Tomb of Lars Porsena
In 509 BC the seventh king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius, was overthrown and exiled due to his tyranny, warmongering, and over-ambitious building projects. The straw that broke the camel’s back being the last king’s son, Sextus’ rape of Lucretia and her following suicide. Thus, Tarquinius was forced to flee, and the Republic began. though Lucius would not give up on Rome as easy as that.
With Etruscan ancestry, Tarquinius escaped to Etruria and sought support for his causes there. Initially he tried through plotting to regain control of Rome. In the so-called Tarquinian conspiracy. Though Brutus, one of the first two consuls of Rome, would thwart the plot. Then Tarquinius turned from cloak and dagger to open warfare. The cities of Tarquinii and Veii joined him and clashed with the Roman army in the Battle of Silva Arsia. An extremely blood and even battle, in the now chopped down forest north of Rome. It was impossible for either side to determine which side had won the battle until the god Silvanus' voice could be heard from the heart of the forest. Silvanus exclaimed that one more Etrurians had fallen in battle, and as soon as these words were uttered the remaining Etrurians routed and fled.
Tarquinius was not amongst the dead however, and he needed a new ally and army if he ever wanted to place himself upon the throne again. He turned to the king of Clusium, Lars Porsena—the single most mighty and wealthy king in Italy. Porsena sent a messenger demanding Rome welcomed Tarquinius back, though this was refused. So Porsena rallied his army and marched on Rome in 506 BC.
From here on two accounts remain of what takes place next: Tacticus and a few others say Porsena subdued and besieged Rome. The city surrendered and a peace treaty was signed, though Porsena failed to install Tarquinius. Porsena left impressed by the Romans' honour and bravery, he thus chose to be their ally in the future. Livy and Plutarch instead speak of an honourable defence of the first bridge over the Tiber, the Pons Sublicius. Barely able to drive Porsena back, the Romans decided to send Gaius Mucius to assassinate Porsena in his camp. Though Mucius failed, his bravery deeply impressed Porsena—exemplified by his calm to the threat of being burned as a sacrifice to the Gods. Murcius placed his own right hand in the fire to show how little such a fate scared him. Porsena would rather have such a people as friends than enemies, so he decided to hear their peace negotiations against Tarquinius’ wishes. Porsena left Rome with hostages, though when some of these hostages—young noble ladies—attempted to escaped they were ambushed by Tarquinius’ forces. The women defended themselves and a few even managed to escape the slaughter. Porsena saw this as further evidence of the greatness of the Roman people and gave the survivors fine and well-breed horses and sent them home.
For the rest of his life Porsena would honour Rome with gifts and peace would remain between the two cities. He gave the city many proofs of his magnanimity, including territorial ones. He was the finest king Clusium ever had, and the city constructed a great tomb for him after his passing.
The tomb is a huge square monument, built with grey stones and terracotta. Each side was three hundred feet in length and fifty in height. On top of the building there stand five pyramids, one at each corner and one in the centre. These pyramids are tapered and shaped so that each is the leg of a massive brazen globe, engraved with constellations. Further, each pyramid is crowned with a a petasus—the hat worn by Mercury. From the petasus bells are suspended by chains. These make a tinkling sound when blown about by strong winds. From the globe protrudes four more pyramids, which support a platform with five additional pyramids. The construction is truly awe-inspiring. One of the tallest buildings in all of Mythic Europe. And it stretches under the earth too. Beneath the base there was an inextricable labyrinth, protecting Porsena's final resting place from would-be thieves; a mirror of Daedalus’ own.
Yet Sulla would destroy Clusium and the tomb in his civil war. Slowly the city would rebuild, though the region would never prosper again. With the fall of the Roman Empire the Ostrogothic forces briefly held the city. Though the Clanis Valley flooding has created a very unhealthy environment. Sickness and plague are common here, despite the good and fertile ground. Thunderstorms are also exceedingly common. In 1220 the region has been left all but abandoned.
Though the great tomb remains hidden in a regio. It’s not clear how this happened. Perhaps a great ritual, or the tomb was simply constructed in it from the beginning. The towering structure can actually be observed from the outside, during particularly forceful storms. Lightning will strike the top of the tomb, briefly illuminating all of it. Which can be seen from quite a distance. The bells can also be heard outside the regio. Often before the arrival of a storm. The regio has two levels, though many suspect there might be more hidden away. The first surrounds the monument, it has a level of 5 and is Magical. The regio can only be entered during a storm but is easily done if so. The subterranean labyrinth is the second level, which has a strength of 6. The labyrinth layout shifts and morphs making it so anyone who enters likely never could discover his way out again.
House Criamon has since long used the site as a location for initiation. Particularly the extinct Path of Roads. Criamon magi appreciates the symbolism of the location. The world-globe, barely held up by pillars with Mercury’s trappings. Just above a vast subterranean labyrinth. Other magi occasionally visit the site, though none have been able to find the remains of Porsena as of yet.
Story Seed: Di Superiores et Involuti
No matter how great a king Porsena was, the tomb clearly had other mystical purposes as well. The ancient sources on Etrustian religion speak about the nine Novensiles, thunder and lightning gods. Both chthonic and celestial. These made up a higher sphere of divine beings, whom Tinia (Jupiter) required the approval of before unleashing the dreaded “burning” lightning. These veiled and hidden gods were not the object of direct worship and were never depicted in art. Though perhaps this massive temple is the holiest of places where these Secret Gods of Favour could be contacted. Be that as it may, the tomb likely offers insight into the disciplina Etrusca—particularly the divination method of libri fulgurales: taking auspice by the striking of lightning and roaring of thunder. Are these different aspects of the same Kosmokrators ruling thunder? Could a Theurgists contact said Daimon here?