Marika Polla
Today we are pleased to offer you our review of the Dura-Lande – Guida alle Meraviglie del Postcapitalismo, the new edition of the setting for the ecopunk roleplaying game Dura-Lande.
Written by Marta Palvarini in collaboration with Officine Infernali, Diego Abrescia and Aaron Tolu, it can be found here for 20 euros. We thank Marta for giving us a physical copy of the product, allowing us to write this review.
Keep in mind that by scanning the QR in the manual you can download the basic manual of Dura-Lande for free, thus being able to appreciate this setting with the support of its original rules system.
Introduction to Dura-Lande – Guida alle Meraviglie del Postcapitalismo
After the Poliorcesis, a war between multinationals, humanity is divided in various ways; this has drastically changed the world. Thus were born the Clades, new corporate structures that refer to the past ones, built on the ruins of the previous reality. Various new organizations mix with ancient guilds, while raiders and groups of revolutionaries try to carve out their own space. There are many multi-species queer groups and ecosocialist afro-punk groups, even if the cornerstone remains a post-capitalist system. The goal is always the same: to survive; only the way has changed compared to what we are used to today. Whether this is better, worse or just different, it will be up to you to decide.
Meanwhile technology varies, in some ways it evolves, while in others it regresses and, for example, we find a strong use of steam technology. Different styles and genres inevitably end up mixing, creating something varied and interesting. The old and the new come together, giving life to disconcerting and different, yet familiar, realities where ecology describes the interconnections of this system.
The Actual Setting
It was not a traditional apocalypse that gave this radical turn to reality, but rather the Poliorcesis; the armies moved and the war was fought but society held up, it reorganized itself, and that is how the Clades and what they represent were born. There are those who have fallen into obscurantism, those who walk towards a new feudalism and even those who have expressed their ideas in theme parks. The future is all to be imagined and discovered, nothing is taken for granted in these lands.
A good example of a Clade can be found in Ancient Florence. In the midst of wild woods, almost endowed with a life of their own, four large cities stand: the Florentine City, Rocca-Prato, the Port of Pisa and Ancient Siena. The government is led by the De Medici family, who during the Poliorcesis managed to save the kingdom (at least in part) from the harsh attacks of the Vatican. There are many detailed descriptions of the life, work, cities and groups that are part of it. For example, the Black Doctors (a modernized version of the plague doctors) have chosen exile, retreating to a black and wicked land.
Discovering these places you can’t help but be fascinated and amazed by their peculiarities. They are all different, varied and innovative, but with references that are impossible not to understand; but the sense of novelty is never lacking, skillfully avoiding banality.
The same care and attention has been given not only to the cities, but also to those who live in them. Societies are detailed with precision, advertising posters adorn the pages, influential families weave their plots, immersing us even more within the Clades and what they represent.
Aesthetics and Structure of Dura-Lande – Guida alle Meraviglie del Postcapitalismo
From a structural point of view, the manual is really simple and well managed. After an introduction to what the Poliorcesis, the Dura-Lande and the Clades are, we go into the details of these new realities. Each place is easily recognizable thanks to the large titles and so the manual is also easy to browse. The writing is excellent, resulting pleasant and smooth to read. The contents are exposed by a figure coming from the Dura-Lande, giving the idea of being a diary of someone who has experienced those lands firsthand.
Artistically speaking, the manual is splendid. Black background pages with white or multi-colored writing give the idea of a futuristic product, a concept further strengthened by the style of the illustrations. I find this choice perfectly spot on, further transmitting the spirit of the setting. Also interesting is the use of some interlude pages, whose purpose is to give the idea of a computerized technological connection.
Conclusions
In short, we could say that this is a highly polished and perfectly detailed manual, which makes us feel part of the post-apocalyptic society itself. Reading Dura-Lande – Guida alle Meraviglie del Postcapitalismo, it is difficult not to imagine the places, sensations and adventures that could be experienced within it. Obviously, I preferred not to spoil too many specific places, but I hope I have conveyed the fascination that each of them aroused in me.
At this point I can only wish you a good journey in these difficult and intriguing lands!
