Vistina, Dark Age Rus

[Faolan Doyle]

Just to welcome newcomers to the walled town of Vistina, on the Baltic coast of Rus. A settlement of some 6,000 souls, sprung from a Viking trading post, Vistina is a thriving mercantile community which welcomes visitors from many places - as far away as the Moorish lands, from time to time, and even Cathayans, along with Vikings from all over Scandinavia, Ireland and the Orkneys, Rus, Estonians, Letts, Bulgars, Germans, Poles... Being neatly located on the major trading routes between Scandinavia and Constantinople, it's also a gathering point for norse mercenaries on their way to the city of the White Christ to seek employment (usually in the imperial Varangian Guard). There's a large monastery close by, the crypt community of St Varvara Beryozka, but the town is fairly cosmopolitan and permits most religions (except Islam, obviously) to be discreetly practised; there's even a small jewish community. Pagans are advised they should keep their hammers of Thor, Horns of Cernunnos etc, concealed, but as long as they do there's no objection to their visit. Politically the town is disputed between the Grand Prince of Novgorod and the Prince of Pskov, but the current human ruler of Vistina, Prince Kyrill Denisovich, favours Novgorod. The kindred Prince, Janis Kola, is a merchant; any passer by should be able to direct you to his business premises to pay your respects. All clans are welcome except Assamites and Setites. Be warned, there is a substantial lupine presence in the region, and there is also a fire hazard; Vistina has burned down eleven times since it was founded in 600 AD (and has been sacked twice, once by the Swedes and once by the Volga Bulgars). Accommodation for travellers of varying classes exists inside and outside the walls. Enjoy your stay!

Originally posted 17/04/07

[Faolan Doyle]

In response to a player query, the year is 1150 AD and the time is late spring, start of the trading season; the ice is mostly gone from the sea lanes and the rivers, and the roads are passable again, though wolves are still a bit of a nuisance (especially the two-legged ones). In response to another player query, the Road of Blood is only open to Assamites, they do not teach it to anyone else; in the same way the Road of Typhon is Setites only, and only Ravnos on the Road of Paradox, please.

Originally posted 18/04/07

[Faolan Doyle]

In the name of his highness Kyrill Denisovich, prince of Vistina and lord of Novgorod; the bounty on wolfpelts is hereby increased from 5 vairs to 15 for a male, and from 10 to 30 for a female. Cubs under one year remain at 3 vairs.

Originally posted 22/04/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Mercenaries in the city for the hiring fair are reminded that fighting within the city limits carries a penalty of 10 lashes; if you have a grudge, take it out to the caravan camps. Killing within the city limits carries a fine of 5 roubles, with appropriate compensation to the family or owner of the victim

Originally posted 22/04/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Dear Bog,
would you give us a table of how many ambers are worth a squirel skin and such like... and the names of the currency too. Amen

Papa Piotre

Originally posted by player Sick Freddy on 25/04/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Certainly, Piotr.
20 ambers = 1 vair (squirrel skin)
5 vairs = 1 nogata (fox fur)
20 vairs = 1 rezana (sable)
30 vairs = 1 kuna (marten skin)
50 vairs = 1 grivna (silver ingot)
25 nogatas = 1 grivna
20 kunas = 1 grivna
20 grivnas = 1 pood (gold ingot)

Originally posted 25/04/07

[Faolan Doyle]

In the name of his highness Kyrill, Prince of Vistina and Lord of Novgorod, and of Tikhon, Patriarch of Vistina;
It has come to their excellencies' understanding that there are rumours of plague within the city, possibly spread by witches. It is their excellencies' wish that the people have no fears: there is no plague in Vistina, and the Hiring Fair will proceed as normal. His Highness and the Patriarch are investigating the allegations of witchcraft, and anyone witness to the alleged incident at the Red Dog Tavern should report themselves to the clerk of the Royal Court so their evidence may be recorded. Until the truth can be established, his highness wishes it known that anyone found to be falsely spreading tales of sorcery will receive 20 lashes.


Originally posted 29/04/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Fifth hour of the night, and the gypsy camp's afire....


Watchman Dimka of the Civic Quarter


Originally posted 06/05/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Gossip current in the Red Dog tavern

Has you heard? Boyar Shuisky is lettin that furrin nobleman, that there Bulgar, pay court to the fair Ilena. Or will be, when she comes back from visitin the holy Svyatosha. Takin her time, ain't she? Maybe young Boris is visitin as well, ha ha. Aye, the brothers won't be well pleased... Nor will Prince Kyrill - they do say the furriner is friendly with the Weasel. Bloody Bulgars, shouldn't have em in town.


They says it was a witch impersonating Father Piotr the other night, trying to stir up discord and lure out Father Lavrenty. Even attacked him in his own church. That's why he's been ill, ain't come drinkin. One of them there gypsies it was. Been paid back though; someone burned the bitch to death in her wagon. God's judgment on the wicked!


They say Koshka had a fight with Gleb Radoga; bit half his ear off...


