Category: Sylum Events

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(Re-post of Teaser from Advent 2015 – Story sets in distant Sylum Timeline)

He moved with ease.

For he had walked these steps a hundred thousand times before.

The crowd parted.

First the media.

Then the people.

Finally the Cardinals.

The mass of red swept itself aside as he continued his journey to the steps of the Basilica.

He stopped a few feet past the Pillars of the Church, his focus on the Pope who stood before him.

Alexander VII.

Rodrigo Borgia.

Returned once more.

He had worked his way through the ranks of the Clergy, all the way to Cardinal. Bribed, threatened, and manipulated the College to win election at Conclave. Within six weeks of his taking office, his corruptions spread through the Church.

Indulgences sold for a price.

Mercy given for a favor.

He claimed that the plague of Vampires on this world was due to the sins of the Church.   Declared divorce once again unforgiveable, homosexuals were to be banned, children of unwed mothers not to be baptized. Forgiveness was not a blessing, but could only be earned.

The hungry grew hungrier.

The outcast became more disgraced.

The sick became sicker.

Alexander VII lived in luxury, wearing fine silks and gold crowns. His favorite Cardinals got cushy jobs, and extravagant homes, while those who opposed him were exiled and destroyed.

“Who do you think you are?” The Pope stared down at the Man in White.

“I was given the task of protecting St. Peters Church from those outside who would bring Her harm.” He paused, head raised as he looked brazenly at the Pope. “Or from those who choose to corrupt Her from within.”

“Giovanni Auditore!”

He smirked wickedly. “I will not have you corrupt the Vatican any further with your greed. You have no place in His Church, Rodrigo. You did not before. You do not now.”

“And you have no power here!” he growled snapping his fingers.

Vatican Police and Swiss Guards moved between their Pope and the well-perceived threat.

With a flare of the dramatic, the Assassin threw his hood back, revealing a familiar face to them. “My name is Ernesto Olivetti, Inspector General of Vatican Security. You know who I am. I command you men to put down your weapons, for this is not a Holy Man who was divinely Chosen, but a man who has sought power and greed for his own earthly desires.”

The Square went quiet.

The first to bow their heads in respect and walk away were his Vatican Police. For the story was legendary within their ranks, that on the day after Pius XVII had been buried, Inspector Olivetti’s office, along with his rooms in the Apostolic Palace, had been Sealed. The only thing he left behind, were his badge and gun, which were now located in the Vatican Archives.

It had been rumored that when the Church most needed Her protector, he would return.

Many had laughed at those who still believed.

But they held onto the hope that one day it would prove true.

That the Inspector would once again take charge of the Vatican, and prepare it for the safe return of Pope Patrick.

The Swiss Guard hesitated, but the steel of determination in the Inspector’s eyes, made them take a united step backward. They knew of the myths and legends just as much as the Vatican Police. Their histories had been intertwined for generations. It had only been until recently, with Alexander VII, that the two forces were once again separated.

The few men who continued to move forward, were easily disarmed and tossed aside.

None were killed. Only their pride was wounded.

“You think I would rely on loyal guards?” Rodrigo snapped his fingers, and out from the main doors behind him spilled mercenaries, armed with military grade weapons, and all wearing body armor. “Kill him!”

From the sea of Cardinals came the ‘Brotherhood’.

Ezio took his place at his father’s right.

Altaïr on Ernesto’s left.

Nikolai slid next to Altaïr, his rifle resting on his shoulder.

Javert stood quietly next to Ezio, sword in hand.

Aveline took point next to the Frenchman, while Shau Jun closed the flank next to the Russian.

Ernesto smiled.

Behind them, two men – one who had carried the name of Pius XVII and the other a Monseigneur – bowed their heads in prayer.

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She looked out over the crowd, all of them there for the slave auction.

Pigs to a man. 

Brothel keepers and whoremongers the lot of them.

The slaver rattled off his starting bids and then haggled until each slave was sold.

Except one.

Her.

Again. 

She couldn’t help but smile, though she hid it well, not wanting to piss off the man with the whip.  

She knew her exotic looks and dark beauty had grabbed the attention of almost every man in Rome, but her reputation as a Seer had kept all of them at bay. She enjoyed playing up on it too. It made them turn away and run home to their wives and mothers like good little boys, for rumour had it that she would hex them if they tried to buy her. 

And she had absolutely no intention of disproving such a thing. 

Except there was one young soldier who showed up every week, always standing in the same place, never saying a word.

