Some History

These stories take place sometime in the 18^th Century, probably from 1730 to 1759, but they may be a little earlier or later than that. Blagovia is a small land-locked country somewhere in the Balkans. Ostensibly a possession of the Austro-Hungarian it is located on the frontier of the Empire, largely forgotten by both Vienna and Istanbul. The summers are hot and dry, and the winters cold and snowy. The duchy is a mountainous region with dark forests, and welcoming valleys. Its primary exports is wine, for which the region is named, although many maintain that its peppers are much better. The people are typical Balkan peasants with a stocky build, hair that ranges in colour from black to blonde, with complexions ranging from pale to medium, and eyes being mostly brown and blue. They speak some type of Slavic language, which today has become extinct, but some words may still be found amongst the more obscure village dialects. The hereditary rulers of Blagovia, the Blagovinovs,  have ruled the duchy since the time of Tsar Samuel, a fact which they are quick to mention given the slightest excuse. 

Prince Borislav V

 The current ruler is  Prince Borislav Grozdan Blagovinov , or  Borislav V. A relatively intelligent man, he strives to make Blagovia more than it is. His ideas of army building and territorial expansion are ambitious, but quite silly given the size of Blagovia. Similarly, his ideas on the infrastructure of the duchy are very noble and high minded, as would befit a man of The Enlightenment, but would bankrupt a nation as wealthy as France.  Fortunately he is kept on a tight reign by his ministers, especially the sly Lord Maslov: First Secretary of the Ducal Mint, and a man famous for his frugality. "There is simply no money for that your grace" can often be heard in the halls of the Red Palace, the ancestral seat of the Blagovinovs.    

Lord Maslov