Nothing is True. Everything is Connected.
Category: <span>Sanguen Clan</span>

Sylum Inspiration: Ernesto Olivetti

Lealta: Hunter

I actually could’ve listed so many more –  next year 🙂

Ernesto is the only son of Franco and Veronique Olivetti. His father was a Roman Carabinieri, and was killed in a shooting when Ernesto was twenty. He followed in his father’s footsteps when, after two years as an MP in the Italian Army, he joined the Vatican Police.

He was married to Maria, and has four children: Francesco, Mary, Adria and Isabella.

Ernesto rose up the ranks in the Vatican Police quickly, becoming one of the youngest Inspector Generals at the age of 47.

He was introduced to the world of Vampires when he became friends with and later a Chosen One for Andrew Kiernan.

His life radically changed That Night. Though he had known about Vampires, he had not expected to be pulled into a conspiracy that went all the way back to Galileo, who he found out was a Vampire and was betraying his Clan and society.

He chased all over Rome with Robert Langdon and Nicolaus Meridius. Until he ended up at the Santa Maria della Vittoria, his home parish. A place where he laid his life down for his Church only to wake up a Vampire.

Sylum Inspiration: Michelangelo

Lealta: Member

 

Michelangelo was born in Caprese near Arezzo, Tuscany. His family had been small-scale bankers in Florence. Several months after Michelangelo’s birth, the family returned to Florence, where Michelangelo was raised. At later times, during his mother’s prolonged illness and after her death, when he was just six years old, Michelangelo lived with a stonecutter and his wife and family in the town of Settignano, where his father owned a marble quarry and a small farm.

As a young boy, Michelangelo was sent to Florence to study grammar, but the young artist, however, showed no interest in his schooling, preferring to copy paintings from churches and seek the company of painters. He found an apprenticeship by the time he was 14, despite a time for Arnolfo di Cambio.

Michalangelo’s work had shocked the time, as it was more fluid and less gothic. He learned to turn his attention towards what society wanting, having settled into help building and designing the Santa Maria del Fiore.

It was in the early years of the construction that he had met Leonardo. He had come to see the building works, and had admired Michelangelo’s work, specifically the materials that people weren’t seeing. He sat the artist down and gave him the same opportunity that he had been granted

Sylum Inspiration: James Hunt

Lealta: Member

 

James Hunt was born in Belmont, Sutton, Surrey, as the second child of Sue and Wallis Hunt, a successful stockbroker.  His parents were brought up in strict Victorian environments and worked hard to maintain discipline in the family.  He had an elder sister, Sally, three younger brothers, Peter, Timothy and David, and one young sister, Georgina.  Hunt’s family lived in a flat in Cheam, Surrey, moved to Sutton when he was 11 and then to a larger home in Belmont.

As a child, Hunt was fascinated with animals and birds, and professed an intention of becoming a doctor, which his family supported.  However, he had a persistently rebellious personality; for example, his parents believed that he had started smoking from the age of 10, a habit he continued into adulthood, despite their attempts to persuade him to stop.  He was prone to violent tantrums; as an adult, he acknowledged that he was quick tempered.

Hunt first learned to drive on a tractor on a farm in Pembrokeshire, Wales while on a family holiday, with instruction from the farm’s owner, but he found changing gears frustrating because he lacked the required strength.  Hunt passed his driving test one week after his 17th birthday, at which point he said his life “really began”.  Hunt also took up skiing in 1965AD in Scotland and made plans for further ski trips.  Before his 18th birthday, he went to the home of Chris Ridge, his tennis doubles partner.  Ridge’s brother Simon, who raced Minis, was preparing his car for a race at Silverstone that weekend.  The Ridges took Hunt to see the race, which began his obsession with motor racing.

Hunt later raced in Formula Three in 1969AD, from a budget conceived by Gowrings of Reading which brought a Merlyn Mk11A.  Gowrings had a view to run the car in the final two races of 1968AD.  Hunt won several races and constant high placed finishes which was evaluated by the British Guild of Motoring Writers who awarded Hunt a Grovewood Award as one of the three drivers to have promising careers that year.

