Dracian Personalities

Oratores: Those Who Pray

Basileios of Minos Episcopus of the North, Archisacerdos of Dracia, Sacerdos of Kzerna, Cedri (the Cedar) Basileios of Minos Original article: Basileios of Minos Basileios was born Jadranko Kaspar, third son to a poor cobbler in Kzerna, the capital city of Dracia. Despite not standing to inherit his father's business, even at a young age Jadranko was known to have a remarkable head for finance and by dint of his own merit became an Aspirant in the Church of Minos at twelve. A child prodigy in the Church, Jadranko rose quickly through the ranks, becoming Flamen by the age of 23. This was during the Dark Times, when priests were cut off from the gods, but Jadranko still studied the theories of divine magic written by his predecessors in the Third Age and when the gods returned at the Dawn of the Fourth Age in 1312 IC, when Flamen Jadranko was only twenty-six, he was well-prepared to wield the Divine power that was suddenly accessible. As one of the rising stars of the Church of Minos, he was made Sacerdos (Temple Priest) the following year. Sacerdos Jadranko continued to serve, becoming more and more influential not only within the Church of Minos, but in Dracia as a whole. At the relatively young age of forty, Jadranko was the obvious choice to replace the frail Episcopus of the North and then took on the regnal name Basileios. The Episcopus is known for being an able, but careful administrator who tends not to major decisions without the advice of the Archisacerdos and Metropolitans under his purview. Indeed, his masterful ability to compromise and select the least disruptive course of action has earned him the nickname 'Cedri', Zetian for 'the Cedar', because he can bend without breaking. He is respected and beloved by both the priests under his purview and the merchants and craftsmen faithful to Minos, particularly as he's seen as 'one of their own.' Despite his advancing age, he remains in good health and there are no signs that he may need to be replaced any time in the foreseeable future. One recent black mark on an otherwise inspired career was the recent loss of the entire treasury of Dracia in the Great Fire of Kzerna in the Spring of 1354 IC. The Church of Minos in Dracia has since suffered greatly as they work to replace the Crown's gold, leaving a typically very wealthy Church having to account in ways they have not faced since the Dark Times.

Bellatores: Those Who Fight

Aleksandar X Todorov Voievod of Cobori Antova, Guardian of the South, Ogresmasher, Grand Master of the Order of the Hundred Coins, Arapator of House Todorov, Tenth of His Name Aleksandar X Todorov Original article: Aleksandar Todorov Aleksandar X, Arapator of House Todorov, has often claimed to be the wealthiest person in Dracia (the Crown being the exception) and it is difficult to dispute that claim. In his youth, Aleksandar was often responsible for leading his aging father's troops into battle and earned his fame as 'Ogresmasher' by personally entering the fray against ogre raiders who had plagued Cobori Antova for centuries, all but wiping them out. As with most Todorovs, he has also always been passionate about and generous to the Church of Minos. Long known for his prodigious appetite, his girth rapidly began to expand after becoming Voievod in his own right after the death of his father. Today, Aleksander is a man known for his piety, great mirth and extreme wealth in a nation where wealth is typically considered a measure of one's worth. He is no stranger to the Queen's Court, making a particular effort to attend during Feast Days, though he certainly does not shirk his duties as Voievod or Arapator. Despite his great wealth, he is somewhat slovenly in appearance, often wearing bear fur (which he claims he took from an ogre king) and is never without his bone cane (which he claims was the thigh bone of said ogre king). Aleksander is also the current Grand Master of the Order of the Hundred Coins, an order of knights dedicated to the service of Minos in Dracia.

