participation, they were granted domain rights by the new Prince, which Lilah accepted and laid down roots - but Keith did not want to get tied down in servitude to another ruler who would decide what conflicts and wars Keith would be dragged into - he accepted that his Clan were members of the Prince's sect, but he didn't have to stay and serve. So he left, and would spend the next 75 years wandering around the USA, predominantly through domains in the Anarch Free States.
The 20th Century
For the most part, Keith spent the next 75 years alone on the road. Like his friend Lilah, he loved the development of motor vehicles (which were faster, less maintenance and didn't get skittish like horses did) but whilst Lilah preferred to use them for recreational use within urban environments and the occasional sojourn, the development of long-distance-capable and speedier vehicles enabled him to become a road nomad. He cruised around the Anarch Free States, with occasional sojourns through Camarilla (and occasionally, Sabbat) territory. Whilst he quickly grew to resent the Camarilla - which he saw as being run by vampires of the same sort as the human politicians who are so willing to start wars and send the working class or the youth off to die whilst they remained in their comfortable palaces - he took advantage of the Gangrel Clan's membership in the Sect to travel around the USA. Although San Francisco, Los Angeles and Ashford were the main areas that he would frequent and use as a base of operations, he would occasionally "drive home" to New York - even after it became Sabbat territory in 1929, he would go and cause a little hell there for the Camarilla, or get some information he could sell to the Camarilla (often in return for overlooking some transgression in a Camarilla domain). He travelled with other coteries typically comprising of Gangrels, the occasional Brujah or Caitiff, or like-minded kindred (he didn't really care about Clans or Clan or even Sect loyalties, only on the character of the person) and, at times, ghoul company (typically as musicians). But sooner or later, he would move on, usually after pissing off the coterie enough or getting bored. He made many allies and friends in the domains he frequented, and at least as many enemies. Young Gangrels, Brujah and anarchs would celebrate when the infamous Keith Karloff came into town but Sheriffs and Princes would grimace as, inevitably, hell followed him. But his one constant friend that he always came home to was his friend and former mentor Lilah Fox, and he would always frequent the latest incarnation of her Saloon, which she seemed to reinvent every few decades. But something just never clicked for him with these allies that gave him a desire to belong long-term.
Then, on the 100th anniversary of his Embrace, things changed. A certain malaise had come over him - an almost-primal desire to create another like him. But who? Whilst in a Dive Bar in San Francisco, performing with his then-band (of ghouls) and scoping out who would be his dinner for the evening, he found her, a beautiful and feisty waitress called Cindy. Whilst he had initially just noticed her for her comely looks, which he generally perceived as "nice presentation for tonight's meal" like a mortal might with fine dining - his interest quickly changed when he witnessed her absolute refusal to take any crap from the burly patrons double her size who made the mistake of getting too handsy - and typically ended up with beer on their face, or on the floor in the foetal position with their hands between their legs, moaning after a good, hard kick to their manhood. To top it off, she had an obvious New York accent and in casual conversation found that she was from Staten Island, a baseball fan (a sport that Keith also appreciated) and a roadie. He still stalked her and fed off her later on, of course, except this time he actually gave her some of his own blood in return. He considers that he was a better sire than his own - he actually hang around long enough for Cindy to wake up, tell her she was now a vampire, and teach her to hunt. Then he fucked off without a word and went to Ashford to visit Lilah once again. When he returned six months or so later, he was pleasantly surprised to see Cindy was still alive. When he approached her cheerfully saying "whaddya know, you're still alive!" she smiled tersely and punched him in the face. It didn't hurt him, of course, (though he was grateful she had not yet developed the ability to use feral claws, as that would have been a different story) but he found it funny. Once she had calmed down and ended the futility of using him as a punchbag (as vampires don't get physically tired, this took awhile), they spent the night talking - actually properly talking - and got to know each other a bit. Then they stole a Harley-Davidson for her on that night's hunt, and went on the road together.
