Vashkova

Vashkova is a northeastern realm of Ethelra whose history was shaped by repeated invasions and the necromantic practices that helped its people survive them. Forests, older burial grounds, and colder winters are common across much of the country, though its towns and countryside are home to ordinary communities as well as the unusual traditions for which Vashkova is known.

The Czardom is ruled from Radenov by Czarina Yelena Vorenskaya, whose unusually long reign has made her longevity a subject of widespread speculation. The nature of that longevity is not publicly known.

Necromancy holds an accepted place within Vashkovan society because of its historical role in defending the country. The Deathwardens oversee important aspects of necromantic practice and the treatment of the dead, while Blood Magic and vampirism remain part of Vashkova's magical and political history. The first vampires, known as the Firstbound, were created here during the Age of Wonders.

Vashkova is also strongly irreligious by Ethelran standards. The existence of the gods is rarely disputed, but divine authority carries little automatic weight in public life. This outlook, together with the country's long history of resisting outside control over its magical traditions, continues to shape Vashkova in 741 U.R.