First Vicar, Laurence

Portrait

Description
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.."   — Laurence, the First Vicar   One of the scholars at Byrgenwerth. The discovery of the Old Blood inspired Laurence, who believed the healing properties of the Old Blood were of divine nature, and was the ideal medium to transcend humanity through transfusing it into human bodies. Despite this, Provost Willem held distrust towards the substance, believing the material to be far too dangerous. Given that the Beast rune of Caryll is transcribed by him personally from the sound of a labyrinth beast, it could be that the nature of beasts was already known to Willem, and that he found the risk too high. The two had a falling out, and unable to convince his master otherwise, Laurence took his leave, but promised to remember Willem's warnings on the danger of blood, and fear it. Even though he felt betrayed, Willem prayed that his student kept that promise.  Laurence travelled to Yharnam along with Micolash, Gehrman, Maria, and many other scholars, showing the healing properties of the ministration of Old Blood and eventually forming the Healing Church, becoming its first Vicar while distributing the healing blood throughout the entire city of Yharnaam. But when infected blood began circulating, Laurence was among those who fell victim to the plague and transformed into the first Cleric Beast in history, and thus, was put to death. He was revealed to have some part in the slaughter of the Fishing Hamlet, and due to the curse laid on the hunters by Kos, Laurence was imprisoned in the Hunter's Nightmare. Left to burn for all eternity without memory, he is destined to seek the representation of his former life and mission in vain, as punishment for his misdeeds. Wait, is this Blasphemy? Laurence realizes the dangers of the old blood, of beasts, but it is too late. Whilhems words ring once more: Fear the old blood, Laurence. By the gods, fear it... "Spread the word..." But it is too late, Laurence and his disciples have already sown the seeds in Yharnam. "Be afraid..." ~STRATEGY~ X=LOCKED-X ~NOTES~ Laurence is indeed a Beast, which means that he is weak to Serration. Unlike most beasts, Laurence is highly resistant to fire, since he is covered in it. Laurence shares many of his attacks with the Cleric Beast's moveset, with the added effect of lingering flames and explosion Interestingly, he also shares the moveset of a lesser known and much more uncommon enemy, the Rotted Corpse, when it enters the 2nd phase of combat. Laurence has accelerated his blood transfusion, and taken the next step, being able to bend not only blood, but also shadows to his will. Laurence can change into the Cleric Beast form at will, with a 1% chance at losing complete sanity and control and going on a killing rampage until he either is struck down or until he runs out of magic/steam. ~TRIVIA~ His name may refer to Saint Laurence, a saint who was burned alive. Laurence, or "pieces" of him, are always at an altar, and this altar is always depicting a headless female figure, pouring a jug of liquid onto the floor. In his last appearance, as a Cleric Beast, it becomes quite ironic how his thirst for blood to ensure humanity's next evolutionary step is precisely what lled to his immolating punishment, as a Beast no less. And the statue stands behind and above him, pouring the liquid over him as if to snuff out his flames. In his sleep, Gehrman begs Willem and Laurence to free him from the Dream, implying he knew the two rather well. The pose Laurence is in, upon the altar, is similar to Pietà, especially Michelangelo's sculpture.. Sic filii scite tibi vi sacramentum Erit praemium sanguine sanctum Erit praemium sanguine sanctum absconditum Vel venio humanitas tendo pendere Sanguine sanctum Honesta rete sanguinem Expectare iste blasphemia Es vitae ita dissimilum Terres vicerit tranem bestia Honesta rete sanguinem Expectare iste blasphemia Hac mysterium obsumus Arguam vitae ere non absolvis Dido tuus Timere Dido tuus Sanguine Timere Venena scitis            *Y O U  D I E D*        -***-      /-   - \      |  .-. .- |      |  \o| |o)      \    ^  \      |'.  )--'  /|     / / '-. .-'`\ \    / /'---` `---'\ \    '.__.      .__.'        `|     |`         |     \         \      '--.          '.       `\            `'---.    |               |,__)/                `..'
Player:	Healed2Death
Gender (Visually):	Male
Race (Visually):	Human