The Bulzan Voivodina
by Christian ConstantinLocation: Continent of Brun, in the Converted Lands west of the Dark Wood and Hule, and south of the Bylot Hills. (For a map of the Bulzan Voivodina)
Area: About 48,500 sq. mi. Population: 125,000 humans (75% Bulzanian, 15% Olgarian, 10% Hulean) plus some elves and halflings. Language: Bulzanian, Olgarian, and Hulean. Coinage: Lei (gp), Kuru (sp), Bani (cp).
Government type: Oligarchic council headed by a Hulean representative.
Industries: handicraft, agriculture, animal breeding, metalworking, and woodcutting
Important figures: Dogut Zaganos (C23, of Masauwu), The Master's delegate to the Bulzanian Council; Sorin Cardei (M31), secretive wizard of the Lotev Hills, head of a network of Bulzanian resistance against the Master (other important figures are described in the attached document about the sects).
Description: Bulzan is a land made mainly of large valleys separated by rolling forested hills. Numerous small villages and hamlets dot these large valleys. People of these rural communities live mainly from agriculture and animal breeding, almost any kind of crops or herds can be found in the rich and fertile Bulzanian lands. The country is divided in three historical provinces, Oltania (north), Nantenia (southwest) and Bradjina, each of these marked by specific religious, cultural and economical traits. The biggest human communities are also the three provincial capitals: Miriestiu (which is also the historical capital), Dishinau and Chetniu.
The Bulzanian lands extend to the north to the southern edge of the mineral rich Bylot Hills where some mining occurs. To the east, the main natural border of Bulzan is made of the large marshes of Rockwater and the western edge of the Dark Wood. The southern and western borders of Bulzan are a little less clearly defined as the southern border with Olgar is still somewhat in dispute and as there is some remote Bulzanian communities at the fringes of the Yazak Steppes outside the reach of the Hulean Empire.
Weather in Bulzan is temperate and a wetter than in the southern parts of the Hulean Empire. In winter the cold winds of inner Brun brings heavy snowfalls and cold rain. Spring is characterised by the collision of the northern cold winds and of the atmospheric systems coming from the Western Sea of Dread, which result in violent thunderstorm and heavy rain. Summer is somewhat drier, although the country keeps most of the Spring humidity thanks to the shelter provided by the Lotev and Bylot Hills which insulate the valleys from the strong dry winds coming from the Yazak Steppes. Fall is similar to Spring, but less rainy since the southern hot winds reach the region more rarely.
An important landmark of Bulzan is the Rockwater marshes. Even though that, since the Master's Greatrealm Declaration, this bog is part of the Janizary Lands and infested with Troll, it remains an important feature geographically as well as economically and culturally. Indeed, dozens of small communities live on the resources taken from these inundated lands: peat is taken from its shallow waters as strange fish can be caught in the deeper regions, the hides from the several reptilian species living in the Rockwater microclimate is prized throughout the Hulean Empire as are the various types of medicinal, hallucinogens or poisonous flowers and mushrooms that Rockwater harbours. Petrified wood and amber are also rarer riches that this march provides to the surrounding peoples. Also, as the Bulzanians usually give their dead to the mighty river Dinretul, which empties in the bog, it is believed that the spirits of the dead Bulzanians haunt this land. So, for the people of Bulzan, this march is both the symbol of the country's riches and the places where a lot of frightening stories or epic legends take place.
The origin of the Bulzanian people is responsible of the different type of people that one can find in Bulzan. The Bulzanians descent from the Yazak colonists that settled the region prior to the cataclysm that brought the end of Blackmoor. Since these colonists came mainly from the distant realms of Blackmoor and Thonia, people of Bulzan are of lighter completion and hair than their southern neighbours of Traladaran ascent. However, as the original Yazak people needed to interact with the surrounding Neathar and post-Oltec tribes, most of these "pure Blackmoorian" aspect were altered during the centuries. This is even truer since waves of Hulean colonists have been assimilated by the Bulzanian society throughout the different Hulean Imperial era and since the Traladarans have arrived in the region some four centuries ago. Thus, Bulzan is a land of varied looks, customs, religious believes, and cultures.
