Pelops
This is a Vampire: The Masquerade character played by Pheidias in the Vampire: The Masquerade chronicle, Lords of the Undead.
Contents
Overview[edit]
PELOPS
“All around me darkness gathers, Fading is the sun that shone, We must speak of other matters, You can be me when I'm gone
Flowers gathered in the morning, Afternoon they blossom on, Still are withered in the evening, You can be me when I'm gone.”
- Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: The Kindly Ones
Clan: Malkavian
Generation: Fifth
Sire: Nissiku, the clever prince
Embrace: 1230 BC
Background[edit]
A legend hides a deeper truth Pelops was the son of King Tantalos. His father cut him up into little pieces and served him to the gods at a banquet. Although the plot was revealed very soon, the boy's shoulder had already been consumed, so when the gods put him back together again, they replaced the missing piece with an ivory replica.
The gods punished Tantalos for his crime by having him be eternally hungry and thirsty in Hades with food and drink just out of his reach. But Pelops was well-liked by the gods and became the lover of Poseidon, from whom he learned to become an accomplished charioteer.
Years later, Pelops had fallen in love with Hippodameia whose father was the jealous and paranoid king Oenomaos. The king always challenged all her suitors to a horse race and killed them if they didn't win. Pelops was the 19th would-be husband to try. So, after his friend Cillos had already been killed, he conspired with the king's man Myrtilos to sabotage the king's chariot. The king died a horrible death.
Myrtilos had set his eyes on Hippodameia himself and when he tried to rape her, Pelops threw him off a cliff into the sea. The dying man cursed Pelops and his line to know only betrayal, patricide/fratricide and madness.
Seeking to absolve himself of his crimes, Pelops held great sacrifices and races to appease the gods which later became an inspiration for the Olympic Games. But the curse was strong, his sons and wife betrayed him, which resulted in much kin-slaying, exiling and suicides. Each successive generation of descendants (among them Menelaos and Agamemnon of the legend of the Trojan War) suffered greatly by atrocious crimes and compounded the curse by committing more crimes. This cursed House, the Atreides, were of special interest to the Furies, the avengers of sins against one's blood.
After his death Pelops was worshipped as a cthonic deity of sacred sacrifices, appearing at night and drenched in blood. He was invoked to grant success in risky endeavors when the odds were against the supplicant.
So, that's as far as the myth goes, which I think really lends itself to turning Pelops into a vampire. I'd envision him as a Malkavian because of his childhood trauma, his adeptness to win by deception and the curse of madness and betrayal that haunts him and his line. The story of his death and resurrection could easily be an account of the embrace (especially with the 'came back wrong' part), with the gods being Kindred.
From god to shade In the first few years after his embrace Pelops was probably full of hubris. He had an arsenal of fantastic powers, he kept the company of beings the mortals around him perceived as their gods and he was worshipped as a demi-god himself. Considering the serious issues he had had even before his embrace, he would probably have openly basked in the glory of being worshipped and bought into his own kind's rhetoric about their identity.
Now, this happened two generations or roughly fifty years prior to the Trojan War, which - if we go with the classical dating of the fall of Troy in 1184 BC - would set the action around 1230 BC. According to legend the sacred shoulder blade of Pelops was taken to Troy by Agamemnon but the boat carrying the relic sunk in a terrible storm. Only through the intervention of Poseidon could it be recovered and returned to its temple many years later. Maybe we could translate that bit of myth into:
Pelops was an active and open player in the political arena until the Trojan War, become increasingly full of himself and mad for ever more power. He actively influenced his grandson's Agamemnon and Menelaos and accompanied them to Troy, whipping up the fury of the Greek warriors in a need to prove himself an equal of the other 'gods', where he ran into Kindred much stronger and older than himself (in WW canon both the Brujah Troile, sire of Menelaos, and the Toreador Minos, sire of Helena, were very active in the area). He was beaten into torpor and cast into the sea. He survived through the intervention of another Kindred (whom he perhaps owes to this day), but when he awoke from the sleep of death, the war had been waged and decades, perhaps a century had passed.
