Gabriel Eliot Payne, commonly known as Lord Payne, is a Ventrue member of the Crusader bloodline and the local Praetor of Clan Ventrue. He has served as VentruePrimogen since September 2052, and formerly as Scourge.
Gabriel Payne was born in 1707 near the future site of New Orleans to a family affiliated with Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. He grew up in an elevated, but not noble, frontier household, making regular contact with Chitimacha people regularly in his youth. At 16 he took a position working for the French Mississippi Company, among those supervising the founding of La Nouvelle-Orléans. New Orleans was utilized for significant smuggling in the Golden Age of Piracy, and that smuggling was equally profitable to landowners in the region. As such, Payne was tapped to supervise over shipments in parts of the city, making sure that ill-gotten gains were properly 'taxed'. Those who did not pay their due were not happy when Payne and his men caught up with them.
Payne's fervor and efficiency caught the ear of a Kindred in the area, who ghouled Payne and put him to work protecting his resources. Payne performed this work amicably, and when the New Orleans region came under the control of Prince Doran in 1735, Payne was put forward as a top resource. Doran purchased Payne, put him to work, and was more than impressed with the results. By 1744, Doran was convinced that he had found a satisfactory future Childe, and embraced him that winter.
As a Kindred, Payne was tasked as an enforcer, becoming a Scourge of the city and meting out service from His Majesty; Payne became more feared on the streets of New Orleans than the Sheriff.
In the mid-1850's, Payne departed New Orleans, sent as a replacement in the House of peers for Doran's older Childe, Tibestus, who had met the Final Death the previous year. Payne rose to the occasion, his reputation preceding him, and took up a position along the backbenchers of the Ventrue Parliament. In 1861, Payne deposed the previous Sergeant-At-Arms of the Ventrue Peers, and acted as a personal enforcer for the august body as its personal and unofficial lictor.
Payne continued this work until 1955, when his sire Doran was assassinated; Payne sought to hunt down his sire's killer. In the meantime, his travels took him around the world, where he performed tasks and collected boons for the Clan. Payne's reputation as an enforcer and "fixer" only grew over the years. Doran's assassin, however, was never found.
Upon the fall of House Morningstar, Payne traveled, on the House of Peers' orders, to Caliburn Island to re-establish the Ventrue strength and hunt down Leto Morningstar. Upon his arrival, he petitioned the Strategoi of Clan Ventrue for the right to create a Deed House. Adam Reeves-Johnson, Strategos of the North East agreed and created the Lord Payne as Patriarch of La Maison Juste et Vigilante du Cœur Rouge d'Avalon, or House Redhart.
Payne currently resides at a purchased mansion in LaGrange Hills.
Founding of House Redhart
To The Esteemed Abigail Forza, Lictor,
His Puissance, Adam Reeves-Johnson, Strategoi of the North East, and
the other Puissant, Esteemed, Right Honourable and August members of the House of Peers,
As the night veils itself in darkened silk and the world of kindred weaves its tales of power, honor, and legacy, it falls upon those of us of ancient lineage and respect to guide our brethren on paths illuminated by the guiding stars of our clan's venerable traditions. In this spirit, I, Gabriel Payne, of the House Doran, Elder of the Camarilla and Praetor of the Caliburn Gerousia, pen this letter.
I seek the blessing of our venerated Council to usher forth a new era in the form of a new House. While it is undeniable that the shadows of House Morningstar's recent past loom heavy upon him, I firmly believe that the a new era is dawning for the blood of the forsaken.
I have walked the nocturnal byways alongside Lord Saber and witnessed firsthand the steel of his convictions, the purity of his Ventrue pride, and the indomitable spirit of leadership he possesses. His dedication to Clan Ventrue and the hallowed tenets of the Camarilla remains unshaken.
I urge this respected assembly to see not the blood of his traitorous grandsire, but into the very soul of Maxamillion Saber and those of his disgraced house. See the virtues of his esteemed ancestors: Ebles LeCroix, Gaius Marcelles, and our cherished ancestor Alexander de Paris.
By bestowing upon him your approbation, you grant not just the creation of a house, but you lay the cornerstone for a legacy that, under such new Leadership, may well stand as a beacon of prosperity, honor, and unyielding fidelity to Clan Ventrue and the Camarilla.
May this council weigh my testimony with the wisdom and foresight that has characterized the illustrious reign of the Ventrue throughout the ages.
In eternal loyalty and respect,
Lord Gabriel Eliot Payne
Childe of Doran the Carthagninian
Elder of The Camarilla
Praetor of Caliburn Island
To the Esteemed Lord Gabriel Payne,
Greetings and salutations. We consider it a great honor to have received this correspondence from you, and will weigh our response carefully, to ensure our intent is fully understood.
First and foremost we want to ensure that you understand that we take your recommendation and endorsement of Maxamillion Saber, his honor, and his character with the utmost sincerity and gravity. We understand and fully believe that your honor is beyond reproach, and that all you do is in service of our esteemed family, and the esteemed Ivory Tower.
That being said, We must sincerely apologize in advance for the dark cloud we must cast over this letter with our decision. We do not feel it is appropriate at this time for Maxamillion Saber to ascend as the head of a new house.
There is an applicable saying for this situation, however, regarding clouds and their penchant towards possession of silver linings. Your desire to redeem the erstwhile members of House Morningstar has confirmed a thought This Council has been considering since your arrival upon Caliburn’s shores, and would further give you the authority to aid Maxamillion Saber in a manner very similar to what you have requested of us.
This Council would like to humbly request that you ascend as Patriarch of the newly formed La Maison Juste et Vigilante du Cœur Rouge d'Avalon. You would, of course, have the right to name your successor. We do not need to tell you how it would look or what actions may be taken if you choose to abuse this right to prematurely step down as Patriarch.
For Clan and Court,
His Puissance, Adam Reeves-Johnson
of the House Antonius
Elder of the Camarilla
Strategoi of the North East
On Behalf of The Right Honorable and August House of Peers
