Previous Game History: Abel is being ported from mayfield_rpg, where he resided for a little more than a year as the 'father' of his house on Albright Lane.
The very nature of the town itself was something of a great factor in his growth; considering his lifestyle in the Trinity Blood world, having a 'normal' job in a 'normal' town, being separated from obligation and responsibility as a member of the church -- and thus no longer having any guidance from his superiors was a rather big deal. From his childhood to the present at the age of 977, he had never had the chance to languish and understand what it was to simply be a man separated from the duties and expectations others set on his shoulders, or told how to reach his goals by those he came to rely on and trust whole-heartedly. To be honest, he was more than slightly lost without it -- especially when the repeated events and traumatic incidents that hit his family and friends hard were things he could not protect them from, meaning he was helpless and nothing but a man as they endured their trials.
One of the most influential points Mayfield offered was one that existed right from the start -- when Abel woke up in town, he did so under the very same house as his partner, Esther Blanchett, and his twin brother (who had been deceased in Abel's timeline for centuries), aged down to an innocent ten year old and ignorant of his horrible future. His life was something of a 'second chance' in so many ways -- he was able to see his precious brother again, to be the sibling he felt he had failed to be the first time around -- and to try to protect and make him happy in repentance for the sins he had not yet transgressed in Cain's memory. This was obviously a huge adjustment for both of them, and there were a great many pitfalls along the way -- but inevitably despite their age gap, both of them were tied together even more tightly than ever before. Abel began to understand his brother in a way he hadn't ever been given the opportunity to when growing up beside him... and Cain was gifted with the brotherly love he had always wanted but was denied by his distant and angry twin. This time was nothing short of precious to both of them and something they would never forget, even if it was wrought with pain and tears as well as contentment and affection.
His relationship with Esther also changed and mutated over the course of their time in the town; because the nature of Mayfield was to make a man, no matter his physical strength or otherworldly ability, completely helpless and no more powerful than an infant, he and his partner were left on a surprisingly even field. Abel was unused to this -- the power of Crusnik and his promise to his dead soulmate meant that he was always the masochistic protector of man, the one who had the strength at his fingertips to do whatever it took to save those around him. He was used to being at the top of the food chain... But failing time and time again to accomplish things that would have weighed in his favor at home was a major blow. Esther began to teach him that it was alright to rely on others -- to fight and trust his comrades, and to stop seeing every scratch and bruise as a personal failure, to let it defeat him. Learning to trust his friends and to walk a path with others, not so alone -- to trust her in particular -- was a giant milestone.
Alongside his relationships with Cain and Esther, there were others that memorably touched and affected him -- especially Charles and Ciel, both from worlds other than Abel's own. Both became close enough to be considered something like family in his eyes, similar to the bond he has with his comrades at home; they fought side-by-side, and in times of duress -- it was them Abel inevitably could turn to. This was the first time that he was gifted with the ability to make 'friendships' outside of those born of a direct relationship with the Vatican or 'work'; these people may share a town with him, but there was nothing dictating their closeness otherwise. Even so... in a sign of how far his friendships with them progressed, it was Ciel, Charles, Cain and Esther who attended the very first birthday party he ever had thrown in his name by 'humans.' There are no words to describe how memorable and deeply profound this was to him, a show of what it was truly like to be 'loved' not for any grandiose or wordy thing, but... for simply being 'Abel.'
It was gaining that sort of closeness with Charles that seemed remarkable despite his prickly demeanor that meant worlds to him; it gave him hope and faith in his ability to comfort and protect others not as the monster and sinner, but the man -- even if that man still had a heavy penance to pay. Likewise... it was learning what it was to be a 'man' to a 'woman' who inspired far too much contentment in a soul he believes deserved the distinct lack of it that moved him so greatly; Ciel is an amazing influence... causing him to question the path his life has been on and his most masochistic tendencies. She is softening the edges of a self-loathing that's existed for centuries, giving him hope and belief in the prospect that, perhaps.. perhaps he could learn to be happy through the happiness of others, inspired not as a protector or any grand thing -- but by being himself, and the comfort he can offer as nothing more than a normal and simple-minded human being.
