Prieuré de Sion (1x1) Gunther and Shadow Lady

Gunther · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:09 pm

The Vatican, Rome, Italy 1896
The Priory of Sion is a Secret Society formed at the end of the 11th century by the Crusaders who formed the Kingdom of Jerusalem. They created the Knights Templars as their military arm and financial backing. The Priory of Sion works for the Pope and is composed of Legionnaires who have been blessed by God with immortality and tasked with ridding the earth of demons from the underworld. They fight against whatever abomination Satan sends at them including vampires and werewolves.

Not all Legionnaires of the Piory are as fully committed to the Catholic Church as Cardinal Calderon would prefer, but he does not choose the Legionnaires. They are sent to him by God after they have been contacted by the essence of one of the original Roman Legionnaires. The Roman Centurions who witnessed the death and Resurrection received this gift of immortality. They are not free from death, just not by usual means. Those who do die, have their essence preserved in special artifacts crafted in the weeks following the miracle of the Passion of Christ.

Character Sheet:

Name: Maximilien Phillippe von Sachsen, Comte de Burgundy
Apparent Age: 32
Real Age: 334

Appearance | +

Appearance: Max Von Sachsen is a man of medium height (5'10"), sturdy build with shoulders set back over a broad, deep chest and a neck well balanced on the trunk as the head is on the neck. The poise of his head indicates a man of thought and power. His head is noble, well-sized, broad, and large behind the ears. His clean shaven face shows a firm chin, a large resolute mouth, a fair sized nose, straight with quick sensitive nostrils, given to flaring. His forehead is broad and fine, with tufts of his blonde hair jutting above and below the hairline. He has big, dark blue eyes set widely apart and are quick and tender or stern with the man's moods.

Personality: He is a seemingly arbitrary man, this is because he knows what he is talking about better than anyone else. He is a philosopher and a metaphysician, and one of the most advanced scientists of his day, and he has, an absolutely open mind. This, with an iron nerve, a temper of the ice-brook, and indomitable resolution, self-command, and toleration exalted from virtues to blessings, and the kindliest and truest heart that beats, these form his equipment for the noble work that he is doing for mankind, work both in theory and practice, for his views are as wide as his all-embracing sympathy.

History: Von Sachsen was born in Dijon, France, the traditional home to the Burgundian Counts in 1562. He was educated at the Collège de Sorbonne in Paris, studying alchemy, medicine and theology. His family was of minor French nobility stemming back to the days when Burgundy was its own province. Maximilien was born Maximilien Phillippe von Sachsen, Comte de Burgundy

In 1594, Max von Sachsen uncovered an ancient relic in the Burgundian countryside. The relic contained the essence of an immortal. Prophecy states that the first son of noble birth to disturb said relic, dating back to the period of Roman occupation would receive the gift of immortal life. The prophecy stated that the recipient could be slain by brute force, by stabbing, slashing, blunt trauma or by falling. The noble recipient would retain his apparent age, for Maximilien this would be age 32. Von Sachsen was blessed by God and protected by the Catholic Church, given a life of servitude to the Pope in Rome. Another gift of this prophecy was the ability to see a man's heart; to tell if they were good or if their heart was corrupted by Satan.

Max von Sachsen spent the next fifty years at the Vatican City in Rome serving the Popes, first, Clement VIII, then Leo XI, Paul V, Gregory XV, and Urban VIII. When Innocent X received pontification, Max fell out with the Holy Father who he deemed suspicious of everyone. Not willing to argue with the head of the Catholic Church, Max went into seclusion for two years until he returned to France and sought employment with Cardinal Jules Mazarin, Minister of France.

During this time period, Max assisted the Cardinal and the Queen Mother, Anne of Austria in their rule over France. King Louis XIV was only five years old in 1643 when he ascended to the throne. It was up to his mother and the Cardinal to decide matters of international import. Max became close to the Cardinal, taking on roles of covert espionage and carrying out missions of national interest.

It was during this time from 1644 to 1661 that Max learned of Vampires, Witches, Warlocks, Werewolves and other beasts of Satan who resided all throughout Europe. Initially, his duties kept him at home in Paris or in the French countryside. He learned how to hunt these unholy aversions to Christ and natural society. The Cardinal Mazarin employed Comte von Sachsen in the role of Vampire Hunter and Beast Slayer. He learned their strengths and weaknesses. He used his knowledge of Alchemy and medicine as well as his faith in Jesus Christ to fight off these abnormal abomination.

