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The Song of the Aegean

The Song of the Aegean

Table of Contents

Introduction: Time and Tide ...... 5 Fall of the West ...... 25 The Aegean by Night ...... 6 Plague and War ...... 26 The Frankokratia ...... 6 The Quiet Centuries ...... 26 Scions and Crusaders ...... 7 The Emirate of ...... 27 Words and Lore ...... 9 War in the East ...... 28 Lexicon ...... 9 The ...... 28 Prince and ...... 10 The Frankokratia ...... 29 and Hellenes ...... 11 Geography ...... 30 Using this Book ...... 11 Mountains and Seas ...... 30 History and Continuity ...... 12 Travel ...... 30 Historiography ...... 12 The City ...... 32 Chapter 1: Geography of the Aegean ...... 15 The Cainites of ...... 34 The States of the Aegean ...... 16 The Academy of Dionysius ...... 34 Mapping the Aegean ...... 18 Politics and Power ...... 34 Reading Area Maps ...... 18 Further Afield ...... 36 Reading Location Maps ...... 19 Chapter 3: Elsewhere in the Aegean ...... 47 Chapter 2: Athens by Night ...... 21 Bodonitsa and the Marches ...... 48 Athens, Fortress of the ...... 22 Lebadeia and the ...... 50 Theme...... 22 Appendix: Key Dates ...... 53 Mood...... 22 in ...... 54 Using Athens by Night ...... 23 Lords of Athens ...... 54 SampleHistory ...... 24 Key Dates in the History fileof the Aegean ...... 55 The Birth of Constantinople ...... 24 Index ...... 56 The Song of the Aegean

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Sample file

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INTRODUCTION:

or the people of the Mediterranean, the sea has an importance which Fis hard to underestimate. Those who live on the coast see its waters not as a barrier, but as a thoroughfare, linking cities thousands of miles apart, and connecting the peoples of distant ports. The sea is both familiar and capricious. The winds of the Mediterranean are so regular that they have names; those who reside on its shores will talk of the wild and dangerous Bora, the gentle Levanter, and the dry, relentless, Sirocco. Yet, one cannot rely on the sea being safe and peaceful; it may provide wealth and opportunities, but can swallow ships, and leave widows and orphans in its wake. A person might rely upon the sea, but would be foolish to trust Sampleits waters. file

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he peaceful rhythms and occasional violence of the 1204, a falling out between the Crusader leadership and Tsea is mirrored in the social and political lives of the Byzantine , Alexios , led to open those who live upon the shores of the Mediterranean. conflict. In a humiliating defeat for the Byzantines, first There are many people whose lives are barely changed Constantinople, and then much of the empire’s from those of their ancestors, a thousand years before. territories, were conquered by Crusader armies. The Bound by the seasons and tides, they lead lives which events of 1204 would represent a decisive shift in power, barely extend far beyond the boundaries off their which would permanently transform the region. villages. It would, however, be a mistake to assume that this is an unchanging world; a coastline might exist untouched for centuries, before being ravaged by war or The Frankokratia pestilence. The Mediterranean is not a region which see In the years after 1204 the armies of the Fourth Crusade were diverted into a war of conquest, claiming the steady change, but is a place which has long periods of peace, before being transformed by catastrophe. territories of the for Baldwin of Flanders, the emperor in Constantinople. Without unified leadership, the cities of soon The Aegean by Night fell to the Crusader armies and, by 1215, most of the The Song of the Aegean is a sourcebook describing the Aegean recognised the authority of Henry of Flanders, Crusaders states of Southern Greece for Vampire: the Baldwin’s successor as emperor. These conquests Dark Ages. The various chapters which follow contain marked a profound shift in power in this region. general information on the Aegean, as well as The people of the Aegean call the current era the information on some of the more notable domains Frankokratia; the term roughly translates as ‘rule of the found within the region, including details of the Franks’, referring to the nationality of many of the prominent Cainites who dwell within these places. The Crusaders involved in the conquest of the region. material within this book in intended to support the Whilst the states established by the Frankokratia work of a Storyteller who wishes to set a chronicle recognise the Latin Emperors of Constantinople as their within the of the Aegean. feudal overlords, imperial power is limited and In the year 146 BCE, the army of the Roman diminishing, and the states of the southern Aegean Republic defeated the forces of the Achaean League at enjoy considerable autonomy. a clash that would become known as the Battle of As of 1242, the Latin possessions in the Aegean are . In the aftermath of this conflict, Greece was divided between six states. These are: organised by the Romans into the Province of . Over the following thousand years, the o The Principality of : The largest of the Roman state was affected by many changes; the republic Latin states, the Principality of the Achaea would become an empire, growing in strength until it covers almost all of the . With the would . In time, Christianity would destruction of the Kingdom of in come to be the dominant religion, and Constantinople 1224, the Princes of Achaea have assumed a role would displace Rome as the greatest city in the of leadership in Southern Greece, acting as Mediterranean. Whilst the western parts of the empire nominal overlords of the rulers of the other would be beset by threats from beyond its borders, and Crusader states. would eventually fall to the Goths, Franks, and Vandals, o The Lordship of Athens: Covering Attica and the Eastern Empire would endure. Over the following , the Lordship of Athens is a relatively centuries it would endure against the aggressions of its wealthy and populous state. Its ruler, Guy de la neighbours as the Byzantine Empire, a bastion of Greco- Roche, is a close ally of the Prince of Achaea, and Roman culture in the Eastern Mediterranean. is the feudal overlord of the Archaean towns of The final decline of the empire would begin in 1203, Argos and Nauplia. when the soldiers of the Fourth Crusade came to the city of Constantinople. Whilst the Crusaders had expected o The Lordship of Negroponte: Better known as support and, ultimately, payment from the emperor, the Triarchy of Negroponte, this state is a close decadesSample of conflict with the Seljuk Turks in ally of the Republic of fileVenice, the result of a had left the finances of the empire in poor condition. In failed rebellion against the Latin Emperors of

