I am keeping it up because I intend to modify it to suit the MET campaign.
Little is known about this period, although research into the family archives is proceeding. What is known is that Huntsville was briefly the base of operations for two of the Milliner family. They obtained large holdings in the city, but had vanished within a year. Further information is being sought.
The Second Wave
In early 2003, three Giovanni arrived in Huntsville and began building up the Family's presence. Anzio Giovanni, Sophia Giovanni, Jocasta Giovanni, and Anzio's ghoul Pesto quickly established themselves and, due to a lack of inter-Clan competition so common in the Camarilla, were soon known as the "ones who can get things done." The Family's holdings expanded dramatically, and the four built excellent business relations with the Brujah, Toreador, Nosferatu and Ventrue, as well as a profitable "gentleman's agreement" with the local Assamites. So explosive was their growth that they were soon joined by Cecilia Rosalini from Houston and Maximillian Giovanni from Bryan/College Station
Ambition and Reconstruction
Huntsville quickly became known as the "Happy Hunting Ground" where money and wraiths grew from the trees and simply needed to be harvested. But it was this prosperity that caused the first real challenge. Anzio became enamored of the Family's wealth and his diplomatic relations with the Camarilla. Details of this period are vague, but there is some evidence that Anzio was gathering his strength in an effort to become Don of Huntsville and the surrounding cities, a move strongly opposed by the rest of the Family. Several confrontation occurred over this, causing Maximillian to take early retirement and Jocasta to become a recluse. Relations with the Malkavians, Gangrel, and Ventrue also soured.
It was at that moment that fate turned. The Giovanni were playing host to a Camarilla meeting at Kaldi's coffee house, one of the gems of the Family holdings. During this meeting, Kaldi's was savagely attacked by Hiearchy wraiths. As the bulk of the Family evacuated their Camarilla guests from the battle zone, Anzio prepared a ritual and launched a counter-attack alone. He was gravely wounded and forced into topor.
Anzio's body was recovered by Assamites and the Family prepared to take posession of the body, but ill-phrased words were passed between the Assamite leader and Dona Alessandra of Bryan/College Station, who had been visiting at the time of the attack. Tensions quickly escalated and it briefly looked as if there would be war between the Giovanni and Assamites. However, cooler heads prevailed and Dona Alessandra took Anzio's body to BCS for safe keeping.
Anzio awoke one month later to find himself blood-hunted by the Huntsville Camarilla for violations of the Masquerade and direct violations of the Prince's edicts. He took shelter in Max's former haven on the outskirts of the city and sent a letter to the Prince offering a compromise. But, at high noon, a gas line ruptured and exploded, killing Anzio instantly. News of the incedent was quickly suppressed and Anzio's few remains were gathered for proper burial.
Kaldi's remained off-limits for three months, after which it burned to the ground. A band of adventurous Malkavians claimed responsibility. The shop was heavily over-insured.
It was later learned that the wraith attack was caused by Anzio, who had severely insulted and struck a Heiarchy ambassador seeking a co-habitation agreement. The attack that followed was in retailiation. The cost ; Anzio's death, Max's retirement, the destruction of two family properties, disgracement of the Family in their neighbor's eyes, shattered realtions and near war with the Assamite Clan, cessation of business with three Camarilla Clans and the waste of many valuable resources. It also resulted in three decisions.
First, Huntsville would not have a Don until numbers demanded a central authority all of the Family could trust. Until then, Huntsville would be ruled by Commission. Second, ghouls would be bound to the Family as a whole, not to a single person. This was done to avoid the mistrust and paranoia that let events go as far as they had. Third, any actions that threatened to harm the Family's position in the city would be dealt with in the harshest of terms. Hunstville was literally the fountain of wealth, and that would not be risked for anyone's petty ambitions again.
Tragedy and Resurgence
Following this debacle, the Family retreated to the background to recover it's strength. The Camarilla fell under a new Prince, who was himself a puppet of the Followers of Set. In early 2004, the Giovanni retured to the stage and began rebuilding it's business network. In less than a month, the damaged relations with most of the Clans had been repaired and the Family's holdings began to expand once again. Power once again flowed like wine. This period also saw the arrival of Father Lucian Anastasio Giovanni, the new Arch-Bishop of Huntsville.
But it was not all fortune and glory. The Camarilla had come under attack by a band of sorcerers, and it was the Giovanni who went to their defense, aided only by the Kaylara Dare, the Tremere Primogen. Cecilia and Kaylara were killed in the battle, their bodies publicly incinerated. Pesto was captured and underwent ritual torture and vivisection. His body was later recovered and interred in the Family cemetary. The sorcerers are still at large.
