Dark Blessings Application Holder

2011-03-05T19:18:59Z

Full name: Mael (full name unknown)
Age/DOB: Appears to be 35, was born in 25 B.C.E. In actuality is over 2000 years old.
Race: Vampire
Occupation: N/A
Birthplace: Northern Gaul (Northern France of today)

Personality: Mael is known primarily for two distinct traits: that of his inability to control his emotions fully (in particular, his temper) and his tendency to have great conviction, to the point of sheer zealotry, especially in matters of religion. He tends to cover any fear he may feel with anger, the latter being an easier emotion for him to handle, familiar and welcome. As is seen in his relationship with Jessica Reeves, Mael can be quite protective. He is capable of great devotion and loyalty to not only ideals and beliefs but also individuals. Mael prefers to keep a low profile, never having been one to be in the limelight. With little to no effort he tends to easily come across as distant, proud, and even standoffish. If he feels he or his cause has been thoroughly wronged he is not quick to forgive.

Though he may be short-sighted when it comes to the grander scheme of things, Mael actually can be clever at times. However, due to his tendency to view things in a decidedly narrow and single-minded perspective, he does not make overly sophisticated distinctions between matters in his mind. Despite his volatile temper and argumentative streak he can be almost pleasant, should he feel the need to be; but this is not a common occurrence as he is too emotionally-closed off to begin with, let alone not entirely willing to spend much time on friendly formalities, being a generally impatient being. Due to his mortal background he thrives best in situations in which there is a Greater Purpose, Meaning, or Duty/Cause, something he can intensely devote himself to fully.

Pale even as a mortal, his immortal age has only greatly increased the lightness of his skin tone. He is tall and gaunt with longish, wavy blond hair and a distinctive hawk nose. His eyes are blue, small, and deep-set, forever giving him a brooding expression. Due to his great height he can come across as overpowering, and is said to have the stance of both a priest and a warrior in one. Mael prefers to not wear garments made of cloth for he deems them too frail, in favor instead of much hardier materials. He has a preference for rawhide, buckskin, and alligator boots; organic wool is also something he has come to enjoy because of its natural resistance to fire. He chooses to not fly in airplanes, as he fears their combustibility. Mael refuses in his own manner to adapt to modern times, overall appearing to be a somewhat wild rogue of a being. He’s always been a step or three behind others throughout the entirety of his immortal life, not caring to be entirely informed of what is going on around him in the world--much more preferring to be the roaming vagabond on the outskirts of society, somewhat scruffy around the edges.

Biography: Mael was born in Northern Gaul in 25 B.C.E. His parents were Celts and of good standing in their tight-knit community, instilling a sense of pride in him at a young age. He was an only child, curious and uptight, given to somber moods yet eager to learn and please. However, his parents did not agree with the Roman customs of the day, and as such he led a sheltered life from the start, not straying far from home. Because his early schooling lessons were taught by the local Druids, he soon discovered what his path in life would be. Ever fascinated as he was by their way of life and believing fully and without question in everything they represented, Mael became a novice at age thirteen in order to join their order, his parents all too pleased in his decision. The secret training and instruction he received encompassed nearly twenty years of his life, and he was eventually inducted into the priesthood after taking many vows of secrecy, having been found worthy of character and well-suited for his new role.

As a Druid priest he was well-educated in all the appropriate matters as were befitting of his station (from moral philosophies used to administer laws to the people, to the songs and poetry of old), and he helped to preserve his people’s ancient traditions and knowledge during a time when their way of life had been outlawed by Roman rule. All was well until one day a great calamity occurred. His sect’s particular God of the Grove (in actuality a vampire trapped within a massive oak tree) was burned terribly by the sun god--unknown to the Druids, this was due to the Mother and Father of all vampires being placed into the sun to burn. Weakened and saved from ultimately perishing only by his immense age, the God of the Grove asked his faithful followers to find him a successor. The candidate had to be a 'perfect' human, well-learned, with knowledge of the world's languages. This chosen candidate must eventually travel to Egypt to discover why the calamity had taken place.

Mael was one of the priests chosen to search for the successor, and he along with the others set out to find the right person. Mael traveled south throughout Gaul, believing fully that his gods would lead him in the right direction. He searched throughout the majority of the Spring before eventually staying in the Greek city of Massilia (now modern day Marseilles). It was here that for a few weeks he went through the various taverns and other places of interest, ever searching for the right person. Mael found that he rather enjoyed the sights he saw while in the city, for the culture was all too different from the secretive Druidic society he came from; he curiously sampled the exotic foods and wine, as well as especially admiring the majestic ships in the busy harbors. It was late one fateful evening when Mael was at a waterfront tavern that he discovered a man by the name of Marius that fit all of the qualifications for a new god.