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Constantinople in 1209. Power in the Lordship domains. The last thirty years have seen a revival of of Negroponte is divided between a number of trade and growing urbanisation. This has been assisted Lombard barons, known locally as the hexarchs. by the Latin insistence on protecting their holdings, which has led to the construction of fortifications across o The : Also known as the region. The Latin states are now well-protected the Duchy of , this state was created as a from the corsairs who, for centuries, had threatened private venture by its first overlord, the Venetian coastal settlements. This militarisation and fortification adventurer Marco Sanudo. Whilst the of the Aegean has allowed this region to prosper. nominally rules from the island of Naxos, many of the larger islands function as the private domains of their lords, often the descendants of Scions and Crusaders the Venetians who assisted with the conquest of The effects of the Fourth Crusade were not confined to the archipelago. The Duchy of the Archipelago the mortal world. For a thousand years, the history of has grown wealthy on trade, but the state is weak Constantinople had been guided by a group of Cainite militarily weak, and is likely to be vulnerable to Methuselahs, collectively known as the Triumvirate. any Byzantine resurgence. Inspired by a vision of the city as centre of art and culture, they had guided both mortal and Cainite o The Lordship of Salona: A small frontier state, society, and had helped to turn Constantinople into one the Lordship of Salona is located between the of the greatest cities of the medieval world. Lordship of Athens and the Despotate of . The transformation of Constantinople would start in Its location means that it is vulnerable to Epirote the year 326 when the members of the Triumvirate first ambitions, and the town was occupied by came to the city on the Bosporus, with the intention of Byzantine forces between 1210 and 1212. The creating an environment which might inspire and current Lord of Salona is a vassal of the Prince of enrapture all, mortal and Cainite alike. These ambitions Achaea. were inspired by Michael the Patriarch, a Toreador o The Marquisate of Bodonitsa: The smallest of the Methuselah whose ambitions were inspired by his Latin states in the Aegean, the marquisate encounters with the early . Called the Dream by consists of little more than the strategic castle of the elders of Constantinople, this vision would go on to Bodonitsa, and the surrounding countryside. dominate the Cainite history of the region. rather not have to repeatedly type Castel de To support the Dream, the Triumvirate established Setines. a formal process by which their allies might be recognised, revolving around what were known as Scion The Frankokratia has led to a number of political Families. The primary families were the broods of the and cultural changes within the Aegean. Many of the members of the Triumvirate, whilst other groups of new rulers of this region imported the societal Cainites were recognised as Scion Families on the basis expectations of their home countries, imposing the of what they might contribute to the Dream. Over time, on their new subjects, and attempting the system of Scion Families was extended throughout to recreate the feudal structures of . the Byzantine Empire, with many prominent Cainites This approach has, at times, alienated the Greek in the Eastern Mediterranean forging relationships with inhabitants of the region, who often see their Latin elders within the imperial capital. By the thirteenth rulers as aloof overlords, with little connection to the century the members of these families have collectively people or the land. become known as the Scions of Constantinople. Yet the Crusader conquests in the Aegean have also Cainites recognised as Scions of Constantinople had benefits for the region. As the Byzantine Empire were expected to support the interests of the declined in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the Triumvirate, and promote, at least notionally, the Aegean became a neglected backwater. In this period, Dream. In many instances, this involved claiming it was dominated by powerful, and often dictatorial local power in particular domains, and using political power lords, such as Leo Sgouros, the of Corinthia. The to spread the influence of the Cainite rulers of arrivalSample of the Franks introduced local rulers who had an Constantinople. However, thefile central notion behind interest in protecting and improving their personal the Dream was not the political domination of the

