Tariq

Tariq was a soldier of Ali during the seventh Christian invasion of their homeland. He fought valiantly during the siege of Mansourah but was eventually wounded, captured and tortured. He taunted his captors CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT 16 until, enraged, they tore out his tongue “to silence the paynim.” Bound, beaten and on the verge of death, Tariq cast his eyes skyward for what he thought would be the last time and saw that a Bedouin stood over him. The Christian soldiers seemed not to notice the man as he explained that Tariq would now be rewarded for his devotion and valor. Tariq’s Embrace by the Bedouin shakar was quick and reverent, and by the time his frenzy abated, the Christians lay in tatters at his feet. Tariq soon became as devoted to his clan as he had been to the teachings of Ali. He developed a fearsome reputation as a diablerist, and committed the “Amaranth” at every turn, even if it did nothing for the potency of his own Blood. There seemed to be no stopping Tariq until the Camarilla vampires finally reigned in the Anarch Revolt to crush the anarchs and Assamites beneath their assembled heels. With the location of their most sacred haven in jeopardy, the Assamites grudgingly negotiated a peace with the Camarilla. Because he had been the most notorious member of the clan, Tariq was chosen to be a symbolic scapegoat for the crimes of the Assamites. He was cast out to be hunted, but before he left, the Assamites secretly bound a spirit to Tariq to warn him when danger was near. Over time Tariq learned to trust this “Outer Spirit” implicitly, and it became virtually impossible to surprise him. After his exile, Tariq became the veriest scavenger. He was hunted by the Camarilla for his head and by the Sabbat as a potential prized recruit. The Assamites also “hunted” him but were notoriously unsuccessful. Throughout it all, Tariq remained loyal to his clan, and he bore the weight of their “crimes” without resentment. Unaffected by the Tremere’s curse, he continued to hunt Kindred vitae and grow in skill, power and reputation. In 1995 — after a half-millennium as a wanted vampire — Tariq ran out of luck. The Tremere antitribu finally captured him. Their plan was to improve their clan’s standing in the Sabbat by recruiting him. After years of research and the loss of several members, they had discovered the existence of Tariq’s guardian spirit. With this knowledge and the use of Spirit Manipulation they were able to neutralize the Outer Spirit. Even so, the battle was ferocious, but in the end Tariq was taken. Tariq was soundlessly defiant. After months of trying to convert him with the most aggressive methods imaginable, the Tremere antitribu gave up in disgust. Instead of killing him or taking his vitae, they subjected Tariq to the ritual Quenching the Lambent Flame, which effectively reduced him to 13th generation. With the strength of a neonate and a world full of enemies, he was unceremoniously dumped in Camarilla territory. The Cainite who would not bend finally broke. Although incredibly weakened, Tariq had five centuries of unlife experience to draw upon. He walked into the first Camarilla haven he could find and attacked the resident Kindred with suicidal abandon. The Camarilla licks recognized the Red List demon right away. Three of them fled and the fourth froze and went down without a fight. Tariq shredded his victim but did not attempt to diablerize her. News of this and similar attacks began to spread. It was rumored that the Red Lister had gone mad and that facing his rabid assault was madness as well. The Kindred that he sought death from scattered like leaves before him. Reputation or not, it was only a matter of time before he confronted a worthy opponent, and he might have soon found the release he sought if the Assamite antitribu had not learned of his suffering at the hands of their sect-mates. When Djuhah, the Black Hand seraph, heard of Tariq’s plight, he sensed an opportunity. Djuhah assigned a pack of Black Hand elite to recruit Tariq at all costs. This Black Hand pack was told to refer to Tariq as their dominion — and because his loss of generation was not common knowledge, this charade led to the impression that Tariq commanded a permanent Black Hand column. Tariq’s reputation was sufficient to give pause to most Sabbat critics of the Black Hand. This hesitation gave Djuhah the opportunity to establish other permanent Black Hand columns and gain a political foothold that may prove to be unshakable. Until such time as the columns go unquestioned, Djuhah is prepared to take any lengths to keep Tariq undead. Djuhah is acutely aware, however, that Tariq could turn on him at any moment. For his part, Tariq is aware that his Outer Spirit has been figuratively replaced by a column of Assamite antitribu. If he should ever realize the bit of political maneuvering that centers on him, the consequences are sure to be devastating

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