Rousseauäs Notes
Carthian Status: •
Description: This unruly mass of scorched papers is believed to contain some of the early drafts of essays and deliberations that would eventually become “Discourse on Inequality” — one of Jean- Jacques Rousseau’s most famous and provocative works of socio-political philosophy. These Notes display the thought process that went into his conception of man as the “noble savage,” an argument defining modern hierarchical societies as an artificial, corrupting force on Humanity.
Much of the philosophy of The Carthian Movement is rooted in works similar to Rousseau’s, so it’s not surprising that Carthians highly value anything of his that they can get their hands on, much less a near-complete set of the rough notes for one of his books. The original papers are said to have been stolen by a Swiss Mekhet shortly after Rousseau’s death in 1778, and thus they disappeared into the world of the Kindred.
Every so often, the Notes surface again in the hands of one or another Carthian vampires, often displayed as a means to underscore one’s dedication to the Movement before being sold or stolen again. No fewer than three Carthian Kindred have met their Final Death in the intrigues that have surrounded these papers. One Sanctified Bishop is known to have secured them in 1921, and nearly managed to toss them into a fire before they were reclaimed by members of the Movement.
Interpretation: To read Rousseau’s Notes, a vampire must be fluent in French. To fully understand the significance of the statements therein (and how they tie into his published work), a successful Intelligence + Academics roll must be made. The Carthian arguments based on the content of the Notes and whether or not they change the meaning of the “Discourse on Inequality” are so many and so varied that it would be impossible to summarize them all here.
Much of the philosophy of The Carthian Movement is rooted in works similar to Rousseau’s, so it’s not surprising that Carthians highly value anything of his that they can get their hands on, much less a near-complete set of the rough notes for one of his books. The original papers are said to have been stolen by a Swiss Mekhet shortly after Rousseau’s death in 1778, and thus they disappeared into the world of the Kindred.
Every so often, the Notes surface again in the hands of one or another Carthian vampires, often displayed as a means to underscore one’s dedication to the Movement before being sold or stolen again. No fewer than three Carthian Kindred have met their Final Death in the intrigues that have surrounded these papers. One Sanctified Bishop is known to have secured them in 1921, and nearly managed to toss them into a fire before they were reclaimed by members of the Movement.
Interpretation: To read Rousseau’s Notes, a vampire must be fluent in French. To fully understand the significance of the statements therein (and how they tie into his published work), a successful Intelligence + Academics roll must be made. The Carthian arguments based on the content of the Notes and whether or not they change the meaning of the “Discourse on Inequality” are so many and so varied that it would be impossible to summarize them all here.
Item type
Book / Document
Owning Organization