1 219 Years Ago | Off the Western Italian Coast
The former emperors of Rome sailed away from their burning city. The smoke from the fires of Rome was enough to block out the rising sun that morning, perhaps giving those that had attacked her a few hours respite.
The vampires. They knew. Nothing could have torn apart the city's defenses so swiftly but the vampires. For the past 400 years, Emperors of Rome had fought to keep them in check. For most of that time, they had succeeded. The tide began to sway in the reign of Emperor Gordian III. They had heard whispers that the old vampires had been wiped out by a group of just 46 creatures. Were they vampires? Something different? Something... more? What could be more terrifying than a vampire? The Romans had never heard of vampires turning against their own kind.
As the ripples of battle after battle, defeat after defeat, reached the city, the Romans knew they were in for a fight. What they got was a complete and total rout. As soon as the sun fell below the horizon, nearly 3 000 of the creatures tore into the city like wildfire. Their defenses were no match for a power so awesome it must have been magic. Had the gods been angered?
Nevertheless, once the banners of war opened, the Roman Empire reached its close, and the former emperors knew exactly who caused such a cataclysm. The once-emperors shouted her name in anger as they continued to sail away from the wreckage of Rome...
"KALARA VENZALOR!"
5 November 3491 | City of Myrávia
The city put the grandiosity of Rome to shame. Myrávia had, only 1000 years ago, been a barren peninsula on Greater Britain. Now, it was a jewel. It was the vampires' crowning jewel, and they, except for a few thousand enslaved humans, were the city's only inhabitants.
First, a person approaching the City would become acquainted with the Shield. The vast, magical maroon dome cast Myrávia in an eternal night - unnatural to humans, perhaps, but perfect for the vampires who called Myrávia home.
It also served a second purpose - keeping those without the requisite magical knowledge from entering the most sacred city of the vampiric race. How did the vampires keep the Shield of Myrávia intact? Nobody was quite sure. Kalara told no tales.
Passing through the city, the most obvious landmark would be the incredibly vast Palace Venzalor. The palace was easily 30 or 40 buildings, all developed over centuries. Within, the intrigue of the Myrávian Empire's politics proceeded with abandon, hidden away from the world at large...
Within the Grand Convention Hall
The intrigues of Myrávia only became laid bare once every 25 years, at the Gathering of the Covens of Myrávia. One of the few times vampires of all covens can meet in peace, the Gathering brought all the Matriarchs and Patriarchs together for a gathering to air grievances. The Gathering also brought out the fanciest in the vampires, as all of them sought to show off to the other covens, and perhaps to any covenless vampires which had happened upon the city.
As it was, the heads of the covens were only now beginning to gather, while across the continent, 'pious' men began plotting their downfall...