- The Sangiovanni are a disturbing clan of witches, warlocks, vampires and undead. A incestuous brew of the supernatural who have worked to establish themselves czars of the shipping industry since the late renaissance. Today they exist in nearly every major city. They are independent. They stick to the shadows rather then dance in the midnight courts of the supernatural.
- There are several different origin myths of the Sangiovonni, but two have been established as the most likely. Antonio Sangiovonni's account of an epic forbidden love spans across multiple works, but it did not take much for other mages to establish an outline of their genesis from his works. Although the Sangiovonni themselves do not consider this the true roots of their legacy, this version of history has taken hold of outsider's imaginations.
- Distilled from the works of Antonio Sangiovanni, a late romantic poet and mage
- Venice is a city of gothic beauty. A place of secrets, and for a long time it was a place of power. It sat at the center of a vast trade empire, and it was one of the most major ports in all of Europe. Augustine Sangiovanni was a skilled diplomat, merchant and scholar. Even among other nobles, few people would consider themselves his peer. Even fewer would dare risk it, for Augustine had a dark side which made people hesitant to become his enemy. Like the city which he called home, Augustine had dark secrets. His secrets were not his alone.
- One such secret was the relationship between himself, and his sister Isabella. The children of a wealthy but cold widower, the two were essentially left to their own devices with only one another as company. As they grew, inseparable siblings became deeply toiled in a forbidden relationship. At the age of seventeen, their father found out. Enraged, the man struck down Isabella with a blow to her stomach. Then he ran Augustine through. As the two lay dieing, they made an oath not to give each other up.
- Neither died that night. In twisted romantic irony, both of their existences continued. Augustine rose to find himself marked by the realm of death, and in possession of grand new powers. Augustine explored his new dark art, and he steadily established himself as head of the household. Ten years later the two were reunited.
- Augustine had joined the Mysterium, and he had developed potent powers of his own. Many had chosen to follow him, and quite a few were of his own blood. In ten short years, he had managed to establish himself as a councilor in one of the worlds oldest Consiliums. :
- Isabella's ten years away from her brother were spent in relative imprisonment. Taken by a distant relative a member of his vampire brood, she remained untouched by time. Confined to his estate, unless he needed an escort, she study his dark arts in relative solitude. She ended his "eternal life" around the time her brother rose to power. Then she spent the next several years coming to terms with her new life. She returned only once she was sure of her control and of her position in the courts of the damned.
- Once the siblings were reunited, they moved our family into a midnight renaissance.
- The Sangiovonni preferred version was authored by Salvatore Sangiovonni. This version highlights the kernals of truth in Antonio's work, but it leaves the romance at the curb.
- Susummarized from "Prince of the Night" (1850) by Salvatore Giovonni:
- A single act of patricide damned Caine to an eternity walking the earth. It is fitting that our own dark father began his life in the same way. Our Father's family had never been good christians. They believed in the old ways as strongly as we do today. Some of them were even mages. It was out father's death and resurrection that allowed us to turn it into the power we have today.
- Despite living a sheltered life, Augustine was a shrewed and careful person. He was not prone to excess, but rather enjoyed late nights reading and philosophizing. He cajoled with his friends, but never to the self destructive level that many of the other nobles did. I believe it is from his extensive time at home that rumors of an affair rose up.
- Once Awakened to the Watchtower of Lead Coin, our father disappeared for six years. When he reappeared, he had gone under a startling transformation. He spent his evenings politicking. He made dark alliances for support in exchange for military support. Many did so as a half hearted joke, because it was well known that he inherited no military presence from his father.
- After six months of talking, Augustine moved on the eve of All Saints Day. His forces appeared on the doorsteps of his enemies estates, and they quickly found themselves presented with a choice. Those unfortunate individuals who called his "bluff" were never seen again. The next day their homes were empty. Every piece of furniture, and every old memory. Only the books remained, and a sign on the door declaring it Sangiovonnni property.
- The Sangiovanni came to New York with the first wave of Italian Americans. Fleeing a failed revolution during the 1840's, three rogue Sangiovanni came to NY with a small gaggle of mortal family to start a new life. They got involved in shipping soon after their arrival, and they have remained so ever since. Among the mortals the kindred brought with them, there were two mages. These twin brothers, blessed with the power of the supernal, found a small cabal of other Italians in NY. By 1860, the Gravediggers found a small but comfortable niche in the Consilium. The Gravediggers took care of problems that most guardians could not even stomach. Officially aligned with the Veil, they became the Consilium's chief enforcers and scholars. The Sangiovanni parted ways from the Consilium during the civil war. A war that roughly coincided with the American Civil War. Despite the conflict, the American Civil War firmly solidified that Sangiovanni hold on the shipping industry.
- The Sangiovanni have been active since their arrival, but little is known of their actitvies since their secession from the Consilium. It is rumored that the entire Gravediggers became the core of the Sangiovanni family in NY. It is also rumored that their mage bloodline is limited to NY only. Other then that, the Consilium can only can trust what little proof of their activities they can find. Among the young, it is said that the Guardian's still acquire their services from time to time. Such talk is kept to a whisper, for saying that Guardians require anyone's aid is the same as begging for their attention.
