Aufinum
In the Abruzzo region, north of the Aterno river, lies the small town of Capestrano in the Tirino valley. The town is charming though undistinguished. The Lombard King Desiderius had the Benedictines abbey of San Pietro ad Oratorium built there in the 8th century, which has recently been rebuilt. The town centres around this monastery. The uniqueness of the town comes from it being built upon an ancient settlement.
North of the town lies a necropolis upon a hill. The Vestini tribe lived here before the Romans conquered them during the 3rd and 2nd century BC. Pliny mentions that this settlement was once named Aufina. The necropolis was constructed during the 6th century BC, and served as a burial site for many generations of the local community. The tombs and grave goods in the necropolis are still undisturbed by grave robbers, though none are accessible without excavations. Locals avoid the aura, believing it to be haunted. The Monk have been asked to cleanse the area, yet have not had any success as of yet. The necropolis has a magical aura of 2.
A particular tomb has the remains of a great king of the Vestini, Nevius Pompuledius. Nevius was once but a shepherd, but he took control of his tribe and made a name for himself by being merciless and a proven warrior. His tomb is the largest, and has a fair amount of grave goods. Mostly gold, but a few pawns of vim vis also lie in the weapons scattered throughout the tomb. Most striking is the warrior statue which guards the tomb.
The warrior stands at a height over 2 paces. His stance is with his massive arms folded across the chest, clad in military attire. A disc-shaped parade helmet covers the head, extending over the ears, and a facial mask is worn. The chest is safeguarded by armor disks fastened with straps, complemented by a shield. Greaves shield the legs, and sandals adorn the feet. Suspended in front of the chest, the warrior bears a sword with an ornate hilt and scabbard, accompanied by a dagger. Positioned to the right, he holds a small axe. Ornamental details include a rigid necklace with a pendant and bracelets on the forearms. Like many statues of the italian peninsula, the statue was once painted - but only a few traces of red can still be seen off this.
Story Seed: A Second King?
The name of Vestini king is curiously similar to Numa Pompilius, the legendary second king of Rome. Numa is said to have been of Sabine origin, but perhaps this was a mistake? He is remembered for founding many of Rome's most important religious and political institutions, such as the Roman calendar, Vestal Virgins, the office of pontifex maximus, and the Roman cults - among them the Cult of Mercury. Character searching out relics of his regime might find a (false?) lead taking them to Aufinum.
Story Seed: Who Disturbs My Tomb
The Statue is actually an animation constructed by a primitive version of the Practice of Animo. Thus it has Magical Might and Intelligence. It was constructed in the likeness of Nevius himself, and has begun believing it is the king itself. It is likely to attack anyone disturbing the grave. The animation can speak, unlike modern animations, though only in long dead languages. The item might interest Seekers, house Verditius and almost certainly the Augustan Brotherhood.