Once Cardinal Mazarin passed away, Max traveled to the Balkans, Bulgaria and Romania. He could not return to the Holy City as a private war was being waged between France's King Louis the XIV and Pope Alexander VII. Maximilien remained on the Fringe of French/Vatican politics until after Louis XIV passed away. At that time, Louis XV, the previous monarch's grandson ascended the throne, again at the age of five. Max returned to Paris in 1726 to serve under Cardinal de Fleury, France's minister.

From 1661 until 1726, when he returned to France, Maximilien hunted Vampires and other beasts of hell in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. He learned many more of these creatures strengths and weaknesses. He eventually grew weary and returned to Paris after the death of Louis XIV and the appointment of Cardinal de Fleury, whom he trusted.

A period of Papal Enlightenment erupted during this time. The successive Popes in Rome became aware of this disturbance from Hell erupting around the planet. It was discovered there were several Vampire slayers, like the Comte de Burgundy, Maximilien von Sachsen, who employed special weapons and tactics. Every Pope to take the seat at St. Peter's in Rome has called upon the Vampire slayers, the Beast hunters to perform covert tasks in the name of the Catholic church.

Today (1896), Max von Sachsen retains a flat in Paris and his estate in Dijon as well as a flat in Rome. He travels between those home bases and temporary quarters in Buda Pest, Hungary. With a flexible mind, Maximilien travels throughout Europe battling these creatures of darkness.

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:18 pm

Name: Francesca Romano

Apparent Age: 25

Real Age: 110

Appearance:

Appearance: Francesca is not very tall, ranging around 5’ or maybe a little less. Her lean frame is dressed in black most of the time, or all times in which she can be seen in public. From the ribbons on her hair to the tip of her shoes, including every piece of jewelry or ornament. It looks as though Francesca lives in permanent mourning, though her expression and demeanor do not seem to agree with this conclusion. Francesca’s expression could be defined as neutral. Rarely smiling, but not really serious, it seems as though her face is always preparing for an expression, but it never really materializes.

Personality: The best word to describe Francesca would be defiant. The young lady seems to enjoy being contrary to whatever is expected of her. It would seem like she feels entertained by seeing an annoyed expression on everyone else’s faces, and even more entertained when the expression is one of shock. When necessary, though, such as when involved in a mission, Francesca will put her mischievous ways aside and focus solely on the task at hand.
In general, when she is not trying to push her companion’s buttons, Francesca is usually refusing to answer whatever questions Max might have about her past or even her present when not in his presence.
One thing Francesca would define as completely off limits is the reason why, in many mornings, the young lady would appear to have spent a very long night up. Which is exactly the case, some times due to nightmares that keep her thinking for the rest of the night, or spent planning, writing and reading in order to figure out a plan to find and destroy the vampire who is supposed to be responsible for her demise.

History: Francesca was born in Rome (hence the surname Romano, since she has forsaken her family name long ago) to a well-to-do family without any ties to the nobility. Her mother was an extremely devout Catholic, and her father tended to atheism and had an immense interest in books, mostly about philosophy.
Almost from day one in Francesca’s life, her parents had different plans for their daughter. Her mother wanted her to either be a nun, or to marry a good Catholic young man and raise as many children as possible under the laws of the Church. Her father wanted his daughter to become a well studied young lady, and maybe even a writer or an artist.
What they both forgot to do was to check with their young daughter which option was the best for her, if any at all. Young Francesca took more interest in her father’s enterprises than in her mother’s plans, but still, it wasn’t very clear in her mind what she wanted. Treading between her mother’s faith and her father’s skepticism, it was hard for Francesca to make a definitive choice. As Francesca grew older, her only interest in the Church was turned to the books that could only be found in their libraries.
To gain access to the books, Francesca would happily serve in any way required in the monasteries. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, nothing was too big. So much time was spent by the young lady in the monastery that rumors of her becoming a nun quickly started spreading. Obviously, it was not even close to Francesca’s interest to embrace a religious life.
Her interest in books blinded her to the rumors, as to almost everything else.
In one of her incursions to the monk’s library, Francesca decided to allow her curiosity to get the best of her. Going to a section the monks had expressly forbidden her to visit, Francesca started browsing the books in there. They were all strange books, with strange covers and strange drawings on them. One of them got her attention in such an irresistible manner she sat on the cold stone floors and read it to herself. At one page, what seemed like a poem in some strange language led Francesca to read it out aloud. She couldn’t tell what happened right after that. After a blank spot in her memory, the young lady remembered only waking up in a cell inside the monastery. For some reason, the monks seemed more concerned than angry.
Providing no explanation, they cast Francesca out and closed her their doors forever. It took Francesca a while to understand she was not getting any older since that day. And a lot of research - conducted secretly - to understand what some would call a blessing, and what she viewed as a curse.
Looking for answers in paths other than the ones approved by the Church, Francesca met a lot of interesting people, including the seer who told her Fate had held her death to be delivered by the hands of an impure night creature - a creature who kept their profane existence by drinking blood. It was at that point Francesca decided her life would be devoted to ridding the world of such creatures.
While cooperating with a companion for that purpose, she still keeps in touch with people he would not approved of, but these contacts are kept in secrecy and visited only at night, lest they end up getting killed themselves by the hands of the person Francesca trusts to some extent to be a friend.

