Vampire Rome: Days of Fasting
From AJS.COM
This is a Vampire Rome game which David is running. My character is Sextus Calvinius Hermes, a Gangrel of the Strangers. The Gangrel are not yet well-formed and my character is destined (Destiny merit from Mage: The Awakening) to be one of the core members of what people will know as the Gangrel in the future.
Contents |
Some background details
- This is the 2nd consulship of Pompii and Crassus.
- It is late November
- Festival of the October horse was won by the Subura (a poor part of town, so the Mob is happy these days)
Cast of Characters
- Apius Rufus Calanius
- Chris P's character. In life he was a skilled bronze smith, ferocious fighter, and wily tactician on the field of battle (These skills allowed him to prosper as a slave of Saxon origin in Rome). In death he's with the legions, having been mentored by Caius Vergilius Monius, who leans heavily on his tactical warfare skills. He also has a mortal retainer who is a bronze smith as well.
- Claudio
- A tribune who denounces Crassus and curses Rome before being murdered (formerly Claudius, a partician version of the name)
- Claudia
- Sister of the tribute, a woman of poor reputation, but excellent family
- Cnaeus
- Nathan's character. An Augur of strict and devout belief.
- Crassus
- One of the two Consuls of Rome who is trying to start the Parthian War
- Sextus Calvinius Hermes
- Aaron's character. A freed slave and Vampire of the clan Gangrel
- Otellus Cordilius Titurius
- Rather youngish, feedman priest of a very minor god in Rome named Orcus who is a god of death, underworld, oaths and punisher of perjurrors).
- "Reverend Lady" "Virgo Maxima" Aquila Julia
- Head of the temple of Vesta, Chief Vestal Virgin.
- Servius
- Jeff's Character.
- Unknown Julii woman
- Presiding officer of the Senex's meeting regarding Crassus/Claudius
First chapter
Crassus's Festival
At night (times changed for sake of the Vampire game, but the real even happened in the day) Claudius, a Tribune, interrupted the festival in order to denounce Crassus.
During his speach, he cursed Rome, and during his rant and curse, he recites many names (one of which is unknown, but Hermes recalls the name itself).
All of Rome was shut down as a result, and the Senate met informally to discuss how to purify Rome of the curse.
Claudius:
We know that he's a patron of one of the street gangs and has a sister with whom he is very close (in fact there are whispers of incest). His sister is often touted as an example of the loose morals of the Roman women of the current day. She followed her brother when he joined the Plebians, sacrificing her standing as a Patrician.
The Senex
The Senex met as a result, also and the player characters were selected randomly as the committee to decide what to do. As we are being gathered and charged, a servant runs to the presiding officer and whispers in her ear (she is a Julia). She pauses and says "say that again". The slave whispers again and she tilts her head and says, "in accordance with ancient agreement, the committee is invited to a meeting at the temple of Vesta". We are suggested to go swiftly and the officials of the Roman State are under the protection of the Senex. The slave tells us that he will escort us to the "Reverend Lady".
The Temple of Vesta
Note about the temple: The temple of vesta is one of the most beautiful in Rome. It's modeled on the huts that Rome was founded on.
The slave leads us to a side door and we are met by a young woman who leads us to a reception room with one woman and several elderly men. The virgo maxima is Aquila Julia. She is one of the few who knows about kindred society, but is not kindred. Some others at the gathering at the Temple of Vesta also know of us. She invited us a matter of custom. Julia (virgo maxima), called this meeting.
She stands and greets us with a smile. She says that in view of circumstance, she understands if we don't introduce ourselves, but invites us to. We introduce ourselves (including all of the other invitees). Only Cnaeus introduces himself without his full name (just using that name).
She explains the secondary (and more pressing) concern that prompted this meeting. The names uttered by Claudius included the secret name of Rome, and thus this is a matter of state security. Most families have a God of their family who is addressed by a secret name. This name is the one that is used by the Vestal temple for Rome. The first thing they are concerned with is removing the curse, which is more weighty due to the secret name of Rome having been invoked in its application.
The Lestorium will be performed where a bull and a sheep will be selected are placed on a platform, drugged and then carried around the walls of Rome and they are slaughtered and the blood is sprinkled on the walls. They look for the closest day that can be used for the ritual. They are concerned about when to do it because of conflicts with events of religious import. Day after tomorrow is the day that the doors to the underworld are open. The connection between the dead and the living would be too close. The next day might be OK, but they argue about it. A legion was defeated on that day and a banner was lost (eagle), but it was recovered... back and forth ensues. The maxima is attempting to hasten the action, and using her influence to get people to move in that direction. She seems to be looking to all for guidance.
