Father Iago

New Orleans -NOLA- Camarilla -NOLA- Malkavian

Sobriquet:

Appearance: This man of a few identities is a tall and angular man with shaggy blond hair and blue eyes. Like many older vampires he is skinny and pale, but not disgustingly so. He dresses predominately in black and adorns himself with silver jewelry, rings and earrings.

Behavior: It takes almost no effort to get Iago talking, and when he gets going he rants. It doesn't matter if what he's saying makes sense. Of course, while he's speaking, he's looking over his shoulder.

History:Iago's life as a personal priest to Countess Mailde of Tuscany was governed by unending ritual. Every day he got up before dawn and prepared morning vestments for the Italian countess, a devout follower of Pope Gregory VII. She became extremely piqued if anything was amiss and demanded that Iago be as rigid and devout as she.

Iago rarely agreed with the countess or the pope, especially regarding the church's position in the state. He kept his mouth shut, however, until the pop arrived at Matilde's in the midst of controversy, having just excommunicated Henry IV, the Holy Roman Emperor. Then, reports arrived that the emperor was making his way to the castle.

When Iago arrived to consult with the countess and the pope, he found Henry barefoot in the snow before the castle. Iago was moved by the scene and felt only pity for an emperor begging forgiveness. Gregory was not so compassionate. For the next three days Henry remained in the snow, suffering through one of Italy's worst winters. Inside, the pope met with his advisors, and father Iago began to see what kind of man this pope was.

To Gregory, Henry's tears were but a sham. Once he forgave Henry, the emperor would once more be able to muster his armies against the pope, armies which had deserted him during the excommunication. A second excommunication would not have the power of the first.

Iago was particularly disturbed by an advisor who came into the room as the sun set. This pale advisor seemed especially upset by Henry's strategem. His counsel — to let Henry stay outside until he died of pneumonia — shook Iago to his cor. Iago knew he had gained an enemy when he rose to denounce this advice. It may well have been Iago's speech on Christian charity and mercy that moved the pope. In any event, three days after Henry arrived, Gregory allowed him in and rescinded his excommunication.

After Henry debased himself before the pope, he was taken to his chambers. Iago stopped by to wish him well and quietly told the emperor of what had transpired during those three days. Less than a second after he had kissed the emperor's ring and departed the chamber, he saw a swirl of fabric out of the corner of his eye, and then everything went black.

Iago awoke several hours later, with the Countess Matilde towering over him. She screamed that he was a disgrace to the church and coldly told him that the pope had removed him from his post. She continues her tirade, but Iago barely listened. He felt a pain in his stomach and mouth — a gnawing ache that swiftly became excruciating. Feeling as though he were watching from afar, he rose from his bed and headed for the countess. Her eyes widened when she saw the change that had taken over him. His eyes shone with an ethereal glow, and his teeth seemed whiter and far sharper. She began to scream when he grabbed her, but ceased as he sucked the blood from her body.

Somehow Iago managed to wrench himself from the grip of madness before he slew his patron. All his years he had espoused the sanctity of life — now he had almost killed, and in such a horrid fashion. He left the castle and fled to the farthest reaches of the Earth. He tried to remain the man that he had been, but the suffering grew extreme. He found himself losing control again and again. His sanity diminished with each feeding, and his faith wen with it. Somewhere along the way he changed his name from Iago to Lazarus.

Iago as Lazarus James: Lazarus has never stopped traveling, preaching his blasphemous creed. Now his sermons are almost purely heretical. He has shocked many in the religious community; it is rumoured that he had a public confrontation with Jerry Falwell. Usually he show up in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Some don't appreciate his presence, but others think his histrionics are hilarious. Indeed, there are those — the socially dysfunctional among Kindred and kine — who wait for him to arrive, anticipating each year's spectacle.

For example, last year Lazarus showed up, preaching continually on a float covered with black roses. Three crosses formed a triangle on the float, all facing the pulpit at the opposite end. On both sides of the pulpit were two scantily clad women. Instead of the usual beads, they threw rosaries to the crowd. The most disturbing thing about the entire episode were the people nailed to the crosses. Some swore they were mannequins, but others said that once could occasionally hear them moan or see a trickle of blood run from their wounds.

Marcel tries to keep Lazarus from attracting too ig of a crowd or too blatantly violating the Masquerade. Still, his popularity rises with each festival, and if he wanted to stay in one place long enough, he could set up a church of his own — a place where his insanity could rule.

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• -- Father Iago's Statistics