Berok Hot Springs

The mountainous region of Berok are filled with hot springs providing a relaxing environment to its visitors. Around these hot springs towns have formed catering to the weary traveller who wishes to relax and recover from the stress of day to day live. The towns can be easily recognised on any map or road sign, because the often end in the word kúpel, which is Berokian for bath. For example, some of the more famous hot spring towns are Princovakúpel (Prince’s Bath, home to the royal hot spring belonging to the Bear Princes of Berok), Karlovakúpel, or Vahkúpel.
Besides providing relaxation the hot spring towns also provide religious services. For the warmth of the baths is strongly associated with the healing spirits of the Berokian deity Drovos. Therefore, it has become common to provide a small sacrifice usually of rock salts or other items associated with healing before entering the hot springs. This can be either done at the main temple within the town, or often at a small chapel located next to the hot springs. The hot springs town have therefore been associated with relaxation and religion. They are considered a place to unwind in peace and quiet, a place for introspection, contemplation and meditation. These towns have strict rules in place to maintain the peace and quiet. For breaking the peace of Drovos is considered a sin within the Berok Orthodox Church. Rowdy folk are kicked out immediately by the local guards. Some offenders are banned for live from the town. In recent years the towns have been exchanging the names and description of the worst offenders so that they won’t be able disrupt Drovos’ Peace anywhere else. While most bath towns try to maintain the calmness some other towns have slowly started to evolve to become more rowdy. They have simply become too large and popular to provide the same quality of services and have therefor changed to cater to a different audience, who is looking to de-stress in other more loud ways.