03.2023 | WELCOME BACK! Hello friends old and new! I'm so excited to welcome you all back to SITW! I've made some changes to the plot and added the ability to play supernatural charcaters! So come and check it out! I can't wait to jump back into this little town with all of you!
A strange history surrounds the town, it is a place where mysterious and supernatural things have been known to happen. The reputation of the town reguarly draws in visitors and newcomers alike. While some residents avidly believe in the supernatural, others are far more skeptical. What do you believe?
Historical Note: The Holy Roman Empire is at war with the League of Congac, an alliance of the Pope, France, England, Florence, Milan, and Venice. The League attempts to contest the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V's, control of Italy, but his forces are too great. He has swept the countryside and threatens the gates of Rome should the League, in particular Pope Clement VII, not surrender. For the moment, it is only a threat, but many of Charles V's mercenary forces are unpaid and growing more and more unhappy with each passing day. Rome has less than 8,000 defenders facing down an army of over 20,000. Tensions are about to reach their peak.
If Arturo Diaz de Frontera was any sort of proper Spainard, he would be on the outside of these walls with a pike in his hand, starving and running out of alcohol. But instead, he was here, in the heart of Roma. Where once the walls around the city had felt tall and impenetrable, patrolled by glorious guards and decorated in bright banners, they now felt small and crumbling. The vampire had never been one to feel claustrophobic, but he was starting to understand the concept.
Standing atop the walls, he looked out over the countryside that was covered in the muted blacks and browns of the invading army, camped there now for a few days. Even at this distance, he could see individual men moving about, watching them back, debating about when to make their move. the air in the city was heavy with the knowledge that should that move happen, they didn't stand a chance. Many had fled the city already despite the city guard attempting to contain the panic. they were the Lord's righteous, after all. The Holy Roman Emperor was nothing but a pretender.
He had thought being a guard for the Pope might be entertaining. A siege wasn't exactly his idea of entertaining. He sighed as his replacement arrived. Arturo patted the man on the back, pointed out a few key flags to watch, and then turned on the ramparts and walked to the turret, making his way down the steps. His job was much more peripheral, simply to alert the Swiss guard of an impending attack. In the meantime, he was free to take in the city, though it was more of a ghost town than a bustling city.
Hilariously, though he had spent the entirety of his 'life' Catholic, he wasn't the least bit religious now. Though he certainly pretended as much.
Post by Giacomo Ettore on Mar 27, 2024 17:04:53 GMT
It had been just over a century since Annika had turned Giacomo and the two had mostly stayed in areas around Europe during that time. When tensions began to get high in Italy, Gia had almost begged Annika to go back to his home land. It was painful to see how different it was from when he left and the pressure of the invading army that was a threat to everything he held dear about his beautiful Italia.
Luckily, Annika was willing to help as best as they could so they had gone back to his home, to the impressive culture that was Rome and the armies that threatened to overtake the city. They were down in the streets together when they saw a man coming down the steps from the top of the wall. They recognized him almost immediately as a vampire which they both found intriguing and Gia, desperate for information, approached the man. "How is it looking from up there?" he inquired.
Post by Arturo Diaz de Frontera on Apr 10, 2024 20:25:56 GMT
Arturo had met many of his own kind. His sire had long had more than him in his original coven, or harem, as it were. And he had traveled much of Europe to know a bit more history and where some of the more well-known 'old gods' were. But he was still always a bit surprised to meet another vampire in passing, let alone two. He could tell they were sire and spawn and from the younger's accent, this area was likely his original home. He had a moment of sympathy, as he understood the possessiveness he too had over his him town and country at large. But knowing the size of the armies on the other side of the wall, linger here was a silly notion, even for the likes of them.
Still, he smiled. "Ciao! I do believe it is time to leave before they set in a siege," he said in amusement, quite the outrageous thing to say being as his livery marked him as being in service to the Pope. Of course, a vampire in service to the Pope was mysterious and amusing in and of itself. Arturo's Italian was a bit rough, colored by his Spanish accent, but he had spent many years traveling and practicing languages. "Unless you've come to preserve history?" He said it with a cheeky grin and one could well have taken out the word 'preserve' and inserted the word 'loot' and he could have said it with the same smile. He jested, of course. Probably.
He shifted his dress helmet from his hip and spun it in his hands. "Mercenaries are camped all over the hills in a sea of metal and banners. Can't make head of tales of whether Charles plans to attack or just threaten us," he said, a bit more seriously if not very helpful. If it were him, he'd attack the city. Rome would never surrender, not while the Pope occupied the city.
Post by Giacomo Ettore on Apr 11, 2024 15:13:25 GMT
Gia's stomach twisted at the news. Was it really looking that bad? What would happen if Rome fell, he couldn't imagine it. The man's other suggestion, though made at least partially in jest, was tempting. All of this beautiful art destroyed? Gone forever when it should have gone down in history as some of the greatest ever created? How could he just let that happen?
