Chronicles of a Revolution: The battle of Saint Mark University.

[Vinedia]

You must be registered for see images

Municipalità de Sancti Marci, Dominio da Teraferma
1 Novembre, 1319 d.f.R. Vinedian Calendar
November 1st, 2017AD Gregorian Calendar

Vinedia is a country of traditions, contradictions, of freedom and repression, of wealth and misery, of honesty and corruption. A double-faced nation, where self-righteousness and ultra-conservatism are met by hypocrisy and ferocious political and social repression. A country largely preserved intact for the last 1319 years. A decadent society where antiquity refuses to accept modernity. A Republic with a democratically elected legislative body, yes.. but avidly controlled by a rich and wealthy aristrocracy, composed of a few merchant families who have been holding their grasps on the Republic's institutions and society for over a thousand years. For 1319 years, the Republic prospered under the rule of the Doge, a ceremonial figure which holds a limited ammount of executive power. But he is merely a puppet in the hands of the Mazor Consejo de la Republica, and a nuisance for the noble and wealthy families who refuse to adapt to a changing world.

Tourists who visit the Republic of Vinedia and its unique capital city, Vinèxia, are astonished by the baroque architecture, by the marvellous engineering which led to the birth of this city of canals and churches, of millenarian and astonishing monuments inhabited by a people affected by a pathological obsession for trade and profit. But the reality is far less poetic than the pictures portrayed on the famous postcards depicting Canal Grande and the Cathedral of Saint Mark.

Like in a dystopian police state, the citizens of Vinedia are constantly monitored and repressed by a totalitarian regime that enforces its ultra-conservative view of society trought the actions of the Comisiòn par la Moralità Publica (Commission for Public Morality). Established in 1797 to protect the Republic from the revolutionary fringes of society, it soon turned into a de-facto secret police and a behind-the-shadows government. Anyone could become the next victim of the Commission. By law, two anonymous reports are enough to issue a warrant and have you arrested. However, you are not entitled to know the reason why you are being detained. Without reason given, you will soon find yourself rotting into the prisons in the underground and secret rooms of the Palace of the Doge, in conditions that we can euphemistically consider as criminal and inhumane.

A poorly manufactured dress is a valid reason to be detained and judged by a court of law. Hundreds of women have been arrested and sentenced to as much as 10 years of prison for "obscene exposure". Anyone caught watching foreign TV channels risks a fine of 50.000 Vinedian Liras (the average yearly income is 18.000 Liras) and from 1 to 3 years of prison. Reading foreign newspapers is a crime compared to high treason.

Vinedians are aware of their condition and they evade censorship by smuggling foreign newspapers, capting foreign tv channels, mostly from the neighboring nation of Nichtstein, or from the nation of Serenierre, which lies on the western shores of the Retalian Sea. They do it in secrecy and they are aware of the potential consequences, should the Commission for Public Morality discover them..

Sancti Marci is a vibrant town of 15.000 inhabitants located on the "Dominio da Teraferma" ("Mainland Domain") and it is considered (after Vinedia) the second most important centre of culture and education in the Republic. The town is home to a major University, and similarly to the town it is named after the Saint Patron of the Republic: Università San Marco (Saint Mark University). When on the morning of Wednesday, November 1st 2017, hundreds of students occupied the main hall of the University of Sancti Marci and raised the flag of rebellion, nobody could have predicted the outcome of what historians will remember as "The Vinedian Cultural Revolution".

((OOC: Everyone is allowed to participate to this scenario with a character: a journalist, a tourist, a businessman, etc))

 

[Vinedia]

Excerpt from the diary of Stefano Bertin, 23
Vinedian Language and Literature student​

Sancti Marci University,
1 Novembre, 1319 f.d.R.
November 1st, 2017AD

This morning we secretely distributed pamphlets among the students of the Vinedian Language and Literature course. It took only half an hour for the entire university to become aware of what was going on. In the face of repression, oppression and retaliation, we took over the main hall and we are now waiting the next move of the Brigada de Ordine Publico. The BOPs, as we call them here at the university. The repressive police force at the direct orders of the Commission for Public Morality. They usually take over the streets in forces and attack anyone who failed to clear the area after their infamous "three warnings". They ride motorcycles and jeeps and hit anyone at reach with their rubber riot batons.

Taking over the Main Hall was not an easy task. It didn't go as we expected, because as i'm writing this page there are at least 150 BOPs in anti riot gear waiting for the right moment to strike. We had little time to organize and set up the barricade, and there is no way for us to reach the outer world. The men of the Commission for Public Morality have closed the area to civilians. Nobody knows we are here or what is going on at the university. During the initial phases of the occupation, the University's Principal managed to call the Brigada before we could stop him.. at the moment we hold him as a "hostage" to make sure the BOPs wont reckessly storm the building as they usually do during protests.. but we mean him no harm.

