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[Drakilian]

Like rare jewels strung on a necklace, the cities of Central and Eastern Europe tan out across the breadth of the continent. Linking East to West with their drunken spiderweb pattern, they serve as bastions of civilization — and hence, as refuges for Cainites — in a vast wilderland of barbarity. Most began as
outposts of Rome: garrisons or supply stations serving the soldiery of the far-flung empire, though they now evince the character of their Eastern conquerors. While they are accorded the courtesy of being named as cities, many are just emerging from their former states as barbarian encampments, villages and towns, and they are, consequently, in a condition of growth and change.

Beyond these enclaves lies wilderness: league upon league of steppes, plains, forests and mountains, broken here and there by crumbling relics of Rome's mighty, fallen empire. Remnants of old roads, bridges, and long-deserted outposts, a rusting weapon or a broken pot stand mute witness to Rome's withdrawal in the face of successive invasions. Some Cainites find themselves trapped within these ruins, besieged by Lupines who wait for them to step outside the confines of the walled fortresses.

A few hardy Cainites -— mostly Gangrel, Nosferatu and Ravnos — brave the endless trek through Eastern Europe's perilous wastelands. Most vampires conducting business outside their circumscribed spheres send mortal agents in their stead. Even Cainites native to the region travel with great care and surround themselves with heavily armed retainers when they must leave their strongholds. The sensible ones stay within their cities' protective grasp.

In the cities' stony walls, mortals have begun throwing off the shackles of oppressive feudalism while Cainites wage age-old feuds. Eastern pride battles Western arrogance as each struggles to assert itself. Treaties are made and broken in a year — or a night — as once-staunch allies turn to enemies and former foes offer alliance. Old enmities die hard in these uncivilized lands, however, and anyone who trusts a newly made ally is a fool. Mortals battle one another on religious and ethnic grounds. The children of Caine's hearts bum with vengeance for wrongs committed centuries ago and ache from jealousy, greedily desiring the riches and power of their neighbors. Dark passions overrule enlightened thought. Cainites who live beyond the embrace of the cities either band together for protection, as the Tremere do in their mighty chantry of Ceoris (see Chapter Six), or exist as many Tzimisce do — dominating several small settlements and villages as iron- fisted overlords. Such Cainites find themselves battling even more fiercely for the limited resources available. And so, while the veneer of civilization lies atop Eastern Europe, it never truly reaches within. Beneath the skin rests
the true barbarian heart, a savage soul as yet untamed and, perhaps, untamable.

Like many other regions, the territories here fell beneath the onslaught of the Roman legions. Always a civilizing force, the Romans built roads and established settlements in Eastern Europe just as they had in every other land they conquered. Why, then, is Eastern Europe so unknowable and savage?The answer is within the land itself.

Blessed with fertile plains, navigable rivers, abundant forests and majestic mountains, the lands of the East appear to be paradise. Beneath that rich beauty, however, lies a sickness that infects every inch of the land—even as it imbues the earth with a mystery and magic that drive successive waves of would-be conquerors to possess it at all costs.

Those who inhabit the lands seem to prosper for a while, but even the strongest eventually succumb to the miasma of corruption cloaking the earth. Somewhere beneath the Old Country's soil lies the midnight-black heart of the demon Kupala. Each beat of this mighty heart spews forth greater malignancy: hatred, bigotry, terror, unnatural desire, rage, corruption and infection.

As if the demon heart's presence alone did not subject the agonized earth to enough pollution, lesser minions (known as kupalas in honor of their master) overrun the region as well. Inhabiting certain trees, caves and natural formations, they reach out to strike at the unwary, infecting some, maiming others, gleefully killing when the mood takes them. It is not unknown for an entire village to fall prey to some unnamed plague or to simply disappear some dark night.

Not all depredations are committed by the region's bloodsuckers; even Cainites fear what they don't understand and have no way to fight- However, the Cainites feel safe within sheltering walls. Locked in secure havens, occupied with elaborate schemes and political maneuvering, consumed by thirst, Caine's childer play out their games of dominance. They simply prefer to ignore the creeping malignancy beyond the walls. It puts their minds to rest, and many believe it's safer that way.