One of the only aspects that the Bulzanians have kept from their Yazak ancestor is a very rigid social division of labour. Indeed, the Bulzanian society is characterised by the importance of the various "corporatie" (corporations) that structure the society. Those corporations are active in most of the sector of the society: every recognised trade (masonry, woodcutting, mining, military, landowners, etc.) has its own corporation representing its interest and protecting its advantages. Each religious sect can even become a corporation if it represents a fair number of followers, but the only members that form a religious corporation are the priests of this faith. Only the members of those corporations are allowed to own a land or a business. People that are not members of those corporation (roughly 75% of the population) can only work for someone who is member in exchange of a (normally) ridicule wage. The only advantage of being a "Proscris" (outcast) is that they are not taxed since only the members of the corporations are required to pay the (tithe) to their corporation, which, in exchange, provides for the state budget. This situation is responsible for abnormal number of "Proscris" involved in semi legal activities like adventuring.
There is a multitude of small corporations in Bulzan responsible to a specific sector of activity. These corporations are all involved to diverse degrees in the politics of the country. However, since some of them only regroup a few dozens of people and other may represent thousands of members, corporations usually regroups in fronts called "Frunte". These "Frunte" normally regroups corporations with similar interests or political goals, they are not as tightly knit than corporations, so it is not rare that tactical alliances are made between corporations of different or even antagonist fronts. There have been 6 traditional "Frunte" in the Bulzanian society:
The "Armata" (military): This "Frunte" regroups the military and administrative corporations of Bulzan. Historically, it has represented the interests of both the military and civil servants of the central states. However, in times of strong political power, when the military was less needed, or when the military corporations were detached from the state (as mercenary), this "Frunte" have proved to be divided by conflicting interests. Actually, the Huleans have been able to coopt most of the corporations represented by this front.
The "Sectar" (religious sects): This "Frunte" is more a useful grouping that the Bulzanians use to do than a front in itself since, throughout most of the Bulzanian history, the religious groups were opposed and looking for allies in other corporation to increase their power over the Bulzanian society. Nowadays, some Bulzanian sects are allied with the Hagiarchy as other are outlawed, however, none (except, of course, the Bulzanian Temple of Chaos) as real power in the Hulean dominated society
The "Voivod" (Landowners): this front represents several regional corporations of rural landowners, it is a real power in the Bulzanian society as they give much of the jobs and taxes in Bulzan. This front is responsible for the annexation of Bulzan by the Master's empire since they decided, in 732AC, to pay their taxes to Greatrealm instead of Miriestiu, thus leaving the militaries without any resources.
The "Mestesugar" (Craftsmen): this is one of the biggest corporation union in Bulzan for its number of members. It regroups all kind of craft industry and, thus, is the real power in Bulzanian cities. The corporations it represents could be as disparate as the Carpenter Corporation and the Rockwater marshes Fishers Corporation. At first opposed to the Hulean invasion they have accepted to live with it as long as the Master's doesn't intervene too much in the council decision process. The merchants' (Negustor) corporation is usually allied with this "Frunte", however, since Hule has closed the Converted Lands frontiers with the outer world the merchants are somewhat in opposition with the front's policy to accept the Hulean control.
The Shadow Corporations (Umbrar): Although, this "Frunte" doesn't have recognition from the others, it is a well-known secret that the criminal corporations active throughout the country have an important weight in the political process in the Bulzanian council. They ordinarily do so by bribing the other corporations' delegates to the council.
The "Generos" (liberal professions): this is probably the weakest "Frunte" in Bulzan since it regroups only a few dozens members in corporation like the academicians' corporation, the judges' guild or the Magicians' syndicate. However, since they provide most of the civil intelligentsia, their influence over the council tends to be bigger than their handful number of members would let think.
