Dracia

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Once known as the "Errant Son" of the Great Empire because of the wily and deceptive nature of its people, Dracia was one of the first regions of the Great Empire to gain its independence from the Empire during the Fourth Succession War. With the dawn of the Fourth Age of Man, Dracia was positioned to become one of the few organized powers of the region, but for the last decade they have suffered under the iron grip of their Ivory Queen, a sorceress who worships the last Emperor, Lucius "the Heretic", as a god and she as his successor to the glory of the Great Empire.

Dracia
The Kingdom of Dracia
Azure, an eagle argent displayed and elevated and on a bordure argent alternating roundels or and carnations gules
Azure, an eagle argent displayed and elevated and on a bordure argent alternating roundels or and carnations gules
Geographic Info
Continent: Aurea
Location: Eastern Aurea, in a wide valley between the Challieann Mountains and the Antasian Mountains
Government
Government Type: Moncarchy (King, Duke, Count, Baron, Knight, Burgher)
Ruler: Queen Magdalena Vtalasav
Arms: Azure, an eagle argent displayed and elevated and on a bordure argent alternating roundels or and carnations gules
Coinage: 1 Denarius (1 sp) = 10 Siliquae (cp); 1 Double Denarius (1 ep) = 2 Denarii; 1 Aureus (1 gp) = 25 Denarii, 1 Solidus (1 pp) = 4 Aurei (Mythus: 1 Denarius = 10 BUCs)
Capital: Kzerna (pop 18,896)
Alliances: None
Hostilities: None
Society
Population: 995,776 (90% human, 2% dwarven, 6% hobbit, 2% other)
Languages: Dracian
Important Persons: The Vtalasav family, various nobles of import
Religious Info
Pantheon: Imperial
Patron: None
Game Info
Cultural Templates: Dracian
Map
Dracia

Geography

Dracia is in east-central Aurea in the upper Temesh river valley, between the Antasian Mountains to the east and the Challieann Mountains to the north. The Moldogoi Hills in the northern part of the region are generally wild and untamed, though there are a few major iron and copper mines in the region. The Negruja Hills in the east are comparatively heavily settled, with recently reopened gold and silver mines feeding the nation's wealth. The Dracian Wood dominates the southwestern region of the country, along its border with Drussa. To the northeast lie the Two Kings, twin cliff-side towers that protect Cuplat Pass on the region's border with Mabagne.

Regions

Bistrovia

Bistrovia

Boljova

Original article: Boljova

The Vojvodina of Boljova lies on the northwestern border of Dracia, covering the wild Modogoi Hills up to the southernmost peaks of the Challieann Mountains. Though it shares a border with the Principality of Waldavia, there are no known passes between Dracia and Waldavia. Boljova is bordered by the Vojvodinas of Inalt Antova to the north, Miloc Antova to the east, Velek Tzorsy to the southeast, Temeshava to the south and Sabravia to the southwest. The Vojvodina is dominated by the rocky Moldogoi hills, with several fast rivers flowing through the region and ten deep lakes (giving the region the nickname of Vysoké Jazier or ‘High Lakes’).

Boljova’s dominant raw materials include iron and copper from several successful mines in the hills, stone for building and sculpture, and wool from sheep-herding. Manufacturing centers around metalworks and wool clothing. Though the eastern plains of Moremia are self-sustaining, the major import into the region is primarily foods and grains from the Temesh Valley because there is very little arable land in the rocky hills and most hamlets struggle to grow enough food to sustain themselves.

The people of Boljova are known to be as wild and untamed as the hills they call home. The region’s trade routes are patrolled irregularly and banditry is not uncommon, particularly higher in the hills. Even the region’s rulers tend to be fiercely independent and Boljova has seen its fair share of rebellion in its history, though the ruling House Lyubka tends to act harshly to put down rebels where they begin to interrupt the flow of trade. As with much of Dracia, Minos the Cockerel, God of Commerce, is the dominant faith in the Vojvodina, though there is a large portion of the populace that worships Baelthor the Stonehands, god of earth, and his children, the Ilum Balthoran.

