Under the Mask Who’s Who

Florence Alexander Medici– Cicero’s older brother and arguably the rightful Duca di Firenze. There are a number of individuals who have been petitioning the King to have this corrected, but as of yet, requests fall on deaf ears. Armani Beltrano is a thinker and proponent of the Humanist movement. As a linguist and translator he …

The Art of Winemaking

Wine is an integral part of the Italian lifestyle. It’s consumed almost daily and used as part of the sacrament at church services. Public drunkenness is passé and drunkards are seen as gauche, so individuals work hard to quench their thirsts and hold onto a sense of decorum. Aside from politicians and land wealthy individuals, …

Venice/Venezia

Geography Venice, like Milan is bordered by the Alps. The mountain range provides protection from would be invaders from northern and eastern Germanic invaders. Also, similarly to Milan, Venice has a number of rivers that flow through the region allowing for fertile valleys that are great agricultural resources for the region. Economy/Industry Venice makes most …

Ottoman Empire

Geography Due to the sheer size and expanse of the Ottoman Empire, its geography is diverse. The Turks are able to conduct business on a number of seas and rivers. There are lush and fertile valleys that are great for grazing and farming. There are also very arid and sparsely populated tracts of land that …

Naples/Napoli

Geography Napoli is divided by the Apennine mountains. Some of the mountains in this area are active volcanoes. Napoli also oversees the governance of two large islands, Sardina and Sicily. Most Neapolitan citizens live near the coastline and most trade is conducted on the water instead of using mountain crossing roads. Economy/Industry Fishing is the number one …

Holy See

Geography The Holy See is bordered by Florence to the north and by Naples to the south. The Tiber River is almost exclusively located in the Holy See providing the region with a quality waterway to use for travel and agriculture. History For hundreds of years, Catholics were not allowed to worship openly or own …

Florence/Firenze

Geography Florence is bordered by Milan and Venice to the north and by the Holy See to the south. Florence has a mountain range, the Apennine Mountains, running through it nearly bisecting the region in half between the Ligurian and Adriatic Seas. Florence is able to make use of the Po River that is shared …