[Drakilian]

Bohemia

Nestled within the outstretched arms of the Holy Roman Empire, Poland and Hungary, the tiny Kingdom ofBohemia is located within a central basin protected by surrounding mountains. The peaks are steep and heavily wooded, though few reach higher than 4,000 feet. These primeval forests, home to savage Lupine packs and barbaric Gangrel, enclose Bohemia's few civilized enclaves. Prague, the capital of Bohemia, defies the surrounding wilderness. This city forms a center for learning, trade, architecture, religion and magic that will someday earn it the title "city of a thousand spires" and the position as the Holy Roman Empire's capital.

Prague

The brooding stone city of Prague incorporates five ancient towns. The Vltava River (pronounced Valtava), a tributary of the Elbe, bisects the city and provides Prague with transportation, food — including salmon and dozens of varieties of waterfowl — and water to power the city's grain mills. Frequent floods plague the low-lying areas. To combat them, construction of stone embankments has been an ongoing concern, intended to shield the city from yearly inundation.

The river separates Prague into five districts, each corresponding to an earlier settlement in the area and each contained in its own dark walls. Only one bridge crosses the Vltava, but the river freezes over during the three coldest winter months (December through February), allowingcrossings by foot or on horseback.

Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad) rises in dark grandeur from a promontory overlooking the western side of the Vltava. Hradcany township, which grew around it, sprawls to the north and northeast. Beneath the promontory, shadowed by the ominous castle and reached by winding, steep stairs, the Little Quarter (Mala Strana) — an area of craftsmen and agricultural workers — occupies the land that falls in hills down to the river's edge. On the opposite shore, to the south, stands the imposing edifice ofVysehrad, built on a rocky headland.

In the lowlands beneath Vysehrad sit three areas that have been incorporated into the city only as recently as 1160. The first is the northernmost portion of the city, known as the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), a labyrinthine maze occupying a corner formed by the river's curve eastward. J ust south (upriver) of the Jewish Quarter is Old Town (Stare Mesto), a bustling market area that houses the city's recently constructed university. Furthest south is New Town (Nove Mesto), a site that lies beneath the shadow ofVysehrad and seeks to become the new center of trade. The stone fortifica¬ tions of Old Town have currently taken shape, while New Town is still contesting its sovereignty. Each area boasts a distinctive feel, based on its residents, their occupations and religious beliefs. Each also supports a Cainite who claims the area and oversees its welfare, subject only to the approval of the Ventrue prince, Rudolf Brandl.

Following fires that devastated various parts of the city, all structures in Prague are now made of stone. Dank, dark hovels crowd narrow, cobblestone streets while larger dwellings huddle together in courtyards behind imposing archways. Ponderous Romanesque architecture dominates, with curved arches and heavy gates isolating various portions of the city from each other. Although houses often incorporate sconces into their outer walls, a few torches are lit to help those who travel the city's twisting streets by night. Dark pools of inky blackness give way to shadowy light near the castles and inns of both Old and New Towns.

The castle and the outer portions of the Little Quarter (to the west and south) are doubly fortified against incur¬ sions by wolves, bandits and would-be conquerors. Riverward, the walls are breached only at the crossings near Judith Bridge. Old Town and the Jewish Quarter rest within stone walls that are as strong, but not as high, as those around Prague Castle, though New Town has yet to complete its fortifications. Construction of the embankments has raised the city some three meters higher than the original Celtic settlements on which they rest.

In a small area of New Town, a new church, utilizing an entirely new style of architecture called "Gothic," is being built. Its pointed arches and flying buttresses allow its spire to soar heavenward. The style will become the city's most recognizable feature within the next few centuries, as thousands of airy spires rise overtop its gloomy walls.
 