- Parent Path or Order: Moros
- Nickname: Necropheliacs
- Appearance The San Giovonni, contrary to expectation, are fine dressers. Most members of the family like fine things, and they wear those things well. Fond of anything from their country of Origin, the finer dressed family members seem to almost assemble uniform clothing of fine Italian Fashion designers. Those with less expensive tastes still tend to dress nicely, if not a bit too formal for some occasions.
- Background Muscle can be gained or hired. The majority of those drawn from their ranks are scholars, business people or career con artists. It is only after a few scrapes they begin to train themselves physically. There is a small amount of San Giovonni who start out physically threatening. These family members find themselves guarding pressure treasures and accompanying older mages on dangerous expeditions. The fatality rate is high, but the pay off is usually worth it in the eyes of those who succeed.
- Orders:
- Organization: This legacy is not a legacy. It is a family. The oldest members govern the family. Traditionally there is a male and female pair. From the top down, there is a informal hierarchy based off respect for those of superior age and experience. While many members of the family willing interact with other supernaturals, the identities of the head of each household is a closely guarded secret. The San Giovonni have two known headquarters. One in Venice, and one in NY.
- Suggested Oblation: Prayers to honor the ancestors, speaking with the dead, performing an autopsy.
- Concepts: The devil in disguise, the dashing serial killer, the creepy scholar, the arms dealer, the damned mafioso
Attainments[]
- 1st Attainment- Speaker for the Dead
- Prerequisites: Death 2, Matter 2 Occult Specialty Ghosts
- A Sangiovonni does not differentiate between the twilight and the material realm. All is apart of the fallen world, and no part of the fallen world is too broken for use as a tool. Dealings with the dead gave Augustine the might he needed. By having them swear oaths of service to them in exchange for his help. He aided the undead in contacting loved ones, and in destroying their enemies. He soon acquired a small army of undead spies, informants and soldiers. He also earned the favor of their living family. The Sangiovonni always see the twilight and the material realm simultaneously. Their eyes take on a slightly opaque color, halfway between the eyes of the living and the eyes of a cadaver. In addition, the Sangiovonni cry ectoplasm. They can produce an amount of ectoplasm per day as the spell create ectoplasm allowing their twilight bound servants to materialize without spending a point of essence. Once created, the ectoplasm’s consistency/color can be altered at will.
- 2nd Attainment- The Loyal Soldiers
- Prerequisites: Death 3, Matter 3 Occult Specialty Zombies
- Sangiovonni know that power is not something acquired in a purely mental pursuit, but many of them choose to cultivate undead rather then gain the muscle themselves. It is said that Augustine’s sudden army of foot soldiers rose from the graveyards, not from the ranks of mercenaries. This attainment functions the same as the Quicken Corpse spell. Sangiovonni created zombies cannot be stolen from them. They are loyal until death, and they automatically possess the indestructible quality. In addition, if glyphs carved into their flesh or painted on them with blood, the zombies are of indefinite duration. Should the glyphs be destroyed, the zombie lasts until the end of the scene.
- Dice Pool: Int + Occult + Death
- Mind 3- Corpse Ride
- Sometimes important work must be accomplished by the man himself, but it is too risky for his body. At times like these the Sangiovonni possess one of their loyal minions. The casters body falls into a state of slumber. If destroyed, the caster returns to his body. Corpse Ride last for as long as the mage remains in their slumber. Unconsciousness ends the effect. The caster can return to his body with a successful Resolve + Composure roll.
- (taken from tk421’s Rider of the Dead)
- 3rd Attainment- Freeing the Shadow
- Prerequisites: Death 4, Matter 4 Occult Specialty Shadow
- The third Attainment of the Sangiovonni is a closely guarded secret. Upon achieving the third attainment, the Sangiovonni gain the ability to perform a ritual. It is a undefined being of shadow that can alter its appearance to imitate others, or skitter under doors and over walls. The beings possess the same level of intelligence as a zombie, and it can also be possessed by the caster. The being is permanent, but each master can only create one at a time.
- Dark Genesis – Mind 4
- Dark Genesis allows the sorcerer to endow its creature with human intelligence and abilities. During the creation ritual, the sorcerer sacrifices a human. They allow the persons blood to mix with the shadow, and then they raise the being into existence. The shadow comes into existence with all their attributes and skills, and the ability to think on their own. The masters are very careful to choose a person with a skill set they need, and they generally spend several months grooming them before the ritual. It is not uncommon for mortal members of the family to volunteer. Performing this ritual is wisdom 1 sin.
Notes[]
- Many of the Sangiovanni are known simply by the Giovanni.
- The last remaining member of the original Gravediggers died in 1946. She was nearly a hundred, and she was the only Thyrsus.
- The Giovanni are known to use common names as their Shadow names. Attempts to figure out their naming system have left many scratching their heads.
- Nikki Giovanni and Julius Giovanni are the only Giovanni mages who have regular contact with people inside the consilium.