Giovanni

Arrayed by Clan

Achieving prominence during the Venetian Renaissance, the Giovanni family built their fortune on the rise of the middle class and the ready profit of banking and Mediterranean trade (and the criminal enterprise that came with it). However, with the family’s rise came hubris, as its paterfamilias sought ever more power, and with that hubris came horror. With his earthly power at its apex, Augustus Giovanni turned to the arts of controlling the dead, and in doing so, gained the Embrace from a forgotten Antediluvian. With a conclave of conspirators, the Giovanni plunged a now-forgotten Clan into oblivion and built their own legacy on its corpse.

Since those first nights, the Giovanni have accepted no limits on their ambitions, despite opposition from Kindred outside their Clan and a well-deserved reputation as “Devil Kindred.” They studied forbidden arts, becoming formidable in the nigrimancy that allowed them power over the spirits of the departed, and degeneracy followed in the wake of unclean ritual. To this night, the Giovanni are known for the insular nature of their Clan and the incestuous practices by which they populate it. A few outside families and factions fall under Giovanni auspices, but the vast majority of the Clan comes from the debased mortal family. The family remains successful despite all of their ghastly peccadilloes, and has amassed a vast wealth through crime, politics, and the secrets of the dead that keeps them in their position of degraded opulence.

In public view, the Giovanni make a great show of humility and respect. Part of this gentility is a habit of centuries, still in place from when the other Clans hunted the usurping Necromancers (and to preserve their hard-won neutrality from the conflict between the Camarilla and the Sabbat). Another part of it is the velvet glove hiding the iron fist of their nature, remarkable for forcing ghosts, minds, and bodies alike to bow to their needs. To hear the Giovanni tell it, Princes and Archbishops alike owe them favors, and anyone with something to offer may earn their patronage.

For the most part, the Giovanni participate little in the Jyhad, pursuing their own agenda of cultivating wealth and building a foundation of power in the lands beyond the veil of death. Outsiders rarely comprehend the goals of the Necromancers, but only the most trusted of the Giovanni know that the Clan wants to plunge the world into a state where the dead and the living commingle. And with their mastery of Necromancy, the Giovanni would be positioned to rule it all.

Nickname: Necromancers

Appearance: Outwardly, Giovanni dress with subtlety and taste. Much of the Clan comes from the original mortal family, and have not only olive Italian complexions, but some amount of inherited family features. Those outside the immediate family often appear “of a type,” and in the traditional garb of their regional family branch.

Haven: The family wealth of the Giovanni is evident in their havens, which may take the form of villas or lavish estates. The Necromancers often have valuables invested in their havens as well, such as galleries of fine art or displays of jewelry. Many Giovanni also maintain secondary havens, where they may have elaborate necromantic crypts or just flats where they can lie low if necessary.

Background: Giovanni of the main family branch have usually spent some amount of time as a ghoul in a practice known as the Proxy Kiss. During this time, the Kindred-to-be learns about the treacherous and jealous reality of the vampire family. She learns ambition and an unhealthy dose of duplicity, in addition to the family history and customs. Giovanni rarely see much of the outside world on their own terms during the Proxy Kiss period, and often become insular and alienated, while at the same time eager to stand out among the other family ghouls.

Character Creation: Giovanni vampires often have outgoing, professional Demeanors that hide unpleasant Natures warped in their upbringing. Social or Mental Attributes are usually primary, though some of the “soldiers” of the family prefer Physical Attributes. Emphasis likewise usually falls on primary Knowledges or Talents, depending on proclivity. A split in the Clan sees those who favor the practicality of Backgrounds (particularly those tied to wealth and exerting influence) diverge from those who prefer the forbidden puissance of Disciplines. Few Giovanni could be described as well-rounded.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Necromancy, Potence

Weaknesses: The Kiss of a Giovanni vampire causes excruciating pain in mortal vessels who receive it. If the Giovanni isn’t careful, her vessel may die of shock and agony before being wholly exsanguinated. When a Giovanni feeds upon a mortal, she does twice as much damage as the Kiss of another vampire would inflict. For example, if a Giovanni takes one point of blood from a mortal vessel, that victim would suffer two health levels of damage. As a result, they tend to use blood banks and other means of feeding that don’t fight as much.

