(Eye-nay-AH-nee-ee)
By Charles Roburn (croburn@janus.speedware.com) (30 January 1996)
The Aeneanii claim to be descended from the eldest of the Ventrue Antediluvian's Childer, and state that this makes them the purest bloodline of the Clan. They often point to their unique abilities as proof of their superiority, and claim that their bloodline was instrumental in establishing the great ancient civilizations of both Egypt and Rome. They are the most elegant, most social, most inspiring, most capable and effective of all the Ventrue -- the natural leaders of the Clan, both by Blood and breeding.
Needless to say, this attitude sticks in the craw of other Ventrue, who point to the Aeneanii lack of the clan's "refinement" (that is, Ventrue prey exclusions) as proof that the bloodline is only a cadet branch of the Clan--and an inferior one, at that.
Although the Ventrue as a whole are generally too politically savvy to let it interfere with their best interests, this issue has been known to split the clan into factions that make the Artiste and Poseur camps of the Toreador seem mild in comparison. Fortunately for the solidarity of the Ventrue Clan, Aeneanii are not overly numerous, and usually do not press their claims...whatever they may think. Elder Ventrue in particular, those who remember the heyday of Rome, seem to find Aeneanian arrogance especially galling.
This arrogance is reflected in the current name of the bloodline, which is taken from the legendary Aeneas of Troy, who is supposed to have escaped Troy after its fall and sailed throughout the Mediterranean before settling in Italy, where his descendants eventually founded the city of Rome. During his travels, Aeneas visited the underworld, where he was told that it is his destiny to rule the peoples of the world.
[Incidentally, Aeneas also visits Carthage and dallies with the beautiful Phoenician Queen Dido of that city, but is ordered away by Mercury (who orders him to fulfil his imperial destiny) and leaves without saying goodbye. Dido is distraught, and commits suicide after cursing her false lover. This legend is supposed to explain the Punic wars between Rome and Carthage; given the association of Brujah with both Greece and Carthage, this throws the whole story into a different light...]
Whether Aeneas himself ever existed and was associated with the bloodline is a matter open for speculation. There are some who say that "Aeneanii" is in fact a corruption of the bloodline's earlier name, which was based on its association with Innana, a goddess of ancient middle eastern civilization and supposed first Childe of Veddartha. The eldest known Aeneanii are of the Sixth Generation; since there are three of them, this implies that there is at least one Aeneanius of the Fifth Generation.
[There might be more, but no one has yet been intrepid enough to ask the three elders for the full list of their Sires, and Sires' Sires.]
In most things, the Aeneanii epitomize the social side of the Ventrue: they are elegant, cordial, diplomatic, and charming. They are less adept at handling money (that is to say, they aren't total financial geniuses), and much less so at handling physical confrontation, which they prefer to avoid at all costs--especially given their bloodline's unique and unpleasant Weakness (see below).
Of the templates in the Ventrue clanbook, Aeneanii best fit the Socialite, Psychiatrist, Born Leader, or Young Turk. The other templates are less suitable. (The Capo and Anarch Wannabe are Right Out).
This weakness makes the Aeneanii especially antsy about direct combat; they prefer, whenever possible, to avoid it -- or at least have others do their violence for them. They are also loathe to use blood-based Disciplines like Celerity.
Most other clans don't even know the Aeneanii are different from other Ventrue, and wouldn't much care if they did (except for the Gangrel, who either like them or hate them, depending on how they use their Animalism).
Other Ventrue treasure their unique powers, but cannot stand their implicit superiority. Both sides try to ignore the issue, but are conscious of it.
With regard to other Ventrue, the Aeneanii think of themselves as "first among equals", and are unshakeable in their belief in the purity of their bloodline. If others choose to ignore or question it, they don't much care (as long as the ignorer or questioner isn't overtly obnoxious or disrespectful). After all, they know they're the best; who cares what the others think? Naturally, this makes other Ventrue all the madder.
Finally, with regard to other clans, Aeneanii attitudes are usually like the Ventrue only more so. They especially hate Anarchs and Brujah; they actively seek out the company of Toreador; they are doubly wary of the Tremere.