Although Cindy was his first progeny, she would be far from the last. Although their travels were enjoyable and entertaining, for all that Cindy and Keith had in common, there was still a chasm between them (which Cindy would describe as "the difference between us is: I'm not an asshole") and it was Cindy that convinced Keith that he had always spent his life belonging to a gang or group. As a human it had been the Dead Rabbits. During the Civil War it had been the fellow soldiers of his company. Then as a kindred, it had been him and Lilah for a while - but that one woman (whether Lilah or Cindy) was not enough, he desired the company of a group of like-minded men that he could drink (hunt), fight and live (travel) alongside. Although he had ran with various coteries over the last century, he needed something more permanent of his own. His own pack.
The Gone Jackals
And so Keith decided to Embrace Rudy, Charlie and Mark - the ghouls that performed with him - and they took the name Parallel Universe. That. Was. A. Mistake. Huge. Two years and a lot of bitching later, things between Keith and one of his progeny exploded, and Keith ended up frenzying and tearing Charlie's head off his shoulders. He Embraced another promising biker and musician named Judd shortly after, renaming the pack The Indifferent Pariahs. Still, a few years later, things with another of his childer also became dangerously tenuous, but this time his childer Mark decided to flip him the birdie and ride off on his own - something Keith respected and thought better for all. So Keith Embraced once again to replace the childer - this time being a little more cautious and picking Trey, a handsome and friendly biker that had caught Cindy's eye (mostly as dinner, but there was a spark), figuring their mutual-interest might help relations. This was a good decision - Trey was less bitter, rebellious and aggressive than Keith or the others, and his bon-vivant attitude proved to be the cement that bound the newly-renamed The Gone Jackals together.
Keith, Cindy, and his Gone Jackals, then spent the next couple of years tearing up the west coast, with occasional forays into Sabbat-controlled Mexico and New York. But things end and Cindy was not Keith. Seemingly out of the blue, Cindy announced she was leaving the pack, and settling in Ashford. She stated that Keith had ended her "first life" when she was aged 27, and she had now spent 27 years touring with him - her "second life." She now stated that she was not Keith, and did not want to be a nomad forever. She wanted to begin a "third life" now with different aims - to establish roots and long-term alliances (she had made some close friends in Ashford, particularly with the Gangrels, Brujah and even Nosferatu - and even some Ventrue allies), maybe someday earn a domain of her own. Keith respected this, but the suddenness of it made him feel like Cindy "abandoned him" - and is convinced it was an act of final revenge for his Embracing and abandoning her 27 years ago.
Truthfully, Cindy (and her connection to Trey) had often being the voice of reason that tempered the excesses of the Gone Jackals, and without her presence, they quickly went from "the infamous Gone Jackals" to "the notorious Gone Jackals" with Camarilla domains often seeing them more as a band of Anarch/Sabbat hellraisers, than members of the Camarilla. Only barely tolerated, at best, as they bent all the rules (or broke the lesser ones) just enough to avoid serious repercussions from those who actually had the power to deal it to them. Since he was one of the original kindred who helped the Prince of Ashford conquer Bakersfield, that status gave him particular protection in that domain. When in 1999 the Gangrel Justicar Xaviar resigned his position and withdrew the Gangrels from the Camarilla (something he had no actual authority to do, but in an amazing show of solidarity and like-mindedness, the vast majority of the clan declared independence, with many joining the Anarchs, and a few even the Sabbat) - Keith was overjoyed. Sure, he no longer had the protection of Camarilla membership, but it also meant he didn't have to suck up and follow their Traditions so as not to bring reprisals down on his clan (not that he cared about the Clan as a whole, but no point having angry Gangrels come after you because your actions caused problems for them). For the next two decades or so the Gone Jackals did as they pleased, enjoyed their existence, hunted liberally and sang raucously in many bars and saloons - occasionally causing hell for the Anarchs or Camarilla for favours, profit, or simply fun.