Description

Prague is built on seven hills and straddles the Vltava like a great stone spider. Most of the city is encircled by high walls, including an imposing fortress on either side ofthe river. Judith Bridge, an arching construction of gray stone wide enough for six carts to travel abreast, links one side of the city with the other. Goods coming up- or downriver are offloaded or counted and taxed and hoisted up over the three-meter floodwalls for sale in Old Town's market. Whether climbing upward from the riverside or crossing over Judith Bridge, travelers must pass beneath the guarded entry gates, thus either entering Old Town (on the east bank) or the LittleQuarter (on the west). Old Town lies on flatter land and her streets are broader than those of the
Little Quarter. Gateways in Old Town lead to the mazelike streets of the Jewish Quarter to the northwest or out into the unfortified and open areas of New Town to the south

[Drakilian]

Poland

Krakow

A great dragon once terrorized the village that sat atop Wawel Hill, north of the Tatra Mountains, according to the legend. In order to keep their lives and livelihood, the people who lived beneath the monster's shadow had to sacrifice a maiden once a year to feed the beast's hunger. The king of the land promised his daughter in marriage and half of his kingdom to the one who could slay the dragon and end its threat.

Answering the call, an enterprising cobbler named Krak filled a lambskin with a mixture of salt and sulfur and tricked the dragon into eating it. Crazed by thirst caused by the salt, the beast hurled itself into the waters of the Vistula, where the sulfur caused the dragon to explode. The cobbler received his reward and the village saved by his ingenuity called itself Krakow, in his honor.

From its beginnings as a trading settlement on the Vistula in the 10th century, Krakow grew into a bishopric by A.D. 1000. Krakow's consecration as the Polish capital in 1083 catapulted it to prominence and drew the attention of many rival Cainites. Within its protective walls, a Tzimisce prince seeks alliances that will help her unite Poland once again, while her Ventrue rivals, under the guise of encouraging trade with WesternEurope, plan her downfall.

Description

Imposing stone walls, rising more than five meters in height, enclose the city of Krakow, serving as its chief protection from the dangers that lurk outside its boundaries. Inside its walls, however, other dangers threaten the mortal and immortal population.

[Drakilian]

East and West

From a Cainite point of view, Hungary can be seen as divided into two regions. Western Hungary, containing Budapest and Esztergom, is more settled, but riddled with intrigue from the Holy Roman Empire. Eastern Hungary — Transylvania — is savage frontier by contrast, inhabited by Tzimisce voivodes, feral Gangrel, and rage-filled Lupines.

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Western Hungary


Buda-Pest


Three separate towns constitute the city that is often referred to as Buda-Pest. Two of them, Buda and Obuda (Old Buda), occupy the wooded hills to the west of the river; though the two have merged in architecture and character, they are quite different. Buda bears the name of the designer of her fortress-castle. Pest, on the lowland far side of the river, still claims its independence from the higher, better defended city — except in times of war and invasion, when her residents scurry across to take shelter there. Pest means "chimney," a reference to the lime kilns that are found in it. The German word for Pest is even more direct: They call it "Ofen,"for"oven." The first town to rise here was built by the Celts along the slopes of Gellert Hill. Called Ak Ink (meaning "spring rich in water"), it was a trading center for pottery and bronze. Remnants of the Celts' bronze foundries still survive.

With the coming of the Romans, the fortress-town of Aquincum rose, matched by a sister fort (Contra-Aquincum) on the other side of the river. Aquincum became the capital of the province of Pannonia until the departure of the Romans. Successive invasions changed little in the abandoned towns of Aquincum and Contra-Aquincum. Those who occupied the land surrounding the towns built separate dwellings and worked small plots of land. The Magyars thought Obuda (which sat atop the ruins of Aquincum) was nothing less than the fabled capital of Attila the Hun when they arrived in the ninth century. They happily set about building upon the ruins.

The cities of Obuda, Buda and Pest have become the Dark Medieval city of Buda-Pest by the 12th century. Despite its outwardly Christian character, much of Buda remains pagan. Some insist on worshipping the old Magyar gods, secretly meeting and offering sacrifices.

Esztergom

Traveling from Austria to Esztergom along the Danube is like sailing down a silvery ribbon through thick, forested slopes that line both sides of the river. Side channels and tributaries form midriver islands, havens for waterfowl and small game. An occasional hut or hovel, homes to hunters or other solitary folk, can be seen, but most of the area is untamed wilderness until the traveler reaches the Danube Bend. Just before the great river takes a wide turn southward, the forest is broken by the sight of Esztergom's domed Cathedral of St. Adalbert jutting upward from the rocky plateau that forms the city's Castle Hill.

