Leo, The Cleric

This post contains the background information for one of my playing characters. This character is part of the dark hunters campaign based on Sherrilyn Kenyon's books.

Leo started his studies as a cleric at a young age in the Guastalla monastery. Since most of his time was spent studying, he had very little worldly experience. That lack of experience led him to ardently believe in the teachings of the Church and in the sainthood of its high clergy.

When a member of the high clergy, Bishop Paschal, came to visit Guastalla, Leo was excited to learn from him. He listened to his words. taking notes of all that was being said. The Bishop was to him a great teacher, someone to be emulated by all of those under him. When Paschal needed volunteers for a trip to a nearby monastery, Leo was one of the first to offer his services.

During the trip, however, Leo felt embarrassingly sick. He was in constant need of special attention, and the Bishop was getting impatient with him. When they finally arrived at their destination, Leo was given permission to take care of his needs, for as long as it took, and return once he was feeling a little better.

The hunt for a suitable location in this new monastery proved arduous. Everyone was more interested in meeting the Bishop than in helping a lowly cleric find the water closet. But persistence proved to be his ally and Leo was able to relief himself.

After running through the monastery, Leo was in no rush to get back. He did not get to leave Guastalla very much, so he decided to appreciate the new sights. As he walked back, he came upon a room whose door was only half closed. Near that door, he was able to overhear two man making a casual business deal. One of the man was known to Leo, the Bishop, the other however was a total stranger to him.

In the hopes of learning a little more about the ways of someone so enlightened, Leo decided to eavesdrop. What he learned though, proved that the Bishop was not as enlightened as he thought.

The Bishop was exchanging his favor with the church for coin and sexual gratification. That conversation shocked Leo.

His righteous anger made him step out of the shadows and scream at the men. Denouncing both of them as devil worshipers, worse than pagans. He promised to expose them to the highest authorities and rid the church of their wickedness.

Reality, however, proved very much different than his stylized view of the world. Leo was put in prison and brought before a tribunal for trial.

During the trial, Leo was not allowed to speak freely, only if a direct question was asked of him. Not only that but Leo found out that man like the Bishop have a lot of friends, many of them high ranking clergy as well. All of the Bishop's friends testified to his character and the absurdity of the allegations.

Under those terrible circumstances, the tribunal was quick to find Leo guilty of falsely accusing a member of the high clergy. He was sentence to 15 years in jail, all he had to do now was recant.

Leo decided he would not recant, for he knew what he had heard. Furthermore, 15 years in jail was a death sentence. He was told that most man survived an average of three months, none were known to have survived past six.

His defiance led him to the torture chamber. There he was tortured for three days without mercy.

During those days, all his visitors urged him to recant for one reason or another. Leo suspected, they too were part of the torture.

On the third day, Leo was more dead than alive. He could not move on his own anymore. Every single muscle of his body caused him pain. That day, he laid in the cell and decided to pray. This time not to his church's god, but to anyone that cared for what was happening to him.

His prayer was simple. Only one phrase: "Please have mercy on me, a fool."

Leo slowly closed his eyes and found himself in a strange place. With him, there was a beautiful woman with long dark red hair.

The woman said to no person in particular: "Come with me, dark hunter."

Leo died in his cell that day.