Nothing is True. Everything is Connected.
Category: <span>Character Introduction</span>

Sylum Inspiration: Patrick Jane

Sylum: Member

 

Patrick Jane was raised by a swindler father who included his young son in his carnival psychic act, touting Jane as “the boy wonder”.

He married Angela Ruskin, who was from a similar background, her family being members of a traveling carnival and “carnival royalty”. The couple had a daughter, Charlotte. They left the Carnival, determined to have a better life. Jane himself became a celebrity, making a very comfortable living working as a psychic, and he lived in comfortable celebrity until he criticized and openly mocked the serial killer Red John in a televised interview.

In retribution Red John killed Jane’s wife and daughter, leaving Patrick Jane a changed man.

Sylum Inspiration: Storm

Vampire Council: Member

 

Storm hasn’t talked much about her life before she met Charles. Her family is from Africa, where Charles had found her, and she left them behind to come with him to the United States.

He helped her with her Mutant powers, and in turn she teaches at his school to help other children. She was exposed to the Vampire world when Charles introduced his ‘son’ Nicolaus to them and the fact they were there to help stand against Magneto.

It took her some time to figure out why Brisco County Jr, one of the Vampire Hunters, was staying at the school. She found him sweet, and when he told her about Mates and Vampires she sat down with Charles.

After many discussion and assurances she wouldn’t loose her Mutation, she agreed to be Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Edgar Allen Poe

Sylum Clan: Member

 

Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.

He was born as Edgar Poe in Boston, Massachusetts; he was orphaned young when his mother died shortly after his father abandoned the family. Poe was taken in by John and Frances Allan, of Richmond, Virginia, but they never formally adopted him. He attended the University of Virginia for one semester but left due to lack of money. After enlisting in the Army and later failing as an officer’s cadet at West Point, Poe parted ways with the Allans. His publishing career began humbly, with an anonymous collection of poems, Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827), credited only to “a Bostonian”.

Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming known for his own style of literary criticism. His work forced him to move among several cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. In Baltimore in 1835, he married Virginia Clemm, his thirteen-year-old cousin. In January 1845, Poe published his poem, “The Raven”, to instant success. His wife died of tuberculosis two years after its publication. He began planning to produce his own journal, The Penn (later renamed The Stylus), though he died before it could be produced.

On October 7, 1849, at age 40, Poe died in Baltimore; the cause of his death is unknown. The story has yet to be told, but the few that have heard the tale, have kept it secret.

What is known is that Timothy Quinn and Diego León Montoya Sánchez had set out to find the legendary Poet, only to find him dying on a park bench. The only word spoken with his dying breath was that of Reynolds.

For more information contact Vampire Council Library

Sylum Inspiration: Thorn Durin

Mod Kin 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: Bilbo Baggins

Mod Kin 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: Kili Durin

Mod Kin Clan: Hunter

 

Kili was the second born son of Thorin Durin.   He was born 15 mins after his brother, and is the reason his mother didn’t survive.   His father never held it against him, never made him feel anything but love.   But when some of the older lords didn’t like what Thorin was doing they made sure to hit home on Kili.  Though usually it didn’t end well for them.

As he wasn’t the first born, he had a tiny bit of leeway.  And used every inch he could get, including getting his brother into trouble and always out of it.  He took up archery, and became a hunter after a while, able to track reindeer for miles and drag it back home for the village.

He met Tauriel when he was sixteen, everyone considered it fate as Thorin had married their mother at the same age.   They had waited for a couple of years, before getting married.  It was a cause of celebration for the village, and one of the happiest days of his life.

Six months later his world was destroyed when a Warload came into Erebor demanding tribute.   Kili was sure he screamed when his father fell,  and hadn’t stopped until Gloin dragged him out of the throne room.   He pulled away from the warrior and ran down the corridors not wanting to believe his father was gone.