1976AD was Hunt’s best year; the season proved to be one of the most dramatic and controversial on record for Formula 1.  While Hunt’s performances in the Hesketh had drawn considerable praise, there was some conjecture as to whether he could really sustain a championship challenge.  Now a works McLaren driver, he dispelled many doubters at the first race in Brazil, where, in a hastily rebuilt McLaren M23, he landed pole position in the last minutes of qualifying.  Over the course of the year he would drive the McLaren M23 to six Grands Prix wins, but with superior reliability, reigning world champion and main rival Niki Lauda pulled out a substantial points lead in the first few races of the season.  Hunt’s first race win of 1976AD, at the fourth race of the season, the Spanish Grand Prix, resulted in disqualification for driving a car adjudged to be 1.8 cm too wide.  The win was later reinstated upon appeal, but it set the tone for an extraordinarily volatile season.  At the British Grand Prix, Hunt was involved in a first corner incident on the first lap with Lauda which led to the race being stopped and restarted.  Hunt initially attempted to take a spare car, however this was disallowed, and during this time the original race car was repaired, eventually winning the restarted race.  Hunt’s victory was disallowed on 24 September, by a ruling from the FIA after Ferrari complained that Hunt was not legally allowed to restart the race.

Lauda sustained near-fatal injuries in an accident at the following round, the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.  Hunt dominated the restarted Nürburgring race, building an immediate lead and remaining unchallenged to the chequered flag.

Lauda’s injuries kept him out of the following two races, allowing Hunt to close the gap in the championship chase.  At Zandvoort, Hunt overtook Ronnie Peterson on the 12th lap and resisted pressure from John Watson to win.  At the Italian Grand Prix, the big story was Lauda’s miraculous return from his Nürburgring accident.  At a circuit that should have suited Hunt’s car, the Texaco fuel McLaren were using was tested and although apparently legal, their cars and also those of the Penske team, were judged to contain a higher octane level than allowed.  Subsequently both teams were forced to start from the rear of the grid.  While trying to make his way up the field, Hunt spun off, while a returning Lauda finished fourth.  However, at the penultimate round in the United States, Hunt started from pole and took victory after a close battle with Jody Scheckter.

This set the stage for the final round in Japan.  Hunt’s late season charge pulled him to just three points behind Lauda.  The sliding scale of points for the top six finishers meant that Hunt needed to finish third (4-points) or better, to overtake Lauda, coupled with Lauda earning too few points to stay ahead.  McLaren team manager Alastair Caldwell had taken advantage of the gap between the final two races to hire the Fuji circuit – a track hosting its first Grand Prix and therefore unknown to all the teams – for an exclusive McLaren test.  After a few laps the gearbox seized, bringing the test to a premature close, but the team had had the advantage of acclimatising themselves to the new circuit.  Conditions for the race itself were torrentially wet.  Lauda retired early on in the race, unable to blink because of facial burns from his accident in Germany.  After leading most of the race, Hunt suffered a puncture, then had a delayed pitstop and finally received mixed pit signals from his team.  But he managed to finish in third place, scoring four points, enough for him to win the World Championship by one point.

His relationship with Lauda was one of legeneds.  They loved and hated each other, but respected each other talents, though had no problem insulting the other.

His personal life was a violtale as his racing career.

For more information see the Vampire Council Library

Hunt in time retired from racing and became a sport commentator.  He lived life fast and hard, and in time it caught up with him.

He met Aflredo Ferarri at a club, though at the time he was only introduced to him as ‘Dino’.  After a night together, Dino disappeared.

Hunt got a card a day later stating that if he wanted the biggest racing thrill of his life, he was to come to Geneva, sober and clean.

He arrived sober, but it would take hard work on his, Draco’s, and John Watson’s combined parts, to get him clean.

It was during this time he discovered all about Vampires, who Dino really was, and his inspiration for Formula 1.

After he cleaned up, James Hunt was Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Lisa del Giocondo

Lealta: Caretaker

 

Lisa’s Florentine family was old and aristocratic but over time had lost its influence. They were well off but not wealthy, and lived on farm income in a city that was among the largest in Europe and economically successful, while there were great disparities in wealth among its inhabitants.

