Difference between revisions of "Evelina Astridsdotter (WoD)"

Revision as of 18:13, 23 March 2020

SchreckNet Data File

Real/Birth Name: Kathleen Zingmark
Known Identity/Mortal Alias: Evelina Astridsdotter
Place of Origin: Umeå, Västerbotten, Sweden
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Occupation: Librarian II at Kern County Library (Beale Memorial Library)
Apparent Age: Early-20s
Embraced: 1979
Kindred Status: Neonate
Sire: Viktoria Engdahl
Clan: Malkavian
Clan Status: Known
Sect: Camarilla
Sect Status: None
Player/Type: NPC

Appearance

Evelina is naturally a dark blonde with dark blue eyes, but most of the time she keeps her hair dyed red in some form - typically ginger (sometimes natural, sometimes a little too bright to be natural), henna red, or dark brown/black with red highlights. On occasion, she dyes her hair a lighter blonde, but other combinations (including grey, white or multi-coloured) are not unknown, especially during her manic phases. She has a pretty face, and wears large, round glasses to correct her eyesight that, depending on who you ask, either hide her natural prettiness or add to her cuteness. She tends to wear comfortable and casual, modern clothing but isn't particularly fashion-conscious. Primark and Walmart are her typical clothing places, though occasionally she may indulge in a handbag or item from a more fashionable make - though this is usually more of a coincidence of seeing something that appeals than a fashion choice. Whilst on the rare occasion that she wears contacts, prepares her hair properly, and wears something nice she can look quite striking, for the most part, she is easily dismissed as a pretty but otherwise standard bookish mouse whilst wearing glasses - but when wearing contacts and making a little effort, can be surprisingly striking.

Background

Evelina was born named Kathleen to a Swedish father and German mother who were young when they had Kathleen after a shotgun wedding, which is where Kathleen thinks things began to go wrong. Although Kathleen's father loved her mother, it wasn't truly reciprocated and before long Kathleen's mother began cheating on her husband and, when she was 8, left them and moved back to Düsseldorf... and that's when her father started drinking. Kathleen's father was an angry drunk and blamed Kathleen for her mother leaving. The beatings begun as "accidental" slaps from loss of anger but got increasingly worse, and soon he was physically beating her for any perceived wrong as in his eyes Kathleen, who looked much like her mother, could do no right. Kathleen cannot recall at what stage the beatings turned into sexual abuse, just that they were frequent and he would repeatedly tell her what a worthless whore she was, and how she'd ruined his life. This led to Kathleen socially withdrawing and losing friends at a time when she should have been at her social peak, often considered the weird kid and everyone oblivious (or uncaring) towards her plight. Kathleen found reading books to be her only solace, a regular escape from reality. Then one day when she was still 15, her father finally went too far and nearly beat her to death when she revealed that her period was extremely late. This led to her hospitalisation, a miscarriage, and a police investigation Kathleen that was years too late - but at least her father ended up in prison (on a far-too-lenient sentence); and Kathleen was placed in a caring foster family and finally began to receive councelling.

Things got better for a time. A natural linguist and quick study, she ended up achieving a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics, which she followed with a Masters degree in Library & Information Science. She was content working at one of Umea's libraries, until one day her father turned up again, having been released from prison on parole. He was initially apologetic and reconcilliatory but Kathleen was now older and stronger, although dark memories and terror came flooding back she found the strength to reject him, telling him to leave her alone forever. She was relieved when he left peacefully, albeit upset, and thought perhaps his time in prison had helped him - and in hindsight believes she was foolish to have gone against her better instincts and not contact the police. She felt true terror once again when he broke into her house later that night, very drunk and in a murderous rage. The old accusations and insults came back and he physically assaulted her once again. Unwilling to be the passive victim again, Kathleen struggled with him, scratching his eyes and fleeing to the kitchen where she rang the police. She was unable to finish the call, however, as he knocked her to the ground and began to force himself on her once. Kathleen does not remember exactly what happened then, only vague dream-like recollections of screaming, flashes of a monstrous face, and blood - but when the police turned up investigating the call they found Kathleen curled up and crying in a corner, hugging a bloody kitchen knife. The coroner's report states that her had been stabbed in the face and chest an estimated 86 times.

