Marduk: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| (8 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="color:#4B0082; background-color:#E6E6FA;" cellpadding="10" | {| class="wikitable" style="color:#4B0082; background-color:#E6E6FA;" cellpadding="10" | ||
|- | |- | ||
|[[File:Tiamat 2.jpg|250px|center]]||[[File: | |[[File:Tiamat 2.jpg|250px|center]]||[[File:Marduk.jpg|350px|center]]||[[File:Ventrue clan logo.png|250px|center]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|'''Character:''' ''Marduk'' ||'''Nature:''' ''[[Architect]]''||'''Clan:''' ''[[Ventrue]]'' | |'''Character:''' ''Marduk'' ||'''Nature:''' ''[[Architect]]''||'''Clan:''' ''[[Ventrue]]'' | ||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
| Race: Semitic || Height: 5'11" || Weight: 180# | | Race: Semitic || Height: 5'11" || Weight: 180# | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | '''Progeny: '''[[Georges de la Tour]]|| --- || --- | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ||'''ATTRIBUTES'''|| | | ||'''ATTRIBUTES'''|| | ||
| Line 129: | Line 129: | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
== '''<span style="color:#800000;">S</span>obriquet''' == | == '''<span style="color:#800000;">S</span>obriquet''' == | ||
Sebastien Romaine | |||
== '''<span style="color:#800000;">A</span>ppearance''' == | == '''<span style="color:#800000;">A</span>ppearance''' == | ||
Marduk is a bald man of very common appearance, | Marduk is a bald man of very common appearance, over medium height. He is stocky, and his apparent age is well over his forties. His gleaming eyes show an ever present alertness, as well as a deadly intelligence. Marduk tends to wear roman inspired clothes when home, but won't hesitate to wear anything (with enough style) to appear more in touch with the modern nights. Marduk resents the modern clothing, preferring his Roman attire. | ||
== '''<span style="color:#800000;">B</span>ehavior''' == | == '''<span style="color:#800000;">B</span>ehavior''' == | ||
Marduk is always calm | Marduk is always calm. He learned calm should lead his behavior in his years as general and in his centuries as researcher. He talks with a deep voice which can sink down to an powerful whisper, conveying all the force of his natural presence. While Marduk is always calm, this icy demeanor can result in flashes of brutal action, without his face betraying what he is feeling. | ||
== '''<span style="color:#800000;">H</span>istory''' == | == '''<span style="color:#800000;">H</span>istory''' == | ||
In 2000 BC, there were only two populations in Mesopotamia. The Sumerian people and the Akkadian. The | In 2000 BC, there were only two populations in Mesopotamia. The Sumerian people and the Akkadian. The Sumerians were under the domination of the greatly feared Demon Goddess called Tiamat. She was in truth a Vampire of the 4th Generation. The Sumerians, despite the powers of the powerful Cainite, were kept in check by the Akkadian armies. Tiamat saw genius behind the tactics used by the enemy and believing it to be the actions of a rival Vampire, she investigated to discover the generals Clan and aims. The King of Akkadia was but a pawn, and she discovered her true enemy was but a mortal named Marduk. | ||
Marduk was huge physically for the time. Marduk was also loved by his men and had great charisma. What fascinated Tiamat the most was his military tactical genius. This man seemed to divine the moves of his opponent before they made them.. The King of Akkadia Sargon trusted this man and obeyed any of his wishes. | |||
After Tiamat went away, the | Even as a mortal, Marduk was a thorn in the side of Dragonskyr, the demon inhabiting Tiamat. Dragonskyr feared that such a mortal would find a way to kill him and banish him back to Hell, and was frustrated that he could not win against the general on the battle field. Dragonskyr’s fears became reality when Tiamat Embraced Marduk and abandoned him while she was in control. It happened so fast Dragonskyr couldn't take control and kill the Childe. | ||
After Tiamat went away, the Akkadian Armies conquered the Sumerian lands. Thus, the two cultures became one. As it was under the influence of Marduk that Babylon was created in such a way, it is not surprising to find so much of the gods and traditions of Sumer in the ancestors and successors of Babylon. | |||
