VITUS

Vitus is a Malkavian living in the catacombs of Ancient Rome. He wanders the catacombs at night speaking to the bodies within, and has possession of a small abandoned church on the outskirts of Rome that connects to his catacombs, within which he holds a sort of vampiric church service. Vitus believes wholeheartedly that Kindred are alive in the truest sense, and that mortals are in fact the "dead" ones. The bodies in the catacombs are just as alive as he is, to him, and he learns from them as he listens to them speak.

Vitus is quite old and powerful, but his influence is extended by the closely-knit pack he lives with. Not really certain whether they're Camarilla or Sabbat, the five of them live in the catacombs together. Vitus slowly adopted them into his little family as time went on, promising to keep them all safe in return for mutual protection. He speaks softly and gently, like a wise old priest, and is almost never seen without a smile on his face.

Details

Pre-Embrace

Vitus used to be a young man named Salvator. His life was dull, and his only joy was sitting on a low wall at the edge of the city and watching the sunset. He worked a job at a bakery that he disliked, but had to keep as his parents began to charge him rent for still living in their home. He was deeply unhappy, and wanted nothing more than to drop all of his earthly connections and just experience life.

Embrace

One evening, Salvator was approached by a vampire who believed he might be able to help him with his quest for a more fulfilling life. They talked often, and their friendship grew into a relationship. This vampire's name was Cassius, and he was a rather powerful local Malkavian. At the beginning, Salvator was made a Ghoul to Cassius, to get him acquainted with the Blood before it became permanent. After a confrontation with his parents, however, Salvator asked Cassius to Embrace him as soon as possible. Cassius complied, and took Salvator under his wing as his fledgling childe. However, misfortune befell him, and he was killed in an unexpected attack. Before he died, he commanded Salvator to diablerize him, so that his blood (and the power it held) wouldn't go to waste. Salvator did so, and then took Cassius' bones and stored them in a hidden part of the catacombs.
After several years of complete isolation, Salvator broke himself out of his fugue and vowed to become everything Cassius had promised him he could become, and changed his own name to Vitus, as a symbol of how he was going to face his new life. From there, he spent his time honing his skills and seeking out vampires in need of help or shelter, in the hopes that he could become for others what was taken from him by Cassius' untimely death.

Appearance

Vitus wears old Roman priest's robes. His favorite is a flowing purple robe with red trim and hem. Underneath it, he wears a longer tan robe and a red-and-gold sash over his neck, which can be seen hanging out of the end of his purple robe. He will sometimes wear other robes, but prefers the purple one as long as nothing is visually wrong with it.
His hair is cut into a sharp sort of bob, with the front sides hanging lower than the back. It's generally a little scruffy, but he tries to keep himself neat.
His eyes are simply brown, but people often describe them as being "endless" and "mind-breaking" when stared into for too long.

Behavior

Vitus is soft-spoken and kind. His mannerisms mirror those of the most patient of priests, and he refers to almost everyone he meets as "my child" or "my dear." He smiles, he laughs, and he never sounds condescending.
At the same time, Vitus has his quirks. His insanity pushes the boundaries of life and death and blurs them together in the wrong ways, making him go on long diatribes about the nature of life. He has steadfast beliefs in the purpose of being Kindred, and can get a little upset when others call his beliefs improper or stupid. He always tries to recruit people into his sort of faith, and speaks of it like it's the one thing keeping him together. After all, how could vampirism be death when you have so fewer worries than as a mortal?

The Pack

Vitus lives with four other vampires in the catacombs.
Lucius (he/him) is a near-silent Malkavian that wears a long hooded cloak up over his face. His thin yellow hair hangs out of the edge of the hood. He rarely speaks, and prefers to communicate through writing, drawing, or a rudimentary sort of sign language. He believes that he has died, but his spirit is caught between the mortal realm and the afterlife, rendering him a ghost unable to pass on. He's the strongest fighter of everyone in the catacombs, and he and Vitus frequently train together. Lucius wins all of the wrestling, but Vitus usually fins the fist-fights.
Mircea (they/them) is a Malkavian that Vitus found hanging around a church one evening. They believe that their body is a conduit for demons, and frequently wake up with an entirely new name and personality, which is one of the demons taking up residence in their body for a while. They're loud and chatty, and speak in a more confusing pattern than either Vitus or Lucius. Their most common 'demon' is Aloysius, who is similarly loud, but a little bit more violent, and has a tendency to get into arguments with Vitus.
Tulio (he/him) is a Nosferatu that sought out Vitus when his own haven was taken over by a much older vampire, forcing him out. He took refuge in the catacombs, and eventually decided to stay. He is deathly pale and his bone structure protudes from his face, giving him an almost ghostly look. He's kind and calm, and the most suited to leadership besides Vitus. He's also the second oldest vampire in the group. He likes to keep plants, experiment with vitae in gardening, and read poetry.
Ignatius (he/him) is a Nosferatu that fought against the pack's efforts to adopt him into the group, but several close calls with vampire-hunters and one heart-to-heart conversation with Vitus had him a little bit more willing to stay. He is sharp and abraisive in personality, with an extremely short fuse. He doesn't believe anything Vitus says about his faith, but he's learned not to speak out about that. Tulio spends a lot of effort keeping him in check.

Notes

• Vitus wears a small metal pendant that he got from Cassius underneath his robes, to remember him.
• It took almost a century for Vitus to open up about his sire and his tragic death to the rest of the pack.
• Vitus has a penchant for music, and can play a few musical instruments! Once the organ was invented, Vitus became a dutiful learner, and sometimes plays at his services.

Mechanical Details

Merits
• Friend of the Underground
• Early Riser
• Hidden Diablerie
• Oracular Ability

Flaws
• Vengeful
• Tic
• Smell of the Grave
• Territorial
• Infectious Bite

Derangements
• Life/Death reversal

Gallery

Image Credits

Image 2: KilllDeer