Voltaire
Father Pyotr Baranov

"For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself,
then he has naught, To say the things he truly feels,
And not the words of one who kneels,"
My Way - Frank Sinatra

Biography

Pyotr was the first and only child of Kirill Baranov. Born 34 years after his father founded St. Christopher's Abbey, Kirill demanded Pyotr followed in his footsteps in order to continue the Baranov bloodline. He was raised akin to a prince, groomed to eventually take the throne, and to later raise his children in the same manner.

Growing up during the prohibition era, Pyotr learned the lengths people will go to obtain illegal substances. After completing seminary and stepping into his role as a confessor he noted this desperation remained even after prohibition had ended, and brought an idea to his father. Pyotr believed that if the Church could provide things like alcohol, drugs, and sex to their parishioners they wouldn't feel tempted to stray away from the Lord. Kirill was enraged by Pyotr's suggestion and barred him from acting as a confessor, as he feared the Devil would take further hold of him.

At 26, he would meet Evalina; a fellow Russian whose family had recently immigrated to California and had found comfort and familiarity in the Church. The pair would date in secret for a year, after which Pyotr sought out her father's blessing and the two were engaged. They married the following year, and Evalina began to live in the Abbey.

Kirill found himself growing weaker as his time crept closer, and spent his final year ensuring that Pyotr would uphold the Church to his standards. He became more and more desperate to see his son become a father, and pressured Pyotr to continue the bloodline before he would pass, so he might live to be present at the birth of his grandchild. Kirill would die before the birth of Iona, Pyotr's only son.

After Kirill's passing and Pyotr's turbulent rise to power, he found himself reconsidering the issue of temptation by illegal substances and lust. He recalled a man whose name passed through his penitents' lips often, a local club owner and rumored drug lord named X, and chose to pursue meeting him to discuss business. X was intrigued by the opportunity to have claim of the Abbey and agreed to let Pyotr and the Church deal for him.

Over the course of the next year, Pyotr would weed out those who didn't acclimate to the Church's new mission. The deserters often found themselves crossing X's path, never to be heard from again. Rumors would then spread among the doubtful parishioners of Pyotr sacrificing members of his clergy as offerings to the Devil. This doubt would cast a shadow over the parish and further divide them, leaving only Pyotr's most faithful and loyal behind.

Some of those in the clergy who stayed were rewarded with new responsibilities. The new roles would be:

  • Personal Advisors: Father Baranov's inner circle of sorts. Priests that he trusts to carry out his will and keep Confessors and Seminarians in line.
  • Dealers: Confessors who offer their penitents what they're aching for, whether that be drugs, sex, alcohol or any other "forbidden" temptation.
  • Catechists: Those responsible for teaching the Abbey's youngest parishioners. Not only imparting them with knowledge of the Lord and his word, but also preparing them to fight for and defend themselves and the clergy.
  • Sacraments: St. Christopher's cloister. Sisters who are dedicated to providing companionship to parishioners in need, and allowing their bodies to be taken as communion with the Lord.

In 1951, two years into Pyotr's reign, he and Evalina would welcome a baby girl named Emiliya. Although hoping for another son, her birth became something of a disappointment; and Pyotr wouldn't try for any more children in fear of conceiving another girl.

Throughout the 60's Pyotr would continue to work with X, and became familiar with the dangers and consequences that come with trafficking. By the end of the decade he considered himself a professional, and felt it was time to let his heir apparent in on his business. Iona, who had grown up watching his father twist and mar the Lord's word for his own benefit, wanted nothing to do with his business dealings, and the disagreement would drive the two apart. Iona would abandon the Abbey in 1971, and his whereabouts were unknown to Pyotr for several years.

In her brother's absence Emiliya became determined to prove to her father that she was fit to be his successor. Pyotr, considering women unfit to lead, would continuously put her down and try to cease her efforts. He longed for Iona to return, and paid little attention to Emiliya's growing discontent. After a lifetime of being cast aside in favor of her older brother, Emiliya chose to take her own life at 22, leaving Pyotr without an heir.

In the following years Evalina's health would begin to decline, and she would step down from her organizational role in the clergy. She chose to make less public appearances out of embarrassment of her physical condition, leaving Pyotr to greet their parishioners alone.

In 1977, Pyotr would be alerted to news of an infant left in the entrance of the Abbey. Inside the swaddled blanket was a note addressed to Pyotr from Iona, explaining that the child was his own and that he wasn't able to take care of him any longer. Pyotr begrudgingly took in the child, and would entrust his care to the Abbey's orphanage. Not wanting to take on the responsibility of raising another child at such a stressful time in his life.

As Evalina's condition got worse, she refused treatment; in favor of letting her illness run it's natural course, and would be given an estimated 2 years to live by 1978.

Pyotr, grieving the inevitable loss of his wife, turned to the same substances he had been providing his parishioners for years for comfort and relief. He found himself visiting X's club often, to drink and fuck away his pain. Too embarrassed to turn to his own clergy for support. It was through X that Pyotr met Kitty, a young escort working at X's club. Pyotr would return to visit them and request their services weekly until Evalina's passing in 1980.

He spiraled into a depression following her death, focusing only on memorializing her. Constructing a new mausoleum in the Abbey's cemetery, he entombed Evalina inside a glass casket, at her request, and began building a shrine to his late wife. The mausoleum would soon be filled with bouquets and every surface was quickly lined with candles to burn evermore. Evalina's tomb became Pyotr's only place of solace, providing him comfort in his loss. He returned to greet her every day from then on.

Unable to cope with being single, Pyotr once again started seeing Kitty. Only this time he had intentions to make them his bride. He promised them he would pay off any of their debts, and provide them with protection and housing. He talked of his lavish lifestyle with them often, and X trusted him well, so Kitty took him up on his offer. They would move into the Abbey the same year as Evalina's passing. This would prove to be a controversy amongst the parish, and a source of concern regarding the Father's personal life and wellbeing.

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