Aldwin Forgewright
Kine Life (1422-1450)
Aldwin Forgewright was born in a small village near Lisbon, Portugal, in 1422. The son of a skilled but local blacksmith, Aldwin learned the trade as many did, spending his days crafting horseshoes and tackles. When his father became the personal blacksmith for a noble house, Aldwin moved with him to Lisbon. There, he witnessed the departure of the naus that would eventually conquer Cape Bojador. Inspired by these feats, Aldwin offered his services as a blacksmith to the king. His remarkable skill with the forge earned him a place as a pupil under a Brujah who saw potential in him—a young man with a heart like wildfire, hotter than the iron he struck. The Brujah taught Aldwin to harness his inner rage and, at the pinnacle of his training, Embraced him.
Early Kindred Life (1450-1908)
The transformation into a vampire was a torment for Aldwin. He would never see the sun again, never be known by his father as anything but a memory. The chains of his new existence weighed heavily on him, and he resolved never to let emotion drive him again. Instead, he focused solely on one goal: helping others break their chains.
Aldwin became the chief engineer responsible for crafting the naus that rounded the Cape of Good Hope. He made their gear, barrels, and hulls, becoming highly regarded as a smith of unparalleled technique. His sire, now envious of Aldwin's success and learning, grew to despise him. Despite sabotage, threats, and direct confrontations, Aldwin resisted the urge to fight. But his Beast had other plans. In a final confrontation, Aldwin's rage boiled over. For the first time, he wielded his hammer in anger. The battle was brutal, culminating in his sire driving a red-hot iron into his left eye. Aldwin tackled his sire into the forge, holding him there until he turned to ash. Horrified by what he had done, Aldwin fled Lisbon, hiding in a rural area for nearly 20 years until the discovery of Brazil.
As trade with Brazil surged, so did the flow of metal, drawing Aldwin's attention back to Lisbon. He remained there for over 250 years, raising the city's standards with intricate architecture and making it increasingly Kindred-friendly. Aldwin was a builder in the Camarilla, earning the position of Talon for his organizational prowess and seemingly incorruptible mind. He helped the Camarilla purge the Sabbat from the city by rooting out Sabbat havens and providing masterworks in weaponry and armor. He even participated in raids, using Presence rather than brute force.
However, everything crumbled when the Tremere, envious of his success, caused the earthquake that tore Lisbon apart. Fires raged, the earth split, and the sea returned with a fury unseen. Aldwin fled once more, this time to Faro, where he entered self torpor, convinced that he had failed to break others' chains. He left behind a steel tablet of instructions, should he be needed again in the next 150 years.
Modern Nights
When Aldwin awoke, he was dazed and surrounded by the smell of vitae. He found himself in a room full of torpored Kindred, with the one who was supposed to awaken him lying on the ground with a glass of blood beside him. Confused, Aldwin noticed a rough inscription of a weirdly written anke in red paint on the wall. Signs of a struggle were everywhere. As he ventured upstairs, he discovered a world vastly different from the one he knew—crude steam-powered machinery, harnessed electricity, wonders beyond his comprehension. Aldwin spent the next seven years studying this new world, immersing himself in machinery, factories, and the advancements in medicine.
During this time, Aldwin also witnessed the rise of the military dictatorship in Portugal. For two more years, he produced a massive stockpile of gear for the people of Portugal before leaving the country. He found himself in New York in 1911, where he joined the Anarch Movement. Recognizing their values, Aldwin set up a workshop where Anarchs could request and purchase gear. He built strong connections with supply chains to keep up with demand and was seen as neutral by most, although he primarily worked for the Anarchs. Aldwin grew fond of the younger members, teaching them to learn from others' mistakes and to never fight without reason.
In return, a young Tremere Anarch taught Aldwin two rituals: one that allowed him to strike truer than ever, and another that enabled him to send encrypted messages. Aldwin saw himself in the younger Anarchs—their fire, their drive, immaculate but unstable. When the Anarchs were stable in New York, Aldwin sought out the Anarch Free States to continue his mission of helping Anarchs free more cities. Among the places he aided was a biker club named "Immortals MC." Although they were Camarilla loyal, Aldwin found solace in repairing their bikes as a way to remain connected to Kindred society, even after they separated from the Camarilla.
Modern Nights (2020+)
In the modern nights, Aldwin has delved deeply into new technologies, forging thousands of pieces and seeking artifacts said to be the pinnacle of his craft. He has come to Caliburn Island to aid the Anarch Movement, inspired by the actions of Romana Pendragon and the rumors of ancient artifacts hidden on the island.
