Character Dossiers The Neteru, Damali Richards, and her team of Guardian protectors, are a non-biological family of unlikely heroes and sheroes that have come together for a common cause-to thwart evil, specifically, vampiric evil. Each has lived their own private horror, which has razor-honed their special gifts and thrust them into this strange clan of vampire hunters. They are guided by the unseen and assisted by The Covenant… but The Light is their greatest defense. They are: Marlene , Shabazz , Big Mike , Rider , Jose , J.L. , and Dan. Carlos Rivera, a man on the edge, a drug Kingpin, is now caught in the perilous unseen gap between worlds. Fallon Nuit, evil incarnate, comes from a long line of predators. Beware of his seductive talents. His allure is beyond mortal. "Looking to the Past to Create the Future" Sankofa is an Akan symbol meaning, "Go back and retrieve." The word is derived from the words SAN (return), KO (go), FA (look, seek and take). This symbolizes the quest for knowledge among the Akan with the implication that the quest is based on critical examination, and intelligent and patient investigation. The symbol is based on a mythical bird with its feet firmly planted forward with its head turned backwards. Thus the Akan belief that the past serves as a guide for planning the future. To the Akan it is this wisdom in learning from the past which ensures a strong future. The Akans believe that there must be movement and new learning as time passes, but as this forward march proceeds the knowledge of the past must never be forgotten. As the Akan say, "se wo were fi na wosan kofa a, yenkyi": There is nothing wrong with learning from hindsight.   Other Interpretations It is not a taboo to go back and retreive what you forgot. You must retrieve the knowledge of the past to prepare for the future. Akan Symbology The Akan are a West African ethnic group that today reside in Ghana and La Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Through time the Akan have incorporated an ideographic and pictographic writing system into their philosophy known as Adinkara symbology. These ideas are expressed in such media as textiles, metal casting, woodcarving, and architecture. Damali Richards   AKA: The Neteru, The Huntress. The Neteru: Ancient Egyptian, or Kemetian translation – God’s divine powers latent within humans… divine ways. A Neteru is only created once every thousand years, and Damali Richards is the only one to date to span two millennia. Birth Date: August 15, 1982 Age: Almost 21 (20 years and counting down the months) Power Color: Gold Astrological Sign: Leo Numerology Quotient: 8+1+5+1+9+8+2 = 34 or 3+4 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Omnivoyant – possesses all six areas of extrasensory perception plus a seventh capacity only held by a Neteru. Favorite Quote: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." - Psalm 23 -and- "A thousand may fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand; but it [evil] will not come near me." - Psalm 91, verse 7 Height: 5’ 7” Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown (Style, Nubian Locks) Occupation: Vampire Huntress Day Career: Spoken Word/Hip Hop Artist, Songwriter, Producer Special Skillz: Aikido and slaying vampires Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004 Click Here to see a larger image. Weapon of Choice: Madame Isis – A thirty-six inch, seven thousand year-old, triple blade with jewel enc rusted handle specifically designed to instantly behead or penetrate the reinforced chest cavity of master vampires with silver alloys, steel, and crucifix formation blood grooves. In most cases, the religious symbols from the twelve major world religions that are etched along the blade edges will also cause spontaneous combustion when vampire or demon blood is drawn. Companion weapon – “The Baby Isis” dagger. Background: Damali Richards was born in New Orleans, and upon her parents’ untimely demise, was thrust into the foster care system and lost to all Guardian teams. Her location and identity was hidden until Marlene Stone, seer Guardian, discovered her living as a teenage runaway on the streets of Los Angeles, California. Taken under Stone’s wing, The Neteru was taught the ways of being a slayer.   Marlene Stone   Birth Date: April 5, 1951 Age: 50 Personal Power Color: Royal Purple Astrological Sign: Aries Numerology Quotient: 4+5+1+9+5+1 = 25 or 2+5 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Seer, second sight Favorite Quote: “When the Spirits have a plan for someone, he/she survives even the unsurvivable.” - Malidoma Some Height: 5’ 6” Eyes: Brown Hair: Silver Grey (Style, Nubian Locks) Occupation: Guardian Team Leader Day Career: Violinist, Warriors of Light Productions – also group’s Business Manager and Publicist Special Skillz: Healing, laying on of hands, setting up the prayer defense borders, amulet and personal power color R&D, astrology, reading planetary alignments… and is the keeper of the sacred Neteru Temt Tchaas (The ancient tomb, The Slayer Chronicles text) – Marlene is the only one who can decipher it, and it is passed from Guardian seer to Guardian seer. She is the griot, the repository of Neteru spiritual practices training and guidance. Weapon of Choice: The ebony African walking stick—used as a defensive weapon, and a wooden stake… right through a vampire’s heart. Background: Marlene Stone was born in the South Carolina “Geechie Country” islands before her family of seer-elders had to relocate to elude negative Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004   spiritualforces. New Orleans became her new home, hidden in the obscurity of a small church parish… until the vampire, Fallon Nuit, took the pastor, and Marlene was forced to flee with The Neteru.   