Organization: Like few other Clans, the Necromancers have a top-down organization where policy is made by a (presumed) still-active Clan progenitor, Augustus. The family maintains an enormous palazzo known as the Mausoleum in Venice, where elders and fledglings alike dance to the whims of their ancient puppet-masters. Clan structure is itself familial, with the added complications that degeneracy and vampirism offer. Incest, ancestor worship, necrophilia, cults of guilt, and bizarre relationships in which fathers and grandmothers are their own issue’s childer make a mire of the Clan and family, and fracture many Giovanni long before they become Kindred.

Quote: You misunderstand the situation if you think you’re important to me alive.

3rd Generation

• -- Augustus Giovanni -- Progenitor of Clan Giovanni

4th Generation

There are no, nor have there ever been any Giovanni of the 4th generation save for the handful of centuries that Augustus served as the a final childe of Cappadocius. Within and without the "Family" speculation abounds and there are many theories regarding this phenomenon. However the most pragmatic theory out there is that Augustus wishes no ambitious childer of such potent blood for fear of falling to a similar fate as his late sire, Cappadocius. -- Eric Milliner

5th Generation

• -- Claudius Giovanni -- He was the first progeny of Augustus Giovanni and was the sire of Giuseppe , Marianna (1444) and Andreas. During the Long Night he was known as the Earl of Stavlachia. He held the coveted position of right-hand-man to Augustus until his disastrous failure in the 18th century. Afterwards, his corpse was given to the Capuchin when enraged Augustus nearly diablerized him in the late 18th century; no-one knows for sure what the Capuchin did with Claudius. {Deceased}

• -- Ambrogino Giovanni -- Ambrogino is the progeny of Constancia, the former Cappadocian mistress of the Temple of Erycies. He is sire of several prominent progeny, including Gillespi Giovanni. Some claim that he is the confidant of Augustus, but it has been noted that Ambrogino possesses the flawed appearance of the former clan of death and is thus a prodigal that no true Giovanni would trust. Ambrogino has been searching for the Sargon Fragment, an artifact that reveals the plans of Cappadocius to diablerize God and thus become Him. Ambrogino didn't think it was possible to slay an aspect of the Holy Trinity, but he did think that Cappadocius was close to a source of godlike power. It was rumored destroyed, and thus he began searching the underworld for it.

• -- Andreas Giovanni -- Progeny of Claudius Giovanni. Sire of Lisandro Giovanni.

• -- Ignazo Giovanni

• -- Markus Musa Giovanni -- Markus is the progeny of Giuseppe and the grand-childe of Claudius Giovanni. Prior to the disastrous 4th Crusade he was sent to Constantinople to aid the Latin Cainites establish a presence there. Since that time, his power has continued to increase and his star seems to be in ascendance.

• -- Pietro Giovanni -- Sire of Madeleine and Vincenzo. He was the mortal grandfather of Madeleine.

6th Generation

• -- Laird Diarmad Dunsirn -- Progeny of Ambrogino Giovanni and sire of Chalmers Dunsirn
• -- Gillespi Giovanni -- Progeny of Ambrogino and Anziani in Charge of British Enterprises
• -- Giuseppe Giovanni -- Progeny of Claudius. Sire of Markus Musa Giovanni.
• -- Lisandro Giovanni -- Progeny of Andreas Giovanni.
• -- Lucretia Giovanni
• -- Madeleine Giovanni -- Progeny of Pietro Giovanni, her grandfather. Her father Daniel was killed by Don Caravelli. She is spy and murderer of the Giovanni Clan. She is know as the Dagger of the Giovanni. She killed Don Caravelli and Don Nicko Lazzari, who were chief and second of the Mafia.
• -- Marianna -- Progeny of Claudius Giovanni. She is the only member of the clan Giovanni who is not a Giovanni.
• -- Mario Giovanni
• -- Vincenzo Giovanni -- Progeny of Pietro Giovanni.
• -- Don Mateo Putanesca -- Don Mateo was one of the progeny of Claudius Giovanni and is currently the familial head of the Putanesca branch of the Giovanni Clan.
• -- Pochtli -- The progenitor of the Pisanob family.
• -- Baldesar Rossellini -- Progeny of Ambrogino Giovanni and sire of mortal sister. {Hunted by the Giovanni}

