Narses

Venice -- medieval -DAV- Lasombra -DAV- Cainite Heresy

Titles: Archbishop of Nod / Prince of Venice

Appearance: Narses was Embraced in his late 90s, so he looked ruinously old. He speaks with a high pitched voice due to his early castration, especially when he is angry. He is fond of the finest worldly trappings, including clothing, jewelry and weapons. He was extremely educated during his mortal lifetime and only became more so after his Embrace, thus, he possesses a personal library that surpassed that of many monasteries and is rivaled only by the universities of the Levant.

Background: In his mortal days, Narses was an Armenian eunuch in the service of Emperor Justinian I. During his service as leader of the emperor’s bodyguards, he was eventually selected to aid the Byzantine campaign to conquer Italy alongside General Belisarius. The two men disliked each other very strongly and at that time, Narses was even ordered back to Constantinople because the two men's rivalry had led to the fall of Milan to the Ostrogoths.

Nonetheless, Narses proved him to be the superior tactician and was awarded with the Exarchate of Italy by Justinian. His successor, however, removed him from the post and Narses retreated into a villa near Rome, brooding and embittered. He was soon visited, however, by a Lasombra, who was impressed by the eunuch's grasp on strategy and hoped to use Narses in order to undermine Byzantine influence in order to strengthen the Catholic Church.

He tutored Narses for ten years before Embracing him and the two aided the Langobards in their campaign to claim Italy. Narses found that his old rival, Belisarius was also found among the undead, in the Ventrue Clan and began a long and bitter rivalry with him. His disdain for Constantinople lead him to cede all loyalties to the Empire and retreat to Venice, where he hoped to gain a power base to avenge himself on the Trinity for giving his rival the gift of immortality and withholding it from him.

During this time, Narses also came into contact with the Gnostic heresy that worshipped vampires and quickly advanced in its ranks. His hold over the Heresy from Venice, employing even his own heretical order, the Order of St. Panteleimon, was primary directed in corrupting the Catholic Church and direct it against the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, as Narses never believed in anything but his own power and strength of will (indeed, he despised the more devout followers of the Heresy).

In 1081, the severely weakened Cainites of Constantinople proposed an alliance with Venice and Narses progeny was granted scion status under the Antonian Ventrue. This led to a rise of Latins within the city, which was soon met with severe riots, further destabilizing the city. After a mass slaughter on the Cainites within the Latin quarter, Narses demanded that the quarter was to be granted autonomy from the rule of the Trinity and the heads of the families had no choice but to comply. This attracted a fair share of foreign Cainites who flocked to Constantinople while they tried to escape the Ashirra and the Muslim invaders, distributing even more to throw the city into chaos.

Personality: Narses had used his position both as prince of Venice and as Archbishop of Nod to lay the groundwork for another crusade, one that might somehow further his revenge against Constantinople. Although obsessed, Narses was methodical and patient. He took the long view of things, having spent almost 600 years establishing himself in Venice and within the Cainite Heresy. Consequently, he did not act rashly or without purpose. Neither did he operate openly, preferring to use agents and dupes to maintain an air of aloofness. He hoped by doing so to suggest that he was a fair judge and an honest broker.

Probable Future: During the council that prepared the Fourth Crusade, Narses gladly gave his own domain as a place for discussion of the vampires, and informing them when the mortals decided the way of the crusade, all the while subtle influencing the course of the crusade and directing it against the Dream of Byzantium. His determination and lack of faith in spiritual regards, however, lead many of his heretic followers to resent him, believing that he would gladly sacrifice them and their faith in order to hurt Michael.

Current Probable Fate: In 1204 A.D., Narses, Archbishop of Nod, achieved his long delayed vengeance against Byzantium. Venice, the city over which he claimed dominion, helped tear Constantinople's walls down and burn her for days. The Byzantine Empire was all but destroyed, and the vampires of the Queen of Cities were either destroyed or made refugees. In the aftermath, Narses basks in his glory and sheds no tears for his vanquished enemy.

But, Narses was hardly the only powerful vampire in the Cainite Heresy. Many within the Crimson Curia, the order's ruling body, questioned Narses' dedication to the faith and his worthiness to lead it in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade. Indeed, they were happy to let him pursue his vendetta when Michael the Archangel was a figure of some scorn in much of Europe, but the political landscape changed dramatically. With Michael becoming a martyr of sorts to so many vampires, the curia worried that the Heresy would be blamed for the "tragedy" of the Patriarch's destruction. Narses' vaunted political skills seemed to fail him as he did nothing to dissuade this perception.

After centuries of waiting, that moment of weakness was not something that Narses' rivals could pass up. Various members of the Crimson Curia, Lasombra from Genoa and even the Venetian Cappadocians formed an alliance of convenience and spread word that Michael's destruction was the result of an arrangement between Narses and a Baali witch. Several princes and other lords of the night, called blood hunts against this Baali, thought to be named Mary and to voice their displeasure with Narses.

In 1212, the Tzimisce Bishop Nikita of Sredetz (Sofia, Bulgaria) turns the Crimson Curia against the archbishop and had him divested of his mantle of authority. A call for the blood hunt soon follows, and Narses is forced to leave Venice. He finds few vampiric lords willing or able to shelter him, and he remains on the run. In 1213, his own lieutenant and childe Guilelmo Aliprando calls a court of blood and obtains from the Amici Noctis the right to diablerize him. By 1215, Guilelmo tracks Narses down, and commits upon him the Amaranth, thus taking his place as the prince of Venice.

Statistics

Circa: 1094 A.D.
Last Modified:
Plots:
Secrets:
Haven:
Clan: Lasombra
Generation: 6th
Born: 478 A.D.
Embrace: 576
Sire: Galerius
Progeny: Bishop Alfonzo of Venice, Guilelmo Aliprando, and Magdalena Castellucci Borcellino.
Periods of Torpor:
Nature: Tyrant
Demeanor: Fanatic
Apparent Age: Late 90s
Physical: Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Stamina 1
Social: Charisma 1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 1
Mental: Perception 1, Intelligence 1, Wits 1
Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Awareness, Brawl, Dodge, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation, Leadership, Streetwise, Subterfuge
Skills: Animal Ken, Crafts, Drive, Etiquette, Firearms, Larceny, Melee, Performance, Security, Stealth, Survival
Knowledges: Academics, Computer, Finance, Investigation, Law, Linguistics, Medicine, Occult, Politics, Science, Technology
Disciplines: [[]], [[]], [[]]
Discipline Techniques:
Advanced Disciplines:
Sorcerous Paths:
Sorcerous Rituals:
Backgrounds: Allies, Alternate Identity, Contacts, Domain, Fame, Generation, Herd, Influence, Mentor, Resources, Retainers, Sect Membership, Status, Rituals (Sabbat Only)
Clan Flaw:
Extra Flaws:
Merits:
Virtues: Conscience , Self-Control , Courage
Morality:
Willpower:
Destiny:
Notes:

• -- Narses' Statistics