It was Fili who found him stating their dad was alive but something was different.  Kili was the one who had no doubts that the man in front of them was their father.  His eyes were warm and filled with love when he looked at his sons, it was their father and he would face off with anyone who didn’t believe him.

And just when he thought his world was righted, the warlord attacked the village.   One of the first to fall was Tauriel, she fought like the warrior she was, trying to save as many woman and children as she could.   Fili pulled Kili away when she fell, but it was Thorin who lifted him up and fled the village.

There were thirteen of them who survived.   Eleven by the time they met Bilbo.   Kili thought maybe they would finally find rest when got to Builwyf but they were followed.  In the end, there was five left.   He had thought to embrace death, but while lying there next to his brother, he realized he didn’t want to leave his family behind.   So when his father asked – he said yes.

Sylum Inspiration: Fili Durin

Mod Kin 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: Galileo Galilei

 

Galileo was born in Pisa (then part of the Duchy of Florence), Italy, in 1564, the first of six children of Vincenzo Galilei, a famous lutenist, composer, and music theorist, and Giulia Ammannati. Galileo became an accomplished lutenist himself and would have learned early from his father a healthy scepticism for established authority, the value of well-measured or quantified experimentation, an appreciation for a periodic or musical measure of time or rhythm, as well as the illuminative progeny to expect from a marriage of mathematics and experiment. Three of Galileo’s five siblings survived infancy. The youngest, Michelangelo (or Michelagnolo), also became a noted lutenist and composer although he contributed to financial burdens during Galileo’s young adulthood. Michelangelo was unable to contribute his fair share of their father’s promised dowries to their brothers-in-law, who would later attempt to seek legal remedies for payments due. Michelangelo would also occasionally have to borrow funds from Galileo to support his musical endeavours and excursions. These financial burdens may have contributed to Galileo’s early fire to develop inventions that would bring him additional income.

Galileo was named after an ancestor, Galileo Bonaiuti, a physician, university teacher and politician who lived in Florence from 1370 to 1450; at that time in the late 14th century, the family’s surname shifted from Bonaiuti (or Buonaiuti) to Galilei. Galileo Bonaiuti was buried in the same church, the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, where about 200 years later his more famous descendant Galileo Galilei was also buried. When Galileo Galilei was eight, his family moved to Florence, but he was left with Jacopo Borghini for two years. He then was educated in the Camaldolese Monastery at Vallombrosa, 35 km southeast of Florence.

Although a genuinely pious Roman Catholic, Galileo fathered three children out of wedlock with Marina Gamba. They had two daughters, Virginia in 1600 and Livia in 1601, and one son, Vincenzo, in 1606. Because of their illegitimate birth, their father considered the girls unmarriageable, if not posing problems of prohibitively expensive support or dowries, which would have been similar to Galileo’s previous extensive financial problems with two of his sisters. Their only worthy alternative was the religious life. Both girls were accepted by the convent of San Matteo in Arcetri and remained there for the rest of their lives. Virginia took the name Maria Celeste upon entering the convent. She died on 2 April 1634, and is buried with Galileo at the Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence. Livia took the name Sister Arcangela and was ill for most of her life. Vincenzo was later legitimised as the legal heir of Galileo and married Sestilia Bocchineri.

Although Galileo seriously considered the priesthood as a young man, at his father’s urging he instead enrolled at the University of Pisa for a medical degree. In 1581, when he was studying medicine, he noticed a swinging chandelier, which air currents shifted about to swing in larger and smaller arcs. To him it seemed, by comparison with his heartbeat, that the chandelier took the same amount of time to swing back and forth, no matter how far it was swinging. When he returned home, he set up two pendulums of equal length and swung one with a large sweep and the other with a small sweep and found that they kept time together. It was not until Christiaan Huygens almost one hundred years later that the tautochrone nature of a swinging pendulum was used to create an accurate timepiece. Up to this point, Galileo had deliberately been kept away from mathematics, since a physician earned a higher income than a mathematician. However, after accidentally attending a lecture on geometry, he talked his reluctant father into letting him study mathematics and natural philosophy instead of medicine. He created a thermoscope, a forerunner of the thermometer, and in 1586 published a small book on the design of a hydrostatic balance he had invented (which first brought him to the attention of the scholarly world). Galileo also studied disegno, a term encompassing fine art, and in 1588 obtained the position of instructor in the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence, teaching perspective and chiaroscuro. Being inspired by the artistic tradition of the city and the works of the Renaissance artists, Galileo acquired an aesthetic mentality. While a young teacher at the Accademia, he began a lifelong friendship with the Florentine painter Cigoli, who included Galileo’s lunar observations in one of his paintings.

