Narses was an influential Lasombra during the Dark Ages. A rival of Antonius, he was the leader of the Cainite Heresy as well as the Archbishop of Nod – the most powerful figure in the Crimson Curia.
He was responsible for the Italian territories of the Byzantine Empire, but cut the ties with Constantinople in 660 and ruled independently as the Cainite Prince of Venice. 600 years later he was diableriezed by his own childe, who took his place as Prince of Venice.
Biography
In his mortal days, Narses was an Armenian eunuch in the service of Emperor Justinian I. During his service as leader of the emperor’s bodyguards, he was eventually selected to aid the Byzantine campaign to conquer Italy alongside General Belisarius. The two men disliked each other very strongly and Narses was even ordered back to Constantinople one time, because their rivalry had led to the fall of Milan to the Ostrogoths.
Nonetheless, Narses proved him to be the superior tactician and was awarded with the Exarchate of Italy by Justinian. His successor, however, removed him from the post and Narses retreated into a villa near Rome, brooding and embittered. He was soon visited, however, by a Lasombra, who was impressed by the eunuch's grasp on strategy and hoped to use Narses in order to undermine Byzantine influence in order to strengthen the Catholic Church.
He tutored Narses for ten years before Embracing him and the two aided the Langobards in their campaign to claim Italy. Narses found that his old rival, Belisarius was also found among the undead, in the Ventrue Clan and began a long and bitter rivalry with him. His disdain for Constantinople lead him to cede all loyalties to the Empire and retreat to Venice, where he hoped to gain a power base to avenge himself on the Trinity for giving his rival the gift of immortality and withholding it from him.
During this time, Narses also came into contact with the Gnostic heresy that worshipped vampires and quickly advanced in its ranks. His hold over the Heresy from Venice, employing even his own heretical order, the Order of St. Panteleimon, was primary directed in corrupting the Catholic Church and direct it against the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, as Narses never believed in anything but his own power and strength of will (indeed, he despised the more devout followers of the Heresy).
In 1081, the severely weakened Cainites of Constantinople proposed an alliance with Venice and Narses progeny was granted scion status under the Antonian Ventrue. This led to a rise of Latins within the city, which was soon met with severe riots, further destabilizing the city. After a mass slaughter on the Cainites within the Latin quarter, Narses demanded that the quarter was to be granted autonomy from the rule of the Trinity and the heads of the families had no choice but to comply. This attracted a fair share of foreign Cainites who flocked to Constantinople while they tried to escape the Ashirra and the Muslim invaders, distributing even more to throw the city into chaos.
During the council that prepared the Fourth Crusade, Narses gladly gave his own domain as a place for discussion of the vampires, and informing them when the mortals decided the way of the crusade, all the while subtle influencing the course of the crusade and directing it against the Dream of Byzantium. His determination and lack of faith in spiritual regards, however, lead many of his heretic followers to resent him, believing that he would gladly sacrifice them and their faith in order to hurt Michael.
Only a short time after the sacking of Constantinople and the execution of his vengeance, Narses was approached by his fellows within the Crimson Curia in 1212 and thrown out of his office and his princedom, as any suspected involvement of his actions in the Heresy could mobilize various Cainites in reaction for the destruction of Michael and the beginning of the War of Princes, thus harming the Heresy.
Destiny
Through the machinations of the Dracon (who was avenging Michael's Dream), Narses was forced to flee across various cities.[1] Narses was diablerized in 1215 in a Court of Blood by his childe Guilelmo Aliprando, who also succeeded him as the prince of Venice.
Character Traits
Trivia
For the historical figure, see Narses.
References
- ↑ VTDA: Dark Ages Clan Novel: Tzimisce, p. 274-275
- VTDA: Constantinople by Night, p. 22-23, 25, 29-32, 50, 79, 97, 113, 115
- VTDA: Jerusalem by Night, p. 79, 81, 83-84, 115
- VTDA: Cainite Heresy, p. 57-58
- VTDA: Bitter Crusade, p. 23, 85, 105
- VTDA: Iberia by Night, p. 89
- DAV: Dark Ages Europe, p. 116, 118-119
- DAV: Players Guide to High Clans, p. 138
- DAV: Spoils of War
- DAV: Dark Ages Clan Novel: Setite, p. 201
- DAV: Dark Ages Clan Novel: Malkavian, p. 77-78