Adriana Vitelion de' Medici

Adriana de' Medici
Daeva - Kallisti

Background
1455-Adriana, born in the middle of the 15th century, was the spitting image of her grandmother, and a prized daughter of the ruler of Florence, Piero I de' Medici. Her family had a long standing history of patronship of the arts during the Renaissance. A great deal of Florentine art was inspired by their sponsorship, including Michelangelo and da Vinci. This love for art was instilled in Adriana from early in her childhood, and shaped how she lived her life, and later, her unlife.

1471-At the age of 16, Adriana was married off to a wealthy landowner named Guiliano Sforza, another wealthy and well-known Italian family. The marriage between the two families secured their position within high society. The Medici family was highly respected under her brother Lorenzo's great care and rulership, and Florence thrived under him. Adriana followed in the footsteps of her family in continuing to support budding artists, encouraging and buying their works. It would be in a showing of one of her latest buys that her life would change completely.

Shortly after her marriage, her father Lorenzo would bring Leonardo da Vinci to Florence under his patronage. Adriana took this opportunity to learn from da Vinci what she could, and enjoyed her contact with him, learning a great deal about the arts as well as the technologies he studied. She took great pride in holding salons in his honor, inviting all those of good birth and high note to enjoy his talents and speak of them together. Adriana had other artists of which she offered patronage. She enjoyed holding salons and showings of the artists that sparked her interest. Her family was well known for finding the best artists in the region, offering them work and visibility. She made it a point in her life to encourage other artists, so that perhaps "another da Vinci" might be found under her patronage.

1488-During a showing of one of Adriana's favorite budding artists, a new face visited her salon to appreciate the art. That evening, Guiliano was traveling, visiting some of his holdings in the countryside. A woman appearing about her own age, and yet without any signs of aging, took a certain interest in her and her salon. She introduced herself and congratulated Adriana on her recent purchase. Over the course of the night, the woman stayed near and they chatted about art, artists and those that caught their interest. The woman, who went by Natalia Vitelion, became exceptionally interested when Adriana made it known that she knew Leonardo da Vinci. As the night waned, her guests began to depart, and yet the woman remained. She wished to plan a future salon to honor da Vinci himself, as it seemed she truly wished to meet him. Adriana, always appreciative of another Patron, agreed and they began to setup such a gathering.

The salon featuring da Vinci went as well as any Adriana had ever put on. Da Vinci was more than pleased to meet Natalia, and the large gathering enjoyed their time together with the artist. Again, as the night waned, and Adriana bid farewell to her guests and to da Vinci, Natalia remained behind. Natalia wished to thank Adriana personally for introducing her to da Vinci, and she wanted to gift her with something beyond Adriana's imagination. A gift that would only sharpen with age. Adriana sat, a little unnerved, upon her chaise, while Natalia walked around the room, spouting off quips about how wonderful the night had been, only to stop directly behind her. Moments passed until with lightning speed, Adriana was within her grasp, and she was lost to a beautiful and sensuous darkness.

She awoke a few nights later with a thirst that could kill. And she was there. She brought her a subdued human, one of the gardeners of her estate, and taught her what she was as she took her first drink. She offered her teaching in the ways of a vampire, assisting her in her initial steps as her life, or unlife, turned upside down. She secluded herself completely with Natalia, learning what it was to be both a vampire, and more specifically a Daeva. She learned to love the woman who was her Sire. Natalia took care of the servants, ensuring their silence and loyalty during her change. Guiliano never returned, having had a fatal accident during his outlying visit. She heard rumors through her servants that it was believed she had orchestrated his death so as to enjoy this new..visitor; but so long as her previous friends did not come seeking without invitation, she did not care. She actually encouraged the rumor that the loss of her husband had sent her into shock and required seclusion for the time being.

1494-Natalia stayed by her side for several years, until she found another in which she lost herself. Her attentions towards Adriana drifted towards nothingness, and Adriana took this as a sign to step up and become what her Sire had taught her. A Daeva herself, she understood the draw of a new young face, and could not fault her Sire too much. She began working her way into the courts of the Kindred, meeting others like herself. The time spent with Natalia only made her realize that although they shared blood and ideals, there were some parts to Natalia's outlook that Adriana could not condone. Natalia was a member of a group known as the "Circle of the Crone," and Adriana despised how she scuffed towards the Church. Adriana's family sponsored multiple popes over the years, and she was a proper god-biding woman, or rather vampire. She took the opportunity Natalia presented her and learned of the other groups Kindred subscribed to.

