Page 305 - Hunter - The Vigil

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C CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
committing a secret, lest others know his weakness) eventu- their organizations are willing to release them from their du-
ally took its toll on the priest, and late one sleepless night, he ties, few of their former foes are as understanding. Many hunt-
confessed his fears to his bishop. Unfortunately for Horan, his ers consider a “pariah” to be little more than a suicide attempt
superior was less holy a man even than Horan feared himself from a hunter who’s given up the ghost. Others see leaving
to be. The bishop assigned him penance of a profane nature, the Vigil as a betrayal, labeling hunters who have given up
and when Horan refused his attentions, he used his political the hunt as quitters, unable to hack it, or even as traitors who,
might within the church to have Horan excommunicated and knowing what is out there, turn their back on their brethren
defrocked on trumped-up charges. Horan gave a formal state- and those who rely upon them for aid against the darkness.
ment about not only the bishop’s obscene invitations but also
the nature of the visions that had driven Horan to confession Duchene “Duke” Malovash
in the first place. When word of the visions reached the Mal- Quote: “I don’t do that anymore. So don’t ask, because you

leus Maleficarum, the organization sought out the former priest wouldn’t like my answer.”

and recruited him to its numbers. Background: Duke joined the military at the age of 17
Appearance: Father Horan is a dignified and stern man, and served in the Marine Corps in both the Korean War and

with closely shorn grey hair and thick brows that sweep over the Vietnam conflict. He excelled in field command and
piercing grey eyes. His posture is ramrod straight and his man- frontline situations, inevitably earning rank promotions for
nerisms are slow and deliberate. When he speaks, his voice bravery, leadership and performing successful missions. Un-

can be soft and supplicating or a fire-and-brimstone bellow fortunately, off the field he just couldn’t seem to stay out of
of damnation. trouble. Once he was Stateside, he’d inevitably get antsy

Since joining the Malleus Maleficarum, Father Horan without an enemy at hand and pick fights or get into trouble
has once again taken on the trappings his defrocking once with the Military Police — all to the consternation of his
forced him to set aside. While he has not been formally re- beloved wife, Geri, who began to dread the times when there
accepted by the Catholic Church, he feels his role within the wasn’t some military confl ict to keep her husband busy.

Malleus Maleficarum provides a more direct connection be- By the end of his military career, he’d attained the rank
tween himself and God than he received in his former role of Master Sergeant several times, and upon his retirement
as a servant of the Church. As a hunter, he feels that he has was approached to join Task Force: VALKYRIE, which felt it

been not only accepted but recruited directly to God’s cause could offer him an unending career conflict. Duke told Geri
and, as such, regained his right to wear vestments. When not he was working for a covert government task force (which

directly on a hunt, he dresses in an impeccable black suit and was, in its own way, true) and for the first few years, it seemed
shirt with a clerical collar. When hunting, he dons the full VALKYRIE would be a godsend for the couple. It kept Duke
formal vestment of a Catholic priest, from the white linen alb busy and focused…and out of trouble. As time passed, how-
and braided cincture (belt) to the blood-red chasuble (cloak) ever, it became obvious to Geri that something wasn’t quite
and stole. right with this “task force” he had been assigned to. As the
Storytelling Hints: Father Horan is one of the group’s hunt took its toll on Duke both physically and emotionally,
most potent weapons: a zealot who not only believes he has Geri grew increasingly withdrawn from her spouse as his Mo-
God’s backing, but also has the miracles at his fingertips to rality spiraled downward. The Vigil consumed Duke so deeply

prove it. He brooks no sin in himself or others, although he that he didn’t notice, however, clinging instead to the mem-
sees the hunt as its own divine act and, as such, lying, stealing ory of their relationship as it used to be.
or killing in the call of the Vigil is justified. Horan attempts Twelve years into his tour with the task force, something

to give his targets the opportunity to repent and confess their went wrong that Duke could not ignore. The official reports
sins before delivering them directly to their maker to nego- claim there was an aborted mission and the target traced Duke
tiate their own eternal fate. Although not part of a formal back to his home — and to Geri. Some of the cell, however,
hunter cell himself, Horan is often assigned to assist less expe- noted how far gone Duke had become in the months before
rienced Malleus Maleficarum cells in the pursuit of foes that her death, wondering if it was truly an outsider who did the

require his particular skills — demons, fallen angels, evil spir- deed.
its, ghosts, the restless dead and unholy humans who think Although his retirement from the Task Force wouldn’t

to act where God’s soldiers have domain (like the profane become official for a number of months, Duke’s Vigil ended

members of the Lucifuge, the dilettantes of Ashwood Abbey, the day that he woke to find Geri’s dismembered body still ly-
and any hunter groups who do not act in what his organiza- ing in bed beside him. Since then, he’s waited for the enemy

tion sees as God’s best interest). to come finish the job, but it’s been 15 long years now and
Duke’s still alive.
Pariahs Appearance: Always slim, Duke’s wiry form has paid
the price of many decades of service to various military units.
Although “fatality” is certainly on the list of dangers for
He’s no longer as strong, fast or resilient as he once was, but
the hunter career path, not all hunters die in the line of duty.
a lifetime of combat readiness has left him still able to keep
Some slip away from the Vigil and attempt to carve out a
up with most young “punks” he runs into. His body is scarred

niche of normalcy for themselves out of the line of fire. Un-
and worn, like a vintage rifle. But like a well-maintained an-

fortunately for most, the world is full of monsters, and even if
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