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Saphir's Renaissance KUY Congrats - Round 1
Rather a long time ago now, I ran a medieval royal congrats game - I had a great time doing it, and, inspired by my recent viewing (Medici: Masters of Florence) and reading (Paul Strathern’s The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance, and Mary Hollingworth’s The Borgias: History's Most Notorious Dynasty), I thought it might be fun to run a similar game set in Renaissance Italy. It’s not going to be totally historically accurate, because (a) I am not a historian, and my knowledge is only as good as my Google searches, and (b) I don’t think it’ll be much fun for anyone if I get bogged down with all the minute details!You’ll need dice to play: I tend to use http://www.brockjones.com/dieroller/dice.htm
You can play purely the naming/family element, or create a story to your game.So…The year is 1400. Italy is divided into many city states - some governed by Dukes, others nominally a democracy. The arts are flourishing, funded by the patronage of wealthy families: families like yours. Banking is a lucrative industry, and today, as throughout history, money talks. Whether it’s buying a title for your family, or bribing your way into the papacy, cash is just about the only way to guarantee your success and your safety in this world. As the new head of your family (may your father rest in peace), you must walk a fine line between caution and innovation, prudence and risk-taking, and ensure the glory of your ever-expanding family in the decades to come.First, roll d6 for the city state in which your family is based:
1 - Florence
2 - Ferrara
3 - Milan
4 - Venice
5 - Genoa
6 - SienaThen, roll d4 for the number of children your starting couple has to begin with. For their genders, roll d2 - 1 for a boy, 2 for a girl - you can choose their ages. Finally, choose names from the namebank for your couple and their children - if you wish, you can also include various other family members (siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles and the like) in your family unit, particularly if you’re wanting to play a more story-oriented game. The surname you choose for your family will be your main dynasty; your spouse’s family can be counted as your closest allies. Feel free to choose another surname to serve as your rivals, or any other backstory you want!Namebanks can be found below:Giovanni Antonio Piero Francesco Iacopo Bartolomeo Niccolo Matteo
Tommaso Filippo Bernardo Lorenzo Andrea Michele Luca Leonardo Biagio Niccolaio
Agostino Taddeo Luigi Santi Marco Stefano Mariano Dario Damiano Cipriano Martino AlessandroMaria Lucrezia Maddalena Caterina Giovanna Giuliana Antonia Margherita
Salvaza Simona Filippa Pia Alessandra Cristina Piera Isabetta Bartolomea Tessa Diana Serena
Jacopa Gemma Catalina Marsilia Joanna Angela Leonarda Nicolosa Tommasa GiuliettaAndriolo Toscanelli Sarretti Frattasio Roselli Giardiola Ferri Pirovano Calzolai Meoni Delmonico Lucetti Morra Grazioli Einaudi Porcellato Vercesi Damasco Castagna AlfieriOrigin Events
I thought for the first round it might be fun to have “events” relating to the origin of your family. They’re optional, just for a little more interest/inspiration for stories! (I’ve left a little “historical note” under a few of the events, mentioning which family/families inspired this backstory, and which parts of it are or aren’t historical)Roll d4:
1 - Pontifex Maximus
Papal conclaves are often tricky business: when neither of two factions of cardinals can get their preferred candidate elected, they may turn to a “compromise candidate”. This candidate is preferably old, pious, and apolitical - someone who will hold office for a few years and then kick the bucket, leaving a vacancy to be filled by whichever faction has managed to garner support over the years. Unfortunately for them, sometimes their compromise candidate rather outlives their expectations. A hundred or so years ago, your great grandfather was such a pope. Despite being 71 when he was elected, he held the position for almost ten years, and elevated several of his nephews to the rank of cardinal, allowing them to secure valuable diplomatic and financial ties. One of these nephews - your great uncle - founded the family bank, which has since been passed down through the generations (because, let’s be honest, who’s really obeying those rules about “clerical celibacy” anyway?). Your family still holds a lot of sway within the Church, considering the number of cousins, uncles, and whoever else still hold office there.