This near-death experience and the loss of control over his mortal family would have cured Pelops of his hubris and reduced him to relying on subtlety and intrigue. He would have rekindled his cult but would have only acted through the priesthood as intermediaries, relaying messages received in visions, never appearing himself, granting small favors the faithful prayed for to keep the cult active. He purposefully passed from history into myth, from myth into legend, subsisting in his underground temple on the blood sacrifices of the faithful and interacting with the outside world through his network of believers.
Perhaps he would have languished in the dark forever, wounded in body and soul, dreaming horrors and granting visions, a mere parasite catered to by a minor cult, destined to be forgotten. But the first Olympic Games in 776 BC revitalised him in a way unthought of. He was named one of the two patrons of the games, side by side with the divine father Zeus himself! The surge of belief and sheer excitement that gripped so many mortals all at once felt like an infusion of the most powerful vitae. He couldn't resist and heeded the call, ventured out again, disguised as the high priest of the cult of Pelops and attended those ceremonies that happened at night.
When the baker Koroibos of Elis became the first champion of the first Olympic Games, Pelops could not resist and embraced the man he saw as the epitome of perfection as he had once seen himself. But Koroibos was a humble man and scoffed at Pelops' intimations of godhood. Surely, he was something other than human now, but he who had been a devotee of blessed Helios in life missed the warm rays of the sun and felt himself outcast. While the elder desired to live again through his childe vicariously and to gain a true companion after his own heart after centuries of solitude, he did not see that the curse of Myrtilos still applied even to his undead progeny.
While Koroibos was always struggling with his existence and Pelops was pushing all the wrong buttons because he came from such a different place mentally (a little like Louis' botched upbringing by Lestat in 'Interview with the Vampire'), the two of them managed to get along fairly well until the next Olympic Games came around. Koroibos fell into a deep depression because he couldn't participate and Pelops was exasperated because he didn't understand why his childe was still so human and did not embrace his new nature. At the height of the games, Koroibos lost himself to a self-destructive urge and ran the full distance of the stadium once more.... in brought sunlight, a human torch crumbling to ash when crossing the finishing line with a smile of release.
Pelops tried to curse his childe's stupidity and forget about him, but he had been too deeply in love with Koroibos (or rather the idea of him that he kept on projecting on the poor soul) to let go. Everything reminded him of his monumental loss and even the blood started to taste of bitter ashes to him. Thus, in 770 BC he finally left his home of many centuries, his cult of worshippers and all his trappings of power without looking back and lost himself in the wilds of the barbarians.
to be continued
Actuality[edit]
In the Final Nights, Pelops lives in the domain of Florence, in the Tuscany region of Italy, which he had often visited before on his travels and where he took permanent residence in the late 1960s. He used his powers and the work of his retainers to create a new identity for himself, that of Erlik, a Malkavian elder from Eastern Europe of moderate age and generation, who is an accepted and eccentric but rather unambitious member of the Camarilla.
Officially he submits to the Prince of the city, the Toreador Alessandro de' Medici, and the Primogen of his clan, Camilla di Gheradini, in all things, when in actual fact the Primogen is his own, completely devoted grandchilde and the Prince, while otherwise free to act, is a mind-controlled puppet when it comes to Pelops' affairs.
Erlik is a regular visitor of Elysium and is well-known for freely conversing with all Kindred interested in a free and deep intellectual debate, regardless of status or affiliation. Although he appears as a friend/mentor of the young, he doesn't suffer fools gladly and is quick to humiliate someone who has offended him with his quick and acerbic wit. He is known as a stickler for the traditions and the finer points of Kindred etiquette. While he is seen as mostly harmless (if only compared to other elders who are quick to sacrifice neonates for their purposes), he has acquired a bit of a reputation as a corrupting influence on the domain's fledglings. He encourages personal growth and independent thinking while challenging the neonates' convictions and inhibitions. Not all are prepared to face the consequences of such a life but Erlik's hands are always curiously clean.
