The Roskov Ring

## Overview

When the current ruler of Zarnova, Lady Anya Voorish seized power some 80 years ago, she was backed up some powerful allies. Some of whom she then appointed to her ruling body named *The Roskov Ring*. Members of the ring are old and new barons from the biggest baronies in the country and while many lesser baronies are without representation in the ring, they are represented through a complicated web of alliances, promises and kinship - because many of the undead barons are "related" to others in that their undead existence was made possible by someone else. Especially in the case of vampire barons, their relations are deeply affected by a hierarchy of "who made who".

## History

Lady Anya Voorish's predecessor had - in the final years of his rule - little interest in keeping the country running and had focused his interests to entirely different matters. This lead to feuds between baronies, unstable government, weak appearance to outside forces and almost to civil war. Anya took her lessons from those tumultuous times and noted that her predecessor had maintained a rule of tyranny - such that each and every matter needed to circulate through him and when he wasn't interested or was otherwise occupied, state matters weren't dealt with at all. Lady Voorish opted for a better alternative - a tyranny of tyrants lead by a tyrant. She formed the basic principle of her rule long before she actually rose into power and had formulated detailed plans to seize power quickly and decisively. The ring was put together only hours after power changed and this was paramount in keeping the country from falling into civil war as many of the barons were at odds with the then leader and just waited an opportunity to rebel and lash out. Since those days the ring has had absolute control of the country.

## Logo and symbols

The Roskov Ring does not have any symbols, logos or nomenclature excepting the term *The Roskov Ring*.

## Gatherings

The Roskov Ring members gather together three to four times per year. These gatherings take place at the Castle Roskov taking from few days up to a fortnight at a time. The gatherings do not have a strict schedule but happen at the order of the vampire queen whenever she feels the time is right. However, the barons are well informed in advance of these meetings. In these gatherings the members discuss the matters of the country in intricate details diving as deep into problems and solutions as is needed. In short, after a meeting, all barons know of any problem areas in the country and they leave the gathering with a solution or a plan. Lady Voorish guides her subordinates into directions she wishes; sometimes this takes a bit of coercing, sometimes not. Currently her position is so powerful that none of the barons can - at least alone - put a fight against her. In the past some have tried but their names are now forgotten in the annals of history.

## Purpose

The ring is a governing entity. It has no other purpose than to strengthen the rule of Lady Anya Voorish and to outsource control of land to trusted subordinates. The ring is under direct guidance of Lady Voorish, but she has shown little interest to micro managing the many baronies of the country and instead gives each baron free reign to do as they please as long as they adhere to her general guidelines and maintain the baronies as clearly parts of Zarnova and not trying to rival with each other.

## Members of The Roskov Ring

* The vampire queen Lady Anya Voorish runs the whole show.
* Baron Benedikt Zolov, the baron of Zolov. Baron Zolov is the newest member of the ring.