Not all development has been positive. He has taken significant hits in his insecurities and fears; Mayfield's events were often horrific and traumatizing, and while Abel was not personally subjected to much of its tortures firsthand, watching those around him suffer bred the feeling of uselessness and ineffectiveness by leaps and bounds. He has watched people he loves die before his eyes, seen them bleed, observed them endure torturous miseries he would have taken upon himself tenfold to save them from -- but been powerless to do so. For a man who considers the value of his life next to nothing to begin with, having his 'purpose' stripped of him in this way has been a heavy burden to bear along with the rest. None-the-less, he refuses to give up -- and that will not change, no matter how far he's hammered into the ground. As long as there are people around him, loved ones to goad into smiling again... he will pick himself -- and them -- up, and keep moving forward.
The most notable mod-run events that left the deeper and more lasting marks on our hero in Mayfield's history were: - Thanksgiving: The town deteriorated to a nuclear wasteland. Considering the untoward memories this brought about, Abel was less than fond to say the least from the get-go; however, the fact that he had not regained his abilities or durability as a clone or Crusnik meant that he expired from radiation poisoning. He left his little brother in the care of Clark Kent, and died to be resurrected at the end of the event. He's told no one of this to this day. - Dr. Johnson's experiments: The NPC Dr. Johnson briefly held control over the town; during this time, a great majority of its citizens were kidnapped night by night and found the following morning experimented on in crude and often times grotesque or horrifying ways. Their minds were played with; their bodies warped -- Cain was one such victim. Abel spent days watching his brother fearful even of him, afraid he was on the brink of death and being hunted by unseen enemies. She holds a special place in his heart... the place where all the lingering rage and bloodlust goes, of course. He isn't fond of doctors who play mad scientist to begin with, but hurting his kin is an unforgivable transgression. She might be one of the only individuals Abel would legitimately break his promise and kill if given the opportunity. - The Carnival: Cain lost his life when a trip through a funhouse lead to a bubble-dimension of a 'prototype' Mayfield. Cain was beheaded inside of it by a glitch portal (or corrupt data pocket in the simulation). Personality: Abel is, at first glance, a rather unassuming and pathetic priest with a distinct sweet tooth and appears impossibly hard to take seriously whatsoever. And, if he had his way, you'd think no more of him than that - he'll gladly chat you up for hours regarding just about anything - the weather, local news, how nice your shirt looks, oh my what a pretty sunset...! all the while never truly revealing much of substance about himself or letting the conversation get too serious. He can seem vacant and flighty, but it's all a facade hiding something much more than one might expect.
At 976 years old, "Father Nightroad" is actually a genetically enhanced clone - one of four - injected with "Crusnik" nanomachines which, upon activation, transform him into a 'vampire eating vampire.' They alter his appearance and behavior, acting like a sentient parasite that's only purpose is to kill and destroy. The more he uses Crusnik, the less he's able to resist its pull, the temptation to fuse to 100% and become a slave to its will calling to him. He considers Crusnik a "mark of his sins," a side of himself he hates showing anyone and prefers to use only as a last resort when absolutely necessary - and those sins don't paint a very pretty picture.
For all his light-hearted banter and warm smiles, Abel utterly and completely loathes himself - and perhaps for good reason. He has no self-respect and considers himself a monster; long before he held the title of 'priest,' Abel was 'Contra Mundi' -- or 'enemy of the world.' Born a clone whose purpose was to herald mankind into the future by colonizing Mars, Abel was treated like a lab rat and 'tool.' He loathed the mistreatment of his kin, and unlike his twin brother (who he was directly cloned from), he wore his rage like a second skin. He became bitter and openly hated the people he was supposed to serve. Violent, disobedient, mouthy and off-putting, it came as no surprise when he ended up attracting the ire of those above and beneath him to the point that there was an attempt on his life. When he was given the power of "Crusnik," he used it to help begin a cycle of genocide to rid the world of humanity once in for all. Abel is single-handedly responsible for over seven million deaths -- not counting those he aided his kin in further destroying. They leveled cities; they plunged the entire Earth into a state of near inhabitable emptiness that came to be known as the "Dark Ages." If not for Lilith Sahl - the woman who loved him and saw that little spark of humanity buried under so much fear and hurt and longing to be accepted, loved... he might have continued on that way forever and wiped out mankind.