The different Bulzanian corporations and fronts interact in the Council, a centuries-old political institution. Even though the council has sometimes been abolished when a single corporation (usually of military or religious origin) was strong enough to hold to power without the help of other corporations, the council has been a regular political manifestation of the Bulzanian society. In the council every corporation is supposed to be equal, but at some point of the Bulzanian history some corporation have held far more power than the others have. This evolving balance of power have led to various type of government in Bulzan: there have been times were a single corporation held so much power that it was able to impose it's will to the council (resulting in Monarchy, when the civil or military servants of the states were in control; in theocracy when a sect was able to impose its view over the council; and even in plutocracy, at times when the merchants or landlords were in power); other part of the Bulzanian history have been characterised by an oligarchic system (when few corporations were allied to manage the country; finally, the council sometimes gave way to some kind of limited democracy when all the forces were balanced. The current political system is of oligarchic essence as the craftsmen and landlords corporations hold much of the weight in the council with the support of the civil servants, the traditional religious or military counterweight being inhibited by the Hulean domination of the country. However, the landlords and craftsmen aren't in a position of complete oligarchy since the Master's delegate to the Bulzanian council can veto any law or rules adopted by the council.
The council is made of a varying number of delegates (the maximum number was reached in the fifth century BC when the council is said to have counted more than five hundred delegates, currently the council counts 125 members). Each corporation is represented proportionally of its number of members or elections of delegates take place inside the different "Frunte"
History: the history of the Bulzanians can be traced back as far as the Blackmoorian culture zenith. It is during these times of widespread technology and magic that was founded the colony of Yazak by settlers from Blackmoor and Thonia. When the Great Rain of fire destroyed these ancient civilisations, Yazak was miraculously saved by its remote localisation at the edge of the Arctic Circle. As a matter of fact, Yazak even profited from this cataclysm as the Mystaran axis shift brought it to more temperate regions. However, since Yazak was totally dependent on Blackmoor for its technology, the colony rapidly fell back to some kind of Iron Age.
For more than two millennium the city thrived and expanded it's influence across most of the region that is now known as the Savage Coast: new settlements are founded nearby, colonies are developed in the Bylot Hills where rare minerals can be found and cooperation with the neighbouring post-Oltec and Neathar tribes expands. This golden age of the Yazak civilisation will be abruptly put to an end after the repeated humanoid invasions of the late eighteen century BC that preceded the cataclysmic earthquakes that rocked the region in response to the activation of a powerful Blackmoorian device in faraway Glantri.
During the ensuing decades, survivors of the Yazak civilisation migrated to the dense Midland forest where they found shelter from the humanoids among the woodland folks (elves, centaurs, and fairies). There they learned how to revere the woodland creatures and how to exploit the riches of the forming Rockwater. As new waves of refugees arrived in the valleys bordering the edge of the great forest however, keepers of the Yazak customs preferred to reject the forest cults for an agrarian pantheon and decided to found new agriculture-based communities.
The first human civilisation encountered by the Bulzanian at that moment were the people of Antasyn, which were in fact the long-lost cousins of the Bylot colonies. These first encounter wasn't peaceful since, at that moment, the Antasynians were dominated by beastmen rulers and because both people were competing for the same fertile valleys and hunting grounds. When the Antasynians rejected their beastmen tyrants, they were military expelled in the lands of the Bulzanians which quickly organized a military force able to resist and defeat the beastmen and, in the end, to conquer the Antasynians' lands in 1619BC. Vasile Serbanescu, a village chief, was the instigator of the united Bulzanian resistance and the head of the militias that annexed Antasynian, he is designated king of Bulzan by the other villages leaders as a reward for these great achievements. It is under his rule and the rule of his heirs that the current socio-political structures of Bulzan will be forged. The first corporation to appears will be his own: the state servants' corporation, which will be rapidly followed by the military organisation and some city-based craftsmen corporation. However, at this epoch, the counsellors are only there to provide the king with military or economic advice and don't own any intrinsic power. This social organisation will be able to transcend the cleavage between the Antasynians and the Bulzanian and will proved itself to be superior to the Hulean kingdoms when, in 1502BC, the Bulzano-Antasynian Kingdom will invade the kingdom of Kuliye in the southwestern part of the Great Valley.
