D
Duke Ferret
Guest
Original poster
OOC THREAD IS HERE
History of Arx
History of Arx
Think of the Earth as we know it, now erase what you see of everything except for the landmasses and oceans. Now insert the same flora and fauna again. Add large city-states surrounded by huge iron walls. This is the basics to how the Earth progressed with the presence of Vampires. The humans built up their city-states with huge walls to defend from the viscious Vampire attacks. And for many many years this was how it worked. However, in many city-states the vampires found ways to sneak in. Some destroyed the entire populace and moved on, other snuck in and corrupted the local governments forcing the humans of the area to become a living blood bank. A constant source of nourishment.
However in the large city-state of Arx (located approximately where the modern day Vatican now resides) there was a different result. When the humans of the area became privy to the vampires entrance to the city, they immediately rallied behind their leaders to oppose the oncoming force. The vampire invading force, lacking any real structure and leadership, were driven back into one quarter of the city. The human leaders then came up with a plan. This was based mostly on the religious sector of the government that did not see the vampires as threats but as fellow inhabitants of the earth. So a truce was created. The humans would let the remaining vampires live, however, they would be walled into the section of the city, never to leave unless given permission by the government itself. Through the following days another law was set forth. Every month there would be sent into the Lamia (as the vampire quarter came to be known as) humans, those of the lowest rungs of society, beggars, homeless, orphans, and the worst of criminals, to feed the vampires and not kill them off. However, they would only provide one human for every three vampires according to the initial headcount of vampires.. This was enacted to both stem the population of the vampires, and to make them weak so they would not be able to try and over throw the city. Over time the population shrunk until that same amount of food, was sufficient to keep the population steady. However there was a small group of citizens who were strongly opposed to this manuever and wanted to see the vampires destroyed completely. They called themselves Humanitas Equitum.
Over the years as they passed things changed however. The general populace, as each generation went by became more and more ignorant of the vampires presence until they eventually forgot they existed. However the gvernment coninued its feeding of those in the Lamia according to the laws. Within the vampie community changes also arose. Instead of killing or turning the humans they were given they started keeping them alive. Drinking a little from each human so that the humans could recuperate and become a steady source of blood. The Humanitas Equitum still existed through out the city. They had passed down their hatred through the generations and retained their will to kill the vampires off. They were the few among the general citizens who still remembered the laws, and the treaty.
Rumors... Thats all they were right? Just simple rumors. To the rest of Humanitas Equitum thats exactly what they were. There were four people however, who saw it a little differently. Every rumor had a hint of truth to it. What exactly the truth behind this rumor was, well, they wanted to find that out. Dux Mercenaire, the leader of Humanitas. Secreta Mercenaire, Dux's female second in command. Sacre Mercenaire, Humanitas' third in command. These three people lead the 20 man strong Humanitas Equitum, and it was their job to ferret out the rumors from the facts. There was a fourth person who beleived that this may not be all rumor. Her unofficial title was Viverra Mercenaire, however she was just another of the group members. The only reason she held a different opinion of the rumors was she was a long time friend of Sacre.
"Do you really think they are true Jeremy? I mean.. if there was a vampire hunting in secret through out the city I think we would have heard about it before this... right?" She looked over at Jeremy who was sharpening his blades his face set in an emotionless visage.
He did however look up at her to speak. "If they are true Viktorya, we shall find out soon enough. Plus these rumors aren't exactly new ones. We have heard them before however Dux decided not to investigate them. I finally talked Dux into letting me take a couple of us and check this out. However, he will only let me take two people with me. Says 'We can't have our entire group going out on a rumor.' So I'm bringing you, and you may pick one other to bring along, somene reliably preferably."
She nodded and left going to find a third person while he went back to his blades. "I hate vampires..." he mumbled to himself.