When Lilith was killed by the Crusnik nanomachines puppetting his brother, Cain, he realized the full scope of his errors in judgment, how far he'd fallen -- and effectively ended the war by killing his (already dead) twin, taking her corpse with him to Earth, and requesting to be sealed away in her crypt beneath the Vatican. It was there he remained for the next 800 years of his life... hoping for a death that wouldn't come to reunite him with his soulmate and his just desserts for not realizing the fate his brother had suffered ages ago to the monster behind his eyes. The only woman who had ever held out hope for his soul - and died for him to see it, too. If he hadn't been given a purpose in Caterina Sforza's accidental discovery of his sealed-up and still grief-ridden form ten years ago, he would likely still be locked away from the world in his dead lover's crypt. He tells her he can't not protect humans; it's his duty to keep on living, to protect humanity and undo the damage he's wrought in his past, to carry Lilith's love into the future and continue her work where it left off.
And so he loves the world and the people in it; he hates seeing suffering and sacrifice. If there's something he can do to ease someone else's pain, chances are he'll go to great lengths to do so. In the same breath, he can be a selfish and childish creature. Even when he knows it causes those who trust him pain, he'll very rarely if ever be truthful about both his past and his "other self;" he fears to damage the friendships he's made and frighten those who've put trust in him by showing them what he truly is (or to face the reality of being shunned for it, just as much). And, more than anything, he is almost constantly doing battle with his conscience that tells him he doesn't deserve their trust, their friendship, at all. So, chances are a great deal of his interaction with the world will remain superficial and shallow; he'll befriend you, lend you his shoulder, fight by your side - but the chances he'll genuinely let you see who he is are slim to none.
abel nightroad - trinity blood - reserved
The very nature of the town itself was something of a great factor in his growth; considering his lifestyle in the Trinity Blood world, having a 'normal' job in a 'normal' town, being separated from obligation and responsibility as a member of the church -- and thus no longer having any guidance from his superiors was a rather big deal. From his childhood to the present at the age of 977, he had never had the chance to languish and understand what it was to simply be a man separated from the duties and expectations others set on his shoulders, or told how to reach his goals by those he came to rely on and trust whole-heartedly. To be honest, he was more than slightly lost without it -- especially when the repeated events and traumatic incidents that hit his family and friends hard were things he could not protect them from, meaning he was helpless and nothing but a man as they endured their trials.
One of the most influential points Mayfield offered was one that existed right from the start -- when Abel woke up in town, he did so under the very same house as his partner, Esther Blanchett, and his twin brother (who had been deceased in Abel's timeline for centuries), aged down to an innocent ten year old and ignorant of his horrible future. His life was something of a 'second chance' in so many ways -- he was able to see his precious brother again, to be the sibling he felt he had failed to be the first time around -- and to try to protect and make him happy in repentance for the sins he had not yet transgressed in Cain's memory. This was obviously a huge adjustment for both of them, and there were a great many pitfalls along the way -- but inevitably despite their age gap, both of them were tied together even more tightly than ever before. Abel began to understand his brother in a way he hadn't ever been given the opportunity to when growing up beside him... and Cain was gifted with the brotherly love he had always wanted but was denied by his distant and angry twin. This time was nothing short of precious to both of them and something they would never forget, even if it was wrought with pain and tears as well as contentment and affection.