The rise of the Bulzano-Antasynian Kingdom will reach its climax during the fortieth century BC after the decisive victory of 1391BC over the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes. However the growing complexity of the Bulzanian administration and multiplying conflicts between the king and the corporations will weaken the kingdom on the eve of a new influx of humanoids. Thus, in 1300BC, when the hordes of Wogar arrive in the region, they find a divided country and easily conquer the Bulzanian heartland, leaving the northern Antasynian forests free of their former masters. The humanoid domination of Bulzan won't last very long albeit: in 1245BC, a rebellion led by Anton Lupescu, will bring them out of Bulzan and the monarchy will be re-establish, although the corporations will demand more power to be given to the council.
If the humanoid domination over Bulzan was short, this new period of independence will be too: engaged in a conflict to regain control over the Antasynians, in 1212BC, the Bulzanians will face a new threat in the form of a unified Hule asked for help by the king of Antasyn. In 1142BC, Bulzan will be integrated in the first Hulean Empire after decades of resistance. The iron hand of the Hagiarchy will only be challenge in 890BC when religious restriction will push most of the Bulzanians into open revolt against the Empire. It is during this first period of Hulean domination that the Temple of Chaos is first introduced in Bulzan.
In 702BC, the Hulean military administration of Bulzan, under the direction of Mehmet Kasparoglü, decides to secede from the crumbling empire. The Bulzanian land is given to his closest lieutenants, they will be allowed to regroup into a political union but are forbidden to operate autonomous armies. To avoid unrest in the Bulzanian population, the new administration accepts to grant to the other religious congregations, a political status equal to the one the Temple of Chaos already own: the right to incorporate themselves and to send delegates to a new council. Twenty years later, the old Church of Bulzan (the agrarian pantheon, and the biggest Bulzanian sect) is accepted as a new pantheon, from this time this sect will be called "the Patriarchs" since the delegates they will send to the Council will only be the oldest clerics of this faith. The eroding power of the military administration over the Council will force the abdication of the Hulean dynasty in 578BC. The new head of the council is called the regent and is elected among the members of the council for a 3 years term.
In 515BC, after 45 years of growing influence and corruption among the member of the council the (regent) is, for the first time, chosen among the Patriarchs delegates notwithstanding strong opposition from the other religious corporations. In 509BC, the Church of Bulzan is erected as the national faith; the other sects are striped of their corporate title. In response to the religious takeover of the council, a new sect named the People's temple begins to advocate the end of the Patriarchs' power, the end of the corporate system and the democratic designation of the Council. From 497BC to 474 the adherents to this new politico-religious group will rapidly grow in number recruiting mainly in the dissatisfied "Proscris" of the campaigns and cities but also in the ranks of the craftsmen corporation among the young generation eager to choose their own life. In 473BC, after weeks of mass protest and the public support given to the People's Temple by the craftsmen and scholars fronts, the Patriarchs, backed by the Landlords Association, will ask the military corporations to put an end to the civil disorder. A divided Bulzanian will thus be engulfed in a 75 years long civil war, at the end of which the conservative forces will keep their privileges.
