Dear friends and supporters,

We’re deep in the final creation phase of Serenissima Obscura, and I wanted to give you a proper look behind the curtain. Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support — this project is an ambitious one, and your belief in it means everything. Here’s where we stand:

The edit is coming along beautifully. Our editor Neil Kingham is working through the project book by book – and with over 163000 words of material (without the 80 stats), that’s no small task. Each chapter is being carefully reviewed to ensure consistency, clarity, and elegance of tone. In parallel, layout is already underway. Thorsten Janes is building the visual structure of the book, turning edited text into something rich, clear, and usable at the table. Each “book” (our larger thematic chapters) is being passed from edit to layout as we go, streamlining the process and keeping momentum strong.

The D&D-specific content is complete and scheduled for delivery to the editor next week. All 80 stat blocks for important NPCs, creatures, and magical entities are receiving a final polish, while each class — including our unique City Druid, Merchant, and Gonneslinger — is undergoing a final review to ensure mechanical balance. This careful tuning guarantees full compatibility with 5e, while preserving the rich thematic identity of our setting.

The Ars Magica portion continues to grow in exciting directions. One of the major breakthroughs has been the creation of a new Realm of Power, rooted in the Shadow Side World of the Queen of the Lagoon – an eerie, dark reflexion of Venice. Alongside this, we’ve developed the Initiates of the New Way, a Renaissance hedge magic tradition built from the legacy of Hermetic theory but reimagined through art, philosophy, and commerce. 

We’ve also been busy transcribing and adapting a wealth of magical items found throughout Venice, each shaped by the unique tensions between tradition and transformation that define the Renaissance.

Still ahead: the full conversion of the Gonneslinger to Ars Magica rules, the creation of the Murano Covenant, and statting over 80 Ars Magica characters and magical beings.
Fortunately, I’m not tackling this alone — Andreas Wichter, Ben McFarland, and Guillaume Didier are each contributing their expertise to different parts of the Ars Magica conversion guide. Their work is invaluable, and this project simply wouldn’t be possible without them.


4. 355 Shorthand Stats ready for play!

With the integration of our setlets (campaign frames), the book now contains 355 shorthand stats for NPCs, adversaries, and monsters encountered throughout the setting. These quick-reference entries are perfect for GMs who need to improvise on the fly, offering immediate mechanical support without sacrificing narrative depth.

More updates soon, and thank you again for accompanying us into the magical Renaissance!

And don't forget: you can still support us by buying Serenissima Obscura in the Pre-Order-Store: 

Melina Sedó
for

Vortex Verlag