The Pisanob Arrive
Less than a month after this, four Pisanob arrived ; Santiago, Maximo, Ferdinand and his wife Franchesca. Also arriving was Ciero della Passaglia, a computerspecialist late from Tokyo. They were quickly integrated into the Family operations and responded with a surprising degree of productivity. This also brought two powerful wraith retainers into the area, Petris and Bob. As an addition, Dona Alessandra returned and informed the Commission that she intended to move to Huntsville as well.
But, as so often happened before, this growth was not without loss. The Family was present on invitation to the first court of the new Camarilla Prince. During the court, the place was attacked by raiders and a car bomb by a Sabbat pack. Again, it was the Giovanni who fought while the Camarilla fled. This attack was beaten back by the wraiths, and court proceeded. as if nothing had happened. However, the Sabbat was not finished, and was lying in ambush outside. It was little more than foul luck that Santiago would arrive at that moment. Before he could even get both feet out of the car, he was staked and killed. His car exploded moments later. Investigating, Dona Alessandra found herself beset by a dozen obfuscated Sabbat. She fought until the wraiths were able to turn the tide, beating back this second (and final) attack.
(Ceiro's Note : Although it would appear that the Giovanni alone were doing the fighting and taking the losses while the Camarilla sat on it's undead thumbs, this is not entrely true. During first battle with Sabbat, several Anarchs also fought in defense, and an independent Gangrel also took part in the the second battle. A handful of Malkavians also aided Father Lucian in rescuing three topored Kindred from inside the carbomb, earlier victims of the Sabbat raid. Those who stood at our sides in battle have earned much respect and admiration from the Family.)
The Worm Turns
Shortly after these attacks, the Sabbat came in full force to Huntsville. The siege was not very impressive, as most of the Camarilla fled or hid, but the real perceived threat was obvious judging by what the Sabbat had brought. Their ranks were swelled by necromancers and thaumaturgists. It didn't take a brain surgeon to know who they were afraid of.
But there was no contest. The Giovanni did not get involved. When a few members of the Camarilla came and asked for intervention, the Family responded simply, "The Family takes care of it's own." Several of the Camarilla kindred also came and asked for sanctuary, which was given happily in exchange for loyalty (as the Giovanni know it.)
The city fell without a single blow being struck. The Cam-pires came out of hiding and lined up to swear loyalty to the Sabbat. The two powers reached an accord almost immediately based on the Promise of 1528, which the Camarilla had recently reneged on. Business continued unabated, and the Family watched as the Sabbat tried to assert it's authority.
None of the Family was surprised when the Sabbat had problems. When the city was threatened, many of it's "loyal minions" fled and hid, leaving a few to take the brunt of the fighting. The old tradition of Prince-killing continued, and a Prince/Bishop rarely lasted more than two months. It was at that point that the Family decided enough was enough.
The Giovanni Take Control
Huntsville was in chaos. Leaders shifted from moment to moment. What stability there was began to collapse. It was not unheard of for someone to leave for a few months and return to find three Princes had held power. People were seeing Infernalists behind every shadow. The last straw was when a series of puppet Princes were put in place. Nobody wanted to be Prince because nobody wanted to suffer a quick death. The moment had come.
Knowing that all the Family was well respected, the Giovanni put a wraith into intensive training. Using the power of manifestation, Robert Dunsirn announced his candidacy when the current puppet Prince mysteriously fell over dead. There was some resistance, but the only competing candidate was revealed to be an Infernalist pawn and was killed out of hand. Robert ascended without further incident.
When he was threatened with a full attack by the Camarilla and Sabbat, Prince Bob responded bluntly with, "And you guys did so well when you were in charge? Have a donut and be happy it's not your problem anymore."
No attacks ever emerged. In the end both sides resolved that, as long as they could come and go as they please, they'd wash their hands of the whole city. It was the first peaceful time Huntsville had in many years.
The FInal Days
Several months after Prince Bob took power, rumors began to circulate that something large was in the works. Required tithes grew huge, security around Venice was tripled, and there were whispers of a strange ritual that was about to be completed.
Few of the Family knew what this meant, but the requirements were met, with extra. Over two thousand souls were sent to Venice from Huntsville alone that month. On that fateful last day, the wraiths saw the sudario drawn tight and snap, and then the world turned over.
And so, Ghenna had finally arrived, a gift from the Giovanni.
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