Vlachia

[El Borak]

Vlachia

Gummint: Kingdom
Pantheon: Slavonic



Leader: Vlad IV <Vlad the Impaler>
CAPITAL: Bucharest (Pop.: 50k)
Other Cities (and pop.):
Braila<>: 15k
Buzau<>: 15k
Craiova: 25k
Giurgiu: 10k
Ploesti: 40k

Loc.: Aeropa
Language: Vlach
Pop.: 3,000,000
Flag/Emblem: A pair ov white wings
volitant<> on a RED escutcheon<>
bordered ermine<>.

Coinage: Grecian Standard.
Important Persons: Dukes ov Arges, Dobrogia, and Oitenia, clerics,
nobs, officials, etc.
Alliances: Servia, Transylvania.
Hostilities: Roumania
Open Warfare/Skirmishing: None at present.
Intrigues: Bribery ov Constanta (Bulgaria) to become a vassal ov
Vlachia, ceding Danube delta to Roumania if successful, to buy
peace there. Pro-Bulgar faction pointing out that enemies on two
sides might spell disaster for Vlachia--either through being dismembered
|| swallowed up by Servian "allies." Many court intrigues.
Magickal Devices: The Prism ov Eight Rays && the Seeking Dart
are thought to be held by this realm. The Crown && various ov the
powerful factions ov Vlachia certainly have some numbers ov minor
objects ov magickal nature.

Alignment: Neutral <paramanders>

Thumbnail Sketches: Vlachia is by no means
a large kingdom, but it is a fairly wealthy one.
Its territory is ov something over 30k sq. mi.
between the Danube, its general southern
boundary, && the Transylvanian Alps--Roumania-Mouths
ov the Danube to the N.
The Mare Ostrum is its eastern border, Servia
the western. Mountain wildlands, forests, &&
wetlands occupy about 1/2 the realm.

All manner ov game--bear, great lynx, wolf,
stag, boar, deer, etc.--roam in these places,
but much ov the wilderness is re-served as
royal && noble hunting preserve.

The social structure ov Vlachia is typical ov the Eastern
Aeropan, w/ a strong aristocratic class, small
freeman one, && a large peasant class. Mountain
bandits in the NW are most troublesome
to the Crown.

Grains such as oats, barley, wheat, maize,
&& rye provide for ample food. So too are
fields ov peas, beans, potatoes, turnips, cabbages, etc. Flax, hemp,
jute<>, cotton, tobacco, sugar beets, && maddar<> bring ca$h. Viticulture
produces a fair wine. Garden produce incl. melons, watermelons,
cucumbers, etc. Mulberries are grown for silk production.
Orchards are mainly ov plum, apple, && cherry, although pears,
peaches, && apricots too are grown.

Sheep, cattle, horse, mule,
ass, sheep, g.o.a.t., pork, && poultry are raised. Bees are kept for
wax && honey production. Fishing in rivers is fair, but good catches
are brought from the sea.

Timber production && paper are important to Vlachia.

Mines ov gold, silver, copper, salt, iron, coal, led, zinc, manganese,
&& saltpetre are active. Quarries yield good marble && all
manner ov building stone.

[El Borak]

Avalanche Press did a series of d20 books set in the real world: they are generally good resources for an Aerth campaign.

Prespos

Ps.
Although it's not canon, I would imagine that Vlad Tepes III is the ruler of Vlachia, on Aerth.

Of course, Vlad Tepes III is part of the basis for the lejend of Dracula.
Here are the 1e AD&D stats for Dracula: (link no longer works and not in the Internet Archive)

[El Borak]

Vlachia is also known for the Movile Caves (Peștera Movile in Vlachian), a series of ancient caves that were isolated from the world for millions of years and shelter some truly alien life-forms. Not to mention that its atmosphere is toxic. It also contains some dark secrets.

Some insane soul on search for gold, glory and forgotten knowledge managed to record its descent:

[El Borak]

Aerth does have an Underdark, known as Subterranean Aerth (Epic of Aerth, pages 44-47).
Subterranean Aerth, which i just call The Underdark, here, is divided into:

* Upper Underdark
* Middle Underdark
* Deep Underdark

I am guessing that Movile Cave would be Middle Underdark, at least.

Prespos

Ps.
The link through "dark secrets" seems to require registration now.

[El Borak]

Strangely enough, the Movile Cave is located in the Upper Underdark, also known as Shallowshadow.

On Aerth, i would keep the general concept, enlarge the caves, and, ensure lots ov giant spiders && other giant arachnids.

It's tempting to have this area as a 'sacred garden' ov the cult ov Lolth, but...
at present, my philosophy is to keep the dark elves in the Underdark of that part ov Faerie that corresponds to the Germanic realms...

Of course, YMMV: this is Aerth, so, i hope that everyone ignores me, takes the bits they like, and, from there, goes on to build their own personal Fantasy Earth, to be shared with friends.
What is presented here is an alternate Aerth campaign, for (A)D&D, although i am seriously thinking about Aerth as a BX.BECMI.RC setting.
By no means is this sub-forum representative of the canonical Aerth, as presented by Gary Gygax.

Pres

Ps.
Are dark elves really from Germanic myth?
Just checking...

Ps2.
There is a recent movie about Vlad the Impaler, and, how he becomes Dracula: this happens in a cave, high atop a mountain.
Idea: an entrance to the Underdark, located near the top ov a mountain.

Unfortunately, the name has escaped me, for now. Anyone remember the name ov the movie?

Ps3.
Yes, in Presposia Aerth Campaign, Vlad the Impaler IS Dracula. Be warned...!

[El Borak]

Wizard ranking: #9
Priest ranking: #11
Overall Magickal Ranking: #10

Grey Magick: #1 out of 5. Use the 1e Illusionist class.
Witchcraeft: #1 out of 5. Use the Witch class from Dragon #114.
Priestcraeft-Religion: #1 out of 5. This represents the Priest classes and the Religion skill.
Demonology: #1 out of 5. This represents the Demonist class (White Dwarf).
Conjuration: #1 out of 5.
Fortune Telling: #1 out of 5.
Necromancy: #1 out of 5.


Vlachia is a high-magic setting.

[El Borak]

Welcome to Vlachia...

[El Borak]

Quote:
1476 - Vlad III Dracula defeats Basarab Laiota and becomes the ruler of Wallachia for the third time

[El Borak]

Quote:
Transylvanian Saxon engraving from 1462 depicting Vlad Țepeș



Quote:
Died today in 1476: Vlad III the Impaler, Prince of Wallachi t.co/3WOeClNbwi

At the age of 5 Vlad III was initiated into the Order of the Dragon, a monarchical chivalric order.



Vlad the Impaler and the Turkish Envoys. Painting by Theodor Aman.

Vlad III received his epithet during the war with the Ottomans when he created a ‘forest’ of 20000 impaled Turks.

It is estimated that Vlad the Impaler killed over 80,000 people during his reign.



In a letter to Corvinus dated 2 February, he wrote:
"I have killed peasants men and women, old and young, who lived at Oblucitza and Novoselo, where the Danube flows into the sea... We killed 23,884 Turks without counting those whom we burned in homes or the Turks whose heads were cut by our soldiers...Thus, your highness, you must know that I have broken the peace."

[El Borak]

There is a gate to A4 in Vlachia.

[El Borak]

There is a gate to T1 in Vlachia.