House Vyre and The Free Cities of Luska

Modifiers:

“Capitalist Tendencies” +2 Economy, -2 Loyalty

“Natural Port” +2 Navy, +1 Logistics

“Land-locked” -1 Army


Point Allocation

Army: 4 (-1) = 3

Navy: 4 (+2) = 6

Economy: 4 (+2) = 6

Logistics: 3 (+1 Mod, +3 from Econ) = 7

Loyalty: 5 (-2) = 3

Castle: 3

Espionage: 2


The Family of House Vyre

Koschei Vyre, Tsar of Zarasai and King of Luska, 25

Florijan Vyre, Tsar’s brother, 23

Luzana Vyre, Tsar’s sister, 20

Sofija Vyre, Tsar’s mother, 40

Radacek Vyre, Tsar’s uncle, 35

Nykolo Vyre, Tsar’s cousin, 18

Family Abroad

Elisavetta Galathion, Tsar’s aunt, 35

Elija du Valdez, Tsar’s aunt, 32

Presumed Dead

Velizar Vyre, former King of Luska, 40


Culture

The Free Cities of Luska are known throughout Trevast to be areas of enterprise and entrepreneurial mastery. Trade of all kind occurs in the cities of the merchant-barons, and though they all answer to the ruling authority of House Vyre, the region is famous for its financially independent power. While this aptitude for trade started early in Luska’s first merchant-barons, their influence was limited during the formative reigns of the line of House Vyre. Only during Emperor Zoran Vyre’s failed rule were the barons able to seize enough power to influence Vyre authority.

Civil rebellions have sometimes erupted over this balance of power, between the barons and House Vyre, but not once have the barons been victorious. Each time the nation has had to take time to recover, but thankfully this has not happened for some time. Nowadays, the nation enjoys peaceful trade between all other powers of Trevast, and a small amount with other foreign powers.

The capitalist tendency of the nation has fostered a variety of practices found rarely outside of Luska. Along with entrepreneurial merchants who pry in unique trades, there are also many Free Companies in Luska that operate as mercenary forces. Though they are required to keep one-quarter of their forces reserved for possible government purchase, the Free Companies enjoy reduced tax rates and government sanctioned freedom to take on contracts outside of the nation.

Food, wine, art, religion, and music are all factors in regional Luskan culture. Along the coast and in Zarasai, grapes are grown for wine and animals such as sheep and swine are herded for meat. Fishmongers are rampant along the coast and on the Salkan Isles, and lumberers, masons, quarrymen, and miners all have a presence on the inland. Practicers of both the Artisian and Salkan religions are present in most cities, and although a fair amount of people also mix the two belief systems, Luskan culture tends to favor the more traditional, supernatural culture of Salkan worship. This includes the recognition and palaction of spirits, ancestor worship, and a penchant for respecting nature.

Music and drama saw an influx during the short-lived Luska-Routaille Union, and its effects long outlived the political and economic venture. Plays of all kind sprung up throughout the region, and the creation and trade of musical instruments have seen to a more artistically liberal culture in recent centuries. As a result of this and other formative factors, Luska has become known as a socially liberal, trade-friendly nation supporting independent venture while House Vyre profits from and protects its people.


Pre-Trevastine Luska

What is now known as Luska can be divided into two regions: the Salkan Isles, and the Wolf-Spine Mountains. Before Trevast peacefully absorbed both regions and united them into the kingdom of Luska, the native peoples of these regions enjoyed relative independence from the Imperial Empire to the south. The people of the Salkan Isles, known as Salkans (named after their cultural religion), were a seafaring population of pale-skinned, round-cheeked northmen, known for having hair of every color and worshipping the supernatural. Their culture revered the spirits of nature and believed their ancestors protected them in the afterlife, and consequently family life was very important. The Salkan villages did not develop much before Trevastine influence arrived, and they were ruled over by chieftains who gained their power through democratic vote.

Across the Salkan Channel, along the coast of the Wolf-Spine Mountains, the natives were noticeably more developed. Various small towns and villages grew over time, and were populated by a people who could be described as “less pale” Salkans with prominent jawlines and deep-set eyes. These coastal towns were fueled by trade among each other, as well as with southern seafaring nations. They were able to sell lumber, quarried rock and iron mines from the mountains, as well as herbs, fish, gems, and a variety of other goods. Each of these towns was ruled over by a merchant-baron, who was able to buy loyalty through money gained by trade.