The courts saw Kathleen as a victim and no murder charges were pressed against her, although she spent several months in a mental asylum receiving psychiatric treatment that she would never leave alive. One of the other patients, a child of Malkav, saw her as a perfect new addition and Embraced her, faking her death to get her out of the asylum, and taught her the essentials about Kindred society. Kathleen took a new name to both sever her connection to mortal society, as well as to allow her unlife to be a fresh start from her unhappy past, and travelled to California intending on making a new start. She wandered around a little before finally settling in Ashford because of its low Malkavian population, and got employment at the Kern Country Library; soon after practically controlling it - her own little corner of the universe away from everything.

Mortal Society

Evelina works as a Librarian II (senior librarian) at Kern County Library, based at Beale Memorial Library branch (the main one). As one of the few librarian II's she has a lot of influence on how the library operates - including book acquisitions. She has managed to secure to always be on the night shift, which entails the closing shift and then mostly cataloguing and returning books, statistical tracking/analysis and other administrative work. This also enables her to be able to allow in and assist kindred, and she is renown for being particularly helpful to fellow Malkavians.

To the kine, Evelina is known to be a helpful and friendly, if by-the-book librarian who also happens to run the evening book club (which, despite the name, actually begins after sundown). Although this is predominantly an educational outreach for children, many parents and adults participate and assist - which has allowed Evelina to build up a respectable herd.

Personality

Evelina had a rough life of years of abuse that she had to keep secret with no support or sympathy from her teachers, other children or society as a whole. She was always simply assumed to be an introvert or "weird kid" and left to her own devices. Her years of abuse and neglect actually made her strong-willed - a necessity to both hide the pain of her existence, the constant mental sorrow, and desire to try to succeed despite her home relationship. She learnt to take care of herself from an early age - from doing her own washing and cooking, to taking care of her cuts and bruises after a beating and hiding them from her teachers/school children for fear of further social ostracisation. Her only real comfort were books. Books were always her friends - always entertaining, educational or interesting and never demanded anything back. A good book made her happy when she was sad, or let her escape into a fantasy world when reality became too harsh. Books helped her learn many languages, history, science, and many skills and other pieces of knowledge. With her eidetic memory and intelligence, books enabled her to absorb knowledge like a sponge. Even through the darkest times, Evelina always believed that, one day, her getting a good education would allow her to break free from her abusive father and enjoy life on her own terms and desires. Books helped her endure and promised a brighter future.

Although that didn't exactly happen the way she planned it, she is now free from the shadows of her past - but the passion and reverence for books and knowledge has not diminished.

Other Notes

Derangement

Whilst the madness of Malkavians can be hard to professionally identify, as they often have a scientific basis but combine elements of different psychosis that may not be likely, or even humanly possible in mortals; and have even been known to change over time.

Helen Quinzel, the Malkavian Primogen (and renown Psychiatrist) has identified (with high degree of reliability) that Evelina suffers from Bipolar Disorder. She believes that she may even have suffered this since before the embrace, although bipolar swings are typically measured in number of events per year in the case of the kine, whilst for Malkavians the swings could potentially even be hourly. As a bipolar sufferer, Evelina suffers from severe mood swings and may be upbeat and confident one moment, then uncontrollably lethargic and pessimistic the next; constantly on a hair trigger, never knowing when the next mood swing will strike.

Whilst most of the time Evelina is a friendly, level-headed and helpful and caring girl, when her mood swings (and it can do so unpredictably) she can become so depressive and insufferable that she regularly drives off those she has managed to get close to. In these depressive episodes, she has been known to self-harm as a way to "feel something, anything" or release valve for suicidal thoughts. Upon emerging from the depressive state, Evelina is energetic, relentlessly upbeat and active (obsessively so) for approximately the same amount of time as she spent in depression. In this manic state, she is actually more likely to succumb to frenzy because of her heightened emotional state.

Combat Style

No information in database.

Social Style