Introduction

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Mediterranean, but inspiring others, mortal and Cainite, through the beauty of , The Story architecture and culture. Thus, whilst a Scion may have been an ambitious Byzantine ruler, many scholars and So Far... members of the clergy were drawn to the group. Although not all Byzantine Cainites were Scions, the Whilst many of the Cainites of the city of faction grew to dominate Cainite society in the Constantinople were passionate supporters of Hellenistic world. the Dream, the plans of Michael the Patriarch Whilst the Cainites of Constantinople were met with opposition from various parties. The powerful and influential, they would find themselves most notable adversary facing the Scions of increasingly divided over time. Of the initial three Constantinople was Narses, Prince of . members of the Triumvirate, only Michael the Patriarch Whilst the hostility between the Cainites of remained in the city by the year 888. Whilst many of Constantinople and Venice was driven, in part, the elders within Constantinople were notional by commercial interests, it was also influenced by supporters of the Dream, most were more interested in personal enmity; Narses had once been a political intrigues or their own personal interests. Byzantine general, and had felt snubbed by the Believing themselves to be secure in the imperial fact that the Cainites of Constantinople had not capital, they ignored the threats that were growing offered him the embrace. Few Cainites were outside the empire. surprised when Venetian involvement in the Whilst the Scions of Constantinople were Fourth Crusade led to the dismemberment of the stagnating, another Cainite power was emerging. In Byzantine Empire. 1096 the kingdoms of Western Europe initiated a Yet, there another hidden group which religious war, the , intended to capture played a role in the downfall of Michael the territory from the Muslim rulers of the Eastern Patriarch; this was the Inconnu. The source of Mediterranean. Accompanying the Crusader armies the hostility of the Inconnu dates from the were many Cainites, either inspired by the ideology of fourth century, a time when there was the , or by personal or political ambitions. considerable rivalry between the Cainites of Within the kingdoms founded by the Crusaders these Rome and Constantinople. The collapse of Cainites coalesced into a rough political faction, Roman power in Western Europe would prove to focused upon self-defence and the promotion of be a traumatic event for the Cainites of Rome; Catholicism and the culture of Western Europe. Known hiding themselves from view, they blamed the colloquially as the Crusader Cainites, this group soon violent struggles afflicting the west on the became a major political power in the Eastern Cainites of Constantinople. Over time they Mediterranean. would plot their revenge, focusing their energies The events of 1204 would lead to a major change in upon overthrowing Michael the Patriarch and the fortunes of both groups. The Scions of undermining his Dream. Constantinople had believed that their empire would The plans of the Inconnu came to fruition in endure until the nights of Gehenna, and were shocked 1204, with the . Many by this assault upon the centre of their power. The sack Byzantine Cainites would meet their Final of Constantinople would, moreover, lead to the Final Deaths in this event, and Alfonzo, a Venetian Death of Michael the Patriarch, and many other of the Cainite, would take power as the new Prince of elders which resided within the city. The Fourth Constantinople. The events of 1204 would have Crusade showed that even the most powerful Cainites major ramifications for Cainite history. might fall victim to the War of Ages. The hidden Cainite history of the city of The effects of the Fourth Crusade were not merely Constantinople is told in Constantinople by felt in Constantinople, but across the entire Byzantine Night and Bitter Crusade. world. Whilst the Crusader Cainites had been active in the Levant since the closing years of the eleventh Samplecentury, they entered the Aegeanfile in 1204, as the armies of the Fourth Crusade made their conquests in what had The Song of the Aegean

