Adaro

Adaro is old.

Born before he can remember (but he does remember that it was well before the invention of the steam engine) and Embraced at the age of 50, Adaro is from mainland China. A Buddhist monk for most of his mortal life, he did not know the world of wealth or power in humanity. His life of tranquility remained intact until the coming of the Dragon.

The Dragon was a Mayarap, a Nosferatu of great power who had lived among them for years, training among them by night and seeking them out. He was the reclusive vampire who was always referred to as a master of martial arts, for he was. Kung fu, escrima, tae kwon do - he had travelled Asia before he had come, so they always said. And only by the best could he even be touched.

Adaro was one of those best. Trained in the open-handed and weaponized versions of escrima, a style of baton fighting, Adaro did not shy from battle. Invaders and raiders came to their temple time and again, and the Buddist monks repelled them. By the age of 50, Adaro was instructing his brothers, all the while being groomed by the offputting, terrifying Dragon. Over the years, he became so skilled, so confident, that he could shy others away from battle merely with a stare. This was what the Dragon showed him, and what he in turn showed the young novitiates of their temple.

It surprised Adaro, then, when the Dragon invited him to his chambers one day and challenged him to a fight. He was offered immortality, the chance to live on as a Buddhist forever, but he had to defeat the Dragon for it. Of course, this was not the Dragon's way, and Adaro knew better. They drew their batons, and began to battle, and naturally, the Dragon defeated the human. It was then that the Dragon Embraced him, having showed him his final lesson: those who would seek to live on forever in the eyes of Buddha would live on forever through the Dragon... but be cursed to never again see the sun.

His penance for his capriciousness was to leave the monestary and make his way in the world. He travelled for decades, learning what it was to be vampire. He rose in power over the hundreds of years, gaining strength and wisdom and knowledge. He watched Britain's rise and fall in Asia, the growth and decline of the Trading Companies, and for hundreds of years, he was a force. His blood grew potent, and his mind, body and personality grew strong. He made his way to America on a rickety ship, always seeking home but never quite finding it. Yet he knew the importance of the Traditions, and anywhere he went, he was known as a member of the First Estate. Mister Adaro, Meister Adaro, Soldier Adaro; many names was he known by, but always Adaro.

And then in the mid-1800s, Adaro was claimed by the dark Sleep, and awakened in the early 1970s a far weaker Kindred than he was before. His mind had been addled by the Fog of Ages, his skills and powers newly on the rise. He would relearn many things that were lost due to his lack of a cyclical dynasty; but one thing he never needed to relearn was that skill that had driven him for hundreds of yearse.

Adaro is freshly arrived in Atlanta. He seeks to make himself known to the Court of Kindred and to the First Estate, and finally, to find home in this city which is not overwhelmed with supernatural influences. He makes his money by teaching martial arts privately, and is generally a peaceful individual who does not look for or ask for trouble.

Of course, he is certainly curious as to how all those influences disappeared to begin with...

Explanations for 1 dot Manipulation and Stamina: Adaro was always an honest man. In fact, he almost never lies, seeing it to be useless. Obviously he fiercely protects the Traditions, but other than that, he is not inclined to be much of a manipulative individual. When one deals with Adaro, while he is always polite and peaceful, one knows exactly where one stands.

As for his Stamina, he was heavily weakened by a long period of Torpor. While his preternatural strength and dexterity was trained back, he works hard now on his resilience and stamina. It is his long project, and he is somewhat ashamed of how he is not as tough as he once was.

--- Nosferatu Curse: Adaro's Curse is that of tranquility taken to the extreme. When he is around, there's an aura of almost palpable quiet -- too quiet, as if a battle is about to ensue. ---

S: http://www.thedirge.net/wiki/index.php?title=Sheet:Adaro