Nations of Theah Book 6 - Vodacce

Vodacce is a fantastical reading of Italy and Venice during the most turbulent times of the Renaissance - an era rich with roleplaying possibilities. If readers expect intrigue,history and violence, they will find them in well-mixed pro- portions in this volume.

The first section, History, opens with a brief chronology of Vodacce's history and moves quickly into interesting descriptions of Vodacce's culture, geography and the seven families that rule the unstable republic. The material is suitable for a game-master who is looking for a quick read ten minutes before their players arrive.

Hero offers specific details about those who rule Vodacce, from the seven princes of the nation to its famous courtesans and infamous destiny-manipulating Fate Witches. It's the usual slew of NPCs for a gamemaster's use, although the characters are so archetypal as to provide little inspiration for players looking for ideas.

Drama provides the usual assortment of new skills and advantages with which a player can give their character a distinctly Vodacce flair.

A high point: Let's be honest, the most compelling aspect of the Vodacce is the Fate Witch. Every nation has a distinctive trade or specialty, and the Fate Witches are it for Vodacce. This sourcebook delves further into the cultural rules that Vodacce women in general and Fate Witches in particular must live by, all useful stuff. The Fate Witches are compelling, true, but not every woman in Vodacce could be born a Witch, otherwise Theah would be neck-deep in them and too frightened to do anything. As an alternative to the black veil of the Witches, the courtesans are introduced. Like the Fate Witches, they are hobbled by socially mandatedilliteracy and chauvinism - but the courtesans manipulate Vodacce politics deftly while they are vied for by the men in power. The social and political rivalry between courtesan and Witch is described in rather stark terms, but it is a strong base upon which a player or GM may build a well-developed character.

Some nods to history are more obvious than others - the ancient Lorenzo family is clearly inspired by the wilder stories of the Borgias, for example - but given that 7th Sea is a historical fantasy, it's acceptable if history is sometimes in the forefront, rather than fantasy.