About Charles TacitusNature - Thrillseeker
Clan - Cappadocian
Attributes: Physical - Strength 1 - Dexterity 2 - Stamina 3
Abilities: Talents - Alertness 2 - Athletics 1 - Awareness - 1 Brawl12 - Empathy 2 - Intimidation 2 - Leadership 2 - Subterfuge 2 Skills - Animal Ken 1 - Etiquette 1 - Performance 2 - Survival 1 Knowledge - Medicine 3 - Occult 3 - Politics 2 - Theology 1 Backgrounds:
Disciplines: Auspex 1, Necromancy - Grave's Decay (Primary) 2, Sepulchre 1, Celerity 1 (7 freebies), Dominate 1 (7 freebies), Anamilism 1 (7 freebies) Rituals: (1) Final Sight, (2) Hand of Glory Conviction 2 - Instincts 3 - Courage 5 Road of Sin - Path of Pleasure 5 & Willpower 5 Flaws:
Appearance: Charles is 5'10" tall and slight of build. Though almost handsome, his pale pallor leaves his appearance more average than stunning. Perhaps the dark look in his eyes adds to the level of discomfort that mortals have when speaking with him. Background: Born in 1180 in London to a family of some landed wealth Charles grew up the second son and a feeble son at that. While his constitution was strong he was physically short and slight and wielding a sword was simply not where he excelled. Luckily his elder Brother Henry was more than fit for the role. The death of their father at an early age made Henry head of the Household. Unlike his father who despised Charles, Henry saw the keen wit and social skills of the boy and pressed for him to enter the seminary. He knew that if Charles’ star could rise among the clergy, the families would rise by virtue to influence and access an English Nobleman could not gain in Europe through warfare or marriage alone. Charles’ fathers death though had an impact on him because he witnessed the event. Saw the man injured by the fall from the horse and watched in equal parts horror and fascination as the light in the man’s eyes died. It was as if he was here and in the next world simultaneously. Once at seminary, Charles began to study death, last rites and some forbidden books at the monastery to learn all he could of death. There was a lot to learn as the studies of it were not conducted in a scientific manner prior to this most feared death as the retribution of God, feared for their souls based on what evils they perpetrated their whole lives. Charles on the other hand was fearless, he had never, not once, ever broken a Commandment to God. He never lied, never lusted after another, Charles was unique in that way. Thus, even in seminary, the priests would call upon Charles to administer last rites to the worst of the worst that would die. Plague, tuberculosis (not that any knew what it was at the time), rotting flesh disease? Charles was called upon to tread where others feared. Yes, he observed the death of many people in many different ways. His studies took him into rudimentary medicine and on occasion he even saved the life of someone hovering over death’s door. Soon the young priest was placed in Temple Church of London due to his gift with the healing arts. Soon his skills at last rites and funerary proceedings had become legendary. Despite his bookishness he was also affable and able to put at ease commoners and nobility alike. He was chosen in 1205 though BECAUSE of his interest in death. Chosen of course to become something so much more than human, to transcend death. Lord Camden came for him after hearing about him and made him a member of Clan Cappadocian. Charles now had access to the true halls of power, the tomes and wisdom of the ancients. He could now see what was behind his father’s eyes when he died. Soon enough his studies leveled off as Charles gained something at Court that he had never experienced in life, attention from the opposite sex. A major source of power in the Cainite world came from prestige, something Charles now had in spades with a Sire who was the Chamberlain of the mighty Mithras, Lord of Avalon. Charles began to pursue interests other than death, such as political power and pleasure. A visit from the nascent Giovanni bloodline is what started him down the path of the Apostate, Lorenzo Giovanni asked whether finances were more powerful than spirits. Charles debated him and soon became convinced that the Giovanni had a point. So strong was their friendship while the Giovanni visited that he began to learn the rudiments of the Sepulchre path while teaching his fellow neonate the rituals that Lord Camden had shared with him. Why spend immortality in a crypt like the dead asked Lorenzo? Charles had lived as the dead while a living man and now he should live and would live is life to the fullest blessed as he was by God! After all, was he not a model Christian in life? Was this existence not more of a blessing than a curse? It was, it was! Though still only an initiate on the Road of Bones he abandoned it for the Path of Pleasure and the Road of Sin at the urgings of a Toreador Harpy visiting from the Courts of Love that he had fallen in love with. Charles’ star was on the rise. Many owed him favors and from those favors he curried influence and began utilizing the boons to gain personal power in the form of more Disciplines. After all, Mithras’ power stemmed from his power in the blood which also flowed from the supernatural Gifts that the blood gave to all Cainites. Pursuit of these powers became Charles’ goal. From the Nosferatu he pried the art of power over Animals, at least as good a spy as spirits and easier to summon and control in exchange for aiding them in feeding. From the Ventrue, the art of manipulating the minds of the weak in exchange for disposing of the bodies of those who would otherwise be missed. From his Toreador love did he learn how to move like the wind as taught her to be as iron. He was in negotiations to learn ever more powers but it was not to be. Lord Camden’s questions about his progress into the study of death were gentle at first, then came the rebukes, finally, he lost his Sire’s favor altogether. His failure to show up at and assist in the experiments that Lord Camden wished him to aid in, indeed specifically Embraced him to aid in was the last straw. Had he not been so promising, Charles would have been destroyed by his Sire. Instead was he released to find his way back on track in no uncertain terms Lord Camden made clear that on track meant the original purpose for which he had been created, to study and master the secrets of death. Overnight, the goodwill he had gathered at the Courts of Avalon disintegrated, entropy built up and released all at once. With his Sire’s enmity, his power base had shriveled. Charles’ realized it had all been an illusion, it was not his favor that those around him sought but his Sire’s favor. Even his beloved Toreador Lady abandoned him. Then word came of the success of a Reconquista in Iberia. With his faithful family bodyguard and now ghoul, Trent, in tow, Charles spent the last of his resources to book passage to Valencia where he would start anew his own powerbase and live out the life of excess his Sire sought to deny him… Fleshing it out: Ragged Bite has forced him to have to destroy victims rather than just feeding and moving on. It is part of the reason why he seeks mastery over Dominate despite the fact that the Paragons of the Road of Sin generally take a dim view of the power. Charles believes that she returned to the Courts of Love but in southern France not Paris. Yes. His Brother and Brother's family yet lives. Charles was easily able to fake his death due to disease after all, he was around the dead and dying with such frequency, was it not just a matter of time? Charles died a virgin and had no heirs. Charles believes that Lord Camden's name would hold some weight. He would drop the name if pressed but would try initially to withhold it, if pressed state that he wished to make his own way in the world. Charles believes that the younger Cappadocian Cainites would look past his choice, especially the Giovanni. Older members of the Clans, especially those who survived the Feast of Folly would take a dim view of him as one who "would have been left behind with his attitude and lack of discipline". Left behind of course meaning trapped for all eternity beneath the mountain... |
