The Bogatyr

The Bogatyr

The Bogatyr were, at one time, nothing more than the scattered minor nobility of Volkhov, serving under the Kniaz and perhaps overseeing a few scattered holdings if they were truly notable. However, in the wake of Kniaz Feodor IV's annihilation of the land, and the rebellion of the people against the monarchy, the bogatyr had no choice but to maintain stability in order to keep Volkhov in any semblance of proper functionality.


-Ataman: The leader of the Bogatyr, the Ataman was once the marshal of the military forces of Volkhov. Of course, having been the highest ranking Bogatyr when the Kniaz was deposed, the Ataman was then left in complete command of the nation. While the word of the Ataman is effectively absolute in the land, the disparate nature of the Bogatyr, along with the circumstances of their original rise to power, lead to a position which cannot be abused without immediate and swift retribution from the people of Volkhov.

The current Ataman is Verusya Stepanya Anatolievna Sosolienko, but she is often referred so simply as Vera by the vast majority of Volkhovians, Bogatyr and commoner alike. She has currently ruled for 40 years, but despite her age and the length of her reign, she maintains stellar health and a beauty so unmarred it has not only become the stuff of legends, but has drawn more than one accusation of witchcraft. Vera, of course, has welcomed all manner of tests to find any presence of the profane magic within her, and none has been found.

Outside of this, her rule has been generally considered a sucess through and through, a firm hand guiding the province into a new age of progress. Scientific advancement both in military and civilian fields has skyrocketed in the decades since she took the Ebony Throne, and to this day the people have found, for the first time, that perhaps life need not be the eternal struggle they once thought it was.

-Order Guard: Often called the Flycatchers, the Order Guard represent perhaps the logical extreme of the worldview and lifestyle within Volkhov. Magic is, of course, an abomination, and to that end certain Bogatyr families have dedicatd themselves to hunting it down and eradicating any potential magical threats. This has been achieved by what can only be called a breeding program of fairly remarkable success, and the Flycatchers are feared by any mage as their natural enemy, a human whose very presence seems to cause magical energy to flee.

Of course, such a life is not always an easy one. The presence of magical energy is a fact of life, not inherently a sign of witchcraft, and so Flycatchers tend not to be able to work in any subtle manner. The moment they are within range, any living creature can tell, as there is a certain chilling feeling not unlike when one is near death. Indeed, the Flycatchers themselves seem to be in some sort of half-living state, not quite dead (and certainly not undead), but lacking much in the way of personality or even heart. They are a single-minded people, but they are still human, and should not be treated as soulless automata.

Due to the importance placed on handling all magical concerns, the Flycatchers are considered the highest of Bogatyr, and report only to two people. The first of these is, of course, the Ataman herself, but the second is the High Inquisitor Pelle Fyodorovich Vavilov, the most senior of the Flycatchers, as well as their eldest member. Inquisitor Vavilov is rather advanced in age, and at this stage in his life merely serves to command and create strategies, but he should never be taken as an easy target, either.

-Boyar: Perhaps the closest to a formal noble that the Bogatyr had prior to the fall of the Kniaz, a Boyar is the head of a Bogatyr family. While some families are certainly much larger than others (indeed, there are many Bogatyr families with comprise of nothing more than a single man, his wife, and a few children), all Boyars are considered entirely equal when it comes to their authority. That is to say, within the land they own (if any), their word is superceded only by the Order Guard and the Ataman, and outside of it they are considered no higher than any other Bogatyr.

-Bogatyr: The Bogatyr are, to be certain, more numerous than most other forms of nobility. Making up a rather substantial portion of the population (the most recent census marks them as nearly 10% of all Volkovians), the common Bogatyr is more comparable to a knight from other nations than a noble proper. They have rights above that of the typical citizen, able to own serfs and larger swathes of land without heavy taxes paid to the Ataman.

Of course, such power does not come without responsibility. The Bogatyr are the official military force of Volkhov, which means that while any peasant may attempt to enlist, the requirements of a Bogatyr both physically and mentally are not to be underestimated, and it is no simple matter to become a part of their ranks. Nevertheless, the Bogatyr consider themselves an equal opportunity recruiter, and anyone who wishes to join them is welcome to try their hand.

Current Members

-Ataman: Verusya Stepanya Anatolievna Sosolienko

-Order Guard:

• Pelle Akatovich Belyakov
  

-Boyars:

-Bogatyr:

Application Template

Character Name:
Character Application:
Desired Rank:
Notes:

Code:

[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Character Application:[/b]
[b]Desired Rank:[/b]
[b]Notes:[/b]