'Diamond' Charlie Pickard

• 'Diamond' Charlie
• Diamond

Background

Born in the east end of London during the second world war, Charlie grew up with rationing and austerity. His parents were killed in the Blitz and he was brought up by an aunt and uncle who always resented the added drain on their meagre resources. Although his teachers said he was clever enough to go to the Grammar school, his aunt and uncle refused to even consider it and he was at work at the local market as soon as he could leave school.

His quick wits caught the attention of others and he soon became involved in the East End gangs. Quick to spot who he should attach himself to, he rose effortlessly through the ranks. By his early twenties he had a car, his own flat and several pretty girls, who he strung along with unfailing charm. Among his girls, his extravagant gifts earned him the nickname of 'Diamond'.

However, other forces were at work in the east end. The gangs had become a source of anarch power, and Lady Anne and the other Ventrue were moving to crush then. Charlie was caught up in the conflict one night, when one of the Anarch leaders embraced him.

For a while, Charlie did as he was told but the Anarch cause meant nothing to him. From his years with the gangs, he knew the futility of openly opposing superior forces. Initailly, he tried to advise and influence the Anarch leaders. However, in their own way the Anardhs were as rigid in thier thinking as the Elders they opposed and his efforts toward moderation only made him unpopular. Biding his time, he waited until his new associates trusted him, then he sought out the Ventrue. In return for betraying the Anarchs, he was promised control of the remainder of the gangs. Whether the Ventrue would have kept their promise he never found out. In the confusion of the attack on the Anarch headquarters, Charlie siezed his chance for revenge and sank his fangs into his Sire's throat.

While Charlie knew about the benefits of Diablerie, he knew nothing of the side effects. When the few surviving anarchs reunited, the black veins in Charlie's aura were as good as an admission of his treachery. Barely escaping with his unlife Charlie sought out his Ventrue contact.

Now the anarchs had been punished, the Ventrue were less than keen to help. However, they gave him safe passage out of the city and a 'lump sum' settlement of their obligations toward him. Taking his old gang nickname, which the anarchs hadn't used, Diamond decided to head for the fief of York. Here, he felt, the anarchs were least likely to come after him.

For a long while, Diamond lay low. He was afraid of the anarchs he had left behind in London, of the strange Brujah who policed the fief and of the Council. In London, he had never met any vampires older than the Ventrue who had used him to betray the anarchs. In York, he had presented himself to the full Council and their obvious power awed him considerably. However, as the years passed, he began to get a feel for the fief. Secure in the long decades of stability, the Council were content to let the Kindred of the fief do as they pleased, as long as they did it quietly. Diamond wanted his old lifestyle back, the cars and jewellery and pretty girls. Perhaps within the fief of York, he would be able to carve out his own empire.

Diamond still had much of the money given him by the Ventrue. He knew how to make money work for him but only in the criminal world. Of the world of banks and accountants he knew next to nothing. As his business took off, he realised that if he really wanted to succeed, he would have to either learn, or find someone to handle the money for him. As if in answer to his prayers, he met David Witering (see below).

Together they began to take over the drugs and prostitution in Leeds, always cautious not to step on the toes of the elders. When the Brujah were suspicious about the deaths of mortal dealers and pimps, Diamond was the one who palmed them off with his old open, friendly charm. When the sums of money they dealt with became large enough to interest the Ventrue, it was David who moved the money, changed the accounts so the interest died away.

The only current problem in Diamond's life is Domenique (see anarch.wri). She had attracted his attention as soon as she became one of his prostitutes. A young runaway from a council home, her quick mind reminded Diamond of himself at the same age. When the prostitution side of the 'business' became too large to handle alone, Diamond decided that she would make a perfect partner.

Unfortunately, once Embraced, she refused to continue to accept his cavalier attitudes and casual attentions and demanded he get rid of his other girls. After a series blazing rows, she walked out 'forever'. Diamond was sure she would be back the next night. When she was still missing after a week, he began to think about looking for her but was abruptly distracted when his drug dealing operations were smashed open by Leeds CID. Many of his regular dealers were arrested and Diamond and David had difficulty keeping their own existance secret. Worst of all, however, a huge shipment of cocaine he had received but not yet sold on was siezed. As he had put himself heavily in debt to pay for the drugs, he was in serious trouble.

It quickly became clear that the information must have come from an inside source and the only person he can think of with both knowledge and motive is his new childe. Diamond would dearly love to find Domenique but is currently more than occupied with his cash flow problems.

Clan

Image

Influence

As well as his traditional haunts on the seedy side of Leeds, Diamond has been exploiting David's 'city' contacts to start up a rather higher class drug and 'call-girl' business, catering to the businessmen of the town center. Through this, he has met one or two of the other younger Ventrue, even supplying them with new members of their herds. Mainly because of this, Diamond is definately an up and coming member of Kindred society, if he can successfully solve his recent difficulties.

Secrets

Habitat

Ultimate Goal

Immediate Goal

Resources