The Queen of Cities - Constantinople Summer 1203

Extract from MS Skopje 776.8, also known as The Lost Chronicle of Morea, from here on known as MS Skopje.

The Franks having won the throne for the boy Emperor Alexius did not immediately leave the city and go on to Syria and Egypt as had been their intention. There were great arguments in the army, some wished to leave immediately and join with the others who had not come to Constantinople, but had gone to Syria, so that they might help the Christians there recover Jerusalem. Others said that they should wait for the Emperor to make good his promises to them, for he had promised both 10,000 men as well as a great sum of money to the crusade if they would but wait for him. The Marquis Boniface was quite eager to move on with all speed, while Doge Enrico Dandalo argued for them to stay, since Venice had yet to be repaid. The Count of Flanders remained indecisive and was often away from the city at Scutari.

The former emperor, deposed by the boy had fled the city upon the arrival of the Franks and taken up residence at Adrianipole. There he gathered about him his loyal supporters and those who hated the Franks greatly. He employed many Cuman and Pecheneg auxiliaries and plotted to retake the city, hopefully once the Franks had left for Syria.

There were many Franks in the city at this time, their fleet remaining off shore and their encampment being about Galata. They traveled through the city, worshipping at the many shrines and churches, awed by the riches that were common in our lands but alien to their own.



Fragment of a letter, believed to belong to Subject Alfonzo.

My dearest friend, I hope you will do me the gracious favour of attending a feast, to be held in the Baths of Caracalla, tonight. It is but a simple affair, and I do hope to see you there. All manner of refreshments and entertainments will be served, though if you do wish to provide your own delicacies then all you need do is make mention of it to the servants upon arrival and all will be taken care of. As is the nature of our kind, the rules of Elysium will be in effect at the venue.


The bearer of this letter is to be admitted to the baths only upon this evening, the XXVII of July in the year MCCIII. All courtesies and amenities are to be offered to the bearer of this letter for he is a personal guest of mine. All of their needs are to be met in whatever swiftest manner possible.



Letter 8 between subjects Lucita and Alfonzo.


Most Noble Prince,

I do not wish to bother you at this most busiest of time, but I seek another audience with you. I am afraid that my Sire Luis Moncada must have a reply to the matters upon which he wrote to you most recently. Also the matter concerning the departure of the Crusade of Syria needs to be discussed most urgently. I fear that if it is left hear too long that it shall fall apart and the Holy Land will be even further imperiled. Action is required immediately.

Your servant as ever,

Lucita of Aragon.

August 1st 1203.


Extract from MS Skopje.

Lacking any suitable gold to pay to the Crusaders and thus relieve himself of the burdensome debt owed the Emperor Alexius IV decreed that the gold and silver of the noble families of the city, and the precious items belonging to the Church should be sold or melted down. By this method he hoped that the Franks would be satisfied and so remove themselves from these shores. The nobles and bishops of the empire were most displeased by the news. Gravely insulted were they by the Emperor Alexius. In some places they resisted and refused to hand over their gold and silver. Thus it was necessary to use armed men to retrieve the money. Many great men who had initially welcomed back the young Emperor now turned their affections to the usurper Alexius III, and did visit him at his camp near Adrianipole.


Letter 1 from Subject Magnus to Subject Caius.

Dearest brother I am most perturbed by the continuing miracles and sightings that are being reported about our fair city. Though I do not doubt that some of these ma be signs from the Lord, I am concerned about how such messages are take. For those poorly educated in such matters will be want to attach greater meaning or significance, or great error to them. It has come to my attention that there are rumours currently circulating Galata concerning the miraculous healing powers of angels, bestowed upon some Frankish knight. I have heard it said that the chief Serpent himself has been seen across the Golden Horn. This may be the work of Alfonzo and nothing more, yet it is merely another symptom of the many problems we currently face. I would discuss these matters further with you.


Magnus,

August 4th 1203.



Edict issued by Subject Alfonzo to recipient unknown.

