<span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="font-weight: bold">History</span></span></span></span><br/>In the year 1095, Pope Urban II called for a Holy War into Southern Levant (Palestine) to assist the Byzantine Empire with an invasion of Seljuk Turks into the region. Over the next four years, knights from all over Christian Europe took up the mantle and fought in Levant, consolidating lands throughout the region, creating the Kingdom of Jerusalem.<br/><br/>In the year 1099, the Priory of Sion was created. This secret organization of the Catholic Church answered only to the Pope in Rome himself and to no one else. The Priory created the Knights Templar who became the military arm and financial resource to fund the endeavors of the Priory.  Membership of the Priory were a special breed. They were not of normal European stock. They had been blessed by God with a gift and their numbers rose into the hundreds. These Centurions conducted covert operations in the name of the Holy Father in Rome.<br/><br/>During these early days of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the society discovered vampires, werewolves, demons and other hideous beasts of unspeakable notoriety in Levant. They also discovered the ability to infuse immortality as a blessing amongst certain<span style="font-style: italic">warriors</span>who were descendents of the Roman Centurions, witnesses to the Passion of Christ.<br/><br/>Vessels, crafted in and around Jerusalem where Jesus Christ died and was buried, constructed to bear the essence of the immortal Centurions. Christ remained in the tomb for three days and rose to fulfill his prophecy as the son of God. The record of his life was preserved by his disciples and created the foundation of the Catholic Church and Christendom. The Roman warriors who witnessed the miracle that is Jesus Christ were blessed with immortality. But they were not free from death.<br/><br/>As long as the immortal Centurions perform their deeds within the teachings of Jesus Christ, mimicking the practices of the Arch Angels, Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. These immortal Centurions are granted an existence in an immortal life. They are immune to all mortal viruses and ailments. They cannot suffer illnesses, but can suffer injury. They do not possess a heightened regenerative ability and can therefore be killed. These Warriors of the Priory must capture the essence of their fallen comrade in one of the artifacts constructed after the death of Jesus Christ.<br/><br/>Each successive immortal Centurion has passed on his essence upon his death into the Artifacts of Jerusalem. They are safe guarded by the Priory of Sion. The immortal Legionnaires receive their<span style="font-style: italic">missions</span>or assignments from the Holy See in Rome. The Holy Father designates one Cardinal as Grand Master of the Priory who oversees the Centurions.<br/><br/>It is unknown how many Roman Legionnaires received this Blessing and the artifacts containing their essence have been scattered throughout Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. The number is rumored to be in the hundreds. Several of these Artifacts are lost, buried and uncovered  by unsuspecting, soon to be Centurions of the Priory. Both Maximlien, Comte Burgundy and Francesca Romano are two such immortal Centurions.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="font-weight: bold">The Vatican, Rome, Italy 1896</span></span></span></span><br/>Our story begins with these reluctant Centurions of the Sion, employed by the Priory in Rome. The first is Maximilien von Sachsen, born a Count of Burgundy in the mid 16th Century. He has been fighting vampires, werewolves and demons from Satan's hell for nearly three hundred years. He is aided by a companion, Francesca Romano born of Italian nobility over a hundred years prior. The two Vampire Hunters find themselves in Rome speaking with the Cardinal Giovanni Calderon, the Grand Master of the Priory of Sion.<br/><br/>"Maximilian, where is she?" Cardinal Calderon grew impatient. "This is a dire situation we have going on. It is imperative that she present herself immediately!" The Cardinal was impatiently direct with his comments. He tried to hush them as best he could, but his frustration was quite obvious.<br/><br/>"Please be patient, father," Max attempted to placate the Grand Master knowing every Priory mission was of dire emergency. "She said she would be here. She will be here. I do not want to go anywhere without her."<br/><br/>Maximilien had been in Buda Pest when he was summoned to Rome. It took him several days travel through Austria and Slovenia to arrive in Italy. He rode in a carriage built for a gentleman, sharing with no man. He carried one piece of luggage, but it contained no clothing. His attire was less formal than his preferred dress. Today, he wore leather chaps over cotton trousers, stopping at the knee. His black leather boots stopped just below the knee caps meeting the lederhosen. A white furled dress shirt under a long leather Duster coat, with a wide sweeping collar spread over his back and across his shoulders.  Atop his head rested his favorite black Planter Flat Crown Cap with ties. Around his neck, an ornate silver crucifix, gifted to him by Cardinal André-Hercule de Fleury in 1743 prior to his death. Max has worn it ever since, vowing never to remove it. At his hip, he maintains a silver rapier with leather bound hilt and under his Duster, four silver serrated daggers and a Model 1892 MAS 8mm Lebel revolver complete with silver bullets.<br/><br/>Cardinal Calderon's missive appeared urgent, generating a reciprocating sense of urgency within himself. He was unaware of Senorita Romano's location and hoped they would meet up in Rome. He also hoped she would possess the same sense of urgency. He hated making the Holy Father wait any longer than need be.