Persephone Lattimoore

Persephone Lattimoore

Clan	Toreador
Sect	Camarilla
Rank
Sire	Unknown
Childer
Played by	Auria

Sure, our Phone's always had the luxury of a big cat, but not the wildness. At least I thought not, until I see her flying at her double with an intensity that I've rarely seen before.

-Augustus, Idle Blood (City of Shadows)

Mortal Life[]

Persephone's weakness for the finer things in life is something that has been with her almost since birth. She was born and raised in one of Esthar's most affluent neighborhoods -- the Presidential District. Her mother, hailing from a little-known town in the region of the Shumi, came to the city with hopes of becoming an actress. That dream never came to fruition, and instead she met and married Persephone's father, a well-to-do politician.

The privileged nature of Persephone's upbringing exposed her to social etiquette early in life and ultimately shaped the sense of tact and composure that she generally carries with herself as an adult. Conversely, the private nature of her life failed to give her many opportunities to interact with people of what she considered a lesser class. This coupled with her already impetuous nature inclines her to sometimes make quick, unmerciful judgments of people without ever realizing that she is doing it.

Faith and piano practice are two things her father always encouraged her to devote her time to; both serve as connections to her mortal youth that have continued to remain important to her throughout the years.

Embrace[]

As she grew into adulthood Persephone stayed within Esthar, but moved away from her parents' residence to take up residence at the small private college she attended. She continued to play and practice piano at a local church, often several times a week and usually during the evening.

Around this time she attracted the attention of the Toreador vampire who would become her Sire. Unbeknownst to her, this vampire grew familiar with her church schedule and would sometimes show up just to hear her play, on rare occassion even lingering to follow her on her way home.

On one such night Persephone was involved in a terrible car accident that ejected her from her vehicle. Several broken vertebrae and a head injury left her lying helpless more than a dozen meters from the vehicle with blood swelling around her brain. Only because the night was dark, the streets were unpopulated, and her Toreador admirer witnessed the event was she able to walk away from it. Using the disciplines at his disposal he spirited her away from the scene of the accident and changed her before she died. In fear of the consequences for this action, her Sire abandoned her in an alley near the Toreador Haven.

Delirious with a hunger she didn't understand, traumatized and confused by the car accident and the following events, she hardly had the presence of mind to react to the situation with any degree of rational sense. It is her fortune that Toreador Clan members happened upon her that night feeding on rats in the alley, and shortly thereafter she was accepted into the Haven only by the empathetic grace of Azure.

She has had no contact with her Sire since her Embrace. She was never given a name and only vaguely recalls a face and voice.

Campaign Involvement[]

Obsidian Nights[]

In the wake of Darjen's death, at Azure's recommendation Persephone is added to the party. Miranda first introduces her to the others at the Blood Diamond. Whatever you do, don't read ANY of the posts in her first three or four threads. In fact, 99% of the Persephone posts during this campaign are just... awful; which is a shame because she was a part of some big stuff. :( Her player was a n00b who didn't yet have a great understanding of the whole World of Darkness. But anyway, due in part to her newness she wasn't incredibly key in any part of this campaign but did bear witness to some noteworthy things. Persephone was with the group the night Samantha shot Rielle in her revenge against Marquis Kohnz; an event which definitely had a huge impact on Persephone's judgment of all three characters as well as how she judged herself at the time. Banishment was a hard pill to swallow for her and she can remember feeling no greater shame than the shame she felt the night she climbed the staircase to Azure's room with nothing to say for herself but, "I didn't think she would pull the trigger."

From that point forward Persephone resolved herself to become more confident in her instincts and play a more decisive role in the group. Her growing friendship with Ashurah did much to encourage her along this path and bolster her nerves during rough spots, including a gallivant through the dangerous city of Deling, a run-in with vampire hunters, and meeting Damien for the first time. The feeling of guilt over what she allowed to happen to Rielle never went away, but her sadness at being banished from the city she loved eventually did begin to manifest itself as an embittering sort of anger. Persephone never wavered in her approval of using the Setite ritual, and was among the first to step forward and drink Scarlet's blood in order to acquire an ingredient for it.