Kidnapping this man, Mael brought him back to Northern Gaul for the preparation of his future godhood. Since he had been blessed by being led to the right person, Mael was put in charge of instructing Marius in the druidic laws, customs, and poetry over the months preceding Samhein. When Samhein arrived, Marius was taken to the sacred grove where the god waited. It was Mael himself that unlocked the great door in the massive oak tree that served as the Grove God's prison, ushering Marius inside to his fate. With full belief and conviction in his heart, Mael waited with the other priests for the eventual revealing of Marius as the new god.

The sacred ceremonies afterwards proceeded as planned until it was time for Marius to be placed back within the tree. Marius broke free from their custody shortly after the old god was ritualistically burned. An alarm rang out and the druids, including Mael, gave chase. But although they searched far and wide throughout the day and night for the escaped god, no sign of him was found. Mael returned back to the groves with his fellow druids, filled with fear for their future and utterly shocked by what had taken place. No god insofar as he knew had ever attempted to escape his fate.

The druids waited for what they hoped would be the eventual return of Marius but it was to no avail--he had gone on to Egypt as the former God of the Grove had instructed him to do. Because they could not wait forever, a search was sent out to find if there survived any other gods in the few remaining sacred groves, so that they could have a replacement god created. At last word came that there was a terribly old god in Britain, still strong despite having been burnt in the terrible fire. Mael was chosen to replace Marius, as there was now no time to waste.

He made the journey across the narrow water passage between Northern Gaul and Britain with a select group of fellow priests, seeking out the proper grove. They were welcomed with open arms but warned of the local god, who was angry and didn’t agree with the ritual customs of feasting on blood only at the designated times. Mael felt the god's anger keenly yet he was not afraid. He spoke directly to the god and mentioned Marius’ escape as the reason why he needed to receive the Magic Blood. Curious, the god agreed to transform Mael as long as he had a sacrifice beforehand to gain strength for the ordeal. Reasoning with the local priests, Mael convinced them to do this.

Mael then entered the sacred tree and was roughly handled by the vampire within, the latter demanding to know all about Marius and his great escape. Mael promised to tell all if first the Blood was given to him. Once Mael was changed into a vampire, the two of them plotted together and managed to escape, Mael following in Marius' footsteps with this fellow blood drinker by the name of Avicus. (Suffice enough to say that it was more than a physical change and matter of life and death that happened when Mael was transformed: it was a total loss of faith that occurred, a destruction of the very fabric that had made up his entire life and self. This was something he would never fully recover from, in all his immortal years.)

Avicus and Mael set about immediately to traveling, taking in the sights of the world’s major cities. They eventually became close companions, both alone in the world save for each other; despite having no ultimate aim to their travels and a tendency to stick to the outside of mortal society, they were happy together for the most part. As Avicus saw all that he had been missing during his long immortal lifetime of being a Grove God, his heart opened and he was able to let go of his long held anger, adopting a much calmer persona. Mael on the other hand became increasingly bitter from his descent into the world of the undead. He gave in to the anger Avicus once had--though his was much different, as now he knew his entire belief system had been nothing but a lie, for they were not gods and this existence was nothing like he had expected it to be. He was now, for the first time in his life, a man without any sense of great purpose, or a strong, reassuring belief system to fall back on. He had been ultimately stripped of everything he had known to be true as a mortal man and the effect on his psyche was devastating.

Their travels eventually brought them to the streets of Rome and by sheer chance they came across Marius. Though Avicus was eager to know another immortal, especially one that was wise in the ways of the world, there was open hostility between Mael and Marius. Mael felt as if everything that had happened thus far was Marius’ fault, for it was Marius’ escape from what had been his divine duty that had led to Mael’s eventual transformation and loss of faith/self. A tryst of some sort was formed with time, Mael and Avicus remaining in Rome, living on the outskirts of the city and destroying any younger, rogue vampires that attempted to attack them to steal their powerful blood.

