René Levine

"I do not care if you like me, only that you obey. To be frank it would be concerning if you did."

History
René is a man of vision. This has always been the case. While others allowed for petty squabbles and rivalries to cloud their judgement, René knew how to use them to his advantage.

Mortal Life
He was born and raised in a small village in France. At a young age, René showed interest in science and technology. In particular, he had great engineering aptitude and worked on steam engines in his stare time for entertainment.

Both of his parents died while he was still a teenager, first his mother during childbirth resulting in the deaths of both her and his sister, and then his father in a work place accident. With his family lost to him and the prospect of forever living in a small farming community, René decided to head out on his own.

He emigrated in 1875 to the United States where he eventually became a naturalised citizen. He was hired at one of the largest shipping companies in New York, where his eye for detail and logistical abilities made his stand above the crowd.

While René never attended a formal University, his natural intellect and thirst for knowledge left him bounds ahead of his peers that had.

When he was 29 years old, René started his own company and invested heavily in the development of electricity and other technologies that were years ahead of their time.

By the time of his "death", in 1903 he had become a self-made man with a net worth of roughly 12 million dollars ($170 million if adjusted for inflation).

As a member of the Camarilla
René had the attention of clan Ventrue almost as soon as he stepped foot of the boat on Ellis Island. It was rare to find such a talent among the kine that had developed without some form of guidance. He was wilful, cunning, he knew when to take risks and when to listen to the advise of his betters, everything that the clan could hope for in a prospective member. When he was approached he was already a rich man, he did not need the Ventrue or the Camarilla to give him wealth, no, what he needed was a purpose worthy of him and that is was Zachariah Clifford offered to him.

René had little patience for the needless politicking of the Camarilla. He loathed the bickering of the Harpies and the recitation of titles, but what he enjoyed was the artistry of the Camarilla as a whole. He knew where he stood and what he must do to rise again to the top. The challenge excited him more than any hostile take over had in years.

Zachariah was a patient teacher. He did not look to make a slave out of René, but an heir to his legacy. He guided him in ways that René did not ever understand at the time, but upon reflection appreciated. René had always been on his own and he had allowed that to chill his heart, and while he remained ruthless he did not lose himself to the beast like so many others.

René moved through the ranks of the Camarilla like a sledgehammer through concrete. He made a great deal of enemies, but always seemed to know how to focus their attention elsewhere or to ally with the right people to make himself untouchable.

By the 1950's he had status and a reputation, but he began to feel like he was missing challenge once again. Do address this he chose a Camarilla city that was on the brink, and made it his own.

Jefferson had always been under tremulous circumstance with the Sabbat and Anarchs holding the city in conflict. The Camarilla's presence was merge and disorganised and René seized control with the only resistance being from those who recalled a "golden age" that had long since past.

René crushed the Anarchs and reworked them back into the fold, while the Sabbat have remained a nuisance René has turned his attention on strengthening the Camarilla as a whole.

René embraces technology and unlike many of his peers, he keeps up to date, especially when it comes to the hospitality business.

Disciplines
Auspex 5

Dominate 5

Thaumaturgical Paths
 * Path of Technomancy 3

Merits and Flaws

 * Calm Heart
 * Coldly Logical
 * Computer Aptitude
 * Introspection
 * Language
 * French
 * English

Relationships

 * Alexjandro Arango
 * René is fully aware of the Sabbat Archbishop but allows him to exist as a threat to unify against. The might of the Camrailla could end the Sabbat presence in the city once and for all, but the Prince likes having something out there to scare the masses into supporting him similar to how he uses the Tremere.
 * Lily Eskelsen
 * It would surprise likely every Kindred in the city to learn that René doesn't in fact hate the Tremere primogen at all, he rather admires her tenacity. Through all the hardships thrown her way she still comes to bat for her clan time and time again. Unfortunately for her and her clan, the Tremere are an easy scapegoat to label as the 'despised ones'. A pity.
 * Ryan Kenney
 * It would be disingenuous to say that René maintained a friendly relationship with Mr. Kenney, however that is not to say that he doesn't respect him. Kenney is a unique voice among the Ventrue that René feels is refreshing compared the the elders that hide away in mansions with their wealth and contribute nothing to Kindred society.
 * Zachariah Clifford
 * René still looks to his sires wisdom even now.
 * Ritter Albert von Welf
 * The good knight is an annoyance above all others. While a typical Brujah is a young street punk, von Welf is an elder that commands respect, well educated, and by all accounts a gifted swordsmen. Conveniently enough von Welf seems comfortable as a member of the Primogen, but if he set his sight upon the throne, he would be the strongest rival to contend with.
 * Johnny Dalhart
 * The Gangrel have a reputation for being difficult to negotiate with and John is no different, however René recognises that what the Gangrel prinmogen wants most of all is to be left to his own devices. The Prince is happy to allow this as long as the clan comes to assist when called upon.
 * Wasureta
 * Wasureta is perhaps the only Kindred in the city that worries René. You can not reason with a Malkavian and their motives are hard to define. Wasureta claims he is in the city to save it from some unforeseen threat and appears to believe it. He is dangerous to the city's stability.
 * Gregory R. Manson
 * Gregory serves as René's left hand, juggling the city's information gathering and taking care of delicate matters discretely. Gregory has proven himself loyal time and time again and as such clan Nosferatu is looked to with respect in the city.
 * Yaslin Majumdar
 * Yaslin views himself as René's only true rival, while René would deny having a rival at all. Yaslin boarders on insubordination at times but has never crossed the line into open disrespect. In truth René stokes the flames of Yaslin's inferiority complex, viewing the presence of conflict among the Primogen important for his own goals.