Borca

Borca is a nation ruled by noble poisoners, filled with poverty-crushed peasants, and ruthless social climbers. Borca is also, essentially, the birthplace of the Church of Ezra. The ruler, Ivana Boritsi, is said to be eternally young and beautiful, but her touch is death. Likewise, Borca is often regarded as a land of pastoral beauty that is rotten and foul beneath the surface.

Background

So far as history can tell, Borca's first ruler after it's discovery was Camille Dilisnya, and it passed to her daughter when Ivana Boritsi assassinated Camille. During the Grand Conjunction in 740 BC, Borca absorbed neighboring Dorvinia, ruled by Ivana Boritsi's cousin Ivan Dilisnya. Born on the same night and sometimes called "the Dark Twins," the cousins had long corresponded and considered themselves close friends. After their countries merged and they were forced to become co-rulers, however, they grew to loathe one another.

History

• 684 BC — Camille Dilisnya delivers the people whom would become known as Borcans from isolation in the Mists, thus ending the 333 year epoch of the[Vacancy of Power. As the then-apparent sole heir of the Dilisyna rule, she is given uncontested ownership of all Borcan lands.
• 685 BC — After Yakov Dilisnya convinces Camille to fund the construction of the Great Cathedral of Levkarest, a location is selected and building begins. The Church of Ezra spreads across Borca.
• 694 BC — By this year, Borca has transformed into a major hub of trade. This is due, in part, to the arrival of the Dilisnya Family over the past decade and the utilization off their social and economic ties.
• 698 BC — The Dinner of Death. Yakov is among those poisoned by Camille Boritsi. Blame upon her for the murder of their leader spreads far and wide among Ezra's faithful. Borca's streets erupt in open violence. Under advice, Camille quells the riots by building a monument to Yakov on church grounds and demonstrating great acts of (apparent) mourning.
• 701 BC — Praesidia Donella Borovsky passes an edict declaring witchcraft as a force of corruption created by hags. This solidifies the Borcan position on the Church of Hala, one of loathing and distrust.
• 705 BC — Borcan monk of Ezra turned heretic Renthon Vorishtok writes The Revelations of the Prince of Twilight.
• 706 BC — Falkovnia invades, expecting the conquest of Borca to mark an easy victory. However, Camille Dilisnya and her ilk make short work of the invaders by poisoning their food prior to the launch of the invasion. Thus the event became known as the Widow's Massacre.
• 709 BC — The degenerate and murderous sororicide Ivan Dilisnya is exiled to the Mists, where he finds a part of ancient Borjia, which he calls Dorvinia. Despite this date of formation, Dorvinians believe their realm emerged the same time as Borca.
• 711 BC — Ivana Boritsi, daughter of Camille Dilisnya, researches to find a way to endow humans with poisonous touches. Nostalia Romaine volunteers as her first test subject, becoming the first ermordenung.
• 711 BC — Camille Dilisnya is poisoned to death by her own daughter, Ivana Boritsi, thus marking the exchange of power from mother to daughter.
• 727 BC (Dorvinia) The Gold Claw Massacre: In response to the rampant corruption in Ivan's court, Vlad Drakov initiates a raid on Levkarest massacring hundreds. His soldiers loot and retreat back over the border, though they face heavy casualties.
• 729 BC — The Treaty of Four Towers. Both Ivana Boritsi and Ivan Dilisnya eagerly sign it.
• 732 BC — Praesidia Kristyn Stoyista reverses the 701 BC edict issued by Praesidia Borovsky. However, ill feelings towards the Halans still linger dormant in the hearts of many Borcans.
• 733 BC — The Society of Huntsmen is formally founded in at Dengar's Retreat, a tavern in Levkarest.
• 739 BC — Anton Boritsi perishes under suspicious circumstances. He is survived by his wife and two children (Hellena Boritsi and Bevel Boritsi). They take over his operations, including the branch of the Boritsi Trading Company still working out of Levkarest. Meanwhile, Conte Sulo Boritsi moves his family (save for his eldest children) from Borca to Bergovitsa
• 740 BC — Following the Great Upheaval, Dorvinia and Borca fuse together, thanks to the close presence of Ivan Dilisnya and Ivana Boritsi.
• 745 BC — The Great Cathedral is finished.
• 747 BC — The Jongleur comes into the service of Ivana Boritsi.
• 749 BC — Blackblade is drawn into Ravenloft, specifically Borca.
• 753 BC — The Glutton of G'Henna appears in the hills east of Morfenzi and moves into Borca, attacking the hamlet of Vasey and killing many.
• 757 BC — In response to the Weathermay-Foxgrove Twins asking her to relinquish the Deathstone, Ivana Boristi poisons Gennifer Weathermay-Foxgrove, then forbids the twins from ever entering Borca again.