Perhaps subconsciously out of spite for Cindy's perceived abandonment, or as a "fuck you" to the Camarilla, two years after Cindy's departure Keith Embraced again. This time it was a Scottish former army mechanic called Duncan who stood up to Keith (and the pack) when they acted like assholes. Although the guy was physically quite large and confident, he was quite restrained in attempting to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately, that was like trying to turn back the tide - Keith was after a fight for entertainment, and even the best Ventrue diplomats couldn't have prevented that - and the Gone Jackals beat the living hell out of him. Still, he put up a good fight and showed spirit, so Keith Embraced him. Sure, the guy had no musical skills, but he was tough and a good mechanic - so he would be useful to the pack. Unfortunately, he pretty immediately told Keith to fuck right off and walked away - though became quite close to Cindy afterwards, ironically. Keith thinks it was a monumental mistake to have Embraced him, especially considering the events that followed...
The Sabbat Crusade
Things changed again in 2016 when the Sabbat launched a Crusade against Ashford. The initial wave of attacks took out the city's key leaders and elders, forcing the rest into hiding and leaving most of the uppity Camarilla clans in disarray and flailing their arms in blood-teared panic. Then the Gone Jackals came into town and long-standing allies suddenly found the Jackals were on the side of the Sabbat. Although they had not joined the Sabbat (Keith would never accept any rule over him or his pack, no matter how much the Anarchs and Sabbat talked about "freedom" they ultimately all had heads demanding things of those under them, and consequences for disloyalty) they had nonetheless struck a deal with Keith and his pack, who knew all the roads in and out of Ashford, both literally and figuratively, and therefore how the Camarilla would try to flee the city. Whilst Camarilla leaving the city was not in itself bad for the Sabbat (less enemies to defeat to take control, after all), the risk was that they would alert nearby Camarilla territories and bring reinforcements in. Therefore the Gone Jackals were tasked with preventing any Camarilla loyalists (which included Anarchs by extension) from leaving the city - or entering it. They monitored the roads, airports, angd off-road travel zones, destroying any kindred they caught - although in the case of Kindred they owed favours or gave a damn about, they occasionally gave them the chance to return where they came from - although they were forced to stand down when preventing the entry of Valerie Leigh of Clan Senya by a show of strength by Valerie and fellow Senya neonate Cassandra O'Neil, both warriors, who convinced him that although Keith was tough enough to survive killing the two neonates (and their neonate allies), that the other Gone Jackals would not survive the experience as both Valerie and Cassandra were trained, experienced in, and armed with weapons deadly even to kindred with the Fortitude Discipline. Angered, Keith backed off knowing they were right, vowing that the next time, the situation would be different.
But that situation did not happen. Instead, Keith suffered what he considered to be the greatest betrayal of his life. Cindy and Lilah both turned against him. Ok sure, he was working for the Sect that was trying to kill them - he could understand them being pissed about that - but he never really expected the Sabbat to harm Lilah or Cindy. Cindy was a Gangrel, and therefore an independent Clan, and so did not need to be a target... she just had to "stay out of it"- and she was a survivor. And Lilah was an anarch, in a city long-oppressed by an anti-Anarch Prince that she had helped the anarchs fight against - she just had to stay out of it, and he knew she could handle the few shovelheads that would get sent her way. Lilah had moved domain before, and could easily do so again. But Keith seriously underestimated the strength of their desire to protect their territories, and so they both surprised him. Cindy proved that she was actually a supporter of the Camarilla, who had been upset about the Gangrels leaving the sect; and although she was an anarch leader, Lilah was nominally supportive of the Camarilla (as, she would point out, the Anarchs are technically still members of the Camarilla) but, most importantly, was staunchly anti-sabbat. Lilah helped organise the anarchs into a fighting force that backed the Camarilla and pushed the Sabbat back hard. But Cindy, that was worse. She managed to round up the Gangrel in Ashford that were also loyal or desiring to be members of the Camarilla, and made a deal with some of the remaining Primogen. In return for official membership of the Camarilla and domain rights, they would fight for the Camarilla - even against their own clan! Next thing he knew, the Gone Jackals were being stalked by Cindy and her gangrel allies (which included some Nosferatu allies!) - and whilst Keith was a brawler, he learned that Cindy was far more "Gangrel" than he was - far more in tune with her beast, and they tracked the Gone Jackals down embarrassingly fast. It was a tough fight, but even Keith is not powerful enough to defeat Cindy's Gangrels and her two Nosferatu allies, which included the fearsome "La Cucaracha" who single-handedly fought him to a standstill (or so HE says; Cindy would describe it as "La Cucaracha handed his ass to him"). During the battle Cindy killed Rudy with her own claws and, in a further aggravating twist, it was Cindy's own [fledgling] childe Kenzi whose claws ended his own childe Trey's existence. Although Cindy had been close (and even reportedly lovers at one point) with Trey, Trey had proven loyal to his sire and pack to the bloody end. Although Cindy was proud of her own childe's resilience and comportment, she was angered by what she felt was Trey's unnecessary death, which (despite being the one to track down the pack and lead the assault) she blamed on Keith's arrogance.
