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- Former Prince
- North American Warlord of the Camarilla
- One of the Original Camarilla to come after re-taking the city from the Sabbatt
- Was attacked by Orville Godhew, and almost destroyed his attacker
"The Military genius responsible for the victory during the Second Sabbatt War"
Bio Of Count Valeri Stanislaw Sikorski-Kharlamov
Kharlamov hails from the Gallacia area of eastern Europe and was born IN 1775 near Krakow to aristocratic parents, his mother Polish and his father a Russian Baron. He grew up a privileged member of the Russian Court. At the age of 17 he was a Lieutenant in the Russian Cavalry and was part of Count Suvorov�s actions in Poland. At the ascension of Czar Paul III he was exiled by the mad ruler for his progressive views of reform to the army and went into the Austrian Army where he would spend the next 25 years. Participating in the whole of the Napoleonic wars Kharlamov learned much of what he knows of the military�s functioning�s and malfunctioning.
Present during all of Austria�s major actions during the wars he first was an aid to Arch Duke Charles and upon Charles� leaving active service he went as an aid to Prince Schwarzenberg. Steadily rising in the ranks he eventually achieved the level of Field Marshal Lieutenant and was a big part of the Austrian General Staff where he was awarded many Orders and Decorations. He was present at the first defeat of Napoleon at Aspern-Essling and was also present at Wagram. Was present at both Dresden and Leipzig where he was Liaison officer to the Swedish Crown Prince Bernadette�s Northern Army. A gifted linguist he proved his talents and was sent to several different allied forces where he quickly proved his value. Was present at Waterloo when he accompanied Wellington to Brussels from Vienna and was one of the staff who helped the wounded Prince of Orange during the battle.
Granted lands from Austria he eventually gained many decorations from both Russia and Austria as well as a host of minor states. His most prized being his Order of the Golden Fleece and his Russian Order of St. Andrew as well as his title of Count of Antoplo & Drogincin which he was granted upon the death of Czar Paul by the new Czar Aleksander I when his lands and titles were restored. Upon his retirement and return to Russia he became a member of an influential Brujah circle and spent the next 100 years in the service of alternately Austria and Russia. Serving in many wars and small fights he continued to acquire money and power in both lands alternately. During WWI he was part of the original staff of Grand Duke Nicolas� and he is thought to be responsible by many for the death & disappearance of General Samsonov after the botched actions in the opening weeks of the war that saw the Germans drive deep into Russian Poland.
Working behind the scenes during the war to keep Russia intact when the final collapse occurred he devoted his whole effort into countering the new threat seen in the Bolshevik�s. Finally retired and settled into the newly minted Poland he tried to live the comfortable life. But it was not to be as WW2 descended onto his estates in the Prip�et Marsh area. This was to be the last times he was to see his ancestral lands as the communist plague infected his homeland and he has never returned. His personal blame falls squarely on the Tzimisce�s shoulders whom he blames for the Balkan crisis which started WW I which led to WW II.
During the early parts of the war he roamed about despondent and homeless reaching England eventually in the company of his mortal friend retired British General Sir Adrian Carton de Wairt after his fighting withdrawal into Romania with the remnants of the Polish Army. He than proceeded to fight his own private war against the Nazi�s reaching as far away as Norway, France and eventually he went to Switzerland where he has been more or less ever since. Since than he has devoted his efforts to the overthrow of the communist regimes in eastern Europe. Involved in the 1968 Czech uprising he was also a major backer of the 1980�s efforts of Solidarity in his homeland of Poland. He has been basing himself in Vaduz, Liechtenstein since the mid 80�s where he was a professor of history at the University there, Frachholchschule. The last time he visited his old properties was in the mid 1990�s when he accompanied the exiled Empress Zita on her last visit to Vienna before her death.
In the mid 1990�s he moved to North America to try to get support for the restoration of the monarchies in Russia and Austria. Basing himself in Ottawa he was involved in the planning and the initial efforts of the Camarilla to capture Toronto. Involved in the fighting to take the city he was one of the original Camarilla to settle in the new city.
At the initial gathering called by Sheriff Ivan he made it known to those present that he would one day be Prince of the city. Made Sheriff by the first Prince of Toronto Johan Rydell he executed that office with great effectiveness. After the fall of Rydell he asserted his own personality onto the city and announced himself as Prince.
