Memento Mori - The Enduring Force Behind the Paesani Community

Greetings All, 

 As we get ready to close out one year and enter a New ..

The Chronicles present a  Wonderful Interview written

 by the Beautiful Pasha Braveheart

Photos by Grace and yours truly ..

Careful, fore I am always watching ..from a far .. *grins*

In a lovely and charming Vampire way of course .

Memento Mori - The Enduring Force Behind the Paesani Community
"Above all ... Remember Your Mortality"
Interview by Pasha Braveheart
It was a clandestine meeting in the Slaughtered Lamb, arranged by Grace, the owner of the establishment, via a network of her trusted sources. Under the cloak of darkness, I was escorted to the back room where I found the figure of the bearded, hunched over, wrinkled elder, leaning on his cane awaiting me. In order to more easily connect with him, I had donned the familiar garb of the Paesani instead of the norm of my more formal Borghesia court attire. I was immediately stricken by the sense of serenity and wisdom that seemed to emanate from him. Although, something about the man seemed odd and unnatural, although, curiously, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Without too much formality of introduction, in fact his identity remains a mystery to me and shall remain anonymous, I was told that I would not be permitted much of the esteemed leaders precious time. The simple fact that was conveyed was that he is the eldest of the Three Gipsy Kings who lead the the Paesani Community under the Memento Mori. With this information,

 I was given the nod to begin the interview.

Wanting to understand his position on the recent and continuing beatings and general mistreatment of the Paesani, I inquired about what possible plan they had to handle such situations. With a downcast look he offered, ""Well, it be a hard life for us, no court protects us and with that the 'chosen' feel they be able to do as they wish. What we do is try to survive... there is never enough humans to stop the 'chosen', but we try to defend ourselves...though we are not all lucky to have a family to turn to, many of the poor be wandering souls, street rats. Here be the only sanctuary the young have. They run here to the Slaughtered Lamb for some sense of protection, but in truth we can only hope the 'chosen' see their 'cattle' being abused. It be like if we, as farmers, abused the cows. Would they produce milk?... To harm the beasts only brings pain and end result, those'chosen' will one day feel the impact."

My next question was directed to the practice of breeding and more to the point, the newborns being removed from their mothers to be raised as Borghesia. This question caused the old man to place his hand over his heart as he began his response, "Aye....there be one...the young lady that be at the fish stall.

They tell us that once we be with child the baby will soon after be taken. The pain a mother must have is more than many can bare. I have not that worry nor that feeling but I have seen many of my own abused, taken, even killed in my long years." Once again referring to the pregnant fishmonger he speculated, "The poor thing....if there was a way we could hide the child...or send it away, something to keep it from being placed into a system....it be wrong to take the youngn' from their mothers."

Being a borghesia myself and finding my life quite pleasant, save for the occassional rental by the 'chosen', I asked the elder what caused the Paesani to be so steadfastly against the Borghesia way. At this he shook his head, "Some it be a better way, the safer way...but for most of us we choose this sense of freedom above the protection....some are too poor and some are to resistant.

Pride be a beast on it's own young lady. We wouldn't want to sell our blood.

It be ours and some rather be taken by force before willingly giving up the only things we got."

When questioned about the support system the Paesani community offer each other, he struggled to puff out his chest in pride as he explained, "Ah that be the best part. We be a family in all the sense. We cry, laugh, sing, dance together, most orphaned or lost but we came together and with it enjoy what we do have. We watch and protect each other and love each other. If there be no protection from the world, we just see each others faces and it be enough, no knights from stories, no magic life...but for the moments we be together it be what reminds us what it be to be a loved human, a family!"

In conclusion, one last question caused the elder to raise his eyebrows and nod as if he'd been waiting for the opportunity to express his thoughts on the matter for ages. When asked what would he want the citizens of Venexia to know about the Paesani, he spoke with a determined tone "We are only human, we cry, work, bleed...just as the Borgs do. The difference in us is so little, it pains me to see the look on the face of the well dressed to look down on my own for the choice to pull away from court....in the end it be human blood...Memento Mori....remember your mortality! And for those that be' chosen', I ask the view on us be in what we are...humans that survive! Our hopes, our dreams, all be frail and for us to look upon these beings and know they once be human too, we wish only for what we need our home, our life our food! We can get by, but abuse us not for we are only simple creatures! View us as fleeting dreams as only a blink in your eyes! Treasure the only gift we can give and abuse it not! ...But that only be words from an old man!"