An elderly gentleman seated most closely to us is the rex sanctorum (king of sacrifices). He has been quiet, and deferring to the virgo maxima. He points out that we were selected by lottery and says "they are as bad as we are"... The virgo maxima announces the consensus which is that we will act on the day after the day after tomorrow (Thursday).
She then proproses a committee be appointed to investigate the matter of the sacred name. Hermes points out that we are ill suited to helping with the re-blessing, and so we should investigate the name. The maxima suggests that our point of contact should be the rather youngish (for this crowd) priest of "hold on" (actually of a very minor god in Rome named Orcus who is a god of death, underworld, oaths and punisher of perjurrors). His name is (Chris P suggested: Genericus Romanus Nomen) Otellus Cordilius Titurius. He looks at the vestal virgin and leans forward and says that he'd be happy to take that role, but looks surprised and somewhat uncomfortable. She asks us to arrange a meeting system with the priest and retires.
We arrange to contact the priest by runner when we need him.
The Body
At the door as everyone exits, there is a decapitated body. It is mauled and there is much blood, wrapped in a purple striped mantle. The necklace is lying next to it, and it was the necklace worn by Claudius. The hand is painted purple (as Caludius's was during the ritual cursing). This is clearly an attempt to further contaminate the city by exposing these officials and priests to a dead body and blood. The body was not exactly stabbed, but savaged by a beast. Something tiger-like. Serveus (Jeff) determines that it is probably the bite of a crocodile, alligator or the like. Using a rat, Hermes determines that there were either 2 or 4 people and that they left in 2 directions after dumping the body. The priest of Orcus commandeers a slave and makes him go to the temple to fetch people to claim the body. There's no blood trail. It occurs to us that this is the body of a tribune, which means that there will be a riot or the like as a result. Cnaeus divined two times: once on the necklace and once on the body. The necklace revealed the moment of dying the hand and face purple. The body revaled thrashing, screaming, pain, a pool of water, something slithering in it, blood, screaming, laughter, the scent of wine, perfume. The pool was a small bathing pool. Cnaeus suggested the possibility that the sister was involved in this.
Investigation
We determined to interview the sister first, and then proceed to the Tribune's home. She has a house of the palatine, it's a good area, she's across from a small temple to priapus. Some said that she bought the house because it was next to the biggest phallus in Rome. As we leave we hear soft chanting in female voices, almost certainly the start of a religious ritual.
We arrive at the sister's home, and the slave tells us that the lady will see us, but that she will "have our balls for a wall hanging" if this is a trivial matter. She says that she suspects the "pigs of the senete" of having killed her brother. She says, "Crassus is a threat to the state" ... "The idiocy of the curse is probably a result of his spending too much time with Archaminius" She loves her brother, but she feels that he has a weakness: seeking religious instruction. She doesn't think anyone of breeding requires religion. Archaminius can be found near a cemetary "trans Tiber" (bad part of town). She refers to the virgo maxima as "that bitch"
She says that we should tell the virgo maxima that if she needs "a good fuck" that she has a slave who can perform the act. Her slaves (dressed in something approaching leather armor) escort us out with the clear threat of physical removal.
A the home of Claudius, we are barred access by his slaves. The smell of blood is not strong here. Slightly herbal scent in the air. Comes from a spice stand that is currently unoccupied. Servius investigates the cart and finds that many of the herbs are abortificants. Calanius climbed into the courtyard to break into the home, but fell on the dinner gong. He dives into a slaves' room and intimidates the slaves there to remain silent. A combat ensues. He then lets Cnaeus into the building. Some men of the house then gather and brandish swords and torches against Calanius and Cnaeus.
We are facing a group of lightly armed men.
A man wearing a centhus comes out. It's a greek outfit used for dinner parties and such. "the polo shirt of Rome." Cnaeus talked his way around the guy. Quintus Caecelius Metellus Nepos. We all introduce ourselves. He stood up for Claudio's speaking out against Crasus.
We asked if the home had a pool and were directed to his rainwater pool. We left contact information for one of Cnaeus's associates. We were then escorted to the door.
