VIDAL JARBEAUX, MADAME GUIL’S RENARD

Charming, suave, good-humored, always ready with a right word, endearing, sexy, genuine, a bit of a rascal but never malicious; Kindred often use such terms to describe Vidal Jarbeaux, Toreador archon to Justicar Guil. Such praise is well-deserved, however, for Vidal is the Camarilla’s most capable confidence artist.

Skilled as an actor and orator, comfortable on a variety of topics, a master of puzzles, a sharp wit and cunningly creative, this Toreador archon is happiest when playing “the game.” With these strengths, he is an excellent addition to Madame Guil’s otherwise vicious entourage. Unfortunately, Madame Guil happens to be Vidal’s current mark.

CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT 56 Vidal lived in 18th-century Paris as a man of moderate means. Even then, however, his talents as a scoundrel were impressive. Born to a middle-class family, Vidal used his charms and grace to woo money from the French aristocracy. He played the social game perfectly, fooling many into believing he was a man of station.

He hosted guests at his supposed summer villa when the true owners were still in Paris, courted several women at once while juggling his liaisons skillfully, and ran the Spanish Prisoner’s gambit often and well enough to feed him for a lifetime. While mortals fell for Vidal’s ploys, the Toreador of Paris knew better.

They allowed him to ply his skills, however, because he was so good at it and damn entertaining. It even became briefly fashionable for Cainites to participate in Vidal’s games, often playing the roles of dupes or witnesses. Whenever Vidal succeeded at one conquest, the Toreador would raise the ante by presenting him with harder social obstacles.

Vidal always rose to their challenges, however, and for his skill, they cursed him with the Embrace. Once the Toreador had Embraced Vidal, they grew bored with him and claimed he had somehow lost that special touch. Although Vidal denied it publicly, the truth was he felt that creative spark had died alongside his heart.

Desperate to revive his passion for… unlife, he sought newer games in which the stakes were higher. Higher stakes meant greater danger, and greater danger meant bigger challenges. By winning, Vidal could lie to himself and say that nothing had changed, but after two centuries of trying he has yet to find a challenge to thrill him like the ones of his mortal years.

With a new world to explore and new abilities to complement his skills, Vidal left Paris to see the rest of Europe. His timing was impeccable. The French Revolution swept through France shortly after Vidal’s departure, destroying many of the Kindred who knew him. For more than a century, Vidal conned the elite of society.

From colonial Lebanon and Egypt to the London courts of Queen Anne, Vidal assumed dozens of personalities, disguises and roles. He claimed membership in every clan and possessed the skill to carry off each claim.

He was the archeologist seeking funds for trips into Egypt; he was the explorer launching expeditions into the Amazon; he was Freud’s assistant; he was the Lindbergh baby; he was whoever he wanted to be. Unfortunately, his luck was bound to run out.

Vidal unknowingly attracted the attention of Justicar Montecalme, who then spent the better part of a decade trying to capture the talented, but enigmatic, con-artist. Never a man to waste good skills, however, the justicar took Vidal under his wing after finding him, and he used Vidal for special assignments. Vidal became the confidence man for Montecalme’s stings.

Only the justicar, his archons and the Inner Circle knew about Vidal. Recently, Montcalme finished his term of duty and stepped down from his position as justicar in a bit of controversy. The Inner Circle made Vidal archon — an uncommon appointment, as justicars usually select their own retinues — and assigned him to Toreador Justicar Guil.

Officially, Vidal is intermediary and diplomat for the short-tempered and often confrontational Madame Guil. Secretly, however, someone within the Inner Circle has suspicions about the good justicar and is using Vidal as a spy. Vidal suspects as much, and even harbors his own doubts about Madame Guil.

She claims she was part of French aristocracy before the revolution, but Vidal knows better, having been Embraced then. Still, the assignment is tough, and Guil is a cagey opponent. She trusts no one and has allowed little to slip. Vidal, however, hopes the game will be the challenge he so desperately seeks.