Lazzgrad

Situated on the plains in the southern side of the province, just after the last tooth of the range, the city of Lazzgrad (/Lasgrad/, LAYS-grayd) stands as a city state ruling over the farms and the fishermen villages. The city is de facto independent since 470 MR, when Zhupan Mikail Lazz supported Gregor Molev in his blood challenge against the Zvetjeskegian line's ruler Mikail Pyotrvisk. The Lazz family is currently represented by the patriarch Anatoli Lazz, and provides the Tsarina of Rzhlev taxes, access to the sea, patrols against the dwarves and occasionally conscripted levies, in exchange for being left alone and independent. The town contains 85% of the population (~2000 people) and has a full port, maintained by the tsarina as part of the vassalage agreement. More than often Anatoli has spent the money for maintaining the docks into something else, however, so the area is used more by ruffians and pirates to store their smuggled goods; One may never know if the basement of a tavern hides a forgotten hidden passage to a treasure hidden by some pirate died long ago in a raid. The tsarina also pays for the castle and city walls, making the city a good place to control any invaders from the north or the Dwarfhame.

Although the city respects the preaching of the Belinik Tsarevic about dividing the population, nothing is done to enforce such rules. The districts around Castle Lazz and the market are all mixed between Brecht and Vos, and the Lazz family is the sole judge recognized in matters of the law, which are solved by duels (for honor matters) or a fine (for trade matters). Slavery is present but still maintains the old meaning of paying a debt with coerced work rather than what the guild has done in the rest of the realm. The Lazz family also works as a guild, since no respect for the Grovnikken Stohlevvskyy is shown as the guild dwarves first entered Rzhlev as bandits and tried to raid the city as their first target.

Situated a few miles east of Lazzgrad, a small land corridor between the northern range opened by two enormous statues of two Dwarven doomguards called the Marble Pass stands as the last vestige of an highway forged by the dwarves before the Great Earthquake during the days of Deismaar. This province was the last one to be inhabited by the dwarves, and sometimes small caravans of dwarves were spotted by the rangers near the border of Daikhar Zhigun. This passage has been used as a way to escape the realm in the past and the zhupan fears it may be used to smuggle enemy troops in the future, so a careful eye is kept. The tsarina ordered the Lazz family to hire permanent rangers to constantly patrol this old road.

In truth, Anatoli has made several hidden arrangements with the dwarves, and let them live in small hidden settlements in the mountains provided they don't rise any trouble and forfeit any birthright on the mountains.