Codex Injustiae

By Gus "Genesis" Belanger (gusbelanger@yahoomail.com)

Description

In the year of Our Lord 1444, the get of Augustus Giovanni rose up against Capadocius' brood and slew as many as they could. Saddened beyond measure, Camden, one of the last openly remaining Cappadocians wrote the Codex Injustiae, the Book of Injustice. It took him 16 nights to finish the tome. He imbued each of the 250+ pages with a tiny drop of his own blood, and in the process a little piece of his own soul. He finished the evening before his own murder, and when the Giovanni broke down his door, he hurled a curse at them: "Justia Immortalis Est! Nos Vindicabimus!" or "Justice is Immortal, We will be avenged!". These were his final words, but not the final act of his soul.

While the Giovanni were attempting diablerie on Camden, his soul got away somehow and took up in his own book. The Giovanni were under orders to burn Camden's haven to the ground he was considered so powerful that Augustus didn't want to chance any accidents resulting from his childer reading some lost lore, so he decided to err on the side of caution. The book should have been lost.

In 1640, British Royal Architects wanting to build an extension to one of His Majesty, Charles I, mansions in Cornwall accidentally dug up a small parcel of slightly singed but otherwise undamaged tomes of obvious antiquity. Since few of these surveyors could actually read Latin, they gave the books to a Protestant Reverand who was actually the ghoul of a Toreador named Desmond.

When the Ghoul opened the book to peruse it, his mind was flooded with images of war, betrayal and death. He collapsed into a coma that not even a taste of Desmond's blood could rouse him from. When he woke, he found himself in one of Desmond's havens. He explained everything he knew to Desmond with such feeling that the Toreador felt compelled to act. He took the book forthwith to Mithras, the reigning Kindred Prince of England, who opened the book himself. Exactly what happened when he did so is unknown, but some say that when he emerged again from his chambers he had soaked his tabard with blood-tears.

When Mithras was killed, Lady Anne moved quickly to take the book (which she had read herself) to her court for safekeeping where it sits to this day. A handful have been allowed to see the book since and none have remained unchanged by the experience.

Game Mechanics

Any who are allowed to see the book must roll against their Conscience Virtue (diff is 10 minus their Permanent Willpower). Only one sucess is required, and if achieved, the reader is free to carry on without going into torpor at the shock (which will last for 16 - the reader's Stamina in nights). At least three sucesses are required to gain the full effects of the book. A botch causes the reader to black out and forget even the existence of the book (something that Lady Anne's Court respects by never speaking about the book to anyone who has left its chamber). Anyone who gains three or more sucesses on a Conscience roll is imbued with 3 points of Clan Lore: Clan Cappadocian and 2 Points of Clan Lore: Clan Giovanni as they learn the entire story of how the Cappadocians were betrayed and murdered by those they took under their wing (it is rumored from Camden's soul himself). If the reader has Humanity (not a Path or Via) holding back the Beast, he automatically gains back a point of it as he gains new appreciation for what the Kindred have lost (some say forever).