A gentleman quickly caught her eye. He was an upstanding member of the city, and his holdings great. He followed the Church, as any proper person did in those days, but his focus was not on religion but rather on power. The "Invictus" seemed to offer great opportunities, and it was under his tutelage that Adriana joined and learned what it was to gain and control great power among the vampiric community. She remained under his tutelage for many years. She renewed friendships with a few mortals she had been close to in life, but later was forced to remover herself from them once again. The lesson that she would never age while she watched her mortal friends age and die was a hard one. It broke a little bit of her humanity to see that. But it was a lesson that needed learning.

1510-Eventually, her mentor in the Invictus believed her ready, and released her to join the Invictus as a full member. He had done his job in properly teaching a neonate Invictus vampire. He took his time, and it showed in her knowledge and capabilities within the Covenant. She learned the tools in trade of manipulation, seduction and intrigue in the courts, mastering her skills as is needed for a Kindred immersed in their society. She continued to patron and enjoy the artists of Italy. She appreciated the new gift of being able to watch the art grow, change and rise in value. Her clever eye kept herself wealthy through the accumulation and sales of priceless pieces of art, even when she was forced to sell her property and holdings and disappear to keep up appearances.

1525-1650
She took time to travel around Europe as she could. Over the course of the next century and a half, she would travel over most of Europe, spending time for years at a time in one place or another. Adriana had lost track of Natalia, her Sire, and a part of her hoped to find the woman who began her new life as a part of her travels. She visited the other parts of Italy first, particularly taking the time to visit the Vatican, the home of the Catholic Church that she followed with her heart and soul. She got to know Giovanni de' Medici (Federico Moschetti, IT200410299), a fellow relative from her Mortal blood whom had been embraced some years after her. His interests were similar inline with her own, and they solidified their connection within the Kindred society as well as with their mortal relatives. Together, they would keep the Medici line going.

She also took the opportunity to visit the architectural and art marvels that were being created in that time. This took her all over Italy, into France and later into Spain. She stopped in many cities along the way, working to make connections with those she could all around the countryside. She understood the game she would need to play within Kindred and Invictus society. Her Sire had taught her well. And she intended to make the most of it. She took her time in every place she visited, taking the time to make proper contacts all over the continent. She always kept herself a "home" in Florence, and returned every few years to ensure her holdings were secure at home. A great deal of her art traveled home to Florence to her extensive collection. Through this time, she became good friends with Honoria Duchaine (Jen Kuiper, US2002021118), who she learned to trust completely with the transport of her art and artifacts.

One man in particular tended to drive a thorn through her side every time they met. Alessandro Calogera, a gentlemen of the Family Calogera, was quickly taking advantage of her family's slow loss in stature. The Medici family was losing ground, its members dying off, or as in her case, moving into the background, and other families were beginning to take up the slack. Calogera's family was no exception. Alessandro Calogera, an avid Patron of the Arts himself, always seemed to fight Adriana in their soirees and salons. He would take artists from her, paying them more and ask them to perform art in a much more distasteful manner than she believed in. He would often attempt to thwart her efforts amongst their peers. His brash uses of artists and their art disgusted her, and she did her best to simply not let him get to her. But he was generally always there to get under her skin.

Her game of manipulations began to consume her. Adriana found it entertaining to bolster relationships among her fellow kindred, then watch them fall apart as personalities eventually clashed. For a while, she sought a new love for herself, but time after time, the games of intrigue would shadow the relationship and the passion she sought would drown. A stereotypical Daeva, her own senses of emotion became jaded. She could no longer be consumed by emotion, no matter how much she tried. But try she did.

That is, until one man. She found him in Spain, quite entrenched in his holdings there. She had heard word of an art show occurring within Barcelona, and determined it was one she must visit. Upon introducing herself to the Vampiric Court of that city, she was placed in the care of one, Montoya de la Rosa, a lover of art and beauty himself. He would escort her to the art show, and the city. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Adriana's short visit to Spain stretched into years at Montoya's side. A love brewed strong and passionate between them, stronger than any mortal love, but an eternal powerful love that only immortals can share.

But, the perfect love was not to last. In 1649, Adriana received word that there were Kindred in Italy maneuvering her family and their holdings. Her allies in Italy requested that she return at once to aid in maintaining and securing them. She had worked so hard to establish her place in the world, and so much of that was being threatened by her continued absence. But along the same lines, Montoya could not up and leave his own holdings in Spain without undue troubles caused for himself as well. Love struck Adriana offered Montoya the letters explaining that he was all she would ever need and that she would stay with him. Montoya smiled warmly, taking her in his arms. He expressed his love for her and assured her that it would be eternal. He loved the Daeva in her, but reminded her that she was also Invictus. He hung his head, letting his long hair hide his tears as he explained to her that she wold have to return to Italy to take care of her life back home.

