SchreckNet Data File
- Real/Birth Name: Marina Vasilyeva
- Known Identity/Mortal Alias: При́зрак (pree-zrak, 'Shadow')
- Place of Origin: St Petersburg, Russia
- Height: 5'6"
- Occupation: Bratva Pakhan (Bratva family boss)
- Apparent Age: Early-20s
- Embraced: 1778
- Kindred Status: Elder
- Sire: Tyler Vraslavok
- Clan: Nosferatu
- Clan Status: Primogen
- Sect: Camarilla
- Sect Status: Primogen of Clan Nosferatu
- Player: NPC
Appearance
Whereas in her mortal days Marina was an attractive, slender, green-eyed blonde, she is now the stuff of nightmares. She has become completely hairless and her skin has changed to an unnatural blue-grey tinge and texture that resembles shark skin more than human skin. Her neck has elongated, as have her ears which have sharpened to a knife-point. Her eyebrow-less eyes have turned into sinister black orbs, and her lips have receeded as all her teeth have permanently elongated and sharpened, making her mouth a monstrous gaping maw with many oversized and sharp fangs. Marina's appearance has at times been described as demonic rather than vampiric.
As Marina usually avoids being seen by mortals, travelling via the sewers or shadows, her clothing tends to typically be utilitarian and hard-wearing, such as jeans and hoodies; except when dealing with Bratva situations, when she is more likely to wear a suit.
Background
Marina was born in St Petersburg to a Ukrainian mother - she never really knew her father as he died when she was very young. Her mother was an opera singer, and Marina loved her and her occupation dearly, but hard times came upon them and her mother died from disease in poverty, leaving Marina alone with a relative who immediately sold her into the sex industry against her will. Whilst she hated her life, her mother had always taught her to be strong and to take whatever advantages she could. She learnt quickly to use what she had to survive - becoming tough and familiar with a knife to protect herself from rival whores and abusive clients; and became good at picking up bits of information by eavesdropping, or through pillow talk. She soon realised that by selling what she had discovered she could make more money than by selling her body, and secretly saved this extra money with the intention of fleeing her life when she'd gained enough. Unfortunately, her owner found out what she was up to and beat her senseless, cutting and scarring her face so that she would no longer be able to get the valuable clients, and thus never be able to earn enough money to do more than survive. Scarred, but not broken, back on the street Marina just became tougher, and managed to rally other prostitutes into a group for mutual care and protection. This worked awhile, and they could not be touched by their individual owners, until her owners learnt and banded together, returning with hired muscle to collect their property. The fight was vicious, but ultimately their numbers and strength were insufficient against the more numerous hired enforcers. Her plans in disarray, Marina expected to be tortured and likely killed as she was dragged away - but a different kind of death befell her as a creature from the stuff of nightmares, who had been observing her awhile, tore through the thugs holding her captive, leaving only her owner untouched but subdued. Marina was startled, but not repelled by his visage - she had seen greater horrors in men already, and whilst she was not given a choice, welcomed the Embrace nonetheless.
Her unlife began with a bloody path of vengeance began as she sated her new hunger first on the blood of her owner, and then on any of his hirelings that still lived. She then laid a bloody trail as she sought out each of the other prostitutes that had stood with her, rescuing them from their slavery and ensuring that none of their owners or their men could ever be in a position to seek them out again. Finally… she sought out her uncle to properly thank him for the life he had given her for a handful of rubles.
Under her sire's mentorship Marina learnt how to use her abilities and Disciplines to protect herself and enforce her desires. For years she ran an organised syndicate in St Petersburg, until the Brujah takeover during the Russian Revolution prompted Marina and her sire to move to Paris. There they remained until the events of the Red Death, and the slaughter of the Nosferatu by the Nictuku after which Marina followed her sire to America. When her sire took the position of Primogen, she served as his Whip and took control of the Ashford Bratva by making her own more dominant, and absorbing the other bratva groups; building up a reputation as Призрак ('Shadow' or 'Ghost', pronounced Pree-zrak). She assumed control of the clan in 2000 following her sire's departure back to Russia on learning of the death of Baba Yaga and, after cementing her position within the clan and re-organising and motivating them properly, has led them to their current level of prosperity.
Mortal Society
No-one knows who the woman known simply as "Shadow" is - but everyone on the street or criminal underworld knows who she is and fears her. It is known Shadow runs the Bratva (Russian Mafia) who tend to be her more visible enforcers and agents, but few bratva are willing to give up her identity, act against her or do anything that might incur her wrath. In addition to typical Bratva activities, Shadow has been dealing information between highest bidders for a long time, and is therefore both a threat and opportunity to all - depending on your point of view and relationship with the Bratva, but her recent blatant patronage of one of Ashford's key Red Light District has particularly caused ripples, and a stream of corpses.