Titus Milo's goons showed up on the street and invited us to visit Titus Milo's home. They were nearly armed. We go to the Subura, and into an alleyway to a door of a large house that is set against the insula. This is "completely not what a wealthy person would do."
on the inside the place is filled with former gladiators and rowers. Lots of large, muscular and scarred people.
We meet Milo and Lucius Julius Germinius. Milo gestured to couches for us to lay down and implied that he knew we did not need to eat. He explains that there are two factions to Roman politics: the Patricians and the Optimati. He speculated that the effect of this was to drive a wedge between Crasus and the other two (Caesar and Pompii). He tool great pleasure in the idea that Crasus would be upset over this.
He does suggest that Claudio's sister could talk him into anything.
We take our leave and set about directing our contacts and retainers for the coming day.
Hermes set his contacts on investigating the area of the Tribune's death. There are very few people who say that they saw two men carrying a large bag. Not much detail.
Germinius found out that Claudio made huge numbers of enemies by switching from Patrician to Plebeian so that he could be a tribune. He had to blackmail people to do so, and his family was horrified. He had been manipulating the roman mob for years, and maybe the mob just caught him. He also learns that Claudio has been consorting with foreign rites within the plenarium (such as Isis, etc.) he's been observed associating withe very questionable foreign cults.
Cnaeus discovered that the perfume from his vision was Egyptian in origin.
At high noon, Claudia went into the Senate and beat her breasts on the rostrum. She makes a show about the fact that a tribune was murdered, and incites the masses to riot over his death.
The Consuls are given special emergency powers to deal with the ensuing riot which burned the Senate to the ground.
On our way to the necropolis
- The one you seek is not dead
- A slave, purpled, is beheaded
- Oiled hands, soft, touched him before he slipped into water
Serveus talked to the woman who came to take care of her, and convinced her that he might be able to take care of her. She suffers from the "falling disease".
Ceaneus performs a ritual in the necropolis: Apollonian Sight. Go into no water; Drink nothing freely offered you. Do not visit any foreigner alone. Make sacrifice to Apollo Python Killer before 3 suns rise.
We go to the Senex room. Some junior members of the Senex and the woman of the Juliai who spoke to us before. Her name is Probia. She's a senior member of the Senex and is unusually detatched from mortal life. She is a patrician (may have been by mortal right). In vampire society, she's known to be slightly more liberal than Ghengis Khan (untra conservative in her public views, but defends the right of people to stand up and argue their views).
We speak to her, sitting on a bench talking to her.
She says that visions may be suspect due to the curse on Rome, but says that our job is not done, and that we must pursue this to its end, like the "predators that we are".
She suggests, obliquely that we might need to avoid our traditional Roman prejudice against foreigners.
She does not want us to hold back because of the status of anyone involved, even if it should lead to the Senex.
Serveus knows of some Mekhet who might have more knowledge of Egyptian vampires
Sextus meets with builders from the guild to discover the date and people involved in the building Body was blue
The ambassador's home is rife with the evidence of celebration
The ambassador comes up to us and greets Nathan and Andrew's character warmly, and the rest of us as potential clients.
We end on the conversation with the ambassador just beginning.
Confrontation
We are invited in to the ambassador's home. We banter. I talk to the crocodile and it confirms that it bit the headless body. Cnaeus then attacks the ambassador, threatening him. The ambassador calls for his guards. We do manage to extract the information that it was Claudio's slave that was killed by Claudio, here. The slave was then fed to the crocodile. However, the confrontation escalates and we have to flee the home to avoid creating an international incident. Both the guards and the ambassador knew that we were vampires.
Leaving... gracefully... we returned to the Senex to inform Probia of the fact that Claudio was alive and also sent a runnder to the priest of Orcus. On the way, we were informed that Andrew's character's father had reason to believe that the prophetess was false. We then proceeded to the home of Claudia who we told of her brother's lack of death, and Andrew's character compelled her to tell the truth about her brother's location. We found out that he is in the vineyards of Ceasar, and we headed off that way. Cnaeus is waiting outside, and we intend to loop back to get him in 15 minutes or so, assuming that no one leaves the house that he follows. I've told him that he should expect us to go to the vineyards of Ceasar, if he's not there when we get back.
Quotes
- "It's Rome. Most of your entertainment involves the sight of human blood."
- "It has always been about the haste."
