Alain Demacy

Alain Demacy (ah-LANE dim-ah-SEE), also known as the Black Bishop, is the leader of the Chicago Lancea et Sanctum and one of the Primogen of the city's Camarilla.

Early Life
Demacy was born in 1462, during the reign of Edward IV and the War of the Roses. His parents were simple farmers, making enough from their crops to live a comfortable life. On his twentieth birthday, Alain traveled to London with the intent of joining the Catholic Church as a priest. His proctors were impressed with his scholarship and, after only a short round of testing, admitted him as a full priest in the Roman Catholic Church. For twenty-seven years Alain served as a faithful priest, eventually becoming ordained as a Bishop. His congregation swelled, the priests under his care flourished, and not even the Wars of the Roses could diminish what he had built.

Transition/Awareness
On a hot night in early May of 1509, Alain's parish was visited by an inquisitor from Spain. He had a pallid look, as though the early summer sun had done him no favors on his trip. The inquisitor spoke quietly, but forcefully, explaining that he had been sent to monitor exiled Jews that had reportedly come through this area, and he would be most appreciative if Alain would provide shelter for a night or two. Wary of the reputation of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, but eager to share news and philosophies, Alain agreed, and had the parish staff prepare a light dinner over which the Bishop and the traveler could talk. To Alain's great surprise, the traveler wanted to talk all the the remainder of the night. When the inquisitor finally went to find rest at the dawn, Alain noticed that his guest had not even touched the food placed in front of him.

The next night, the inquisitor was standing in the chapel, regarding the regalia and sacrements placed on display. He spoke to Alain as the Bishop entered, not turning his eyes away from the items in front of him, speaking of the damned, and whether the Bishop believed that any were beyond redemption. Alain spoke his life long convictions forcefully, saying that he believed none were beyond the grace of God. The inquisitor turned to him and Alain caught his breath. The man's eyes were red as blood, his face more pallid and gaunt than even the night before. The inquisitor asked him if he believed whether or not there were limits to what God could forgive. The Bishop could not answer, his fear paralyzing him, as the inquisitor then grew a pair of fangs from his mouth and descended upon him.

Alain awoke, thirsty and panicked, to a note pinned next to his head with a dagger. It read "Find the Chapel and Spear." In his panic, Alain fled his parish, leaving all regalia and trappings behind.

The Raising of Cressida
To this day, Demacy cannot remember why he sought out the bastard daughter of Catherine of Aragon to raise as his own, but he did.

After that fateful evening, Demacy made certain that Cressida had access to all the learning she could possibly want. The manservant, Cuthbert, was tasked with watching over the girl during the day, and had been turned into Demacy's ghoul for that purpose alone. For Alain's part, he made certain that Cressida was brought up in the strict traditions of the Lancea et Sanctum. She wanted for nothing and eventually grew into a well-learned, and physically desirable, woman.

On the evening of her nineteenth birthday, Cressida was nowhere to be found. Cuthbert had no idea where she had gone either. He was about to start looking for her when his predator's sense flared, noting two Kindred, one weak and one marginally more powerful than he, approaching the walkway to his house. When the pair of Kindred arrived, they found Demacy in a rage-fuelled frenzy and Cuthbert dead and bloody on the floor. Seeing the pair, both Daeva, the Ventrue Demacy's Beast grasped control, with Demacy launching himself at the vampire who would defile his daughter. After a brief struggle amidst Cressida's screams to stop, Declan was dead, his head popped off by Demacy.

Demacy, for his part, did not look at the woman he had come to love as daughter. He told her to leave his house immediately and said nothing else.

He barely heard her leave, his lips moving in prayer to God and Longinus, asking them to forgive his murder of a Kindred.

Recent Events
Little is known of the time between Demacy's Embrace and his emergence among the Chicago Kindred. Working quietly but determinedly behind the scenes, Alain eventually won an election to Bishop of Chicago's Kindred in 1953. With the most recent shakeup involving the Invictus and the Carthian Movement, Alain was poised to win even greater influence, and with the Prince's decree reorganizing the Primogen, won a seat on her council as head of the Lancea et Sanctum. Alain and Cressida have met a few times, under amicable circumstances, but both know that it is only a matter of time before the dam breaks and all old wounds start bleeding again.

Personality
Demacy is quiet and reserved. His words, when spoken, carry weight and each has a purpose. In public, he is alternately jovial and serious. As quick with a joke as a proselytizing remark, he has made several friends. In private, however, he is as focused and driven as any religious leader.

Beliefs
Alain considers himself part of the Orthodox sect of the Lancea et Sanctum, the sect that firmly cleaves to all three Traditions and considers any broken Tradition to be a grave breach in the Kindred contract with God. Specifically, it is not the place of Kindred to spread the curse, as well as no Kindred has the right to kill another Kindred. This has drawn ire from progressives in the Sanctum, or those who seek to Embrace or dispose of rivals, though never enough to actively call for a vote for a new Bishop.

Politics
On Werewolves: Alain believes that werewolves are cursed as much as Kindred, but as his purview are the children of Longinus, he pays them little heed provided they stick to their dens and aren't hostile.

On the Fae: Alain has no opinion on the fae, save that they have caused trouble for the Camarilla in recent years.

On Marcus Purcell: Alain maintains a fair, business relationship with Purcell. He cites the philosophy of "if you can't beat them, befriend them" as his reasoning.

Relationships
===