Antonmaria di Noldo Gherardini, Lisa’s father, had lost two wives, Lisa di Giovanni Filippo de’ Carducci, whom he married in 1465, and Caterina di Mariotto Rucellai, whom he married in 1473. Both died in childbirth. Lisa’s mother was Lucrezia del Caccia, daughter of Piera Spinelli, and Gherardini’s wife by his third marriage in 1476 Gherardini at one time owned or rented six farms in Chianti that produced wheat, wine and olive oil and where livestock was raised.

Lisa was born in Florence on 15 June 1479 on Via Maggio, although for many years it was thought she was born on one of the family’s rural properties, Villa Vignamaggio just outside Greve. She is named for Lisa, a wife of her paternal grandfather. The eldest of seven children, Lisa had three sisters, one of whom was named Ginevra, and three brothers, Giovangualberto, Francesco, and Noldo.

The family lived in Florence, originally near Santa Trinita and later in rented space near Santo Spirito, most likely because they were not able to afford repairs to their former house when it was damaged. Lisa’s family moved to what today is called Via dei Pepi and then near Santa Croce, where they lived near Ser Piero da Vinci, Leonardo’s father. They also owned a small country home in St. Donato in the village of Poggio, Noldo, Gherardini’s father and Lisa’s grandfather, had bequeathed a farm in Chianti to the Santa Maria Nuova hospital. Gherardini secured a lease for another of the hospital’s farms and, so that he could oversee the wheat harvest, the family spent summers there at the house named Ca’ di Pesa.

On 5 March 1495, Lisa married Francesco di Bartolomeo di Zanobi del Giocondo, a modestly successful cloth and silk merchant, becoming his third wife at age 15. Lisa’s dowry was 170 florins and the San Silvestro farm near her family’s country home, a sign that the Gherardini family was not wealthy at the time and reason to think she and her husband loved each other. The property lies between Castellina and San Donato in Poggio, near two farms later owned by Michelangelo. Neither poor nor among the most well-to-do in Florence, the couple lived a middle-class life. Lisa’s marriage may have increased her social status because her husband’s family may have been richer than her own. Francesco is thought to have benefited because Gherardini is an “old name”. They lived in shared accommodation until 5 March 1503, when Francesco was able to buy a house next door to his family’s old home in the Via della Stufa. Leonardo is thought to have begun painting Lisa’s portrait the same year.

Francesco became an official in Florence. He was elected to the Dodici Buonomini in 1499 and to the Signoria in 1512, where he was confirmed as a Priori in 1524. He may have had ties to Medici family political or business interests. In 1512 when the government of Florence feared the return of the Medici from exile, Francesco was imprisoned and fined 1,000 florins. He was released in September when the Medici returned.

For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library

It was Francesco who hired Leonardo to paint his wife, which is now the painting that has become famous through out the world.

During the sittings he had become good friends with Lisa, and had told her grand stories of his life. She humored him for many of the sittings, enjoying the artist’s ramblings.

It wasn’t until 1537, when her husband died, that she sought out Leonardo and asked for more of his stories, and when she discovered about Vampires, she felt this is where her life had lead her.

It was only fitting that she was Turned by the man who would make her smile famous.

Sylum Inspiration: Eomer

Lealta: Lead Hunter

 

Éomer was a son of the House of Eorl and the nephew of Chieftain Theoden. He was the son of Theodwyn (sister to Theoden) and Eomund, and the twin brother of Éowyn. When he was only seven years old, his father was killed in battle and his mother died of grief.

Éowyn and Éomer were raised in his uncle’s household as if they were his own children.

Morgana had sent her spies, and the most famous only known as Wormtongue, had tried to persuade Theoden not to send his famed Horsemen to Arthur’s Aide.  Éowyn exposed his lies and accused of him of inappropriate behavior. Éomer threw him off the castle battlements, killing him instantly.

