Robert Nathan Herbert

Concept: Grand Imperial Wizard (Of the KKK)

AKA: Answers to “Bob”

Desc: Putting-green short hair still red, although going a little gray. Gimlet eyes. A nose that’s been broken at least once. Beer belly, although, to be fair, He’s working on it.  One knee from his half-back days with an ugly scar on it. Knuckles that have seen some damage in anger over the years.

History: The problem with people who are evil is not so much that they are big extravagant mustache-twirling evil. There really aren’t a lot of people who revel in the idea of being bad or causing suffering...At least, there aren’t a lot of people who identify themselves as “evil” people. Almost every evil person thinks that they are a good person and that they are absolutely RIGHT and Righteous.  Frankly, if “those” people didn’t want to be on the receiving end of all that suffering they’d simply choose not to be poor or gay, or in the case of people of other ethnicities, Go back to whatever mud-hole country they crawled out of.  It’s not even a matter of faith with people like this, that this is hard, cold fact and is evident to anyone with any sense.  These are the people who have been told all of their lives that all the people different from them are ruining the country,(Not that they’ve even met too many) and that every single bad thing in their lives is down to the fact that this country has become a moral cesspool.  It’s no wonder that people can say with a straight face that Gays cause tornadoes and not only not be laughed off the stage, but have others nod their heads in agreement.

   No. The real face of evil is completely banal and ordinary. Vampires and Demons ain’t got nothing on the amount of damage and suffering that a man can cause if he’s sure he’s right and doesn’t care who get hurt by it.

Such people can be business leaders, deacons in their church, consider themselves a “Good Christian”, serve on the school board, Be a decent parent even. They don’t have to have supernatural powers. They don’t have to have unnatural hungers or anything like that.

They don’t even have to dress up in a bed-sheet and go around terrorizing black folks.  At least, not all that often. Not anymore.

A man can do more good or ill by simply working to create a culture. A little bit every day. Say you own a truck dealership, a fairly successful one too. And maybe someone comes into your dealership looking to buy a truck, and because maybe they’re a little too Catholic, or Jewish, or a person of Color, or maybe a bit LBGTQ, It probably won’t hurt them too terribly if you find that “the bank” has turned down their loan. No. That probably won’t hurt all that much.  It might hurt a bit more, though, if you get on the blower to your drinking buddies and prevent them from getting a truck loan anywhere else in town.  And you know, if someone burns a cross on their lawn, Maybe they’ll get the idea that they aren’t welcome in this township. Maybe some night a truckload of rednecks, hopped up on whiskey comes around a corner and decides to extract their crap via beating for sport.

Bob Herbert is that sort of man.  He doesn’t have prison ink or the 14 words tattooed on his body. He considers himself a patriot, A Christian, and a warrior, albeit an aging one, for all this is good and right and holy.

You’re probably not going to convince him otherwise.

Attitude: "Son...This country was founded by men like you and me. I, personally don’t see a problem with making sure it stays that way. Not for me, you understand. For my little girls...And your sons and daughters. That’s what a man does for his children."

Skills:  Bob Herbert is never going to be anybody’s idea of a super villain. He’s not going to come at you himself. He’s far too old for that. He’s also far too smart for that.  Bob is a capable businessman but his real genius is for organization, tactics, and he is a master of killing you with bureaucracy.Which is not to say he can't throw a punch or a kick, but he'll likely be wheezing before it's all said and done. He makes it his business to make the rounds and make friends with powerful people, and with people who AREN’T powerful, but who are NEXT to the people who are. Not that it’s likely to come up, but Bob is also a talented carpenter and whittler.

Gear: Bob keeps a nickel-plated snub-nosed 38 under his armpit. He’s a got a concealed carry permit for it.  He’s not a fan of smartphones, but even he has to admit they are damn useful. He held out for as long as he could, but eventually, his flip phone went the way of all flesh. He keeps a pocketknife and a Leatherman’s multi-tool on his person at all times because he feels naked without them.  A handkerchief for allergy flare-ups, and a tin of Altoids, because old salesman’s habits die hard. At home, Bob keeps a fairly serious arsenal, most of which was bought off of Homer Conway.

Home: Bob’s Home is a bit out in the sticks. It sits forward on the 8-acre patch and so the back yard is fairly deep. It’s been great for sledding all these years.

It’s also been perfectly fine for shooting practice (which the Mrs. and the girls participate in.) and military drills with the other members of his Klavern. (which the girls have dubbed, “Kinda gay.”) There is also a fairly nice pool.

Circle: Bob’s real talent lies in understanding the sort of people who are likely to be receptive to his message and those who are not...and those, who might accept his message, with a little bit of nudge. As such, He’s made in-roads into various types of influence, both high and low. The Klavern only numbers about 25 actual members and most of those guys are either young,dumb, and full of cum. or they’re old farts like himself.  But at least the old farts have a little money and a little influence of their own.  Bob is very capable of managing his resources and the resources of his men.

   Additionally, Bob and his men have been funding the building of a hunting lodge/country club out near Crater Woods.  It’s a bit of a recruitment tool. Oh sure, there are stories about Crater Woods and the things that have happened up there...But they’re just stories. Right?

Story Uses:

“That’s a real shame. I’m afraid the boys are going to have to kick the shit out of you now.”

Bob, despite his beliefs, is NOT a good man. and it’s entirely possible that he could end up being a low-level character's worst goddamn nightmare. Especially, if he’s able to keep himself out of the fray.

“Shit son. You should have said so in the first place. Boys?”

Unlikely as it may seem, Bob Herbert might turn into the most unlikely sort of ally. Hatred and fear of anything different might make strange bedfellows when the hatred and fear extends to supernatural creatures.

Especially if them damn vampires is goddamn euro-trash.

“Fellas...A new vision has been shown to me.”

Of course, A guy like Bob, there might be some supernatural types who might want to put him in their pockets.  If they can get close enough and get it done before he can try to stop them...Well. You can see what’s coming next. This might be even worse, should the patron decide to teach him some real hedge magic. Making him an actual "Grand Wizard"

Connections:

* Has made certain assumptions about Ezekiel Stubbs from his AB ink and has made a pitch or two to the man. He's thinking that the addition of Gallowsbait MC to his Klavern would be a real shot in the arm. Zeke hasn't told the man to go fuck himself, but he's not interested in working for anyone else and has said as much.

*The church that Bob is a Deacon at? Reverend Mike Plumber's church of course. Reverend Mike always seems to understand, even if it's too impolitic to say out loud.  A true man of God in Bob's opinion.

*Some years ago, Doris Badenov ran afoul of some of Bob's boys and they kicked the crap out of Jordan. If Jordan can figure out a way to stick a spoke in the Klan's wheels, he'll do it. Possibly by tricking them into clashing with the vampires. (As a side note, Nearly any person on this website can have run afoul of the Klan dickheads on any given weekend. The only one(s) that they tangled with who has taught them fear and respect were Immanuel Washington and Rika Martinez. Sadly, those lessons haven't exactly stuck. But if they see those people on the street they give them a wide berth.

* Homer Conway is still officially listed as a member of the Klavern and is a good friend to Bob all these years.

* Has had long heart-to-heart talks with Officer Honus Brightwater about joining up fully. Bonus knows that the State Patrol officially frowns on that sort of thing, he's just not sure if there's an unofficial policy against it. In any event, Honus is considered an ally, as are a few of his fellow officer on the state patrol.