Nathaniel Thomas Sparks
| Pronouns | He/Him/His |
|---|---|
| Clan | Tremere |
| Clan Faction | House Tremere |
| Sect | Camarilla |
| Social Class | Pretender Elder |
| Morality | Humanity |
Further Information
Nate is a revolutionary Tremere, who has spent much of life fighting for the freedom of oppressed peoples and running underground railroads to fight human trafficking. Originally from Maryland, he set up shop in Tampa, FL in the 1820’s and is now looking to return and establish a new Chantry. He’s an idealist, almost blindly, and has become jaded as he sees history repeat again and again. He thinks that humans will never change and sees FIRSTLIGHT as an extension of human cruelty.
- 1759 – Born Nathaniel Thomas Sparks outside of Baltimore, MD to a poor family of little historical impact.
- 1777 – Joins the Continental Army and ends up under the command of General George Washington. One night, is among several volunteers who go out drinking with some of the officers, including one Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton [VIP event, funny story]. He would fight in the Battle of Brandywine Creek before marching on to Valley Forge.
- 1778 – Encamped at Valley Forge with around 12,000 others, while out scouting during a snowstorm is shot by a British loyalist. Laying near death in the snow he is “Rescued” by his sire, a visiting French Tremere. He is listed among the missing casualties of that winter, thought taken prisoner by the British and ultimately listed as a casualty of war. Legend has it, his family received a letter from Gen. Washington. His sire returns him to her home in France, claiming Progeny and takes on his accounting and training as a Tremere.
- 1785 – Released from his Accounting and Acknowledged as a member of the Camarilla.
- 1790 – Continues his education with the backdrop of the French Revolution, sneaks out often to engage in the civil disorder of the period. When caught by his sire, he’s placed in torpor for one year.
- 1792 – Comes out of Torpor to the French Reign of Terror, where his sire decides to send him back to America, where he is assigned to <TBD> Chantry.
- 1823 – Is assigned to the budding Chantry set up to support the new Praxis of the City of Tampa by Cybil Montague. Acts as Secretary to the Regent.
- 1823-1837 acts as a sponsor to assist on the “saltwater underground railroad” providing support for the relocation of oppressed populations of early Florida as it became a territory of the United States.
- 1837-1860 – continues to support abolitionist efforts in Florida and continues to help relocate oppressed populations to the north. Works with Q of the Gangrel and the Old Salts on occasion.
- 1860-1865 – His influences are severely damaged by the American Civil War, some of his efforts caught the attention of angry Elders who opposed him. His support is limited but present.
- 1865 – As reconstruction starts, he finds that his influence has grown. He starts funding reconstruction efforts and education initiatives around Tampa for the newly free population.
- 1875 – Is present when Persephone of Argos becomes Prince of Orlando.
- 1940 – Nate goes to France at the behest of his sire to drive out the fascist invaders after the occupation of Paris, he helps from the shadows, organizing her influences and providing dark support to allied forces.0
- 1941-1944 – Worked together with Nissim Melamed and House Melamed to undermine the fascists in Europe. Helped work an underground railroad through France.
- 1945 – Returns to Tampa, promoted to a senior apprentice in the Tampa Chantry.
- 1950 – Meets and embraces Loralei Davos in Tampa, takes he in his accounting. They have an uneven relationship. Early on he is quite strict, mirroring her upbringing on the only other one he really knows, his own. But it’s not the best match for her, and she struggles under his guidance. He starts to develop an overprotective air towards her.
- 1950-1970’s – Directs resources towards the growing civil rights movement, spends some time travelling throughout the South.
- 1978 – Becomes an official Elder, a party is held in Tampa celebrating his new status, Persephone of Argos is in attendance.
- 1986 – Assists the Sheriff of Tampa in the destruction of a Sabbat pack, is not aware that the Sheriff kept one of the members of the pack, Mason McCallister, for himself
- 2004 – Assists Prince Montague in the cleanup and recovery of Tampa after several hurricanes hit
- 2011 – His Sire disappears in the Beckoning; he returns to Europe to figure out what happened to her.