Even if the time Marduk was with Tiamat was such a short one, he understood | Even if the time Marduk was with Tiamat was such a short one, he understood what she was, somehow tortured by something and that she wasn't completely responsible of all her actions. He tried to follow the destruction and cataclysms she left behind her, but after decades, he understood he would never catch up with Tiamat and so decided instead to discover the origins of her Sire. | ||
Marduk’s research made him discover a world he didn't believe existed. So much civilization surprised him. While in the 46 years of his human life he had accumulated knowledge, had become a great warrior, leader and scholar. But everything he had learned couldn't prepare him when confronted to the Egyptian Civilization, in the height of the Old Kingdom. He was frightened, awed and hypnotized by such greatness. He stayed centuries there, studying the strength and weakness of such empire, dealing with the Settites, the Toreador, and his own Clan. | |||
The other civilization which surprised | The other civilization which surprised Marduk was Greece. After centuries, the Ventrue had an idea of what he believed to be the ideal society. Greece was very close to that ideal. The philosophy (and Socrates) taught him the greatest lesson of his unlife: He knew nothing! Marduk couldn't help but be surprised and fascinated by the roads that a civilization would follow. Every time Marduk believed himself to have learned almost everything or when he lost faith, he would discover that he was mistaken. Immortality only brought more questions, and answers that revealed more mysteries. | ||
Greece started to glorify man instead of the King, or the State. Greece showed Marduk what would become the greatest objective of his never ending unlife which was to create a new civilization based on the ideals of Greece. | |||
===Rome=== | ===Rome=== | ||
In 620 BC, he arrived in the land that would become Rome, following the unholy steps of his Sire. While he only found murders and destruction in her wake, he never found his possessed Sire Tiamat. Marduk fell in love with the the empire of Rome. Rome was a fertile a land that promised to grow in strength, knowledge, and power. Rome would become the land of his experience and hope. With other like-minded (and not so like-minded) Ventrue, he would found the greatest civilization which ever existed. A Republic founded in the Greek wisdom. A great achievement that eventually would fall. | |||
Carthage was, in the 3rd and 2nd century before our era, was the only opposition to the glory of Rome. The choice of the vampires of Carthage to live among the mortals had somehow misfired. Now the rumors' of cruelty and horrible sacrifices reached Rome. The vampires now decided which direction would take the people of Carthage who had lost their liberty of choice. Carthage now suffered as slaves to the Cainite society. | |||
Carthage was, | Carthage was a danger to Rome, and the Roman Ventrue. Marduk (Known then as Marius) and the Roman Ventrue decided it should be destroyed. Marduk was chosen for his tactical and military abilities to make sure Rome, through Scipion Emilien, would succeed. Marduk put all his abilities to sacking Carthage and burning it to the ground. | ||
Carthage | The events at Carthage only made Marduk realize he would never free Rome from its Cainites masters no matter how much he wanted to. The vampires of Rome were slowly doing the same thing he despised in Carthage but in a covert way. The fact that the other Clans were openly admitted into Rome after the destruction of Carthage only worsened the fears of Marduk. | ||
While he fought with every bit of strength and experience to stop it, Rome started to decay thanks to every other Clan and the corruption of the vampires. The conquest of Egypt only worsened Romes corruption as the Childer of Set, apparently changed from the God-like scholars and warrior to foul corrupters decided Egypt was too limiting for their goals and machinations. The Followers of Set quickly expanded their influence into every part of the Roman Empire. | |||
Marduk never knew his Sire and Dragonskyr were near. Too late he discovered that he had been so powerful for a thousand years only because he had no one, and nothing to protect until now. | |||
While he fought with every bit of strength to stop it, Rome started to decay | |||
===Remus and the Enemy from the East=== | ===Remus and the Enemy from the East=== | ||