Seeing how the tide had turned, his last surviving progeny, Judd, said "fuck this shit", raised his arms, and surrendered. Keith managed to limp out of that battle (technically, he turned into mist form and fled as fast as he was capable - his courage failing him for the first time in decades) and, by the time he'd managed to heal the damage La Cucaracha's claws and bites had inflicted on him, it was clear which was the wind was blowing in the Ashford Crusade, and Keith made his way back to San Francisco to brood. Although he survived the encounter, Judd hasn't wanted to hang with Keith ever since as Keith now has a blood-hunt on his name in Ashford for siding with the Sabbat. As such, he is at the very least mistrusted in any Camarilla domain, if not actively pursued by the local Scourge, Sheriff, or his hounds. Even in Anarch Free State domains, many now mistrust him, seeing him as either a Sabbat sympathiser and mercenary who would stab them in the back if he felt like it, or a secret member of the Sabbat - and the Anarch Free States may stand aside from the Camarilla, but they still see the Sabbat as the enemy who has gone to war against them to steal their territory in the past. Judd was given a conditional armistice deal with Ashford's Camarilla - not blood-hunted so long as he no longer associates with Keith, and keeping his distance from him (and putting the blame for the pack's actions solely on Keith) lets Judd remain in the Anarch Free States without much consequence. Keith isn't mad about this - Judd is a survivor, like most Gangrels, and just doing what he needs to survive. He IS mad at Cindy, however, for her utter betrayal (and to a lesser degree Duncan, who aided Cindy) but, deep inside, respects the fact that she has become her own alpha and beat him (which, of course, he will attribute to being thanks to him being a good sire).
Broken Relations
In the aftermath of the Sabbat Crusade, Keith retreated to San Francisco - which had enough problems with the issues between the Camarilla, Anarchs and Cathayan vampires to not really care less about an independent Gangrel like Keith. He's been brooding and metaphorically rebuilding - mentally and emotionally. For now, he has decided he doesn't want another pack of fledglings to have to protect and pamper, which will hold him back and cramp his style. He accepts that unless he wants to join the Sabbat (which still doesn't interest him) or find an Anarch Baron who will accept him (but then he'd be serving them) that he has to wait and let things cool down and let the Camarilla forget what happened (as much as vampires ever forget). Perhaps even find an opportunity to do something to lift the blood hunt and his bad rep so he can travel more freely through their areas without suspicion and resentment. The few times he's sneaked back into Ashford, he has been upset to find his old friend Lilah wants nothing to do with him. Although the Gone Jackals never directly acted against Lilah, Lilah was pissed about the fact that they had played at her Saloon for years, and they went back a long time - yet he still chose to back a group that would have stripped Lilah of all she had (including her life) and spent over a century building. Out of respect to their former closeness, Lilah will simply remain quiet if she is aware he is in town - but will neither shelter him, aid him, nor have anything to do with him unless doing so is clearly in her best interests.
