Elieser de Polanco, also known as the Subtle Shadow, is a Lasombra rival of Tercio Bravo, and later, a judge to the Courts of Blood. Despite his years, he demonstrates a continuing interest in and attention to mortal society. He has gray hair and weathered face, nevertheless is described as remarkably handsome.
Once, in Cairo, he was Lucita's mentor in the ways of the Path of Night.
Biography
Elieser is the antithesis of Tercio Bravo: quiet, humble, dignified. Of noble lineage, he had been a knight, a valiant warrior in the Reconquista, but his anti-Moorish fanaticism died a long time ago and Elieser was capable of appreciating the strengths and beauties in Moorish culture. A gentleman in the full old sense of the word, he opposed Tercio when he wanted to kill the pro-Muslim Cainites during the reconquest of Toledo. Toledo remained later divided between supporters of him and Tercio, transforming the city into a volatile inferno of different religions, clans, political affiliations, and personal interests, making it difficult for Elieser to rule it effectively.
He does not know it, but during his lifetime he was raised as a future Lasombra. Few people have seen his real goal reign over Iberia. Those who rated are treated jealous, and maintains their disgrace. He had known Cardinal Monçada, and while he did not share the late cardinal's faith, he at least respected the institutions of Christendom and held some measure of personal devotion.
During the War of Princes, he acted as a power-broker with Toledo as his personal territory, offering the various Muslim Kindred protection against the day when the Shadow Reconquista would have defeated them in the open field. At an unspecified date in this period, Elieser was called to the Castle of Shadows and had witnessed the withered form of [Lasombra] himself, a sight that haunted him for days to come. When Gratiano initiated the Anarch Revolt, Elieser was among those who supported him, joining Gratiano in the final assault on Sicily. He briefly considered joining the Lasombra antitribu after the Convention of Thorns, but saw them as relics that sought to live in the past. Instead, he associated with a faction within the Clan known as Los Reyes de las Sombras, ("Kings of the Shadows") whose goal was the subtle manipulation of vampires and mortals alike for the sake of the Clan. Elieser joined the order to avert Tzimisce or antitribu dominance in the Sabbat.
Still a child of the Reconquista by heart, Elieser was part of the Sabbat crusades in the New World, focusing on South America and the countries of Chile, Peru, and Argentina. With the advent of modern transport technologies, Elieser abandoned any domain he had held before, preferring a nomadic unlife-style.
Final Nights
During the Final Nights, Elieser was a judge in the Courts of Blood, notably one of those who judged Lucita in 2000. He presided over the court when Timofiev was absent, he was also the spokesman to the court declaring their judgement saying:
| “ | Lucita, childe of Monçada, this was the sentence of the court upon you: ‘This court sentences you to investigation. You are a traveler and a gatherer of secrets. Very well. You shall travel and gather secrets for us and for all your family in the blood. You will find how that thing of the Abyss came among us tonight, who unleashed it, how, and why. You will return to us in Mexico City with the answer, and you will join us in taking what steps seem warranted to our council when we understand these things. Do you agree that this was the verdict laid upon you? | ” |
And Lucita replied positively. A few years later, Polanco, Mysancta, Menuven, and Zarathustra met and considered that Lucita has fulfilled her obligations to the clan. Further, they began to support her bid to become Archbishop of Madrid.
Afterwards, Elieser traveled to Mexico City. He has begun to suspect that something is not quite right with the Regent, but has chosen not to act on this suspicions as of yet. He concentrates on stabilizing the hold of the sect over its cities, to avoid a similar debacle as the loss of New York.
The modern Elieser is described as a spanish gentleman with broad if vaguely defined connections to key manufacturers and government ministries who would have no trouble obtaining semi-formal appointments for late dinners with local officials. And after that, well, they would remember only what he instructed them to.
De Polanco had a simple policy about havens while abroad: he wanted the best. He enjoyed having the mortal world's best-trained lackeys serve his needs, and it gave him a chance to mingle with many movers and shakers. His time of being deeply concerned with the details of human affairs had passed long ago, but he still enjoyed cultivating the occasional attachment. Mortal society was more interesting when its political and social leaders occasionally did horribly self-destructive things without having any clear reason why, and de Polanco set up a few such catastrophes each year, when circumstances allowed.
He dislikes the conventional Lasombra practice of shadow "tentacles", preferring to think of the writhing extensions of darkness he commanded as little maelstroms or whirlwinds. He enjoy Moorish arts and culture.
Character Sheet
Dark Ages
Modern Times
References
- DAV: Dark Ages Europe, p. 91
- VTDA: The Ashen Knight, p. 123
- VTDA: Iberia by Night, p. 116
- VTM: Mexico City by Night, p. 54-55
- VTM: Clan Lasombra Trilogy 1: Shards
- VTM: Clan Novel Trilogy Lasombra 3: Sacrifices