Vicente Ubina

Background

Vicente had always been headstrong, ever since he was a child. Always had he known exactly what he wanted, and made every effort to get it, deeming it to be his by right. More than a few times did it send the young Mexican into trouble, frequently being scolded or burnt in his attempts to get what he sought. The type of kid that always ended up with a broken arm, a ruined set of clothing or dragged in front of his parents by upset adults.

As he grew up he started seeing himself as having a higher purpose in life and felt drawn to a military career. Early he saw himself as the enlightened warrior, the brilliant leader of men that defended the poor and the weak and inspired the idealistic and cultured. A real Jean Luc Picard of the current age, a modern Alexander or Caesar, a Napoleon, a Washington or any number of men that made legends.

With that focus in mind, he applied as soon as he could. The rejection hit him hard and he slumped into a depression for a few months. He had worked hard throughout school to be good enough to apply, it being his singular purpose in his life. For months he did nothing but mope around, having no goal, no desires and to his mind, no reason to exist. It took combined effort from his parents and his parish priest, Manuel, to eventually raise him from the pit he had dug himself. And when he emerged he dedicated himself fully to be accepted. Eventually, all his efforts paid off and he was accepted as a cadet in the military academy.

His schooling and following career was nothing special. He did a good job, especially in his own mind, but did not stand out in any particular regard except possibly in his dedication and loyalty. He earned a fair few promotions, but was a long way from senior command.

It was the war on drugs that changed his life, and in the end took it. He was deployed along with many others to fight against the cartels, and quickly began to detest them and what they stood for. He began seeing himself cleansing the world of the sin of the cartels. His dedication and views is what got Paola’s attention.

In the beginning, he was rather hesitant to serve her. But as he started to realize that they both wanted to see the destruction of the cartels his reluctance started to vanish. He thought of her as a particularly well connected and dedicated pious woman, which with morals and scripture guided him on the path of righteousness. He did not realize that she was grooming him and preparing him for a far darker future.

After months of servitude Paola approached him with an offer he could not refuse. She offered to embrace him, presenting it through the teachings of Longinus. She told him about the divine duty to be the monster in the dark that keep men righteous. That he was chosen by god for this sacred duty. That men were weak and needed to be scared into faith and obedience. Had he’d never been involved in the war against the cartels, or even been approached at the beginning of his part in the conflict he would likely have refused. But now his morals, his beliefs and his pride urged him to accept. That Paola used her supernatural influence probably skewed his views as well.

He readily accepted and under the supervision of a Lancea Sanctum priest he was embraced and joined the Requiem. Utterly believing to be chosen by god, he began hunting criminals and enemies of the sanctified. Earning something of a reputation as a fanatic, being used as a weapon by Paola and her superiors.

When the rumors spread among the kindred in Monterrey about a blizzard in Atlanta, several months after it had struck, and that it had taken the lives of the kindred in the region Vicente heard about them only by chance. But as it became clear that at the very least several important vampires had vanished it started to dominate his waking thoughts. He was reminded of the deluge and how god had washed everything away to cleanse it from sin and begin anew. He took it as a sign and began gathering the resources he would need to relocate to the city. He felt that it was his duty to god and the world to go there and find out what had happened, if indeed anything had. If nothing else, to be able to set the record straight should he ever return. And if what was rumored had happened? Then it had to be gods will… and as such, he was chosen to find out what message it was supposed to convey to the world.

Personality

Vicente is rare among sanctified daeva in that he fully and utterly believe the creed. He’s not just using it for his own purposes; he’s utterly and fully convinced that he, personally, is chosen by god and following the path set out for him. Contrary to his reputation in Monterrey he doesn’t destroy heathens, apostates and the immoral without a second thought, he’s more than willing to lead by example and show them the error of their ways through enlightened debate. Once he has chosen his way however, he is dead set on following it through. Headstrong, stubborn and self-righteous he can be very difficult to deal with once he had decided what to do. Only made worse since his embrace. He has a great fondness for art, music and literature; he does not feel very good creating it but believes that if nothing else, that is what makes humanity worth attempting to save. He relishes a chance to study and debate it, always seeking new ways to become, in his own eyes, more cultured and enlightened.

Appearance

The first word that most people would use to describe Vicente would be: Fit. He’s broad shouldered and muscled, but not bulky. More like a swimmer or gymnast than a weightlifter, but definitely someone who has spent a great effort building his body. His features are fairly sharp, with an aquiline nose, high cheekbones and fairly intense eyes. His hair is black and cropped, with fine delicate eyebrows and a clean shaven face.