One evening, Mael and Avicus were in a particularly nasty fight with a drunken mortal gang of soldiers. Avicus managed to stay out of harm's way, but Mael was near fatally wounded, his arm cut off from his body as well as his head entirely detached. Avicus tried his best to reconnect the parts but something was not right. He carried Mael to safety and hurried to the only trustworthy immortal in Rome that he knew of: Marius. It was with Marius' help that Mael's arm and head were reattached properly. To gain back strength, Mael fed from both Marius and Avicus. It was when he fed from Marius that he saw images of the King and Queen. Mael demanded the truth about the Mother and Father after seeing these images, feeling within himself the beginning of the old devotion catch fire after so long--though he hadn’t known directly what the Mother and Father were to begin with, much of his and the other druids’ worship had been ultimately to the Great Mother, and surely this ancient being that was hidden by Marius was Her in some incarnate form.

In time, Marius took Avicus and Mael to see the Mother and Father, and Mael attempted to feed from Akasha. However, he was denied by Enkil and narrowly missed losing his life again, saved grudgingly a second time by Marius. After Marius went into a deep sleep during the fall of Rome, Avicus and Mael continued to stay in the city, fearful of leaving the Divine Parents in their shrine unguarded while Marius was out of commission. A hundred years later the time came when they decided to finally move on to Constantinople. They procured a ship with a crew willing to let them alone at night. Before leaving, they went to try one last time to wake Marius and ask him to join them on their journey. Marius consented and the three of them brought the Divine Parents onto the ship and set sail, making peace and becoming close companions along the way.

Once in Constantinople, trouble occurred when they were sent for by an older vampire named Eudoxia, who proclaimed the city to be her own; she did not approve of them being there. Eventually, Marius had to kill her servants and then brought Eudoxia to Akasha, the Queen promptly destroying her. But one devoted love of Eudoxia survived, having been hidden in another building due to Eudoxia’s foresight that something drastic would occur. This young, much weaker vampire’s name was Zenobia. Marius insisted Avicus and Mael keep her with them to take care of her, as he intended to leave with the parents; but at Mael’s refusal to do this, Marius gave Zenobia his blood to strengthen her and then taught her how to survive.

Avicus was heartbroken at the news of Marius leaving, though he was quite enamored with Zenobia and willing to take care of her. Mael however would not stand for it. He was upset that Marius would leave on such short notice, not to mention drop this burden of a vampire upon himself and Avicus. Although Zenobia had been made stronger by Marius’ blood, Mael still saw her as a ‘weak’ creature, nevermind that she was a woman--still a girl, really. Despite Mael’s misgivings about the situation, he was left ultimately powerless to do anything against it, though he tried to convince Avicus to do otherwise. Marius left with the parents and Avicus and Mael remained in Constantinople with Zenobia.

Mael grew to eventually care for Zenobia and she for him, but the connection they had was nowhere near as strong as the one between her and Avicus. The two of them spent a great amount of time together, collecting knowledge of the world and entertaining themselves with mortals at grand parties and the such. Mael preferred to not take part in their activities, disapproving of their actions and choosing instead to live on the outskirts of the mortal world, which he felt was befitting of a vampire. He began to withdraw from Zenobia’s and even moreso from Avicus’ company, and around 1450 the great divide between the three of them finally happened. Avicus convinced Zenobia to leave with him and Mael, unsurprised by this course of action considering the circumstances, chose to accept their decision instead of fighting it.

Mael wandered in and out of time, traveling around the European countries, never once running into Avicus or Zenobia again. It was in the 15th century when his travels brought him near Rome that he came across a Satanic coven leader by the name of Santino. This Santino pressed Mael for information about the Divine Parents and urged Mael to join him as a follower. Disgusted by the prospect of such a dreary existence with vampires that believed far too much in the words of the religion--Christianity--that had helped to crush his own pagan roots, Mael refused. He did not, however, deny that the Divine Parents existed, though he made it clear that he had no idea where they were located. After he left Santino he continued on to Venice, visiting Marius briefly. This contact with another whom he had once known renewed his courage in continuing onward through time, content that he, too, could survive.

And so went the centuries, Mael gradually broadening the distance of his travels from his familiar boundaries, soon finding himself in the Amazon jungles of South America. It was here that he stayed for some time and was discovered by an ancient vampire named Maharet. He was captivated by her beauty and all too willing to give himself over to her, though he also feared her because of her great age and power. They became companions, he entertaining her with stories of his past and travels, she giving him a sense of duty and purpose again, for Maharet had her own personal goals in mind--Mael devoted himself almost religiously to serving her wishes, which eventually included searching for, at times with her beloved fledgling Eric, a mysterious red-haired woman.