Named for the first Bohemian bishop of Prague, who converted Prince Geza and his family, the church was the first constructed on the hill. The plateau belonged to the church before the king erected his palace there. Istvan was crowned in the church in A.D. 1000 with an ornate crown sent to him by Pope Sylvester II.

Esztergom is perhaps the most Westernized area of Hungary; it maintains a close link to Germany for both political and economic reasons. As both the seat of Church power and the king'schosen capital, Esztergom receives many ambassadors and tradesmen seeking investments or favor. Though not without its own intrigues, the city (and its residents) is almost totally isolated and blissfully untouched by the rage and warfare that mark the eastern most of Hungary's claimed lands,Transylvania.

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Transylvania (Eastern Hungary)

The easternmost reaches of Hungary are known as Transylvania. Between the Pnit River to the east, the Tisza River to the west and the Danube to the south lie over 39,000 square miles of land. In this region are lush sylvan forests, majestic mountain ranges, and the many tirsas, knezates and domains of Transylvania. Many cultures have prospered and died in this region, redefining the boundaries of this land in the process, but Transylvania's dark beauty endures. While the borders of Transylvania change, the mountains surrounding them do not. To the south are the Transylvanian Alps, the Bihor Mountains are in the northwest, and the Carpathians are to the northeast. The Transylvanian Alps are often referred to as the southern Carpathians.

These three mountain ranges surround the Carpathian Basin and serve as a great aid to its defense. Several natural passes lead travelers through the mountains. Throughout the year in peaceful times, traders pass through them. When hostilities are in abeyance, sheep and other livestock graze as they are herded through the mountains.The passes become invasion routes in times of war and the feudal lords find themselves defending the Voivodate of Transylvania.
 
In the northeast is Tihusa Pass, known as Borgo Pass in the Dark Medieval era. It forms the border between the Kingdom of Hungary and Russia. The territory to the east will be known as Bucovina centuries later. Oituz Pass is a route through the Carpathians along Transylvania's eastern border, joining the region with the area that will later be known as MoIdavia. The most accessible route through the Transylvanian Alps is through Red Tower Pass to the south. This pass leads to what will one day become Wallachia. From the Tisza plain to the Carpathians, the elevation ranges from low plains to high mountains. The western range of mountains averages under 3,000feet, the eastern Moldavians average 4,000, and the southern Transylvanian Alps average 5,000. The peaks of these mountains are not entirely forbidding, but they instead hide beautiful alpine pastures.

The Iron Gates are located on the southwestern border of Transylvania. While this establishes the border between Hungary and Romania in modern times, all of Transylvania is part of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 12th century. The geography of other countries is quite straightforward: North of the Carpathians lie the Russian steppes, Lithuania and Poland (when traveling east to west); south of Hungary is Bulgaria; Russia stretches to the east, as does the Black Sea.

Beneath the imposing Carpathian peaks are rolling hills, verdant valleys, and several basins. To complicate geography, some regions are referred to by the names of these basins, ranging from the Birsa in the south to the Maramures in the north. In the west are the Sibiu and Secas. These help guide five rivers that flow from the eastern mountains to the west: the Olt, Mures, Tirnave, Cris and Somes.

There are less than a dozen cities of significant size, and these have grown largely because of the influence of Cainites.

The  Cities  of  Transylvania


Many of the cities of Transylvania have recently taken shape and will grow considerably over the next century. Seven of them were rebuilt over ancient Roman or Dacian sites by Germanic Saxon colonists. Each ofthese cities forms the centerpiece of a separate domain and is nominally under the control of a Cainite prince.

Most Cainite princes here do not hold power here for long. Anyone with the temerity to impose order on a domain immediately becomes a target for the forces at work there. The Tzimisce kill fortunate princes; those who are not so lucky are abducted and punished for their trespasses. The Tremere are also rapidly gaining control in territories to the south, just as Gangrel vie for control of the wilderness surrounding the cities they despise. Competition for territory is fierce.

The remaining princes have begun to consult with Zelios of Clan Nosferatu to improve the defenses of their cities, and the growing population of Saxon settlers arriving from the north makes Zelios's task easier. Sevenofthese cities will form a system of defenses for Transylvania after the invasion of the Mongols in 1240. The seven cities will be known collectively as the Siebenburgen.

