Description
The year is 1260 and Venice teeters on the brink as the wealthiest patricians vie for control.
Author's Note
Welcome to Venice—a labyrinth of canals and intrigue, where fortunes are made on the silk, spice, and slave trades, and betrayal lurks behind every gilded façade. The Doge, once a powerful figure, is now a puppet to be manipulated. Behind him, the Great Council teeters between chaos and consolidation as noble families vie for dominance in the city’s rise to Mediterranean power. A growing divide between the entrenched nobility, rising merchants, and foreign-born traders fuels alliances, betrayals, and assassinations. Outside Venice, Genoa is locked in a bitter struggle for trade dominance; Byzantium is resentful of the 4th Crusade; and the HRE is eager to assert control. - House Ziani: Traditionalists of Venetian values, the Ziani favor cautious foreign policy and oppose reckless expansion. Allies of Byzantium, they fight to preserve the old balance of power. - House Dandolo: Bold imperialists emboldened by their role in the Fourth Crusade, the Dandolo seek naval supremacy and control of Eastern trade, earning them accusations of tyranny. - House Tiepolo: Reformists courting the rising merchant class, the Tiepolo thrive on chaos, undermining patrician traditions to reshape Venice as a broader, merchant-driven republic. - House Gradenigo: Subtle and secretive, the Gradenigo are skilled manipulators and allies of the Ziani, favoring quiet diplomacy to maintain conservative order. - House Contarini: Naval adventurers aligned with the Dandolo, the Contarini pursue maritime empire-building but remain opportunistic and unpredictable in loyalty. - House Querini: Champions of excluded merchants and guilds, the Querini push for reforms, but their egalitarian rhetoric hides their hunger for power. Campaign Hooks: - Players must use bribes, alliances, and sabotage to secure a spot in the Great Council before it is "closed" forever. - A noble is assassinated. Was it a rival, a foreign agent, or the Doge himself trying to reclaim power? - Discontent threatens rebellion.
Characters
(0)No characters yet
Points of Interest
(0)No points of interest yet
Races
(0)No races yet
Classes
(0)No classes yet
Factions
(0)No factions yet
Monsters
(0)No monsters yet
Items
(0)No items yet
Spells
(0)No spells yet