Bio

In life, Sir Martin was a cousin of the Comte de Toulon. Even as a squire, he could best many trained knights. He was marked as one to watch in the court of Toulon, as he displayed a commitment to the doctrines of chivalry, courage on the field, and maturity beyond his years. Alas, he stood to be little more than a pig farmer with a title, given the laws of primogeniture. Two years after being knighted, he took the cross and joined the Third Crusade in the army of Phillip II of France.

Sir Martin proved himself many times during the Crusade, being recognised for his bravery and leadership at Acre. While deeply troubled by the actions of his Crusader compatriots many times throughout the war with the Saracens, he fought on diligently, even once it was clear that the Saracens were not nearly so monstrous as the troubadours tales held them to be. Nevertheless, he held true to his vows and his belief that he was acting for the greater good of Christendom and men everywhere. It was this unflinching adherence to duty that earned him the attention and regard of Guy de Provence, who Embraced him in the winter of AD 1182. His friend and compatriot on the Third Crusade, Sir Arnaud di Moncalvo, called “the Brave”, was brought across on the very same night by Guy’s friend and chief aide-de-camp, the Phaedymite Petrus el Troubadour.

Sir Martin has been busy ever since, learning the subtleties of Cainite politics and the leadership skills necessary to make him a commander of both Cainites and mortals. He was heavily involved in the planning of the Cainite contingent of the Fourth Crusade, and now serves as his sire’s lieutenant when Petrus is indisposed on other matters. Sir Martin and Sir Arnaud le Brave are still inseparable, and their strong adherence to the Path of Chivalry marks them as a moral standard to which others might aspire. Other neonates involved in the Crusade are beginning to form up around them, and often looks to their examples.

When their investigations into the sabotage of the Crusade at Zara began to bear fruit, the Concord attempted to report their findings to Guy de Provence so that they might receive instructions and support in concluding the matter. However, they were rebuffed by Sir Petrus, at first gently but then with some anger when Bernhard insisted. Some harsh words were shared between Bernhard and Petrus, who insisted that Guy was indisposed. Sir Martin and Sir Arnaud, as well as several score of men-at-arms, were assigned to the Concord by Petrus so that they could establish a cordon around the haven of the suspected saboteur, Erzebet Toth.

Both Bernhard and Veceslav resented the interference, but Maude was pleased for the assistance. Both knights acquitted themselves quite well in the resulting fight, although Sir Martin and Bernhard almost came to blows over the Saxon knight’s dishonourable treatment of a surrendered foe, the ghoul known as Emeric of Toth.

Bernhard soon tricked Sir Martin into accepting his own ward and squire, Bernerd Dressler, on a provisional basis. This involved a wager that Bernhard, with his Saxon common sense, could make a better knight of the prisoner Emeric than Sir Martin could of Bernerd Dressler, who was already a squire. Naturally, the Gangrel cared little if he lost the wager, reasoning that if he did so, his ward could benefit from the kind and valiant example of Sir Martin whereas in his own company, Bernerd the Younger would likely face only madness and death. Just to be sure that the young man would gain a measure of common sense to go along with all of this chivalry, Bernhard also asked the Ventrue Sir Aimery de Versey to watch over him as well.

With the staged mortal and later apparent Final Death of Bernhard over the coming months, Bernerd the Younger has been left in the dual care of the two Ventrue. Between them they appear to have made great strides towards making the lad the knight that his Gangrel ancestor hoped that he would be. Sir Martin genuinely appears to like Bernerd the Younger, although he finds the young man’s propensity for gambling, strong drink and loose women to be an embarrassing and potentially ruinous character flaw.

They also participated in the capture of Aglaia, the rogue Brujah prince of Corcyra, a perilous escapade that brought disaster to their immortal friendship. Standing at the prow of a small boat near the island of hagios dimitrios in the Bay of Corcyra, Arnaud and Sir Martin spoke of their devotion to each other. Moments later, the submerged Brujah attacked the Cainites in the boat. Sir’s Arnaud and Martin, the Tzimisce Veceslav, and the Toreador Lotario plunged into the water to subdue her. Striking with their daggers, the two knights struggled to fend off the furious assault of Aglaia. Sir Martin curses his ineptitude for what followed, for his dagger did not strike true during the desperate struggle.

The former prince tore Arnaud’s throat with her fangs, grievously wounding the Phaedymite, who slipped down into the murk. Knowing that his fellows would struggle to hold her off, Sir Arnaud then marshalled his will and, living up to his name, bravely steeled himself and reentered the fray. He paid for his courage with his unlife, as Aglaia then ripped his heart from his chest. However, his sacrifice managed to buy precious seconds for Sister Maude to freeze the Brujah with her Dark Arts, allowing Lotario Acuto to stake the frenzied woman.

Sir Martin’s grief at the loss of his dear friend has been palpable to the rest of the Cainites of the Fourth Crusade. He works to manage the duties of his departed friend as well as his own, but it is clear to all that the two Cainites formed part of a great whole that has become irrevocably diminished.

Lineage: Childe of Guy de Provence, Childe of Dominius, Childe of Tinia (d?), Childe of Veddartha

(d?)= Probably destroyed