One fateful summer in the early 1970s, Maharet invited her distant relative Jessica Reeves to her Sonoma Compound in Northern California. Jesse, all too similar to Maharet in appearance and even somewhat in her bold mannerisms, quickly captured Mael's heart. He felt an immediate outpouring of love for her and an overwhelming desire to protect her, as he feared for her life. By the end of the summer he was no longer able to control himself and attempted to drink from her, but was quickly stopped by Maharet. Jesse was sent away soon after Mael’s blunder and entered the Talamasca. During this time in her life he watched over her from a distance, ever fearful of any harm coming to her.

It was at Lestat's concert that Mael was sent by Maharet to protect Jesse and get her out of the vicinity, safe from the Queen’s wrath. Here he encountered Khayman, another ancient vampire, who urged him to better cloak his thoughts so as to save not only himself, but also Maharet and Jesse from Akasha’s detection. Due to the frantic crush of both immortals and mortals in the crowd, Jesse was gravely injured, her neck instantly broken. She was taken immediately to the hospital once found, and Mael visited her to give her as much of his blood as he could without transforming her. He was about to make her into a vampire once and for all to save her life, but Maharet arrived just in time to do it herself.

Mael is spared from Akasha’s attack and joins the other survivors in the stand against Akasha at Maharet’s compound. After Akasha’s destruction, he goes with them to Armand’s Night Island in Florida, particularly interested in engaging Khayman in conversation. However, Mael had been a wanderer far too long and so did not stay as long as the others did, for he was constantly leaving and then coming back, finally not returning at all. After Lestat’s journey through Heaven and Hell and the revealing of Veronica’s Veil in Manhattan, Mael hurried to see the relic for himself, hope afire that there was finally a cause truly worthy of his own personal sacrifice. By the time he arrived in Manhattan, Armand had already offered himself over to the sun/God. Mael believed that the Veil was concrete evidence of the sublime and despite his immortality, the sun would incinerate him completely. It was the morning after he arrived in Manhattan, on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in full view of the media, that Mael too attempted to give himself over to the Divine.

Much to his disappointment, Mael survived the rays of the sun, for he was far too old for it to kill him completely. Distressed, he left Manhattan and went on the road again, coming into contact with Maharet, Eric, and Jesse once more. He stayed with them until he regained his strength.

Abilities/Powers: Like all vampires he has the spell gift and the mind gift, which is to say he can enchant mortals should he choose to, and hear their thoughts (as well as those of other immortals if they have not closed their minds to him; this includes the ability to communicate through thoughts). Over time he has also developed the ability to kill with his mind--this is not a power he is quick to employ. There is no exact telling if he has the gift of flight or not, but it’s probable that he does, considering his age.

EXAMPLES
First person: I remember the first time I doned the garments of a Druid priest to take my place amongst the elders and other initiates. In my excitement it felt as if my entire body was charged with an inner power, so self-satisfied was I at meeting my goal, so eager to finally start my life. This was what I had strived for, and it had taken nigh two decades to reach this day. The sense of belonging, of being one part of an entire whole, was overwhelming. I was where I was meant to be, the gods had led me down this path and I would do my best to show that I was truly devoted.

Unfortunately, it was during my mortal lifetime that the Emperor Augustus had decreed our religion, our way of life, as nothing but barbarism and something to be prohibited. But we were not Roman! We chose not to follow their rules. They were a corrupt, worldly society. We hearkened instead to the natural powers of the very earth itself and obeyed its true gods and goddesses. What did the Roman societal standards matter to us? How could we stop doing what had always been done? There seemed no sense in their oppression, only a lack of deeper understanding and respect for our people, who had lived and died on our land far before they ever had.

Nothing has truly changed in the two millenia I’ve been on this earth. There are still those that wish to usurp others’ divine right to worship as they see fit, and those that choose to rise against the oppression only to leave the bodies of the fallen by their wayside. They go on to fight all the more strongly for their beliefs, or they become corrupt and disheveled, certainly making a disgrace of themselves and what they once proudly represented. I have seen core elements of many older religions recycled over and over again throughout the ages, each new group created trying to declare that they are unique in what they believe. It’s foolish.