The seat of Boljova is Phalam, the only city in the Vojvodina. Phalam straddles the Cirova River where it enters the Aedivya River, along the Boljovan Road that connects south to the royal capital, Kzerna, and north along the border of the Moldogoi Hills. With a population near 13,000, Phalam is by no means the largest of the cities of Dracia, though its connection to these major trade routes as well as roads deeper into the Vojvodina ensures a steady and growing economy. Phalam is dominated by several powerful guilds, including several Mining Houses, the Jewelers Guild, the Guild of Smiths, the Woodworker’s Guild, the Furrier’s Guild and the Mason’s Guild. Boljova is the home of House Lyubka and its Arapator, the Voievod Ljupcho, rules the Vojvodina from Lyubkov Fortress in Phalam.

Boljova is divided into four Comitati: northern Kopca Divoký, central Lybkovria, Moremia along the eastern plains and Pajas Völgy in the south.

Cobori Antova

Cobori Antova

Drasylvania

Drasylvania

Inalt Antova

Original article: Inalt Antova

Inalt Antova (High Antasia) is the northernmost Vojvodina of Dracia, spanning the Kingdom’s border with the Duchy of Mabagne to the north and the Grand Duchy of Campois to the northeast. Inalt Antova is bordered internally to Dracia by Boljova in the south and west and Miljoc Antova to the southeast. The Antasian Mountains rise high along the eastern border of the Vojvodina and the Challieann Mountains form a wall along the northern border, with the Pass of the Two Kings between the mountain ranges. Even so, the foothills of these mountain ranges decline sharply into the fertile valley around the headwaters of the Temesh and the Trogesh Rivers.

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Inalt Antova is divided into only two Comitati: Trogesva in the west and Galorva in the east, divided by the Temesh River.


Mijloc Antova

Mijloc Antova

Pasvaria

Pasvaria

Sabravia

Sabravia

Temeshava

Temeshava

Velek Tzorsy

Velek Tzorsy

History

Ancient Dracia

Original article: Ancient Dracia

Though most of Dracia's history prior to the Third Age of Man was lost to human memory, recent revelations from the dwarven scholars of Nuithone have revealed some snippets of information. It is believed that giants of the Phyrmyran Empire once dominated the region, carving the huge, monumental supports of the Two Kings during their reign. During the Second Age of Man, the region came under the control of the Decleam, human tribes who are believed to have venerated dogs or wolves, who were driven out (or conquered by) the legendary Aurean Empire during the Long Night. Despite only fragments of the histories surviving (or being relayed to human scholars), it is believed that the city of Galitsa, now known as Bistrov, was one of the Icosapoli or "Twenty Cities" that dominated the Aurean Empire.

Though some ruins of these empires (and others, as yet unidentified) remain, particularly in the Moldogoi Hills in the north of present-day Dracia, those few expeditions planned to explore and catalog ruins in those wild hills have almost always met with failure.

The Rise of the White Eagle

Original article: The Rise of the White Eagle in Dracia

As the Aurean Empire contracted, ancient Dracia became dominated by sixteen major tribes, including the Aedi, the Ampulae, the Bastrei, the Bolji, the Draci, the Temesh, the Tysiri and the Vatali. According to Dracian legend, these tribes were eventually unified under the rule of Byrebanus, nicknamed the White Eagle. He was advised by a wizard and diviner named Decanaeus, who is said to have learned his craft in far-off Aebasa (though many modern scholars suggest this is a later addition to the tale, as it is generally believed that the Septira were the first Galloreans to come to Aurea). Byrebanus's early rule was dominated by constant warfare as he brought the various tribes under his control and constructed stone castles across the Temesh river valley during a time in which most fortifications were little more than hill forts. In contrast, his latter reign was said to be fair, honest and prosperous. It is said that Byrebanus had sixteen wives (and hundreds of children), one wife chosen from each of the tribe he dominated, though it is notable that his own tribe is never mentioned in the legends. By the time of his death, somewhere around 650 BI, Byrebanus was a beloved monarch, the people united under his rule had given up wine, all slaves were emancipated and he had codified his decrees into the Byrebanan Laws. One of his sons, a warrior-priest named Comoras was elected by the tribal aristocracy to succeed his father and continued to uphold the laws and traditions. He was succeeded by Cotyx the Fat, by who's time the people of the Temesh river valley had become complacent farmers, comfortable in their peaceful, agrarian traditions. They were ripe for conquest.