His relationship with Esther also changed and mutated over the course of their time in the town; because the nature of Mayfield was to make a man, no matter his physical strength or otherworldly ability, completely helpless and no more powerful than an infant, he and his partner were left on a surprisingly even field. Abel was unused to this -- the power of Crusnik and his promise to his dead soulmate meant that he was always the masochistic protector of man, the one who had the strength at his fingertips to do whatever it took to save those around him. He was used to being at the top of the food chain... But failing time and time again to accomplish things that would have weighed in his favor at home was a major blow. Esther began to teach him that it was alright to rely on others -- to fight and trust his comrades, and to stop seeing every scratch and bruise as a personal failure, to let it defeat him. Learning to trust his friends and to walk a path with others, not so alone -- to trust her in particular -- was a giant milestone.
Alongside his relationships with Cain and Esther, there were others that memorably touched and affected him -- especially Charles and Ciel, both from worlds other than Abel's own. Both became close enough to be considered something like family in his eyes, similar to the bond he has with his comrades at home; they fought side-by-side, and in times of duress -- it was them Abel inevitably could turn to. This was the first time that he was gifted with the ability to make 'friendships' outside of those born of a direct relationship with the Vatican or 'work'; these people may share a town with him, but there was nothing dictating their closeness otherwise. Even so... in a sign of how far his friendships with them progressed, it was Ciel, Charles, Cain and Esther who attended the very first birthday party he ever had thrown in his name by 'humans.' There are no words to describe how memorable and deeply profound this was to him, a show of what it was truly like to be 'loved' not for any grandiose or wordy thing, but... for simply being 'Abel.'
It was gaining that sort of closeness with Charles that seemed remarkable despite his prickly demeanor that meant worlds to him; it gave him hope and faith in his ability to comfort and protect others not as the monster and sinner, but the man -- even if that man still had a heavy penance to pay. Likewise... it was learning what it was to be a 'man' to a 'woman' who inspired far too much contentment in a soul he believes deserved the distinct lack of it that moved him so greatly; Ciel is an amazing influence... causing him to question the path his life has been on and his most masochistic tendencies. She is softening the edges of a self-loathing that's existed for centuries, giving him hope and belief in the prospect that, perhaps.. perhaps he could learn to be happy through the happiness of others, inspired not as a protector or any grand thing -- but by being himself, and the comfort he can offer as nothing more than a normal and simple-minded human being.
Not all development has been positive. He has taken significant hits in his insecurities and fears; Mayfield's events were often horrific and traumatizing, and while Abel was not personally subjected to much of its tortures firsthand, watching those around him suffer bred the feeling of uselessness and ineffectiveness by leaps and bounds. He has watched people he loves die before his eyes, seen them bleed, observed them endure torturous miseries he would have taken upon himself tenfold to save them from -- but been powerless to do so. For a man who considers the value of his life next to nothing to begin with, having his 'purpose' stripped of him in this way has been a heavy burden to bear along with the rest. None-the-less, he refuses to give up -- and that will not change, no matter how far he's hammered into the ground. As long as there are people around him, loved ones to goad into smiling again... he will pick himself -- and them -- up, and keep moving forward.
The most notable mod-run events that left the deeper and more lasting marks on our hero in Mayfield's history were:
- Thanksgiving: The town deteriorated to a nuclear wasteland. Considering the untoward memories this brought about, Abel was less than fond to say the least from the get-go; however, the fact that he had not regained his abilities or durability as a clone or Crusnik meant that he expired from radiation poisoning. He left his little brother in the care of Clark Kent, and died to be resurrected at the end of the event. He's told no one of this to this day.
- Dr. Johnson's experiments: The NPC Dr. Johnson briefly held control over the town; during this time, a great majority of its citizens were kidnapped night by night and found the following morning experimented on in crude and often times grotesque or horrifying ways. Their minds were played with; their bodies warped -- Cain was one such victim. Abel spent days watching his brother fearful even of him, afraid he was on the brink of death and being hunted by unseen enemies. She holds a special place in his heart... the place where all the lingering rage and bloodlust goes, of course. He isn't fond of doctors who play mad scientist to begin with, but hurting his kin is an unforgivable transgression. She might be one of the only individuals Abel would legitimately break his promise and kill if given the opportunity.