He is an oppressed Vinedian man, just like me, my family.. and pretty much all the men and women who live in this country. Anyway, when we first stormed the hall, many of us stood outside in an attempt to catch the attention of pedestrians. The BOPs arrived in large numbers with trucks, jeeps and motorcycles. Their howling sirens sparked the panic among our ranks. A functionary of the BOPs shouted "En el nome de la lege, disperdeteve!".. in the name of the law, disperse.

And he said it three times.

After the third warning, they charged onto the stairs of the main building and managed to capture and injure dozens of our comrades. As a result many of us fled in opposite directions. A hundred of us managed to successfully get inside and set up barricades at doors and windows. When they will attempt to break in, we will be able to react accordingly.. i hope.

I'll probably hide this page into a safe place in case the BOPs will detain me and take me to the Ducal prisons.. maybe someone will find it and successfully smuggle it to the other side of the border, maybe in

You must be registered for see links

, or way down south to Beira, or in Serenierre.. or anywhere.

What have we done to deserve this? All we ask for is the freedom to dress as we wish, to sing, to dance, to see what happens in the rest of the world. To exchange our opinions with men and women from all over the world.. we want gender equality. We want to be part of Europe, not prisoners in our own country. One day this Republic will be free. One day the Vinedian people will be free. We must take down the Commission.. we must fight for our rights, and for our freedom.

The world must know..

​

 

[Vinedia]

Sancti Marci University,
1 Novembre, 1319 f.d.R.
November 1st, 2017AD

Giulia Martin is a 20 years old Vinedian student and she studying in the second year of the Economy and Finance course at the Saint Mark University of Santci Marci. In the morning of November 1st, 2017, Giulia had no idea of the upcoming events that would shape and change the rest of her life forever. When at 8:00AM the Brigada de Ordine Publico stormed the square infront of the University's main building, she was already waiting for the professor in her classroom. A diligent and brilliant student with an average grade of 29. In Vinedian college education, 30 is the highest grade a student can obtain.

As she is reading her notes, written during yersteday's lesson, she was caught by the shouts and the noises coming from the outside. She stood up from her desk and moved closer to the window. In shock, she witnessed the men of the Brigada de Ordine Publico mercilessly beating other students to the ground. Even those were merely standing as witnesses were not spared by the riot batons of the BOPS. Her sight followed a girl cornered by four officers of the Brigada. Giulia couldn't hear her words amod the chaos of the confrontation, but she clearly noticed her hand gestures as if she was begging the officers to forgive her. The BOPs mercilessly struck her repeatedly with their batons, and violently dragged her on the asphalt. The officers then forced her up onto a military truck. Giulia is perfectly aware of the punishment for rebellion and sedition. She is following the truck with her eyes, until the vehicle disappears behind the a corner. The howling sirens of the Brigada de Ordine Publico are purposedly terrifying and a chill goes down her spine as more BOPs motorcycles and jeeps reach the square.

Her father is an established merchant. His family owns a small-sized fleet of trade cargo vessels and has established a trade route with the merchants of Beira. A basic import-export activity, which also represents the main source of income for Vinedian economy. Beiran language has distinct similarities with modern Vinedian language, probably an heritage of the Tiburan hegemony over the area, and many Vinedian merchants are encouraged by such cultural affinity to establish trade in the southern nation.

Her father always warned her to stay away from politics and avoid involvement with any rebellious group or initiative. The mistake of a rebellious young adult can affect an entire family and force it to bankruptcy, which in Vinedian society is considered the greatest shame and an unbearable dishonor. Many impoverished merchants committed suicide after losing all their wealth and their properties. Suddenly, the classroom's door shuts open. A young man around his mid 20's rushes to the windows. He is breathing as if he is affected by an intense fear.

"ARE THEY BREAKING IN??" The young man is in panic. He bursts into tears as he slowly falls on its knees, covering his face with both hands.

"Who are you?" says Giulia.

The student sighs, and slowly stands up from the ground.

"Are you injured?" timidly asks Giulia.

"No.. Thankfully.. what's your name?"

"Giulia.."

"Nice to meet you Giulia.. i'm Stefano."

Like a thunder, the sound of a broken window is immediatly followed by Giulia's terrified scream. An intense cloud of tear gas, sparked by a grenade spinning on the ground, stuns the two students, causing tears, nausea and an unbearable headache. Giulia grabs Stefano by the left arm and quickly drags him out of the room, promptly closing the door behind her.

You must be registered for see images

​

The Battle of Saint Mark University had begun..​