7th Generation

• -- Carlotta Giovanni -- Sire to John Dunscirn
• -- Cing Dunscirn -- Scion and eldest of the Dunscirn client family.
• -- Cirillo Giovanni -- Giovanni mobster and head of the Family in Glasgow.
• -- Chalmers Dunsirn -- Progeny of Laird Dunsirn and sire of Dallas and Grear Chalmers.
• -- Shug Dunsirn -- Bounty Hunter partner of Sizwe Ghiberti, smooth negotiator and Thaumaturgic expert.
• -- Del Giorgio Giovanni -- Sire of Carmina and Genevra.
• -- Francesco Giovanni -- Sire of Lupo Giovanni.
• -- Terzo Giovanni -- Progeny of Don Mateo Putanesca, sire of Julietta Putanesca.
• -- Kenneth Stahl --
• -- Sizwe Ghiberti -- Bounty Hunter partner of Shug Dunsirn, necromantic shaman and world class tracker.
• -- Pietro Putanesca -- The mortal younger brother of Don Matteo, and his first progeny; Pietro is one of the few Putanesca who dabble in necromancy.
• -- Rosaura Rossellini -- Progeny of Baldesar Rossellini. {Missing, presumed dead.}
• -- İlkin Aslan -- Progeny of Giuseppe Giovanni and head of the Aslan Azeri, an Azerbaijani criminal family recently granted client family status by the Giovanni.
• -- Germano Giovanni -- Progeny of Benjamin Rothstein, body-guard and occasional enforcer.

8th Generation

• -- John Dunsirn -- One of the eldest Dunsirn, childe of Carlotta Giovanni, pawn of Ambrogino Giovanni in 1848. Fate unknown.
• -- Dallas Chalmers -- Progeny of Chalmers Dunsirn, mortal father of Ian Chalmers.
• -- Grear Chalmers -- Progeny of Chalmers Dunsirn, mortal mother of Ian Chalmers.
• -- Jarthis Giovanni -- AKA: Jarthis the Slaver. {Deceased: 1823}
• -- Lupo Giovanni -- Progeny of Francesco Giovanni. Mombasa, Kenya.
• -- Ruprect Fabio Milliner -- Miami Giovanni
• -- Taddeo Giovanni -- Sire unknown, but sired Ian Chalmers.
• -- Julietta Putanesca -- Sire unknown, but sired Shlomo Rothstein and Edwardo Putanesca.
• -- <<Genevra Giovanni>> -- Progeny of Del Giorgio and sire of Enzo Giovanni. {Deceased}

9th Generation

• -- Duff Dunscirn -- Dunscirn Banker in Glasgow, Scottland
• -- Enzo Giovanni -- Progeny of Genevra Giovanni and Giovanni Capo of Houston. {Deceased}
• -- Shlomo Rothstein -- Progeny of Julietta Putanesca, sire of the Rothstein Family of Giovanni, and Capo of Las Vegas.
• -- Ian Chalmers -- Progeny of Taddeo Giovanni, he currently remains in torpor due to a curse laid upon him by Ugo Rossellini.
• -- Francis Milliner -- Former business associate of mortal Joe Kennedy, business mogul and public face of the Milliner client-family of the Giovanni Clan. Assassinated 2030.
• -- Randolf St. John -- Childe of Ruprect Milliner. Head of the London Giovanni.
• -- Rosario Giovanni -- Sire of Salvatore Giovanni.
• -- Edwardo Putanesca -- Progeny of Julietta Putanesca and professional bodyguard for the Giovanni {Houston}.

10th Generation

• -- Almondo Giovanni -- Progeny of Salvatore Giovanni and sire of Marciana Giovanni.
• -- -- Benjamin Rothstein -- Progeny of Shlomo Rothstein and sire of Germano Giovanni.
• -- -- Lucretia Roseline Giovanni -- Sire of Dr. Oliver Gennet.
• -- Nazario Giovanni -- Sire of Torfastr Koenig.

• -- -- Niv Rothstein -- Giovanni Ancilla and Personal Assistant to Mr. Enzo Giovanni of Houston.
• -- -- Panagoita Melina -- Childe of Randolf St. John. (Deceased)
• -- Salvatore Giovanni -- Progeny of Rosario Giovanni.

