Vorostokov

Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Status: NPC

Provinces/Holdings: The realm of Vorostokov takes little notice outside of it's own borders. The internal situation is a land of harsh winters that quickly brings death due to the cold, and cool summers that fade all to quickly. The realm temples once a bastion of faith and hope have crumbled into a historic site of loss. The only remaining faith within the lands is that within the city of Vorostokov run by Terenshy Mackelfis. The lands mercantile trade over the past few years has dwindled to nothing as well. The single guild sources are collectively within Vorostokov. Magic and mystery run deep within the hills and valleys of the land. It is said that here elemental forces and dark spirits roam the terrain in the bodies and minds of it's inhabitants.

Abbreviations: Bo = The Boyarsky; Mz = Mikhail Zolnik; SWh = The Sister Witches; MM = Marik the Mouse Eater; Te = Terensky; Ol = Oleg the Woodcutter

• Law: Vorostokov's law is collectively governed by the Boyarsky. A group of men paying allegiance to the Boyar himself, Gregor Zolnik. The law is harsh and any who would oppose it find themselves missing or victims of traveling accidents. As harsh as the rule of the boyarsky is however, there is little else to appeal to the youth of the region and many desire to one day take up the reins of the older law holders.

• Temples: The faithful here are scattered to the far reaches of the domain. There is however one temple to Lirovka(Sera). It is located within the city of Vorostokov and is operated by Brother Terensky (MV; P1; Vo, minor, 16;LG), a middle aged man who has seen the glories of the past and dreams of them. His temple, is downtrodden and the congregation seldom visits. People have seem to loose hope of bettering their lives and the temple it seems has failed in restoring their vitality.

• Guilds: While no one person operates all of the local trade through out the region, the Wood Cutter, Oleg seems to have the respect of many in the area and his word in merchant affairs is often heeded. Oleg (MV;F1;Br, minor, 23; NG).

• Sources: The magical forces are divided between the Sister's of the Boyar and Marik the Mouse Eater. The sister's, Natalya (FV; M6; Az, major, 32; LE) and Elena Zolnik (FV; M6; Az, major, 34; LE) live in a small house in which they leave from time to time. They despise their brother Gregor, but are unwilling to make any moves against him openly. They have become more and more twisted in their years as they have slowly turned into twisted crones. They are now filled with nothing but hatred, malice and spite. They view all others as tools to use, or enemies to dispose of. Marik the Mouse Eater (MKh; M2; Ma, tainted, 8) lives alone and most believe this frail man of Khinasi decent to be addle brained. He is fond of proclaiming himself, "I is Marik, hedge wizard, say you have hedges.." Most discount this man for his appearances. None know if he is really as dim witted as he appears. Regardless, over the course of the years he has avoided death and claimed half of the sources within the land.

Regency Generated/Accumulated: 2/34 RP.
(Gregor Zolnik collects regency from all of the provinces and also collects all of the regency from the Boyarsky).

Treasury: 12 GB. Gregor mainly has money left over from when the lands were warm and rich. Now he has very little use for his gold and collects little.

Army: The Boyarsky and their followers in total comprise of two units of irregulars which serve at no cost to the state. In addition Gregor can summon two units of wolves to fight in times of crisis as well as one unit of lycanthopes (Loup du Noir werewolves).

Regent: The Boyar, Gregor Zolnik (MV; F8; Az, major, 37; CE), a very charismatic man who it appears is not effected by the passage of time. Gregor rules his people with a front of boasting and broad confidence. What is little known is that long ago he was afflicted with a curse that has left him with the disease of lycanthropy. Since that day he has come to terms with what he is and has determined that all who follow him will do so as a lychanthrope as well. He has gained the ability to control other werewolf lycanthropes as well as those he or his followers personally infect. His curse it seems has also given him an ability to resist the effects of age. To what details no one knows. Lt. He has two lieutenants currently. Alexei Zolnik, brother of Gregor, (MV; F5:Az, major, 32; CE) and Dmitri Dneprov (MV;F6; non blooded; CE).

Important NPC's: The youngest brother of Gregor, is Mikhail Zolnik. He has also been effected with the curse of the Loup du Noir, lycanthropy. Due to his shared bloodline of his brother he appears to be able to resist the controlling effects of the other werewolves in the domain. As of yet Mikhail does not yet know he has been effected. If he also has the ability to resist the evil temperament as his curse remains to be seen. (MV; R6; Az; major, 32; CG)

Description: The land once was a paradise of warmth and happy people. Long ago Gregor killed the liege lord of the realm in a tangled situation of a love thought betrayed. The dying regent called out to the gods and the forces of the Shadow World in a great curse upon Gregor. The realm was changed the next day. The summers are very brief and the mountain passes seldom unthaw enough to allow anyone to by pass them in to the realm. During the winter months the temperature is from 0 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 20 to 30 degrees below at night. Often still are frequent blizzards that coat the land dropping temperatures to below -50 degrees with wind below 70 miles per hours. This time is called the "Black Ice". Any one caught out in one of these blizzards is given up for
lost. Cold damage, exposure, frostbite, hypothermia and starvation all are major concerns of any traveler within the domain. Even small tents and fires are not strong enough to protect travelers fully. Those who have disregarded this often given advise freeze in the colds. The only inhabitants that seem to be able to move in the normal weather with little difficulty are the large populations of wolves that scour the lands. They travel in packs and on occasion a lycanthope may be with them.

Allies: None.

Enemies: Nations seem incapable of breaching the colds and the high passes of the mountains. As it were Vorostokov has no enemies.