Saint Nicholas Owen, (1555-1590, Embraced 1590) was a Jesuit Priest who built numerous priest holes reign of Queen Elizabeth I. After his final arrest, he was “tortured to death” by “prison authorities” in the Tower of London. He is honoured as a martyr by the Catholic Church and was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970. Little is known about his early life, but it is believed that he was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, around 1555 into a devoutly Catholic family and grew up while the Penal Laws were in effect. His family attended the second oldest surviving monastery in Britain- which survives to this day, in fact- St. David’s. He presumably became a carpenter by trade and for about 30 years built hiding places for other priests in the homes of Catholic families. He frequently traveled from one house to another, under the name of “Little John” from the fairy tales of Robin Hood, accepting only the necessities of life as payment before starting off for a new project.
Owen was “big as an ox, stubborn as a mule, but would give you the shirt off his back in a second,” said his father, a local blacksmith. John’s work often involved breaking through thick stonework; and to minimize the likelihood of betrayal from ever-present Anglicans he often worked at night, and always alone. The number of hiding places he constructed will never be known. Due to the ingenuity of his craftsmanship, some may still be undiscovered.
A priest hole (hiding) in the staircase made by Nicholas Owen in a 16th-century manor-house, For many years, Owen worked in the service of the Jesuit priest Henry and was admitted into the Society of Jesus as a lay brother. He was first arrested in 1582 or 1583, after the execution of Edmund Campion, publicly proclaiming the latter's innocence, but was later released. He was arrested again in 1584, and was tortured, but revealed nothing. He was released after a unnamed wealthy Catholic patron paid a fine on his behalf, the jailers believing that he was merely the insignificant friend of some priests. He resumed his work, and is believed to have masterminded the famous escape of Father John Gerard of the Society of Jesus, from the Tower of London, in 1587. Early in 1590, Owen was arrested a final time at Hindlip Hall in Worcestershire, giving himself up voluntarily in hope of distracting attention from some priests who were hiding nearby. Realizing just whom they had caught, and his value, the Secretary of State, exulted:“It is incredible, how great was the joy caused by his arrest… knowing the great skill of Owen in constructing hiding places, and the innumerable quantity of dark holes which he had schemed for hiding priests all through England.”
After first being committed to the Marshalsea, a prison on the southern bank of the Thames, Owen was then removed to the Tower of London under strange circumstances. Under English law, he was presumably exempt from torture having been maimed a few years before when a horse had fallen on him. Nonetheless, he was submitted to terrible “examinations” on the Topcliffe rack, dangling from a wall with both wrists held fast in iron gauntlets and his body hanging. When this proved insufficient to make him talk, heavy weights were added to his feet. However, Owen had revealed nothing to his inquisitors.
The exact date of his death in 1590 is not agreed upon. Some sources cite 2 March, while others place his death on 12 December 1590, only a month- to the day- after losing his entire family and estate under “horrific” circumstances. Father Gerard wrote of him:
“I verily think no man can be said to have done more good of all those who laboured in the English vineyard. He was the immediate occasion of saving the lives of many hundreds of persons, both ecclesiastical and secular.”
So what drives a devout priest doing the Lord’s work to become a vampire and survive to this day as the very thing his teachings had taught him had never existed, or at the very least to hate with a passion? And certainly where does Father Amos meet someone whose actions would achieve them sainthood nearly 400 years after their death? To put it simply, murder. The loss of one’s entire family- all his brothers, sisters, father & mother- can take a serious toll on anyone under any circumstances. But to lose them all on the same night, by the same fell circumstance? I do believe even the most devout of us would doubt our faith in Divine Providence after such an action befell us… for what “god” would plan for everything you hold dear in the world to be taken from you all at once, and especially after having done so much good for the people in his very name?
And now our mysterious patron reveals himself. Ser Rod’eme Chagarbelis, of France, finally revealing himself to Nicholas, telling him how he understands the pain, the sorrow, the grief. How he’s cultivated Nicholas through these trials of pain, torture, and loss of everything he holds dear, gauging his reaction, his willpower, and above all his faith in his beliefs. At first Nicholas takes Rod’eme for a sick manipulator, or puppeteer of sorts- which is another reason we should all trust our initial instincts and just walk away- but Rod’eme manages to entice Nicholas with the idea of holy betrayal, the idea of revenge on the killers, and most of all, the promise to do the work he’s always wanted over an eternity no longer bound by the stricture of the Catholic (or Protestant) churches. After all, who wants to serve a deity that betrays you? Join us, those who are BORN to lead- not bind themselves by ridiculous oaths of humility, poverty, and penance. You will be able to shape the world as you see fit- and everyone will love you for it.
