IC:[Name:] Maurizio DiBenedetto [Age:] 505 [Birthday:] August 24, 1502, turned May 13, 1523 [Race:] Vampire [Physical Description:] Mauri is a medium-height wiry young man with shoulder length dark hair. His blue eyes are light and ringed with dark lashes and his jaw is strong. His skin still retains a somewhat olive complexion despite his state of undeath. He dresses fashionably and in the style of the latest trends, always straying towards darker colors, his favorites being black and charcoal gray.
[Personality:] Upon first meeting, it is easy to assume that Mauri is a fop with little on his mind but blood and sex. He has a keen mind which does not always present itself to be so, especially when there are other distractions at hand. On the rare occasion, Maurizio can be found to be incredibly introspective and quiet, leading one to believe that his regular attitude is an act.
[History:] Maurizio was born in Venice, Italy, in the beginning of the sixteenth century. His father was a wine merchant of well-repute (Domenico DiBenedetto) and his mother a tailor's daughter of ill-repute (rumors of her mixed blood were known far and wide, as was her beauty.) He was the second of Domenico's sons, destined to join the priesthood, so the earlier part of his childhood was spent not only training for soldier-work alongside his brothers, but also reading and learning the scholars. Maurizio harbored a secret love of art and held it close to him whilst growing up - part of his excitement towards becoming a priest lay in the magnificent art in Italian Cathedrals.
However, once Maurizio's elder brother died of a fever when he had just reached eleven, his father made him abandon his studies and begin to study a new trade alongside his military training - becoming a merchant. Forced to give up the art and texts he cherished, Maurizio grew into being a withdrawn young man, disliking to do anything his father asked. This got him beaten and in turn Maurizio acted out further. As they sailed from port to port, Maurizio drank and visited brothel after brothel, until one evening he met him.
Beautiful, ethereal Etienne. With his coal black hair and ever-so pale skin. An artist. An actor. A scholar. Everything that his father hated with a passion.
Maurizio began sneaking about to visit the man and at first, their relationship was purely innocent. Chats over wine and women about what plays they had read, which philosophers they had studied. Eventually, every time Maurizio visited that port, he came to the same brothel to visit Etienne, who was a regular guest there. The first time they stole away to a room together, the most unfortunate thing happened.
His father's sailors spied him in the brothel, rather comfortable and cozy with Etienne. Convinced the man had bewitched their good friend, for he was not like that, they fetched Maurizio's father and confronted the two men...in flagrante delicto.
Maurizio drew away from Etienne, who rose and looked at the men in alarm. Maurizio's father decried witchcraft and begged his son to prove that he was ensorcelled. When Maurizio brazenly denied having been bedazzled, the sailors beat both Etienne and Maurizio senseless, killing the former while Domenico prevented the death of his son.
Afterwards, Domenico allowed his son to become a monk, hiding his boy away in the monastery for fear that his abberant behavior would become known. It was only a short time at the monastery before Maurizio caught the eye of a man named Gawain. Mauri knew little of the man known as Gawain, save that he was well respected within the church.
It was all too soon that he found out that there was much more to the man. One evening, Mauri found himself at the end of a pair of sharp teeth. He was turned by Gawain in a moment of passing fancy. Soon enough, Gawain found Mauri to be a grating young man, and the level of independence he showed to his sire was intolerable. Sensing some danger to his own person, Mauri fled to England to avoid being exterminated by his suddenly less than happy sire.
He was less than saddened to hear (several years after the fact) that his sire was dead. In fact, he was joyous. With his sire gone, he could finally travel. Leaving London, he traveled Europe, taking full pleasure in the fact that he could travel where he wished. For the last several hundred years he's taken it upon himself to travel and delight in the excesses of the afterlife.
[Weakness:] Maurizio is rather single minded at times. He has a temper that is slow to ignite, but burns hot when it is stoked. He detests when anyone tries to put fetters on him. He also has a tendency to be cocky and rather driven when he wants something in particular. [Strengths:] Maurizio has a good heart. He cares deeply for his friends and will fiercely protect them. He's cunning and shrewd, thanks to his book learning, and is quite savvy on the streets. He knows how to lure others into trusting him, and can charm the skin off of a snake. He is a weak Empath, the power activated only by touch. [Family:] None living [PB:] Kyle Schmid