Marduks own schemes were countered by the other Cainites, even those of his own Clan Ventrue fought him out of spite. Marduk failed to protect his mortal agents who were murdered or disabled to the last but one. Remus Sempronius Emilien was a young Roman officer whose fiery gaze had fascinated Marduk. Remus was full of kindness, courage, and will to succeed. Remus was also Marduk's twin, but for the difference Marduk was bald and Remus had fine dark hair cropped close. Marduk believed this flame could be enough to be shared with all the Romans. To protect him, Marduk embraced him in the middle of a civil war that would attract the attention of Julius Caesar. | |||
As Marduk spent a lot of time teaching his Childe, Marduk left Rome to the Kindred. He discovered, in the end, that Remus' objectives weren’t his own. Remus wanted conquests, and Remus’ new unlife opened undreamed possibilities for that. While Marduk tried to reason with him, Marduk finally let him go as Marduk believed everyone should be free to choose his own way. | |||
Marduk took, then, another identity, and continued to share his wisdom with the mortals that came to him. Rome's greatness was at it’s maximum with the arrival of Constantin the Great. But the ambitions of Rome collided with the power of the eastern Tzimisce. Remus was sent to conquer the eastern lands, despite Marduk's objections Remus went. | |||
Conquest of Dacia (101–106 AD): | |||
The most direct Roman expansion into the Carpathian region occurred during Trajan’s Dacian Wars (101–102 AD and 105–106 AD). Emperor Trajan launched campaigns to subdue the Dacian kingdom under King Decebalus, which controlled the area around the Carpathian Mountains, including parts of modern Romania. | |||
After victories in the First Dacian War (101–102 AD), Rome imposed a peace treaty on Dacia. The Second Dacian War (105–106 AD) resulted in the complete conquest of Dacia, with the capital, Sarmizegetusa Regia (in the Carpathian Mountains), being captured and destroyed. | |||
The Romans established the province of Dacia (roughly modern Romania, including parts of the Carpathians) in 106 AD. Roman settlements, roads, and fortifications, such as Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, were built to secure the region. | |||
The Carpathian Mountains formed a natural boundary for parts of Dacia, and Roman control was strongest in the Transylvanian Basin, with some forts extending into the mountains to protect against raids by neighboring tribes (e.g., the Iazyges or Roxolani). | |||
Roman Presence in the Carpathians: | |||
Roman control in the Carpathians was primarily limited to strategic areas in Dacia, such as the southwestern Carpathians (modern Romania’s Banat and Oltenia regions). The Romans built defensive structures, like the limes Dacicus, to secure the province against barbarian incursions from the north and east. | |||
The northern and eastern Carpathians (modern Slovakia, Poland, and Ukraine) remained outside Roman control, inhabited by free Dacian tribes, Germanic groups (e.g., Marcomanni), and later Sarmatian tribes. | |||
Rome’s presence in Dacia lasted until 271–275 AD, when Emperor Aurelian abandoned the province due to mounting barbarian pressure and economic strains, withdrawing Roman forces south of the Danube. | |||
At first, Remus was successful, having inherited the genius of his Sire. But among his conquests were part of the territory of Alexei | At first, Remus was successful, having inherited the genius of his Sire. But among his conquests were part of the territory of [[Alexei Bratovich]], of the Clan [[Tzimisce]]. Remus and his army were destroyed by the army and the monsters created by Alexei. Marduk heard the dying call of his Childe but couldn't help him. Marduk avenged Remus. The mortals thought that a great cataclysm occurred in Alexei's land. Alexiei’s ruined castle was found empty. Marduk, in deadly Frenzy, had injured Alexei, who fled for his unlife. Marduk had then destroyed every retainer in Alexie’s castle because they wouldn't tell him where Alexei's secret haven was. | ||
===Paris' Corruption, and the Birth of Georges De La Tour=== | ===Paris' Corruption, and the Birth of Georges De La Tour=== | ||
For years, Marius searched for the murderer of his Childe. Marduk finally arrived in Constantinople and learned about the Fall of Rome. It was now the 6th Century after the death of some obscure crucified holy man, and the grief of Marduk (Marius) was lessening. Marduk didn't want to come back to Rome to see it after the Germanic invasions. Instead Marius went to Lutecia, hoping to find the Childe of Remus, Labienus. | |||