(Alfonso de Borgia was elected around the age of 77 as a compromise candidate in 1455 - he appointed his nephew, Rodrigo Borgia to the College of Cardinals, paving the way for him to become Pope Alexander VI and advance his children’s interests. The practice of appointing nephews (who were frequently illegitimate sons) as cardinals was fairly common.)
2 - A Particular Ardour
The pope is supposed to be celibate. Everyone knows this. However, with what some might describe as shocking infrequency, the pope is found not to be celibate. Everyone knows this, too. A woman, several generations ago, caught the eye of the supreme pontiff, and naturally they began a clandestine relationship. It is said that she bore him a son - this son, your great grandfather, was not given titles by his father, but instead simply a large sum of money. Being a clever, enterprising young man, he used this to buy a small but promising bank trading in a city up north, and grew it until it was a veritable financial empire. So, here’s to great grandfather and his disregard for the rules!
(This one is slightly more generalised, but Pope Alexander VI (yep, him again) had many mistresses while he was pope, including Vannozza dei Cattanei, with whom he had four children, and Giulia Farnese, described by Alexander & Vannozza’s son Cesare as having “a particular ardour”.)
3 - The Great Pestilence
A terrible plague struck the city, many years ago. A common enough story, one which can be heard in any place in Italy, or France, or Aragon, or any number of countries. It raged on for weeks, months, maybe even years. It killed thousands, devastated the economy, left the city and its people in ruins. And what did the noble leaders of the city do? They ran away to their mansions in the country, leaving the common people to die in filthy agony. Eventually, a man and a woman, having lost three children with two more lying sick on the ground, said enough was enough. They gathered the support of those who survived, and seized power, declaring that it was now a democratic city of the people. That was lovely, for a generation, until one of their two surviving sons married the only child of a very rich banker, inherited the business, and began pulling all the strings in the democracy. Ah, well, a few generations later and the people can’t even remember what it was like to govern themselves.
(There’s no particular historical basis for this one, there just happened to be plague in the episode of Medici I was watching last night!)
4 - Sometimes, the Sword is Mightier than the Pen
There are some rulers in the city, some ancient noble family. They aren’t very popular, but then, rulers never are. With time, they grow unpopular enough that the people throw their support behind the rulers’ greatest rivals, a family of fairly small time bankers with loud mouths and big ideas. The people want to install these bankers as rulers - the bankers refuse, seeing that they’ll just be deposed in a few years (there are a few brain cells behind those loud mouths). They do, however, loan a large sum of money to their preferred candidate for ruler. After a year of bloody conflict and the spending of many, many ducats, their man wins, and promises lucrative deals to the bank who helped him. Surprisingly, he follows through on his words, and soon the family of small time bankers are a family of big time bankers - one of the most successful in Italy, in fact, and with several marriages to the ruling dynasty of their city.
(Again, no historical precedent - I realised halfway through writing these that most families’ influence came from the papacy in some way or another)Il nous faut de l'audace, et encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace !http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/185597
My PNL!