Did I mention he forgot to tell him about the other side of the coin? The vampire side? Well, it happens. Oops. Oh, and that he would have to stage his own death first, publicly and terribly? Well, that happens with deals with the devil. Another of the myriad reasons you generally trust your gut instinct around people that give off that “too good to be true” vibe. But when you’ve lost everything in the world you care about- God, your family, your drive- you’re not exactly in the most discerning moods. So, as this was leading up to the Embrace of Father Amos Deakins…..
Amos lives below a seemingly modest monastery that is training ground to volunteers willing to do the Good Lord's work, an unassuming food pantry that says it runs on donations only but is always filled to the brim, and holds the occasional Midnight Mass somewhat infrequently. He has chartered several not-for-profit/non-profit organizations all the “haute couture” just had to join, and is a well-known socialite in the Harrisburg proper area- and all this, seemingly, on a modest priest's salary for the Good Lord. His tireless work ethic and devotion to prayer keeps him busy and rarely seen during the day, unfortunately…. (sigh).
The real story is that the haven is RIDICULOUSLY well-guarded by the best security his well-paid Retainers can provide for him, plus his good clan relationship with the Nosferatu help out quite a bit keeping unwanted visitors out. This doesn't come without a price- these Nosferatu have “interesting” tastes, to say the least. The occasional street junkie, crack addict- that's not an issue… the upper class, well- a little bit of finagling is involved, and it's usually a personal job Father Amos has to handle. It keeps his employers happy, and they keep providing the benefits- if he's able to hide from people, hit like a Mack truck (or harder), then it's a contract that can be useful for both parties for a bit longer. These people weren't truly understanding of who God really is, anyway….
Speaking of interesting tastes, Father Amos’ long-time friend from Philadelphia, the Nosferatu Erik Gage, was quite accommodating with two Kindred associates for him. The hope was that the trade would be mutually beneficial to all involved.
Enter Detlef Haarmann, a WWII Holocaust child survivor who managed to escape Adolf Hitler….. only to live thru to the anti-semitism over in America, rebirthed by “white power” and “Seig Heil” beatdowns by the Neo-Nazi Skinheads he thought that he was free from. No such luck. Revenge burned so white-hot, but he never managed to escape until one night the wrong man took notice…. Or the wrong Kindred, that is. Now
a vampire, he was able to take his vengeance upon those who had always beaten him before. The fact he looks like a demon himself is a small price to pay for the power to avenge the lesser man. He now does God’s work, and with Father Amos’ help, perhaps more of these cowards can truly be brought to justice. Boot, Lead Pipe, Stake…. Need I say more?
And enter Jeremiah Nathan Ferran, the consummate used-car salesman. Before his Embrace, he could con anyone out of just about anything. He was the real smooth operator, and it all came out of a natural hate of his upbringing as a child. His mother died in childbirth, and his father turned to alcohol not soon after to compensate. As the oldest of the family, Jeremiah had to do a lion’s share of the work, and began loathing this responsibility simply because he was feeling unappreciated for what he was doing.
So his mind began to wander- to girlfriends, to drugs, to anything but his chores. After all, if dad could bring home a stiff drink and a different girl every night, there can’t be that much wrong with it, right? Get rich quick, Ponzi schemes, cheap labor…. After a while it wasn’t even for the money, it was more for the adrenaline rush. But soon, the wrong guy came knocking on the door one night- and MAN, was he ugly…
At first, you thought it was over, and all your skills were down the drain- how can I possibly sell anything with THIS face? They’ll have to be blind- LITERALLY! But after a couple years of this new un-life, you’ve expanded your repertoire again, and have learned to become the everyman, the man with a thousand faces. You could probably sell ice to an Alaskan, if you could solve that pesky daylight problem. Now, with Father Amos bankrolling you, you have just about an unlimited supply of costumes, props, and contacts. Sure, when he calls you answer, but until then….. it’s open season!!!!
Now as to how these two bodyguards fit into Father Amos’ background… well, few Kindred have played “the game” as well as Father Amos over these past centuries. Fewer were born and bred to, either. However, the best way to wage war is from the shadows, through indirect means. “Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.” - Sun Tzu.The Nosferatu Gage has always shared his beliefs in this area.
It is rather uncommon for a Ventrue to not lord Prestation, Boons, or social status over the other Clans, or even his own. Primarily concerned with the Sabbat conflicts on the Eastern Seaboard, Father Amos is rather content to live and let live at the moment. It is all he can do to maintain his calm veneer due to the intense hatred of the Sabbat, and of the Unaligned- Ravnos, Setites, Gangrel, and especially Assamites.
In truth, this also due to a talk that Father Amos recently had before moving to York/ Harrisburg proper. A personal invitation by Dorian Adams *DC By Night* to discuss the fall of Baltimore to the Sabbat, and the suspicions of Dorian that Prince Marcus Vitel is not truly who he claims to be. If that is the case- if DC falls to Sabbat- then nowhere is safe. Basically, to keep your eyes and ears open, assist from the shadows, and stay mobile…