Florence, also called Fierenze in Italian, is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany. It is well known for its history, artistic legacy, and impact on European culture, considered by many to be the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.
Vampire: The Masquerade[]
As early as 1000 CE, Florence was governed by a long-standing alliance between the Toreador and the Lasombra, a rare cooperation which is believed to have jump-started the subsequent "golden age" of Florentine art. In 1164, the reigning Prince Alanus was assassinated by unknown parties, resulting in an era known by Florentine Kindred as the Century of Two Princes. Two powerful members of the Night Clan - Anicius the Golden and Panfilio the Cruel - maneuvered against each other for close to a hundred years, with Anicius eventually claiming praxis in 1258. Indeed, the rivalry and mutual hatred shared by these two Magisters was so all-consuming that upon their Final Deaths Anicius and Panfilio's Oblivion-tainted souls would amalgamate within the Underworld, forming a horrifyingly powerful Spectre known as the Hungry Gestalt.
Meanwhile, the Florentine Lasombra continued to prosper for well over eight centuries, right up until the year 1916 and the events of the Fourth Great Maelstrom. All manner of ghosts flooded into the city's Shadowlands, wreaking havoc on the opposite side of the Shroud. It was only thanks to the intervention of Clan Giovanni - who themselves had been a major if subtle player in Florence's politics for some time - that order was restored and the tide of restless dead curtailed.
By the time of the Family Reunion, the newly-formed Hecata all but reigned supreme over Florence, governed by the Florentine Council - a ruling body comprised of representatives from each of the Clan of Death's major bloodlines. This Council also includes a seat for a token representative of the Camarilla, who still maintain a nominal presence within the city.
References[]
- VTM: Trails of Ash and Bone, p. 132-139