The Roman Cainite was nowhere to be found, but Marius discovered this city had the potential to grow to a new utopia. Marduk decided to study its evolution without acting in any way. Marduk took the name of Quentin le Nerf after having Dominated the family of the same name. Soon, the study of mortal society was shadowed by the study of the Cainite actions behind it. Other Vampires were hiding in Paris, and in the 13th century, he learned that some unholy entity was draining the vital energy of the city to feed his own unlife. | |||
Labienus awakened at the same time, and this reminded Marduk about the past and his pain. He had been so absorbed by the research into the supernatural world and Cainite society that he had forgotten the natural world and the mortals. He was surprised to see how much society had changed, and went to explore the world. In the 16th century Marduk returned to see that the Kindred Clans were still battling each other, the Cainites never changed. | |||
Marduk felt the city had lost its vitality. He took over his research where it had been interrupted. It wasn’t long before Labienus, still aspiring to conquer the city, once more asked for his attention. A powerful Toreador wanted the Right to Embrace a man called Georges Dumesnil De La Tour, a painter. But this man was also member of the mortal family dominated by Marduk. Labienus wanted to use a Prestation owed to him by Beatrix, the Toreador Prince, to use De La Tour in his schemes. Marduk clearly showed his displeasure but agreed to see the mortal. To his surprise, Georges was the perfect twin of Remus (and so Marduk!). He had the same fire in the eyes, the same courage. Marduk appeared as Quentin du Nerf, and took with him Georges, to Embrace Georges in 1649. | |||
===Vengeance! Vengeance!=== | |||
But Marduk didn't realize that someone had been looking for him all this time. Alexei, under the pseudonym of Antoine, didn't forget the shame of Marduk's attack and Alexei’s defeat at Marduks’ hand. After having taken over the shreds of his territory, he threw himself into a pursuit of Marduk. Alexei had sworn to destroy his enemy Marduk (Marius) and everything that he cherished. But acknowledging the power of the Methuselah, he waited for the right moment. Alexei chose the winter 1649. | |||
At this time, France was victim of unprecedented trouble. After the 30 years War, the nobility revolted against the royalty. The Cardinal of Mazarin, as well as Ann of Austria, who ruled France while the youth Louis had to hide the young heir from the anger of the nobles. Behind this mortal façade, the Kindred were fighting among themselves. The Toreador were trying to build the first foundations of the Toreador Hegemony, and the Ventrue were fighting it with all their might. The Sabbat were also using this time of trouble to kill Elders. | |||
Antoine used the turbulence to attack Marduk, weakened by a Sabbat Pack attack. Alexei had incapacitated the Methuselah and was drinking his Lifeblood when Georges appeared with the Sword of Nul. The sword, powered with Georges frenzied anger, was able to mortally wound the Tzimisce and Diablerize him. When Georges awakened, he had forgotten almost everything that happened during the night and didn’t see Quintin La Nerf anywhere around. . | |||
Marduk, having succumbed to Rötschrek, didn't remember what had happened when Georges had appeared, but knew by instinct that he and his enemy had somehow survived. Weakened, he found a secure haven, and entered Torpor to heal his physical and mental wounds. A Dominated family made sure his sleep was not disturbed. Quinten kept the sword with him. | |||
===The Modern Era=== | ===The Modern Era=== | ||
Marduk dreamed a lot, and in his nightmares, he saw Antoine attacking and destroying his Childer, one by one. Marduk awakened in 1904 after 3 centuries of welcome Torpor. | Marduk dreamed a lot, and in his nightmares, he saw Antoine attacking and destroying his Childer, one by one. Marduk awakened in 1904 after 3 centuries of welcome Torpor. He had adapted faster that he believed possible as the actual Paris has political and social structures similar to the ones imagined by Marduk. He only underestimated the speed with which the mortals would evolve. He appeared to one of his Childer: L. A. H. Condé., and hid in the Palace of Chantilly. | ||
He had adapted faster that he believed possible as the actual Paris has political and social structures similar to the ones imagined by Marduk. He only underestimated the speed with which the mortals would evolve. He appeared to one of his Childer: L. A. H. Condé., and hid in the Palace of Chantilly. | |||