Balgrad: No official ruler
Klausenburg: No official ruler.
Hermanstadt: Marusca, Nosferatu
Schaasburg: No official ruler
Kronstadt: No official ruler
Mediasch: Nova Arpad, Ventrue
Bistritz: Radu, Tzimisce

Though the typical Transylvanian village has a population between 30 and 200 mortals, each of these seven cities has a population ranging from 3,000 to 5,000. For purposes of comparison, Transylvania as a whole contains about 90,000 mortals in the Dark Medieval world of 1197.

Ceoris

High in the Transylvanian Alps rises the Tremere chantry of Ceoris. Many in Transylvania have heard rumors of a "devil's school" where black sorcerers learn their dark arts. Few, however, know where such a school might be located. Though the Tremere once held several chantries in Transylvania, the war with the Tzimisce has taken its toll. Now only their greatest holding still exists — the dreaded fortress known as Ceoris.

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Bulgaria

Bordered on the north by the Danube and on the south by Greece, Bulgaria stands apart from its Slavic neighbors, separated from them by history, religion and reputation. Here, Tzimisce voivodes engage in brutal infighting (from which religion to espouse to which political faction to support). The countryside provides a haven for wandering Gangrel and supports a sizable population ofShadow Lords, who delight in the lack of unity demonstrated by the land's Cainite population.

Sofia

The land around Sofia, the largest city in Bulgaria, sits high atop the Sofia Plain. Mountains surround it on four sides: the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Sredna Gora range to the south, the Lyulins to the west, and the granite peak of Mount Vitosha to the southwest. These natural defenses provide a strong deterrent to invasion.

Settled by the Serdi tribe of Thracians sometime during the seventh century B.C., the city then known as Serdica fell four centuries later to the Romans, who enclosed it in sturdy walls and made it the capital of Inner Dacia. Thus fortified, Serdica became a vital link along the Roman road that stretched between Naisus, on the Adriatic Sea, and Constantinople.

Under Constantine in the fourth century, the city (now known as Triaditsa) prospered as an important trade center. Large parts ofthe city were destroyed when the Huns invaded in 441, only to be rebuilt when the Byzantine Empire once again asserted control. In the ninth century, the Bulgars spread their influence to encompass the region around Triaditsa, and the city was renamed Sredets. Its location again gave the city a vital role in the First Bulgarian Empire. Subsequent reconquest by the Byzantines in 1018 did Iittle to diminish the importance of Sredets (Triaditsa).

Recently retaken by the victorious Asen brothers, Sredets continues to stand as a major center for trade, commerce and culture. Many residents of the city are already beginning to refer to it as Sofia, the city of wisdom.

Description

Although parts of the original Roman stone walls still surround Sofia, they have been strengthened and fortified by Byzantine and Bulgarian occupiers of the city. The Perlovets and Vladaya Rivers, both easily fordable and little more than broad streams, flank the city, providing easy access to water— an important factor in times of siege. Watchtowers at regular intervals along the walls and on both sides of the main gate provide the local garrison with a commanding view of the surrounding plain.

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Lithuania

"Golden Kiev"

Built on the wooded area that rises above the west bank of the Dnieper River, Kiev is one ofthe oldest cities in Europe. Formerly called "Golden Kiev," the city's fortifications once included the so-called Golden Gate, the main gateway into the city during Yaroslav's rule. Kiev's glorious past is belied by its present state of disarray. Recovering from its sacking in 1169, Kiev is beginning only now to come to life again.

The city is divided into three main districts. Old Town or UpperTown is concentrated near the northern end of the hill, centered on St. Sophia Cathedral. The commercial district, historically occupied by the merchants' quarter and the river port, lies north of the old town and below it along the bottom of a valley. Called Podil or Lower Town, it plays host to the city's main square.

 Pechersk, the ecclesiastical center and site of the Monastery ofthe Caves, runs southeast along a ridge to the south of Kiev proper. Across the river on the east bank are a series of wooded islands. Roving Gangrel and Nosferatu occasionally use them as havens and staging grounds for raids.