Regarding Duncan and Cindy, Keith wants nothing to do with Duncan. He considers him a mistake and even disrespects his aiding Cindy, which he saw as "hiding in the shadow of the big wolf for his own protection." But he doesn't hate him enough to actively want to make his life hell - but if their paths cross will have no qualms in reminding Duncan that Keith is still his sire and can beat him shitless any time he desires. Cindy, however, he actively wants to mess with. It's his new cause - to the point that his newly-established biker-musician band (this time formed of just ghouls once again, all tough bastards with no conscience, fanatically loyal to Keith through the blood bond) is called "Irritating Cindy" and performs tracks such as "Cindy" (a blues-rock cover of Tom Jones' "Delilah" with altered lyrics), "She stabbed me in the back", "30 Pieces of Silver" and "Ungrateful Bitch" which became surprisingly popular when he recorded it and released it as a single. The fact he needs to move around quietly in Ashford because of that damn blood hunt, whilst Cindy has established strong roots (and a Domain of her own - which he sees as "paid with the silver pieces of his childers' blood") and is harder to get to. Therefore he tries to get at her (emotionally, more than physically) such as causing disruption to her activities (such as beating up the star players of her baseball team), leaving dead animals at her doorstep (she's an animal lover, especially dogs), writing, recording and performing songs that are obvious stabs at her and, of course, bad-mouth her to any independent Gangrel (or anyone else that will listen).
For now, Keith seems content to simply lay low, rebuild his shattered reputation, try to fix relations with the few kindred he still gives a damn about (such as Lilah), perform with his band, hunt the kine, and emotionally fuck with Cindy.
Mortal Society
Keith is well known by a select subculture of mortal society - bikers and those who frequent the dive bars where he traditionally plays. He is known as the frontman of the long-running group The Gone Jackals, which achieved limited fame, especially in the 90s, but Keith let fade into relative obscurity so as to preserve the Masquerade around the time that the Gangrels left the Camarilla. The public front of the Gone Jackals faded at that point as the pack ceased operating as a musical band performing in Lilah Fox's "Rusty Forks Saloon" for the most part, and just ran around being an infamous nomadic Gangrel coterie for the last couple of decades. Although Keith sympathisers with the Sabbat ideology regarding humanity and the Masquerade, he nonetheless appreciates that in the modern nights humanity has a lot of power it can bring to bear and that the Kindred need to be more careful than in the pre-computing past.
But now that the Gone Jackals are dead or gone, he has re-entered the public light again. It is unknown whether he may have picked it up by participating in Sabbat Vaulderie, or perhaps taught it as some payment for his assistance in the Crusade, but it appears that Keith has either managed to learn or has had access to someone with the Vicissitude Discipline. With this, his appearance has been altered to make him appear older (the age he would be were he a mortal of his apparent age when the Gone Jackals were active musicians) - which both helps keep potential vampire-hunters and those that pay attention to a person's seeming agelessness, and makes him harder to recognise by those who didn't know him well - and is now known as the frontman of the Irritating Cindy rock band, which performs at biker and dive bars predominantly in San Francisco, but also across California. Like the Gone Jackals before them, they're not renown for being amazing musicians and vocalists but they're popular because they're "good enough" and entertaining. They mostly do covers of classic rock songs, although they do have a few songs of their own (almost all geared towards the "irritating Cindy" theme.
Personality
Even when his friends weren't all pissed at him they would describe Keith as being a grade-A asshole. He loves to laugh, play music, and fight. Often all at the same time (he goes through guitars a LOT by smashing them on people). He is known to be a fun guy and good ally to his friends (well, at least when he doesn't betray them to an enemy sect!) ready to fight for them in an instant. He enjoys travelling and the open road, playing music, and raising hell. Whilst he'll claim to be a Lone Wolf, the fact is that he's very much a social animal who needs to be around others he gets along with - some have said that he's really a narcissist... what's the point in raising hell if you don't have an audience to cheer you on or spread your legend?
