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The Devil's House Edge
Characters created by me and my partner for an original story/visual novel concept.
Matthias Zachariah Avila | he/him | 31 (pictured left)
priest, monster-hunter, vampire
When Zach was very young, he witnessed an exorcism by church monster-hunters of a neighbor of his. However, the threat of demons did cause his father to leave him and his mother on their own. Raised by his now single mother, Zach was a child enamored with God as an all-loving savior to those who needed help. After he finished school he went to college for a bachelors in theology, as well as some introductory law classes.
Post graduation, Zach joined the clergy with the intent of researching ways to fight evil directly. Though demon-hunting is not a common profession, due to his history and lack of skill in the more regular duties of priesthood, he was allowed to pick up the job. A confrontation with some powerful demons performing a sacrificial ritual left Zach a vampire and Isaiah presumed dead. Despite the trauma, the church kept him on demon hunting duty, and Zach took this opportunity to investigate corruption within the church that was hinted at when he was turned. Only Father Nathaniel has any idea about Zach's changed nature.
Now aged 31, Zach has been assigned a new hunting partner, Father John.
Jonathan Byrne | he/him | 34 (pictured right)
priest, monster-hunter
John was raised culturally Irish Catholic by his parents, but was fairly nonchalant about his faith. John was a childhood nickname that he got because he was the less popular of two Jonathans in his class and it stuck to adulthood. He left home to go to college in civil engineering, and did some construction work on the side that was inspirational to this career choice. He has an okay relationship with his family, he had friends at work and college (notably Fred) but he lost contact after he turned to priesthood. He will call and answer old groupchats when he finds the time, but overall his social life and support system has suffered from his new determination.
During his time at college, there was some sort of demonic event that he went through that was very violent. Given how he functionally had no one to really go to for supernatural nonsense, he ended up at church. This worked out for him, but in the process of escaping the event he saw some of the demonic corruption at the heart of the church. Due to the trauma, he became both a devout Catholic and also made it his new purpose to rid the thing that saved him of the evil corrupting its heart. He joined the church that had helped him, and eventually became a priest. His goal was simultaneously to help people through the institution and to find out its secrets in the process. Working alone, infiltration felt like the only option.
At age 34, John has been assigned Zach’s latest companion after Isaiah's presumed death. He’s keeping an encrypted diary of his discoveries, both to keep evidence straight and to try and hold a grip on his own sanity. It started off as a functional habit but now it’s sort of therapeutic too.