Starting immediately he began to set the cities affairs back in order. He set up reliable officers regardless of political affiliation, the only requirement being efficiency. He proved himself to be a non respecter of clan or generation, if a person was best suited for a task than they were given that task. This went against what is commonly done and proved to be very effective. He even got the famed vampire hunter Jay McCarthy to work FOR him and he has employed Setites and Gargoyles as Seneschal�s to the disbelief of many in the city.
Getting the cities defences in order he turned to see how he could cause the impending attack by the Sabbat to work against itself. He got the Street level kindred to buy into the concept of an all out defence and to work within the organisation he set in place. Gaining resources and equipment from the current times and not relying on old fashioned methods of combat he brought a revolutionary approach to the defence of Toronto. Employing every means possible he learned of the basics of the planned attack and managed to direct it into pre-planned avenues. Intercepting intelligence of a shipment Cerabus War Ghouls he was responsible for setting in motion the destruction of 95% of them before they reached their intended targets in Toronto and Boston keeping these 2 cities in Camarilla Control.
During the battles of Toronto he commanded the operations from his HQ set up in the ROM. Directing his forces to where they were needed most urgently he defended the cities most important aspects as he knew he didn�t have the forces to defend the whole of the territory. Allowing the Sabbat to get overconfident he eventually led his forces into positions where they had the upper hand. Employing tactics that confused the attackers as to his strategy he eventually destroyed the attackers piecemeal with a concentration of force at each location. In the final battle at the ROM itself he was personally responsible for the destruction of several Sabbat grunts as well as killing 2 members of the dreaded and fabled Black Hand.
Covering up the attack as a terrorist attack story he began to organize a relief effort to get the city back on it�s feet after the �terrorist� attack on it he successfully got things back together working with the mortal authorities behind the scenes to promote the city. He built up a personal empire and owns dozens of companies worldwide forming a diverse conglomerate that includes electronics, real estate, manufacturing, service, and transport companies. He is also the owner of the 3rd largest airline in Canada and a regular at events in the cities night life.
Contacted by the Camarilla Council and offered the responsibility of Warlord for North America for the Camarilla he accepted reluctantly but has made great efforts and progress in the time he has been on the job. Under his leadership Houston, Tampa, Mobile, New England, Savannah, Ontario�s Golden Horseshoe, Kissimmee, and other smaller territories have come under Camarilla control. Using the same tactics that have kept the Sabbat on it�s heels he has not given them time to adjust to one effort before the next effort starts. Employing the same type of personal as in Toronto he has appointed the most qualified people to the jobs and tasks available. Merit and Results is the prime way to get his attention as opposed to background and clan.
After assuming the responsibility of Warlord he eventually resigned as Prince of Toronto appointing Lethbridge-Stewart in his place to concentrate on his new duties without distractions locally. He has constantly traveled in his new position visiting not only the big Camarilla cities but the smaller outposts generally ignored otherwise. He plans on getting the whole continent on side to battle the Sabbat and other enemies of the Camarilla.
He acquired an attraction to a spunky Toreador named Persephone and took her under his wing as an aide. During the Victor incident he revealed his ability to transform into Horrid Form and scared the lupine off. He has also revealed some other interesting facts and has been seen many times during the daylight hours outside as well as being unexpectedly encountered in disguise in locations not thought of as places he would be likely to go.
During the last day of Prince Lucien he was attacked and his aide too. Single-handedly battling the revealed Orville he defeated him only to have Orville raised by Dr. Samuel. The result was his own death a short time later but was raised by Samuel as well. Justicar Thierry revealed himself and banished Orville before Kharlamov could finish him off for a second time. Being told he was no longer Warlord he knew the threat would not stick as the Justicar has no authority over him. Calling a conclave for Kansas City April 1 2003 he delivered impassioned speeches that resulted in the Red Listing of Orville his former trusted ally. During the battle it was later revealed that Lady Persephone was killed by Drako and Will MacKenzie. He is to say the least not pleased at this development.
Kharlamov is always on the lookout for persons of distinction and talent that can aid the Camarilla in it�s efforts in North America. He is no respecter of Clan or Generation and has employed Caitiff, Setites, Gargoyles, and others usually ignored or shunned in positions of power and authority if they showed themselves worthy of his respect. He has been the target of several Assassination attempts and has defeated each effort. He continues to work for the betterment of the Camarilla and keeps close tabs on the city that is his base of operations, Toronto. Kharlamov is also known as a man of his word and will go to great lengths to keep it even to his own detriment. But he also expects the same trait in those he deals with and is most upset when people proven to have been false with him. He demands of others the high respect he gives out. More than one kindred has found that out to their own detriment.