Whatever the truth, Keith can be quite amiable to those he likes, but a downright abusive and arrogant asshole to everyone else. He won't put up with any shit from anyone, especially elders and blue-bloods or those who he feels are attempting to control/coerce him against his will. He believes in freedom to a degree way beyond either the Anarchs or the Sabbat (which he still sees as controlling, in their own way - though he generally agrees with the Sabbat's attitude about being above humanity and them being there for your utility, enjoyment and consumption). His humanity has waned a lot, so he will have no reservation in beating someone into hospital and crippling them for life, such as digging clawed fingers into a mortal's eye-sockets for back-talking to him. Although he rarely directly goes for the kill against humans (or kindred) unless the situation calls for it, he feels no remorse if an intended beating unintentionally kills them (such as smashing their faces through a wooden table, or clubbing them over the head with a bar stool). And as he is quick to anger and violence, it is common that he leaves a trail of permanently-maimed or deceased
Other Notes: Broken Relationships
Despite the fact that he's the subject of a Blood Hunt in Ashford, Keith still braves secret forays into the Domain. Whilst there was a time these forays would have been to cause merry hell and piss off the Camarilla/Prince, these days they're different. He enters relatively quietly (for his standards) and typically to visit Cindy or Lilah (whilst he doesn't actively hate Duncan, he still thinks he's a big mistake, has washed his hands clear of him of doesn't want to spend any time or effort on him).
Lilah is his oldest friend - he met her within days of his embrace and she has been Mentor, ally and lover to him for a century-and-a-half. Although they have fallen out many times (well, he is a Gangrel hardass and she's a Brujah hothead) there is a strong bond and their relationship has endured - but this is the first time that Keith's actions have directly put them in conflict. Keith does not think he acted against her specifically but that is how she took it. Although having his own pack gave him the cameraderie he needed that he'd not really had since his mortal days (Cindy was right about that at least), Lilah is one of the few people who truly gets him, and has helped him hold onto his humanity - which has taken a nosedive - and she is the person he most wants to repair relations with.
Although Keith has been bad-mouthing Cindy for the last 4 years because she - from his point of view - stabbed him in the back by supporting an authoritatian regime rather than her (and by extention, the Clan's) own independence and Keith, her ever-so-awesome sire and her blood-siblings; all for political gain. Although he's still mad at hell at her, even the worst Frenzy eventually ends. He tells himself he hates her guts and is pissed at her, and he wants to make her life hell - but doesn't realise himself that deep down, in his own way, he is just trying to get on her radar. Cindy has proven capable of taking care of herself physically and politically, and grudglingly deep down he now respects her as a Gangrel and an equal, and not simply his progeny. But it doesn't mean he has to like it, or let her gloat and get away with it scott-free. So even though he's actively doing things to piss her off, he's still keeping an eye at any serious threats to Cindy and would step in to take care of it (or help those helping Cindy) - he will claim, however, that it's because "if anyone's gonna off her, it'll be me!" or that helping her allies do things that Cindy needs/benefits from (and Cindy finding out Keith was involved) only pisses her off, which tickles him pink.
Combat Style
Keith likes to think he's the ultimate Gangrel - but really he's still just a street thug from Lower Manhattan. He never got any formal training in martial arts (and finds the idea amusing) and learnt the hard way - fighting on the streets of NY beating up Bowery Boys gang members, and occasional scrapping with members of his own gang. Even fighting in the Civil War was little more than some basic carbine, sabre and revolver training - and a fair amount of experience using them. What he does have, however, is over a century's experience of regularly getting into fights against pretty much everything you could face. He has frequently fought with other Kindred (especially the Brujah), Lupines and even stranger creatures. Additionally, Keith hunts by either using the "Cassanova" approach on [usually groupie] females, or beating up and then feeding on bar patrons - all of which has led to him becoming an extremely experienced brawler.