Flora & Fauna

• Adder's Tongue
• Silphium
• Passionflesh Fruit
• Caldura Rose
• Royal Morel
• Belladonna
• Dewplum
• Foxglove
• Hemlock
• Henbane
• Banewort
• Staggersap
• Strychnine
• Wolvesbane

Geography

File:Borca.png

Borca map by the MCS. Note: Since this fan-made map predates 3rd Edition Ravenloft, there are some inconsistencies with the more recent maps.

Titles

Borca is ruled by Ivana Boritsi and Ivan Dilisnya. It would be untoward, however, not to mention that the Church of Ezra has ruled the spiritual life of Borca since the church was founded by Yakov Dilisnya. Indeed, it would be attempts at bribery by Camille Dilisnya towards the church that created the schism that formed the First and Second sects of the Church.

The land, like neighbouring Barovia, essentially has a three tier system:

• the Lord and Lady of Borca, Ivana Boritsi, and Ivan Dilisnya.
• the Conte or Contessa of each city's overall holdings (which usually includes wide tracts of connecting wilderness)
• the Stapans that act on the wills of the Conte or Contessa.

Less officially, there is also the League of Nine, the rulers' dark hand. It is described in greater detail below.

Holdings

• Lechberg
• Levkarest
• Ilvin
• Sturben
• Vor Ziyden
• Chiara
• Vasey

The League of Nine

Somewhere in Sturben is the Cerulean Chamber, meeting place of the infamous League of Nine, a self-appointed court of justice composed of apothecaries from Borca’s ruling houses. When the law fails and duels are not an option, those who think themselves wronged can petition the League for retribution. No petitioner ever meets the League members in person. The Nine work through various proxies, and although they know each other by name, they ritually don cloaks and masks during their tribunals. So secretive is the League that many who have used its services are still unsure that it actually exists. If the League accepts a petition, the Nine convene to debate its merits. They mete out only one punishment: the subtle slumber. Within a month of the League reaching a decision, the “guilty” party will almost inevitably die of “natural causes.” On that day, the petitioner receives a bill for the League’s services, usually equaling half the legal fine for the victim’s murder.

These genteel assassins operate by several rules that are not well known to the public, however. First, the League' primary goal is to strengthen their own positions. They mete out “justice” as best suits themselves, so they will not execute members of their own families, nor will they strike directly against the sefs. Second, once a petition is made, the ruling lies entirely in the League’s hands. Should the Nine decide that the petitioner is the true wrongdoer, it is they whose end is near. The unwitting accused soon receives the bill, and they would be wise to pay it.

Blood Banking

Many Borcan banking houses insist that a borrower fill a small vial with her own blood, which the banker keeps until the loan is repaid. Most folk believe this is merely a symbolic gesture or intimidation tactic. It often is, but a few bankers can call upon dark forces to enforce their contracts — or know someone who can. Should a borrower attempt to renege on her debts, the bankers can use sympathetic magic — a technique originally stolen from the Vistani — to inflict grievous punishments from afar. The greater the debt, the more powerful a spell the lender is likely to use to ensure compliance. Debt collectors typically utilize troublesome spells like bestow curse or geas rather than deadly spells like flesh to stone or phantasmal killer; dead men cannot pay their due.