Post by Katie on Jul 1, 2020 18:14:22 GMT -5
The Pitch
Venice, the Year of Our Lord 1471
The first dawn of the Renaissance is on the horizon as humanity moves into a new age of enlightenment, invention and cultural revolution. Venice itself is a flourishing city of merchant-princes and noble families, where fortunes are made and lost in an elaborate web of politics, trade routes, street wars and assassinations. Plundered treasures from the fallen city of Constantinople can be found in the museums and estates of the city’s nobility, while merchant families near the docks oversee operations and mercantile enterprises involving dozens, even hundreds, of ships stocked with cargoes both mundane and exotic – glass works, weaving, cloth, candles, nails, lumber… even silks from mysterious Cathay to the East. Few cities are as prosperous as the trade hub of Venice, which sees visitors from all over Europe and Asia.
But the city is also home to a downtrodden population of impoverished citizens working their lives away as in any other medieval city. Jewish ghettos and urban slums lay in the shadows cast by churches and palatial mansions, and the entire city is founded on deep, lightless canals that run as streets between the small islands that the city was founded upon centuries ago. Venice is a city of decadence and incredible trade wealth, as well as a nexus of back-alley murders and sinister political machinations. Whispers of the Albigensian Crusade still pass through high and low society, as heretics decrying the Catholic Church band together in hidden cults. Opposing them are the agents and knights of the new-born Inquisition, who root out heresy and witchcraft in a bid to save the souls of their fellow men as well as spread the word of God through fear.
Behind the façade of warring families and the darkness of ghetto streets, the vampires of Venice exist as the secret rulers of the city. They hide within the heaving populace – leaders of street gangs, secret heads of merchant families, undying lords of noble houses. Rivalries that last forever are played out in the shadows of the great city, as the undead clans of Venice backstab and wage war against one another over matters both political and petty. The most powerful of the factions being the Giovanni families, and their greasy fingers in the politics of Venetian Vampire Society.
The Giovanni hold the keys to the city of Venice, but their power is far from absolute. After wresting control of the city from the legacy of Lasombra heretics, the new clan's founder Augustus Giovanni the circle of his most trusted progeny retreated into isolation and secrecy as they worked to strengthen the clan's growth and position between the warring factions of the new-born Camarilla and the Anarchs bent on devouring their elders.
The events of the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1470 have given Clan Giovanni (and those who watch the city of Venice with greedy eyes) a reason to doubt the clan's absolute rule in the city of Venice. A Catholic feast day held in the domain of a major cathedral was joined by ghostly apparitions. Reports vary widely, but the kine have reported seeing the likes of long-dead crusaders, Saints and royal dignitaries partaking in the festivities.
Fearing the rise of the Inquisition in Venice, Clan Giovanni has allowed a contingent of Camarilla into Venice to help track down the source of this blatant violation of the Silence of the Blood all the while intently denying any involvement by Clan Giovanni in the event. Camarilla have come to Venice, intent on uprooting the source of this calamity, restoring order, and leveraging this act against the Giovanni in the secret negotiations between the faction elders.
The Anarchs are here too, perhaps seeking the perpetrator of this event as an ally against the Camarilla or else to win favor with Clan Giovanni, who they see naturally see as potential allies in the Anarch Revolt. Venice is a metropolitan, political hub, playing host to many people from many parts of the world. This makes infiltration easier for the Anarchs and the Assamites who watch and guide from the shadows.
Characters are taken into this society of the undead, stolen from mortal life and work and inducted into the ranks of the city’s vampire population. Some characters will maintain their connections to their lives, such as contacts, mortal wealth and trusted friends, while others focus on their vampiric powers and creating blood-addicted human servants. The group will be a coterie of vampires who seek to retain their sanity as they take blood from mortals, maintain status in the civilised society of the damned, while fighting to survive the hidden war fought between the vampire clans of Venice.
So What Edition Is This Chronicle Anyway?
Mechanically? FOTA is a Classic World of Darkness 20th Anniversary Dark Ages Chronicle in the sense that the majority of the systems are using 20th Anniversary Dark Ages edition rules unless otherwise noted in the House Rules category of this wiki.
Some modifications may borrow from earlier editions or be entirely of our own making. This is especially the case in our game because The Venetian Renaissance happens on its own timeline. It is technically after Dark Ages, but certainly NOT Modern. In our case, we will be using the V20 Dark Ages Core Rulebook, with some twists from the Main 20th Anniversary book, and a tweaked combat system, because Celerity is cray cray.
We introduce modifications for a number of reasons, but the main ones are to simplify crossover encounters, resolve inconsistencies or ambiguous rules in the books, facilitate crossovers, and to bring the setting to life in a manner in which is consistent with the vision of the creator of the FOTA Chronicle.
What About The Cosmology of FOTA?
The Classic World of Darkness line is inconsistent with its cosmology across its various games. In Feast of the Annunciation we will mostly be using the Dark Ages cosmology, and using other revised edition books for the rest, which may include fay and demons. The rest is homebrew. If you have question please feel free to ask staff so we can elaborate.
As for God, Caine, Lilith, and all those vampire myths players like to drag into the game... it really shouldn't be a focus for ALL player characters, as Pc's are neonates and they do not know much of these things yet. Though please work with a ST if you are planning on being a Noddist etc. and we can flesh our what Lore your character knows. The lore system is intact, meaning what you buy at character creation is ALL you know. You will learn more throughout the game, and may add dots accordingly. Sorting fact from fiction and placing it within the context of the game world's cosmology is a mystery to be unraveled through game play.
Stories and adventures are focused on individual characters and their adventures rather than on cannon or lore events.
What About The Metaplot?
FOTA doesn’t adhere with White Wolf’s metaplots.
At most we use general background history and concepts as a foundation for our original creation.
This means that the closer the events come to the end of the game line, the less likely they are going to have an impact on FOTA. Events well in the past that shaped and laid foundations for the World of Darkness as a whole, usually can be counted as part of FOTA canon. So as an example you could count on the Anarch Revolt happening as it did in canon.
NPCs are all our own making even if inspiration from cannon characters may be used. Dropping the name of some Prince in out in the Pacific Northwest is not going to be helpful to you.
You can't expect to open up a sourcebook and see what is planned for the game.
Roleplaying Tips for Players Tip Toeing Around Metaplot
We understand that there will always be questions about the metaplot and things changing from edition to edition. What about the Cappadotians? What about the War in Constantinople? Are the Gangrel down with the Camarilla or are they gone? Etc. So what is our advice for all concerned?
Understand that FOTA cherry picks from canon and focuses on the main themes rather than obscure details. Like any other chronicle out there, the staff has its own interpretations of the setting as you can plainly tell by each venue's categories in the wiki. We make our own backstories and metaplots.
So our advice is to use broad strokes of a brush when dealing with the metaplot from canon. Be a little flexible and leave a lot of room. Use general concepts and themes from Classic WoD and steer away from namedropping specific events, characters, places, etc. If you do that, you should be fine. Play your Lores.
Be flexible and respect that we have our own setting with events for everyone to explore and new names to uncover.
If you're ever stuck or unsure as to what to do, just toss a DM to us in the Discord.