In the future I wish it that those troublemakers Peter and Sarah be kept at least C yards from Elysium at all times. Their continued presence here in my dominions is of a great nuisance to me. You are to be more insistent in your manner or removing them in the future. Let nothing and nobody, no matter their rank, deters you from carrying out these orders or you shall forever regret it.

Alfonzo



Letter 18 between subject Vykos and Subject Caius.

Most Noble Caesar Caius,

This is but a formal missive to reiterate the matter previously discussed. The policy taken by your family disturbs our family greatly. It must come to an end let any permanent insult be given. Such a thing would naturally be a shame and lamented by all of our kin who are so often strong in brotherly affection.


Myca Vykos

August 13th 1203.


Extract from MS Skopje.

The citizens of Constantinople, driven and aroused by the endless torment and haughtiness of the insufferable Franks rose in anger against the army of foreigners lying beyond their city. Stirred to violence by the consistent taxation placed upon them by the Emperor Alexius IV, offended by his uncouth and barbarian ways the people of the Queen of cities could stay quiet no longer. Seizing ships the traveled across the Golden Horn and attacked all Franks they found it the region of Galata, burning houses and stealing goods as they went. Then turning back across the Horn they searched the city for any Frankish resident and did murder and torture them most grievously. For days bodies were left hanging from columns and posts about the city as a warning. The Ducas family was called before the Emperor Alexius to explain these matters for reports had come to him that they had encouraged and lead these mobs in the elimination of foreigners.

Spurred on by rage at the crime committed against the Franks crossed the Horn on the 20th of August and did attack the Mosque of the city, killing all Muslims they found there and setting it alight. The people of the city took arms and came to the defence of those pagans who had long been resident in their city, and in the chaos the fire spread further a field, burning all night and all day. Much of the city was damaged, scores were killed or injured. The Hagia Sophia and palace was damaged, as was the Great Bazaar. As the fire died so did the passions of the combatants.


Letter 78 between Subject Gesu and Subject Caius.

Most noble Caesar, reports have com to me via my brethren in the Obertus Monastery that the so called Children of Calomena are once again active in our fair city. Maintaining the interests of our esteemed and beloved father Patriarch Michael I am sure that you will use all means necessary to remove this blight from upon his city. Various members of our kind, including some kindred from the west were attacked not far from the great bazaar this past night. No doubt the fiends were availing themselves of the opportunities created by the great conflagration.

I would also request an audience with you in these coming nights, there is much that concerns both me and my loyal brethren.

Gesu


August 21st 1203.


Letter 33 between Subject Gesu and Subject Vykos.

My dearest grand-childer, I hope this missive finds you well, and though I know your studies are of great importance to you I fear that these matters must draw you away. It has come to my attention that various tomes. Located in our Obertus Library have gone missing. Not all of them can be accounted for reasoned with losses due to misplacement, cataloging errors or the vicissitudes of time. I fear that there is a thief amongst our order who is removing them. All the missing volumes seem to be rather specific and detailed in their subject, not to mention being relatively rare works themselves. I commend you to investigate this matter internally and see what may come of it. I have already set the neonate Gaius onto the matter, hopefully his inquisitions will prove fruitful.

Gesu

August 29th 1203.



Fragment of a letter found in Naples Archive of Subject Arbetorius to a Emberto Capriani.

Greetings Lord Capriani, Regent of Azure Rock, Ancona.

All has been secured here, the novice Fletcher has preformed admirably in his assigned tasks. All is now ready. The shipment may proceed immediately. Please send receipt of this message and an estimation of the packages arrival.

Arbetorious

House Tremere

Regent of Constantinople


Items from Archive Giovanni 7

Extract from the Journal of Subject Marcus Musa Giovanni.

September 2nd 1203

Investigations continue, various warded locations have now been identified. Much appears to be old, perhaps former sites of hers, but certainly many I am sure are naught but chaff, the ramblings of inane hedge wizards and long dead sooth-sayers. Three sites remain, I must pin my hopes to these. Guiseppe is sure there is something hiding there, that she maintains something of worth, If I can but find it. Augustus will be most pleased. Wraiths report other activity by their kind, her guardians, I must proceed with caution.