The Blood Empire

Original article: The Blood Empire

Though Byrebanus unified the tribes of the Temesh river valley, he and his descendants were unable to tame the wild hill folk who lived in the foothills of the Antasian Mountains. For the most part, the Negruj had no interest in the lowlands, except for periodic cattle raids (and wife raids) into the valley.

During the reign of Cotyx the Fat, however, that abruptly changed. The Negruj began to raid the lowland villages of the Temesh river valley more forcefully and, as it soon became apparent, systematically. By the time King Cotyx figured out that the Negruj were organizing to test out his defenses, it was too late to respond. The Negruj had come under the domination of Zyrapys the Bloody, a sorceror and necromancer of unknown heritage who unified the Negruj and bands of ogres under his rule with the intent of carving a kingdom for himself along the Temesh river valley.

The lowland villages under King Cotyx were quickly overwhelmed. According to legend, Cotyx was captured by the Negruj trying to escape a battle wearing women's clothing. He was brought before Zyrapys in chains and, after being chained in a cesspit for a year, was castrated, disemboweled and, once he finally expired, was resurrected as Zyrapys' undead servant.

Zyrapys enslaved much of the lowlander population, executing anyone of noble blood he could find and transforming them into his undead minions(modern Dracian noble families are rife with stories about how they were able to avoid the slaughter, but most scholars assume at least some of these to be untrue). He established the Negruj as the ruling class of his newly-founded Kingdom, even granting territory to some of the more intelligent ogre chieftains who had remained loyal throughout his conquest. Zyrapys established his seat of power in the Citadel of Bone, near modern-day Ampuloca and, once his power over the upper Temesh river valley was secure, began sending his armies, now supported by legions of undead troops called the Mortivii, into the lower Temesh river valley to enslave the human populations all the way to Tanos Bay and northwest to the Brothers. Zarapys' dominion came to be known as the Blood Empire and brought terror to the people of central Aurea for nearly three centuries.

According to legend, Zarapys himself became undead at some point during this time, either through his own design or cursed by the gods for his numerous heresies. As the decades wore on, Zarapys came to rely more heavily on his undead servants and even the Negruj themselves started chaffing under his seemingly eternal rule. Despite numerous rebellions by various tribes, Zarapys clung to power, turning any who would revolt against him into mindless undead soldiers among the Mortivii.

In the end, none of these rebellions were successful in ending Zyrapys' reign. Three legendary heroes, Dobromir the Smith, Božena Flameweilder and Milivoj the Wily broke into the Citadel of Bone, fought through Zarapys' undead guardians and defeated the undead emperor. As news of Zarapys's defeat spread, the Blood Empire crumbled into open warfare.

The Domination of the Draci

Original article: The Domination of the Draci

With the defeat of Zyrapys the Bloody, civil war erupted in the Temesh river valley as various factions fought for control. Five factions became dominant:

  • In the east, the Ampulae unified under Volodymyr Monomakh of the Negruj. Though many of the still-living nobility of the Blood Empire united under his banner, Volodymyr was of mixed Negruj and Ampulae heritage and chose his lieutenants based more on merit than tribal heritage.
  • The Draci unified under Dobromir the Smith and Božena Flameweilder, two of the adventurers who had defeated Zarapys the Bloody.
  • The Vatali, clansmen of the Dracian Wood, unified under Miško the Maker.
  • The Temesh and the Bastrei along the upper Temesh river valley pledged themselves to Radecek Zhivko the Bald, a former brigand of legendary mirth and charisma.
  • The Bolji of the northern hills were enslaved by the undead general Scârbos, who unified the Mortivii, ogres and remaining Negruj under his banner.