Only Condé and Labienus know Marduk/Quentin le Nerf is back. After studying with great care the political structure of Paris and France, he promised to himself that he would make of Paris the new Cainite Republic. With his experience, he believes he can succeed, but one problem remains: Alexei Bratovitch. | Only Condé and Labienus know Marduk/Quentin le Nerf is back. After studying with great care the political structure of Paris and France, he promised to himself that he would make of Paris the new Cainite Republic. With his experience, he believes he can succeed, but one problem remains: Alexei Bratovitch. | ||
== '''<span style="color:#800000;">V</span>essels''' == | == '''<span style="color:#800000;">V</span>essels''' == | ||
Latest revision as of 17:53, 6 September 2025
 |
 |
 | |
| Character: Marduk | Nature: Architect | Clan: Ventrue | |
| Player: NPC | Demeanor: Director | Generation 5th | |
| Chronicle: PLBE | Concept: | Sire: Tiamat | |
| Allegiance: [] | Haven: [[]] | Coterie: [[]] | |
| Birth: 3000 BC | Weakness: [] | Embrace: 2950 BC | |
| Apparent Age: 45 | Hair: Bald | Eyes: Black | |
| Race: Semitic | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 180# | |
| Progeny: Georges de la Tour | --- | --- | |
| ATTRIBUTES | |||
| Physical | Social | Mental | |
| Strength ●●●●● ●●○ | Charisma ●●●●● ●●● | Perception ●●●●● ●●○ | |
| Dexterity ●●●●● ●○○ | Manipulation ●●●●● ●○ | Intelligence ●●●●● ●●● | |
| Stamina ●●●●● ●●● | Appearance ●●○○○ ○○○ | Wits ●●●●● ●●● | |
| --- | --- | --- | |
| --- | --- | --- | |
| ABILITIES | |||
| Talents | Skills | Knowledges | |
| Alertness ●●●●● ●●○ () | Animal Ken ●●●●○ ○○○ () | Academics ●●●●● ○○○ () | |
| Athletics ●●●●● ○○○ () | Crafts ●●○○○ ○○○ () | Enigmas ●●●●● ●●○ () | |
| Awareness ●●●●● ○○○ () | Etiquette ●●●●● ○○○ () | Finance ●●○○○ ○○○ () | |
| Brawl ●●●●● ●●● () | Firearms ○○○○○ ○○○ () | Investigation ●●●●● ●○ () | |
| Empathy ●●●●○ ○○○ () | Larceny ●●●●● ●○○ () | Law ●●●●● ●○ () | |
| Expression ●●●○○ ○○○ () | Melee ●●●●● ●●● () | Medicine ○○○○○○○ () | |
| Intimidation ●●●●● ○○○ () | Performance ●●●●○ ○○○ () | Occult ●●●●● ●○○ () | |
| Leadership ●●●●● ●●○ () | Ride ●●●●● ●●○ () | Politics ●●●●● ●●○ () | |
| Streetwise ●●○○○ ○○○ () | Stealth ●●●●● ●●○ () | Science ●○○○○ ○○○ () | |
| Subterfuge ●●●●○ ○○○ () | Survival ●●●●● ●●● () | Theology ●●○○○ ○○○ () | |
| Art History ●●●●● ○○○ () | --- | Lore: Kindred ●●●●● ●●○ () | |
| Philosophy ●●●●● ○○○ () | --- | Lore: Camarilla ●●●●● ●●○ () | |
| --- | --- | City Secrets ●●○○○ ○○○ () | |
| Apparent Age: 45 | Hair: Bald | Eyes: Black | |
| Race: Semitic | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 180# | |
| --- | --- | --- | |
| --- | ADVANTAGES | --- | |
| Disciplines | Backgrounds | Merits & Flaws | |
| Dominate ●●●●● ●○○ (Obediance) | Allies ○○○○○○○ () | --- | |
| Fortitude ●●●●● ●●● (Personal Armor, Armor of Kings, Blessed Resilience) | Contacts ●●●●● ●○○ () | --- | |
| Presence ●●●●● ●●● (Double Tongue, Stealing the Hearts Protection, Perfect Paragon) | Domain ●●○○○ ○○○ () | --- | |
| Animalism ●●○○○ ○○○ () | --- | Fame ○○○○○○○ () | --- |
| Auspex ●●●●● ●○○ (See Through Stone) | --- | Generation ●●●●● ●●● () | --- |
| Celerity ●●○○○ ○○○ () | Influence ●●●○○ ○○○ () | --- | |
| Obfuscate ●●●●● ○○○ () | Mentor ○○○○○○○ () | --- | |
| Potence ●●●●● ○○○ () | Resources ●●●●● ●●● () | --- | |
| Protean ●●●●● ○○○ () | Retainers ●●○○○ ○○○ () | --- | |
| Thaumaturgy ●●●●● ○○○ () | Secrets: Paris ●●●○○ ○○○ () | --- | |
| (T)The Lure of Flames ●●○○○ ○○○ () | Status ●●●○○ ○○○ () | --- | |
| (T)Weather Control ●●●●○ ○○○ () | --- | Ventrue Prestige ●●●●● ○○○ () | |
| (T)Movement of the Mind ●●●○○ ○○○ () | --- | --- | |
| (T)Path of Blood ●●○○○ ○○○ () | --- | --- | |
| Health Levels | Humanity | Virtues | |
| Bruised (0) - { } | ●●●●●○○○○○ () | Conscience ●●●●○ | |
| Hurt (-1) ---- { } | --- | Self-Control ●●●●● | |
| Injured (-1) - { } | Willpower | Courage ●●●●○ | |
| Wounded (-2) - { } | ●●●●● ●●●●● () | --- | |
| Mauled (-2) -- { } | --- | --- | |
| Crippled (-5)- { } | Bloodpool | --- | |
| Incapacitated- { } | ○○○○○ ○○○○○ | --- | |
| Final Death | ○○○○○○ ○○○○○ | --- | |
| --- | ○○○○○○ ○○○○○ | --- | |
| --- | ○○○○○○ ○○○○○ | --- |
Sobriquet
Sebastien Romaine
Appearance
Marduk is a bald man of very common appearance, over medium height. He is stocky, and his apparent age is well over his forties. His gleaming eyes show an ever present alertness, as well as a deadly intelligence. Marduk tends to wear roman inspired clothes when home, but won't hesitate to wear anything (with enough style) to appear more in touch with the modern nights. Marduk resents the modern clothing, preferring his Roman attire.
