Alessio Rinaldi is a Malkavian known as the Peacock Prince of Ravenna, Italy
Biography[]
The prince of Ravenna is not what one would expect, was one to come on him while he was unawares. He seems a meek, frail but beautiful creature, so gentle that one might wonder if he weeps when he feeds on blood. His form is well-kept, and he dresses well enough, but he hardly projects the aura of command and strength that one would associate with a prince. But the mask... ah, the mask. The mask is a very different creature.
When Alessio dons the porcelain mask that he calls “the Peacock’s face”, his personality shifts dramatically. His reticent personality gives way to quiet arrogance. His twinges of compassion vanish in a low, pulsating bloodlust. His bearing becomes kingly and aristocratic enough to please even the oldest Old World Ventrue. As the Peacock, he is arrogant, vain, and bloodthirsty, and yet exquisitely refined at the same time. He strives to be the perfect host, always entertaining his guests while being magnanimous to his foes — until they irritate him, of course. His thrill is to prove his superior skill against inferior opponents, whether through swordplay or political maneuvering; in all likelihood, he would be rather less enthusiastic about a fair fight. Fortunately, he has yet to find one.
As Alessio, he is humble and tentative, and surprisingly empathic; he exude a vulnerable charm that is quite winning. Where Alessio is timid and unsure, the Peacock is the very picture of the vampiric prince: elegant, decadent, incisive and commanding. The Peacock’s parties are the talk of all Italy, as is his management of his domain; few would have expected one so young to excel at the art of princedom. He has been prince for only 30 years, ever since the previous prince vanished on a fool’s errand hunting rumors of the Inconnu, naming Alessio his successor.
Very few knew who this “Alessio” person was; but when the Peacock Prince ascended to the throne, they noticed. He has proven remarkably resistant to outside influence (a fact that most attribute to his clan), his charm is unmistakable, and his allies are quite loyal. A few have subtly tried to overthrow him during his reign, but to date, every effort has ended in a very public duel in full view of all the courts. The Peacock Prince has won each one.
The most cruel twist of all, however, is that Alessio lives in fear of the night when the Peacock’s thirst for blood overcomes him during a revel. For should the Peacock unmask to drink, then Alessio will be left naked and helpless before all the court, victim to whatever sport they devise. The thought is enough to give Alessio terrible nightmares during each day’s rest, and he often wakes with bloody tears streaked across his alabaster cheeks. But no matter how terrible his fears get, he nonetheless raises the mask to his face with trembling hands each night.
Appearance[]
Alessio is a remarkably beautiful young man, with shoulder-length hair and a complexion to rival the Peacock’s porcelain mask (which is painted with a pattern of peacock feathers about one eye and across one cheek). When not holding court, he dresses simply and comfortably, usually in well-worn casual clothes. As the Peacock, alas, he cannot display his perfect features; however, he atones for this by wearing only the finest and most stylish clothing, whether painstaking recreations of 17th-century court dress or immaculate, tailored pinstripe suits. The exception is during a duel, when the Peacock gladly strips to the waist — all the better that his opponent’s blood might be honored enough to fall on his painstakingly sculpted physique.
Character Sheet[]
Alessio Rinaldi, the Peacock Prince (the Peacock personality’s stats are in parenthesis)
Sire: Lyra
Nature: Conniver (Autocrat)
Demeanor: Conformist (Bon Vivant)
Generation: 8th
Embrace: 1788
Apparent Age: Early 20′s
Physical: Strength 4, Dexterity 4 (5), Stamina 4
Social: Charisma 2 (5), Manipulation 4 (5), Appearance 5
Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 3 (4), Wits 2 (5)
Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 2 (4), Dodge 2 (5), Empathy 4 (1), Expression 1 (3), Intimidation 1 (4), Leadership 3 (5), Malkavian Time 2, Subterfuge 4
Skills: Drive 1, Etiquette 3 (5), Melee 2 (5), Performance 1 (4), Stealth 3
Knowledges: Academics 4, Finance 2, Law 2, Linguistics 3 (English, French, Greek, Latin), Politics 2 (4), Science 2
Disciplines: Auspex 3, Celerity 4, Dementation 1, Obfuscate 2, Presence 2 (4)
Backgrounds: Allies 4, Contacts 5, Resources 4, Retainers 1, Status 5
Virtues: Conscience 3 (1), Self-Control 2 (4), Courage 2 (5)
Morality: Humanity 7 (4)
Willpower: 4 (9)
Derangements:: Multiple Personalities, Power-Object Fixation (peacock mask)
Background Information[]
- Author Ethan Skemp confirmed that Alessio is "a Street Fighter character [ Vega ] with the name and country of origin changed." [1]
References[]
- Clanbook: Malkavian Revised, p. 96-97