Lucretia Borgia as a Heretic

[Black Fox]

In the first edition corebook of Wraith, there were two artifacts that referenced Lucretia Borgia. The first was the Mirror of Lucretia which enabled someone to talk with their Shadow. The second was the Borgia Dollhouse where dolls would emulate the activities of the wraiths they were fashioned after so you could gain insight into them. This last one referenced defector from the Hierarchy, Heretic craftsman and Heretic ceremony.

Together they implied Lucretia Borgia after death became a wraith and a heretic, seemingly an important one. I found this fascinating as I'm intrigued by the legends surrounding the Borgia family.

Does anyone know if this was ever expanded in any materials?

[Shakanaka]

I've never seen anything about her since I mainly read Wraith 2nd and few other supplements from the 2nd edition era. The few historical characters in Wraith I can remember off the bat without checking is Maximilien Robespierre, Flavius Belisarius, and Otto Von Bismarck. I think only the Hierarchy and the Renegades got their own supplement book, but not the Heretics.

[Black Fox]

Most of the artifacts were carried over in Wraith 2nd edition, but not these two so any possible setting ideas were likely dropped during the transition. But that TWO separate artifacts mentioned Lucretia Borgia seemed to indicate something was initially planned. After all, there was no reason to name drop her at all. It might have been something the original Developer Jennifer Hartshorn (who also wrote some of the books) was planning.

There's nothing in the historical facts of legends concerning Lucretia that points to an obvious inspiration or lead for her being a Heretic in Stygia, that I know of. But the lurid legends around her and her family gives one plenty of fodder to do something.

Wraith lacked a lot of the typical supplements that the other game lines had. No Storyteller's Guide/Handbook. And as you said Heretics never got a book though Hierarchy/Legions and Renegades did (though these last two came way after first edition). So a lot of things never got developed that normally would.

[Shakanaka]

In Wraith alot of many historical characters are namedropped but aren't given any real insight beyond those drops. I guess beyond that point its an interesting thing to note that they are, so that maybe an independent ST themselves can stat them out. The only historical figure so far that I remembered that has gotten a good flesh-out was Robespierre as a major leader of the Renegades against the Hierarchy.

[Black Fox]

There's been various references to real historical figures in Wraith. But when they do, it's typically things that make obvious sense. Their manners of death are consistent with the Legion's claims, and their behavior in the afterlife seems to match what we knew about them in life. For example, I don't think anyone was surprised to learn Robespierre was a Renegade. (Though how much human politics really makes sense translated to the Underworld is something I think is very debatable).

However, it isn't obvious why Lucretia Borgia should be referenced as a Heretic. I am no expert on her although I have read several histories and fictional stories about the Borgia family so I should be good enough for the purposes of a WoD setting. Now this isn't completely incompatible with her either, but it's definitely something that needs to be explained as it is likely a result of the Wraith setting as opposed to her actual biography. Hence part of my fascination.

I think there's a lot of potential in the idea. But it looks like I'll need to develop it on my own.

[Shakanaka]

Maybe she became a Heretic because she was heavily tied to the Catholic Church and her father was a Pope? idk