Gideon Monroe (WoD)

SchreckNet Data File

• Real/Birth Name: Gideon Monroe
  
• Known Identiy/Mortal Alias: Gabriel Monroe
  
• Place of Origin: San Saba, Texas, USA
  
• Height: 6'0"
  
• Occupation: Editor-in-Chief, Ashford Scoop
  
• Apparent Age: Mid-50s
  
• Embraced: 1876
  
• Kindred Status: Ancilla
  
• Sire: Caroline O'Hara
  
• Clan: Brujah
  
• Clan Status: Respected Ancilla
  
• Sect: Camarilla/Anarch Movement
  
• Sect Status: Clan Primogen
  
• Player: NPC

Appearance

50%

Gideon embodies the classic "southern gentleman" from pop culture. He always wears smart suits that give him good presence, but not from high-fashion makes. They're as functional as they are elegant, but not to the degree (or expense) a Ventrue might. It is extremely rare to see him without a hat of some description, typically a cowboy hat.

He was in good physical shape during his mortal days and, although embraced in his 50s, still looks in better physical shape than most men half his age. His default expression is a cross between a grimace and a scowl, leading him to look disapproving most of the time, although those that know him say he is quick to smile and joke. Despite his attire and his line of work, his hands are calloused and rough, indicators that he spent much of his mortal life doing labour work which likely led to his enduring physique.

In Elysium he has been known to appear wearing a Confederacy Officer's parade dress uniform from the Civil War period, and those with the knowledge (or who ask) will recognise the blue Austrian knots and collar insignia for a Confederate army infantry Major.

Background

Prelude

Gideon came from humble origins but exemplifies the combination of willingness to work hard and persevere with your ambitions. Although his mother was with child when his Anglo-American family settled in the area to set up a small cotton plantation near what would become Independence, Texas, Gideon was born shortly after they arrived.

His father had amounted debts in order to relocate the family from Austin and finance the equipment, resources and workers to work the fields, and the yield was growing too slowly. The frequent political and cultural clashes with the soldiers of the Mexican government soldiers that controlled the area meant that development was slow and so they were frequently in debt. As such Gideon had to do more hard work than most larger plantation owners and family members in other areas would have done, growing up helping plant and plow in the spring, harvest in the fall; and allowed to attend school during the summer and winter, unless his father needed him - which he frequently did. He credits this with making him the man he became.

Then in 1835, the same year that what would become the town of Independence was founded near their plantation, Texians and volunteers from the United States attacked the small garrisons of Mexican soldiers beginning what would be known as the Texas Revolution. Although not initially involved, his father participated in the revolution in 1836 after the declaration of independence and formation of the new Republic of Texas, leaving Gideon's elder brother in charge, as Gideon was only 14 at the time. History would recall the repercussions, with General Santa Anna leading a force to avenge Mexico's honour that would famously defeat the Texian garrison in the Battle of the Alamo, killing almost all the defenders - which included Gideon's father. The subsequent rush of Texians flooding to join General Sam Houston's army included Gideon's big brother, with Gideon and his family having to evacuate the plantation and follow Houston's army for fear of Santa Anna's encroaching army. Fortunately, the Texians would win out in the famous Battle of San Jacinto, gaining the new Republic of Texas de facto independence from Mexico, and allowing Gideon and his family returned to the plantation for a few years of peace and prosperity.

Although not a natural genius, Gideon was a smart lad and a hard worker. Having only a few months of the year to attend school, he needed to work harder during those times and on his own at home in order to succeed. Even prior to the revolution his family lacked the money to purchase many books to aid his education, so Gideon took to reading the papers from the various newspaper companies in Texas. He found this to be one of the best ways for him to both improve his literacy, as well as keep up with the developing events in Texas prior to and including the Texas Revolution. He became highly respectful of newspapers and the value of their sharing of information. Despite his family's struggling plantation and the forced war-relocation setting his already-empoverished family's plantation back even further, Gideon worked hard and read a lot, and was awarded a Reward of Merit for his educational efforts.

But it would appear that Gideon's lot would be to work in the family plantation, now finally beginning to prosper in the post-war peace and growth of Independence, which was rapidly becoming the wealthiest community in Texas. In 1845, at 23 years of age, however, Baylor University was established in Independence, offering "the Science of Law" for reasonable rates. Despite his elder brother's objections, Gideon was accepted into the new University. In order to coerce him to remain at the plantation, Gideon's brother Atticus cut him off financially - refusing to pay for Gideon's university costs in an attempt to financially force him to abandon his plans. Always strong-willed and willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goals, Gideon instead managed to secure a job in a local print firm that produced a local newspaper.

