Treaty of Lodi
Dignitaries from Venice, Milan, and other Italian states gather in the grand hall of the Palazzo Comunale in Lodi to sign a treaty that will bring peace to the warring factions of Italy.
Setting
The grand hall of the Palazzo Comunale in Lodi, a stately government building with high ceilings and ornate decorations, where dignitaries from Venice, Milan, and other Italian states have gathered for the treaty signing.
Characters
Venetian Ambassador
primary
A middle-aged man of refined bearing, with a sharp aquiline nose and carefully groomed salt-and-pepper beard. His olive complexion bears the faint traces of Venetian sun, and his dark eyes gleam with intelligence beneath heavy brows. His posture is erect, betraying years of diplomatic training.
Milanese Ambassador
primary
A middle-aged man of noble bearing with a sharp, angular face and a closely trimmed beard. His dark brown eyes are watchful and calculating, framed by pronounced brows that give him a perpetually intense expression. He stands with the erect posture of a trained diplomat, his hands often clasped behind his back when listening.
Notary
secondary
A middle-aged man of slight build with a sharp, angular face, thin lips, and a prominent nose. His dark brown hair is cropped short in the clerical style, and he has a neatly trimmed beard. His hands are ink-stained from years of document work, and he peers through small, round spectacles perched on his nose.
Guard Captain
secondary
A middle-aged military officer with a sturdy build, standing at average height for the period. His face is weathered from years of outdoor service, with a short-cropped beard that's beginning to show streaks of gray. His nose bears the faint scar of a past skirmish, and his hands are calloused from gripping weapons.
Page Boy
background
A slender boy of about 12 years, with short, neatly-trimmed brown hair and wide, curious eyes. His youthful face is smooth and unblemished, with a slightly upturned nose. He stands at attention but with the slight fidgeting of youth.
Dialog
Venetian Ambassador
Pacta sunt servanda, noble representative of Milan. Though the tides of fortune have favored La Serenissima, let this treaty be an anchor for all Italy's peace.
Milanese Ambassador
As the olive branch bends but does not break, so shall Milan honor these terms... provided Venice reciprocates with equal fidelity to every clause herein inscribed.
Guard Captain
The perimeter remains secure, Excellencies. No disturbances shall breach this hall while your quills dance.
Venetian Ambassador
A captain's reassurance is most welcome—though I'd sooner trust the Adriatic's calm before dawn than any lasting peace where Visconti ambitions flow unchecked.
Milanese Ambassador
Our scribe notes your hesitation, Serenissima. Does Venice require further... illumination before committing ink to vellum?