When Chieftain Theoden discovered the deception, he sent his famed Riders Rohan under the leadership of his nephew Éomer, to help Arthur Pendragon in his struggle with Mordred. In the battle he discovered his sister hiding as a soldier, when he saw her fighting Morgana. After she gave the killing blow, he ran to her aid, when Mordred tried to get revenge. Before Mordred could raise his sword, Éomer thrusts his sword between Mordred’s shoulder blades, effectively gutting the King’s enemy.

After the battle and subsequent ‘Death of Arthur’, Éomer encouraged his sister to go to the Queen’s side, to help her with the loss of the King. She returned to his side a day later, persuading him to talk to the King’s Second in Command, Lancelot. Trusting his sister, he goes to Lancelot to discover the truth about his King and Queen.

A year later, he is Turned on the same day as his sister.

Sylum Inspiration: Lucretia

Lealta: Second in Command

 

Lucretia is a semi-legendary figure in the history of the Roman Republic. According to the story, told mainly by two turn-of-the-millenium historians, the Roman Livy and the Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus (who lived in Rome at the time of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus), her rape by the king’s son and consequent suicide were the immediate cause of the revolution that overthrew the monarchy and established the Roman Republic.

The incident kindled the flames of dissatisfaction over the tyrannical methods of the last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. As a result, the prominent families instituted a republic, drove the extensive Tarquin family from Rome, and successfully defended the republic against attempted Etruscan and Latin intervention. The rape has been a major theme in European art and literature.

The beginning of the Republic is marked by the first appearance of the two consuls elected on a yearly basis. The Romans recorded events by consular year, keeping an official list in various forms called the fasti, used by Roman historians. The list and its events are authentic as far as can be known although debatable problems with many parts of it do exist.
This list confirms that there was a Roman Republic, that it began at the beginning of the fasti, and that it supplanted a monarchy. One of the first two consuls is Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, husband of Lucretia. All the numerous sources on the beginning of the republic reiterate these basic events.

Lucretia and the monarchy cannot therefore be total myth or an elaborate literary hoax to deceive and entertain the Roman people about an early history that can not otherwise be known. The evidence points to the historical existence of a woman named Lucretia and a historical incident that played a critical part in the real downfall of a real monarchy. Many of the specific details are debatable. Later uses of the legend, however, are typically mythical in portrayal, being of artistic rather than historical merit. As the events of the story move rapidly, the date of the incident is probably the same year as the first of the fasti. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a major source, sets this year “at the beginning of the sixty-eighth Olympiad … Isagoras being the annual archon at Athens;” that is, 508/507 BC (the ancient calendars split years over modern ones). Lucretia therefore died in 508 BC. The other historical sources tend to support this date, but the year is debatable within a range of about five years.

For more information on the historical interpretation please see Vampire Council Library

Sylum Inspiration: Dwalin

Mod Clan: Hunter

 

Dwalin was the first born son of the King’s Advisor Balin.   His father raised him to learn the difference between a King of the people and greedy bastard.   When he was six years old, Thorin was born.  He took one look at the baby and knew what his father meant.   From that moment on he dedicated his life to his king.

He taught the kid to fight.

He got the kid out of trouble.

He cursed the day Thorin grew bigger and taller than him, and he was one of the biggest in Erebor.

He stood by and watched as Thorin made a deal with the dragon, then challenged Thror.   He smiled when the old bastard realized the dragon wasn’t coming to save him, and Thorin was going to kill him.

He smiled brightly when Thorin married, mourned with him when she died giving him two beautiful strong sons.

Thorin had laughed when Dori had yelled at him, ready to deny his offer of marriage to her youngest sister Ori.   Mainly because every one knew Nori the middle brother, and him were ‘close’.

He loved his wife, was deathly afraid of his sister in law and ignored Nori’s ability to get in and out of trouble.

His world shattered when some warlord showed up demanding tribute, and without hesitation killed Thorin in front of them.   He swore to Fili he would seek vegence, only to be shocked when the young new king told him Thorin was alive … in a way.

Before they could even figure out what was going on, the warlord was back and the village was destroyed.   There were thirteen of them, he was the lucky one that had his whole family.   Thorin held him as they buried Balin on the road.   When they met Bilbo Baggins he knew the look on his friends face, something he hadn’t seen in decades.

