Ames Requiem CofD
The Court of Ames
Court Positions
Residents
Ghouls and Curiosities
Commentary
This is an Invictus domain since the Rebellion of 2016, and it shows. Prince Richetta rules with an iron fist in a velvet glove, and few think to doubt that.
History
The Children of Thunder (1800’s) With the westward expansion of Europeans to the Midwest came bold and adventurous vampires hungry for a kingdom to call their own. These European kindred quickly learned that they were not safe in the lands between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The Iowa territory was already claimed by something older and deadlier than they cared to challenge. What few encounters were retold name them The Children of Thunder.
Where your eyes don’t go Over the intervening centuries the only reliable information on the Iowa territory came in the form of anecdotal reports from transient vampires, usually Gangrel. They spoke of a land thick with strange sounds, smells and other odd phenomena where they always felt that eyes were upon them. If they stayed more than a single night in the same locale prey spooked whenever they tried to hunt. Hunger soon drove them to move on. Gangrel being a savvy lot took the hint and kept moving, never settling permanently in the land between two rivers. As such no Gangrel are listed among those lost to the Iowa territory.
Those who never returned The history of America is replete with tales of explorers driven by desire to carve out a home in the most inhospitable of lands. Vampires, being humans before the embrace, were no exception to this urge. Over the intervening centuries many European vampires tested their mettle in the wilds of Iowa. None succeeded in taming the Iowa Territory and few that attempted to put down roots there ever returned. The few who did crawl back to civilization bore scars both within and without for their arrogance. In 1924 the court of Chicago received a package by night courier from the Iowa Territory. A leather suitcase with an ornately carved bone handle was presented at Elysium. The address label stated simply “to the Sire of Marcus Brogue c/o the Prince’s Harpy, Augusta Merryweather”. Tooled in the same delicate hand upon one side of the case was the following:
Enclosed are the torporous staked remains of Mr. Brogue. Removal of wood from heart serves as agreement to the following terms. Marcus Brogue shall henceforth owe his sire Life boon for his resurrection, Life Boon to the Children of Thunder for their inconvenience and whatever fee you and the court deem appropriate as compensation for services as notary. – the Notary of Thunder
Further inspection revealed that the handle was actually an exposed and carved section of hip and the leather of the suitcase was the tanned skin of his limbs and torso. The rest of him had been broken and compacted to fit within the confines of the cases shell. Extensive magic had been used to retard Mr. Brogue’s healing capabilities for as long as the stake remained in place. Even after the stake was located and removed all the tanned and carved bits of him had to be carefully cut away and regrown before he was whole once more.
Marcus Brogue still walks in the shadow of his own folly. None have since dared to set roots in Iowa. Augusta Merryweather refuses to part with her suitcase for any price.
An unprecedented offer In the spring of 2013 couriers delivered letters to all the regional courts of the Midwest. Each letter was addressed to the respective Prince stating the following:
Father Thunder abdicated his rule, retiring to the lands beyond. The Ascended Children of the Storm resolve to open the Iowa Territory to settlement heretofore prevented on pain of final death. To this end we solicit applications of civil-minded kindred who wish to join in the creation of a new court to oversee the entirety of the lands of Iowa. Applicants must provide documents of introduction, records of ancestry where available and detail on your desires and capabilities. You must also secure a letter of reference from your Sire, ancestor or other respected kindred of your court. Letters of application must be notarized by a recognized officer of your local court and received by the first night of winter 2013. Individuals selected for settlement shall owe Major Boon to both their kindred reference and the Children of the Storm. These Boons will be recorded in the court of the storm and letter of notice shall be sent to each Sire/reference in turn. - The Notary of Thunder
Many thought this a prank at first. Comparison of the handwriting sent to Chicago in 1924 confirmed this was a genuine offer from the Court of Thunder. Soon young kindred, tired of fighting over scraps at the Elders table, quietly prepared applications and made other preparations. It is unknown how many applications were sent.
On the eve of the Spring Equinox 2014 sealed letters of acceptance were delivered to a select few applicants across the nation. Each letter instructed the recipient to prepare for arrival on Midsummer’s Eve 2014 in the Elysium of the Iowa Territory. Further instructions will be provided upon arrival.
Early release At sundown on the night of the Land Rush long forgotten kindred wake from forced slumber. Thought long dead by the rest of the world, these freed prisoners had a lot of catching up to do. Could they adapt?
Rebellion of 2016 Over the course of a year, the Children of Thunder became less and less active in the city. They'd appointed Richetta Massaro as their Seneschal, then stepped back. At least a few of the Children seemed to meet Final Death via accidents or attacks; yet there persist rumours that this was to provide them only with an easy exit. The arrangement could not persist indefinitely, and Richetta took Praxis in mid-2016. There's been not so much as a whisper of the Children since.