- The Carnival: Cain lost his life when a trip through a funhouse lead to a bubble-dimension of a 'prototype' Mayfield. Cain was beheaded inside of it by a glitch portal (or corrupt data pocket in the simulation).
Personality: Abel is, at first glance, a rather unassuming and pathetic priest with a distinct sweet tooth and appears impossibly hard to take seriously whatsoever. And, if he had his way, you'd think no more of him than that - he'll gladly chat you up for hours regarding just about anything - the weather, local news, how nice your shirt looks, oh my what a pretty sunset...! all the while never truly revealing much of substance about himself or letting the conversation get too serious. He can seem vacant and flighty, but it's all a facade hiding something much more than one might expect.
At 976 years old, "Father Nightroad" is actually a genetically enhanced clone - one of four - injected with "Crusnik" nanomachines which, upon activation, transform him into a 'vampire eating vampire.' They alter his appearance and behavior, acting like a sentient parasite that's only purpose is to kill and destroy. The more he uses Crusnik, the less he's able to resist its pull, the temptation to fuse to 100% and become a slave to its will calling to him. He considers Crusnik a "mark of his sins," a side of himself he hates showing anyone and prefers to use only as a last resort when absolutely necessary - and those sins don't paint a very pretty picture.
For all his light-hearted banter and warm smiles, Abel utterly and completely loathes himself - and perhaps for good reason. He has no self-respect and considers himself a monster; long before he held the title of 'priest,' Abel was 'Contra Mundi' -- or 'enemy of the world.' Born a clone whose purpose was to herald mankind into the future by colonizing Mars, Abel was treated like a lab rat and 'tool.' He loathed the mistreatment of his kin, and unlike his twin brother (who he was directly cloned from), he wore his rage like a second skin. He became bitter and openly hated the people he was supposed to serve. Violent, disobedient, mouthy and off-putting, it came as no surprise when he ended up attracting the ire of those above and beneath him to the point that there was an attempt on his life. When he was given the power of "Crusnik," he used it to help begin a cycle of genocide to rid the world of humanity once in for all. Abel is single-handedly responsible for over seven million deaths -- not counting those he aided his kin in further destroying. They leveled cities; they plunged the entire Earth into a state of near inhabitable emptiness that came to be known as the "Dark Ages." If not for Lilith Sahl - the woman who loved him and saw that little spark of humanity buried under so much fear and hurt and longing to be accepted, loved... he might have continued on that way forever and wiped out mankind.
When Lilith was killed by the Crusnik nanomachines puppetting his brother, Cain, he realized the full scope of his errors in judgment, how far he'd fallen -- and effectively ended the war by killing his (already dead) twin, taking her corpse with him to Earth, and requesting to be sealed away in her crypt beneath the Vatican. It was there he remained for the next 800 years of his life... hoping for a death that wouldn't come to reunite him with his soulmate and his just desserts for not realizing the fate his brother had suffered ages ago to the monster behind his eyes. The only woman who had ever held out hope for his soul - and died for him to see it, too. If he hadn't been given a purpose in Caterina Sforza's accidental discovery of his sealed-up and still grief-ridden form ten years ago, he would likely still be locked away from the world in his dead lover's crypt. He tells her he can't not protect humans; it's his duty to keep on living, to protect humanity and undo the damage he's wrought in his past, to carry Lilith's love into the future and continue her work where it left off.
And so he loves the world and the people in it; he hates seeing suffering and sacrifice. If there's something he can do to ease someone else's pain, chances are he'll go to great lengths to do so. In the same breath, he can be a selfish and childish creature. Even when he knows it causes those who trust him pain, he'll very rarely if ever be truthful about both his past and his "other self;" he fears to damage the friendships he's made and frighten those who've put trust in him by showing them what he truly is (or to face the reality of being shunned for it, just as much). And, more than anything, he is almost constantly doing battle with his conscience that tells him he doesn't deserve their trust, their friendship, at all. So, chances are a great deal of his interaction with the world will remain superficial and shallow; he'll befriend you, lend you his shoulder, fight by your side - but the chances he'll genuinely let you see who he is are slim to none.