Do they not all live underneath the same sun, for surely the sun must burn as brightly as it did when I last saw it? Do they not still derive their sustenance from the earth’s plentiful bounty, giving thanks to that which has been given to them? For are they not connected on a divine, subconscious level, and as one, collected being, should there not be a sense of peace? And yet there is no sense of true peace, only a feeling of constant upheaval, and look how the people suffer for this, for want of unity! It is nothing but the same old cycle, dressed in new clothes for a new age.

Yet I’m certain there is more than a grain of truth in what I say, as certain as what I knew to be true as a mortal. It’s akin to what will be true again for me one blessed night, when my path is once more revealed and I am allowed to follow it as I should. One is all, and All is One--would that the mortal world should open its eyes again to this truth and reap the rewards, instead of choosing to silence those that understand and seek to live their lives by it.

Third person: The redwood trees stood tall as they always had, limbs now lush with the spring’s new growth. Though they were silent beings, save for the rustling of the wind amongst their leaves, there was an aura of ancient knowledge about them even today. It was as if they held within them secrets that could only be obtained were one to listen closely, were one to commune with the correct god. Yes, he thinks with an ironic smile, if there were any gods to be heard. Ah, but suppose there were. Was there not still that feeling within him, even after all of these years? An old, simple hope that despite what he had seen and experienced, how he had bitterly failed time and again, refused to die.

It was here in Northern California only recently that he’d heard of the relics from a stray immortal, no more than a fledgling, perhaps. But this one had been daringly bold, pushing down their fear in an attempt to approach him, despite his greater age and power. Though Mael’s travels had taken him across the globe and back in a subconscious near-futile search of that which he had once lost (and how great the emptiness was inside, even now, from losing the old faith), he still remained rather circular in where he would eventually find himself. While Maharet had not been back to the compound since the confrontation with Akasha, Mael had several times since. To what purpose he wasn’t entirely certain--perhaps to confirm that what had happened was not simply fiction, but cold, hard fact. At least, that had been the reason behind the first few visits. The others were nothing but acts of longing for a time since past.

Mael hadn’t dallied long with the younger vampire. In the end the fear had won out, as it usually did. But this was of no great consequence; the fledgling’s tongue had been loose and what he had not spoken he had thought about loudly enough for Mael to hear. There was a revival of almost collected interest lately stirring amongst other blood drinkers, in the shape of ancient relics with supposedly great power that were timeless in a manner entirely their own. Mael felt stirred to action, for surely there must be others out there that wanted to see these objects for themselves. It was possible their prophesied power was not entirely mythologized.

Truth be told, it all reeked slightly of the debacle that was Lestat’s great revealing of Veronica’s Veil, and while Mael knew he might once more fail to discover proof of the Divine that was utterly pure and true, he felt compelled regardless to make the journey.

And so it was to New Orleans that he traveled quite willingly, the city where it was said that these relics would be on display. He was on the move as he had been for ages, but this time with a definite destination and a goal in mind--the first time in what felt like too long. Though his goal was somewhat vague, it was enough for Mael, who’d never needed to know absolutely everything about something he believed in, in the very core of his soul; what mattered ultimately was the ability to simply believe in a greater purpose to everything, in and of itself. To have conviction again in something, even the tiniest amount, the slightest glimmer of faith restored to him...it would be a feeling rather like being complete, and he certainly was not going to pass up the chance.

MISC
General plan: It is his same old calling to the mystic qualities and mysteries of life that Mael has journeyed to the city that was once ransacked by Mother Nature’s violence. New Orleans is now an emblem of surviving hope itself, even as it is in a constant state of reconstruction, and this appeals to him. Though he was brought incredibly low by his failure to truly unite himself with the Divine in the instance of Veronica’s Veil, Mael still cannot resist hearkening to the call of the mysterious relics he has heard word of from immortal passerby. He is certain the myths must be true in some shape or form, and surely then the relics, and the power they hold, are true as well. He wants to see if it’s possible for him to see them with his own eyes and judge their credibility--this, he feels, is maybe what he was saved for, why he did not burn entirely to ashes in the heat of the sun’s rays.

Though he is not the most sociable of vampires, Mael is curious despite himself as to who else has felt the pull of these relics and chosen to heed their call, also venturing to New Orleans in order to find out the truth behind them. He will not necessarily seek anyone out upon first arriving, though it’s certain that when he realizes Marius is also in the city he’ll feel the need to pay an old friend a visit.

and a hundred days and nights could find me scattered

Dark Blessings Application Holder