She did not yet speak their language very well, but had overheard enough to understand that he was a man of high birth, and an Officer of the Roman Army. He was well respected. And he was admired.

His name, when she learned tell of it, fascinated her the most, for even she had heard stories of the famous Gladiator who once defeated an Emperor.

It was a name that somehow managed to live on, despite orders for its destruction and removal from history.

Meridius.

She just wondered why he kept watching her…

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“An Egyptian. One of the Medjai, as you call them. He died defending those who most needed him, as an honourable warrior, and rests well, remembered still in the rolls of the lost amongst the guardians of the desert times.”

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The final straw came when she brushed past him on the way out of Church, and her hand slid across his backside.

He froze.

She turned and winked, then she continued down the aisle as though nothing untoward had ever happened.

No wonder she never kept a suitor.

The boys in town were far too weak to handle so brazen and forceful a woman.

He had been walking down the dim and narrow passage between the blacksmith’s shop and the barn where he kept his horse – intending to check on the animal and make sure it was getting proper food and water – when the door suddenly opened there in front of him, hands reached out, and he was pulled inside.

The door slid shut just as quickly as it had opened, and he found himself being pushed up against it, small lips pressing upward against his, a most inviting tongue demanding entrance into his mouth.

He gripped the arms of his ‘attacker’ and pulled her away from him.

“Inéz?” he growled. “What in God’s Name are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” she retorted, slipping out of his grasp, pulling his face down into another kiss.

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Well it’s finally here!  Ernesto Olivetti Appreciation Week!

So how did Ernesto end up invading Sylum so throughly?

I have no idea … okay it was Pierfrancesco’s cheeky grin!

It started off with Timothy Quinn working on the Demons & Angels.   And noticed how cute and adorable Ernesto was.  In the book, he’s a grade asshole and no one cared that he bled out in a church.  But lets face it Pierfrancesco is too adorable to kill.

So we discussed turning Ernesto, as he could be a good Hunter for Lealta.

That’s all it was supposed to be.

That’s it.

A side character, nothing more nothing less.

We were trying to figure out what to do with him, when one night we were walking the dog … may Sammy Rest in Peace … discussing bunnies as you do, and inspiration … Mate him to Kiernan.

To this day we swear Sammy caught that bunny in the bushes!

Okay so at least now the side character had a Mate.

*snorts*

Ernesto knew he had his way in, and from there he weaseled into having his own story.  Because who didn’t want to know what happened after ‘That Night’.  It really was supposed to be a small story … no really it was.

*inserts laughing gif again*

4/8/2012 – The first email stating … ‘The story begins’

4/9/2012 – Was the first … ‘Evil Timeline of DOOOM!’

Subsequent emails dating all the way to 5/28/2017 usually with titles ‘damn Italian’ ‘WTF Ernesto’ ‘Fuck you Bob’ and ‘Seriously, Serious?’

And the rest is history, he slid into storyline made himself home.

He even forced changes in Demons and Angels.  Roads Untravelled was supposed to start with Ernesto waking up a Vampire, after everything happened in Demons & Angels.

*inserts laughing gif again*

Then there was the 4 hour discussion of what if we Mated him to Patrick, after 100 pgs was already written on Roads.   Needless to say we worked around that pretty pairing and ended up with Butterfly and Gustave.

Then there was the moment when Bob decided to tell us he had the soul of Sofya, Nico’s wife.

*inserts laughing gif again*

Speed had to rework more of Demons/Angels, and I had another scene to add to Roads.

Oh and then there was the Ezio discussion in the middle of Mass.  And just as I walked away leaving Speed near the Altar, as I whispered – what if he has the soul of Ezio’s father.

The glaring, flailing and silent cursing was pretty epic.

Of course that backfired on me!  As I had more to write.

In the end, we ended up with a good story and character, still having no clue the impact Ernesto would make on Sylum or the fact he would attract so much attention.

And now he has his own week.

So what do you expect to see during this week?

Random Posts throughout each day (yes that means more than one post a day!) that tie into his storyline, history, and well teasers.

A set of Jewelry pieces designed specifically for Ernesto and other characters associated with Roads Untravelled.

New Fanmix for Roads.

Aesthetics.

Ernesto’s 3.5 hour long Interview, with Pius commentary.

And the updated version of Roads Untravelled.

Also – if you want some add fun check out my Tumblr for posts/reblogs in honor of Ernesto Olivetti Week.

But for today – we’ll be starting to where it all began …. Demons and Angels.