Bestiary

Ursula Crane

Subdivision Director, Finance (FIN)

Up until very recently, Crane was a member of the Investments and Trading Team at Pentex Finance HQ in Salt Lake City. Prominent for her ability to hold on in an incredibly competitive pool of workers, Crane rose to an upper management position within six years. She ultimately devised a highly successful set of offshore shell companies that has allowed Pentex as a whole to avoid paying tax in any country. As she became increas­ ingly involved in the less humanitarian side of financial wrangling, Crane set her conscience aside in favor of monetary reward, resulting in her becoming a prominent power player in the hierarchy of Pentex.

A short, heavyset woman lacking what many in the office pool referred to as the “management glaze”, Crane’s need to fit in, conform, and accrue more power consumed her, stoked by the general level of taint in her environment. This desire grew as strong as to be a beacon to the Banes and other entities lurking within the walls of Pentex. Through her hunger, she was able to form deals granting her the ability to make people who would otherwise ignore a stocky woman in a male-dominated work environment listen to her. The Banes have also slowly changed her appearance, making her more like the people she wants to be.

Franklin Rubin handpicked Crane, who then ac­ cepted appointment to Subdivision Director of Finance within three months of Rubin’s promotion. She is tremen­ dously successful in her new role, much to the delight of the Board. Crane is however becoming increasingly aware of how she is losing control of her body and mind to the parasitic organisms that she used reach this point. She has made quiet inquiries to other Board members who may be able to help her, but do not want to get involved,

in case something warps their flesh into a caricature of how they want to look.

The other Directors look on Crane with a mix of pride and disgust. To them, she represents what the greedy and consumer-driven people of the world can all become. They all want more, and happily exchange that which keeps them human to obtain it.

The Fallen

In recent decades, several Directors have fallen to internal struggles and external threats. Donald Gauntley, Elliot Meiche, Robert Allred, Frederick Kromrich, Enzo Giovanni, Danforth Stern, and James Kiker are no longer part of the Board or the company. Werewolves killed some; others found themselves fatally ousted, while a few disappeared entirely.