11th Generation

• -- Virginia Dunsirn -- Matron of the Dunsirn Family, sire of the late Alex Dunsirn and grandmother of Bez Dunsirn of New York City. {Aberdeen}
• -- Fenella Dunscirn -- Socialite in Glasgow, Scotland
• -- Marciana Giovanni -- Progeny of Almondo Giovanni. Investigator to the Camarilla. {Nomadic}
• -- Dr. Thomas Fountaindike -- Sire of Calogero Giovanni.
• -- Rhys Dunsirn {Scotland} - Sire Unknown. Sire of Seamus Dunsirn.
• -- Stephano Giovanni {Boston}
• -- Dr. Oliver Genet {Chicago} - Progeny of Lucretia.
• -- Domenic Giovanni {Boston}
• -- Cesar Giovanni {Location Unknown} - Sire of Carlita Giovanni.
• -- Torfastr Koenig {Novel 1920's New Orleans} - Progeny of Nazario Giovanni

12th Generation

• -- Alex Dunsirn -- Sire of Bez Dunsirn. - (Deceased) - {Aberdeen}
• -- Calogero Giovanni -- Giovanni envoy to Quebec City.
• -- Paul Di Carlo {Boston}
• -- Carlita Giovanni {Location Unknown}
• -- Seamus Dunsirn {Deceased}
• -- Hamish Dunsirn Roving enforcer

13th Generation

• -- Chas Giovanni Tello -- Killed probably by Lazarus.
• -- Bez Dunsirn -- Progeny of Alex Dunsirn. Bez is a Scottish football hooligan. {New York City}
• -- Kyle Dunscirn -- Black Market Money Launderer and Financial Wizard. Glasgow.

Those of Unknown Generation

• -- Ruggiero Leonzino {Rio de Janeiro}
• -- Leocadia Consuelo Hidalgo -- The last Giovanni-Hidalgo. -- {New York City}
• -- <<>> {'}

The Giovanni Client Families

• -- della Passaglia -- An Italian trading family absorbed into the Giovanni in the early 1400s for their Oriental connections in the trade in spice, silks and opium.
• -- Rosselini -- A Roman family with origins similar to the Giovanni, they joined the Giovanni after a fateful encounter with Claudius Giovanni in Rome in the last years of the 15th century. They are best know for their skill in necromancy and their sadomasochistic approach to controlling both the living and dead.
• -- Pisanob -- It is uncertain when exactly the Pisanob became members of Clan Giovanni, but it is likely that there were Giovanni in the company of Hernán Cortés during his return to Mexico in 1530. Some claim that they pursued a Cappadocian survivor, but after their arrival in Mexico City, neither they or their Graverobber prey were ever heard from again.
• -- Ghiberti -- The Ghiberti family were acquired by the Giovanni in the early 17th century when the Triangle Trade in African slaves showed itself to be a lucrative venture.
• -- Putanesca -- The "Family of the Whore" were brought into the Giovanni fold in the 1660s to do the necromancer's dirty work.
• -- Dunsirn -- A clan of Scottish bankers with strong influence in shipping and trade with the English colonies of North America; the Giovanni rumor mill spins an interesting tale of secretive cannibalism that drew Augustus' attention and gained these haggis-eaters entry into the clan in the early 1700s.
• -- Milliners -- Until recently, the Boston branch of the American Giovanni were the youngest and most vociferous of the client families, constantly requesting more autonomy; the Milliners joined the Giovanni fold during the early 1950s.

The Six Minor Families

• -- St. Johns -- A cabal of English Masons.
• -- Rothstein -- Jewish-American Kabbalists with ties to Las Vegas.
• -- Li Weng -- A family of Chinese geomancers based in San Francisco's China-town.
• -- Koenig -- German arms manufacturers and death cultists.
• -- Beryn -- A family of Flemish merchants operating from Luxemburg with African influence like that of the Ghiberti.
• -- Hidalgo -- The sixth Mexican based family recently ran afoul of the Harbingers and were wiped out.
• -- Aslan Azeri -- An Azerbaijani criminal family with ties to the Russian Mafia and who control a large portion of the illegal drug market, as well as being involved in weapon trafficking and kidnapping. The Aslan Azeri are based out of Baku, Azerbaijan. This family has only recently become involved with the Giovanni and only one has thus far been Embraced, İlkin Aslan who heads the cartel. Whispers in Venice suggest that the Aslan Azeri Bratva are Augustus' key to breaking through the Shadow-Curtain and accessing the wealth and souls of the former U.S.S.R.

Giovanni Spiritual Repositories

• -- Boston -- Massachusetts
• -- Cagliari -- Sardinia -- As of the Winter Solstice of 2031, the Rossellini' soul-vault is empty and the city of Cagliari dead.
• -- Marrakech -- Morrocco
• -- Venice -- Italy
• -- Rural Mexican Temple -- Mexico

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