Introduction

The following is a synopsis of the border regions of Kislev to the north, south and east. I have not included the west, since Ryan Wileman's excellent article on the Sea of Claws in Warpstone 19 does this. The sources for this work are primarily my own work, based upon details found in so-called 'official' and 'unofficial' material - most usefully a series by Tuomas Pirinen in Citadel Journal. The Empire-Kislev border is taken from my own self-published A Private War and All Quiet in Kislev for which details can be found at www.shadow-warriors.co.uk. The north border of the Lynsk will appear in a forthcoming Warpstone article, wherein I will expound upon the settlements in more detail. Finally, the Wheatland Colonies derive from my own campaign, A Pass Too Far, which I intend to publish in some form at a later date. Any questions on these can be sent to me at timothyeccles@hotmail.com.

South: The Empire

The Kislev border regions are well described in various places. Ostland and Ostermark are the two main border Empire provinces. On the Kislev side of the border, there are two disparate regions. The first, east of the River Urskoy is a prosperous region of the Dobryion and conforms to the general characteristics of the Kislevan heartland. Some border raiding is traditional, but there is not the same tendency as west of the Urskoy. This region is known colloquially as Garderike and consists of a number of powerful border families engaged in local conflicts. It also reflects a common practice, where the nobility owns lands on both sides of the border, which has a tendency to encourage pragmatism in any national squabbles.

Capital of the Garderike region is Kukonois, seat of the provincial governor. Whilst he is the nominal 'ruler' of this area his power is severely curtailed by a number of Empire nobles owing land to the west and a powerful boyar to the east, Yury Vasladovitch, lord of Ösilia and Ösel. These are twin villages set upon a small estuary (some might say swamp!) to the River Urskoy and makes him geo-politically a very important landholder. Garderike is a squabbling region, where 'Empire' fights 'Kislev', boyar battles governor, and border reivers raid each other and everyone else. It is also the setting for All Quiet in Kislev, and is fully detailed therein.

The North Kislev Border: the River Lynsk

The River Lynsk is the traditional primary line of defence for Kislev from invasion from the north. It protects the heartland of The Dobryion and has always served the nation well. Garrisoning small trading posts along the river is also economically efficient, since it allows the government to use low quality garrison soldiers and a small number of elite cavalry and river patrols to guard the length of the river. These posts and garrisons are officially termed in the Classical tongue oppida and are theoretically placed equidistant, or at key points, along the southern riverbank. In reality, the survey done at the time of their creation was flawed and a number have also been deserted for economic reasons. The reality of the defences is very different than those on the strategic maps in Kislev, but no one underestimates their importance to the defence of Imperial Kislev. Bolgasgrad forms one such bastion in this line of defence. This version of the town obviously contradicts that given within Something Rotten in Kislev. The Lynsk also separates the traditional Motherland from the Trans-Lynsk colonies, now being evacuated in the face of increased raiding from the north in order to defend the far easier Lynsk. For these socio-economic reasons, the River Lynsk is firmly held by all Kislevans to be an immensely important political and religious feature. Oaths are frequently sworn upon the river as a means of underlining gravity and a number of local deities and minor spirits are associated with the river.

Major natural features of the Lynsk, for defensive purposes, are that it never freezes, is wide and generally fast flowing. This makes crossing difficult except at bridges. Of course, on the few occasions that the Lynsk has frozen, catastrophe has followed - most notably in 2302 and the Battle of the Frozen Lynsk, which heralded the commencement of the Great Patriotic Chaos War. Many theologians believe that only supernatural power can actually freeze the river, and many Kislevans regard it as a defeat of the deity that resides within the river. Certainly, as can be seen on the map in Warpstone 19, the winter ice mark along the Sea of Claws must come many miles south to affect the river. The primary man-made defence of the River Lynsk is a series of fortifications along the southern bank, supported by patrols. However, constructed defences also defend both the river itself and the southern bank.

The north bank is sparsely settled to a distance of about 150 miles from Erengrad. Nearer the city, and the protection of Castle Alexandrov, a number of settlements exist. These are small villages, surrounded by maintained wooden palisades and ditches. Agriculture is surprisingly prosperous, but forestry and honey are main exports. Open cast mining for metals remains the primary export for a number of business interests, who have been granted Protectorate jurisdiction of parts of the north. The regions to the north are controlled either by these Protectorates or through Voivodates. These are set up as tsarist vassals ruled directly by a voivode (governor). The Trans-Lynsk colonies are thus either titled along the lines of North Lynsk Mining Company Protectorate or as the (for example) Voivodate of Sibyria.

Villages along the Lynsk operate subsistence economies and have little surplus or trade. Their purpose is simply to be self-sufficient border posts. Their only source of direct income is taxation on travellers. Villages are frequently in two parts, the main village being 'safely' settled on the southern bank of the river, whilst a fortified strongpoint is located on the northern bank.

East and the Wheatland Colonies

There are seven separate colonies that together form the United Commonwealth of Wheatlands Colonies. In reality, they are far from united! The seven are the Commonwealth of Mazovia, the Protectorate of Nieuw Jutonsryk, Hunedoara, Raska, Ruthenia, Vlachistan and Petznak. The local currency is called the Paltora. It is a silver coin of equivalent value to the silver shilling. Otherwise, Guilders and Gold Crowns are adopted by default due to the economic influence of Marienburg.

Hunedoara is the nominally most important colony, protecting entry to the Belyeterova Pass and hosting the capital of Preslav.

The Commonwealth of Mazovia was sold to a Marienburg trading cartel in 2400. The cartel was specifically created for the purpose and is called the Commonwealth Permanent Society.

The Protectorate of Nieuw Jutonsryk was leased to a Marienburg trading cartel led by House Fooger in 2404. In part, the success of the Commonwealth of Mazovia led to the purchase, but it also ensured that the price was higher than would otherwise have been obtained for an apparently failing colony. The lease was for 150 years.

Raska is the only other colony, after Hunedoara, to retain its loyalty to Tsar Radii Bokha and this is primarily due to a lack of interest in formalising its effectively independent status. The administrative capital of Raska is the town of Ohrid, which is located in probably the best agricultural land in the whole region. However, lack of co-operation between the Colonies and the failure in trade has resulted in each attempting to produce everything for themselves rather than specialise in whatever is geographically more appropriate.

Ruthenia is in open revolt against Tsar Radii Bokha and the other members of the Colonial Commonwealth.

Vlachistan is an independent colony in its own right and has never been part of the Colonial Commonwealth, but was always an independent principality linked directly to Kislev. This is because of its historic Dolgan influences and the near collapse of Farside in 2300, when the Principality of Vlachistan was created as a means of obtaining the alliance of certain Dolgan tribes.

Petznak has deserted the Union and Kislev, both of which had continually failed to assist the colony in its efforts to defend itself from hobgoblin, goblin and hillmen raids.