For over a decade, the five factions fought for the future of the Temesh river valley. The Vatali were the first to relinquish their claim, as Miško the Maker claimed neutrality and began selling weapons and food to the other four factions, content to ensure the war did not ravage the woodland home of his people. Volodymyr Monomakh was killed in battle with the Draci and his soldiers were incorporated into the army of King Dobromir as mercenaries, while his Negruj supporters fled to the banner of Scârbos. Scârbos proved himself an able general and marched his armies on the Temesh and Bastrei, killing King Radecek Zhivko the Bald and sending his people into the arms of the Draci. Finally, the armies of the Draci under King Dobromir and the armies of the Negruj-Bolji under Scârbos met on the shores of the Temesh river around 289 BI. Scârbos' undead and ogre auxiliaries outmaneuvered the Draci and King Dobromir's forces were forced to retreat to a promontory in a bend of the Temesh river, where they fortified their position. The Negruj-Bolji laid siege to the makeshift fortifications for a month, their losses only adding to the undead legions at Scârbos' command. All seemed lost as Scârbos launched what was to be his final assault against their position, but the woodsmen of the Vatali arrived under the leadership of Miško the Maker. The Draci surged forth from their fortification to take advantage of the arrival of their unexpected allies and Scârbos army was forced to leave the field in tatters. Miško the Maker pledged his fealty to King Dobromir of the Draci, finally unifying much of the Temesh river valley under a single, native king again. Though the war against the Negruj-Bolji would drag on for another five years, it was at the Siege of Kzerna that most scholars agree Dracia was first established as a nation.

King Dobromir of the Draci built a castle upon the hill he had fortified, called Kzerna or 'Refuge' in his tongue and established a new capital for the unified territory under his command. In deference to the legendary King Byrebanus, he took the White Eagle as his banner. Dobromir continued to personally lead his armies in the field against the Negruj-Bolji while Queen Božena ruled from Kzerna with Miško the Maker of the Vatali as her closest adviser. Eventually, King Dobromir defeated Scârbos in battle, where it was revealed that the undead general was actually King Cotyx the Fat, resurrected after his execution at the hands of Zyrapys the Bloody. With the defeat of Cotyx, the Negruj fled back to their homeland in the southeastern hills of Dracia, eagerly pledging their support for King Dobromir. The Bolji begrudgingly accepted defeat, remaining rebellious and wild in their northern highlands even to the modern day.

King Dobromir died at the age of 40 in 279 BI while working to solidify the Dracians under his rulership. His son, Dobrivoje was only six years of age at the time and there was brief conflict among the Dracian generals as questions about succession rose. The widowed Queen Božena quickly called together the nascent nation's nobility and won them over, becoming Queen in her own right until her son came of age. It is notable that though Queen Božena's reign had a finite conclusion, the Draci at this time had no concept of regency and therefore she is included on the royal lists. Her reign would establish precedent for royal succession for centuries to come. When her son reached the age of 18 in 267 BI, the transition of power was a smooth one, with Božena assuming the role of a Dowager Queen, remaining an adviser to King Dobrivoje I.

King Dobrivoje's reign was relatively peaceful. He took several wives, though none were granted the title of Queen (as Dowager Queen, Božena retained sole right to the title). He chose for his heir one of his sons by a Draci wife, a tradition that would continue throughout the reign of his successors. Dobrivoje I was also the first king to take on a dynastic surname, Dobroslav, in honor of his father. Dobrivoje I ruled for 20 years, dying in his bed in 247 BI. The succession of his chosen heir, Krasmir, was overseen by the aging Dowager Queen Božena, who was so deeply beloved that none dared question her support for her grandson. Krasimir I ruled for over forty years and was succeeded by his grandson, Dobroslav II, in 179 BI. Dobromir II expanded the frontiers of his kingdom greatly, finally dominating the Negruja Hills and establishing garrisons in the ruins of the Two Kings, which would thereafter always be considered Dracia's northern border.

The Golden War

Original article: The Golden War

Unfinished.


The Vtalasav Dynasty

Original article: The Vtalasav Dynasty in Dracia

Unfinished.


The Imperial Conquest

Original article: The Imperial Conquest in Dracia

Unfinished.


The Mage-War

Original article: Dracia in the Mage-War

Unfinished.