Once they got to Builwyf, and everything was explained about Vampires, he had contemplated getting Turned as Thorin would need him, but then the warlord showed up with his horde.   He still ended up Turned, but lost everyone in the process.

Sylum Inspiration: Fili Durin

Mod Clan: Hunter

 

Fili is the first born son of Thorin, he’s older than his brother by 15 mins.   He knows his mother died when they were born, and that he has her coloring and smile.   His father also says her temperament, slow to anger but get out of the way when it happens.

He remembers always following their father around, learning about taking care of the people.   He was told stories of his great grandfather, and knew that he never wanted to be like him.

As he was the oldest he was expected to take over, it wasn’t something he wanted but knew his duty.  Kili teased him but always supported him, even backed him when he argued with Thorin about finding a wife.   Fili had figured out early on that he wasn’t interested in woman, but knew at one point he was going to have to marry.  He just hoped Kili popped out grandkids first.

Then one day a warlord came through demanded tribute.   Thorin had refused,  the warlord attacked, but was shocked at how well Thorin fought.  His father was a formidable warrior, and well huge.

Fili watched in horror when the warlord killed his father.   Fili was held back by Dwalin as he screamed and lurched for the murdering bastard.   They moved their father’s body to his chambers, Fili refused to leave his side.  He was the first to notice that the wound was healing and his father was waking up.

Fili was relieved and terrified.  They soon figured out that Thorin wasn’t different just well ‘dead’.   They didn’t have time to contemplate it when the village was attacked and they barely escaped the destruction.

There were thirteen of them who survived, and that was the first time Fili was introduced to Smaug, and had first idea of what his father had become.

They travelled south, coming onto a small village when they asked for help they were denied, but Bilbo Baggins still took them in, it was obvious the farmer had been smitten with their father.   What had shocked Fili & Kili was that their father was smitten in return.

Once they arrived at the sanctuary, they learned about Vampires.   Fili wasn’t surprised Bilbo was his father’s Mate.  It gave him hope that his father wouldn’t be upset about his own inclinations.   Then the warlord showed up and everything went to shit.

Sylum Inspiration: Bilbo Baggins

Mod Clan: Member

 

Bilbo Baggins was the only child of Belladonna and Bungo Baggins.  He learned his adventuring skills from his mother and farming skills from his father.

He inherited Bags End when he was sixteen, after a horrible winter that had killed almost a third of the small village of the Shire.   Instead of selling it or worse marrying the neighbors daughter Lobelia, so they could get their hands on his farm, he made it prosper.

He knew he was the talk of the village as he decided not to marry, and had plans to give the land to his neighbors the Hamgees.

Then one day his world changed, when a group of refuges landed on his doorstep.   He heard them asking for help at the town center but no one wanted anything to do with them.  Bilbo refused to let them wander off without food and rest.   He would tell you he fell for Kili and Fili first, and then young Gimli.   When they stated their father couldn’t enter his home as he was to tall, he couldn’t believe it so made a plate of food and marched to the barn to give the inconsiderate bastard a piece of his mind on being a gracious guest!  Only to realize that yes Thorin couldn’t enter his house as he was huge!  Bilbo wasn’t small but he felt tiny compared to him.

They ended up staying a week, and Bilbo spent all the time with Thorin.  He hated the idea of them leaving, and contemplating running off with them, but new his duty was his farm.   Only for fate to step in, and they all had to flee as the Shire was destroyed.

It was on the trip he learned about Erebor, the dragon Smaug, and the fact Thorin was technically dead.    Once they arrived and met Builwyf so many of his questions were answered.   He knew he belonged to Thorin, so took Gran’s offer to be Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Thorin Durin

Mod Clan: Hunter

 

Thorin was the son of Thrain who was the son of Thror.   The king of an established yet unknown village of Erebor up in the mountains of Norway.

His grandfather Thror was not a kind man, and ruled his people with an iron fist keeping all it’s wealth to himself.  In one of his campaigns he brought home a wife for his son, Thrain.   Not soon after she gave birth to Thorin.   Thror was happy for a strong heir, especially after the disappointment of his own son Thrain.