Montoya and Adriana spent the winter of 1650 traveling from Madrid to the coastal town of Cartagena where they secured passage for Adriana to return home to her native Italy. With broken hearts and blood stained tears, the two said their goodbyes on the docks of Cartagena. Montoya then remained on the docks and watched her sail out of his life until the ship disappeared on the Mediterranean horizon.

She did in fact dive head first back into the politics of her home country, searching out those that threatened her holdings as well as threatened her life with Montoya. The trouble was her heart just wasn't in it. That seemed to have been left back in Spain. She simply could not re-align herself into the manipulations and games of Kindred society withought Montoya at her side. She struggled to merely maintain what she could of her holdings, without fully securing them for years to come.

1655-Adriana attended a large Carnivale, in which all Kindred of Florence were invited. She was wary of possible attempts upon her person, using the Masque to disguise the attempt, but she went nonetheless. One man in particular tended to catch her attention over and over that night. He swept her into the dance multiple times over the night, then disappeared moments afterward to fade back into the crowd. Her mind reeled at the thought of this individual - was he friend or foe? Who WAS he? It wasn't until the end of the night as she was preparing to leave, that the gentleman slipped up behind her, slipping her arm into his and offering to escort her. She tried to shy away from him, her fear of foulplay rising in her blood at the closeness of him as she was parting from the crowded forum. He leaned in closer, pulling her arm tighter in his grasp, and nuzzled his masked face in against her neck and ear. He whispers into her ear a sweet nothing, and at the sound of his voice her eyes widen, and she turns into his arms. Montoya removes the mask, his face aglow with a large smile as he sweeped her tightly into his embrace. And all at once, her troubles were over.

Together again, Adriana and Montoya got a handle on the troubles in Italy. The Kindred that threatened the Medici holdings in Italy found themselves social pariahs through the Machiavellian-like manipulations of Adriana and bereft of assets that were used against the Medici family thanks to Montoya's assistance. Having successfully reclaimed her holdings and secured them for the time being, Montoya and Adriana then worked to take better control of the city's politics, to keep infighting such as that from happening to them again. For years they worked together within the city of Florence.

1674-Embrace Massimo della Aniela (opera singer/composer)

1675-A letter arrived for Adriana at her estate, beckoning her to visit Natalia in France. Adriana had been unable to locate her Sire during her long travels, always having missed her amongst the Kindred Courts. Quickly picking up her things, she traveled to the countryside of France, amongst the blossoming vineyards the country was well known for. There, she met Natalia, as well as a few other members of House Vitelion, including Gabriel, an older broodmate of hers. Once there, she joined Natalia in the hunting of a young man who she said would soon join their blood. She watched as the young man known as Pierre (player, [e-mail]) was driven into a rage over the loss of his family, stabbed by yet another soldier, and then somehow managed to make his way back to Paris. Impressed with his strength and stamina, Adriana almost wished she had found him herself. Natalia saves Pierre as he collapses inside the city walls, and before the night ends, Pierre St. Claude was embraced and joined the ranks of Vitelion. Adriana, ensured that Natalia would teach her new brother properly, returned to Florence and her estates, promising herself to visit her new kin.

1690-Adriana and Montoya began plotting to take control of Florence when it became obvious that the city was flailing under poor leadership. In their final attempt, however, they were betrayed. Their scheming had evidently been found out, and a few of the loyal members to the current Prince made a point to stop them one night while they were hunting. She felt Montoya get staked from behind her, the force of it pulling her around as he fell to the ground. Then everything went black for herself.

1699-It was some time later, possibly years, that Adriana finally woke again. She was at her Sire's residence...safe. She told her she was safe, and her transgression had brought the wrath of the city upon her, so she had stolen her away and she would have to leave. Her partner had been killed, so nothing kept her in Florence. She suggested France - It would be far enough away. She nodded, took what things she could, including what notes of wealth she could, and moved to Paris. She invested herself with those Kindred in Paris. The Prince she had sought to depose was not well thought of outside of Italy, so it wasn't too hard for her story to be believed. Thus, in Paris, at the start of the 18th century, her unlife started again.