This message was edited 5/1/2019, 10:56 AM

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Venice, 1400DH: Antonio Giovanni Vercesi
DW: Caterina Lucrezia Vercesi (née Meoni)DS: Antonio Giovanni, II——————————————Years ago, a pope whose name has been lost to time was part of a surreptitious affair with a young noblewoman. The pope was little-known and the woman’s family belonged to the lower ranks of Venetian court, so this dalliance continued for quite a while with no suspicion. Until, the woman gave birth to a son - a man now known as Giovanni Vercesi. He grew to be a clever young man, and having been given a small fortune from his father, soon started an impressive bank just north of his home Venice. As such, the family bank was passed to his son, his grandson, and great-grandson Antonio Giovanni. The latter, now with his kind wife Caterina and kinder son Antonio II, is in a state of comfortable wealth.
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Genoa, 1400H (40): Piero Francesco Castagna (son of Niccolo Biagio Castagna and Piera Antonia Morra)
W (33): Catalina Tommasa Einaudi (daughter of daughter of Tommaso Mariano Einaudi and Diana Serena Delmonico)S1 (16): Antonio Matteo Castagna
S2 (12): Michele Bernardo Castagna H (dec., 41): Andrea Martino Sarretti (son of Iacopo Luigi Sarretti and Giulietta Simona Castagna)
SIL (36): Alessandra Maria Einaudi (daughter of Tommaso Mariano Einaudi and Diana Serena Delmonico)Ni1 (18): Pia Maddalena Sarretti
Ne1 (17): Damiano Santi Sarretti
Ne2 (12): Luca Stefano Sarretti Piero Castagna and Andrea Sarretti, first cousins, became close friends during the War of Chioggia. They grew up together but it wasn't until the war that they truly bonded. They even married in to the same family, the Einaudis: Catalina and Alessandra, respectively. Andrea recently passed and Piero vowed to take care of his family.
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Year: 1400
City state:
FerraraDH [31] Francesco Cipriano Lucetti
DW [30] Giulietta Marsilia [Saretti] LucettiDD [9] Maria Cristina Lucetti
DS [6] Matteo Tommaso LucettiBackstory
The Great Pestilence
A terrible plague struck the city, many years ago. A common enough story, one which can be heard in any place in Italy, or France, or Aragon, or any number of countries. It raged on for weeks, months, maybe even years. It killed thousands, devastated the economy, left the city and its people in ruins. And what did the noble leaders of the city do? They ran away to their mansions in the country, leaving the common people to die in filthy agony. Eventually, a man and a woman, having lost three children with two more lying sick on the ground, said enough was enough. They gathered the support of those who survived, and seized power, declaring that it was now a democratic city of the people. That was lovely, for a generation, until one of their two surviving sons married the only child of a very rich banker, inherited the business, and began pulling all the strings in the democracy. Ah, well, a few generations later and the people can’t even remember what it was like to govern themselves.
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DH(33): Marco Tommaso Pirovano
DW(23): Filippa Pirovano, née Sarretti
-DD(4): Filippa PieraPiera” Pirovano
-DD(3): Tommasa LeonardaTessa” Pirovano
-DD(1): Salvaza Maria “Salva” Pirovano
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Genoa - 1400DH: Francesco Piero Lucetti II (45)
DW: Pia Margherita [Morra] Lucetti (28)DD: Maria Salvaza Lucetti (10)
DS: Francesco Piero Lucetti III (6)
DS: Tommaso Andrea Lucetti (1)DW's Sister: Cristina Leonarda Morra (32)
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Milan, 14002 - A Particular Ardour
The pope is supposed to be celibate. Everyone knows this. However, with what some might describe as shocking infrequency, the pope is found not to be celibate. Everyone knows this, too. A woman, several generations ago, caught the eye of the supreme pontiff, and naturally they began a clandestine relationship. It is said that she bore him a son - this son, your great grandfather, was not given titles by his father, but instead simply a large sum of money. Being a clever, enterprising young man, he used this to buy a small but promising bank trading in a city up north, and grew it until it was a veritable financial empire. So, here’s to great grandfather and his disregard for the rules!DH: Marco Leonardo Piero Roselli (35) (Son of Lorenzo Marco Bernardo and Guilietta Caterina Piera, nee Grazioli)
DW: Pia Maddalena Filippa Roselli (32) (Daughter of Antonio Bartlomeo Alessandro Pirovano and Maria Lucrezia Margherita, nee Damasco)DS: Lorenzo Biagio Niccolo Roselli (15)
DD: Antonia Marsilia Piera Roselli (13)
DS: Andrea Francesco Bartolomeo Roselli (11)
DD: Giuliana Alessandra Maria Roselli (10)Pia Maddalena Piero Pirovano was the only surviving child to Antonio Bartlomeo Alessandro Pirovano and Maria Lucrezia Margherita, nee Damasco.

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Genoa, 1400"A terrible plague struck the city, many years ago...It raged on for weeks, months, maybe even years. It killed thousands, devastated the economy, left the city and its people in ruins. And what did the noble leaders of the city do? They ran away to their mansions in the country, leaving the common people to die in filthy agony. Eventually, a man and a woman, having lost three children with two more lying sick on the ground, said enough was enough. They gathered the support of those who survived, and seized power, declaring that it was now a democratic city of the people. That was lovely, for a generation, until one of their two surviving sons married the only child of a very rich banker, inherited the business, and began pulling all the strings in the democracy...A few generations later and the people can’t even remember what it was like to govern themselves."DH: Giovanni Alessandro Roselli [35]
DW: Maria Catalina Roselli (née Andriolo) [33]DD: Giovanna Maria Roselli [14]
DS: Matteo Piero Roselli [12]
DD: Cristina Antonia Roselli [9]