Behavior
Marduk is always calm. He learned calm should lead his behavior in his years as general and in his centuries as researcher. He talks with a deep voice which can sink down to an powerful whisper, conveying all the force of his natural presence. While Marduk is always calm, this icy demeanor can result in flashes of brutal action, without his face betraying what he is feeling.
History
In 2000 BC, there were only two populations in Mesopotamia. The Sumerian people and the Akkadian. The Sumerians were under the domination of the greatly feared Demon Goddess called Tiamat. She was in truth a Vampire of the 4th Generation. The Sumerians, despite the powers of the powerful Cainite, were kept in check by the Akkadian armies. Tiamat saw genius behind the tactics used by the enemy and believing it to be the actions of a rival Vampire, she investigated to discover the generals Clan and aims. The King of Akkadia was but a pawn, and she discovered her true enemy was but a mortal named Marduk.
Marduk was huge physically for the time. Marduk was also loved by his men and had great charisma. What fascinated Tiamat the most was his military tactical genius. This man seemed to divine the moves of his opponent before they made them.. The King of Akkadia Sargon trusted this man and obeyed any of his wishes.
Even as a mortal, Marduk was a thorn in the side of Dragonskyr, the demon inhabiting Tiamat. Dragonskyr feared that such a mortal would find a way to kill him and banish him back to Hell, and was frustrated that he could not win against the general on the battle field. Dragonskyr’s fears became reality when Tiamat Embraced Marduk and abandoned him while she was in control. It happened so fast Dragonskyr couldn't take control and kill the Childe. After Tiamat went away, the Akkadian Armies conquered the Sumerian lands. Thus, the two cultures became one. As it was under the influence of Marduk that Babylon was created in such a way, it is not surprising to find so much of the gods and traditions of Sumer in the ancestors and successors of Babylon.
Even if the time Marduk was with Tiamat was such a short one, he understood what she was, somehow tortured by something and that she wasn't completely responsible of all her actions. He tried to follow the destruction and cataclysms she left behind her, but after decades, he understood he would never catch up with Tiamat and so decided instead to discover the origins of her Sire.
Marduk’s research made him discover a world he didn't believe existed. So much civilization surprised him. While in the 46 years of his human life he had accumulated knowledge, had become a great warrior, leader and scholar. But everything he had learned couldn't prepare him when confronted to the Egyptian Civilization, in the height of the Old Kingdom. He was frightened, awed and hypnotized by such greatness. He stayed centuries there, studying the strength and weakness of such empire, dealing with the Settites, the Toreador, and his own Clan.
The other civilization which surprised Marduk was Greece. After centuries, the Ventrue had an idea of what he believed to be the ideal society. Greece was very close to that ideal. The philosophy (and Socrates) taught him the greatest lesson of his unlife: He knew nothing! Marduk couldn't help but be surprised and fascinated by the roads that a civilization would follow. Every time Marduk believed himself to have learned almost everything or when he lost faith, he would discover that he was mistaken. Immortality only brought more questions, and answers that revealed more mysteries.
Greece started to glorify man instead of the King, or the State. Greece showed Marduk what would become the greatest objective of his never ending unlife which was to create a new civilization based on the ideals of Greece.
Rome
In 620 BC, he arrived in the land that would become Rome, following the unholy steps of his Sire. While he only found murders and destruction in her wake, he never found his possessed Sire Tiamat. Marduk fell in love with the the empire of Rome. Rome was a fertile a land that promised to grow in strength, knowledge, and power. Rome would become the land of his experience and hope. With other like-minded (and not so like-minded) Ventrue, he would found the greatest civilization which ever existed. A Republic founded in the Greek wisdom. A great achievement that eventually would fall.
Carthage was, in the 3rd and 2nd century before our era, was the only opposition to the glory of Rome. The choice of the vampires of Carthage to live among the mortals had somehow misfired. Now the rumors' of cruelty and horrible sacrifices reached Rome. The vampires now decided which direction would take the people of Carthage who had lost their liberty of choice. Carthage now suffered as slaves to the Cainite society.
Carthage was a danger to Rome, and the Roman Ventrue. Marduk (Known then as Marius) and the Roman Ventrue decided it should be destroyed. Marduk was chosen for his tactical and military abilities to make sure Rome, through Scipion Emilien, would succeed. Marduk put all his abilities to sacking Carthage and burning it to the ground.