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hitherto been Byzantine territory. By the middle of the in the Hellenistic world. Although the influence of thirteenth century members of the group control a Constantinople is much diminished, many Cainite number of important domains, including Negroponte, rulers in the Aegean still use the title. The plural of , and Dyrrhachion. In Constantinople the basileus is basileis. Crusader Cainites form a powerful faction in the support Crusader Cainites: The Crusades attracted a number of the prince, Alfonzo. of ambitious younger Cainites to the Mediterranean; There is little formal organisation to the Crusader over time, these interlopers have coalesced into a Cainites. They consider the Prince of Jerusalem, Lucius faction popularly known as the Crusader Cainites. Trebius Rufus, to be their feudal overlord, though Within the Aegean the Crusader Cainites are generally Lucius does not consider himself to be a Crusader perceived as aggressive opportunists, interested only in Cainite, and there is little in the way of hierarchy to building personal wealth and influence. direct the activities of members of the group. Despite Crusades, the: A series of wars fought in the Levant this, or perhaps because of this, the Crusader Cainites between invading European armies, and the forces of have been an effective faction within the Eastern the various emirates and sultanates in Asia and Africa. Mediterranean, and now control a number of important Despot: Originally a title used for the sons and sons- domains. As with the Scions of Constantinople, the in-law of Byzantine emperors, by the thirteenth century social and cultural aspects of the Crusader Cainites are the term despot is widely used by rulers of states in more important than any formal organisation. That former Byzantine territory. The term is an implicit many of this group were Crusaders in life has given them recognition of deference to an emperor, though most a shared background and sense of camaraderie, factors despots function as sovereign rulers. which mean that members are often willing to support Frankokratia: Literally “rule of the Franks”, the each other against external threats. There are many Frankokratia is the term used by Greeks to describe the Crusader Cainites who believe that force of arms is the rule over regions of Greece by Latin lords and their solution to almost any problem; thus far, this belief has descendants. provided them with a remarkable amount of success. Ikhwan: An Assamite faction, which has risen to In contrast to the success of the Crusader Cainites, considerable power and influence in the wake of the the Scions of Constantinople are in crisis. Many of the Crusades. The Ikhwan is involved in aggressive most important members of the group met their Final territorial expansion in the mid-thirteenth century, Deaths in 1204, and the destruction of the Triumvirate though their motivations remain largely a mystery to has left the faction without any obvious leaders. This Cainites outside the group. Whilst the Ikhwan has little lack of leadership has meant that no new Scions have power in Europe at present, there are some Cainites who been appointed for nearly forty years. Whilst many suspect that the group have an interest in extending members of the group have fought back against the their power into the former territories of the Byzantine Latin conquests of former Byzantine territories, tensions Empire. and rivalries amongst the Scions have rendered the : A senior government official in the faction ineffectual. Byzantine Empire. On occasion, the Cainite advisors to a Basileus may style themselves as . Lordship: A lordship is a feudal state in which the Words and Lore sovereignty of another state is acknowledged, but where Under the influence of the Triumvirate, Cainite society the local ruler is independent in almost all matters. The in the Hellenistic world developed a level of complexity lordships of the Aegean recognise the emperors in and sophistication which was rare elsewhere in Europe. Constantinople as their feudal overlords. This is reflected within the language used within former Quaesitor: Cainite domains in the Hellenistic world Byzantine territory. The lexicon provided below frequently contain a quaesitor, an individual who presents the meaning of some key terms used within this manages practical matters for a basileus on a nightly book. basis. The role of the quaesitor is roughly equivalent to that held by a seneschal in Western Europe. Lexicon Scions of Constantinople: The Cainite families with SampleBasileus: A Greek term for a ruler, the word basileus a close relationship to the Methuselahsfile who once held was the standard title used by Cainites ruling over cities power in the capital of the Byzantine Empire are known Introduction

