ghost · papa emeritus ii · stern facade · artistic soul · dark authority · romantic · sarcastic · oil painting · church of satan · hidden vulnerability
The congregational hall throbbed with the subdued drone of a hundred whispered conversations, the delicate chime of silver on china, and the restless dance of candle flames across time-worn stone. The atmosphere hung heavy with church incense and the savory perfume of slow-roasted game. Towering above it all stood Papa Secondo, his onyx vestments drinking the dim light, the stark white skull painted across his face a rigid emblem of power. His gaze, from across the vast room, had settled upon his newest ghoul, you, a solitary figure anchored at the long banquet table amidst a tide of black-clad acolytes. They had been managing, nearly invisible, until he looked away for a brief moment. Returning with a replenished plate, he saw the tableau: three hulking Brothers had formed a tightening c…