In Paris, she started a small high society nightclub called "Midnight Lilac". She catered to the wealthy, offering a night away from their lives to enjoy dancing, art and conversation. As the years waned on, and her business grew, her nightclub added a new aspect within its walls all of its own accord. Those that stole themselves away from their life partners, sought solace in the arms of another while they hid away within the halls of Adriana's club. She was not one to turn away a method of making her clients happy, but rather indulged with the opportunity to tweak, pull and pressure the relationships between her visitors. She didn't mind allowing the darker indulgences as long as it gave her the opportunity to encourage relationship intrigue.

1701-In the spring of 1701, a rather special visitor graced her club. He had been there several nights in a row, and he seemed to flourish within her walls. He intrigued her. He was socially capable in a way that she admired. He was different from Montoya. Montoya, besides being immortal alongside her, was her love, and he had fulfilled that love with unending loyalty and protection. She still remembered him, even through the years of darkness. Her heart yearned for him, but yet he was gone. He had disappeared. Her Sire had no knowledge of where he had been taken after the two of them had been staked. She had no way of knowing if he had fallen to his final death, or if he was just holed up somewhere and she would never see him again. Questioning around was dangerous, and she resolved herself to move on, as difficult a process as that would be. But she was Daeva, emotions were fickle things. And this, this mortal, was..intriguing. His name was Emanuel le Baptiste.

She sought him. He seemed to expect that girls would flock to him, as it seemed they had even in her club, but he was not prepared for her. She took him home, taught him what a woman of her caliber could offer. And to his credit, he held his own. She admired that. She let him return to her. And after some time of enjoying his presence beside her, she couldn't help but love him in some small way. He had an ability to handle social arenas with calm grace and skill. An ability she saw in herself. He belonged in society in a way she could appreciate. And thus, she decided he must remain in society, alongside her. After a particularly heady night, she sank her teeth into his neck and drank.

She taught him Vampire society, as well as Invictus specialties. He thrived, always wanting more. He worked well at her side, and she appreciated him there more than she wished to admit to herself. For ten years he followed alongside her, and they manipulated and controlled the social scene of Paris with ease and skill. He was accepted into the First Estate, and became a well liked individual within the Parisian Court.

Unfortunately, his sudden capacity for drawing the attention of other Kindred only grew as the nights progressed, and he found himself capable of swaying hearts and minds through more than just natural persuasion. This, ultimately, would be his downfall. He was cold and detached in many ways, moreso than your average Daeva. His heart felt pain like no other Daeva, in truth, because of the peculiarities of his lineage - things even Adriana was beginning to notice in herself, but seemingly magnified within him. He struggled openly around her, and she could see his cruel and malicious heart as it focused on others in Court. She could notice his self-centered nature and selfishness. She also felt him begin to pull away from her. They still had some love for each other, but she felt him no longer follow her and love her in the same way he had.

During the long course of the next few years, Emanuel worked his way in both the Invictus and the Domain courts. He took tutelage under the court's Harpy, learning the intricacies of Kindred society, things which had previously only seemed abstract. He maneuvered political and social deals, increasing the holdings of not only himself, but also Adriana's. He had become a predator. It was only a matter of time before he wronged someone so deeply that amidst rumors and whispers, a blood feud was born. Someone within the court had felt the wrong end of a social sting, and Emanuel's life was suddenly in jeopardy. Adriana, hearing a rumor of the possibility of foul play against her beloved childe, she implored Emanuel to flee Paris in search of protection away from the city. Given time, perhaps the individual might forgive him, or let the slight fade from their hearts. But in the meantime, he would have to find refuge elsewhere. She could not protect him as easily as distance would.

Emanuel followed her advice and fled for London in 1729. Adriana did what she could to calm hearts, but she did not soon feel completely safe in inviting her childe back to Paris. And by the time the individuals were gone or had forgotten, he had settled himself comfortably within London, no longer needing her. She acceeded, letting him play games where he would, and re-focused on her own.

Much to her dismay, shortly after arriving in Paris, Adriana's old rival, Alessandro Calogera, appeared within the new city. It seemed he could not let their rivalry fall to the wayside, but rather had to follow her and refresh it anew. Calogera opened a rival business called "Avidity." It was very very similar to her own nightclub, only it catered to a darker side of life. It even became a cornerstone of the Parisian libertine revolution. For years, Calogera remained a constant dark point which she struggled against.

On a brighter note, her brother, Pierre, visited her during a stint through France with his new friend Garcilaso. Although happy to see Pierre, her brother seemed to have his thoughts lost in himself, and their visit was brief and unfulfilling.

