Morena Arjona (Wod)

SchreckNet Data File

Real/Birth Name: Leslie Arjona
Known Identiy/Mortal Alias: Morena Mo Arjona
Place of Origin: Santurce, Puerto Rico, USA
Height: 5'5"
Occupation: Custom motor Shop Owner/Mechanic
Apparent Age: Mid-20s
Embraced: 1925
Kindred Status: Known Ancilla
Sire: Hélène la Juste
Clan: Toreador
Clan Status: Known artiste
Sect: Camarilla
Sect Status: Known ancilla
Player/Type: NPC

Appearance

Morena and Toto

No information in database.

Background

Mo's father was the renown Lieutenant Colonel Teófilo Marxuach. When Teófilo returned home to Puerto Rico after studying at the Academy of Military Engineering in Guadalajara, Spain, and found it now under US rule having been anexxed in the 1898 Spanish-American War, then cended in the Treaty of Paris, he resigned his commission in the Spanish navy and became a civil engineer. Whilst history would recall he eventually married Carolina Acosta and had three sons, it slipped the history books that in 1901 he became lovers with Monica Arjona, a Puerto Rican artist, with who he had a daughter, Leslie. The relationship did not work out in the long run, but Leslie always had a close relationship with her father, who used to call her "mi pequeña morena." They would spend much time together as he worked on engineering feats, and Leslie developed a love for mechanical engineering, but also had her mother's creative streak. This culminated in her eventually, on getting US citizenship after the 1917 Jones–Shafroth Act, going to the University of Wisconsin–Madison and doing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, graduating in 1922. Shortly after, she gained employment with the Harley-Davidson Motor Company which was undergoing expansion and needed qualified mechanical engineers, of which there were few - and a female engineer even more so, and her insight into aesthetics and female considerations was a benefit to the company. Her blend of artistic design and mechanical practicality intrigued a Toreador who had become fascinated by this growing new motorcycle culture, and he gave Leslie the Embrace.

Leslie struggled to maintain familial connections, but practical difficulties, and Camarilla rules, made this increasingly harder. Her mother died of Tuberculosis in 1928, and after her father's death in 1939, she returned home one last time for the funeral, then severed any connections she had left with her mortal life, took the name Morena Arjona after her father's childhood nickname for her (though all her friends shorten this to just Mo), and moved to California where she eventually set up her own business with the assistance of Genevive Montclair her clan Primogen - who never lets her forget it, even well after she paid off the financial aspect of the loan. Genevive was a good patron for a while until she lost interest (especially as Mo had little interest in status or fame) and moved on, and their relationship has been complicated ever since, although there is mutual respect, if not actual admiration (though neither kindred is likely to admit that more than grudgingly).

During her time being promoted by Genevieve, Mo met Lilah Fox and the two became gradual friends over a shared love of motor vehicles - especially after Mo became free of Genevieve's direct influence; and the two women agreed to a business arrangement whereby Lilah would cede a small part of her domain for Morena to set up a haven and custom motor vehicles dealership, which would work alongside Lilah's own biker bar and motel to attract bikers and other roadsters. This would be not only a sound business decision for both kindred, but would be the formation point of the Midnight Motors coterie.

For now, Morena's garage is doing well and always has more commissions than Morena can handle (typically she allows her kine staff to handle these and only takes jobs that inspire her, or makes her own inspirations which are then sold almost immediately they are put on open sale). She has few, if any, kindred enemies, and is respected for her political neutrality and willingness to provide the benefits of her art to all who can pay her not insubstantial fees. But as Morena has recently developed the ability to use her power to literally imbue her art with emotion that can be felt by kindred and kine alike who witness it, she is in demand once again, although this is beginning to make some of Genevieve's latest discoveries seem less... impressive.

Mortal Society

Mo is known as a bit of a recluse who owns the Three Dogs Customs garage, but mostly lets others run it whilst she works quietly on projects out of sight. Three Dogs is known for specializing in custom paint jobs and vehicle (mainly bikes, but custom car jobs are occasionally done) modifications and custom creations. It shares a lot with Lilah's Rusty Forks Saloon (having been a part of Lilah's domain and lot that Lilah ceded - legally and politically - to Mo) along with the Rusty Forks' gas station, motel and auto repair shop (Mo has more extensive contacts in this regard and helps supply the Rusty Forks auto repair shop with parts they may need quickly which Mo is more likely to have or can obtain faster).

Three Dogs has a small autoshop selling common automotive spare parts, helmets, motorist clothing and other consumables typically popular with bikers and roadsters, and the main showroom where visitors can view the showcase works (usually Mo's most recent creations which she can't bear to part with and leaves on display until she has been inspired by another idea and allows someone to pay a silly price for her previous creation). The garage work area can be viewed from behind a glass pane, but is off-limits without staff accompaniment (which is usually just a case of asking) although Mo's special projects area is in a day-proofed and private area only Mo has access to - made after a nearly-disastrous incident where an idea-obsessed Mo failed to realise the dawn was approaching and was nearly incinerated by the sun, and she still regularly obsesses over an idea and works on it until she literally falls asleep almost where she stood, collapsing onto her couch when overcome with daysleep, then rising from the couch and continuing working as soon as her eyes open (sensors on the windows automatically close the blinds when early dawn light is detected). Mo's actual haven is on the second floor, mostly just a cosy office/lounge and a bedroom as she has no need for a kitchen of her own, but would use the staff kitchen facilities of the showroom if needed. The lot has a bike storage area for people to leave vehicles overnight, which is often used by transient Kindred as a safe place to remain overday whilst their vehicles are worked on by Mo's kine staff, before moving on once the sun comes up.