If there is one thing that Erlik will never accept it is harm done to any Malkavian. The clan will take care of its own and none other may touch one of its members. While he isn't particularly nice to his brethren (and they must live up to his standards or be judged accordingly), he will protect them from all outside intervention or avenge them if need be. He also has a rather tense relationship with clan Tremere, although he remains polite, if frosty and has never elaborated on the topic.
Once a year (during a time corresponding to the ancient Dionysia in the month of Poseidon, a fact which keen observers may notice) he hosts a salon in his lavish villa on the outskirts of town, which is different in theme and ambiance every year but always escalates to wild, transgressive abandon, a feast of the senses. These legendary parties draw Kindred from all over the world and it is a sign of great honor to be invited, but it is also rare that the guests leave with their humanity intact or their worldview unchallenged. Those who commit to the transformative experience will get invited again to next year's revels.
The identity of Erlik is so well-entrenched that all Kindred, except Camilla, take it to be the real deal. Even those of his ghouls who are allowed to pierce the veil of the Masquerade only know about Erlik.
Among mortals, he appears as the little-known muse, intimate friend or lover of the world-famous but reclusive fashion mogul and patron of the arts Alexander Arcadian (one of his primary ghouls), whose business is based in Florence. Most humans who interact with him never see more than this facade and interact primarily with Arcadian.
Underneath these layers Pelops exists and slowly grows his cult. He only communicates with its members through Camilla, who acts as the official grandmaster. The deity of the cult only visits the devout in dreams or in visions, challenging them to improve themselves or giving them orders. When the devout gather for sacrifice and service at the time of the Olympic games, Pelops appears shrouded in Obfuscate to accept the blood and prayer.
Agenda[edit]
Pelops exists to learn and to grow. He constantly tries to experiment with himself and others, manipulating lives to gain further insights into the Kindred condition, analyzing and comparing results. His life as Erlik serves the dual purpose of giving him a life of relative safety and privacy while allowing him to further his study both of individuals and society.
At the same time, he makes sure that his cult is steadily growing. While he has no need of an army of followers, he intends to slowly convert as many Kindred as he can to the Road of Arete and help them recognize their divinity. His cult encompasses members from all sects (though primarily the Camarilla at the moment) in many domains and he wants to use them to gestate until they are strong enough to subvert and actively change their areas of influence.
He is a cautious and conservative planner, seeking to win the world one soul at a time. He doesn't go in for big dramatic gestures and actively tries to protect vampires from the worst excesses of the Jyhad. He hasn't used the full extent of his powers in a long, long time, but then again, so far no one has provoked the wrath of a god, yet.
The current world with ignorant mortals living under the Masquerade is a passing phase to him. Pelops' endgame is a return to what he imagines as the ways of old: divine vampires worthy of their gifts ruling openly and justly over the mortals that worship and feed them, receiving protection and tutelage in return.
Beliefs and Obsessions[edit]
Pelops lives wholly in a world of his own which is only tangentially connected to any sort of consensual reality. While he is able to interact with others quite freely, it is always through the filter of his complex, interlaced derangements. Much of his power comes from introducing others to his teachings and warping them step by step until they come to live in his bubble and share his delusions. The following is a list of his pecularities.
- He believes that the Antedeluvians are literal gods, part of a vast pantheon which also includes the mysterious ancestors of other species of supernatural creatures. He completely discounts any and all legends that posit Caine as the first vampire. In his eyes the Book of Nod is a forgery made to support a Judeo/Christian narrative fabricated by much younger Kindred trying to gain strength and influence through undermining the pagan ways of their ancestors.
- Because all vampires are descended from literal gods, they are literal demi-gods and heroes (in the original sense of the word). They need to strive for prowess (andreia), wisdom (gnosis) and nobility (arete) and shed all their inner and outer limitations to honor their heritage and activate their true divine potential which is limited by the remnants of a human perspective a vampire needs to overcome. All traditional weaknesses of the Kindred condition and all limits of their powers are merely proof of one's imperfections.