In 1589, he was appointed to the chair of mathematics in Pisa. In 1591, his father died, and he was entrusted with the care of his younger brother Michelagnolo. In 1592, he moved to the University of Padua where he taught geometry, mechanics, and astronomy until 1610. During this period, Galileo made significant discoveries in both pure fundamental science (for example, kinematics of motion and astronomy) as well as practical applied science (for example, strength of materials and improvement of the telescope). His multiple interests included the study of astrology, which at the time was a discipline tied to the studies of mathematics and astronomy.

It was his work in mathematics that had caught Leonardo’s attention. He approached the Scientist, asking if he wanted to be Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Alan Rikkin

 

Alan Rikkin came from a powerful wealthy family in England.  He had the best education in the finest schools, and was given everything he needed to make something of his life.

He took over his father’s businesses and expanded them globally.

He like his father, was a Templar and believed everything they had taught him.  His goals in life were matched to advance to the Templar cause.

He fell in love with and married Ellen Kaye, the only thing he ever did against the Templars, and they had one daughter – Sofia Rikkin.  When the pressure against them became too much, the two divorced and Alan raised their daughter, telling her that Assassins had killed her mother.

It was his daughter’s theories about inherent memories, that gave him the idea about trying to find the legendary ‘Apple’ by putting descendants of famed Assassins into a Simulator.

It failed until they met Callum Lynch … then everything changed.

Sylum Inspiration: Cesare Borgia

 

Cesare Borgia

 

So this month decided to go for the Bad Guys!


Like nearly all aspects of Cesare Borgia’s life, the date of his birth is a subject of dispute. He was born in Rome—in either 1475 or 1476—the illegitimate son of Cardinal Roderic Llançol i de Borja, (usually known as Rodrigo Borgia), later Pope Alexander VI, and his mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei, about whom information is sparse. The Borgia family originally came from the Kingdom of Valencia, and rose to prominence during the mid-15th century; Cesare’s grand-uncle Alphonso Borgia (1378–1458), bishop of Valencia, was elected Pope Callixtus III in 1455. Cesare’s father, Pope Alexander VI, was the first pope who openly recognized his children born out of wedlock.

Stefano Infessura writes that Cardinal Borgia falsely claimed Cesare to be the legitimate son of another man—Domenico d’Arignano, the nominal husband of Vannozza dei Cattanei. More likely, Pope Sixtus IV granted Cesare a release from the necessity of proving his birth in a papal bull of 1 October 1480.

Cesare’s career was founded upon his father’s ability to distribute patronage, along with his alliance with France (reinforced by his marriage with Charlotte d’Albret, sister of John III of Navarre), in the course of the Italian Wars. Louis XII invaded Italy in 1499: after Gian Giacomo Trivulzio had ousted its duke Ludovico Sforza, Cesare accompanied the king in his entrance into Milan.

At this point Alexander decided to profit from the favourable situation and carve out for Cesare a state of his own in northern Italy. To this end, he declared that all his vicars in Romagna and Marche were deposed. Though in theory subject directly to the pope, these rulers had been practically independent or dependent on other states for generations. In the view of the citizens, these vicars were cruel and petty. When Cesare eventually took power, he was viewed by the citizens as a great improvement.

