Mukhtar Bey, Prince of Cairo

The first lesson: War breeds opportunities for those who are crafty and determined enough to take them. The second lesson: No obstacle is so challenging that it cannot be overcome through skill or guile. These are the two lessons which Mukhtar Bey learned in life, and these are the two maxims which he carried over with him into undeath, ultimately according him the privilege of being a rarity - a Caitiff prince in a world bound by ancient tradition. Mukhtar Bey was a Mamluk-sold as a child, and trained to kill as a youth, he came as an adult to Cairo to serve in Saladin's army of mercenary warriors. Turkish by birth, he willingly and gladly accepted his role in Fatimid Egypt, a rising power in the Islamic world. He stood out from many of his companions: Although skilled in arms, he possessed a keen mind and demonstrated his leadership potential early in his career. He rose through the ranks of the Mamluks, with the full intention of entering the government after he had dutifully fulfilled his servitude. But he caught the attention of more than just his mortal superiors. A shadow war was being waged behind the Crusades and the many local rivalries, as Assamites, Setites and Ventrue all fought equally. Someone saw in Mukhtar a valuable tool-or pawn-and took the young soldier's life late one night, feasting on his rich blood in a Cairene alleyway. A full decade went by before Mukhtar Bey reappeared; in an act then unheard of, he presented himself to Antonius, Ventrue Prince of Cairo. He could claim no sire, nor would any Kindred claim him as childe; an enraged Antonius directed his two guards to tend to the clan-bastard, and was stunned to see the ease with which Mukhtar dispatched the two would-be executioners. his introduction and offered his own services to the shocked Ventrue. Speculation ran rampant during the early years of Mukhtar's association with Antonius; his radical defiance of tradition spoke of a possible Brujah sire, while narratives of his missing years are filled with a Gangrelesque meandering. Others noted that he was a student of Quietus, hinting at possible Assamite involvement. In short, no one knew where his heritage lay, and he certainly told no one. Many even doubt whether any truth was nested in the stories he did tell. Yet, in spite of his dubious lineage, Mukhtar Bey served Antonius faithfully, and Antonius was equally loyal to his new vassal - so devoted, in fact, that some questioned Mukhtar's hold over the prince. In time, Mukhtar was more than Antonius' bodyguard; he was his right-hand man. This was a precipitous time for the Ventrue and any European Kindred. Assamite excursions were on the increase, and the Setites were again uncoiling for another strike. When they did strike, the Ventrue prince was their victim. The tale here is unclear, for none but Mukhtar remain to tell it: Setite assassins invaded Antonius' haven, fighting with sorcery and fire; Antonius, Mukhtar, and a small handful of young Kindred remained to fight off the Setites. The debacle's only survivor was Mukhtar, who burst through the smoldering remains of Antonius' lair. Cairo was without a prince, and the Cainite community began to crumble. Attacks on either side from Assamites or Setites weakened it, and many Kindred chose to return to their European havens. The prince's allies bickered, and many feared that chaos would erupt. Few were surprised when Mukhtar Bey emerged as a nascent princeling - vampires all over the world heard vague rumors of Kindred pledging obeisance to a bastard Caitiff; some murmured of fragments of the Book of Enoch, which spoke of a Caitiff prince being a sign of the end times, and even these Kindred trembled. Mukhtar Bey's dominion only strengthened during the first few decades of his rule. There were those outside Egypt who called for his destruction - for one such as he was not fit to rule. But he was nonetheless able to rein in the disparate factions in Cairo, and he earned respect: His rule was steady in spite of the many changes in political winds. He negotiated with Assamites, which could not often be done, and he kept the Setites at arm's length. In time, as other more pressing A World of Darkness 114 global matters caught the attention of European Cainites, he became ruefully acknowledged. It was a Ventrue envoy from Rome who referred to him officially not as Cainite but Mamluk, and the epithet stuck with those unable to stomach a "Caitiff prince." He is now commonly regarded and respected as the true Prince of Cairo, and he is very much responsible for Cairo's current status as a cosmopolitan haven for Kindred; under his tenure, many of Cairo's most notable historic sites have been declared Elysium. Rumors speak of hidden alliances with Assamites, even of allowing Sabbat vampires free rein in his city. Some still wonder about the truth behind Antonius' mysterious death and Mukhtar's heritage, but these questions for now are silent.