Áron XII Barna Pârcălab of Zanavria, Aparator of House Barna, Twelfth of His Name Áron Barna Original article: Áron Barna Once the irresponsible young scion of House Barna, Áron was intended to inherit the Vojvodina of Sabravia from his father two years ago. As the elder Áron lay dying, the Queen tried and convicted him in absentia for funding various rebel causes in the region and declared his choice of heir voided. She instead installed a non-noble wizard, one of her loyal Vraitors, Čedomir Zupan, as Voievod of Sabravia. The younger Áron retained his seat as Pârcălab of Zanavria (a traditional role for the heir to Sabravia) and became Aparator of House Barna upon his father's death. Since that time, Áron XII has rarely been involved in national politics, avoiding the Queen's Court and quietly amassing his own fortune. Compared to other Aparators, he is rather young and was involved in a scandal a decade previous. As a youth, Áron was known to woo more than a few young impressionable noble women, but his proclivities finally caught up with him when he bedded Albína of House Tzoresc, eldest daughter of Augustin, Aparator of House Tzoresc and left her with child. Though he tried to flee his responsibilities, soldiers from House Tzoresc hunted him down and dragged him back to Vararad, seat of the Tzoresc at that time, and forced him to marry Albína at sword-point. Despite such inauspicious beginnings, Albína and Áron became quick allies and some are starting to suspect the two might even love one another. Of course, other rumors linger that Áron has reconnected with the criminals and rabble-rousers his father was connected to and may be himself funding rebellion against the Ivory Queen.

Augustin XIV Tzoresc Pârcălab of Szalgeda, Champion de la Rose d'Or, Master of the Silver Chalice, Arapator of House Tzoresc, Fourteenth of His Name Augustin XIV Tzoresc Original article: Augustin Tzoresc The harried Arapator of House Tzoresc, Augustin XIV is considered naive and somewhat dim by his peers. As with most of the scions of House Tzoresc, Augustin is an adherent of Vortumnus the Glorious, god of honor, in a nation that has little respect for such high-minded ideals. Augustin himself was an able horseman in his youth, personally participating in more than a few tourneys in Dracia and abroad. In particular, he was awarded the Champion de la Rose d'Or in Narbonne for winning several major lists there, becoming a member of the peerage there. In Dracia, he is Master of the Order of the Silver Chalice, a group of Dracian knights (mostly from House Tzoresc) who worship Vortumnus. Despite the views of other Dracian nobles, Augustin is reputed to be an able diplomat. Unfortunately, these skills were of little use when his cousin and predecessor, the Voievod of Velek Tzorsy died in 1348 IC with no clear heir. The Ivory Queen chose to elevate Ștefan of House Vãduva to the Vojvodina, reducing House Tzoresc in the process. Most (perhaps including Augustin himself) believe House Tzoresc to be increasingly irrelevant in Dracian politics, where wealth and deception are prized about honor and truth. Many believe House Tzoresc a generation or two away from complete obscurity.

Cyril Zabšinac Voievod of Inalt Antovaa, Guardian of the North, Lord High Marshal of Dracia, Master of the Two Kings, Grand Master of the Order of the White Eagle, Arapator of House Zabšinac, Fourteenth of His Name Cyril Zabšinac Original article: Cyril Zabšinac Cyril XIV is the Lord High Marshal of Dracia and is considered a brilliant military commander and administrator even among his own House, who has a long tradition of military service in Dracia. Always serious in his affairs, he is known for being fair and just to those under his command and ruthless against his enemies, with his duty to Dracia and the Crown central to his very being. He is Grand Master of the ancient Order of the White Eagle, the highest peerage in Dracia: even the monarch of Dracia may only suggest members to their ranks, the Grand Master may decline even her recommendation (though a refusal is rare). Unlike most military-oriented nobles in Dracia, Cyril is himself considered a Master in most weapons and often wades into combat directly in support of his troops, personally shifting the tide of battle to his favor more than once. Though the city of Zabshoga is the seat of his Vojvodina, Cyril is most often found at one of the Two Kings, those two ancient towers that protect the northern pass into Dracia. Despite his absence in Zabshoga, he is adept at maintaining communication throughout his Vojvodina through a chain of logistical and administrative couriers that are loyal to him personally, working outside the couriers of the Crown under the supervision of the Minister of Offices. As Arapator of House Zabšinac, he carried the Coined Shield of the Zabšinac, an ancient artifact said to make its wielder invulnerable to weapons forged by mortal hands (untrue, if Cyril's extensive battle scars are any indication) and grant wisdom to the individual possessing it (entirely possible, given Cyril's legendary tactical and strategic ability).

