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The Cult of Mithras
When the Player approaches an ancient door, the Blue Angel
appears. And, for lack of a better term, we hear scary music.
Blue Angel: (warning voice) Are you sure you want to go in
there? Dr. Vile brought this room back from Italy, stone by
stone and reassembled it here. It's a mithraeum-a cave sanctuary
of the cult of Mithras. This religion was followed by Roman
soldiers. The ritual was…well, you'll just have to
see for yourself.
If the Player enters the chamber they find themselves in
a tiny mithraeum. These were small caves with an altar/bas
relief at one end depicting the God Mithras slaughtering a
bull.
We hear drums beating an ecstatic, unsettling rhythm.
A Roman soldier, JULIUS GENITORI sits on a stone chair in
front of the altar. His head is cradled in his hands.
JULIUS: To the invincible God Mithras! I, Julius Genitori,
centurion, beg the God's forgiveness for my crime. For my
terrible crime…
The soldier looks up and stares straight ahead. We hear a
bull bellowing in fright.
JULIUS: May this offering protect me from my sin and bring
me everlasting life.
The drums rise to a fevered crescendo. A small hatch opens
above JULIUS'S head, bathing him in sunlight. Suddenly, blood
gushes from the hole, covering him in red gore.
Card: "ROME, 94 A.D."
INT. MITHRAEUM.
JULIUS GENITORI, a Roman soldier, is on his knees in front
of the altar.
The HIGH PRIEST of Mithras sits on the altar chair. He is
wearing a golden mask in the cruel visage of a bearded, Persian
God.
JULIUS: I have sinned in my heart and I must confess because
the desire to commit murder burns inside me.
HIGH PRIEST: Whom do you wish to kill?
JULIUS: My wife. She is sleeping with my brother. I don't
know what to do. I could bring them to trial, but my brother
is a wealthy man-a respected lawyer. He could have me sent
to galleys for libel. Please help me to forgive them.
The HIGH PRIEST cocks his head.
HIGH PRIEST: (aghast) Forgive them? I have a better idea.
He motions JULIUS forward, then whispers in his ear. JULIUS'S
eyes grow wide.
INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT.
JULIUS, now dressed in a simple toga, stands next to a sumptuous
bed. He is holding a sickle used to slaughter bulls.
In the bed are his WIFE and BROTHER. The WIFE opens her eyes,
but before she can scream, the sickle comes down. Various
shots of sickle, blood and writhing bodies.
INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT.
JULIUS puts the bloody sickle into the hands of a drunken
SLAVE who is unconscious outside the room, cradling a wine
jug. JULIUS smears the SLAVE'S face with blood.
INT. MITHRAEUM.
The HIGH PRIEST sits on the altar chair. He is laughing silently.
He takes off his mask and we see that it is DR. STAUF.
The BLUE ANGEL materializes in front of him.
DR. STAUF
Getting the slave drunk and blaming him was a master touch,
don't you think?
The BLUE ANGEL shrugs, but her eyes are not amused.
DR. STAUF
By Roman law, when a slave kills his master, every slave
in the household must also be put to death.
BLUE ANGEL
How many slaves live in the murdered man's household?
DR. STAUF
Three (pause) hundred!
DISSOLVE TO:
JULIUS is sitting on the altar chair, bathed in blood. His
face is set in a mask of horror.
END VIGNETTE
Encounter 1: A statue of a roman soldier on a desk comes
to life and says woefully "Peccavi". The Blue Angel's
voice tells us this is Latin for "I have sinned."
Encounter 2: A full-sized Julius Genitori (video) appears
in one of the hallways. He is covered with blood. He says
"They put them all to death. Even the children and old
women..."
Encounter 3: After the Mithras vignette has been viewed the
Player will find Julius Genitori hanging from the rafters.
The ghastly corpse will speak to the Player saying "This
is how I paid for my sins."
(TO BE COMPLETED)
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