Cesare was appointed commander of the papal armies with a number of Italian mercenaries, supported by 300 cavalry and 4,000 Swiss infantry sent by the King of France. Alexander sent him to capture Imola and Forlì, ruled by Caterina Sforza (mother of the Medici condottiero Giovanni dalle Bande Nere). Despite being deprived of his French troops after the conquest of those two cities, Borgia returned to Rome to celebrate a triumph and to receive the title of Papal Gonfalonier from his father. In 1500 the creation of twelve new cardinals granted Alexander enough money for Cesare to hire the condottieri, Vitellozzo Vitelli, Gian Paolo Baglioni, Giulio and Paolo Orsini, and Oliverotto da Fermo, who resumed his campaign in Romagna.

Giovanni Sforza, first husband of Cesare’s sister Lucrezia, was soon ousted from Pesaro; Pandolfo Malatesta lost Rimini; Faenza surrendered, its young lord Astorre III Manfredi being later drowned in the Tiber river by Cesare’s order. In May 1501 the latter was created duke of Romagna. Hired by Florence, Cesare subsequently added the lordship of Piombino to his new lands.

While his condottieri took over the siege of Piombino (which ended in 1502), Cesare commanded the French troops in the sieges of Naples and Capua, defended by Prospero and Fabrizio Colonna. On 24 June 1501 his troops stormed the latter, causing the collapse of Aragonese power in southern Italy.

In June 1502 he set out for Marche, where he was able to capture Urbino and Camerino by treason. He planned to conquer Bologna next. However, his condottieri, most notably Vitellozzo Vitelli and the Orsini brothers (Guilio, Paolo and Francesco), feared Cesare’s cruelty and set up a plot against him. Guidobaldo da Montefeltro and Giovanni Maria da Varano returned to Urbino and Camerino, and Fossombrone revolted. The fact that his subjects had enjoyed his rule thus far meant that his opponents had to work much harder than they would have liked. He eventually recalled his loyal generals to Imola, where he waited for his opponents’ loose alliance to collapse. Cesare called for a reconciliation, but imprisoned his condottieri in Senigallia, then called Sinigaglia, a feat described as a “wonderful deceiving” by Paolo Giovio, and had them executed.

Although he was an immensely capable general and statesman, Cesare had trouble maintaining his domain without continued Papal patronage. Niccolò Machiavelli cites Cesare’s dependence on the good will of the Papacy, under the control of his father, to be the principal disadvantage of his rule. Machiavelli argued that, had Cesare been able to win the favor of the new Pope, he would have been a very successful ruler. The news of his father’s death (1503) arrived when Cesare was planning the conquest of Tuscany. While he was convalescing in Castel Sant’Angelo, his troops controlled the conclave.

The new pope, Pius III, supported Cesare Borgia and reconfirmed him as Gonfalonier; but after a brief pontificate of twenty-six days he died. Borgia’s deadly enemy, Giuliano Della Rovere, then succeeded by dexterous diplomacy in tricking the weakened Cesare Borgia into supporting him by offering him money and continued papal backing for Borgia policies in the Romagna; promises which he disregarded upon election. He was elected as Pope Julius II to the papal dignity by the near-unanimous vote of the cardinals. Realizing his mistake by then, Cesare tried to correct the situation to his favor, but Pope Julius II made sure of its failure at every turn.

For More Information Contact Vampire Council Libray

(Dilios Note: Some of this is written history – what it leaves out is Ezio and the fight against the Borgias)

It was in Spain that Commodus found Cesare and Turned him.

Sylum Inspiration: Nathan Algren

Shogun: Co-Leader

 

Nathan doesn’t talk much about his life before Japan. He fought in the Civil War, was a decorated officer, that saw too many of his men killed.  After the war, he drank to stop the memories and barely held onto his rank and pension.

He was sent to Japan to help train the soldiers into an Imperial Army. Except they were kids and not even close to being ready to face battle. When they sent them anyway he rode in afterwards trying to save those he could.

