Nikolai was born in Brașov, Romania during the early thirteenth century. Born to a poor family, as well as being the only son left little time for him to actually be a child, instead, needing to take over as head of household when his father passed from illness when he was just twelve. A simple farmer, his life was not easy, and at the behest of his sick mother, he married at sixteen to start a family of his own, taking care of his last living relative until her death a year later, shortly after his first child was born.
Bad fortune hit when he lost his farmlands due to taxes. Seeing as he was a relatively healthy young man, despite circumstance, he was conscripted to serve the General of the local militia, a woman by name of Petra who was in absolute control of the area. Reluctantly he agreed, for the sake of his young ones. He studied hard, but the physical aspects of soldiering were not his strong suits, however he had a good head on his shoulders, and with time he was noticed by none other than Petra herself.
She set him to task on becoming an educated man, and with time and a display of loyalty it was revealed to him that she was, in fact, a vampire. This knowledge imparted upon him, he was required to drink of her blood, thus becoming her servant; and thus, he served, in exchange for his family being treated well.
It had not yet come to pass that his home life had improved, when a stranger to the area came upon him, offering to teach him to hunt, to live off the land, and to think for himself – outwit the enemy and make his own decisions. This strange man was also a vampire, and all he asked in exchange was for information on his liege. Nikolai agreed, and so he was taught to hunt and forage, and gained an education of a different sort.
It was some years later when the routine that was his life now became shambled in one violent night. He was at the keep, studying as Petra requested of him when the commotion began. Her childe, tired of being under her yoke, had staged a coups. The stranger who visited him off an on had apparently been keeping an eye on him off and on since their first meeting, and helped him to escape. The village itself was burning, many homes had been destroyed, including his own. His family now dead, he left Brașov, never to return.
After a time, he found himself in Wallachia, where he attempted to settle into a new life. It was difficult, as people were wary of strangers and his different ways. It was by sheer accident that the ruler of the area, another vampire, took notice of him and took him in, intending to use him as a project, but instead became intrigued by him and helped to further his education, informing him of the existence of sorcery.
Not knowing sorcery himself, the vampire passed Nikolai off to an associate, taking him under his wing to see if he was a good study, threatening to use him as an experiment should he become displeased. Nikolai’s thirst for knowledge only expanded under his new Domitor’s influence. From that point onward, Nikolai turned his attentions towards the studies of the occult; when he came across a language barrier, he would learn the language in order to better understand the subject matter. From time to time, Dimitri, his master, would remind him to pursue interest outside of occult matters.
Not wishing to disappoint (or become an experiment) he would dabble in other fields, finding other things to round out his education. It was not until the nineteenth century, when it was deemed that he was finally worthy to become his master’s childe. It did not take long for him to be released, for Dimitri had already ingrained in Nikolai pride for the Tzimisce, and a healthy respect for those that deserved it. He already understood that Cainites were superior to the Children of Seth, and so he was set to join a pack, making the rank of pack priest before long. Modern nights find Nikolai continuing his pursuit of the occult and that of sorcery as well, something much easier practiced now that he is a Childe of Caine’s blood. Presently, he serves as one of the four seats of absolute power in Salem, Massachusetts as the Bishop of the Occult. His fellow Bishops serve as his present pack (his prior one having been destroyed by the poor choices of it’s Ductus).