Midnight Secret

PERSONAL

Gender: Male

Kit: Mental

Location: Any major city

AFFILIATION

Alignment: Villain

Team: Solo Villain

VITAL STATS

Strength: standard (rank 1)

Agility: standard (rank 1)

Mind: standard (rank 1)

Body: superior (rank 2)

Spirit: standard (rank 1)

Charisma: ultimate (rank 4)

RECORD

Infamy Points: 25

Personal Wins: 1

Personal Losses: 1

Team Wins: 0

Team Losses: 0

Tourney Wins: 0

Tourney Losses: 0

STATUS

Status: Active

Culwych1

From the Journal of Raphael Van Helsing, April 20th 2010

It had been about three weeks since my encounter with the werewolf of Dunkirk and still my body ached from the battle. Luckily this was down to bruises rather than any bites or scratches but as a precaution I would lock myself in at the next full moon.

However, I would need to find a suitable lock-in as I travel to Paris for my next hunt has already presented itself. My old acquaintance Father Claude of Church Saint Justine called with worries about one of his parish members. A lady by the name Elise, a lady of pureness and unquestionable virtue had called with fears of being lured into the temptation of the soul, mind and body.

I landed in Paris with just a suitcase containing the necessary equipment for the task. Having heard the Father’s full story of this woman and consulted the Van Helsing legacy journal, I had already built up a possible culprit; one that both Gabriel and Abraham Van Helsing had encountered and defeated but failed to put down for good. As I hefted the bag with the only gun I would possibly need to succeed, I smiled. Let’s see that bastard get out of this one.

The Revolver in my bag would kill near enough anything otherworldly and I was a very good shot. The demon in question was aptly named the Midnight Secret, the father of all Incubi, demons that pursue women and tempt them from the path of virtue. It was truly a testament to the faith Elise had in the Lord that she had managed to warn Father Claude of this evil before it had claimed her.

 

From the Journal of Raphael Van Helsing, April 21st 2010

We had stopped the car outside the magnificent gates to the estate where Elise lived and crept around the side entrance, Father Claude leading the way across a sodden path. He had insisted on accompanying me on this quest and given his closeness to Elise I had agreed. If anything he could keep her safe while I dealt with the demon.

I picked the lock to the door and we crept into the dark house. We needed to get to her room quietly and above all quickly. From the Van Helsing journals I understood that the process from initial corruption to the death of the lady could take place in as little as three nights, perhaps quicker if her guilt was strong but her will weak. The demon would appear as a stranger or even a former lover and tempt the married woman to meeting in the middle of the night, prompting unfaithfulness and sin. Once he had her way with her, it was the seed of guilt that was spawned deep inside her that would drive her to madness.

She would heap hate and despair on those she loved most the world, driving them away or even killing them and then she would return to the arms of her demonic lover only to find him laughing and mocking her. It was this final moment, when her world truly collapsed around her that the demon would reveal his true form and suck her spirit completely dry.

This would not happen to Elise, I would make sure of that.

 

The Light of God

      Character Weakness to Light:

 

It is important that you know as soon as possible how this evil could be defeated but I do recommend the whole story is read and those of my ancestors as well to truly understand the nature of this evil beast of sin.

Even as I knelt powerless in before the demon's wrath and prepared to blow my brains out, my good friend Father Claude stood up and held firm against the terrible power that confronted him.

He stood strong and reached into himself to find a faith that few in this world still possess. Clutching his crucifix firmly in his hand, Father Claude called upon a light that exists in the deepest part of our souls. It is the healing light, the Light of God some call it and on this day I came to believe that is an appropriate appellation.

Father Claude exploded in a shower of pure and radiant hot white light. The whole room shook and I fell back with my hands over my eyes. I heard the Midnight Secret scream in anger, pain and frustration as cracks seemed to appear in the very fabric of reality. The light felt like a powerful hand gripping everything in its gentle embrace. It was tender like a giant delicately holding something it knew it could break but with a squeeze.

When the light finally cleared, Father Claude was lying on the floor, dead and the demon was nowhere to be seen. Elise was hiding in the corner of the room; alive but I doubted her mind would ever be fully repaired from the damage of the demon’s power.

I have scribed everything that took place in the Van Helsing Journals so that future generations may also prepare for the Midnight Secret’s evil. Whilst I believe that Father Claude’s sacrifice may have bought us a few years, I know deep inside that the terrible demon will return to torment the innocent and virtuous...

