L’Isola Maledetta
The Reno River flows through northern Italy, originating from the Apennine Mountains and slithering through Bologna before reaching the Adriatic Sea. Like most rivers of Italy its size and course varies drastically with the change of the seasons. In Summer it is prone to flooding. Clouds of miasma and mosquitoes haunts its surface during the same period.
Recent development has allowed the river to be largely tamed, especially in the region surrounding Bologna. Cistercians monasteries and wealthy citizens have constructed safety measures: canals and dams. The water is diverted to support the fields of the region. Still sometimes the rains of the Apennine prove to powerful and destroys the carefully constructed infrastructure. Wasting more and more coin and toil.
While the river is as most treacherous, it sometimes collects the sediment it has broken free into small islets in its middle of its body. To mundane inspection, these are nothing more than random patches of dirt and sand—though the truth is that Infernal forces continuously recreate the L’Isola Maledetta.
In 43 B.C, the fate of Rome and the Republic was up in the air. Caesar was just murdered a year ago, his murder not yet avenged. Cicero was riling the population of Rome against Antony, while defending Octavian before the Senate. Antony, and his loyal men, was forced to flee Rome; he travelled to the Lepidus who had taken control of Cisalpine Gaul. The two friends joined together their army and once again marched southwards. Octavian was ordered by the Senate to meet their forces in battle, but he chose another option.
So it came to be, that two armies stood on either side of the Reno, while their leaders set meet on a small islet in its midst. For three days they remained on the island, discussing and arguing. Often resorting to insults and threats. Eventually though these three ambitious and powerful men, would return to the bank as one. On this small ephemeral islet, the Second Triumvirate was thus born.
Unlike the First Triumvirate, which was an open secret the Second was law and carefully dictated. Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus had split Rome among themselves. It was a compromise written in blood. the same parchment that declared it also signified the death of over 200 men. Each member of the Triumvirate betrayed not only Rome, their duties and vows, but also personal friends and family members. As Plutarch describes it: For by this barter of murder for murder they put to death those whom they surrendered just as truly as those whom they seized; but their injustice was greater towards their friends, whom they slew without so much as hating them. And: So far did anger and fury lead them to renounce their human sentiments, or rather, they showed that no wild beast is more savage than man when his passion is supplemented by power.
Its unknown if the L’Isola Maledetta had its Infernal Aura of 6 before these events, or as a consequence. The aura is tarnished with both betrayal and ambition. The islet is small and devoid of life, other than buzzing mosquitoes. It only forms for three days before being torn apart anew. It usually forms close to Bologna, though can do so at any part of the Reno.
Story Seed: The Mathematici Triumvirate
Three old and powerful Learned Magicians of Bologna has banded together. They are unity in their wish to control their scatter tradition, whom they believe to be on the verge of collapse. Furthermore, one of the members is convicted that the Order is to blame for this—the covenant of Literatus in particular. What’s worse is that one of them is a diabolist, it was him that suggested this new Triumvirate form on L’Isola Maledetta. He used the tarnished aura to the site to excite the other even more and too egg on their discontent. Now the Triumvirate is ready to take control of Bologna, which includes a necessary culling of masters and agents. PC might get involved by investigating one of these murders, leading to a final confrontation with the Diabolist Mathematici on the islet.