This message was edited 6/14/2019, 4:21 AM

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The Pirovano Family from FerraraLorenzo Pirovano, a Banker, married to Maddalena Giardiola
their children:
1. Lucrezia Pirovano
2. Niccolo Pirovano
3. Lorenzo Pirovano "the Younger"
4. Tommaso Pirovano

This message was edited 5/25/2019, 9:53 AM

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Yippee!ROUND 1
1400 - SienaDH [30]: Taddeo Michele Morra, son of Tommaso Andrea Morra and Giulietta Nicolosa (Vercesi) Morra
DW [25]: Piera Simona (Roselli) Morra, daughter of Piero Antonio Damiano Roselli and Margherita Salvaza (Calzolai) RoselliDD [5]: Isabetta Cristina Morra
DD [3]: Maddalena Tessa Morra

Origin Event - A Particular Ardour
The pope is supposed to be celibate. Everyone knows this. However, with what some might describe as shocking infrequency, the pope is found not to be celibate. Everyone knows this, too. A woman, several generations ago, named Serena Lucrezia Porcellato caught the eye of the supreme pontiff, and naturally they began a clandestine relationship. It is said that she bore him a son - this son, your great grandfather Niccolaio Luca Morra, was not given titles by his father, but instead simply a large sum of money. Being a clever, enterprising young man, he used this to buy a small but promising bank trading in a city up north, and grew it until it was a veritable financial empire. So, here’s to great grandfather and his disregard for the rules!

This message was edited 5/13/2019, 6:51 PM

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Location: Venice
Origin: Sometimes, the Sword is Mightier than the Pen
Surname: Pirovano DH: Marco Agostino Giovanni
DW: Pia Isabetta Leonarda DD1: Diana Salvaza Maddalena
DS1: Cipriano Luca Tommaso
DS2: Piero Alessandro Lorenzo
DS3: Dario Matteo Stefano

This message was edited 5/13/2019, 4:52 PM

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This looks like fun!Siena, 1400… soon the family of small time bankers are a family of big time bankers - one of the most successful in Italy, in fact, with several marriages to the ruling dynasty of Siena.DH [31] Iacopo Michele Alessandro Pirovano
DW [27] Lucrezia Piera Catalina [Lucetti] PirovanoDS [8] Piero Michele Alessandro Pirovano
DS [6] Niccolo Tommaso Cipriano Pirovano

This message was edited 5/6/2019, 10:38 AM

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The Alfieri Family of FlorenceDH [33]: Taddeo Niccolaio Alfieri
DW [32]: Lucrezia Giulietta Alfieri (Pirovano)DD [10]: Pia Alessandra Alfieri
DS [7]: Matteo Agostino Alfieri
DD [3]: Joanna Margherita Alfieri"The pope is supposed to be celibate. Everyone knows this. However, with what some might describe as shocking infrequency, the pope is found not to be celibate. Everyone knows this, too. A woman, several generations ago, caught the eye of the supreme pontiff, and naturally they began a clandestine relationship. It is said that she bore him a son - this son, your great grandfather, was not given titles by his father, but instead simply a large sum of money. Being a clever, enterprising young man, he used this to buy a small but promising bank trading in a city up north, and grew it until it was a veritable financial empire. So, here’s to great grandfather and his disregard for the rules!"

