Synopsis of Azilum Praxis History

At the BetaCon in 2016, players were asked to take on the roles of historical figures in the Praxis to play out a historic event: The Conclave of City Island, in which Clan Tremere, and Clan Gangrel were called to peace on the topic at hand. This is a brief overview of what the event was about, what took place there, and what followed the event.

 

In Azilum, tucked safely into the Susquehanna river, is City Island, and area of land that has kept untouched by the hands of those within the city since the late 1600’s when settlers first came into the area. It is still teeming with wild growth and, other than the occasional foolish teenager, hasn’t knowingly had a mortal foot step onto it for a hundred years or more.

 

Unfortunately for the island, both Clan Tremere and Clan Gangrel set their eyes upon it. Clan Gangrel wished to officially name the Island as their own in the early 1980’s, only to be opposed by Clan Tremere, who claimed to already have lawful and political right to the island. This, as expected, led to much controversy and strife, and seemed poised to explode into blows being exchanged. Before this inevitability could come to pass, however, the then-Prince Maximilian called a Conclave between the Clans.

Secondary to this reason, the Praxis was to also name a Seneschal to replace that of the former, who had been killed a year prior to the event in an unfortunate encounter with a Praxis enemy. The forerunners for this position has been that of Clan Ventrue Primogen Matthias Hummel, as well as that of Clan Toreador Primogen Phillipe, the Vicomte de St. Claire.

 

The entirety of the Praxis attended the event, as well as some visitors from other Praxis near and far. Niceties were exchanged, Kindred meeting for the first time in decades or centuries, and the official discussion on the island’s fate began. As expected, it seemed as if the Kindred of the Ventrue, led by now-Prince Matthias, the Toreador, led by the Vicomte de Sainte Claire, would work towards the Tremere Regents end. Opposing them were the Brujah, headed by the Primogen Cyrus, and the Malkavian clan, who worked to further the goals of the Gangrel Primogen at the time, Nicolai Stefanovich.

 

In a strange move by the Gangrel, and allowed by Prince Matthias, Stefanovich brought a guest to the event: a Silver Fang Garou, emissary to the island’s previously unknown inhabitants. This shocking turn of events, as well as the inspired speech by the Kindred attendants, as well as the unexpected positional turn of Clan Ventrue’s Matthias, seemed to solidify the hold of Clan Gangrel on.

 

Recess for deliberation was called following the discussion period, and the Prince retired to his quarters, asking to meet with the Brujah Primogen Cyrus as he did. Moments after they joined, the Praxis was greeted with shouts and screams of outrage from Cyrus. Known to be short tempered, and combative, the Primogen lashed out, striking a hole into the wall of the Conclave, and fled the scene with the speed of Celerity. Unharmed, or even touched by Cyrus, the Prince stepped back into the main Conclave hall, declaring that his decision was made to deliver the Island to the hands of the Tremere. However, he would hold off on making it official until the following day when the Seneschal would be named, so that the seal of both the Prince and that of the Seneschal could be placed as one on the decree.

 

An hour or so passed before the dawn crept too close for the Kindred to remain, and the event for the night was called to an end. Leaving the building through previously secured channels, the Prince embarked into his vehicle. Once the door had sealed, the limousine became engulfed in a torrent of flames, an explosive powerful enough to shake the foundations of the Conclave building shredding it apart, and destroying the Prince and whatever remains there may have been.

 

All eyes turned to Cyrus, a man known for his terrorist and destructive tendencies. In a matter of hours, Seneschal-headrunner and Primogen of Clan Ventrue stepped into the reigns of Princehood by unanimous decision of the Primogen Council. The Prince-elect immediately named the Vicomte St. Claire his Seneschal, and, through evidence supported by the information of Clan Nosferatu, Primogen Cyrus of Clan Brujah was named an enemy of the Praxis, and the Camarilla.

 

Cyrus was not going to go down without a fight. After making it clear and known that he didn’t do anything wrong, and that he wasn’t going to submit to the ‘Corrupt and Wicked Praxis,’ the Primogen called to him the men and women of the street, revolutionaries and fighters both mortal and ghoul, as well as those under him who proved loyal.

 

The band of fighters, though outnumbered three to one by the combined effort of the forces of the Ventrue, Toreador, Tremere, Malkavian, and Gangrel clans, weather the on-coming attacks from their well-defended position in what is now known as Aldeaus Heights. The Heights had formerly been know as a beautiful and sprawling area, the dream of utopia for the freed slave Cyrus and those who followed under his charismatic and revolutionary dream, and they would not soon abandon that dream.

 

Days passed, with combat occurring between the mortals and retainers of both sides, while the nights ran red and black with the blood of the newly turned, and the dust of the ancient. Nothing but the rain kept the sprawling blocks of the section of city from resembling in every way the battlefields of eastern Europe during World War Two. The Kindred of the City, and those loyal to Clan bonds joined the fighting. Whispers of Werewolf mercenaries, or allies even, pass from lips of those who had taken part in the fighting, though these are always little more than rumors. The Police, controlled by one side or the other, mobilized into the city during the daytimes, clearing out houses with fire and shot.

 

. Cyrus of Clan Brujah met his fate on May 20th, 1983, falling to the combined effort of those who would bring him ruin. History is uncertain whether the man fell to the blade of Prince Matthias Hummel himself, or to that of the Seneschal St. Claire. Some even say he chose to end his own life with an incendiary explosive, taking the Prince’s first-chosen childe with him. In any case, the Brujah was destroyed, along with all of those who stood in opposition to the Brujah.

The fate of the island was left without answer, neither Clan pushing the topic since that fateful event. After the turmoil, and problems caused by Clan Brujah, it was seen better to not possibly stir a war into motion between both the clans of the Camarilla, nor the Shifter population of the island. The Praxis remains neutral on the topic, as the island itself is. The Praxis still struggles to put in the past the traitor-legacy of Clan Brujah.