Originally posted 15/05/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Rumours flying in the Market Inn

They say Boyar Shuisky is distracted with grief - there he's caught that furrin nobleman to marry the fair Ilena, and she's gone missin. Maybe she's run off with one of the Sveinald boys, eh?

I heard as someone saw a cat walking on its legs like a man in the gypsy camp the night the witch burned; her familiar, probably.

My brother told me as that furriner was down in the Kremlin dungeons playin with that poor bastard Donat the Buffoon, and Donat grew horns. Captain Pokrovsky had em cut off, said it was just tumours, then Donat died. Pokrovsky said if anyone talked they'd get flogged....


Originally posted 20/05/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Rumours flying all over town

Donat the Buffoon turned into a goat, they say, right there in the dungeons... Captain Pokrovsky had it killed because it was reciting evil spells.

Gleb Radoga's been and sliced up old Koshka pretty bad, they say; might even die yet, then little Koshka will own the brothel. Reckon as little Koshka will finish Gleb if her mama dies.

My uncle Nikolai went to the Varvara Beryozka last night to take communion from our blessed Father Gavrilov at the Pascal Mass, and he wasn't there - he heard the monks talking, and they said the dear Father went off with Father Piotr to the crypt chapel to exorcise his demons and hasn't come back... Yeah? My cousin's a monk and he says Gavrilov went to do penance himself because that there Brother Mikhail went mad and tore his eyes out from remorse because Father Andrei chided him. He's a saint, that boy.

Shuisky's offering any kind of reward for his daughter's return, they say. Worth going to take a look. But they say her furrin suitor's gone off to the river to look for her - sent his big white bear out, too. Hasn't even set eyes on the girl, and he's gone mad with love.

Bloody Volga pirates are back, they say. Old Kola got hit earlier in the week, took out a dromon full of best amber he was shipping to the city of the White Christ. Hoppin mad he is. And another yesterday, hard by Korino - Greeks bringing wine for furs. Ah, well, that's the way of it - spring thaw lets loose the trade and the pirates too!

Originally posted 27/05/07

[Faolan Doyle]

Back in the rumour mill...

They say old Ivanusha, the monastery victualler, was set on and killed last night by footpads after his gold. I reckon young Koshka did it, mistook him for Gleb.

The furriner got mighty wet and mad with his little trip - the pirates done his boat over! Had to swim for it. His little pageboy turned up next day in a hay wagon, sopping wet and worn to a frazzle. His bear come with him - I hear he found a Hun raiding party all chopped up near the coast. Yeah? I hear the bear got chased back by the pirates when they burned the shipyards...

I hear Father Gavrilov and Father Piotr was spotted in the gypsy camp last night; a friend of a friend was over visiting the ladies and saw that girl Rez kissing Father Andrei, dirty bitch... Mind you, bet he enjoyed it; he ain't that old!

[Faolan Doyle]

In the name of his Highness, Kyrill Denisovich, Prince of Vistina and lord of Novgorod: the merchant Torsten Olofsen has been posthumously proscribed as an enemy of the realm and people of Novgord, having been revealed as a spy for the wicked and deluded Teutonic Knights. His goods and chattels have been seized and given to the person responsible for the unmasking and death of the spy, namely his highness Prince Pavel Denisovich, as is customary. His Highness wishes it to be known that a reward is offered of 10 grivnas to anyone who offers information which leads to the capture of any other spies: and that henceforth the Catholic religion is proscribed as heresy in this domain, and anyone found practising the rites of the Roman church will be subject to execution or exile.

[Faolan Doyle]

Well, it's the end of another Hiring Fair in Vistina, and business has been good despite of (or because of?) the pirate raids. All the mercenaries who came found employment: three hundred are on their way to the Volga Bulgar lands to serve the house of the'furriner' Grigori Piotrovich, and another hundred are engaged by Prince Kyrill for the elimination of the pirates and raiders. The Prince himself plans to lead an assault on the camp of the longship pirates, leaving his newly heroic brother in charge in his absence. The locals are a little worried, but since Pavel seems to have become a new man (perhaps the discovery that his close associate Torsten was a spy has chastened him), and spends more time with his confessor Father Piotr than with his hounds, they are more hopeful....

Thanks to everyone for playing, I hope you enjoyed it, and I look forward to joining in when Freddy takes over for the next session.

[Faolan Doyle]

The Rumour Caravan

That there furriner Grigori come back last night with the lady Elena! Rescued her from monsters, he did. I know some say it was Huns, or Tartars, but my boy Afanasy was in the gipsy camp last night and he says a lad there was with the furriner when he done it, and he said as how it was monsters. Anyway, she's back all right, and her mother down at the merchant's quarter this morning looking to buy fine stuffs for a wedding gown. Prince Kyrill had the bloke to stay at the Kremlin, and wants to make him a knight of his companions...

They do say Pasha the Weasel's got religion; been seeing an awful lot of that confessor of his, reckon he's give up on the princedom and will be taking the cowl any day. Well, if he can't be Prince, he can be Metropolitan...

They do say as there's been a dog born with five legs over in Irenko...