| “ | Wouldn't it be wonderful? The whole world, hearkening to my voice. Each breath of mine, the ocean's tides. | „ |
The leader of Sapientes Gladio, Rasputin wishes to use the influence he has gained in Russia to eventually take over Europe. He has made a pact with the demon Asmodeus to achieve these ends.
Library Entry[]
Mad monk originally from Siberia, he has used his magic to gain influence inside the Russian royal family. His ultimate goal is to conquer all of Europe
Rasputin after having been taken over by Asmodeus. With all of his humanity extinguished, he now kills merely for the pleasure of it.
Bio[]
Pre-Game[]
While much of his early life in unknown, he became initiated into the Sapientes Gladio secret society, becoming a disciple of Jovis Abraham, and Albert Simon. They taught him their arcane knowledge, and how to strengthen his willpower, though neither realised til too late that Rasputin has alterior motives.
Initiation into Sapientes Gladio
As soon as he felt he had gained enough power, he set his plans into motion. He formed a Soul Pact with the demon-king, Asmodeus, and attacked his former teachers, blinding Jovis, and soundly defeating them, with the power of his soul pact.
As the new head of Sapientes Gladio, he banished Jovis and Albert, and perverted the aim of the once peaceful group, to commit violent acts, ritualistic murders, abductions, and theft. All with the goal of furthering its influence.
During this time, he took on Lenny Curtis and Veronica Vera as subordinates, with Lenny in charge of the Clawed Soldiers, and Veronica becoming his right-hand woman, confidant, and eventual lover.
Rasputin battles his teachers
At some point, he came into the favour of the Russian royal family, the Romanovs, presenting himself as a Siberian holy-man, and earning the trust and confidence of the Empress Alexandra by healing young Prince Alexei - who suffered a debilitating disease. With this trust, he began to extend greater, and greater control over the government, and the royal family.
He came to learn of the existance of Nicolas Conrad, a bastard born from Tzar Emperor Nicholas II and a peasant woman, and, seeing a potential asset, took him into Sapientes Gladio and used his influence to make him a Cardinal in the Vatican.
Rasputin became aware also of his former teacher's plan to stop him, by summoning a god from beyond the stars, and his soul pact with Amon, God of Destruction. As such, he began to research the Holy Mistletoe to use as a potential weapon against Albert, should the need arise.
A dark presence amongst the Romanovs
To secure political support in preparation to usurping the Russian throne, he tasked Nicolai to begin secret diplomatic talks with the Japanese envoy, Masaji Kato, who promised unwavering support to whomever sat upon the Russian throne. Suspicious of Nicolai, however, he set Veronica to spy on him, warning her to be cautious of the Godslayer, who was making his way to Russia.
Shadow Hearts: Covenant[]
With the Tzar returning from a tour of the Eastern Front, Rasputin sensed an opportunity to assassinate him at a victory ball. He tasked a loyal paladin, Victor, to carry out the assassination. However, this meeting was observed and photographed by Princess Anastasia Romanov. Unconcerned, he ordered Victor to kill her.
Conspiracy
Fortunately, Anastasia was saved by Yuri and party, returning to the Winter Palace to stop Rasputin. They met with Empress Alexandra, who, while thankful that they saved her daughter's life, wasn't prepared to permit them free roam of the palace, until Rasputin walked in, and convinced her otherwise. Mildly amused by Yuri's presence, but relucant to fight openly in the throne room, he invited them to find him in the palace shrine.
From the shrine, Veronica cast a sleeping spell over the palace, while Rasputin possessesed the Empress, taunting the party through her - telling them how he held Prince Alexei hostage. Fighting their way to the shrine, he told them of his ultimate goal; total conquest of Europe, using Russian resources to accomplish it.
Yuri tried to attack him, but was repelled by the power of Asmodeus - manifesting as a magic barrier - before being knocked unconscious by Rasputin calling on the power of the Holy Mistletoe. Rasputin effortlessly flung the party aside, mocking them. And, in another cruel twist, he briefly possessed Anastasia, placed a knife in her hands, and made her motion as if to stab her brother, Alexei, conviently timing it so the Empress would walk in on the act.
Horrified, the Empress shoved Anastasia out of the way, berating her. Rasputin, however, played it up as Yuri and party using magic to compel the princess, and ordered their arrest. They escaped, leading the Empress to believe that Anastasia had been kidnapped, leading to her to call for their capture and death. Working in favour to Rasputin's plan of ridding himself of the increasingly troublesome princess, and further interference from Yuri.
Nicolai before Rasputin
In their absence, the Tzar returned and was distraught at Anasatsia's "kidnapping" - which Rasputin tried to convince him was a conspiracy and attempted German coup, using Karin Koenig's military background as "evidence", as well as information "extracted" from Edgar - but that he needed to project a strong resolute image, and thus needed to attend the victory reception, to the Tzar's discomfort.
With Veronica, Nicolai, and Victor present during the reception, after the Tzar's grand speech, Rasputin nodded towards Victor, signalling it was time. Victor rushed towards the Tzar, sword drawn, before being knocked back by Yuri, who had made his way into the palace. Anastasia then presented her father with the photograph of the meeting between Rasputin and Victor, his would-be assassin.
Clash
The assassination foiled, with his role in the plot to light, and his subtle plan now falling apart in front of him, he pulled a knife on the Empress using her as a shield in a bid to escape. Veronica caused a distraction, allowing her and Rasputin to flee to the roof, throwing the Empress to the floor.
