The Czevian Hetmanate

[HeroOfDuLoc 1935]

 

 

The Czevian Hetmanate

‘The Blue Cap Cossacks’

 

In the shadow of the Castle Vilacz, overlooking the treacherous Baltas River, sits encamped a battle-hardened, adventurer band called the Czevian Cossacks. Several flags fly, of vultures and of crows, of boars and of lions. A collection of strong tents, reinforced by lumber and cossack craftsmanship. Cattle, cavalry, and livestock are led about by women. Men dance around the fire and duel in the dirt. Here is the home of the Czevian Hetmanate, a band of adventurers grounded in Krajian and Burgundian tradition.

The Krajian Chronicle

“These cossack folk are wild, cruel and unforgiving like their steppe home. Fear them in battle and follow them in adventure.” - Felsenic scholar Trigonometry Gradic on the Krajian Cossacks, 1556.

 

The origins for modern cossackism had begun under the reign John II Sigismund, in Krajia. of A sea of grass stamped with savage beauty, the steppe was long left abandoned to the will of nature in for most of civilization on Vailor. The first traces of human settlement had begun in the early 1520s, when Josef Vladov chartered an expedition led by the grizzled tracker Ivan Barrow to charter the great pasture. There, they found nothing human in this great plain besides the bleached bones of men, lost to the wild pasture. Ivan and his countrymen began to construct ostrogs, sturdy wooden forts, throughout the steppe to civilize the land.

 

The bounty of the north was in its wild game and timber; the ostrogs proved safe havens for the trackers to trade fur, salted meats, pine, oak and ores from the Nijh mountains south, where the Lord Vladov would have his merchants sell them to crownlanders at a fetching price. Over two decades, the expedition welled in size and the first Sietch had undergone construction. The town of Godansk was founded. Ivan Barrow had died not long after its timber palisade was erected, and his son, Vsevolod Ivanovich, took the helm of the host.

 

When Josef Vladov had retired from his noble service, Vsevolod, an amateur scholar of ancient Raevir custom, had discussed with his compatriots of settling the land in the tradition of the Hetmanates of old, rather than another common feudality as the man had little noble blood to claim himself a lord. Pouring over texts regarding the Burgundian and Flotsam Hosts, Vsevolod declared himself Hetman of the Krajians. His band soon sought for crown assent to charter their land and were granted such in 1548 by the writ of John II, Holy Orenian Emperor, who afforded himself the title Duke of Krajia and consecrated the land as an imperial feudality. The host, now granted legitimacy and protection by the Imperial crown, began to swell in numbers, growing the lands beyond the fertile touch of the Vieran and Drieden rivers and establishing a homeland for the Cossack tradition.

 

In the following years, Vsevolod and his son, upon his death, Sveneld became radicalized by their studies of raevir texts. The Riga War soon erupted, prodded by the Vanir’s expulsion from their home by the Stauntons. The Alliance of the Hussariya, which consisted of the hanseatic Barbanovs, the Vanirs, and the cossacks, came to meet with the Courlandish armies in combat. When an old veteran, by the name of Radoslav ‘the Cossack’, was arrested and assaulted by the Golden Crows, under the Duchy of Hanseti, the Hetman Sveneld broke from the alliance and sided with the Courlandish House Staunton. This war culminated with the eventual coronation of Sveneld as King of Ruska; it came to an end when Imperial forces entered the conflict and expelled the cossacks from their Ostrogs.  

 

Under the reign of John III Owyn, Sveneld’s heir called Fyodor was ennobled as Baron of Vsenk. The boy was placed as a ward beneath the Emperor, by the actions of the fallen Archbishop Svatobor Prophetsfoe, Sveneld’s Uncle. He, and later his son Ostromir, successfully founded the village of Vsenk. When a Courlandish invasion, backed by a rebellious Lorraine, swept the nation the Vsenki and the Ivanoviches were cast to the wind. For many years, they served as bandits and wandering warriors fighting in various wars.

 

In recent years, Ostromir’s son named Matvei ‘Motya’ came under the service of King Ostromir III Barbanovic (not to be confused with Ostromir Ivanovich) and received land from his uncle Igori Ivanovich. The cossack host regathered briefly in Solnichya, a frontier of Haense, but dispersed upon the untimely death of the hero called Motya. With the fading of this brief revival, Krajian cossackism faded.

 

Czevian Cossackism

“We cannot allow the tradition to die! Yaya, follow me and we shall forge a new destiny for the cossack peoples.” - Hetman Radoslav to a collection of former cossacks in the Crooning Crow Tavern, 1659

 

Rumors of a revival had touched the ears of lone cossacks, diaspora strelts, and raevir adventurers. The Crooning Crow tavern, run by a mysterious merchant man (who would later be revealed as John Sarkozic) and his partner the bard-prince Laszlo Ivanov, became a rallying point for the cossack diaspora. With the aid of Laszlo, a lone bogatyr cossack called Radoslav Radovic sent out word, by horse and by bird, to gather a host.