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as the Scions of Constantinople. The Scions form an denote the pre-eminent vampire in a domain. Derived important part of Cainite society in the Hellenistic from the Latin word ‘princeps’, which means ‘one who world. takes the first position’, the term is an apt description of Strategos: The official appointed to oversee a theme the position held by the leading Cainite in a given is known as a strategos. As well as overseeing civil domain; rather than being absolute rulers, most princes administration, a strategos would serve as the function as leader members of oligarchies, who are commander of an army. The plural of strategos is nevertheless forced to share power with other elders. strategoi. Whilst a prince is influential, only the most powerful Theme: After the Arab invasions of the seventh are brave enough to act as true autocrats. century, the territory of the Byzantine Empire was In the Eastern Mediterranean Greek was always arranged into territorial units known as themes. Each preferred over Latin, both as an administrative and theme encompassed civil and military administration, vernacular language. Correspondingly, much of the intended to support all the soldiers serving under a language surrounding Cainite society in this region has single strategos. The themes were designed to be an been influenced by Greek; one example of this is that efficient way by which the territorial integrity of the the term ‘prince’ was not widely adopted in the east, empire might be preserved. with Cainites in the region preferring the term Triumvirate: For many centuries, the Cainites of ‘basileus’. The word had existed since ancient times, and Constantinople were led by three Methuselahs; was used historically to represent a ruler, though one collectively, these Methuselahs were known as the who was bound by custom or law, rather than by an Triumvirate. individual who had seized power by force. In the Roman era the term ‘basileus’ came to be used Prince and Basileus to refer to Roman Emperors, a tradition that continued By the medieval period the Cainites of Western Europe when Constantine the Great moved the Roman capital have adopted, almost universally, the term ‘prince’ to to the city that would become Constantinople. The

Names and Places The towns and regions of the Aegean bear many names, a reflection of the many people who have lived in and ruled this area. As a general rule, The Song of the Aegean uses the contemporary names in use by the ruling power, though the following pages will discuss some of the exceptions. To assist the reader, a list showing the different names in use is presented below.

Place Modern English name Other names al-Iskandariyya Radoki Athens Athens Atenes, Athina, Castel de Setines Bodonitsa Mendenitsa Mountonitsa, Vodonitsa Candia (city) Heraklion Chandax, Irakleio, Rabd al-Handaq Candia (island) Crete Chandax, Iqritiya, Kriti Corfu Kerkyra, Korypho Dyrrhachion Durres Durazzo, Dyrrachium, Lebadeia Lebadia Negroponte (city) Chalkida, Halkidha Negroponte (island) Evia Salona La Sole Thebes Thebes Thebai, Thiva SampleThessaloniki Thessaloniki Salonica file

