Prince Othmar Bolshnik

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Othmar Bolshnik is the current patriarch of the Bolshnik Family, duke of the Heartland Duchy of Nova Vaasa, and Prince of Nova Vaasa. By breaking the Cycle of Stewards, he has held unto that title for the past several decades.

Background

Othmar was born in 708 BC, the son of Kethmar Bolshnik, twice prince of Nova Vaasa. He succeeded his father both as head of the Bolshnik family and as prince in 729 BC, upon the latter's death. Initially, Othmar suffered under the tuteledge of a regent, Duke Tristen Hiregaard, a deathbed arrangement made by the father that infuriated the son. In 733 BC, at the end of the Bolshnik term of office, Prince Othmar refused to step down on the grounds that the regency had cheated him of his term of office. The regency ended and Othmar ruled alone, breaking the Cycle of Stewards. His subsequent actions have left no doubt that he intends to have himself declared king. So far the Church of the Lawgiver has supported him in his ambitions.[1]

Prince Othmar is a true villain, having murdered his father Kethmar using poison supplied by the infamous bandit Chezna the Blood-Cat. He later tried to silence her, but the attempt only earned her enmity and gruesome retaliation. However, her subsequent crimes has blown any attempt of credibility she might have to reveal Othmar's involvement. On the third hand, this information has leaked to Malken, whom would reveal Othmar's betrayals should he and Othmar ever have a falling out (see resources below).[2]

Resources

Othmar rules from his family seat of Stonegard, opposite Kantora.[3] When he engages in combat, Bolshnik prefers to attack while riding horse and wields Snake-spittle, his magical battleaxe.[4]

In addition to the Bolshnik militia, Othmar maintains a personal police force named the Straffers that instill fear wherever they go by both reputation and deed. Happily, their activity is confined to the Heartland Duchy. They are led by Nikko Hetch who also serves as the executioner of the Bolshnik court. Likewise, Omthar maintains a bodyguard, the Storkaskete (“Black Caps”), consisting of fifteen men who are fearless and ruthless in equal measure. His spy network, Slangetunge, is led by Rangvold Alriik, a distant cousin, close adviser, and member of the Council of Lords. Being identified publicly as a member of the Slangetunge can get one lynched, such is the hatred that it has earned for itself.[3]

Beyond his legitimate resources, Prince Othmar has made several under-the-table deals with various crime lords and bandits such as the infamous Malken. Through bribery, Prince Othmar diverts the Kantora City Guard away from allied bandits and gets a cut of their profits in return.[2] Rumors of Othmar's illicit alliances are not unknown.[5]

Game Statistics

In Ravenloft Modules

Prince Othmar's relationship with and attempt to silence Chezna is explored in the 2nd Edition module the Awakening.

Chronology

708 BC Othmar Bolshnik is born the second son of Kethmar Bolshnik. His birthday, May 20th, is celebrated across the land as Bolshnik day. Events include military inspections, horse races, and rampant market buying as the sales tax is temporally slashed. [8][9]

726 BC Othmar's older brother, Talgaard Bolshnik, is unmasked as the Kantora Strangler and is entrusted to the Clinic for the Mentally Distressed outside Egertus.

729 BC Othmar Bolshnik conspires with Chezna the Blood-cat (a darkling and leader of a ruthless band of thieves known as the Briarweed Forest Bandits) to slowly poisons his father, Kethmar Bolshnik. Because Othmar’s older brother is a mad killer kept in the Clinic for the Mentally Distressed, Othmar becomes Prince, but Sir Tristen Hiregaard is made his regent (per Kethmaar’s final request). [10]

729 BC-733 BC Othmar Bolshnik becomes prince, Tristen Hiregaard becomes regent, the latter runs the government and the former prepares his revenge. [11]

733 BC Regent Tristen Hiregaard steps down. Prince Othmar Bolshnik breaks the Cycle of Stewards by refusing to do the same. He defends his cause by insisting that he has been cheated out of his turn.

733 BC Prince Othmar reaches secret understandings with Malken and with the bandits, offering them a measure of protection from legal authorities in return for gold. Malken contacts the bandits, including Chezna the Blood-cat, to compile evidence that might be used to blackmail Othmar should the need ever arise. [12]

733 BC Prince Othmar begins the formation of a personal police force called the Straffers with extrajudicial powers. At the insistence of the other great families, they are limited to Bolshnik territory and Kantora. They have the curious effect of reducing random attacks by creatures of the night, but increasing the number of attacks with political undertones by these same creatures. [13][14]

737 BC Inexplicablly, Prince Othmar appoints the uncorruptible Sturm Androv, endorsed by Tristen Hiregaard, Constable of the Kantora City Guard. [15]

738 BC Prince Othmar commissions paintings and sculptures of himself bearing the Whip of Right and the Rod of Might (devices of the Eternal King Højplads) eliminating all doubt as to his pretensions. [16]

741 BC Othmar tries and fails to have Chezna the Blood-cat silenced for all eternity by band of foreign adventurers. The Vistani outcast and bandit leader replies with a reign of terror. She is, however, driven out of her base in Briarweed Forest and obliged to roam the land. [17]

743 BC Prince Othmar dispenses with the seals of the Five Families and mints money in his own image. [18]

749 BC The patients, including Talgaard Bolshnik, and the physicians, including Dr. Gregorian Illhousen, of the Clinic for the Mentally Distressed outside of Egertus vanish without a trace. [19]

753 BC Prince Othmar begins sitting in the Great Blackstone Throne (reserved to the Eternal King Højplads) nearly provoking a revolt by the Rivtoff family and the Vistin family, and necessitating the intervention of the Himmelsk Naeve to legitimise the act. [20]


References

  1. ↑ Gazetteer V p. 23, 30-31
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gazetteer V p. 150
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gazetteer V p. 32
  4. ↑ Gazetteer V p. 149, 151
  5. ↑ Gazetteer V p. 24
  6. ↑ The Awakening p. 19
  7. ↑ Gazetteer V p. 149
  8. ↑ Gaz V pg. 149
  9. ↑ BoSec pg. 35
  10. ↑ DoD pg. 69; TEW; TNL; TA
  11. ↑ Gaz V pg. 149-151
  12. ↑ Gaz V pg. 150
  13. ↑ Gaz V pg. 32
  14. ↑ Author's Notes to VRGttM
  15. ↑ BoSec pg. 111-112
  16. ↑ Gaz V pg. 30
  17. ↑ Gaz V pg. 15, 150
  18. ↑ Gaz V pg. 30
  19. ↑ Gaz V pg. 41
  20. ↑ Gaz V pg. 30

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

The Awakening
Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume V

The Awakening - p20
Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume V - p150

The Awakening - pp19-21
Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume V - p149

Gazetteer V - p32-33,149-151
Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp46-47
Ravenloft Third Edition - pp14,17,134
Domains of Dread - p69
The Awakening - pp18-21,24-25
Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p25

Prince Othmar Bolshnik
Prince Othmar
Othmar Bolshnik


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