City of Rzhlev

The Börg was founded around 60 HC, as a military fort built by the Anuirean Empire equally distant from the sea and the Berhagen river, on a high hill in the midst of the southern woods of Rzhlevskyy. During the ruling of the Ulfer dynasty, it gradually expanded as the forest diminished. By the time of the Brecht rebellion, it was the second greatest settlement of the realm, second only to the the Gray City of Mount Edar. When the civil war circa 985 HC ended in the birth of the Roslöw-Ulfer dynasty, the town had about 15,000 people, took the name of Roslöwburg and become the capital. It has stayed so ever since.

The areas of the city grew in Rounds, as layers around the old center, which is still called Roslöwburg. The Rounds are called by their order of construction, so the first Round is that closest to the center, and so on. The city reached up to 13 rounds, however in 551 MR only 10 rounds are inhabited.

The fishing town of Geberfisk was once so close to the city that people started calling it Roslöwport or the 13th Round. Even though a bad case of gray plague decimated the population circa 200 MR and left the docks unattended, as the Vos had no use for sea trade, the name stayed but changed to Rzhlevport with time.



Legend:

• A: Roslöwburg and the Great Hall
  
• B: The Twin Arenas in the Great Plaza
  
• Numerals I through III: The Vos Rounds
  
• IV: The Gates (Military Quarter)
  
• Numerals V through X: The Brecht Rounds
  

At the highest peak of the hill, watching over all the city, there is the ancient Anuirean fort, now used as the tsarina Marisha's personal quarters. The castle is built in many different styles, as the old fort had many parts in wood that were replaced by stone during the Brecht years, however the Brecht builders rebuilt the parts in their own fashion, so the castle is a mix of Anuirean and Brecht architecture. Rodel had the highest tower rebuilt so a giant gargoyle with wolf-like features would watch the city - a symbol of persecutory power dominating all the inhabitants.

The square which was once used by the imperial training troops became a public square where Vos nobility meets and discuss business, with the castle closing it to the north and the Great Hall closing it to the west. The Great Hall is where the tsarina actually holds council and hearings. It was built around 300 MR by a Hjorig mason guild, with the idea of mixing the traditional Rjurik royal halls with the Vos concept of a great war tent. Unlike Rjurik halls, this place is circular, and has a round table directly in front of the throne. The zhupans sit around the table while the Tsar watches them from the throne. Minor nobles and the clergy may sit in the seats build in three waves around the southern part of the round table. The benches are separated by a central corridor.

The first four rounds are called the Vos Rounds, as only Vos are permitted to go inside. The first Round encompass all the streets around Roslöwburg, while the second circle is split in the other 3 rounds: the north-east, south-west and the Gates.

These are noble quarters and there are but a few stores here, with the best fruits and even butchers and a fish market. There is an apothecary and a wares merchant who sometimes has a magic potion or two. Nikoli Brokeslav, War master of the Belinik Tsarevic and designated war priest of the same province, has a mansion here and a small temple once devoted to Laerme converted to the cult Belinik after the invasion. Only the high class Vos stay in the Rounds around Roslöwburg; many lower class Vos have homes and farms built along the major roads, along with inns and taverns providing comfort to the nobles travelling from west.

The fourth Round is called the Gates, a buffer quarter between the Vos rounds and the Brecht rounds. In ancient times, gates prevented access to the Vos quarters to the common people starting from the square. Today the Gates are the military quarter of the city, where most of the armed forces are located and the quarters of Dimas Lowstar when summoned to manage councils of war. As a personal favor of the Tsarina, Grovnikk Glössevik, the dwarven guilder, was allowed to reside in these neighborhoods.

At the center of the Great Plaza, the biggest square of the city, the Duża (/Duʐa/, *DU-sh-a) and the Mała (/mava/, *MAY-vah*), the Great Arena and the Little Arena, stand as two similar, if not in size, coliseums. The Mała was built first, during the Age of The Tyrant, as a Pit of Belinik. Nowadays, they are used for religious practice, gladiatorial combats and public executions, and often one is mixed with the other. Any speech addressing the population is done in the Duża, while the Mała is used more often as a place for public trials, blood challenges or any matter of justice.

After the invasion, the Brechts were driven away in the eastern feet of the hill, which was a small town in itself back then. There the Brechts rebuilt their homes and in time, by mixing with the low class Vos, they rejoined with the old Roslöwburg, and formed a new city. Most of these Rounds have a jurisdiction of their own, as if they were small towns adjacent one to another, and a small square of the neighborhood may serves both as a small market and a tribunal. The Rounds have their own festivities, so you may ind a road where the left side has shops and life on a regular working day while the right side is shut down due to a celebration.

The northeast road is the Old Granite Road, to not be confused with the current Granite Road which was recently fixed and reopened by the Grovnikken Stohlevvskyy to ensure trade between Duarlavka and the province. This ancient road dates back to previous Brecht guild activities, now forgotten, And is now used by the farmers of the north plains to travel to the city markets.

The great roads or Droga (/Droga/, *Dr-AU-gah*) were all built between 700 and 1020 HC. The Old Granite Road has lost its original status and is not listed here.

• The Dowalda Droga (/dɔvˈaldãː/,*Dau-VAYL-day*), the Lower Woodland Road, connects the 2nd Round to the western woodland;
  
• The Gówalda Droga (/guvˈaldãː/ ,*Goo-VAYL-day*), the Higher Woodland Road, connects the 3nd Round to the western woodland;
  
• The Wojowikken Droga (/Vɔjɔvixn/, *Wa-YOW-ykn*), the Warrior's Road, located in the sixth Round, goes further south up to the Berhagen River, and is so named because that's where the military royalty departs when the army departs for raids or war;
  
• The Meer Droga (/Meːr/, *Mh-ear*), or Sea Road, is the road to Rzhlevport, a small settlement on its own which used to be the 13th Round. Rounds 11 and 12 refer to the many settlements along this road, mostly now in ruin, inhabited or used as thrown together inns and taverns.
  

The Law of the Tsarina is applied in full here, and that's why most of the Rounds apply their own law, although any dispute is addressed in a Round's square in front of a Warmongering priest of the Tsarevic. Any jurisdictional issue is solved via duels and challenges, sometimes even between acolyte themselves. When someone from the Gates or a Vos noble with his guards shows up in the eastern Rounds, the roads go empty quickly - as they are above the law and getting arrested and then enslaved by any of them is not off the table. The relationship between nobles and lower class is not so different from a realm under siege. However, should a noble go too far into the Rounds, they risk getting robbed by the same people who begged mercy and a copper coin a few blocks earlier.

Basically any activity is under a guild managed by the Stohlevvskyy, and they extort a big share of the income. There are brothels and major activities (such as high priced houses or warehouses) which are directly under the guild's control - they tend to trust only dwarves for management tasks. Since growth of the guilds, more and more activities are actually run by slaves who try to pay for their freedom with work.

Although no organized activity exists, a number of faithful of Ayairda exists, and they carry on their leader's will. Rumor is they meet in secret in the sewers or in the ancient catacombs near the northeastern farms, but it's nothing more than a whisper between the guards in their night duty, whilst they stay all night preventing any beggar from crossing the Gates and try to enter some noble's mansion.