The further inland and into the mountains one traveled, however, the less-hospitable the region became. Dark forests filled the valleys created by the mountains, and barbarous tribes of the Wolf-Spine wandered through them in nomadic packs. Greed would occasionally drive the coastal barons to venture into this region, and after a few bloody conflicts with the barbarians, the barons began to create small military forces to secure their safety.

It was not long before the Emperor of Trevast sought to expand their empire northward. As the Imperial armies took their ships to the sea, they sent diplomats to each of the towns of the Wolf-Spine coast, and offered a peaceful absorption into the Empire. Despite this rather forced, “peaceful” absorption, the barons managed to argue their way into slightly cheaper rates than was initially demanded, and gained aid in defending against the barbarians of the Wolf-Spine.

Over the next century, the armies of the Empire made their way around the coast and onto the Salkan Isles. When the Trevastines arrived, the peaceful, spiritual Salkans were using stone weapons and garbed in animal skins and furs. It took some time for the two people to be able to understand each other, and the relationship was not without conflict. Once the Salkans became aware that that the Trevastines wanted control of the Isles, they hardened against the foreigners and eventually both sides fell into battle.

The Salkans had little chance to match the Empire’s outfitted armies, but in numbers they were able to fight the Trevastines to a bloody standstill. After thousands of deaths on both sides, the Empire reached a point where it realized that further conflict would be too costly, and that their goals might be reached through peace. The Salkans, bloodied and eager for an end to the conflict, saw peace as the only path to the survival of their people. A treaty was drafted to allow the Salkans independence at the cost of a continued Trevastine presence. Over time, the two would intermingle peacefully, though in essence the Salkans were absorbed by the Trevastines. They learned much from Trevast, but were able to keep their traditions and pass down folklore for generations, and the Salkan religion is still practiced.


The Imperial Occupation

After the coastal merchant barons and the Salkan tribes of the northern isles were absorbed, the Imperial Empire focused on infrastructure and building a Trevastine presence in the region they now coined as “Luska”. Over this period of time towns became cities, and the native peoples traded far more than before and became a great deal more learned than they once were. The ages-old coastal traditions mixed with the Trevastine worship of Artis, and formed a more complicated culture than once existed before. Armies were developed and maintained, keeps were formed, and walls were fortified.

During this time, the rule of Emperor Caspian I was underway. In an effort to reward the bastard son of Thredan (Caspian’s usurped brother) for his service to the crown, Caspian rewarded Prince Vytoras with the region of Luska as his own to rule. The Prince accepted theis gift eagerly, and traveled to Luska with a mind to create and develop a capital city. Though he never finished what would become Zarasai, Vytoras did succeed in beginning the capital’s formation. Many laborers were needed and the endeavor employed a great many native Luskans. Building trades saw a great influx of new talent, and the purses of the merchant barons sagged a little less as those of the common man gained weight.

Unfortunately for Vytoras, the region he selected for the capital was located in a resource-rich valley, situated upon the northern coast of the Trevastine continent. While it was indeed a great location for such a city, the barbarians of the Wolf-Spine consistently used the area for resources such as food and lumber. This created a conflict that saw the tribes of the Wolf-Spine united together to keep the area from being settled, and from being robbed of its natural resources.

The conflict would account for thousands of deaths between the two forces before the barbarians finally recognized that their foe would not be conquered. By this time, they had lost too many warriors to ever hope to gain the region back, and either fled back into the mountains, or surrendered to the Imperial Forces. After the conflict ended, construction resumed with a heavy defense in place. It took many generations of Vytoras’ line (to be known as House Vyre) before Zarasai was large and wealthy enough to be recognized as the capital of Luska.


Current History

The current head of House Vyre, Tsar Koschei, is the son of one of the most influential and imperially-minded Vyre leaders to date. Velizar Vyre was a man whose goals in life were to make his family name great, and his wealth greater. He became the King of Luska after both of his parents were poisoned by a rogue merchant, who was publicly executed soon after. This left Velizar at twenty-five years old as the successor to the Vyre household, and to the rulership of Luska. His younger siblings immediately supported Velizar and helped him transition in as the the new King.

