Instruments of Darkness: Mask of Herne Part 2

Instruments of Darkness: Mask of Herne Part II

Issue 1, The Latin Massacre

Constantinople, Capital of the Byzantine Empire, 1182 AD

The Schism between the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches has carried on since the height of the Roman empire and the rioting that saw the murder and displacement of over 60,000 Catholic's in Constantinople was like a match being struck to a powder keg that would one day explode. Explode and see Crusader's of the Fourth Crusade, Catholic knights from France and Italy's city states, murdering and stripping the city bare whilst a great fire engulfs its ancient buildings in this great city's sacking in 1202 AD.

And in those streets rival bands of vampires all converge on the Great Library where the Vault is housed. the Vault which is rumoured to hold the greatest accumulation of esoteric artefacts and books of magic in the known world.

Knowledge gathered by the mysterious Druid Almarchus a vampire from ancient Gaul and guarded by him and his daughter in blood, Brigid. They watch in horror as the flames begin to edge ever closer to this precious arcane library and will do anything to protect its irreplaceable contents.

The Swedish vampire Edda and Alric the Celt rush to the plaza in front of the Great Library to stop their old rival's escape only to find two companies of soldiers locked in combat, fighting for the right to enter the Vault first and take the secrets they hold.

Remigio is a Genoese vampire and a soldier of fortune and was burnt out of the Latin quarter in the Massacre of the Latins some twenty years before. Remigio wants the knowledge only to sell it to the highest bidder and clashes with a French crusader knight and vampire, Thierry Proudhon, who needs the secrets of Necromancy to bring back the vampire that made him, a vampire they burnt at the stake.

All have their reasons for being in the same place at the same time and all want the Instruments of Darkness for themselves.