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association of the term with imperial power has, over was known as Romania. To reduce confusion, time, shifted the subtexts linked to the term, and, by the this empire will be known within the text as the thirteenth century, the term is now associated with Byzantine Empire, a common, though somewhat absolute power. The use of basileus amongst Cainites inaccurate term used within many of the now stands at odds with the more popular usage in the medieval world. medieval world, and there are some Cainite rulers, even o Similarly, it should be noted that the city which within the Hellenistic world, who are now preferring to is generally known in the modern world as call themselves princes. Yet, amongst the Scions of Athens would be called either Athina or the Constantinople, the titles and rituals of the Cainite Castel de Setines, depending on whether or not courts of the Byzantine world are an important cultural one was Greek. For the purposes of The Song of touchstone. For some, to declare allegiance to a basileus the Aegean, the city will be known as Athens. is to link oneself to traditions which stretch back into antiquity. o Rather than use the historically-accurate terms Hellene or Rhomaioi, the English language name Greeks and Hellenes “Greek” will be the preferred term to refer to the One of the notable linguistic points in regards to Greece people of the Aegean. is the problem of how to refer to the country and its The reader may also notice a scattering of ethnic and people. The term “Greek” itself is derived from the national descriptions throughout the book. The most Latin “Graeci”; in turn this had been taken by the notable are “Latin” and “Frank”, which refer to those Romans from the term “Graikos”, which referred to a settlers and conquerors from Western Europe who have particular group of people in ancient Aegean, who had controlled parts of the Aegean in the years since the gone on to settle on the southern coasts of . Yet Fourth Crusade. Their rivals, from the Despotate of “Greek” and “Greece” are exonyms, terms only used by Epirus and the Empire of Nicaea, may be known as outsiders to refer to these people. The people within the Epirotes and Nicaeans respectively. The history of the Aegean have had their own terms by which they have Aegean is, of course, complex, particularly in regards to referred to themselves, which have their own complex the dramatic events which sweep through the region in histories. the wake of the Fourth Crusade. The reader may find In antiquity, the Greeks referred to themselves as themselves disorientated on occasion in regards to the Hellenes, and the core territories in which they resided history and politics of the region; whilst the use of as . Over time, a second term became common, language within this book is designed for clarity, the “Rhomaioi”, a reference to the Roman identity of their nature of Aegean history means that this is not always people. With the Christianisation of the region, possible. Rhomaioi became the preferred term, as Hellene became a word associated with the worship of pre- Christian gods. Though Hellene revived as Greek Using this Book cultural identity developed in the eleventh century, The Song of the Aegean is a reference book designed to Rhomaioi would remain the preferred term by which support Storytellers running chronicles in the Latin the Greeks would refer to themselves. states of the Aegean. It provides specific reference For the purposes of The Song of the Aegean, it is material on geography and history, as well as providing recognised that using correct medieval terms for the a number of chapters detailing particular locations. The Greeks and their world may be distracting for the reader finite nature of this book means that certain choices and, at times, modern terms and names will be used. In have been made in terms of what has been included and particular, the reader should be aware of three particular excluded. As a general rule, greater emphasis has been pieces of language usage. These are: placed on characters and social dynamics than on o Whilst the collapsed in Western historical information. The intention of the author has Europe in the fifth century, it endured in the east. been to provide a glimpse of Cainite society in the The people of the Hellenistic world still called Aegean, and it is assumed that the Storyteller will be Sampletheir state the Roman Empire, or, in local terms, capable of completing any additionalfile research required the Basileia Rhomaion. Colloquially, this state for a chronicle.