As such, Keith's combat style is "whatever works" and the dirtier, the better. Honour is a concept that he once held dearly during his mortal life, but died long ago. He will "fight fair" only against an opponent he respects (if that, more likely he will still fight dirty but simply hold back and not kill them or impair them too badly) but against most poor bastards who get in his way he will simply tear into their vital organs to quickly disable or kill - commonly using his claws against their eyes, testicles or throat. He knows that he is tough - having Elder-level mastery of the Protean and Fortitude Disciplines, so few mortal weapons are a threat against him, and even supernatural weapons that would carve through your average kindred often have little or reduced effect against him. Against tougher opponents he can't kill with one vicious swipe, especially if they do have the potential to harm him, he will get more cautious and try to impair with attacks to the eyes, legs or arms, to whittle them down and reduce their capability to fight, and open up the opportunity for a fatal attack. Keith isn't good at playing the long-game though, or thinking very strategically - and those who have beaten him in fights have tended to do so by out-thinking him, rather than matching him in a brawl... usually a fatal move to attempt. Either way, Keith's typical tactic is to rely on his high toughness to take the damage, whilst he delivers fatal blows in the process.
Although his claws are his favoured method of combat (or fists and feet if he doesn't want to kill outright), Ketih loves his fireams - they're fun to use, make louse noises that scare people, and don't get Kindred pissy about the Masquerade - a head blown off by a magnum round may be overkill, but it's not a potential risk to the Masquerade like a torn throat is. Not that he cares about the Masquerade, he usually simply wants to avoid the attention. He used to be a cavalry officer during the war, and he sees riding Morgan (his motorcycle) and using his firearms as the modern equivalent of the same. Against dangerous threats such as a pack of Lupines, he is more likely to try to keep his distance and use silver ammunition on his Colt Anaconda or Stoeger coach gun.
Social Style
Anyone dealing with Keith needs both a lot of patience and the courage to stand up to him. He will be "an asshole" to his friends and those he likes, but this is a form of friendly ribbing without any real bad intent. By the time you have gotten to become his friend, you will have gotten used to putting up with this and accepting it.
The hard part is getting there. Keith is laid-back enough to be easy going with most people, at least at first. But he has a temper that makes many mistake him for a Brujah, and a mean streak the size of the Grand Canyon, relatively unfettered thanks to his low humanitas. Cruelty is a form of humour for him. If you are beneath his notice, then he simply ignores you or is polite enough (albeit a bit dismissive). But if you get his attention in any way - prepare for a verbal hazing. He will mock, ridicule, and harass those who get his attention - be it for a physical thing, such as having a lisp, stutter, or obvious physical disability; or for mannerism, such as being timid, introvert or just "a fucking pussy"... and those in favour of transgender rights had best shut their flaps around him! He will see his actions as just words and having fun, but of course, the cruel and offensive things he says will quickly aggravate others leading to others either shirking back in fear at his attitude, or getting aggressive because of it. Unfortunately, Keith looks like a reasonably well build but otherwise ordinary man - and too-often mortals double his size think they can shut his mouth with their fists when he angers them or their friends... and Keith is an ancilla who has spend over a century of constant brawling. He will rarely throw the first punch, but he always throws the last. And he is a master at getting others to throw that first punch ("c'mon snowflake - you gonna put your money where your mouth is or you gonna pussy out and go crying home to mama?" is a frequently-heard expression).
Therefore dealing with him means being able to handle the fine balance of taking this verbal abuse, and having the courage to stand up to him, whilst being careful not to cross that line and anger Keith into violence. In fact, Keith has been known on many occasions to beat a kindred into near-torpor, and then be friendly with them afterwards. He does not disrespect them for losing - he says "there's always a bigger badass" - but he gains respect for them having the courage to stand up to him.
Signature Equipment
- Colt Anaconda - .44 Magnum revolver. Has silver bullets.
- Stoeger Coach Gun - 12-gauge lupara-style sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun. Keeps rounds with silver buckshot pellets.
- Biker Jacket emblazoned with a skeletal hand giving "the bird" and the words "Irritating Ciny" in bloody script
- "Morgan" - Heavily-customised Harley-Davidson Softail.
Signature Quotes
- "C'mon snowflake - you gonna put your money where your mouth is or you gonna pussy out and go crying home to mama?"
Gallery
Keith with the Gone Jackals coterie.
Keith as he has appeared for the last half century.
Keith's new, Vicissitude-altered appearance.