Letter 1 between Subject Luctia of Aragon and Subject Luis Moncada.

Sire,

I apologise for the lack of communication but it seemks my last missive to you was lost, perhaps way laid by an agent of our kind. I assure you this will not happen again.

I have done all that I can here, but the situation can not be resolved. There is great dissention amongsth the forces of the Crusade, many wish to leave Constantinople and head for Syria and deliver into Christian hands the city of Jerusalem once more. However, many of the leaders, the Marquis of Montferrat, the Count of Flanders and that meddlesome Doge Dandalo will not remove from the city until they have been sufficiently recompensed by the Emperor Alexius IV. I have spread enough information about and certainly those who are capable of leaving have done so.

However many remain, loyal to their lords as they are. It is no secret there that Marcus Musa Giovanni and Alfonzo are working, though not necessarily together for greater Venetian interests. Narses hand is clearly at work. I have received reports of meeting between Alfonzo and the retainers of the Marquis of Montferrat. I shall endeavour to discover more.

The Antonian Ventrue arefractured and Anna Comnena is most outspoken of them, I am not sure if Caius will retain control without the intervention of Michael. The Tzimice are falling away without a doubt. The Assamites are now active in the city and they too wish to keep it here, as they did in Venice last year, and so keep the shores of their lands free.


Lucita of Aragon

September 8th 1203.



Extracts from MS Skopje.

In the autumn while the remains of summer could still be felt in these lands, before the sun would set and eternal night fall upon the queen of the golden horn, the Emperor Alexius IV with the accompaniment of the Count of Flanders and the Marquis of Montferrat and over 2000 of their men left Constantinople. He proceeded about the various territories of his realm, gathering taxes and supplies so as to pay the accursed Franks. Much was he derided by the nobles and prelates of the land. First they must lose their lands and wealth to the pillaging of the former emperor Alexius III and now only lose what remained to the current Emperor Alexius IV. It was at this time that the Ducas family in Constantinople began to gather increasing support about them.



Letter 23 between Subject Vykos and Subject Gesu.

Grandsire,

Concerning the matters of the lost books from our library. My investigations have turned up various individuals who could possibly be responsible or at whose feet blame may be justly be laid. I assure you that they have been dealt with, perhaps you saw some at the recent festivities.

However despite my rigorous questioning of these individuals, actual names and culprits have yet to be identified. I can confirm that it is most certainly a kindred of the city, and perhaps one of our own and that they are not working alone.

There is some good new however. Gaius has turned up various leads, he has located an part of the sewer network where he suspects some of these works have been stored for sometime, only then to be moved on elsewhere. I shall seek an audience with Malachite and see what he may be able to inform me of.


MycaVykos

September 18th 1203


Letter 4 between Subject Malachite and Subject Petronious.

Most noble and fair Petronious, various things have come to my attention and I wish to make them known to you so that you as a scion of your clan and family in this city might take appropriate action.

Firstly it concerns the muse Gregorious, he despite orders otherwise continues to wander the streets searching out those who have reported visions of the Archangel Michael. Those who attempt to stop him or defy him are dealt with by him in a most brutal manner. I do not think that such things will continue to go unnoticed, despite my best efforts. Unsound of mind he has been for a long while now, but I suggest something be done about him. His bouts of violence are beginning to show through his usual melancholy.

Secondly, Blaise, a member of your family has been seen wandering our sewers these past few weeks. Nothing has yet been done for he has not approached any prohibited areas or broken any of our laws, say perhaps ignorantly stumbling into our territory unannounced. Yet her demeanor and appearance, usually so high and opulent for one fitting her rank and family, appears now quite different. Observations of her have revealed various instances where she has lost control of herself, an action that were it in a more populated area, would undoubtedly be a great cause for alarm. I of course do not have to inform you that there are many more things that inhabit or make use of these sewers than just the members of my clan.

Malachite

Septmeber 24th 1203.