Albert Simon



Albert Simon: 

“This light this storm, now is the END OF THE WORLD!”

Albert Simon completing his ritual to summon God.

History:

Albert Simon was a student of the legendary philosopher and monk Roger Bacon. Roger saw great things in Albert and took him under his wing and taught him law, philosophy, science, astronomy and alchemy. Albert had the makings of a great civil-rights leader and Bacon looked forward with great eagerness to the world Albert would help forge. But in time Albert began to question the “divine right” of the ruling class aristocrats to manipulate, sacrificed and generally mistreat the masses. When Bacon attempted to moderate Albert's views and encourages him to let the world be as it was for the time Albert lost faith in Roger and went to the Vatican to charge Roger with heresy for his tolerance of the corrupt. But it was Albert who the church condemned as a heretic for questioning “divine right” in the first place. Albert was locked away for years before his release. The years had changed Albert he became a far more cynical person and of the church especially.

Sapientes Gladio: After Albert's release he joined a priest of the Greek-Orthodox-Church named Jovis Abraham. Jovis was going to do missionary work in Turkey and was forming an order there he called “Sapientes Gladio”. The two became good friends and did what they could in their small corner of the world to tear down racial, societal and religious prejudice. One day a young acolyte named Grigori Rasputin came to join the order. Showing diligence, Jovis and Albert took him on as a disciple teaching him will-power and various divine rites. But once Rasputin learned what he needed he showed his true colors as an opportunist and megalomaniac. Rasputin had used his training to form a demonic pact with the king of demons, Asmodeus. Albert and Jovis resolved to beat him but were not strong enough and Rasputin cast them out of the order and inserting himself as it's new leader. Albert was crushed by this second exploitation of his willingness to see the good in people. He opted to beat Rasputin at his own game and made a pact with the god of wrath, Amon. Three Stolen Tomes: In the year 1890 or so Albert would come upon a man named Patrick Heyworth. Patrick had just lost his wife Elaine and would give anything to see her again. Hearing of his plight a thought occurred to Albert; he knew of three ancient arcane tomes housed in the Vatican that his mentor, Roger Bacon, had translated/reconstructed for the Church. The Émigré Manuscript was one of them, a book with power over death and time. He agreed to steal the Émigré Manuscript for Patrick and while he was there took the other two books as well, The Pulse Tract and the Codex of R'lyeh, each of which had power to warp the fabric of the world. He intended to summon god himself to destroy Asmodeus's grip on the world and create a world of peace and equality in the process. Albert however decided to test out the books first. He used the Émigré Manuscript to attain semi-eternal life, like Roger Bacon before him but unlike Roger seemed to be skilled enough to halt the aging process as well. Then he gave the Émigré document to Patrick to use on Elaine. Patrick ended up bringing back his wife's body but not her souls and was killed by the undead abomination; after which Albert took back the book. He spent years fully studying the books. Simon now intended to call down god to destroy the world and use the knowledge he gained from the Codex of R'lyeh to remake it without Rasputin or the cruel hierarchies of society. But when he returned to Jovis with his plan Jovis became fearful of toying with God's works and declined to help.

Albert tested out the Émigré Manuscript and the Pulse Tract respectively this time finding individuals far more expendable than Patrick Heyworth. He gave the Pulse Tract, which had the power to incarnate the wrath of the Earth, to a mad Taoist sage named Dehuai who sought to free China from imperial Japanese rule by turning Shanghai into a demonic stronghold with him at it's head. Albert had been counting on Dehuai getting in over his head and being killed while he watched the eldritch horror destroy the country or possibly the world. Albert returned to Europe to his old house under the alias “Roger Bacon”, a title he had been using since he met Dehuai to borrow from his predecessor’s fame in order garner prestige with the supernatural creatures and mystics he was now dealing with. As it turned out “Roger Bacon” was being pursued by an exorcist named Father Elliott. Elliott had been chasing “Bacon” all over Europe looking for the books with his daughter Alice. Elliott was sent by the Vatican to hunt down the thief who had made off with their priceless artifacts. After clearing out his research, Albert sold his home to a doctor named Jack in order to sever any ties Elliot might track him by. Jack's mother caught a fatal illness, one Jack despite all his training could not seem to cure. Jack was a schizophrenic each personality of which had an Oedipus-complex to boot. Jack was willing to do anything to save his mother including research into the occult. When Jack's mother died he was the perfect test subject for the Émigré Manuscript. “Roger Bacon” left Jack the necromantic tome and was content to sit back and wait to see who destroyed the world first, Dehuai or Jack.