He ended up taken by Takamori, the Shogun warrior holding back the Emperors advances. He hated the man instantly, yet felt a pull to him that made him want to do anything he asked. Takamori detoxed him, trained him, and then sent him to battle.

Nathan watched in horror as they were slaughted now under true military soldiers. He carried Takamori’s sword to the young emperor and told his story. All of it. Including what war does to a man. Showed him the honor of Takamori’s heritage.

He returned to the village only to discover Takamori was actually Katsumoto, a Vampire and his Mate.

He was Turned and Claimed that night.

Sylum Inspiration: Aguilar de Nerha

Integridad: Hunter

 

Aguilar and his twin brother Callum were born October 21st in the year of our lord 1460 AD and was in Masyaf.

They’re parents were Assassins, the little they knew of them, was that their father, Sebastiano was from Spain and their mother, Brigit, who was from Ireland.  Their father was trained at Masyaf, who on a mission, fell in love with Brigit, brought her back and trained her.  The two had been killed during the Spanish Inquisition, a year after the boys had been born.  They ended up raised by the Assassin Order, and trained to follow in their parents footsteps.

When they set out on their own missions, Aguilar went to Spain, while Callum went to Ireland.

Aguilar took over the missions their parents had been killed.  Hunting down Templars that were using the Spanish Inquisition for their own goals.

He ended up meeting Maria, saving her from a local ‘Inquisitor’.  She had made it clear that she wouldn’t bow to the the false church, and become their whore.  Aguilar fell for her instantly, the two ended up married six months later – solidify his cover as a Silk Merchant.

She knew about his Assassin work, and patched him up when he would return home.   Over the years she bore him three daughters – but refused to let him train any of them.

While working on a mission with Maximus, Aguilar was mortally wounded.  There was no doubt in his mind, he would be Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Hannibal King

Sylum: Hunter

 

The King family had a small farm just outside Lawrence, Kansas.   His father died when he was barely twelve, leaving Hannibal with his mother to run the farm.   It wasn’t a life he wanted, but he wouldn’t leave his mom.

When the war broke out, he stayed put despite the fact he wanted to fight for the Union.  He had never liked slavery, seeing some of the horror of it first hand, and even worse he despised traitors and as far as he was concerned the Confederates were traitors.

His mother begged him not to go, that she needed him there at the farm.  And also pointed out the fighting between the sections was bad enough at home.   So he stayed and worked to protect not only his mother’s farm, but those around him.

He watched in horror as Quantrill destroyed the town and killing all men of every age.  The only reason he had survived, was because a young black man had tossed him into a hay pile and ended up taking the shot meant for him.  The Raider shot at him, wounding him in the shoulder and leg, he played dead until they Raiders left the area.

Hannibal crawled out of the hay pile to find a young man with long hair, help the black man up, telling him they would get help from Lucinda.  He was happy to see that he was okay, later learning that the long haired man was James Hickok, Lucinda’s brother.  He had always like the Hickok’s, the woman had been good to his mother.

He recovered from his wounds, and fought more battles to protect the area.  When the war ended, he felt a sense of relief, only to tragically lose his mother a few years later.

Hannibal headed West, drifting from town to town, his skills with a gun improving over time.   He found himself facing off with some cattle rustlers, protecting the small ranches that were trying to survived.  He confronted them, and they attacked, and the only difference was they got back up after Hannibal shot them. Hannibal wasn’t sure if he was going to get out of the situation alive, and as he moved towards the back door he ran into another man. Surprised to see a well armed black man, he paused and watched as he took on the rustles, who turned to dust after their head was taken clean off.

That was new.

Afterwards Hannibal demanded to know what the hell was going on. Eric Brooks explained to him about Vampires and that he Hunted them. Hannibal just took it at face value and ended up travelling with the Hunter to hunt down the rest of the Rogues. During a Hunt, when Hannibal was mortally wounded, there was no question. Eric Turned him.