The events at Carthage only made Marduk realize he would never free Rome from its Cainites masters no matter how much he wanted to. The vampires of Rome were slowly doing the same thing he despised in Carthage but in a covert way. The fact that the other Clans were openly admitted into Rome after the destruction of Carthage only worsened the fears of Marduk.
While he fought with every bit of strength and experience to stop it, Rome started to decay thanks to every other Clan and the corruption of the vampires. The conquest of Egypt only worsened Romes corruption as the Childer of Set, apparently changed from the God-like scholars and warrior to foul corrupters decided Egypt was too limiting for their goals and machinations. The Followers of Set quickly expanded their influence into every part of the Roman Empire. Marduk never knew his Sire and Dragonskyr were near. Too late he discovered that he had been so powerful for a thousand years only because he had no one, and nothing to protect until now.
Remus and the Enemy from the East
Marduks own schemes were countered by the other Cainites, even those of his own Clan Ventrue fought him out of spite. Marduk failed to protect his mortal agents who were murdered or disabled to the last but one. Remus Sempronius Emilien was a young Roman officer whose fiery gaze had fascinated Marduk. Remus was full of kindness, courage, and will to succeed. Remus was also Marduk's twin, but for the difference Marduk was bald and Remus had fine dark hair cropped close. Marduk believed this flame could be enough to be shared with all the Romans. To protect him, Marduk embraced him in the middle of a civil war that would attract the attention of Julius Caesar.
As Marduk spent a lot of time teaching his Childe, Marduk left Rome to the Kindred. He discovered, in the end, that Remus' objectives weren’t his own. Remus wanted conquests, and Remus’ new unlife opened undreamed possibilities for that. While Marduk tried to reason with him, Marduk finally let him go as Marduk believed everyone should be free to choose his own way.
Marduk took, then, another identity, and continued to share his wisdom with the mortals that came to him. Rome's greatness was at it’s maximum with the arrival of Constantin the Great. But the ambitions of Rome collided with the power of the eastern Tzimisce. Remus was sent to conquer the eastern lands, despite Marduk's objections Remus went. Conquest of Dacia (101–106 AD): The most direct Roman expansion into the Carpathian region occurred during Trajan’s Dacian Wars (101–102 AD and 105–106 AD). Emperor Trajan launched campaigns to subdue the Dacian kingdom under King Decebalus, which controlled the area around the Carpathian Mountains, including parts of modern Romania. After victories in the First Dacian War (101–102 AD), Rome imposed a peace treaty on Dacia. The Second Dacian War (105–106 AD) resulted in the complete conquest of Dacia, with the capital, Sarmizegetusa Regia (in the Carpathian Mountains), being captured and destroyed. The Romans established the province of Dacia (roughly modern Romania, including parts of the Carpathians) in 106 AD. Roman settlements, roads, and fortifications, such as Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, were built to secure the region. The Carpathian Mountains formed a natural boundary for parts of Dacia, and Roman control was strongest in the Transylvanian Basin, with some forts extending into the mountains to protect against raids by neighboring tribes (e.g., the Iazyges or Roxolani). Roman Presence in the Carpathians: Roman control in the Carpathians was primarily limited to strategic areas in Dacia, such as the southwestern Carpathians (modern Romania’s Banat and Oltenia regions). The Romans built defensive structures, like the limes Dacicus, to secure the province against barbarian incursions from the north and east. The northern and eastern Carpathians (modern Slovakia, Poland, and Ukraine) remained outside Roman control, inhabited by free Dacian tribes, Germanic groups (e.g., Marcomanni), and later Sarmatian tribes. Rome’s presence in Dacia lasted until 271–275 AD, when Emperor Aurelian abandoned the province due to mounting barbarian pressure and economic strains, withdrawing Roman forces south of the Danube.
At first, Remus was successful, having inherited the genius of his Sire. But among his conquests were part of the territory of Alexei Bratovich, of the Clan Tzimisce. Remus and his army were destroyed by the army and the monsters created by Alexei. Marduk heard the dying call of his Childe but couldn't help him. Marduk avenged Remus. The mortals thought that a great cataclysm occurred in Alexei's land. Alexiei’s ruined castle was found empty. Marduk, in deadly Frenzy, had injured Alexei, who fled for his unlife. Marduk had then destroyed every retainer in Alexie’s castle because they wouldn't tell him where Alexei's secret haven was.