 

The tavern became a hub of drunken men and lost women, squabbling amongst eachother a path for the lost cossack tradition. Radoslav, in a grand gesture, had several blue caps stitched and distributed amongst the arguing freedmen. “With these caps, individuals become one. A mess of adventurers becomes a band. A diaspora becomes a people. On the Baltas river we shall rejuvenate the cossack tradition, under a new banner and new calling, with new strength!” After making dealings with a few notable bogatyr cossacks, Radoslav was elected the first Hetman of this new host.

 

His first act of Hetman was to settle the freedmen along the Baltas river. In the shadow of the Castle Vilacz, the seat of Laszlo Ivanovich, popped up a bustling tent city. The host made a deal with the Baron Vilacz, one of respect. Their main camp would reside on his land and in return the cossacks would aid him in battle, as well as recognize the authority of the Duke John I Sarkozic who had forged an Adrian hegemony over the area.

 

River Raiders, River Traders

“The river shall bring us glory, it shall bring us gold. But do not allow it to bring you grief.” - Unknown cossack to his brothers-in-adventure while they take the first voyage up the Baltas, 1659

 

In the sphere of man, the river connects. On this continent, the Baltas brings trade to Haense, to the Santegians, to the Adrians, Renatians and the Cloud Monks. It also brings conflict. On the river ride bandits on canoes, stalking the road traveller or water merchant.

 

The cossacks, like many others, have adapted to this new geographic advantage. They funnel trade up the river towards the other human nations and back down to base camp, as well as the Adrian capital of Belvitz.

Like many others, as well, they have brought to the waters of the Baltas scarlet blood. They travel upstream on chaikas, river boats. The captain of the chaika raid usually has a camp or landing point in mind, from there they travel on foot to lightning raid a target. The river is also used to scout ahead before more cossacks travel on foot or before Adrian allies march out on trade or war.  

 

Every cossack is expected to learn the geography of the river, its currents and its twists. Its secrets, its forks and its rapids. They are also expected to craft their own kayak, so that when a chaika raid is launched they can tag along. Every cossack takes great care of his kayak, ensuring its lack of holes and its speed.

 

Customs of the Hetmanate

“Music and fable are just as important to the cossack community as are war and adventure.” - Laszlo the Bard in his commentary ‘The Kobzar in Cossack Society’ , 1661

 

The Hetmanate is ruled by the Sich Rada, a council of senior Cossackmen who assemble in Dumas(meetings) to legislate and govern the Krajian steppe. A man may join the Sich Rada and be declared an ataman if he has three Krajian men distinct from other Atamen’s supporters support his claim before a priest or if he is an ordained priest fluent in Raevir custom. At the helm of the Sich Rada is the Hetman, elected by the primary host of settlers, who serves as head of state. The Hetman serves for life, while atamen can be dismissed by the Hetman if they cannot have three men prove his claim within three days. It is tradition that only atamen and clergy may bear iron maces in the Hetmanate to honor of the ancient Orthodox tradition, whilst the Hetman is granted a golden mace, the sigil of the Krajian peoples.

 

The freemen of the Hetmanate enjoy a degree of autonomy not found elsewhere in the world. All men, no matter of what low birth, are granted the opportunity to gather a following to attain the title of Ataman. When officially meeting with the Hetman, the freemen are not to kneel, as would proclaim him greater, but instead to remove their caps or to place their hands on their heart in a sign of respect.

 

Given their history of frontiersmanship, Czevian freedmen often are a wild peoples well-versed in many talents. They make fierce riders and trackers, masters of the warrior tradition that inspired awe and fear in the days of Krajia, whilst also maintaining a humble lifestyle as farmers, hawkers, outdoorsmen, loggers, and miners.

 

Upon joining the Hetmanate, each freedman is granted a blue cap. With this blue cap, they become a brother in cossack fraternity. The duties of the cap are to lay down your life for adventure, for your fellow cossack, and for the Hetman. The privileges of the cap are to loot, to adventure, to freedom from strelesy and the binds of feudalism.

 

The Czevian cossacks participate in great festivities and merriment as well. In a vechirka, the cossacks partake in drinking, particularly Carrion Black. They hold dance competitions, honor duels, and partake in several songs. A cossack is expected to know his drinking songs, as well as hone his ability to recite tales of fabled bogatyrs. A true cossack is skilled in both dance and in duel.

 

In battle, the most important duty of the cossack is to keep the flag in the air. If the battle flag of the cossacks falls during war, it is believed to confer bad luck on all participating in the battle. Many long, gruesome deaths will be had that day without proper burial.  