As King and Tsar, Velizar was uncompromising. He saw the city fortified and expanded throughout his fifteen years of leadership, and under his rule the markets of Luska continued to flourish. His ultimate goal for House Vyre was to push eastward and start a colony on the Boterin shores, but this required time and Velizar was determined to see the process done right. During this time he married the daughter of a merchant-baron, a woman known as Sofija Pellagrani. Her father wasn’t known as the most successful of the barons, but the woman’s hair had gone silver-white after her eighteenth name-day, and this was considered a sign of fertility in Luska. Velizar, eager to secure his reign and family line, began courting her fairly quickly and they were married soon after.

The two of them had three children during the next seven years. Their first-born child was a son who they named Koschei, and Velizar immediately recognized the boy as his heir. In Luska, there is a folk tale that Vyres born of black hair will grow to be great leaders and accomplish things of legend. Nearly every Vyre ruler has had black hair due to this folklore, and when Koschei was born with black fuzz on his head, Velizar and Sofija rejoiced and began grooming him to rule from a young age. Koschei was tutored in many areas of study over his life, in everything from politics, economics, marketing, war strategy, diplomacy, and all manner of things to make him a worthy king. He was also a squire to the general of the Luskan army at the time, and gained his knighthood on his eighteenth name-day.

When Koschei turned twenty-three, his father was lost during a secretive sea journey to one of the Salkan Barons. Though no corpse was discovered, the ship they had traveled on was found floating in pieces, and it was assumed that pirates of the west pillaged and destroyed the vessel and everyone on it. After a brief period of mourning, Koschei took up the mantle of Tsar of Zarasai and King of Luska. With his mother and uncle to help him, Koschei has ruled much as his father did in the past two years. He is known to have a short temper and strong ambition, and has expanded the Luskan military by half its former strength since taking reign

Trade

Potash
Naval Cloth
Bobbin lace
Hemp
Flax
Grain
Fish
Timber (Oak, Birch, Yew)
Stone
Iron
Copper
Silver
Gold

Army (60,000 Soldiers)

The Luskan Army is divided into three legions, with 20,000 soldiers in each. The first legion, known as the Zarasgard, is made up of the Knights Zaras and the Luskan Guard. The guard fulfill many roles and are situated throughout Zarasai as well as stationed in the government buildings of the Salkan Isles. The remaining legions, known simply as the Luskavar, serves as Luska’s answer to warfare on land. Each legion of the Luskavar is comprised of :

2,000 Knights of Luska, mounted with lance, broadsword and shield
2,000 Knights of Luska, on foot with broadsword or flanged mace, and shield
4,000 Luskan Soldiers, on foot with pike, sword or military pick, and shield
2,000 Wolf-Spine Warriors, on foot with war axe and shield or great axes
5,000 Luskan Archers, on foot with longbow and sword
2,000 Borenko’s Bogatyri (Heavy Shock Cavalry), with spear, sabre or mace, and shield
1,000 Borenko’s Bogatyri (Archer Cavalry), with composite bow and sabre
2,000 Luca’s Nine Lives, quick anti-armor, armed with crossbows and dual swords


Navy (90 Light Ships, 30 Heavy Ships, and 10,500 Marines)

The navies of Luska are known for their durability on long ventures, and feared for their boarding parties and expert maneuvering. The marines of Luska are trained to win over naval battles as quickly as possible, as have been known to deploy various tactics in order to achieve this end. They are well equipped to handle melee combat and specialize in boarding enemy vessels quickly and ruthlessly. Some notable strategies include the use of fire ships, clay pots filled with soap, and grappling bolts fired from their springalds.

Heavy Luskan vessels field multiple decks of springalds, repeater crossbows, and ballistae; and are equipped with castles on either end of the main deck. Every heavy ship can carry 100 men, which are broken down as follows:

30 Luskan Bowmen, equipped with crossbow and sword
60 Luskan Marines, equipped with sword, flanged mace, or military pick, and shield
10 Luca's Nine Lives, equipped with shortsword, whip, and hand crossbow.

Light Luskan vessels are designed to be light and fast, and function as troop transports or are used for skirmishing. In either case, these ships can carry up to 50 crew and transport 200 soldiers.