 

Durability of the Demon

     Enhanced Endurance: superior

 

From the Journal of Raphael Van Helsing, April 21st 2010

We crept through the house quickly and silently, me armed with the Revolver and Father Claude with a sturdy crucifix. We could hear voices from the master bedroom. I knew for a fact that Elise’s husband was in the US on business and it was a bit late for guests…

The Revolver in my hand nearly quivered with excitement. I only took it on me for the toughest of fights, as it was too dangerous a tool ever to fall into the wrong hands. I knew a lot about demons from the journal and experience that they were a tough bunch to kill at the best of times. A Father of Demons was a rank just above a General of Hell although, thankfully enough, without command of an army or squadron of demons. Still, this was definitely a situation where the normal bullets, salt, silver or even run-of-the-mill holy weapons would not do.

 

Beauty of the Beast

     Enhanced Charisma: ultimate

 

I gently pushed open the door and there lay Elise, her beautiful slim body naked but for a thin, silky nightdress.

Elise had nothing but eyes for the man lying on top of her and stared at him with a look of absolute concentration and awe. If I didn’t know better I would have said that she was deeply and madly in love… but luckily I did. He was whispering something to her and even from where I stood I felt shivers run up my spine. The man’s words were like the caress of satin or of fingertips down the back of my neck.

This was the kind of man that other men would gladly follow into battle, would want at their side when the going got tough and that they would gladly call brother. He was the loving father that guided you or the favourite teacher that nurtured your passion in life.

For the woman I but imagine the terrible passion this man would evoke in her; enough even to tempt the most righteous and devoted.

 

Body of Sin

     Shapeshift: standard (rank 1)

 

The man had dark hair and was muscular, possibly of Italian or Greek descent, looking like something straight out of a romance novel. This was another thing I remembered from the Journals; the creature would adopt whatever form his victim would find the most pleasing to best tempt her.

Even as I watched the form subtly changed, undoubtedly responding to Elise’s desires and changing passions. His shoulders would grow slightly larger or his chin narrower. His fingers became longer or shorter to suit his needs and her cravings.

The only thing that didn’t seem to change was the cold look in his eyes.... and he was staring straight at me!

 

Mind of the Monster

     Mind Control: standard (rank 1)

  • Ranged Attack

 

I stood rooted to the spot as he turned his awful gaze upon me and felt a tugging at my mind. His awful presence was suddenly there and he tugged and prodded my thoughts and memories. I felt sick, as if he was sticking sickly fingers right into my brain. They infected my thoughts and brought up memories of pain and anger.

But I had more than enough training in the area of telepathy from the Monks of Disorder in the East and slowly but surely I threw up barriers to his terrible onslaught. Despite my training, I was but an enhanced man and he was a Father of Demons, a monster from the very pit of Hell and as quickly as I threw up barriers I felt him rip them down and continue his sickening attack.

Vvaaaaan Hellsssiinnnggg…. He whispered, his voice a cancerous tumour in my mind.

 

Love's True Form

     Mythic Physiology: standard (rank 1)

 

Suddenly, Father Claude rushed in with his crucifix raised and shouted words of power in Latin. Instinctively, the Midnight Secret pulled back and I gratefully felt his presence leave my inner thoughts. Father Claude stepped slowly forward, still chanting in Latin and invoking all that was holy and good to drive out the demon from our world.

Even over his mad shouting I heard the demon chuckle. He stood before us, a man as naked as the day he was born. Then slowly he changed…

I want to say it was like melting but the true comparison was like he had two forms and they slowly melded from one to the other, features flowing from one into the other. And where there had been a man a moment before stood a huge and powerful demon in his true form. Hell had come to Earth and Father Claude stopped in his tracks. Even I had to divert my gaze as the true monster, cloaked in all his sin and vice revealed his true form.

I heard Elise, still lying on the bed cry out in horror. It was the scream of a broken spirit and I knew she would never be the same again.

The demon was about eight feet tall, mesmerising in his power and with horns that reached nearly to the tall ceiling. He was a Father of Demons and there were few in Hell that did not bow to him.

 

Love thy Master!

     Emotion Manipulation: ultimate (rank 4)

  • Ranged Attack
  • Long Ranged Attack
  • Multi-Attack

 

The Midnight Secret smiled a terrible grin of triumph and then turned his true gaze upon us. It was the gaze of Hell and with it came everything that was wrong with the world. Every sin, every vice, every cheating spouse and every lusting thought pressed down on us. He turned his mighty power on us...

Both Father Claude and I fell to our knees in front of the demon and I felt my heart break. It was unbearable. I loved this demon so much and I could not believe that I had come here to kill it. I began weeping at the thought of having dared to betray such a wonderful being. He loved me and this was how I treated him.

I didn’t deserve to live, didn’t deserve the demon’s love.

As I reached for the Revolver I knew what I must do. I couldn’t go on living now that I had known the true love that this Father of Demons could bestow upon me. How could I ever love anyone else. Water would taste like sand, food like dust. I would kill myself and show Midnight Secret just how much I loved him.

From where I knelt I saw Father Claude slowly rise…