 

Hierarchy and joining

‘Battle flag of the Czevian Hetmanate’

 

The standing Hetman is Radoslav Ratimirovich Radovic, First Hetman of the Czevian Host, Warden of the Baltas, Master of the Ostrogs and Keeper of the Hetman’s Mace. [PrivetTovarisch]

 

While the cossacks are not bound through feudal law, they hold an alliance with the Baron Laszlo Ivanovich [ryanheff74]; the cossacks fight for him and recognize the hegenomy of the Adrian duke [VonGrool], in return for their free travel and housing in the land of Adria.

 

To join the cossacks in their quest to guard the frontiers of Adria and explore the steppe, one may write to the great Sietch to be accounted and settled. Once they have proven themselves, they may swear the Czevian Oath and be sworn a freeman and cossack of the Hetmanate.

((RP))
I, _______, swear to uphold the duties of the blue cap. I shall commit myself to my brother cossack. I shall die for my brother cossack. I will never decline adventure, I will never decline an honor duel. I will not betray my honor, nor the raevir people. I will give devotion to Godan, to the Prophet Siegmund (Peace be Upon Him) and respect the tenants of Canonism. Above all else, I am a free man. I will uphold the freedom of other freedmen and respect the freedom of my fellow cossacks. I will die for this Hetmanate; I pledge to fall dead before I allow the flag of our host to fall in the dirt.

 

((OOC))

 

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Application

MC Name:

RP Name:

Age:

Skills:

 

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References

The following documents may prove insightful in learning more about the Raevir culture of which the Hetmanate is based upon.

 

• A compilation of Raevir Speech by Sinan Krawfyod. (link)

• The Jolly Band of Ruskan Brothers and Sisters by St. Wilfriche: An account of the Flotsam Hetmanate of Anthos. (link)

• The Burgundians by Unknown: An account of the ancient Burgundian Hetmanate (link)

• The Raevirs by Diedrik Barrow: a general summary of the Raevir people. (link)

• Pamphlets on Ruskan Orthodoxy by St. Wilfriche: while the Czevians submit to the will of the High Pontiff and profess Canonism, they still uphold many of the cultural traditions of the old Orthodoxy detailed in Saint Wilfriche’s work. (link)

[LoLzboi 661]

Application

MC Name: LoLzboi

RP Name: Vitaly Radovic

Age: 16

Skills: Can read

[Jentos 9422]

 

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Application

MC Name: Jentos

RP Name: Wieslaw

Age: Around 20

Skills: Candle-maker

 

[Heff 2460]

Laszlo Ivanovich smiles as the cossack camp begins to assemble! 

[HeroOfDuLoc 1935]

6 hours ago, LoLzboi said:

Application

MC Name: LoLzboi

RP Name: Vitaly Radovic

Age: 16

Skills: Can read

 

5 hours ago, Jentos said:

 

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Application

MC Name: Jentos

RP Name: Wieslaw

Age: Around 20

Skills: Candle-maker

 

"Accepted, welcome comrades!"

[Agathocles 3]

Application

MC Name: Myujin

RP Name: Alejandro Flores

Age: 25

Skills: Bard, troubadour, cool lute playing, novice sword-fighter

[HeroOfDuLoc 1935]

1 hour ago, Agathocles said:

Application

MC Name: Myujin

RP Name: Alejandro Flores

Age: 25

Skills: Bard, troubadour, cool lute playing, novice sword-fighter

"Da, da! Welcome comrade!"

[Caranthir_ 2533]

Application

MC Name: Caranthir_

RP Name: Alexander Frederick

Age: 11

Skills: all around intelligence

[HansJensen 5]

Application

MC Name: Hans Jensen

RP Name: Stanislav Khmelnytsky

Age: Twenty-eight.

Skills: Miller, Artisan.

[HeroOfDuLoc 1935]

12 hours ago, Caranthir_ said:

Application

MC Name: Caranthir_

RP Name: Alexander Frederick

Age: 11

Skills: all around intelligence

 

11 hours ago, HansJensen said:

Application

MC Name: Hans Jensen

RP Name: Stanislav Khmelnytsky

Age: Twenty-eight.

Skills: Miller, Artisan.

"Welcome, welcome! Make vy way to Vilacz!"

[Woodshelf 0]

Application

MC Name: Woodshelf

RP Name: Mwezi Mbata

Age: 19

Skills: Weaving, bowmanship, hunting, dancing, and construction.

[HeroOfDuLoc 1935]

2 hours ago, Woodshelf said:

Application

MC Name: Woodshelf

RP Name: Mwezi Mbata

Age: 19

Skills: Weaving, bowmanship, hunting, dancing, and construction.

"Come friend, come! We will make merry!"

[MunaZaldrizoti 8037]

Moved to The Great Library. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.

 

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