Subtlety no longer an option, the Sapientes Gladio airship began a bombing run on the city, as the pair were pursued by the party. Desperate to re-establish his footing, Rasputin planned to retreat to Petropavlovskaya Fortress to make a stronghold, but maintain his presence in the city. The party caught up to them, defeating Veronica, who was trying to defend her lord.
Unmoved by her death, Rasputin plummeted from the palace room, landing on the airship, and attempting to escape. Yuri fused into Amon, taking chase, and tearing apart the airship guns, before landing on the gantry, infront of a surprised Rasputin. Quickly recovering, he attacked Amon, only for the attack to be ineffective. With all his might, Amon punched through Rasputin's shield, blowing him away and annihilating the airship.
Remarkably, Rasputin survived, but severely weakened, called upon Asmodeus to fufil his soul pact, fully possessing him, becoming Asmodeus-Rasputin.
Asmodeus-Rasputin[]
Possessed by Asmodeus
His will subsumed, he sat atop his throne in the Idar Flamme - his newly summoned fortress. His goals of global domination changed instead to global conflict and suffering, resulting in the eventual death of all humanity. Nicolai stood before him, questioning his motives, only for Asmodeus-Rasputin to reveal that he had surpassed his previous, paltry, human concerns.
The two discussed the threat Yuri presented, Asmodeus growing increasingly bored by Nicolai's presence. However, Nicolai revealed that he too had made a pact, with the fallen angel Astaroth, much to Rasputin's amusement. He departed, confident that Yuri would defeat Rasputin.
Yuri and the party met Rasputin in the throne room, where, as last time, he attempted to stop Yuri with the Mistletoe's curse - this time nulled by Amon's power. Defiant, he taunted them with Jovis' ineffectivness, and his new insane plans for humanity, before fighting them as Asmodeus.
Defeated
Defeated and dying, finally, he explained to Yuri the true horror of the Mistletoe's curse, that it wasn't just a seal but that it eats away at the soul, memories and will of the person. With his last words, he directed them to Apoina Tower, to meet with Nicolai, to show to them the perceived folly of their actions.
With the Idar Flamme crumbling around him, Rasputin, at last, was dead.
Personality[]
Ambitious, politically shrewed, and manipulative, he is quick to integrate himself into the Russian political structure, removing any obstacles that stand in his way.
In the presence of the Empress and Tzar, he acts obsequious and fawning, masking his true intentions. With his enemies, he is prone to taunting and mockery, treating them with disdain.
While not altruistic, comments from Nicolai seem to suggest that, at one point, he genuinely believed that his plan to rule Russia, and eventually conquer Europe, was for the better. Abraham Jovis, however, believed that whatever his original plan, it had become twisted by Asmodeus slowly devouring his soul.
Fully possessed by Asmodeus, any remaining humanity is purged away, and he wishes only for unprecedented bloodshed, suffering, and the eventual death of mankind.
Powers[]
Calling on the Mistletoe's power
Possessed of incredible magic powers, sharpened by his training with Sapientes Gladio, and augmented by his soul pact with Asmodeus. While never fought in his human form, he is shown to have the ability to hypnotise, or even possess people - though to what extent is never clarified. He also has some ability to heal, or alleviate Prince Alexei's suffering.
He is seen invoking the Mistletoe's curse via incantation. In addition, he can summon familiars, and was responsible for Veronica's pact with the Night Queen.
As a result of his pact, he is protected by a magical barrier, which is capable of deflecting all but the strongest attacks. He is also shown to be able to levitate for a limited duration.
Musical Theme[]
Rasputin has a theme that plays at key moments titled after himself: Rasputin ~ Mysterious Monk. It is characterised by a sinister rhythm, and deep electronic crackles over a chanting male choir.
Real Life[]
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was born in 1869 in Siberia, of peasant stock. Most famous for his association with the Romanov Russian Imperial family, his life (and death) are steeped in legend, exaggeration and fabrication.
Contrary to his nickname of "The Mad Monk", he was never ordained, and was instead a strannik, a religious wanderer. He would roam the land offering his interpretation of scripture in return for hospitality. Via the chruch, he became friendly with Archimandrite Theofan, who introduced him to the Russian upper-class, who were in-turn, facinated by him, eventually introducing him to the royal family. At this period of time, occultism, mysticism, and spiritualism were popular among the Russian upper-class, and that, coupled with his innate charisma eventually caught their attention.
The crown prince, Alexei suffered from haemophilia, an incurable genetic afflication that renders the blood unable to coagulate. His mother, the Empress Alexandra had turned to numerous doctors and faith-healers to aid her son's debillitating illness, turning to Rasputin to faith heal out of sheer desperation. Alexei seemed to recover, convincing her that he could heal her son. He would repeatedly perform similar prayers throughout the years.
Media perception of his influence
Rasputin fell in and out of favour with the family as the years went on, and political unrest mounted in Russia. Due to his closeness with the Imperial family, rumours began to spead of his influence over the Tzarina, that he was having an affair with her and her daughters. The media also printed numerous supposed scandals by him - telling of wild orgies, and other outrageous behaviours.
In a plot by Royalists who wished to remove Rasputin, whom they saw as a malign influence, on the 30th December 1916 Rasputin was lured to Moika Palace, home of Prince Yusupov, where he was murdered.
His body was dumped into the frozen river, where it was hoped it would drift out to see, although it later would wash up. The exact events that took place the night of the murder are speculative. The most famous account (told by Yusupov), is that he was poisoned, blungeoned, and shot, before being thrown into the river, to drown.
His account is inconsistent with the autopsy; no poison was found in his stomach, but it was determined that Rasputin died from gunshot wounds.