- 2012 – FIRSTLIGHT destroys the Chantry along with most of the kindred population of Tampa. HE withdraws with the rest of Clan Tremere, having escaped the destruction in both Tampa and Vienna by virtue of not having been there.
- 2013 – Is approached to join House Carna, he politely declines, but holds no animosity towards them, the Clan must evolve if it wants to survive modern nights.
- 2014 – As the Tremere rejoin Kindred society, but his home chantry destroyed he starts to make plans to return but decides to continue to manage his sire’s affairs in France.
- 2022 – Elder Persephone of Clan Brujah is allowed back into the Ivory Tower and claims Praxis over St. Petersburg, FL. He makes plans to travel there and re-establish the Tampa Chantry.
Nathaniel Thomas Sparks was born in Maryland in 1759. His early life was typical, but he got himself caught up in the American Revolution, fighting under the command of Gen. George Washington. In the winter of 1778 he was camped in Valley Forge, when he was shot by a British soldier whilst out scouting (actually, he stopped to relieve himself when shot).
He was rescued by his Sire (currently NPC), a French Tremere with connections in the American colonies, and perhaps a benefactor of French efforts in the war (maybe a shadow patron of Maquis de Lafayette?). She took him back with her to France, where he underwent his early training and accounting.
However, ever since his “death” in the snows outside Philadelphia, he has been unable to get warm, and constantly exudes an aura of frost (Eerie Presence: Touch of Frost). Because of this, he directed his studies towards the Mastery of the Weather, and in that has excelled. But still can’t get warm.
In 1823 the domain of Tampa was founded, and Nate was assigned there to help establish the Chantry. Here he acted as the secretary to the Regent, and spent time doing pretty much whatever needed to be done, including acting as an ambassador to neighboring domains and Chantries. He jumps at the chance, hoping the warm weather will help with his condition, it does not.
He spends much of the next few years supporting abolitionist movements, helping underground railroads and other similar efforts as he can, including the “saltwater underground railroad” which sought to ferry oppressed peoples to freedom in the Bahamas. He does much the same up through the American Civil War.
When World War II breaks out in Europe, his sire sends for him, asking that he come to France and help with similar efforts against the fascists. He obliges immediately and spends much of the war helping oppressed folks escape. It is here that he meets Ava Melamed and others of her clan, he does what he can to assist their war efforts as well.
A-after the war he returns to Tampa. But in many ways his experiences there have changed him in subtle ways. He is less trusting of mortals, sees them more and more as tools for him to use and manipulate, never quite getting over what he saw them capable of.
In 1950 he sponsors a young woman, Loralei Davos, who wants to attend a local college. In order to keep an eye on the investment, he introduces himself as another student, and acts as a tutor (albeit a rather young looking one). Eventually, she starts to date a young suitor, and Nate is concerned this threatens his own relationship with her. He Embraces her and starts to train her. He does not do a good job. He uses a very strict style, same as his Sire did, and it does not work as well for her. She chafes at his instruction. Ironically, it was this same rebellious streak that helped to draw him to her in the first place. So he tries to be responsible for once, when he should have just ran with the rebellion aspect.
In 1978, he becomes Elder Nathaniel Sparks of the Camarilla, and there is a party thrown for him in Tampa. Persephone of Argos, Prince of Orlando attends.
In 2011, his sire disappears and he heads to France to try and track her down. He finds no sign of her. Because of this, he is not present for the FIRSTLIGHT attack on Tampa, which destroys the Chantry and his now former home.
When Clan Tremere comes out of seclusion in 2014, he re-iterates his commitment to House Tremere, although he was courted at one point by Carna. He plans to return to Tampa, but continues his search for his sire. When he hears that Persephone of Argos returns to the Camarilla and becomes Prince of St. Petersburg, he starts making plans to return.
"Despite what you may have heard about elders, the Camarilla, Tremere, and the French, M. Sparks has always, to my knowledge, tried to avail himself of his better angels. I personally can confirm that he fought the scourge of human trafficking back when it was still considered a legitimate business." ~ Q
Edit Quotes: Add your own!
| Player | Steve Gibson |
|---|---|
| Pronouns | He/Him/His |
| MES # | US2003011062 |
| Domain | FL-001-D |
| Storyteller | Jason Herman |