- Golconda is a perfect state of enlightenment in which the full divine potential of a Kindred is unleashed. They way to achieve Golconda is through solving the inner conflict between creative Man and devouring Beast without favoring one or the other but achieving perfect synthesis. This requires questioning and destroying all 'unworthy' beliefs, morals and habits which stand in the way of acknowledging the fact, the burden and the potential of one's divinity.
- Because vampires are the children of the gods their blood is sacred and must no be shed in vain, nor stolen or otherwise taken without consent; neither must it be misused, transformed or destroyed. When it is given to mortals (be it for the purpose of creating ghouls or childer) it is a divine sacrament meant only for worthy vessels. What one has created one may destroy, none other may touch it.
- Conversely, the blood given by a mortal to feed a vampire is a holy sacrifice and must be treated with the respect it deserves. Blood must be savored and used in moderation; it must not be wasted or taken without need. If a human dies feeding a vampire's appetite this is not to be regreted but to be praised as the ultimate form of sacrifice. Only the pure are worthy of being sacrificed in this manner, though, for no mean meal must defile the throat of a god. One vampire must not poach the herd of another.
- Their divine heritage and the commonality of blood bind all vampires together. They must live by alliances and their sacred word, adhering slavishly to the rite of prestation. They must police their own ranks against miscreants and make war when necessary to cull the unworthy who violate the principles of arete.
- The ancients bear the responsibility of being the sheperds and sponsors of the young. They must teach them the ways of their kind and help them overcome their confusion and mediocrity through constant trials and temptations. It is better that the unworthy perish early than live on in ignominy and pain, while those who have the spark of true greatness cast off their mortal limitations and ascend to divinity. The best teacher, however, is a subtle one who has the pupils learn their own lessons, manipulated into scenarios where the elder sets the stage but then sits back to let the drama unfold.
- As for humanity, it has lost its way and has fallen into apostasy. That's why the gods have to live behind the veil of silence, which only a few true and vibrant souls can pierce. Those worthy should be raised above the flock, while the sheep should be treated well and kept content so they pose no danger while they bear children and feed the needs of the Kindred. However, a just god will recognize true devotion and proper sacrifice and reward those who come before him according to his will.
The Road of Arete
Road Rating Sin
10 --- Accepting the limitations of any Kindred weaknesses as hindrances to achieve one's goals
09 --- Avoiding any change or transformation of one's state of being to avoid inconvenience, complications or danger
08 --- Missing a clear opportunity to honor, aid or teach someone worthy to avoid inconvenience, complications or danger
07 --- Being beholden to, being dependent on or giving something of value to someone unworthy
06 --- Breaking one's freely given word
05 --- Taking something without having earned or paid a price for it
04 --- Missing a clear opportunity to learn, to challenge oneself or others to avoid inconvenience, complications or danger
03 --- Giving in to the Beast when rational thought is required or denying the needs of the Beast when passionate action is required
02 --- Committing an act of sacrilege against the divine vitae or not trying to intervene with such when witnessing it
01 --- Disbelieving in or denying one's divine nature to someone worthy
Description[edit]
Pelops is a small man of a lithe yet athletic stature who moves fluidly with a dancer's grace. His features are vaguely mediterranean but his skin is very pale. His curly dark hair has grown to collar-length and sticks out in an unruly manner, when not pulled back in a tight bun. He has pale blue eyes under thick, sweeping eyebrows. A well-trimmed mustache and goatee frame a sensuous, slightly cruel mouth with full lips. He has very long-fingered, delicate hands.
Pelops as Erlik likes to dress in the clothes made for him by Alexander Arcadian, eccentric three-piece-suits resembling dandified Edwardian era men's fashion but with a very modern and deconstructivist influence, playing with form, color and material. All by himself he either foregoes clothes completely or wears the chitons of his youth.
Pelops is unable to hide his most easily distinguishable feature for psychological reasons. Whoso sees him naked will see fine but pronounced scars were his limbs are joined to his torso and a left shoulder bereft of flesh or skin, consisting only of bones carved from the finest ivory.
Character Sheet[edit]
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