She raised her son to be strong, caring, and treat all with kindness.   It was soon obvious Thorin took after his mother, in all things.  He had her dark hair, strength, determination, and as he grew she would smile and tell everyone he took after his grandfather.  She gifted Thorin, her grandfather’s sword – Orcrist.  A weapon that had been passed down, and made of metal Thorin had never seen.

Thror soon realized that the woman he brought back was turning his people against him, and had her killed, along with his useless son.   He set out to raise his grandson to be a strong King, never seeing that by the age of twelve Thorin was already plotting his fall.

Thorin made a deal with Smaug, offering up a crystal that was a family heirloom from his mother’s side.   Smaug agreed to back Thorin, and at age sixteen he challenged Thror for the throne.   In the end, Thror was dead and Thorin was crowned king.

He married not soon after, but tragically lost his wife in childbirth.  She gave him two beautiful sons, Fili and Kili.

For the next twenty years Erebor prospered.  Thorin made good alliance with other villages, trading their minerals and weapons for food and grains.  It wasn’t until a warlord showed up demanding retributions that they lost everything.

Thorin ended up Turned, his family trying to figure out how to best handle this new situation.  Then days later the warlord’s horde ransacked the village destroying everything and everyone.

Sylum Inspiration: Pierre Chartrand

Lealta: Hunter

 

Pierre was the only son of a simple middle class Swiss family. He joined the Swiss Army, and then moved into the Swiss Guard, after he lost his parents.

He was dedicated and loyal to his job, but was young and brash enough to ask questions, and after his four years of service he decided to stay on as Swiss Guard and move up the ranks.

His life is turned upside down That Night when the Vatican was threatened by the Illuminati, discovering that his own boss was behind the plot.

After learning about  Vampires, he went to Monseigneur Andrew Kiernan and requested to be Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Andrew Kiernan

Lealta: Archivist Librarian

 

Kiernan was barely ten years old when he first heard St. Patrick’s teachings.  It was then he decided this was his calling. He was educated by St. Patrick as they travelled through Ireland, spreading the Lord’s Word.

In a small town, the citizens weren’t interested in what St. Patrick was saying and had attacked them. Andrew had stepped into the battle to protect his mentor, only to be mortally wounded. St. Patrick had called upon a friend, Arthur Pendragon, who was nearby, for help. Andrew was told of the world of Vampires and agreed to be Turned, seeing it as a way to keep spreading God’s Word.

 

(Can’t have Ernesto without Kiernan)

Sylum Inspiration: Ernesto Olivetti

Lealta Kin Clan: Hunter

 

Ernesto is the only son of Franco and Veronique Olivetti. His father was a Roman Carabinieri, and was killed in a shooting when Ernesto was twenty. He followed in his father’s footsteps when, after two years as an MP in the Italian Army, he joined the Vatican Police.

He was married to Maria, and has four children: Francesco, Mary, Adria and Isabella.

Ernesto rose up the ranks in the Vatican Police quickly, becoming one of the youngest Inspector Generals at the age of 47.

He was introduced to the world of Vampires when he became friends with and later a Chosen One for Andrew Kiernan.

His life radically changed That Night. Though he had known about Vampires, he had not expected to be pulled into a conspiracy that went all the way back to Galileo, who he found out was a Vampire and was betraying his Clan and society.

He chased all over Rome with Robert Langdon and Nicolaus Meridius. Until he ended up at the Santa Maria della Vittoria, his home parish. A place where he laid his life down for his Church only to wake up a Vampire.

 

Sylum Inspiration: Beatrice D’Padua

Integridad: Archivist Librarian

 

Beatrice wasn’t born into an influential family. When her family noticed she wasn’t getting suitors, they sent her to work for the Royal Family. Where she ended up one of the Ladies working for Isabella.

It was during a ball to honor the military that she met Benedick. It was the first time she had ever fell in love.

She’s still not sure exactly what happened during their courtship, but they look back and laugh at the miscommunications.

After they were married, Benedick’s friend sat them down to tell them about Vampires. She agreed that Benedick should be Turned.

He Turned her soon after.