After the 10 months long siege of Chetniu, which tolled the bell of the progressive forces, the Patriarchs are able to consolidate their power in an oligarchy of three regrouping the military and the landlords. The growing land owned by the Patriarchs and the forming of religious militia will undermine the cohesion of this alliance. Facing growing discontent among the landlords over territory issues and having lost important military operations against the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes are answered by the dissolution of the Council (in 342BC) and the abolition of the national army. Soldiers and officers are forced to join the ranks of the Patriarchs militia or to choose the mercenary life. Unfortunately for Bulzan, the Patriarchs won't be able to keep the country in order, as they will sink into intestine disputes, the mercenary bands will evolve in open banditism, leaving the country to chaos.
Profiting of the Bulzanian chaos, the Hulean armies, helped by their Yazak allies, invade Bulzan in 199BC; there they met little or no resistance and are even cheered in some part of the country as they put a halt to the widespread banditism. The Patriarchs are left with most of their privileges, since their internal divisions impede them of being a real threat to the Hulean control of the country but the religious paramilitary are disbanded. As the Patriarchs continue to sink into their disputes, the Temple of Chaos rise in power thanks for the help of the new administration and for the influx of new Hulean settlers. Meanwhile, as the influence of the Temple of Chaos grows in the Bulzanian society, the Patriarchs will slowly overcome their divisions and unite with other sect to counter this new threat. From 20BC to 38BC, the challenge posed by the rise in importance of the Temple of Chaos and the response of the other Bulzanian sects will erupt into a full-fledge religious revolt against Hule and the Holy Men. Trying to end the religious conflict, the Hulean authorities will forge an alliance with the other segments of the Bulzanian society by taking away the political power wielded by the religious sects and by creating a new council made of representatives of the civil corporations. This move will prove to be beneficial to the Hulean administration as the revolts slowly settle down because the Bulzanian civil society gets its traditional structures of power back. The following two centuries were marked by prosperity under an effaced Hulean domination represented by the corporation's rule.
This period of peace and prosperity will give place to discontent from 231AC to 291AC. The problems mainly derived from the war that takes place between the Hulean Empire and the Crystal Pact. Even though this war doesn't affect directly the Bulzanian region, the growing need for founds to finance the war will pressurise the Bulzanian economy to the point that the locals will revolts against the increasing taxes. Even worst for the Hulean Empire, missionaries of the Loyal Brotherhood sent by the Crystal Pact will found in 256AC a new sect in Bulzan and attract dozen of Bulzanians. As Hule is slowly loosing it's war against the Crystal Pact, the ranks of the new sect will swell with new adherents until 292AC when Cyril Zayetscu, a follower of the Way of the Law, will trigger an uprising that will easily defeat the crumbling Hulean army.
As the new Bulzanian army win over the former allies of Hule, the Yazak humanoids, in 297AC, Cyril Zayetscu is crowned King of the Bulzans and a new Council open to all type of corporations is formed. In the ensuing years, the Patriarchs will try to regain their influence in the Council in a struggle against the Lawful Brotherhood. They will finally win in 334AC when Zayetscu's grandson will adopt the Patriarchs' faith. Both as the Patriarchs' power in the Council is reinforced and as the civil servants' corporation is pushed to the margin of the political spectrum, corruption will become widespread in all the state's apparatus and will lead to the paralysis of the Council.
From 454AC to 512AC, waves of Traladaran migrants will arrive in the southern Bulzanian province of Valkhia. With them will come the Church of Traladara, which will be at first accepted as a new sect among others. But, as its number of followers will grow in the Bulzanian population, the King of Bulzan, Adrian II, and some corporations will welcome this new faith as a mean to counterbalance the Patriarchs' control over the Council. Adrian II dies mysteriously in 514AC without an heir to take his place, politico-religious struggles among the divided Council lead to the abolition of the kingdom. The King's army is disbanded, and the military corporations transform themselves into mercenary units. The followers of the Church of Traladara installed in the southern province will use this period of disorganisation to revolt and establish a new kingdom, Olgar, out of Bulzanian lands. In 527AC, an army made of the Patriarchs' paramilitaries and mercenaries financed by the landlords will be defeated by Milko Levtsky's militia during the siege of the Castle Venestiu, the Patriarchs' stronghold in southern Bulzan.