The Dark Times

Original article: The Dark Times in Dracia

Unfinished.


The Rise of the Ivory Queen

Original article: The Rise of the Ivory Queen in Dracia

Unfinished.


Dracia was a relatively recent conquest of the Empire, having first come into conflict with Imperial troops in 1083 IC. A minor squabble between a marcher lord of Narbonne and the Dracian crown resulted in warfare, which the Empire quickly took as an excuse to conquer the entire country, removing all titles from its King Otto III Vtalasav. The Vtalasav family, however, recovered quickly, and regained several noble titles that they had lost in return for servitude to the Emperor.

The Dracian people recovered quickly from the conquest of their nation, and assimilated surprisingly well into Imperial society. Many nobles and bureaucrats from the country have wormed their way into the good graces of various high-level positions within the Great Houses, and many more have secured for themselves far more power than a colonial typically receives. The nation was considered mostly subdued (except for the periodic peasant rebellions in the southeast), but far too complicated to rule effectively by non-natives, and rulership of the nation has passed from one Great House to another, no single House maintaining rulership for long. Remus Augustilius of House Valerius became the colony's most recent Prefect in 1246 IC, but he would prove to be unfit for the task of ruling the Dracians.

Dracia was affected little during the rule of the Emperor Lucius “the Heretic” and seemed to support House Valerius in its bid for the Imperial Throne during the early months of the Fourth Succession War. After the Mabean Marches successfully rebelled against the Empire and gained their independence, Vladimir of the old Vtalasav royal family also made his bid for autonomy in 1255 IC. True to Dracian form, their independence was negotiated from Remus Augustilius, who Vladimir swore to assist in the Fourth Succession War in return for a treaty which affirmed Dracian independence and recognized the crown. Since that time, Dracia has continued to support the bid of House Valerius for the throne, but their support in recent years has been waning as more pressing matters bring Dracian troops home. As Dracia has no real enemies in the region and little bandit activity since the fall of Imperial control in the nation, few know precisely what these troops are needed for, but his Majesty assures House Valerius that they are, indeed, needed.

Economy

Since the fall of Imperial control in the region, Dracian exports have risen dramatically. Their border with Donnagh Saoristat has proved to be a bottle-neck for trade coming to and from Gaelish Kingdom and they have taken great advantage of this advantage. Though the land has traditionally been poor for agriculture, the King has issued many edicts assisting farming villages and begun exporting foodstuffs to their neighbors. The wealthy ore mines of the foothills of the Challieann Mountains still rarely leave the country, but Dracian weapons are sold to anyone who can afford the price (House Valerius receives a discount, of course). As a result of this change in practices, most people in Dracia have become extremely wealthy due to its independence, creating a rock-solid loyalty to the Crown among the common folk. The Dracian nobility, of course, have used this new-found wealth to increase the stakes in attempting to outdo one another in the ownership of property and luxuries. Demand for rare and exotic luxuries has, as a result, increased exponentially.

Religion

Dracia is extremely open-minded about religion, as long as those who practice religious beliefs do not infringe on secular law. Even during Imperial rule, Dracians were extremely liberal when it came to religion, eager to pretend to take up the worship of this god or another as the fickle motions of fashion dictate. Currently, the worship of Cebren, god of music; Erato, goddess of love; Furinus, god of wine; and Minos, god of commerce, is extremely popular in Dracia, though the worship of Amphitritus, god of greed; Britomaris, goddess of thievery; and Mormo, god of deception, is popular as well. It is said that there is a major temple to Dagon in the foothills of the Challieann Mountains, to the northwest, but such rumors are unconfirmed. It is notable that the Dracian crown has not yet declared a religious leaders whose responsibility it would be to crown the next King, but this is in keeping with pre-Imperial Dracian tradition, which dictated that the King’s heir would crown himself, with the acceptance of the Dukes.

See Also

This is a thumbnail description and is scheduled for expansion at a later date.


 
This article is part of the Player's Guide to Aurea

Introduction ·  Economics and Trade ·  Legends and History ·  Religion ·  Regions and Realms

Regions and Realms on Aurea

Geographic Regions · Nations and Realms