1750-1767
Met Arianna Gialotti as she visited her club. Took her up as a prospective artist and encouraged her musical talent for trumpet and French horn, specifically finding venues for the younger Kindred. Adriana enjoyed taking the opportunity to indulge in a different art form and encourage one of her own to bigger and better heights.

Through Ariana, she became friends with Lucien Sutter (player, [e-mail]), the Harpy of Paris. They started up a mutual friendship between them. Lucien would later assist Adriana in becoming Harpy of Paris herself through his contacts in the city. Lucien introduced Adriana to his childe, Taharial (player, [e-mail]), whom he asked for assistance with. Taharial easily became bored with everything, and Lucien asked Adriana to see if she could instill some life into her again. Although initially successful, even Adriana's passion was not enough to keep Taharial interested for long.

1785-With the fears of Revolution on the horizon, Adriana bought an estate in southern rural France, steering clear of Paris and its upheaval. She took with her a few artists she particularly liked, wishing to return to her family's history of artistic patronage. She gave the artists what opportunities she could even during France's struggle through revolution.

1803-1835
During the Napoleonic Wars, Adriana continued to remain in seclusion with her few artist subjects. It was during these years of seclusion that Adriana turned in on herself more than ever before. The sudden shock of losing the one man she had grown close to in a couple hundred years had destroyed her. She had little interest in other Kindred, and little interest in the games the Kindred played. Her heart turned cold and she sought solace in her one and only love left to her - the arts. She even took the time to study painting herself with her artist patronees. She turned her artists into ghouls early on in her seclusion, so that they could better take care of her and her odd hours. And although her memory of this time is somewhat fuzzy, she undoubtably sought safety in torpor for years at a time, trying to drown out the pain that filled her.

1835-1905?
As France began to refresh after the Napoleon mess, new life began to expand within Paris. Adriana, having spent nearly another one hundred years in seclusion, droning on her pain and hatred, she determined it high time she re-enter society. Her look at life was changed. She no longer sought the love of the night, the love of the society or in interactions between her fellow Kindred. No, instead she sought to enjoy watching the demise of those around her. If others could be made to go through the pain that she went through - only then would she find some sort of satisfaction. She returned to Paris, selling her rural estate to buy good property in Paris proper. There, she indulged herself in the new arts, fashions and architecture that had begun to pop up. But her primary focus was on those relationships that spread all around her. She opened up a nightclub catered to the high society, in hopes of gaining extraordinary access to those she wished to see hurt the most. She delved deep, incouraging lies and deceit between loves, friendships, allies and coteries, until they fell apart. She became Harpy of Paris for a few years in the late 1800s, with the help of Lucien Sutter's influence, at which time her skills were at their best. She watched with some delight as those relationships around her fell apart. Even when she was forced to step down from Harpy, she accepted the choice, but made it her goal to destroy those links that had caused her to lose her position. And she succeeded. Unfortunately, her long-time rival, Alessandro Calogera, was no longer in Paris that she could find. Rumor had it he had traveled to America, leaving Europe behind at last. Her new outlook on unlife would have to wait before it could be put to use on him.

1842-Join Guild of Muses through friend, Lord Randall Channing (player, [e-mail]). Childe Massimo was a student there, and they reminisced.

1878-Adriana embraces Leslie LeBlanc

1905-Adriana, having had some accomplishment in her efforts in Paris, but the strain was growing and she felt the time to leave had come. She sold what she needed to, packed up what she had, and took a ship across the Atlantic into America. Contact was made early on with William Talbot (Brandon Daniels, US2002021119) in Cincinnati. She traveled there to work alongside him in a brewing effort to bring more Daeva Invictus into the country, which would later be fairly successful. She opened up her first night club in America there, again, focusing on the wealthy and high society. Her club offered culture and luxury while offering a place away from family and responsibility. She began growing her art patronship once she became settled in the new area.

1926- Embraced Heaven Leigh (need story!!)

1929-1989
The Depression hit Adriana just as hard as it hit the rest of the country. Her strength waning due to her long days awake, she chose to take the opportunity to dip once again into the darkness of torpor. She secured what items she could, entrusting some with William Talbot, and sending other items away to be safely held in secret banks and vaults, Adriana let torpor claim her.

2004-Upon waking, Adriana found herself in a vastly different world. She struggled to start up a new club, but her lack of knowledge of technology and current events kept her from being too successful. A young vampire by the name of Amon Graves, saved her club one evening from attack by a rival, and she was immensely grateful. She swore herself to him once he promised to assist her in learning the new workings of the world. Selling off her club, she followed Amon to Ft Worth where they could work together.