Grigore V Drunar Voievod of Drasylvania, Guardian of the West, Aparator of House Drunar, Fifth of His Name Grigore V Drunar Original article: Grigore Drunar Grigore V is Voievod of Drasylvania and has dominion over the vast majority of the unknown tracks of the Dracian Wood. Nicknamed "The Forest Voievod" for good reason, he is reputed to be an able hunter who knows the forests better than his own huntsman and has seen his share of battle against human and inhuman foes. He was scarred as a young man fighting a forest gryphon, which slashed his face and cost him a few teeth before he finally felled it. As Aparator of House Drunar he is never without his hereditary Strand of the Folk, a legendary necklace said to give him the ability to communicate with and pass freely amongst the Fey. He is also known as a collector of unusual (and often expensive items), though rumor suggests that his habit borders on an obsession and that his castle in Torsvar is packed with various miscellany gathered in his travels. Despite the respect he commands among the nobility of Dracia, Grigore rarely attends the Queen's Court unless directly commanded to or tradition dictates the attendance of all the Voievods. He is, at heart, a very practical man and has little patience for the fripperies and ostentation of the royal court.

Horațiu Marušić Pârcălab of Kasnova, Temesh Herald, Aparator of House Marušić Horatiu Marusic Original article: Horațiu Marušić Horațiu of House Marušić is the elderly Aparator of House Marušić and the Temesh Herald for Dracia. His brother, Vilém of House Marušić, was Voievod of Bistrovia and Horațiu intended to lay claim to his brother's throne upon his death four years ago, despite decades of estrangement between the two brothers over the love of a woman in their youth. The Ivory Queen instead installed Yuri Budny as Voievod, an event that caused no small amount of strife between Horațiu and his new liege. The Queen did install Horațiu as the Temesh Herald, a position traditionally held by the Aparator of House Marušić. As such, he is often found at the Queen's Court, despite considered being out of favor with Her Majesty. Long considered a bitter old man who was slipping slowly into dotage, Horațiu has recently started to display remarkable acumen in navigating the intricacies of Dracian politics, much to the surprise of his peers.

Ljupcho Lyubka Voievod of Boljova, Master of the Phalam Mines, Hammer of the Boltjovan Legions, Aparator of House Lyubka Ljupcho Lyubka Original article: Ljupcho Lyubka Despite his vast wealth (or perhaps because of it), Ljupcho is widely known to be as crass and crude as his fellow hillsfolk in the wild Moldogoi hills of northern Dracia. Shrewd in business as well as in war, the Voievod Ljupcho was instrumental in putting down the recent Boltjovan Rebellion. Ljupcho's sheer stubbornness and willingness to personally take the field, despite nearing his seventh decade, won both the respect of his unruly men and the Ivory Queen herself. Despite experiencing his share of setbacks in the Rebellion, he was named by the Queen "Hammer of the Boltjovan Legions". Ljupcho is loud, willful, smokes constantly and rarely completely sober, but he commands respect among his fellow nobility not only for his skill on the battlefield, but his aptitude with making coin.

Magdalena Vtalasav Her Majesty the Sovereign Queen of Dracia, First of Her Name The Ivory Queen "The Ivory Queen" Original article: Magdalena Vtalasav Nicknamed 'The Ivory Queen', Magdalena is the eldest daughter of the wily Remus of House Neculai. Some twenty years ago, she captured the heart of the aging King of Dracia, Otto VI. After some serious negotiations, at the conclusion of which Remus was made Pârcălab of Basras, the two wed. The young Queen was known for being bookish and was considered by most to be relatively meek, if quite beautiful. Otto doted on her, of course, as did most of his Court. As Otto's health began to fail, Magdalena personally tended to him and began assuming more and more of the responsibilities of state in his name. She had never given him an heir, though two months prior to his death, he named Magdalena his heir and Queen in her own right. When the old King finally passed in 1344 IC, Magdalena moved quickly to consolidate her power over Dracia. Those nobles who rallied to her, either through loyalty to old King Otto or because they had become smitten with the Queen herself were rewarded for their loyalty while those nobles who opposed her rule suddenly found themselves lacking support and divided amongst themselves. In the ten years since becoming sovereign, her reign has only strengthened. Rumor suggests that she is secretly involved with the Cult of Lucasa, who believe that the Heretic Emperor did not die in the final battle of the Mage War, but instead ascended to godhood. That she has been slowly replacing nobles she disapproves of with wizards loyal to her only serves to strengthen those claims.

