Russ ('Rush')

Russ

Gummint: Empire <Hierarchy>
Pantheon: Slavonic <Russian, Siberian, && Slav>



Leader: Czar Peter IX <Ivan the Terrible>
CAPITAL: Moscow (Pop.: 250,000)
Other Cities (and pop.):
Kronstadt: 70k
Novgorod: 55k
Perm: 45k
Smolensk: 60k
Tagilsk: 10k <ISIS>
Tula: 40k

Loc.: Aeropa
Language: Slavic dialect
Pop.: 10,000,000
Flag/Emblem:
Flag: A black, wyvern-bodied
eagle, armed
gold && breathing
flames, on a gold field.

Coinage: Skandian Standard.
Important Persons: Grand dukes, clerics, nobs, princes, officials, etc. <Lenin(yuan-ti), Stalin(pit fiend). thanks: kingofthefreepass> <Rasputin>
Alliances: Kalevala, Slovia.
Hostilities: Finmark, Kiev, Littuania, Livestonia, Talmark.
Open Warfare/Skirmishing: Frequent on eastern borders where
Mongol raiders are common. Some skirmishing elsewhere. Rumored
to be readying for war with Littuania && Kiev.
Intrigues: Court is filled w/ plotting. Supposed reason for treaty ov
peace w/ Kalevala is to gain support ov their magick-users in ambitions
elsewhere.
Magickal Devices: Russ holds the Signs ov Time, the Axe ov the Forests,
Ymir's Helm, && the Rods ov Command && Obedience.

Alignment: Chaotic Evil <anti-paladins>



Thumbnail Sketches: Russ is a vast land which reaches from the
Baltic port ov Kronstadt on the Gulf ov Kalevala, across Aeropa && the
Ural Mts. to incl. the Azirian lands ov the Ob's vast marshes,
&& some ov the boundless taiga && forest areas ov what is called
Siberia. It's territory covers more than 1,250,000 sq. mi.,
which makes it the largest realm on Aerth, albeit not a very populous
one. Moscow, the capital && heart ov the realm, is a large but
isolated metropolis whose unique architecture is a blend ov the
Skandian w/ the Slavic, influenced strongly by the Byzantine &&
Khazirian, too. It sits astride the Moskva River, a navigable tributary
ov the Oka, that waterway itself a tributary ov the mighty Volga River.
The old city is walled, && the great central fortress--the Kreml--is
a sight NOT to be missed, as are the high towered && strangely
domed Temple Cathedral opposite it && the great palace ov the
Czars. Moscow has many interesting bridges, public buildings,
squares, monuments, tombs, &&
parks. Its Kramer College is large
&& has a solid reputation.

There are basically three "belts"
ov climate && land in the empire.
Northern lands are ov arctic tundra
&& sub-arctic taiga, where march &&
scrub predominate. Next comes the
forest region ov mixed conifer &&
hardwoods, birch, beech, etc., eventually
yielding to the larger varieties
ov deciduous growth such as oak
&& ash. Finally come the open, rolling
plains--the steppes--which are
fertile grasslands.

Fully half ov the
country is wild && virtually unpopulated,
&& therein roam all kinds
ov animals, incl. lion, bear,
wolf, boar, bison, auroch, elk,
deer, reindeer ,
&& smaller game
(sable, lynx, fox, glutton, etc.
&& bird.

The Slavic race which originally
inhabited the heart ov Russ was ov
the archtypical sort, i.e. a hybrid ov
the Northern && Southern White
sub-races--with whatever leavening ov
other sub-races is typical to humanity.
The current pop. is now one
which is ov a Skand && Slavic mix,
with some Teutonic, Finn, etc., elements.
The Skand incursions into
the land began in c. <300 && continued
off && on until around 400
AAF. From these waves ov colonization
&& invaders from the Azirian
steppes sprang the Russian people,
an altogether hardy && vigorous
sub-sub-race ov hardworking sort. Russ
was created as an overlordship ov
Skands, but soon became a true
nation. At least 80% ov the
pop. is engaged in farming,
herding, && hunting && fishing. A
small middle class ov large landowners, artisans, proprietors, &&
merchants xists, && the upper class is large in comparison to other
Aeropan states, for warriors are highly re-garded && comprise some
5% ov the pop.. Slavery is unpopular, but serfdom is
common, && much ov the peasant class falls under this onus. Great
estates ov Boyars && nobs employ thousands ov serfs. The peasants,
however, are well known for their handicraft work, && during
the long winters the villages && towns ov Russ produce all manner ov
woven, metal, glass, wooden, etc., goods; such items being a principal
xport ov the country.

Agriculture yields crops ov barley, rye, oats, buckwheat, && wheat.
Potatoes, turnips, && beets are staples, too.
Fields ov sugar beets, flax, hemp, jute<>, sunflowers, && tobacco are seen.
Gardens produce veggies (carrots, beets, onions, etc.) and fruit.
There are orchards for hardy fruits such as plums, pears, && apples.
Some few vines are grown.

Livestock is mostly pork, cattle, sheep, && horses, with large amounts ov poultry raised as well.
Bees are kept everywhere, && yield both wax && honey.
Fishing is important, both from the sea && the great rivers ov the land.

Mines produce great amounts ov iron, coal, salt, && gold.
Platinum && copper are also found in moderate quantities.
The land ov Russ produces chrysoberyl, aquamarine, topaz, && amethyst.
Some quantities ov other stones, incl. minor amounts ov diamonds, are also mined in the Ural Mts.,
&& as more exploration ov this region occurs, it is expected that yields will increase.

Commerce is carried on overland && via Baltic && Arctic ports
with the West ov Aeropa, but most traffic tends to be southwards via
river to && from Khaziria, Slovia, Kiev, Ukrimia, && the Grecan
realms. Exports are many && include timber, furs, vodak, fish,
preserved fruit, all manner ov handicrafts, cloth, gold, wax, honey,
&& horses.