Jeremiah Parrish
From Worldinherhands
The Confessor is a fictional character in the comic book series Astro City. Created by writer Kurt Busiek and artists Brent Anderson and Alex Ross, and no copyright infringement is intended. This journal is for roleplay purposes alone.
Powers/Abilities: As well as a fairly extensive array of vampire powers - strength, incredible speed, hypnostism, ability to turn to mist - the Confessor is also a skilled detective, with years of experience in analysing situations. Over the years he appears to have picked up extensive knowledge of hand to hand combat techniques.
History: A child of the 1840's, young priest Jeremiah Parrish moved to Astro City to assist Cardinal Grandenetti in building a huge cathedral. He handled the purchasing of materials and directed he immigrant labourers in their construction work, as well as seeing to their wellfare, and visiting the homes of any of them who were injured one the job. It was on one such trip that he encountered a beautiful woman, who seduced him, and then drained him of blood, leaving him in a garbage pit to die. Three days later he returned as a vampire.
He fought his new undead nature, sequestering himself away to study and write, but eventually his presence was discovered by the congregation. They tried to hunt him down and end his existence, until the Cardinal eventually had the wing of the cathedral Parrish was believed to hide in walled off, unconsecrated. Parrish hid, trying to hang onto his humanity through prayer.
Years later, still struggling to prevent himself from becoming a monster, he witnessed the costumed hero Air Ace in action. Taking inspiration from this, he created his own costumed identity, allowing himself to once more walk amongst men, as the Confessor. He deliberately added a cross to his costume, using the pain it inflicted as a way of controlling his vampiric urges.
The Confessor's long career made him one of the most talked about heroes in the city, although no one was ever able to take a picture of him, due to his curse. Eventually he recruited a protege, Brian Kinney (Altar Boy), whom he selected partly because it is a priest's duty to teach, and partly because he wanted someone he wouldn't have to hide his true nature from. His choice in sidekick proved to be a good one, with Altar Boy swiftly figuring out what his mentor was, and accepting him in spite of it.
His long career finally came to an end when the shape-shifting Enelsians invaded the Earth. In disguise as various authority figures they discredited many heroes, forcing some to become outlaws. Using this as a pretext, they then planned to bring their troops in disguised as special soldiers tasked with dealing with the superhuman crisis. But the Confessor had figured out the truth, and confronted them on national television. The aliens, who had extensively studied Earth's heroes, knew his secret, and faced him with holographic crosses, holy water and a wooden stake gun. In spite of the forces raised against him, the Confessor went down fighting, managing to expose the plot and kill the Enelsian who was disguised as Astro City's mayor. Sadly he didn't survive the battle either.
After his death Altar Boy went away for a few years to train, before eventually returning to Astro City as the new Confessor (although the public don't know he isn't the original returned from the grave).
Jeremiah Parrish stands over six feet tall, with a solidly built frame. He has a handsome face, with close-cropped silvery-white hair. As Confessor, he wears a black monk's robe, with boots, gloves and a long black cloak. A white cross is one the front of the costume.