Paris' Corruption, and the Birth of Georges De La Tour
For years, Marius searched for the murderer of his Childe. Marduk finally arrived in Constantinople and learned about the Fall of Rome. It was now the 6th Century after the death of some obscure crucified holy man, and the grief of Marduk (Marius) was lessening. Marduk didn't want to come back to Rome to see it after the Germanic invasions. Instead Marius went to Lutecia, hoping to find the Childe of Remus, Labienus.
The Roman Cainite was nowhere to be found, but Marius discovered this city had the potential to grow to a new utopia. Marduk decided to study its evolution without acting in any way. Marduk took the name of Quentin le Nerf after having Dominated the family of the same name. Soon, the study of mortal society was shadowed by the study of the Cainite actions behind it. Other Vampires were hiding in Paris, and in the 13th century, he learned that some unholy entity was draining the vital energy of the city to feed his own unlife.
Labienus awakened at the same time, and this reminded Marduk about the past and his pain. He had been so absorbed by the research into the supernatural world and Cainite society that he had forgotten the natural world and the mortals. He was surprised to see how much society had changed, and went to explore the world. In the 16th century Marduk returned to see that the Kindred Clans were still battling each other, the Cainites never changed. Marduk felt the city had lost its vitality. He took over his research where it had been interrupted. It wasn’t long before Labienus, still aspiring to conquer the city, once more asked for his attention. A powerful Toreador wanted the Right to Embrace a man called Georges Dumesnil De La Tour, a painter. But this man was also member of the mortal family dominated by Marduk. Labienus wanted to use a Prestation owed to him by Beatrix, the Toreador Prince, to use De La Tour in his schemes. Marduk clearly showed his displeasure but agreed to see the mortal. To his surprise, Georges was the perfect twin of Remus (and so Marduk!). He had the same fire in the eyes, the same courage. Marduk appeared as Quentin du Nerf, and took with him Georges, to Embrace Georges in 1649.
Vengeance! Vengeance!
But Marduk didn't realize that someone had been looking for him all this time. Alexei, under the pseudonym of Antoine, didn't forget the shame of Marduk's attack and Alexei’s defeat at Marduks’ hand. After having taken over the shreds of his territory, he threw himself into a pursuit of Marduk. Alexei had sworn to destroy his enemy Marduk (Marius) and everything that he cherished. But acknowledging the power of the Methuselah, he waited for the right moment. Alexei chose the winter 1649.
At this time, France was victim of unprecedented trouble. After the 30 years War, the nobility revolted against the royalty. The Cardinal of Mazarin, as well as Ann of Austria, who ruled France while the youth Louis had to hide the young heir from the anger of the nobles. Behind this mortal façade, the Kindred were fighting among themselves. The Toreador were trying to build the first foundations of the Toreador Hegemony, and the Ventrue were fighting it with all their might. The Sabbat were also using this time of trouble to kill Elders.
Antoine used the turbulence to attack Marduk, weakened by a Sabbat Pack attack. Alexei had incapacitated the Methuselah and was drinking his Lifeblood when Georges appeared with the Sword of Nul. The sword, powered with Georges frenzied anger, was able to mortally wound the Tzimisce and Diablerize him. When Georges awakened, he had forgotten almost everything that happened during the night and didn’t see Quintin La Nerf anywhere around. .
Marduk, having succumbed to Rötschrek, didn't remember what had happened when Georges had appeared, but knew by instinct that he and his enemy had somehow survived. Weakened, he found a secure haven, and entered Torpor to heal his physical and mental wounds. A Dominated family made sure his sleep was not disturbed. Quinten kept the sword with him.
The Modern Era
Marduk dreamed a lot, and in his nightmares, he saw Antoine attacking and destroying his Childer, one by one. Marduk awakened in 1904 after 3 centuries of welcome Torpor. He had adapted faster that he believed possible as the actual Paris has political and social structures similar to the ones imagined by Marduk. He only underestimated the speed with which the mortals would evolve. He appeared to one of his Childer: L. A. H. Condé., and hid in the Palace of Chantilly.
Only Condé and Labienus know Marduk/Quentin le Nerf is back. After studying with great care the political structure of Paris and France, he promised to himself that he would make of Paris the new Cainite Republic. With his experience, he believes he can succeed, but one problem remains: Alexei Bratovitch.
Vessels
Marduk can only feed from leaders or Architects.
Recent Events
Notes
Marduk masqueraded as Sebastien Rommaire
Credit to the Author: https://augias.org/pbn/marduk.htm