Gunther · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:25 pm

The in character thread is ready! :)
Subject: Prieuré de Sion: The Centurions

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:26 pm

Ooooooh! I'm running to read it. :)

ETA: reply posted. I'm a bit anxious about how I'll do in this one, but I'll do my very best.

Gunther · **Posted:** Sun Aug 10, 2014 10:15 pm

Sorry it took me so long to post this. I've been running over various scenarios in my head, trying to play this out for a Prague scenario. I finally settled on one; a cult or group of vampires formed by this butcher from Romania. We'll go and check him out. I hope this post is up to your standards. :D

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2014 7:27 am

It's all right, don't worry. The post is excellent. I'll do some research about our next location and maybe a couple other things I would like to read up on before posting.
It shouldn't take too long for me to post, I'll see if I can have one up today, or tomorrow, tops. :)

Shades · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:14 am

Posted. I planned on posting yesterday, but my brain wasn't cooperating much.
I hope it's okay. Let me know if there's something to be changed or explained better, 'kay?

Gunther · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:11 pm

I've begun writing the next post. I am basically jumping us from Rome to Prague in a carriage tracing through northern Italy, Slovenia, Austria and then into Bohemia. 8 day trip?

Shades · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:16 pm

All right. Take your time, I can totally wait. And I haven't looked it up, so I'll trust you on the time.

Gunther · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:44 pm

Just so you know, the cathedral is inside the Czech Castle. We have to pass through the castle gates to get to the cathedral. In the late 19th century, this castle, was nothing more than a tourist attraction. The Bohemian aristocracy did not reside there. The Hapsburgs were in Vienna and maintained only a guard force at the castle and cathedral. So, the criminals had to break into the castle to get to the cathedral.

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:46 pm

Thanks, Gunther. I'll review my post and see what I need to correct to make it less of a slip up. Sorry. '-'

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:57 pm

Just edited it with a correction, and a few more add ons. That's what happens when you write a post before your morning coffee.

Gunther · **Posted:** Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:30 pm

If you leave me unchecked, I'll take over. I need to stop and let my partner take over occasionally. Otherwise, I will dominate. :( I do the same thing in conversations and need to watch myself with that. Punch me if I get too pushy/bossy/dominant.

Shades · **Posted:** Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:32 pm

Don't worry, old man. I'll let you know if I feel that you are overstepping any boundaries. Trust me, I have a big mouth, which makes me unable to be silent when something bothers me.
Relax. I'm loving it. Let me know if there's something I do that bothers you, as well. ^-^ But DON'T punch me!

Gunther · **Posted:** Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:34 pm

Shadow Lady wrote:

Francesca did her best to keep from rolling her eyes at the Captain's expression. That's what I get for trying to help, the lady thought to herself. Sometimes - or quite often -, Francesca wondered why she remained in that service.

This made me chuckle when I first read it.

Shades · **Posted:** Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:35 pm

Always good making someone chuckle. :)

Also, great post. I'll most likely have a reply up by tonight or tomorrow. ^-^

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:27 pm

Finally posted. Sorry it took me so long, old man.

Gunther · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:58 pm

No problem. I am in the process of creating a student/family directory for my children's elementary School. There are about 650 children and almost 500 families. It will be mid to late October before I am complete. I won't stop my RPs, but I may be slow in responding.

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:02 pm

Wow. Sounds like a lot of work. I don't think there's much I can do to help, but if there's anything at all, let me know, old man.
And don't worry, I can totally wait. :)

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