Salvatore Moreau

Salvatore Moreau was one of the main antagonists of the survival-horror video game Resident Evil Village. He was one of the Four Lords who ruled over a rural mountain village under the watch of the cultist Mother Miranda. Like the other Lords serving Miranda, Moreau is the product of Miranda's experiments with the Mold-based Cadou parasite, a failed attempt to create a superhuman host for the consciousness of Miranda's dead daughter, Eva. He is easily the most grotesque of all the Lords, possessing a hideous appearance even in his "human" state.

Early life
Very little is known about Moreau's past, although it is speculated that he may have been a sailor or fisherman prior to joining Miranda's neopagan cult. This theory is supported by the presence of nautical-themed tattoos on his arms. For generations, his family maintained an alliance with the noble Beneviento, Heisenberg, and Dimitrescu families in controlling an isolated mountain village. Along with the other Lords, Moreau became a test subject in Miranda's experiments and was implanted with a Cadou. The mutation brought on by the parasite resulted in him developing various fish-like qualities and he could turn into a vicious aquatic monster at will, but even his human state became hideously deformed.

Due in no small part to his gruesome appearance, Moreau suffered from a greatly diminished sense of self-worth. He was looked down upon by the other Lords for his freakish appearance and child-like personality. He would isolate himself in the reservoir just beyond the village, never leaving unless called upon by Miranda, whom he came to view as his real mother. Desperate to gain Miranda's approval, Moreau would abduct villagers from time to time and conduct Cadou experiments on them, though his subjects would always die during these experiments.

Abduction of Rosemary Winters
On 9th February 2021, Miranda abducted Rosemary Winters, the infant daughter of Mia and Ethan Winters. Since both Mia and Ethan had been infected with the Mold prior to Rose's conception, their child possessed superhuman traits and proved to be a viable candidate for Miranda's plan to resurrect her daughter. Ethan would follow Miranda and Rose to the village, struggling against the mutant creatures that had taken over the region as he searched for his daughter.

After defeating Lady Dimitrescu and Donna and taking their flasks containing crystallized parts of Rose's body, Ethan would make his way to the reservoir. There, Moreau was guarding the flask containing Rose's arms, but Ethan was able to take the flask while Moreau was watching TV. When Moreau noticed Ethan, he begged him for the flask back, fearing that Miranda would disown him. When Ethan refused, Moreau began vomiting copious amounts of a sickly substance that quickly grew into large clumps of slimy mold that threatened to trap and crush Ethan. Ethan fled from the cavern, but could no longer go back the way he came; Moreau had transformed into his fish-like form and destroyed the pathways Ethan had used to get there. The only way Ethan could escape was if he drained the reservoir. Making his way across a series of makeshift bridges connecting the unsubmerged ruined buildings and windmills, Ethan obtained a crank that he could use to reconnect the electrical lines providing power to the reservoir control station. All the while, Moreau patrolled the reservoir waters trying to stop Ethan, but Ethan was ultimately successful and restored the power. After draining the reservoir, Ethan walked through the rotten ruins of the once-flooded fishing village where Moreau confronted him.

In his fish-like form, Moreau used his size and bulk to try and crush Ethan. He also spewed copious amounts of acid vomit to try and dissolve his enemy, but Ethan managed to stay safe using the sheet metal canopies around the old shanty village. Using explosives and what other ammunition he had, Ethan defeated Moreau who, after being mortally wounded, inflated like a balloon until he exploded in a shower of blood, acid and putrid flesh.

Abilities and Traits

 * Stunted Ageing - Since being infected with the Cadou, Moreau's ageing process has halted, although he no longer enjoys a normal human form like the other Lords as his body has become warped and swollen.
 * Slime Mold - Moreau can expel a sickly green slime from his mouth that can expand and solidify into large, mouldy growths. He uses this to trap victims in enclosed spaces.
 * Aquatic Mutation - Moreau can transform into a giant, fish-like monster at will. He can survive in water or on land in this state, but has far greater speed and freedom of movement in the water. On land, Moreau can only drag himself across terrain. He is also capable of expelling highly corrosive acid from his mouth, vomiting it up into the air to rain down on Ethan.

Weaknesses
In his humanoid state, Moreau appears sickly and weak even by regular human standards and presumably has no advanced strength or regenerative healing. In his fish-like form, his humanoid upper body seems to make up the "tongue" of the fish creature and is normally concealed within its mouth. Moreau's human portion is far more vulnerable than any other part of his mutant form as his most vital organs, including his brain, are all contained in this area.

Trivia

 * Moreau's character takes inspiration from many different sources. For starters, both his surname and his background in surgery are derived from the character of Dr. Moreau in H.G. Wells' book The Island of Dr. Moreau.
 * Moreau's aquatic form takes inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft, which describe numerous aquatic-style creatures sporting multiple eyes and tentacles.
 * Moreau's human appearance bears resemblance to a Japanese yokai, the kappa.