At the final night of their hunt for Marquis Kohnz, the group returned to the city where they found the Toreador Haven in complete disarray. Persephone's emotions began to fight for control of her, and when she saw Azure her anger won the battle. She charged Marquis alone only to be staked early in battle.

Moonlight's Lament[]

Her anger didn't fade quickly. Seeing Marquis as a caged driveling lunatic did nothing to satisfy Persephone; and in fact it might have even upset her. The somber faces worn by the same people who'd been betrayed and abused by this man confused and embittered her. A short but very honest conversation with Prince Jackson did something to quell her vicious thoughts, but even then she couldn't bring herself to feel anything close to pity for the man behind the glass.

Crucible of Wolves[]

In the two years since Moonlight's Lament Persephone has pursued a very social lifestyle largely uninclusive of violence and bloodshed. Crucible of Wolves begins for her at one of the frequent lavish Toreador events, in the middle of which the Prince Jackson calls for an Elysium. Esthar is expected to be attacked by the Sabbat that night and Prince Jackson brings together a group consisting largely of those who hunted Marquis Kohnz, as well as a few new members and (to the surprise of some) Kohnz himself. They are charged with the duty of leading a preemptive strike against one wave of the Sabbat attack -- a Vohzd. The fight with the Vohzd and the accompanying Sabbat members demands much from the group. After the battle Persephone attempts to intercept Samantha's offer of blood to Marquis, but Marquis is too close to his beast and she fails.

After discovering that the Sabbat are in pursuit of the Jade Rose, the group is asked collectively to offer their services to Prince Jackson in securing it. This mission leads them into Esthar's underground tunnels where Persephone and many others are severely injured during their first encounter with Infernalists. Persephone herself becomes dangerously close to frenzy and unwittingly relies upon Marquis to haul her along while she wages her inner war with self-control. Reflection upon the situation during that night and the following few nights presents her with a shaming amount of clarity as she slowly begins to realize she can no longer feel satisfaction in harboring contempt and mistrust for a man very willing to help her and her city at his own risk, a man she truly doesn't know.

Mary Jane's near-death at the hands of the Infernalists and subsequent Embrace are especially upsetting to Persephone, given that she holds herself partially accountable. The group's meeting with Rielle and the interrogation with Helena bring to light a wealth of startling and terrifying information. Anxious though she is, Persephone sets herself on course to play whatever role she must in bringing about the destruction of that which would destroy the lifestyle and city she loves -- even if it means working alongside people she is afraid to trust.

During an event held in honor of those who fought and fell the night of the massive Sabbat attack, Persephone overhears a phone conversation between Samantha and Max, in which Max warns Samantha of Damien's presence within the city. Intrigued, anxious, and maybe a little miffed, Persephone is eager to accept Samantha's request for help in "welcoming" him back. The little rendezvous instead leads the group into an encounter with the Wraith, Tallion Daynar. Despite her terror, Persephone is overwhelmed by the sadness of the apparition and holds a brief conversation with it entailing the reassurance of their purpose in hunting the roses.

City of Shadows[]

Because I'm being lazy:

"My eyes linger across Persephone's bloody form. She deserves... something. I'm not sure what, but it took a lot of nerve to do what she did. Something I don't even know if I would have done."

-Adrienne, Through a Glass, Darkly (#116)

"But she's not that little pet anymore--it's been a long fucking time since she has been--and forever keeps becoming someone I actually...look up to. When did she get that good? Maybe she always has been."

-Ashurah, Idle Blood (#32)

"Sure, our Phone's always had the luxury of a big cat, but not the wildness. At least I thought not, until I see her flying at her double with an intensity that I've rarely seen before."

-Augustus, Idle Blood (#100)

"A couple of days ago I would have been surprised to see Persephone go off on her own so determined to face her own demons, but now I can only feel admiration. She seems to have developed a knack for going at problems head on."

-Marquis, Night is the New Day (#15)

"I might’ve been worried about Phone before, but she’s proven herself to be pretty fucking kickass. No worries here."

-Theodore, Our Revels Now (#7)

"I’ve never been more thankful for Persephone’s habit to lunge at things."

-Samantha, Our Revels Now (#83)

So basically Persephone enters AU and loses her fucking mind. lalala!