This message was edited 5/3/2019, 8:46 AM

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Oh, this should be fun! Thank you for bringing this back!The Giardiola FamilyVenice, 1400H [32]: Lorenzo Leonardo Giardiola
W [25]: Maria Simona (Vercesi) GiardiolaS1 [7]: Luca Leonardo Giardiola
S2 [5]: Damiano Michele Giardiola
D [2]: Pia Filippa Giardiola
S3 [nb]: Andrea Taddeo GiardiolaLorenzo, the only surviving son of Leonardo Giardiola, was a humble Venetian lad who helped his artisan father operate his shop in the market. Signor Giardiola had all kinds of clients, from struggling artisans all the way up to the bankers of the city, who took an interest in Lorenzo's diplomatic acumen and head for figures.See, the authority in Venice was the Calzolai family. They had been in charge for so long that they forgot what enabled them to dictate the laws of the city in the first place. The bankers liked their occupations but sought a new figurehead to mold in their image, and saw young Lorenzo Giardiola as their salvation. Against Leonardo's desires for his son to follow in the family trade, the bankers groomed Lorenzo to be a full-fledged rival to Signor Calzolai, marrying one of the banker's beautiful, erudite daughters, Maria Vercesi. Soon, all of Venice became divided between Calzolai and Giardiola.The war lasted a year. A bloody year. But soon the Calzolai Dynasty came to an end with the patriarch's assassination - and the subsequent surrender of his selected protegee, since all the patriarch's sons had been killed in the conflict, as well. The sole survivor of the once heralded family was little Salvaza Calzolai, who Lorenzo arranged to have placed with distant relatives in Siena.Now, the Giardiola Dynasty is the one with which to contend in Venice.

This message was edited 5/6/2019, 10:43 AM

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Yaaaaaay!The Alfieri Family of MilanDH: Dario Alfieri (24)
DW: Leonarda [Frattasio] Alfieri (24)
DD/DS: Serena Alfieri & Luigi Alfieri (3)
DD: Piera Alfieri (1)
DS: Mariano Alfieri (nb)Long ago, the plague hit Milan, and the nobility didn't care one bit. A couple, Dario's great-great-grandparents to be specific, had already lost three children, and two more were showing symptoms. To avoid their house being burned down with them in it, they rallied the people behind them, declaring democracy. Like twenty years later, their older son, Mariano, married Isabetta Calzolai, only child of an influential banker, and the government was basically puppets from then on.(AN: Yes, Milan burned down the houses of anyone showing symptoms of the plague with the whole family in it.)

This message was edited 6/22/2019, 2:56 PM

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So exciting!!The Lucetti Dynasty of GenoaA terrible plague struck the city, many years ago. A common enough story, one which can be heard in any place in Italy, or France, or Aragon, or any number of countries. It raged on for weeks, months, maybe even years. It killed thousands, devastated the economy, left the city and its people in ruins. And what did the noble leaders of the city do? They ran away to their mansions in the country, leaving the common people to die in filthy agony. Eventually, a man and a woman, having lost three children with two more lying sick on the ground, said enough was enough. They gathered the support of those who survived, and seized power, declaring that it was now a democratic city of the people. That was lovely, for a generation, until one of their two surviving sons married the only child of a very rich banker, inherited the business, and began pulling all the strings in the democracy. Ah, well, a few generations later and the people can’t even remember what it was like to govern themselves...DH (40): Cipriano Francesco Lucetti III {Son of Cipriano Francesco Lucetti II & Margherita Joanna Lucetti}
DW (40): Filippa Leonarda Lucetti [Castagna] {Daughter of Leonardo Martino Castagna & Piera Simona Castagna}~ DD (18): Maddalena Simona Lucetti
~ DD (15): Isabetta Caterina Lucetti
~ DS (13): Cipriano Francesco Lucetti IV
~ DS (10): Niccolo Andrea Lucetti
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The Morras of GenoaH [31] Filippo Morra
W [19] Giulietta AlfieriD [2] Nicolosa Morra
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The Sarretti Family of FlorenceDH: Piero Luigi Damiano Sarretti (41)
DW: Lucrezia Isabetta Nicolosa Sarretti (née Vercesi) (36)DD: Cristina Nicolosa Pia Sarretti (14)
DD: Marsilia Tessa Giulietta Sarretti (6)Origin Events: Pontifex Maximus
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Location: Venice
DH: Antonio Luca Toscanelli [40]
DW: Maria Catalina [Lucetti] Toscanelli [36]
DD: Diana Antonia Toscanelli [16]
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The Rosellis of GenoaAndrea Niccolaio Roselli
Piera Marsilia Roselli, nee PirovanoSimona Nicolosa Roselli
Andrea Taddeo Roselli
Antonia Giulietta Roselli
Filippa Salvaza Roselli
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DH: Piero Lorenzo Einaudi "Pierino" [28]
DW: Maddalena Diana Toscanelli Einaudi "Lena" [27]DD: Giuliana Maria Einaudi "Liana" [7]
DS: Luca Stefano Einaudi [5]
DD: Alessandra Simona Einaudi "Alessa" [2]
DD: Caterina Antonia Einaudi "Rina" [1]DGM: Serena Maria Roselli EinaudiPiero Einaudi, still known as Pierino in many circles, has been trained to head the family bank essentially from birth, which also basically entails running the entire city state as well. His father had still been young, and Piero had not been predicted to take over the family business for at least another decade. But Marco took ill and never got better. Piero's mother, Serena, lives with Piero, his wife, Maddalena, and their four children. Marco was quite ruthless and brash in his rulings, but so far, Piero has been quieter, more cunning, and Genoa's residents aren't yet sure if this is better. Piero is playing the long game, though, hoping to eventually reduce his power enough that most of it resides in the hands of the people, where he believes it should.
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Location: Florence, Italy
DH: Lorenzo Michele Lucetti (36)
DW: Giuliana Antonia (Frattasio) Lucetti (36)
DD: Antonia Filippa Lucetti (16)
DD: Serena Alessandra Lucetti (14)
DD: Isabetta Catalina Lucetti (11)
DS: Taddeo Antonio Lucetti (10)
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Location: Siena, Italy
DH: Matteo Antonio Sarretti (29)
DW: Lucrezia Maria Sarretti {Damasco} (26)DD: Isabetta Diana Sarretti (9)
DS: Luca Filippo Sarretti (7)
DS: Cipriano Alessandro Sarretti (4)
DS: Francesco Piero Sarretti (nb.)Origin: A Particular Ardour- the pope had a son, who was granted a large sum of money.

