Jacques Paris spent most of his mortal life as the faithful ghoul of Legba, chosen because of his strength and his ability to play the worlds of black and white against each other. As a quadroon, he was part of the gens de couleur who led the rebellion on Santo Domingo during which his master diablerized his sire and took control of the island. When his master decided to go to New Orleans, it was Paris whom he sent ahead to make his place. Finally, it was his choice of women to mold into the Gran Mambo that gained his master's reward of immortality.
Unfortunately, the place of favored servant was not to remain his for long. He soon learned that the price of his ascension to a status closer to equal with his master was to no longer be treated as a simple servant but as competition. The growing paranoia of Legba combined with Paris' own ambitions as his sire continued to procrastinate about his return to Santo Domingo led to the end of their perfect relationship. Paris, using the name of Louis Christophe Glapion, fought in the War of 1812 to secure the alliance of the Lasombra and continued to guide Marie on her path and began to resent the continued presence of his sire.
During these years, his solace was his devotion and pride for his wife and student, Marie. As she continued to surpass all expectations and show herself to be even more talented at the game of influence than he or perhaps even his sire, his respect grew into a very real affection which she seemed to share. He pondered the possibility of edging out his sire with her help, particularly given that much of his power base was in her hands. When his sire sought to test her, it was he who suggested she be given the task of disposing of Doctor John, thus furthering their dependance on the Voodoo Queen.
The situation was moved into the background with the arrival of the Brujah during the Civil War. The threat of an external enemy allowed the Serpents to work together for a common cause and forget their differences and the departure of Legba prior to the first World War ended tensions between the two for a time. However, Marie had quickly grown to become the thorn in his side. Her ambition began to trouble him just as his troubled his sire and he began to have to carefully play for power within his pack in order to keep her influence from growing. The return of Legba only complicated matters by turning it into a three way struggle. Legba's ascent to Bishop allowed things to keep from coming to a head immediately, but it was hardly settled, particularly given the defection of the sect to the Sabbat, a move which Paris isn't sure he fully supports.
The last few decades have seen Paris dedicated to a subtle war for influence within his pack as he attempts to usurp Legba's position as leader of the Serpents in the city, while at the same time attempting to quietly sever the ties his sire has in the hopes that he will return his attention to Haiti and leave the city (and the bishopric) in Paris' care. Meanwhile, he sees to it that the Serpents retain control of as much of the city's functioning as possible through its web of corruption, crime, and deception.
Jacques Paris was not a strong-willed man when he was made the ghoul of Legba almost two and a half centuries ago, but he has since come into his own. Increasing confidence and the experience of decades worked to strengthen his resolve and his desires, a process whose completion began with his Embrace. In the last century he has grown incredibly focused on his goals and pursues them in a much less neurotic fashion than his sire. Rather than seeking power for its own sake, he takes it only when it achieves some sort of gain, and is much more willing than Legba to put off seizing it if it will allow him to make more headway later on. He is a planner and a schemer, more so than either his sire or his childe suspect.
In fact, he has learned to maintain his demeanor as a dedicated servant and warrior, downplaying his his ambitions. He also uses his skill at deception to hide the fact that he isn't a startlingly bright man or a quick thinker. It is more his attitude and patience which give him an upper hand in New Orleans affairs, and, of course, his will to succeed.
Paris respects his sire, more so than Legba even acknowledges anymore, but that does not mean he won't force him out of power should the opportunity arise. A paragon of the Path of Power and the Inner Voice, he only offers respect to those worthy of it and should Legba slip enough to allow him to take control, he will not shed a tear in doing so. In the meantime, he continues to serve his sire to the best of his abilities despite the friction.
Marie, however, is another matter entirely. Her conversion to the Albigensian philosophy has led him to lose most of the respect he had gained for her during her years as his ghoul. While her skills of deception and corruption are still a match for his own, her swiftly growing concern for material decadence he sees as weakness and intends to use it to destroy her, should she push too hard for power in the pack.
In fact, of all the kindred in New Orleans, Paris is perhaps most comfortable with Delacroix. The Lasombra bishop was actually the one who helped him agree to the pack joining the Sabbat and since then the two have had a pleasant friendship. The relationship isn't entirely one of leisure, either, as Paris believes that Delacroix's support would be vital in any attempt to usurp the bishopship from Legba.
Baron Samedi and his associates worry Paris even more than they do his sire. The fact that they share influence over the voodoo practitioners without seeming a threat has only convinced him that they are very subtle and the fact that they wield abilities beyond the ken of anything he is makes them even more dangerous. He maintains good relations with them, but is ever wary and watchful for an opportunity to be rid of them. The arrival of a member of the Sabbat Inquisition has given him some thoughts on this matter, as well as a possible plan to remove Marie and her brood, should it prove necessary.
Jacques' influence is vested with the more violent faction of drug dealers and drug runners supplying the the southeast. Much of his power is as a well-connected and long-term buyer, but he also has ghouls in the organization who give him a bit more control. His income is being hurt, however, by the recently Embraced Baptiste Garcia and his associate and he's been taking part in a shadow war with the Lasombra behind the facade of a struggle over control of the drug trade between Caribbean and Columbian elements.