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== Background == | == Background == | ||
Johanna was born the illegitimate daughter of a bookkeeper and a schoolteacher. Her mother had divorced her husband for adultery but refused to remarry until after his death in 1834, when Johanna was 14. She was raised typical for the time - and quite well educated as her mother ran a day school for girls out of her home. When she was 9 she had a lucky break when the maid of the principal dancer at the Royal Swedish Opera heard her singing and returned the next day with the dancer, who arranged an audition which led to her admission at the acting school of the Royal Dramatic Theatre. By the following year, she had begun singing onstage, increasing in roles over time and experience until getting her first great role when she was 18. By the age of 20 she was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of music and a court singer to the King of Sweden and Norway. She had a successful career performing in Denmark, Germany, Britain for nobility and royalty, including Queen Victoria herself who attended her every performance and threw flowers at her feet. But when she was 29 a clergyman told her that singing on the operatic stage was 'evil' - something her own mother had also expressed views on, which led to her retiring from opera and continuing performing in musical theatre or as a non-opera singer, including a highly-successful 2-year tour of America under P.T. Barnum. Although her success meant she commanded high salaries, she was renown for her philanthropism in many ways - singing for the ill, giving money to charity, and sponsoring many educational and musical programs (especially for women). She married when she was 32 and officially retired, but still performed occasionally. | |||
Or at least, that was the official story. In reality, her talent had gained her the attention of the Toreador clan long ago - and various Toreadors had certainly gained prestige by being able to get her to perform, or promote her - but her fame was too great for anyone to Embrace her during such sensitive years. So once she retired and returned to Britain with her new husband, it was the right time for Genevieve Montclair to Embrace her - a move considered risky by elder Kindred but the ambitious young ancilla, not quite a century old, managed to ghoul and blood bond Johanna, then paraded her as her latest protege in Elysium and the Toreador Salons until she proved able to protect the Masquerade enough to get permission. Although many expected her sire to fail, and bring the newly-embraced Johanna down with her, Johanna's talent combined with Genevieve's ambition and social acumen proved to be the perfect combination, and their fortunes would rise exponentially together. | |||
Johanna followed her sire to the USA when she answered the Ventrue Kratus' call for aid in a campaign to capture the small Sabbat town of Bakersfield, which he believed in Camarilla (ie his) hands could be guided to great potential. Although Johanna did little in the actual assault other than aid her sire in gaining control of key mortals and institutions, after the conquest and reincorporation of the town as the city of Ashford, Johanna had a great impact. Most people remember Kratus and Genevieve as being the kindred who made Ashford great, and a Camarilla stronghold in an otherwise-hostile state, but whilst Kratus and Genevieve did much to encourage industrial and commercial growth, in reality, it was Johanna who did most of the work to encourage the growth of the music industry; although her sire typically gets the credit for this too. But whilst Genevieve represents the commercial side of Ashford's Entertainment, music and art industry, Johanna is its heart. As Johanna is a patron of the arts for art itself, rather than for prestige as her sire is, Johanna does not mind too much - her sire has mentored her, protected her and guided her well, and always gives her credit where its due. | |||
But the reality is that since the Sabbat Crusade the situation has changed. Genevieve has always been reviled by the anarchs and the "low clans" but when the Ventrue and Toreadors dominated Ashford this was not an issue as their enemies could be squashed into submission. But now that the Brujah, Malkavians and Nosferatu dominate, their situation is more tenuous. Even many Toreadors believe Genevieve's time is past and that she should be replaced - and many look towards Johanna as a potential replacement. Johanna has no ambition in this regard - she became Whip at her sire's bequest, not for her own ambition - but cares for her clan and wants what's best for it... and even she can see that her sire is now being wary of her, and is acting like a caged tiger... lashing out viciously at anything that she considers threatening her. And she worries that perhaps Genevieve's ambition and refusal to give up power will damage the clan - and take Johanna down with her. | |||
== Mortal Society == | == Mortal Society == | ||
Revision as of 10:24, 10 March 2021
SchreckNet Data File
- Real/Birth Name: Johanna Maria Ferguson Sundström
- Known Identity/Mortal Alias: Nightingale / Jenny Sundström
- Place of Origin: Klara, Stockholm, Sweden
- Height: 5'5"
- Occupation: Dean of School of Arts & Humanities, California State University Ashford
- Apparent Age: Mid-30s
- Embraced: 1855
- Kindred Status: Ancilla
- Sire: Genevieve Montclair
- Clan: Toreador
- Clan Status: Influential
- Sect: Camarilla
- Sect Status: Whip
- Player/Type: NPC
Appearance
No information in database.
