May some avenger arise from my bones,
To harass the Dardan (Roman) settlers with fire and sword,
Now or in future, whenever the resources are there;
Their waves, our arms their arms. May future generations
carry on the fight.
-Dido, from Virgil's Aeneid
This is a small chronicle I starting running which lasted a
preordained 4 sessions, with another 4 to follow, which they will be playing in
Rome.
The players were allowed the opportunity to be viewer of the Fall
of Carthage, being allowed to play the progeny of the 4th
generation. I know I screwed with the World of Darkness Timeline a bit, but I
in the end it was worth it.
A MAP of CARTHAGE circa 146B.C. (designed by Solanna)
The players were from diverse backgrounds:
Clan: Follower of Set
Sire: Kemintiri
Concept: Carthaginan nobility, manipulative daughter of the
general Drusan, from Carthage
Clan: True Brujah
Sire: Anis
Concept: A Chief scribe for the Temple of Baal Hammon, from
Carthage
Clan: Brujah
Sire: Troile
Concept: Warrior Woman from Egypt/Mercenary
Clan: Malkavian
Sire: Cybele
Concept: Perfectionist Playwright from Greece
Location: Northern area of Africa, near
modern Tunis
Government Structure: Oligarchy (meaning ruled by
the upper class)
Current Year: 146 B.C.
Population (est.): 50,000
Economic Wealth: trade
Daily Life: under siege by Roman general,
Amelius Scripo Africannus
Religion: Baalism
Religious Duties:whenever called for ALL
citizens must come to the temple and give a small portion of their life-blood
to Baal.
Ventrue - allied with Rome *
Gangrel
Malkavian - allied with Rome*
Nosferatu
Ravnos
Toreador - allied with Rome *
Lasombra
Tzimicse
Setite
Salubri
Cappadocian
Assamite
Brujah/True Brujah
More History
You will begin as a mortal, in the year 146 B.C. I will give you
more of a summary of the history.
Carthage was constantly warring with their eternal enemy Rome.
These wars were called the Punic Wars. They lasted for hundreds of years,
constant fighting - to have a monopoly over shipping/trading. Carthage had two
first class harbors, and therefore an advantage with the most efficient means
of communications of those days, the sea. The Carthaginians developed high
skills in the building of ships and used this to dominate the seas for
centuries. The most important merchandise was silver, lead, ivory and gold,
beds and bedding, simple cheap pottery, elaborate jewellery, glassware, wild
animals from the interior of Africa, fruits and nuts.
The actual division between the Carthaginians and the Romans stems
from a tragic love story between, the founder of Rome, Aeneas and the female
leader of Carthage, Dido. Aeneas, after promising to stay eternally with Dido,
left her and moved on, eventually traveling to Rome to found a new city there.
Depending how old your characters will be, you have all heard of
the great legend of Hannibal, and how he nearly overtook the Roman capital, but
died in 186 B.C.
During your character's lifetime, Carthage is under siege, by the
Roman army.
Carthage and her Religion
The Carthaginians were notorious in for the intensity of their
religious beliefs, which they retained until the end of their independence. The
chief deity was Baal Hammon, the community's divine lord and protector, who was
identified by the Greeks with Cronus and by the Romans with Saturn. During the
5th century a goddess named Tanit came to be widely worshiped and represented
in art. These two overshadow other deities such as Melqart and Eshmoun. Human
sacrifice was an important element in Carthaginian religion, with nightly or
bi-weekly ceremonies to worship their god Baal.