Jezstym

The largest settlement in the Premyslid region, Jezstym is also the capital of its ruler, Prince Jonas. It presents a front of opulence and wealth to the outside world, known among foreign cities as a place of tremendous decadence. A walled urban city, it straddles the Sizau river, linked by three bridges across its banks. The streets are praved with blocks of wood, and elaborate architecture abounds on the noble manors scattered throughout the city. A major market sits on the north bank, bringing mucj of the wealth from the surrounding region directly to its ruler. Jezstym is the sole holding of Prince Jonas, which he governs directly from the nearby castle of Zakopa. Jezstym often sees some kind of political unrest, the violence barely clamped down beneath a wave of repression from the militant Okrana.

Politics

In many ways, Jezstym is emblematic of the entirety of the Princedom. The city itself presents a facade of wealth, with opulent noble manors and elegantly dressed merchants bustling through the streets. Balls and feasts occur regularly across the city, each more elaborate than the next. And yet beneath this thin veneer lies the squalor and poverty endemic in the rural parts of the region, alternately ignored or chased into the dark corners of the city. It cannot be truly conquered, as every household requires its retinue of servants, reluctantly dragging a brace of peasants along with its magnificence. This divide between the rulers and the ruled is concentrated here in the city, where unrest and malcontent is at its richest. Much of the ruling class lives in blissful ignorance of the storm that grows beneath them, while the Okrana are perpetually busy stamping out revolutions and rebellions in equal parts. Occasionally, these frustrations bubble to the surface, quickly put down by the Prince's soldiers. Each of these periods is followed by intense scrutiny of the city by the Okrana, cracking down on any element they suspect of formenting revolt.

Groups

Okrana

The Okrana are a group under the direct authority of the Prince. Acting as his secret police, they enact his authority of support his reign across the region. Typically made up of sadistic peasants or lower nobility, they cling to what power they can exert over their fellows. They travel the roads and valleys of the Principality, hunting out rebels or threats to the status quo. They can be empowered to raise a militia to fight outlaws, or to assist them in executions or judiciary matters. Few ever refuse these summons, as the bad side of the Okrana is a place few want to be. The Okrana uniform is a black overcoat with a red sash used as a belt. Their leader is Valters Caks, a stump of a man with intelligence to match. He makes up for his shortcomings with zeal, a dedication to authority that few can match. This filters down throughout the organization, breeding ever more extremists and radicals. The symbol of Okrana authority is a cudgel, with the head wrapped tightly in barbed copper wire.

Savinka

The political climate in Jezstym, or what exists of it, is mostly underground. Any who speak out against the Prince or status quo are plucked out by the Okrana, and so a secret game exists. On the surface, all are fervently supportive of their lord, while many secretly work to depose him and other nobles. These workers are concentrated by the urban environment, able to discuss ideas much more readily than their rural counterparts. Agitators hold secret meetings, plotting and working to their ultimate goal of overthrowing the order that holds them down. This is often the only goal these groups have in common, each having a different route or ideal society in mind for their paradise. Among these, some have much more support than others, existing beyond a select few individuals to pose a credible threat to the throne. The Savinkas are one such group, having a wide membership across the city. Involved in sabotages, blackmail and even some murders, they are easily the most capable of the groups arrayed against Prince Jonas.

Landmarks

Personalities

Jonas Kazlas, Prince of Premyslid

A young Prince, Jonas took the mantle of leadership after his father’s sudden death. Generally regarded as a weak ruler, he has done little to expand or defend his realm. Instead, he soaks in the prosperity his people provide, eating luxuriously and throwing extravagant banquets. His reign has been marred by repression, expanding the deadly authority of his Okrana to police the nobility as well. Made paranoid by his advisors, he is slow to trust, believing a threat behind every corner. This has put his court on edge, with only the most power hungry nobles in the region daring to gather there. He is great friends with Stasys, the Chosen of Starya, who he considers to be his only true counsellor. Jonas is a thin and rakish young man, with blonde hair and pale skin. He wears the finest clothes, with golden filigree and other elaborate embroidery.

Stasys Mamonta, Chosen of Starya

The leader of the emerging Staryist faith, Stasys is a very influential individual within the court of Prince Jonas. He was a disciple of the faith’s founder, and after his death became its head. It was through his charisma and will that the faith has survived, and even flourished, in the region. A very intense and solemn individual, he has managed to climb from humble origins to a role of authority and respect. This position has earned him the ire of many other noblemen in the court, and there have been several attempts to depose or kill him. Surrounded by devout followers, these have all failed in spectacular circumstances, lending credit to the idea that Stasys is protected by his god. Surrounded by loyal and devout followers, the prophet has entrenched himself into the power structure of the country. His eyes are perhaps his most notable feature, ice blue and sunken into his skull. He is somewhat gaunt, though not pale. A shaggy beard drapes from his chin, with a rough knob of nose completing his visage. He is rumoured to be a lascivious charlatan, though never in the presence of him or any of his supporters. He tends to dress in plain black or blue robes, with a golden symbol of his god hanging from a long chain around his neck.

Valters Caks, Chief of the Okrana

Head of the Okrana, Valters is a middle-aged man from peasant stock. Having a history of thuggery as a young teen, his life shifted before he could graduate to full-blown banditry. Called to serve in a Okrana militia, his zeal caught the eye of the police leading the group. Brought in as one of their own, Valters took to the cause with ardent devotion. Within the ranks of the Okrana, his natural cruelty and authoritarianism were allowed to thrive. With brutal efficiency he carried out his duty, his methods and results earning him ever greater responsibilities. As he rose through the ranks, he came to the attention of Princess Vizma, the Prince’s mother. Through her patronage, he was groomed to fill his current role, taking the position upon the execution of the prior Chief, largely through Vizma’s machinations. He is simple minded, and fails to comprehend his role in the intrigues at court. This has largely kept him alive, as he diligently pours himself into his tasks. He understands his duty, and does it exceptionally well. He is a short and stout man, with virtually no neck. A bald head, bulbous nose and beady eyes adorn his face, with his expression either a scowl or frown. If he does smile, several silver and gold capped teeth shine brightly from within his mouth. He dresses in brigandine and carries the cudgel of his order.

Maria Timofeeva, Agitator

The Savinkas are a very strong political party dedicated to the overthrow of Prince Jonas and the establishment of a peasant run utopia. They are relentlessly hunted by the Okrana, their cells infiltrated and their meetings interrupted. As such, they are a fiercely secretive and protective group, relying on a core of dedicated members to organize less affiliated ones into action. Word of mouth is their main tool, supplemented by literature among those who can read. Particularly brave members canvas and try to recruit for their cause, of whom Mishka is one. Known for her fiery oration, she is a small and slight woman, made no less fearsome by her size. Often at the heart of Savinka schemes, she works alongside several of its other members to enact real and direct action in Jezstym. Her mother was a mistreated serving woman, radicalizing Maria at an early age. She is currently wanted for the murder of a noble in the city, and has not been seen for two months.