Personality

Mo isn't antisocial, or a loner, although that's the reputation she has. She just has little interest in politics and intrigue. Passionate about her art even before the embrace, she gets lost in her current endeavours, which can take her several days at a time for quick things, and can disappear for months at a time when inspired with not so quick ideas. Factor in time required for hunting, and she spends much of her time alone. Whilst she quite enjoys company of those with similar interests and cares nothing for Clans as she counts both Gangrels and Brujah amongst her closest friend and coterie-mates, whilst there are plenty of kindred from her own clan she actively dislikes, but she doesn't like wasting time on pointless social intrigue which could be better spent creating, and spent in the company of those who's company she actually enjoys.

Mo's a working-class girl at heart though and the subtleties of high society do actually elude her. She doesn't deliberately mean to stick her foot in it, but she never really learnt the intricacies during her mortal days, nor made much effort beyond the essentials Genevieve drilled into her (to prevent her own embarrassment, not for Mo's benefit); she knows enough to get by, and that's enough as far as she's concerned. She's quite introvert, however, although this isn't easily apparent when hunting, with small groups of close friends, or discussing her art with prospective clients... but in a social environment, she's not good at small talk and doesn't like social spotlight and prefers to avoid it whenever possible. Mo therefore generally only socialises outside of her coterie when there is a need, grudgingly, and is uncomfortable in large groups (which is why she describes her promotion tour with Genevieve to have been a living hell.

Other Notes: Toto

Mo rarely goes anywhere without her ghoul dog, Toto. Toto is a tan and black German Shepherd that was formerly known as K9 Arras, a trained K9 service dog for the Ashford Police department. He was once the partner of a APD officer who used to frequent the Rusty Forks and Three Dogs and once commissioned Mo to create a motorcycle with sidecart for K9 Arras. The officer was killed in the line of duty and K9 Arras was injured and retired from duty - and Mo adopted him. After several years (when people began to notice Arras' longevity) she kept him out of sight awhile, mourned his passing and eventually revealed herself having adopted another dog that reminded her of Arras because of the physical similarity which she named Toto after the dog in her favourite childhood novel.

Toto is well trained and behaved, which is good as it helps to keep his ghoul urges in check, making Toto less of a hell-hound than ghoul dogs are often reputed to be. Mo learnt the rudiments of the Animalism Discipline from Gangrel friends in order to be able to communicate with him, and this helps to keep him better behaved. Overall, he appears a friendly, attentive and intelligent dog who usually barks briefly to alert Mo to arrivals, but otherwise is not aggressive unless he notices Mo becoming agitated or is commanded to. But should anyone attempt to enter Mo's haven whilst she is in her daysleep, he truly becomes a hellhound and stuff of nightmares. Lilah Fox is the only person who can enter Mo's haven without risk of attack (and is unlikely to do so once Mo is in daysleep anyhow, as she herself would already be) - although he is not aggressive to those who were already in the haven when Mo entered daysleep (he is trained and intelligent enough to understand they have been allowed to be there - although he will still stay close to Mo to protect her).

Combat Style

Mo isn't a fighter and has no interest in fighting. She is renown as an artist and introvert. Which is why those who would pick a fight with her are likely to get a nasty surprise. She is highly dextrous and has respectable levels of the Celerity Discipline (which she favours not for the speed it brings, but because it helps her artistry) so is naturally fast and agile. Growing up a working-class girl in a poor district, she has been in her fair share of brawls and therefore would surprise those expecting a wallflower.

Her biggest edge, however, is that in addition to introducing her to mechanics, her father also taught her to shoot and this is a hobby she quite enjoyed during her mortal days (and she loves the mechanical side of firearms design). As their domain is on the outskirts of town, which could be at risk from Sabbat or Lupine incursion, the members of the Midnight Motors coterie (Mo and Eve, in particular) regularly practice shooting. This makes Mo a surprisingly good shot. Since the Sabbat Crusade, she had taken to carrying an H&K USP40 with her most of the time (in her jacket or vehicle glove compartment), although at her haven she keeps a Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun, which can make her a credible threat against those who threaten her

This also precludes the fact that Mo is unlikely to be anywhere without Toto (even if she goes to Elysium he is likely to be waiting nearby). A large, trained police dog, he is both strong, fast and tough - and as a toreador ghoul for a long time is empowered by both the Potence and Celerity Disciplines, making him a threat to any would-be attacker - and Mo and Toto have practised fighting together (as well as putting this to use during the Sabbat Crusade).

Social Style