This defeat opens an era of chaos in Bulzan. The lost of the rich and religious southern province will force a realignment of the forces at the Council between those who want large-scale retaliations against the Olgarian insurgents and those who want peace and the development of economic relations with the new country. During this period the council will only serve as a tribune of the different factions' disputes thus becoming an ineffective legal body. Its power will further erode as the disputes will extend beyond the strict political arena into street fights and even into open military actions between the factions' paramilitary units. The division of the Bulzanian forces is so deep that no one is able to react to the Master's Greatrealm Declaration of 651AC. And, when a dispute over woodcutting rights at the fringe of the Dark Wood arise between Hule and the Woodcutters Corporation, no unified Bulzanian army will be able to face the Master's troops. Nevertheless, the Hulean troops will have a hard time against the Bulzanian population and corporations unwilling to abdicate their independence. So, it is only when the Landlords and Craftsmen accept to send their taxes to Greatrealm in 732AC that the resistance will be finally crushed. A new council will be established during the following year, a council in which the Landlords and the crafts-oriented corporations will have the upper hand.
Since the designation of the new council, Bulzan has been mainly peaceful. Some corporations hostile to the Master are still trying to stir the discontent of the Bulzanians, but most of them recognise that the Hulean administration have been discreet and that the current council have been able to bring stability and prosperity into the Bulzanian lands.
Religion: The religious landscape of Bulzan is one of the most diversified west of Sind. No religion as been able to establish its cult over the entire population. Instead numerous sect cohabit in the population. Normally, a given Bulzanian will only follow the teachings of one of the sects, but it is not rare to see someone change its obedience more than once in a lifetime. This somewhat original religious behaviour is thought to come all the way back to the times of the Blackmoorian Yazak colony when numerous religious and philosophical believes were observed without one being superior to the others. The Bulzanian society has also been traditionally open to alien religious influence as every new cult is accepted as a new sect among others. Each sect has its own pantheon and, sometimes, the same immortal may be revered by people of different sect under different names. The agrarian cult of the Patriarchs is the predominant cult among the Bulzanian population, however, it never have been able to impose itself over the other faiths for more than a few year in a row. Every faith with more than 5oo followers can claim the title of a corporation, which provides it with the right to send delegates to the Council. Here is a short list of the Bulzanian religious corporation in order of importance:
The Patriarchs: also named the Church of Bulzan or the Agrarian Faith the Patriarchs' corporation is the biggest faith in Bulzan and one of the oldest. It is characterised by the emphasis put on the respect due to elders and the acceptance of the fatalities that life brings upon everyone.
The Cult of the Builders: This is a genuine urban Bulzanian cult dedicated to the immortals that favour creative activities, crafts or arts. Most of the followers of this sect are found in the craftsmen corporations.
The Woodland Cult: this is one of the oldest sects of Bulzan. Its followers are found particularly in forested areas and around Rockwater. It reveres the woodland creatures and seeks a perfect integration of the human society with the nature.
The Temple of Chaos: Brought into Bulzan by Hulean settlers and armies, this faith is important among the Hulean population of Bulzan and in the criminal organisations throughout the country.
The Way of the Law: Brought in by wandering missionaries from the Northern Plains and by Sardjik merchants, this cult has the favour of some city-dwellers mainly in the administrative circles and of the semi-nomadic Bulzanian communities of the Yazak Steppes border. The followers of the Way of the Law and of the Temple of Chaos are always opposed in, sometime violent, conflicts
The People's Temple: this sect is dedicated to the goal of establishing more equality in the Bulzanian society. It encourages learning as a mean of political emancipation and the end of the strict corporate system. It is particularly active when it comes to help the poorest Bulzanian. It is sometimes found in the Dasarian's shelters educating people. Many Bulzanian scholars are part of this sect.