Remus IV Neculai Pârcălab of Basras, the Exalted Protector of Dracia, Minister of War, Aparator of House Neculai, Fourth of His Name Remus Neculai Original article: Remus Neculai Charismatic brother of the Ivory Queen, Remus IV became Aparator of House Neculai upon the death of his father in 1353 IC and was chosen by his sister to serve as Minister of War. As such, he is rarely in residence in the Neculai family home in Zomatz, though his loyal twin brother Dimitrij, usually oversees the day-to-day affairs of the Comitat of Basras. Remus' father, Remus III, was legendary for his cunning and political acumen and the younger Remus is constantly in his shadow. Despite this, he is well liked by most of his peers and the soldiers under his command. Remus has even been known to befriend nobles considered out of favor with the Queen, particularly those who have been reduced in favor of one of her common-born Vrăjitors. As such, Remus has a growing reputation for his generosity (typically a negative trait among Dracian nobility), though his generosity is usually targeted perfectly to ensure loyalty to his sister the Queen or to him personally. More than a few nobles in Dracia consider themselves in debt to him, an enviable position for a noble in any nation.

Stefan Tyšorov Pârcălab of the Comitat of Mŕtvolava, the Blackheart, the Lame, Minister of Works, Arapator of House Tyšorov Stefan Tyšorov Original article: Stefan Tyšorov Arapator of House Tyšorov, Stefan is in the unenviable position of leading a noble house out of favor with the Ivory Queen while continuing to serve on the Queen's Council as Minister of Works. Crippled as a youth by a fall from a horse, Stefan began to aim his substantial intellect towards the written word, arithmetic and masonry. He was trained as an architect and, as an adult, displayed quite an aptitude for castle design specifically. When Stefan's cousin and predecessor, Lovrenco VI Tyšorov, was assassinated in 1346 IC by the husband of Lovrenco's mistress, the Ivory Queen chose to deny his heir ascension to the Vojvodina of Mijloc Antova, instead selecting one of her common-born Vrăjitori, Răzvan Bălan, to take the Vojvodina. For reasons still somewhat unclear she selected Stefan as her Minister of Works two years later (possibly because there are few nobles of any status who might actually perform well in the role). In addition to his skills as an architect, Stefan is an accomplished writer and has written several histories and biographies that have been widely read throughout Dracia. Often, his biographies take on a satirical and sardonic tone, most notably in The Sordid Fall of Lovrenco and His Whore. Between his position on the Queen's Council and the biting criticisms of his predecessor, Stefan is generally despised by the scions of his own House and most pay him lip service at best... at worst, they are unabashedly working against his goals and seek to remove him as Arapator.