Most Nosferatu worth their salt know (or at least suspect) that Shadow is in fact Marina, and although she does control the Bratva (mainly through her ghouls), her coordination of Nosferatu intelligence activities is her main interest, and the Bratva is a useful cover and aid to that.
Personality
Marina likes to think that she is a fair and decent person, but the reality is that she is has become far more jaded and ruthless than she realises. Her mortal life was rough and she had to adapt to survive, and the bloody swath of retribution she carried out after her Embrace caused her humanitas to degrade, although her sire's mentorship helped prevent her being lost to the Beast. Marina relies more on a personal code of ethics, rather than actual feelings of sympathy and morality. She is known to take protecting those under her responsibility seriously, and avoids harming innocents where possible, but quick to brutally punish those that cross her.
Deformities
Marina's Nosferatu deformities have caused some physiological advantages and disadvantages to her:
- Ears: Marina's ears have become elongated and knife-like. Whilst not actually capable of increased sound depth than a normal-shaped ear, they do channel sound more efficiently, granting her greater auditory acuity.
- Skin: Marina's skin is a blue-grey shade with appearance and texture more akin to shark skin. It is thick and leathery, and grants her some degree of resilience to physical damage.
- Mouth: Marina's lips have receded to become a gaping maw, permanently exposing her teeth which have all grown into sharp, oversized fangs. This not only gives her a terrifying appearance, which benefits her, but makes her bite more dangerous as it inflicts greater damage than a typical vampire bite, and exsanguinating victims faster when she clamps her maw due to an increased vitae extraction rate. The negative consequence, however, is that unlike most kindred who's bite causes euphoric pleasure in mortals known as the Kiss, Marina's bite brings nothing but agony and terror to her victim; who must be restrained and will struggle throughout the entire process.
Combat Style
Marina fights with one aim - to end it - and uses the most efficient, vicious and brutal means necessary to accomplish this. She has the deadly combination of being agile, fast, powerful and tough; having some measure of all the physical disciplines, and mastery of her clan disciplines of Potence and Obfuscate. An expert in the ancient kindred martial art of kibatsumejutu (the art of fang and claw) she relies on using all her advantages to effect. When the fight is even or in her favour, she tends to rely on overpowering brute strength and reliability of her ability to absorb damage or heal - after all, once the mortals have been overpowered she can recover by taking her fill from their blood. She knows that few kine are able to harm her much, and relies on this. Typically, she relies on brawling attacks that break limbs or disable mortal opponents if she wants to preserve the masquerade or not kill her opponents; but if she decides not to hold back then she uses the savagery of her brute strength, gaping maw and oversized teeth and Protean claws, to tear apart her enemies. She can always have her bratva get rid of the bodies afterwards, and the masquerade is only endangered when there are signs of vampiric activity - and the savagely dismembered corpses are more likely to be blamed on animal or lupine attacks.
Against kindred, or uneven odds, she becomes more cautious and tactical. In this case she relies on surprising with bursts of deadly speed, usually done after use of Obfuscate to gain a tactical surprise.
Marina carries an old soviet service pistol. Comparative to her raw power, and martial arts ability, the pistol offers little benefit for damage or attack accuracy, but she still uses it when ranged combat is required, or if she wants her opponent's wounds to look more natural.
Social Style
Marina is often described as "all business" as that tends to be the impression she gives. When she goes seeking someone to speak to, there's usually a specific purpose for it, and when business is concluded she departs. Marina is not known to have friends and is the shadowy overlord that runs the Nosferatu and the Bratva.
That is true, but also far from it. Marina is a survivor, but cares for those under her charge - although this may not be obvious. She takes this very seriously and knows that protection and security are the first and foremost concern, and only once this is secured can luxuries be afforded. Because of her monstrous visage, she has few friends outside the Nosferatu, and fewer still that she trusts, but those who have looked past her grim visage and taken the time and trouble to build a relationship with her find her to be a loyal ally that can be trusted on to keep her word (unless doing so would have a negative impact on her clan or charges). It is rumoured that the Malkavian and Senya primogens both have long-term, mutually-beneficial alliances with her.
As such those who approach her fairly are usually received and treated well, and dealt with fairly. But those who attempt to deceive or betray her had best be prepared for the consequences, as the price of her uncovering the deception/betrayal (and she WILL) will always be extremely high; Marina wants everyone to know that you don't fuck with her.
But above all... you never, EVER, enter her domain without permission. Ever.
Signature Equipment
- Tokarev TT-33 Service Pistol
- Black Ford Transit
Signature Quotes
- "There's only one rule in Shadow's domain. Don't. Fuck. With Shadow."
Gallery
Marina post-embrace
Painting of Marina pre-embrace