Background
Johanna was born the illegitimate daughter of a bookkeeper and a schoolteacher. Her mother had divorced her husband for adultery but refused to remarry until after his death in 1834, when Johanna was 14. She was raised typical for the time - and quite well educated as her mother ran a day school for girls out of her home. When she was 9 she had a lucky break when the maid of the principal dancer at the Royal Swedish Opera heard her singing and returned the next day with the dancer, who arranged an audition which led to her admission at the acting school of the Royal Dramatic Theatre. By the following year, she had begun singing onstage, increasing in roles over time and experience until getting her first great role when she was 18. By the age of 20 she was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of music and a court singer to the King of Sweden and Norway. She had a successful career performing in Denmark, Germany, Britain for nobility and royalty, including Queen Victoria herself who attended her every performance and threw flowers at her feet. But when she was 29 a clergyman told her that singing on the operatic stage was 'evil' - something her own mother had also expressed views on, which led to her retiring from opera and continuing performing in musical theatre or as a non-opera singer, including a highly-successful 2-year tour of America under P.T. Barnum. Although her success meant she commanded high salaries, she was renown for her philanthropism in many ways - singing for the ill, giving money to charity, and sponsoring many educational and musical programs (especially for women). She married when she was 32 and officially retired, but still performed occasionally.
Or at least, that was the official story. In reality, her talent had gained her the attention of the Toreador clan long ago - and various Toreadors had certainly gained prestige by being able to get her to perform, or promote her - but her fame was too great for anyone to Embrace her during such sensitive years. So once she retired and returned to Britain with her new husband, it was the right time for Genevieve Montclair to Embrace her - a move considered risky by elder Kindred but the ambitious young ancilla, not quite a century old, managed to ghoul and blood bond Johanna, then paraded her as her latest protege in Elysium and the Toreador Salons until she proved able to protect the Masquerade enough to get permission. Although many expected her sire to fail, and bring the newly-embraced Johanna down with her, Johanna's talent combined with Genevieve's ambition and social acumen proved to be the perfect combination, and their fortunes would rise exponentially together.
Johanna followed her sire to the USA when she answered the Ventrue Kratus' call for aid in a campaign to capture the small Sabbat town of Bakersfield, which he believed in Camarilla (ie his) hands could be guided to great potential. Although Johanna did little in the actual assault other than aid her sire in gaining control of key mortals and institutions, after the conquest and reincorporation of the town as the city of Ashford, Johanna had a great impact. Most people remember Kratus and Genevieve as being the kindred who made Ashford great, and a Camarilla stronghold in an otherwise-hostile state, but whilst Kratus and Genevieve did much to encourage industrial and commercial growth, in reality, it was Johanna who did most of the work to encourage the growth of the music industry; although her sire typically gets the credit for this too. But whilst Genevieve represents the commercial side of Ashford's Entertainment, music and art industry, Johanna is its heart. As Johanna is a patron of the arts for art itself, rather than for prestige as her sire is, Johanna does not mind too much - her sire has mentored her, protected her and guided her well, and always gives her credit where its due.
But the reality is that since the Sabbat Crusade the situation has changed. Genevieve has always been reviled by the anarchs and the "low clans" but when the Ventrue and Toreadors dominated Ashford this was not an issue as their enemies could be squashed into submission. But now that the Brujah, Malkavians and Nosferatu dominate, their situation is more tenuous. Even many Toreadors believe Genevieve's time is past and that she should be replaced - and many look towards Johanna as a potential replacement. Johanna has no ambition in this regard - she became Whip at her sire's bequest, not for her own ambition - but cares for her clan and wants what's best for it... and even she can see that her sire is now being wary of her, and is acting like a caged tiger... lashing out viciously at anything that she considers threatening her. And she worries that perhaps Genevieve's ambition and refusal to give up power will damage the clan - and take Johanna down with her.
Mortal Society
No information in database.
Personality
No information in database.
Other Notes
No information in database.
Combat Style
No information in database.
Social Style
No information in database.
Signature Equipment
- No information in database.
Signature Quotes
- No information in database.