Veneto by Night: English Edition
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Veneto region is really a peculiar case in the world of the Damned. The same unassailable rule of the Giovanni¸ which should guarantee stability to the region¸ is in fact paradoxically the cause of one of the most bizarre conflicts inflaming the sons of Cain in modern nights¸ "la Danza dei Burattini" (the Dance of Puppets). The term¸ forged in derisive spirit by a Ventrue Elder visiting Venice¸ has immediately become popular in the Venetian halls. It indicates the constant state of war involving everything and everyone beyond Venice. Three different courts¸ each with its own Prince¸ have proclaimed themselves the Court of Venice. What makes the situation comical¸ at least to outside observers and in Giovanni's eyes¸ is that none of these self-styled Princes have passed the century of non-life. They look like children fighting over toys while their parents are busy at work. For the Necromancers¸ the Venetian Neonates are living contradictions: they fight to the death to restore a glory that was already surpassed long before their Embrace¸ to recover territories in the name of clans that have no real desire to get them back¸ and to win a throne that does not even exist. Therefore¸ the Dance of Puppets is generally ignored by the lords of Venice¸ except when the occasional Neonate does something especially stupid. When that occurs the parents enter the children room¸ take the toys away¸ and then peace returns - at least temporarily. However¸ as soon as the adults turn their backs¸ the process starts all over again¸ like an eternal¸ never ending play. Actually¸ many Elders would probably stop laughing if they took the trouble to get off their golden thrones and pay more attention to what is really happening. When the puppets dance¸ in fact¸ you can be sure that puppeteers are around. And if only someone would take the trouble to follow the strings of the puppets¸ they would discover which monstrous spider hides in the center of the web...