Nafes Shabazz AKA: Shabazz Birth Date: April 2, 1963 Age: 40 Personal Power Color: Midnight Blue Astrological Sign: Aries Numerology Quotient: 4+2+1+9+6+3 = 25 or 2+5 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Tactical, feels the unseen Favorite Quote: “…One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be endangered in a hundred engagements.” -Sun Tzu, The Art of War Height: 6’ 2” Eyes: Brown Hair: Ebony (Style, Nubian Locks) Occupation: Guardian Team Sharpshooter Day Career: Bassist and Choreographer, Warriors of Light Productions Special Skillz: Battle plan strategist Personal Passions: Poker, chess, and Marlene Weapon of Choice: “Sleeping Beauty” a black ceramic, Glock nine millimeter, with hallowed earth-packed artillery. Motto: if you’re cool, she’ll sleep, and everything stays smooth. However, is also extremely effective in utilizing martial arts. Background: ‘Bazz, as he is known to his fellow Guardians, was born in the urban jungle—east coast… that’s all he’ll tell. Found his way to prison when a drug deal went bad in an alley, by way of vampire attack. Once incarcerated, he turned his life around under the protection and tutelage of a seer-mentor, learned Aikido, philosophy, strategy, and studied all about the unseen spiritual realm. Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004       Big Mike Real Name : Michael Roberts Born: May 1, 1954 Age: 49 Personal Power Color: Jewel Green Astrological Sign: Taurus Numerology Quotient: 5+1+1+9+5+4 = 25 or 2+5 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Audio, hears what the spirits whisper Favorite Quote: "Laissez les bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll)!" (Note: Don’t let this low key Southern brother fool you—he ain’t slow… got turned out in New Orleans, and turned out a female queen vamp, too! Yeah. Food. Women. That’s Big Mike’s thang.) Height: 6’ 8” -- 247 lbs, no body fat Eyes: Brown Hair: Bald Occupation: Sound man technologist/vamp locator and explosives expert Day Career: Soundboard Engineer, Warriors of Light Productions – also Music Director Special Skillz: Sheer strength Weapon of Choice: Holy water grenades… Big Mike likes to blow Mofos up Background: Raised in the church in small town southern Mississippi, then Georgia was his home until he went into the service. Got caught up in the end of the Vietnam era on a Special Forces MIA extraction team…thought he was losing his mind, because he could hear what nobody else could. Got   Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004   out alive, came home, sang on the church choir for therapy, counseled kids, did the big brother/mentor thing… until something stronger than him jumped him on the way home one night. Big Mike heard it coming, strength and military training got it up off him so he could escape—but the brother needed answers that only another Guardian could offer. Coincidentally connecting with Shabazz saved his sanity. Divine order was in effect. Jacob Rider AKA: Rider – “The Nose” Birth Date: December 8, 1958 Age: 45 Personal Power Color: Turquoise and Earth Tones—loves cowboy suede and leather Astrological Sign: Sagittarius Numerology Quotient: 12+8+1+9+5+8 = 43 or 4+3 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Olfactory, smells trouble brewing, especially sulfur Favorite Quote: “Let’s rock n roll, people!” -Jake Rider Height: 6’ 2” Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dirty Blonde (Style, spiked punk) Occupation: Guardian Team Sharpshooter Day Career: Guitarist, Warriors of Light Productions – also Production Manager Special Skillz: Lead “Nose” walks point with Shabazz Personal Passion: Jack Daniels Weapon of Choice: Rifle, shotgun, semi-automatic, anything with a trigger and hallowed earth-packed shells in its magazine. Background: Rider grew up in the Midwest, made his way to Arizona (with a pit stop in New Orleans) on a Harley at age 18; whiskey and women was his thing until he had his first encounter with the unseen during his cross-country trek. Hooked up with Jose on a reservation, hung out there and smoked peyote – convinced that he’d been hallucinating… until he was forced (in order to survive) to refine his skills, and accept and learn the ways of The Guardians. Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004 Jose Ciponte AKA: Wizard Born: March 7, 1968 Age: 35 Personal Power Color: Violet Astrological Sign: Pisces Numerology Quotient: 3+7+1+9+6+8 = 34 or 3+4 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Olfactory & taste… ace tracker, Rider’s shotgun Favorite Quote: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." -Mahatma Ghandi Height: 5'11" Eyes: Brown Hair: Dark Brown (Style, urban funk—ponytail) Occupation: Guardian Weapons Developer Day Career: Percussion, Warriors of Light Productions – also Lighting Director Special Skillz: Designing mad-crazy weapons disguised as stage equipment and special FX gear with J.L. – Wizard can sketch his butt off, and draw anything he sees. Personal Passion: Art, music and the late Dee Dee Henson. Weapon of Choice: Musical instruments converted into cross bows. Background: His mother was Chicano, his father Creek Indian… they divorced when he was a baby. Jose lived with his mother in Mexico, then LA until he turned thirteen, when she agreed that it was time for him to learn the spiritual ways of his father’s people. The decision was brought on by a series of spiritual attacks—his mother knew that it was a sign. Her son, Jose, had a hard path that only another spiritual warrior could teach him. His father had forecasted that a Guardian would come to find him by way of New Orleans… one that shared his gift, and would ride a loud horse and stand side-by-side with him in battles—Jake Rider. Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004   Joseph Leung AKA: J.L. Born: February 9, 1976 Age: 27 Personal Power Color: Aqua Astrological Sign: Aquarius Numerology Quotient: 2+9+1+9+7+6 = 34 or 3+4 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Tactical, Shabazz’s right hand man Favorite Quote: "The doors of wisdom are never shut." -Benjamin Franklin Height: 5’ 9” Eyes: Brown Hair: Bald Occupation: Guardian Weapons Developer and Computer Technologist Day Career: Keyboards, Warriors of Light Productions – also Set Director Special Skillz: Designing mad-crazy weapons disguised as stage equipment and special FX gear. Personal best: Slight of hand, card sharking, card counting, and whipping every Guardian in the house, except Marlene (who is barred from all games of chance in the team compound.) Weapon of Choice: Nunchucks and light wands. Background: Born in Laos, then immigrated to America as a part of the foreign adopt-a-child program. Received a solid education in the states—math basis and technology rich. But could never forget his birth family—which was soon brought over, and he was returned to his parents upon his insistence… and was also returned to poverty within the urban Asian community. In his spare time cutting school, he tinkered with anything electronic that could be scavenged or stolen. One night he was able to use one of his inventions to save his life. His mother, a gifted seer in her own right, sent him to find his path amongst The Guardians. Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004   Daniel Weinstein AKA: Dan Born: June 3, 1978 Age: 25 Personal Power Color: Silver Astrological Sign: Gemini Numerology Quotient: 6+3+1+9+7+8= 34 or 3+4 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Tactical, a newbie Guardian—a very reluctant one Favorite Quote: "The only real valuable thing is intuition." -- Albert Einstein Height: 5’ 10” Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Occupation: To Be Determined… Day Career: Business Manager, Warriors of Light Productions – also excellent at PR Special Skillz: Team Peacekeeper, at present Weapon of Choice: Sling Shot, learning to use explosives Background: Born in Suburban Pasadena, then Ivy League educated… the last thing in the world he expected was to be stalked by vampires and forced to become a Guardian!       Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004 Carlos Rivera AKA: Carlos Rivera… a lost Guardian, also known as Master Vampire, Rivera Birth Date: November 5, 1980 Age: 23 Personal Power Colors: Black and crimson Astrological Sign: Scorpio Numerology Quotient: 11+5+1+9+8+0 = 34 or 3+4 = Lucky 7 Extrasensory Specialty: Olfactory, top grade Favorite Quote: “Shit Happens,” -- Author unknown Height: 6’ 1” Eyes: Brown Hair: Dark Brown Occupation: Master Vampire Day Career: Drug Dealer, Businessman, and Entrepreneur Extraordinaire Special Skillz: Post mortem...All the secrets of the dark night through six levels of Hell. Before the Turn...master strategist, espionage, sabotage, smooth duplicity, and war games. Weapon of Choice: Prior to death, Uzi – After death, six inch fangs when really pissed off. Background: Born in LA barrios, died in the Santa Monica Mountains. Lost a sister to crack, and an entire posse to vampiric attacks. The Covenant, The Vampire Council, and The Guardians are three ends against the middle—and he plays them all like an expert hand of Three Card Monte. Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004 Fallon Nuit Personal Power Colors: Black Numerology: 666 Two faces of Fallon Nuit remind us that vampires are masters of illusion. They can always show you a very seductive side of themselves... but, then, there's always the side of them that humans should never forget—that the entity is deadly. Master Vampire Nuit, once of Council level descent, made by Dracula, many hundred years old, is now rogue to The Vampire Council for violating dark balance of power policies. The Vampire Council incarcerated him in his most recent New Orleans lair because his activities drew too much attention to the human world. But a fluke of fate released him released in a black magic ritual. Nuit used this opportunity well, and mounted a formidable army made up of a wicked demon alliance… from this hybrid alliance came his forces to overthrow The Vampire Council—thus was created something darker than The Vampire Council itself: Fallon Nuit’s Minion. Click He Click Artwork by Eric Battle ©2004