His plans were disrupted, however, when Texas being annexed as the 28th state of the United States of America in 1845 quickly led to the 1846 Mexican-American War. Too young to have signed up during the Texas Revolution, but with an unsettled desire to avenge his father's death at the Alamo, Gideon signed up. Gideon's upbringing on the plantation and many hours spent training with rifles and pistols with his father and brother growing up, served him well. Although the war only lasted a few years, he served with pride and felt that he had done what he needed to avenge his father. He served predominantly in the California campaign (a war that, unbeknownst to him, would enable the Camarilla to begin taking territory away from the Sabbat, whose stronghold was in Mexico).

Returning to Independence and Baylor University, Gideon finished his legal degree - now funded by the savings from his army salary as well as, due to the popularity of news about the Mexican-American war with the US populace, an agreement to write a series of articles about the war for the print company he had previously worked at; which would become his first steps into journalism. Although this would not have been sufficient to finance the rest of the course as well as his living costs, his participation in the war and the articles also had the unexpected benefit of getting his brother Atticus' respect and a negotiated stipend from the now-prosperous family plantation.

After graduating from Baylor and being admitted to the bar in 1851, Gideon set up his own law practice. Whilst he enjoyed this, he found himself ever-interested in the news and politics. Whilst he had no interest in getting personally involved in politics, he enjoyed reading about it, especially as regards its effect on current affairs and the community. In 1852 the town of Independence was incorporated and soon had a thriving commercial centre and, with it, his law career prospered. The ensuing decades were generally good to him. He married the love of his life, Dottie, who he had met whilst writing post-war articles for the newspaper she worked at. They had a daughter named Cora, but complications during childbirth rendered it impossible for her to have further children. His occasional opinion pieces to the newspapers even led to a regular column discussion political and legal events.

The 50s became a difficult time, however, with issues such as nationalism and honour, states' rights, and slavery being frequent hot topics. Gideon was infuriated that the Union wanted to force their beliefs on the South, and frequently wrote about the issues. But it all ultimately exploded in 1861 when the Civil War broke out. Although both he and Atticus were above the age range of the draft, Gideon immediately enlisted with the Provisional Confederate States Army and, due to his education, status and prior military service was commissioned as a Captain and placed in the 9th Texas Infantry Regiment. Although Atticus did not sign up, his children (Gideon's nephews) were both conscripted the following year after the First Conscription Act. Neither would survive the war. The following year, following the Second Conscription Act, Atticus was also conscripted. Without the men to farm the plantation, Gideon's wife and daughters moved in with Atticus' wife and attempted to keep it running as best they could. A few months later, however, as news of roaming marauders preying on defenceless families circulated, Atticus attempted to defect to return to protect his family, was caught, and summarily executed. By the time Gideon returned home, he had lost his wife Dottie to a group of marauding deserters, killed whilst unsuccessfully defending Cora's honour. His rapid promotions to Major due to the deaths of many officers in the field, were cold comfort now he had little to return home to. His regiment fought the longest of any Texan regiment in the war, but was defeated in the battle of Spanish Fort, and he and the remaining officers and men surrendered to the Union on 11 May 1865 at Meridian.

After being paroled and released, he returned home from the war a changed man. Once an idealist, now he was more jaded and bitter. The way of life he and his father had shed blood for, was gone, as were most of his family. Inheriting the family plantation, he sold it off for a fair price (though not as fair as it would have received prior to the war), giving a respectable amount to Atticus' widow to ensure her comfort, and using the rest to purchase a print company in financial trouble, from which he ran a newspaper with his daughter, whilst still carrying out his law practice on the side to support the fledgeling business. As the times and way of life changed, he found many of the changes hard and was evermore aggravated by the political spectrum, and his newspaper reflected this. Whilst he reported the facts - as he would find in unconsciounable to do otherwise as both a lawyer and individual - he would liberally report on things that other papers didn't dare to for fear of sanction, and wrote opinion columns expressing his dissatisfaction and

Mex-Am War - 1846-1848 (Age: 24) Civil War - 1861-1865 (Age: 39-44) Embrace 1876 (Age 56)

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