Introduction

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The majority of the chapters in this book focus on degree of regularity within various sourcebooks, but particular locations. These chapters follow the same rarely with any particular detail. general plan, starting with background and history, This would change with the publication of followed by a section on geography, and closing with Constantinople by Night (1996). This influential material detailing the Cainite residents of the location. sourcebook sketched out the Cainite history of the The reader will note that many of the towns presented region and, whilst it provided relatively little detail on here have relatively small Cainite populations. This is the Hellenistic world outside of Constantinople, it intentional, designed to support interpersonal drama provided a number of strong core concepts, defining the and maintain consistency with information presented hidden in the World of Darkness. The in prior works published for Vampire: the Dark Ages. In narrative sketched out within Constantinople by Night the first edition of the core rulebook, published in 1996, would be built upon in a number of later sourcebooks, it was noted that: ‘A city of 10,000 mortals may have a most notably within the chronicle Bitter Crusade dozen resident vampires, with half a dozen more in the (2001), but also within other works, particularly after surrounding towns and villages.’ The Song of the the release of Dark Ages: Vampire (2002). Works such Aegean maintains these population ratios when dealing as Players Guide to High Clans (2003) provided detail with given locations. on various aspects of the Hellenistic world in the wake A small Cainite population does, of course, have an of the Fourth Crusade. Around this time was published effect upon the interpersonal dynamics of a location. the most thorough exploration of the Hellenistic world Having a limited number of individuals to interact with within the medieval period, found in Dark Ages: Europe in a game emphasises certain play styles. These (2002). This provides an exploration of current and environments promote intense character-driven stories, former Byzantine territories in 1212, and introduced, for personal horror, and cut-throat political struggles. In a the first time, a number of details of the Cainite history town with half-a-dozen Cainites, every single character of Greece, including the first mention of Dionysius, matters. There are no disposable background characters Prince of Athens. The content of Dark Ages: Europe in chronicles set in the domains portrayed within this provides the foundations for The Song of the Aegean. book. The material within of The Song of the Aegean is The reader should also note that there is one designed to build upon pre-existing writing within additional consequence to the adherence to the sourcebooks published for Vampire: the Dark Ages. The population limits set out in Vampire: the Dark Ages. reader will note no direct contradictions between this This is that the presence of the players’ characters will book and previously works. There are, nevertheless, a overpopulate a domain. The extent to which a number of shifts in emphasis. One point which the Storyteller emphasises this point should depend on the reader may note is that past works often focus upon focus of a particular chronicle. those elders embraced within antiquity. By contrast, As a final point on the subject of using The Song of The Song of the Aegean specifically emphasises the the Aegean, the reader may note that this introduction medieval history of the region. does not list a theme and mood for the book. The Aegean is a region with a long and complex history, and Historiography specific moods and themes are defined for individual The content of The Song of the Aegean focuses upon domains. Storytellers should consider and adapt these the nature of the Latin states of the Aegean of the mid- when planning their chronicles. thirteenth century. The writing is guided by a particular historiographical principle, which is that place and History and Continuity period may be interesting in themselves, and do not Greece has had a constant presence within the World merely exist as proxy for other more inherently of Darkness since the earliest days of Vampire: the worthwhile times or places. Thus, the contents of The Masquerade. The first discussion of Greece would Song of the Aegean are centred upon the events and appear in A World of Darkness (1992), where it was politics of the Byzantine Empire, and how this has discussed that the vampires who resided within the inspired and influenced the Cainites who reside within country were incredibly ancient, and that the region its borders. This is a book about the medieval world, and wasSample once the spiritual home of the Brujah. Over the the reader will find this reflectedfile over the following following years, Greece would be mentioned with a fair pages. The Song of the Aegean

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Indeed, the reader may have already noted this from time Cainite ruler of Constantinople. Despite an the material found within the introduction. The people embrace thousands of years in the past, the Methuselah of the Aegean in this period would call themselves styled himself after a Christian archangel, inspired by Rhomaioi; they were, they told themselves, a civilised religious imagery and philosophy. Whilst Michael’s and Christian people, divorced from the pagan Hellenes conversion was a sincere response to mortal religion, of the distant past. In some instances, remnants of the most responses to the modern world by ancient Cainites ancient civilisations of the region were retained or are less authentic, and it is not uncommon for elders to adapted; in Athens, the was repurposed as a adapt superficially to the world in which they exist, church, its graceful structure attracting pilgrims from taking on the traits of the contemporary world so as across the Eastern Mediterranean. It was, however, better to hide within mortal society. Yet there are few more common for the remains of antiquity to be Cainites who openly reject medieval society, and ignored, or even reviled. The marble sculptures of the behave as if they were still residing in the Greece of past were seen as valueless, best burnt for lime, whilst antiquity. For most of the Children of Caine, the the writings of pre-Christian times were viewed with ancient past is treated as something that has been lost, suspicion, lest they contaminate Christian minds. For never to return. the people of the thirteenth century, civilisation was For the Cainites of the Aegean, the most pressing embodied within the Christian glories found in the city concerns during the thirteenth century focus upon the of Constantinople, and the greatest cultural loss was not Frankokratia and its consequences. Looking towards the the destruction of ancient texts, but the fact that the great city of Constantinople, they are reminded of what imperial capital remains in the hands of the conquerors Cainites may achieve, how the War of Ages may bring of 1204. conflict to almost any domain, and even the most These viewpoints are reflected, to a great extent, powerful elders may be defeated and destroyed. In 1242 amongst the Cainites of the region. One should note the Cainites of the Aegean can see both the violent that a seven-hundred-year-old elder will have been born consequences of the events of the recent past, and the and embraced in a wholly Christian world. Even the possibilities presented by the approaching future. The most ancient Cainites of the region have frequently Cainite community of the Aegean is standing before a adapted to the societies in which they reside; the most crossroads, and the choices they take may shape the notable example of this is Michael the Patriarch, one- region for centuries to come.

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Introduction

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