Charles Dawson
Charles Dawson, also known as "Crook", is a scheming information broker Nosferatu living in Chicago.
Biography
Mortal Days
Charles was a Depression-era kid of mixed Oneida and Afro-American heritage. Born with a multitude of health issues, severe problems with his legs and back gave him a hunch, a distinctive limp, and an overly large head. Despite his disabilities, Charles was a person of good spirits. The result was that most people took a liking to Charles, almost immediately, and dropped their guard around him. He became a ward of the state at five years old when the small house his family was living in burned down in a surprise fire. Most considered it a hate crime; his parents were Native and black day laborers in Madison, Wisconsin at a time when all those things were looked down upon. Charles didn’t seem to lose his happy demeanor. Once on the street, he connected with two traveling hucksters by the name of Claude and Poe. They bought him some food and showed him how to play pool. Claude recognized Charles’ demeanor and disabilities were a huge asset to their con.
In pool it was very effective, because most folks weren’t on their A game when playing Charles and didn’t fight him because of how bad it looked to fight a person unable to defend himself. It was Charles’ disarming nature that earned him the nickname “Crook,” as folks claimed every time he smiled you lost some money. The hucksters found themselves in Chicago in the ‘50s where they worked many of the local black clubs and lounges on the South Side and West Side. Claude had a daughter, Ina Miller, and swore he’d quit the game. Unfortunately, the game didn’t quit him. Some thugs he’d scammed caught up with him and it ended badly for the pool shark. Charles wanted to get payback for Claude, the only person who’d ever really treated him like a brother. The always-quiet Poe slipped Charles the info he needed to track down one of Claude’s killers. He was a thug by the name of Curtis. Curtis worked at a gas station near 75th and Exchange. Poe waited to see what Crook would do. Charles found the man, barred the doors, poured gasoline all around, and set a fire. The gas station exploded, and his quarry burned to death. Charles sat and watched it. It reminded him of the fire he’d caused when he was a boy. His parents hadn’t screamed the same way old Curtis did.
Kindred Nights
Charles’ change from mortal to Nosferatu didn’t alter his appearance much, though his skin darkened and twisted as though he were badly burned. Poe and he found and tied up the remaining thugs and kept them in the lounge basement as feeding stock. As he entered Kindred society, Charles maintained his normal charming demeanor despite the transformations to his skin. He made many friends among the Nosferatu as well as a few enemies. There were those who found his happy-go-lucky way disingenuous and noted his penchant for solving problems with fire. He eventually attracted the attention of Nathaniel Bordruff, who offered him a chance to work with him, bringing fire to all Kindred in the name of the Lord. Charles turned down the offer, killed some of the older Sewer Rat’s servants, and spent considerable effort undermining Bordruff’s schemes. This earned him Bordruff’s enmity and the respect of quite a few Kindred. Charles’ goal is survival and entertaining himself. Skulking the South Side streets, he preys on church folks who take pity on him. Those he doesn’t feed on he uses to get access to myriad small havens across the North and South Sides of the city. He is so good at it that he finds he has a surplus of victims and hidey-holes. At Poe’s urging, he offers meals and places to rest to other vampires for the cost of favors, resources, and protection. Charles recently came to realize that Poe was one of Nathaniel Bordruff’s childer. At the end of the ‘90s, Poe ran afoul a pack of nasty Lupines active on the SouthSide. He was slain, and Charles inherited many of his connections. He closed Poe’s lounge on the South Side and opened his own, named “Crooks,” in Rogers Park on the North Side of the city.
Character Sheet
Fifth Edition
Charles "Crook" Dawson
Epitaph: Happy-Go-Lucky Killer
Quote: “You ain’t from around here? They call me Crook, but don’t let that scare you. Buy me a drink and I’ll help you get set up so you can find your way around.”
Sire: Poe
Embraced: 1958 (Born 1923)
Ambition: Burn Bordruff down to his skeleton
Convictions: Never allow myself to become the victim of a con
Touchstones: Ina Miller – Owner of the Steel Horse Lounge
Humanity: 4
Generation: 10th
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3; Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Composure 2; Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Secondary Attributes: Health 6, Willpower 5
Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 4, Firearms 1, Melee (Pool Cue) 3, Stealth 4, Survival 3; Etiquette 1, Insight 3, Intimidation 2, Leadership 3, Persuasion (Pity) 4, Streetwise 4, Subterfuge (The Long Con) 5; Awareness 3, Finance 2, Intimidation 2, Investigation (Fraud) 2, Politics 3
Blood Potency: 3
Disciplines: Fortitude 1, Obfuscate 1, Potence 3
Reference
- VTM: Chicago by Night 5th Edition
[citation needed]