Trip to Italy....and may need back up.

[Holister]

Greetin's Ya'll

I got a friend of mine over in Europe who has asked me to come over and help him out with some wierd stuff goin' on in the Alps over there. Something about a legend pertainin' to a ghostly gladiator and missing hikers. So I figure I could use the vacation, but before I go trapsyin' off to some foreign country I would inquire bout havin' a little back-up. So if ya'll interested in a trip to Italy, drop me a line.

Thanks and have yerself a good day.

[Kolya]

I won't be able to make it.

[Gotham Witch]

I'm afraid I've got some matters that are keeping me in the 5 Boroughs for awhile, otherwise I'd offer to travel.

Good luck in Italy. I hope everything goes well.

[Holister]

Greetins'

Ok, here is somethin' for the society eggheads. Maybe ya'll can make some sense out of this. I get to work this mornin' and some 80 year old Italian guy (an I mean Italian) is at the station claimin' he needs to see me and that it was direly urgent, or at least I assumed that from the way he was carryin' on, heck I could barely understand a word he was sayin'. I had to call Frank in there to translate. Turns out the guy was in fact from Italy and was speakin' a mash of Italian and old Latin. Even Frank was havin' a hard time figurin' out what this guy was ramblin' on about.

Well long story short, this guy goes into his pocket and pulls out this medallion lookin' thing and shoves it into my hand, then keels over right there on the spot. We got him over to the clinic, but the doc said it was too late and that the old guy died from a massive coronary embolism, which is doctor speak for a massive heart attack. Well I get back to the station to fill out the report and I remember the medallion he slipped to me.

Its made of bronze or somethin' similar on a iron chain. Its small bout 2 inches across with three crossed swords in front of a blazing sun and a single drop of blood from the end of each sword. The inscription was strange, probably in Italian or Latin...says this around the eadge

"In Redemptor Interfectorm Umbras"

and this in the sword hilts..

"De Coelo Et Inferno, Et Magnum Nomen Natique"

I have not a clue what this means. I would ask Frank cept' he had to leave town to find out more bout the old man. So anyone here have to slightest clue what this means? I get the sinkin' feelin' this may have to do with my trip to Italy.

[Gotham Witch]

"The Assassin in the Shadow of the Redeemer" and "of Heaven and Hell, a great name was born".

That's the rough translation. My Latin's kind of rusty I'm afraid. I also frankly have no idea what it means.

Symbolically, crossed swords in Christianity refer to the readiness to fight evil. Pointed upwards, it signifies a time of action. Pointed downwards, it implies a time of peace or rest.

I hope that's at least somewhat helpful.

[GhostSpider]

A rough translation indeed. Though I will admit that the phrases are quite ambiguous, and I doubt I could do better. Several of the words do have multiple meanings.

Interfectorm could mean assassin, but it could also mean killer or destroyer. Natique could also mean destined.

I am currently staying in Venice. In my current state I am not sure what help I can provide, except maybe a place for you to crash, should you need it. Mi casa, es su casa.

[Gotham Witch]

When one spends most of their life using a Germanic language, Romance (Latin especially) is just weird. I did consider those other meanings, but they didn't make a whole lot more sense. In general, the inscription is cryptic.

PS: Venice eh? One of these days I'll visit there. It sounds nice.

[GhostSpider]

It is a beautiful city. I have traveled extensively, and seen many lovely places, but Venice has always been my favorite. Now that I no longer have to uproot myself every two weeks, I find it nice to have a more permanent home while I try and come to terms with this new life.

Incidentally, should you decide to visit, you are more than welcome to stay in one of the guest rooms here. This house has a lot of room, far more than I use. Hotel prices in Venice are ridiculous.