Disclaimer: This is NOT a bio of the real person named Keith Karloff (aka Keith Gale) or the real band the Gone Jackals. This is the bio of a fictional character (and his pack) who happen to be based on these real personalities, adapted to a game as if they were vampires. This was done because of how awesome the Gone Jackals were at the time, and the idea of a gang of vampire biker-musicians sounded awesome to the 18-year old Storyteller who had recently started the game. After 25 years, the character has become an institution in the game. The use of the names, faces and alternate biographies is meant as a homage to their awesomeness, with no disrespect meant.
SchreckNet Data File
- Real/Birth Name: Replace
- Known Identity/Mortal Alias: Replace
- Place of Origin: Replace
- Height: 5'6"
- Occupation: Replace
- Apparent Age: Early-20s
- Embraced: Replace
- Kindred Status: Replace
- Sire: Replace
- Clan: Replace
- Clan Status: Replace
- Sect: Camarilla
- Sect Status: Replace
- Player/Type: NPC
Appearance
No information in database.
Background
Prelude
The infamous Gangrel that would come to be known as Keith Karloff was born in Lower Manhattan to a family of Irish-American labourers affiliated to the Dead Rabbits gang. He was the youngest of three siblings and, although he rarely had need, life was hard and he grew up learning that you had to fight for everything. Honest work was good, but there was always someone there trying to stop you doing it or getting what you deserve - such as the Bowery Boys, the chief rivals to the Dead Rabbits, who were native-born and anti-immigrant. As the education system in New York was heavily biased towards Protestant beliefs, he was mostly educated in a Catholic Parochial school on Catholic-leaning beliefs and subjects. But even then, his family shared the public's apathy towards schooling so he was raised more with the expectation of getting a vocation as soon as he was old enough to work, so he received more education on the streets than in school; learning how to be a labourer, and how to fight when the Dead Rabbits needed him. But despite the hardship and violence of his youth, the musical social gatherings of his Irish-American affiliations - as well as in the Lower Manhatten bars during the economic boom and pioneering spirit of the post-Great Fire of New York urban renewal - led to him developing a love for music. Or at least, a love for the social aspects of song and dance among the right people. It helped to express the angst he felt inside and an outlet for the violence and harshness that dominated his life. He participated in the two-day Dead Rabbits riot, which would be the first time he killed someone. He was stabbed during the riots, however, and would have died had it not been for a doctor who pulled nothing short of a miracle to keep him alive.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Quincy was sympathetic to the Union cause, but not enough to die for the piss-pots on their high horses. Therefore he did not volunteer to enlist to fight in the Civil War but, after the 1863 Enrolment act, enlisted as a substitute for the son of the doctor that had saved his life - both to repay his debt (honour, at the time, was something the Dead Rabbits and other Irish-Americans took very seriously), but also for the $200 offered.
He fought in various engagements over the next three years but the fateful night would occur serving with the Army of the Cumberland during the Battle of Nashfield. Although it was a stunning victory for the Union Army, Quincy's cavalry unit was chasing Confederate rearguard cavalry on Granny White Pike when they were attacked by a single man wearing the uniform of a Confederate officer. This being moved fast, like a predatory animal, hard to observe and shoot at - and his deadly attacks with clawed hands tore Quincy's fellow soldiers to pieces. This broke the courage of most of the survivors, who ran - only to get quickly chased down by the monstrous Confederate and literally torn apart. Only Quincy's courage held. Although terrified - he held his position and managed to get a clear shot into the Confederate as it gorged on the blood of one of the soldiers - but it had no effect. The monster just grinned at him and laughed as blood dripped down it's face. telling him to run as it would be more entertaining. Instead, Quincy fixed a bayonet on his rifle and charged the monster, burying his bayonet deep into it's chest. But the monster just laughed and sank its fangs into Quincy's neck.
Lilah Foxe
Quincy awoke to his unlife confused and disoriented. He quickly discovered the Hunger, which he instinctively knew he could alleviate by consuming the blood of his horse, but his first sunrise was nearly deadly to him - the lethargy of the coming dawn saving him indirectly, by making him desire a place to rest. A kindly old couple helped Keith into their home when they saw him on fire, and put out the flames with blankets - only to have their kindness thanked by his devouring their blood. But their blood and house - and the small collection of terrified farm animals they had - gave him the shelter and blood he needed to heal and get his head together, after which he went into Nashville. There, he was fortunate to stumble across Lilah Foxe, the owner of the Rattlesnake Saloon who was commonly known as "Rattlesnake Lilah" - an Ancilla of the Brujah Clan - who took pity on him and took him in. She taught him about Kindred existence, how to hunt (and feed without killing his victims), gave him a job in her Saloon, and became a mentor to him. He left his old life behind - let Quincy be another casualty of the war - and took the name Keith Karloff, an amalgam of two people he knew, a friend back in New York named Keith, and a Nebraskan soldier that he had respected and fought alongside earlier in the war whose family name was Karloff. But truthfully, much of his humanity had died in that war - gone was the idealistic young man who believed in patriotism and community spirit; instead what remained was a hardened predator who accepted that only the strong survive, by preying on the weak. When events forced them to leave Nashfield, they travelled together for a quarter of a century, before eventually participating in the 1889 conquest of Bakersfield for the Camarilla. As reward for their participation, they were granted domain rights by the new Prince, which Lilah accepted and laid down roots - but Keith did not want to get tied down in servitude to another ruler who would decide what conflicts and wars Keith would be dragged into - he accepted that his Clan were members of the Prince's sect, but he didn't have to stay and serve. So he left, and wandered.
New Company
Over time Keith would Embrace several times,
Mortal Society
No information in database.
Personality
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Other Notes
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Combat Style
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Social Style
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Signature Equipment
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Signature Quotes
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Gallery
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