As it turned out Dehuai was the first to make real headway with his book. “Roger Bacon” teleported back to Shanghai to see if he could help. Dehuai, thinking of “Bacon” as a mere lackey, told him he would need a conduit for the rites, someone with strong spiritual power and preferably a line to the divine. Albert knew just the person, the esteemed miss Alice Elliott, his hunter's daughter. Albert returned to Europe yet again this time to confront his rival. Elliott was sent a message telling him to meet a man in Rouen France called 'Cardinal Albert Simon' who had information on “Roger Bacon”. When Elliot arrived “Bacon” killed him but Alice had gotten away. Alice would be picked up by the Japanese conciliate and spirited off on the transcontinental express to Fengtian and later Tokyo, to be given to the Japanese military as leverage over the increasingly troublesome Dehuai. "Bacon" and Yuri: In autumn of the year 1913 “Roger Bacon” had tracked down the train Alice was on. He calmly proceeding to procure her for Dehuai's experiment. However a young man had also stowed away, a young man named Yuri Hyuga. Yuri was a Harmonixer, a man capable of fusing his soul with the bodies of apparitions. Yuri tried to save Alice but by this time “Bacon's” arcane talents were far above most other supernatural creatures. Alice, out-cold, inadvertently released a large amount of holy energy reacting heavily to a Yuri's inner monster souls. The blast wounded “Bacon” giving Yuri a chance to jump off the train with Alice; once again Alice had gotten away. At this point “Bacon" reported to Dehuai of the potential catalyst for his spell. Dehuai refused “Bacon's” continued help as Alice was now in China, Dehuai's home turf. Albert watched with intent at the powerful maiden and harmonixer that had defeated him. Yuri would be a thorn in Albert's side for the remainder of his plans. Personality: Albert is a typical anti-villain to counter Yuri's role as an anti-hero. He is proper, possesses extreme edicate, remains cool-headed in the face of sudden set-backs and dispite being genuinely friendly he is completely insane. Albert seems aware of his status as a villain, with no delusions of his actions being justifiable. When Alice sits down with Albert in the Rouen Church she asks him if he thinks the ends justify the means. Albert tells her that they can't but the ends are still worth the means.

The best example of Albert's personality is in the first minute of the game as he enters the train cabin: Albert politely steps aside for an old lady, tipping his hat slightly as she makes her way to the next cabin, five seconds later he kills two Japanese soldiers without so much as batting an eye and a polite smile never leaving his face as he steps through their blood. It seems that if Albert Simon had a life adage it would be "Kill them all and let God sort it out."

Powers and abilities:

Cardinal Albert Simon's standard attack is potent telekinesis. He is also fond of using dark incantations to excel his mystical strength. He is ageless and immortal unless killed. Albert has advanced healing capabilities though only on himself. Albert can also merge with entities, such as angels or demons; with a nigh-indomitable will that resists possessions from said entities. Albert's favorite ability seems to be an incredibly powerful spell called “Revelation” which can instantly put a single target an inch away from death; he seems to also be able to spread this power out to affect multiple targets however doing so lessens the affect. Albert has an ability to teleport himself and other willing or unconscious subjects over vast distances. He has the power to fly, though at a limited speed. Albert seems to have force-field as well that can protect against god level radiation energy although it does not seem to protect him against physical assaults, or at-least the physical assaults stray rocks. With the aid of the books Albert has the power to siphon his own spiritual energy and that of others in his immediate area, raise the dead as undead and summon god level creatures. Lastly Cardinal Simon seems to have a form of “clarity” which may have resulted from translating the books; he can see pasted physical appearances, sense and home in on powerful beings and has limited precognitive sight.