Ștefan Vãduva Voievod of Velek Tzorsy, Magiarch of the Malachite League, Minister of Offices, Arapator of House Vãduva, First of His Name Ștefan Vãduva Original article: Ștefan Vãduva Once considered a relatively minor scion of a minor noble house in Dracia, Ștefan of House Vãduva allied himself to House Neculai at a young age. Even before her ascension as monarch in her own right in 1344 IC, Ștefan was often found at the King's Court in Kzerna and was one of the Ivory Queen's closest advisers. Upon her ascension, the Ivory Queen selected Ștefan as Master of Mysteries, during which time he established the Vrăjitors, a group of mages across several guilds loyal to the Queen herself. He soon became Minister of Offices, the highest administrative post in Dracia, and quickly gained a reputation as spymaster for the Queen, reorganizing the offices under his authority to gather information for him across Dracia and beyond. In 1348 IC, he was installed Voievod of Velek Tzorsy upon the death of Paskal of House Tzoresc, making House Vãduva one of the Great Houses of Dracia at the expense of House Tzoresc. A prominent member of the Malachite League, Ștefan is a powerful and well-respected mage on his own merit, having achieved the rank of Magiarch within the League. Most expect that he will be elevated to the rank of Archmagi in the League at some point, which will extend his influence and intelligence network well beyond Dracia. Ștefan is rarely without his childhood friend and Marshal of Velek Tzorsy, Klement Sarka. Despite his military rank, Sarka is more a personal bodyguard and military adviser to Ștefan than a military field commander.

Valentin Temežlav Voievod of Temeshava, Exalted Defender of the Crown, the Lion of Dracia, High Steward of House Vtalasav, Aparator of House Temežlav, Twentieth of His Name Valentin Temežlav Original article: Valentin Temežlav The elderly patriarch of House Temežlav, Valentin XX remains hale and hardy despite his advanced years. Forty years ago, Valentin was instrumental in helping Dracia rebuild after the tumult of the Dark Times. Even before the return of the old gods, Valentin was an ardent supporter of the Church of Minos and believed that the gods would return to the world in his lifetime. In 1312, he was proven correct. He received training as a Champion of Minos and was one of the first people in Dracia to show that his god was again willing to work through their mortal faithful. A skilled orator, he spoke passionately about the need for a true Dracian 'identity' beyond their Imperial past. He also took the field in several conflicts with Drussa, commanding the King's army against Murgosia in support of Waldavia. In 1315 he married Marija of House Vtalasav, a cousin of the King, and stories of their whirlwind romance captured the hearts and minds of Dracians as few such stories do. Valentin and Marija were perfect partners: she accompanied him in the field when on campaign, helped manage his estate at home and was proficient at managing the political intricacies of Dracian politics. Unfortunately, in 1333, tragedy struck. Pregnant with their third child (and first son, Vladimir), Marija went into labor a month early and died while giving birth. King Vladimir IV Vtalasav declared a week of mourning and gave Marija a state funeral in Kzera. None of this seemed to console Valentin. He refused to wear his Champion's armor at her funeral and even declined attending the King's wedding to Magdalena of House Neculai the following year. It is said he has not set foot into a Temple of Minos since Marija's funeral. He continued to perform his secular duties as Voievod of Temeshava and High Steward to the King, but thereafter he was a changed man. His bitterness has only intensified with age and Valentin XX today has a reputation for being extremely conservative and easily enraged. His son, Vladimir (named after the King) spent most of his youth abroad with cousins, first in Waldavia, then in Aescalapea where he received training as an engineer. Vladimir Temežlav has only recently returned to Dracia to a cold and estranged father who has little more interest in interacting with his only son and presumed heir than is required of him.

Yuri Budny Voievod of Bistrovia, Aparator of House Budny, Lauded Master of the Malachite League, First of His Name Yuri Budny Original article: Yuri Budny Recently risen to membership among the Great Houses of Dracia, Yuri of House Budny was raised to the Vojvodina of Bistrovia by the Ivory Queen some four years ago, after the previous Voievod, Vilém of House Marušić, died without a clear heir. Voievod Yuri has quickly become a fixture at the Queen's Court and is considered one of her closest advisers. He is known to be deeply distrustful of priests, particularly the priesthood of Minos, and has actively worked to decrease the influence of various priesthoods in Dracia and in Bistrovia in particular. Of course, his most significant political rival is Šimon, Arapator of House Marušić and Pârcălab of Szera. Despite Yuri's relative inexperience, he has been extraordinarily successful in managing the complex political machinations of Dracia and is considered something of a force to be reckoned with. Despite his newfound wealth and association with the usually extravagant Malachite League, Yuri is known to be a spendthrift, often wearing threadbear clothing even in the presence of the Queen.