This message was edited 5/6/2019, 6:43 PM

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DH [27]: Tommaso Alessandro Lucetti
DW [26]: Filippa Caterina (Pirovano) LucettiDS1 [4]: Niccolaio Filippo Lucetti "Nico"
DS2 [1]: Luca Michele Lucetti
--
DH [25]: Niccolaio Giovanni Lucetti
DW [27]: Simona Isabetta (Roselli) LucettiDS1 [4]: Alessandro Piero Lucetti
DD1 [3]: Isabetta Pia Lucetti
DD2 [1]: Maddalena Simona Lucetti
DS2 [0]: Giovanni Matteo LucettiTommaso & Filippa: Niccolaio "Nico", Luca
Niccolaio & Simona: Alessandro, Isabetta, Maddalena, Giovanni
In 1329, a terrible plague hits Milan. A man and a woman return to their home - if you can call a collapsing flat of two rooms a home - and try to suppress their sobs. They have just buried their youngest child, right next to her older brother and sister. They move from what passes as a kitchen into what passes as a bedroom, where their two surviving sons lie. They are pale, feverish, the dreaded welts across their necks an awful reminder of their condition. The man and the woman do their best to cool their sons' sweaty foreheads, force some water down their throats, and then return to their bedside vigil. They speak in hushed tones:"They're going to die, Bernardo. We can't do anything to stop it.""They can't. Surely someone can help us?"The woman lets out a bitter laugh."No one can help us but the Duke and his physicians, and we all know where they are. Safely tucked away in the hills, where the plague can't reach them. Where they can't face God's retribution for their own unlawful rule.""Maddalena... you can't say such things. They'll have you killed."She scoffs."They'd have to enter the city first.""This is besides the point. We must do something to save our boys, Maddalena.""And what do you suggest? Storming the palace, taking-- taking what they have left..." She trails off. "That's just it. We storm the palace. Take their supplies. Show to them that God has given them no right over this city."Bernardo pales."Maddalena, this is madness. You cannot possibly suggest such a-"

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♡ The Morra Family: Renaissance Edition ♡Genoa, Italy 1400DH: Lorenzo Damiano Morra
DW: Pia Maddalena MorraDD: Gemma Marsilia MorraBackground: New ruling family & family of “big time bankers” that financially supported their rise to power. (4)Note: I love your writing!

This message was edited 5/1/2019, 1:27 PM

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