Varushka
“Bar your door, and do not open it before sunrise.”
Varushka is a land of dark magics and dark tales. Monsters lurk in the sunless spaces of the forests that lie across the broken hills like a blanket woven from shadows. Those who keep to the roads and keep to the rules can travel safely. Those who choose their own path find that the rulers of Varushka do not tolerate a challenge to their authority.
Power comes in many forms in Varushka, sometimes brutal and uncompromising, sometimes subtle and unnoticed. Boyars guard their dominions; their Schlacta, their iron fist enforce their will. Wise ones instruct their people, keep them safe by ensuring they know how to follow the rules. Itinerant wizards, the Volhov, keep dangerous company and make everyone’s business their own.
The people of Varushka make hard decisions and compromises to prosper in this difficult land. Their toil has seen them grow rich from the wealth to be had here, and their caution has seen them grow wise to the dangers that lie in wait. They enjoy celebration as much as any folk in the Empire - but they make sure their door is secured first - and whatever happens the wise do not open for the door for anyone before sunrise.
They are the iron in the Empire’s laws, unyielding, uncompromising, they do what must be done to keep our land strong. They are the Empire’s bones, who endure all and still prosper.
Five things about Varushka
- Do not let your eyes fool you. Appearances are deceptive, take nothing for granted.
- Respect your elders. The old possess wisdom that you will need to survive here.
- Do not leave the road. Only the human habitants of this land wish you well.
- Prepare for difficult choices. Often the only choice is the lesser of two evils.
- Do not idle between dawn and dusk. We work hard and do not tolerate wastrels.
What the Varushkans are not
- Stereotypical vodka-drinkers. While the inspiration draws from Eastern Europe and Russia, they are not comedy cossacks.
- A divided nation. While there might have been two people here once upon a time, the Vard and the Ushka are gone and only the Varushkans remain.
The Nation
Core Brief
Further Reading
- History
- Leadership
- Military Concerns
- Economic Interests
- Religious Beliefs
- Magical Traditions
- Hearth Magic
- Lineage and Species Attitudes
- Territories
- Children
- Music
- Costumes