The Church of Traladara: Found mainly in southern Bulzan, this faith was brought by the Traladaran settlers during the fifth century AC. Its tolerance and the belief of a Golden Age to come over the Traladarans and their allies characterise it. Since 983 AC, when the troubles initiated by the Church of Traladara in Olgar were quelled, the Church of Traladara is also outlawed in Bulzan.
The Dasarian: This philosophy comes from a now semi-extinct western civilisation. It seeks the ultimate victory of the Good against the evil forces. This is a minor cult in Bulzan but it provides shelter and care for the poorest Bulzanians. It is particularly opposed to the Fiendish Cult.
The Fiendish Cult: This sect would probably be hunted down in many other society as its followers put their faith into the hands of the worst immortal creatures, but in the Bulzanian society they are seen as a part of the natural balance of the world as long as they do not bring to much destruction. This sect finds its roots in the fiends believing tribes that once traded and conflicted with the Yazak cities.
Notable sites: The city of Miriestiu is the historical capital of Bulzan, it is also the biggest and the richest city of the converted lands. Miriestiu is build atop a steep cliff where the Ostrito River drops in the Dinretul 75 meters below. The most impressive parts of the city are the Council neighbourhood, the Market and the university quarter. The quarter surrounding the massive granite building of the Council is dotted with the official representation of the Bulzanian corporations. All of these official buildings are made in a way to represent in the best of their corporation. It is there that you can find the biggest temples of all Bulzan, you can also see the best realisation of all the corporations: the Carpenter Hall is some kind of airy cathedral made entirely of wood, the Sculptors Guild is a tower in which every stone is sculpted in a way to represent the entire history of Bulzan, the Engineers Mansion is a massive round building rotating around a central axe with its main door always indicating the hours on a paved clock. The Market is Miriestiu's most populous area, there you can find the exquisite Bulzanian productions, be it automatons, clocks, fine cloth, jewels, artwork, etc. The Market is also the place where the sects try to recruit new member, there always is somebody standing on a box or a chair trying to attract the attention of the population on its cult's believes or perpetrating miracles of any sorts. The University is also a major attraction of the city. It is a succession of big towers harbouring the different fields of study where the courses are given in the lower floors and the scholars and libraries lie in the upper parts. The city in itself is renown for its granite buildings topped by copper roofs.
Chetniu, Bulzan second most populated city, is built among a hilly landscape. It is renown for it's numerous thermal sources of supposedly miraculous properties. Beside this, Chetniu is an agreeable city to live in even though its municipal council is always in conflict with the neighbouring landlords. It is not so rare to see centaurs and other woodland beings in this city.
Dishinau, the capital of the province of Bradjina, is probably Bulzan worst place to live: located at the edge of Rockwater this a humid city infested by mosquitoes and always under the threat of being attacked by the trolls. There, people are among the poorest of all Bulzan as they thrive to survive in this harsh environment and toiled to ripe the Rockwater's riches. Many people of Dishinau are the descents of the Huleans and Bulzanians that where expelled from the Janizary Lands following the Greatrealm Declaration.
The Vrancea and Lotev Hills are the home of some giants they also are a good protection against the raiding goblins from the Yazak Steppes. The Vrancea Basin at the centre is the home of most of the semi-nomadic Bulzanian population. The Vrancea hills are also supposed to be the hideouts of powerful undead. The Lotev Hills harbour most of the Bulzanians opposed to the Hulean domination; there they can count on the help of the Olgarian insurgents. Also located in the Lotev Hills is the dark tower of Sorin Cardei, a powerful and secretive wizard, which even the Master prefers not to bother.
The Mastrisei Hills and the Chetniu
forest are protected lands where some of the Woodland Folk
displaced of the Darkwood by the Master are trying to revive the
woodland way of life. Centaurs, fauns, pixies and small communities
of fairies can be found there. They generally live in peace with
the surrounding human community and are more open to human than
much of their likes on Mystara.