He was clearly lost for a moment in distressed thoughts so Annika took over happily for her progeny. "Is there nothing we can do to prevent the fight? Are there others who could assist?" she asked, clearing meaning other vampires. Maybe this one was from a coven. Truth be told, she cared very little to fight beside others. She was an individualist through and through and had her dear Giacomo not been so distraught about it, she would have easily let Rome fall. She wasn't one to try to change the way of things.
Post by Arturo Diaz de Frontera on Apr 20, 2024 20:37:21 GMT
When one lived as long as they did, processed the same emotions over and over again, usually there was a sort of...detachment to the material world. Investing strong emotions into others was difficult. Which was why staying with one's sire made sense even before the compulsion. That was someone that would always be there, after all, always worth investing in. While the younger vampire's expression might not have been so dramatic, his distress was there, Arturo could see it deep in his eyes as he looked toward the wall. He was worried about this place.
His dark eyes shifted to the woman. At first, he wondered if she might be suggesting they meddle personally, and he raised a curious eyebrow as she spoke. Certainly, with their superior physical abilities and healing and beyond, they could turn the tide of a battle. To do so here, against so many... They would have to be very good, and it would be very obvious. "Is the city that important to you?" he asked instead of answered, looking from the woman to the young man. If his accent had not, his returned question made it clear he was not from the local coven. He'd met one of them, but they had been...rather confrontational. "Ah, but where are my manners. Arturo Diaz de Frontera. Spain," he introduced himself with a graceful bow. "Perhaps we enjoy the city while we can? I have some time before I must return to the Vatican." Though he would like to soon. As much as there was still debate whether the emperor would dare attack, Arturo would much rather be closer to his companion. That was what he was worried about, more than the city.
He gestured toward the city center. "The theatre, the markets, the coliseum or perhaps somewhere else?" He looked over the younger man, carefully. He was quite lovely. He understood the woman's attraction, if only on a physical level. He imagined there was much more there. There usually was.
Post by Giacomo Ettore on Apr 29, 2024 19:58:23 GMT
Is the city that important? Annika gave was a clearly a pretty indifferent shrug but she glanced to her progeny as Gia whipped his head back to the man as if he couldn't understand why it wouldn't be important. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Annika Krause. Germany. And this-" she motioned to Gia so he could answer for himself.
"Giacomo Ettore. Rome." He stated the city instead of the country and punctuated it with purpose to make it clear that, yes, the city was that important to him. It was his home. Of course he wanted to save it but he wasn't a fool. He knew what that would mean to ask such a thing and to find others who were willing to risk that...was even less of a chance than the word 'unlikely' could entail.
Annika seemed to light up at the idea of enjoying the city though the phrase 'while we can' very much rubbed Gia the wrong way. He wasn't sure how he felt about this man but was trying to be logical rather than emotional about that. He was finding it challenging, especially being the youngest of the three of them. "Oh yes, lets! What shall we see, Giacomo darling?" she asked him. She was trying to be thoughtful about him and what he might like to see, especially if it turned out to be the last time, but she lacked the empathy to truly feel for him.
However, Gia was feeling far too stubborn to answer so Annika did so for him once a gain. "Where is the best place to enjoy the art scene? Gia so does love the art here in Rome," she suggested. Giacomo seemed to perk up a bit but was trying not to show it.
Post by Arturo Diaz de Frontera on May 1, 2024 13:12:34 GMT
The woman seemed even more apathetic than he was. Arturo was more concerned for a few people and things in the city. Though he would admit much of the architecture was lovely to look at and the idea of seeing it burn… He could almost taste the man's dispair, see it in his eyes and the way his eyes locked on him in indignation. He smiled at him but directed his attention to his sire’s introduction. “I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting. You shall have to give me places to visit.”
And then he returned his smile to Giacomo. Such a charming name. “Ah. This is home then. Rome is the heart of the western world, yes?” He said, making it clear he was very aware of the history they were surrounded in. He could not share thr man's patriotism, but he did understand the attachment and would not fault him for it. Arturo couldn't say what he would do to protect his place of birth. Despite the fact he had helped burn it to the ground once. But that was neither here nor there.
“I should think we visit somewhere you would like to protect?” He offered. Standing against the entire army might be too obvious. But if it came down to it, they could ensure some particular place wasn’t destroyed. Of course, Arturo had his own priorities if a fight did break out and, oddly enough for an undead being, it was with the living. “I am a fan of the coliseum myself. But let's start with the market. I imagine there is much you can show me of the ciry.” He had very little detailed experience of the city himself but knew they would pass quite a few reliefs and arches and other wonders of architecture. While Arturo led them off, he purposefully wandered a bit, enjoying the walk rather than moving them directly there. And perhaps he wanted Giacomo to take the lead.