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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fenris" data-source="post: 2962384" data-attributes="member: 2820">Phoenix,Have a gander at this and let me know how it looks:[sblock]Duke Alexi DimitrivitchIn the far northern suburbs of Metropolis lie the Hills of Burgivini. This suburb is far enough north as to be rumored to be near one of the walls of Metropolis. It is even said that on a clear day you can see the mountains north of the city. Of course no one in living memory has actually seen a clear day this far north, but still it is said. The suburb is composed of gentle rolling hills. Atop each hill is a great building. A monument to the family that owns the hill. The Hills are well known for their catacombs, the entrances to which are fiercely guarded. For in these catacombs the ruling families have their servants farm and mine. The most famus product of those catacombs however is the mushrooms. Or rather the liquor that is distilled from a particular mushroom in the catacombs, called Burgi. Burgi is a highly valued drink sold at most bars and taverns through the northern reaches of Metropolis. The familes that own the hills have build huge palaces for themselves. As they wear out they build another level on top so that the spires of these building soar hundreds of feet above the hills. The servants and worked live in the lower levels which usually lead to the catacombs, so few of those workers ever see the sky. But the privaledged rich enjoy the balconies and the view. The towers of most familes are connected to each other through ornate bridges.It was Burgi that made the Dimitrivitch family rich. The patriarch of the family, Ivar, has the title of Tsarovich, which each head of a family carries. In Metropolis a title merely means money and power has been help for a while, enough to make people call you that. Alexi is Ivar’s third son and so carries the title of Duke rather than Grand Duke that his eldest brother carries. Alexi grew up on this lavish suburb. Attending parties, learning lessons in history and geneology. All the things that the nobility of Burgivini expect their children to learn. But Alexi was the third son and had no hope of leading the family, and in any case he had other interests. He learned his lessons well enough, how to make the Burgi, how to sell it, but always enjoyed his weapons training most. At 18 he begged his father to let him join the guard. His father initially was against this, but soon realized that here was a guard who would not be turned. So Alexi was made a captain. His men enjoyed his command as Alexi was less arrogant than his brothers and had an affable personality. The bridges that connected each palace to each other were always guarded as were the catacombs and the usually one exit on the ground. Alexi spent three years training with the guard learning the tricks of the soldiers for fighting enemies and boredom (mostly drinking and gambling, two of Alexi’s favorite past times). They guarded those gates, although there were few challenges. The occasional spy was caught or the rare peasant who tried to escape. The peasants who worked for the family belonged to the family. The best they could hope for was to show enough skill or aptitude to join the guards, the kitchen staff or the accountants and be out of the catacombs at least.On Alexi’s 21st birthday, his mother, Mara, came and told him he was betrothed to the daughter of an up and coming family the Valiankas, who just discovered a new vein of silver in their catacombs. While Alexi knew that his betrothal was coming, as it did for all young men in the towers, he felt confined and cornered. He begged his father to not schedule the wedding for one year. And to give him leave to explore the city in that time. It wasn’t that Gema Valiankas wasn’t attractive, she was considered very beautiful and now would be rich. The marriage was a political coup for his mother to have arranged. He had danced at the many balls with Gema and was attracted to her. Of all the many possible arrangements that the rumor mills had paired him with Gema was his own favorite before her family’s newly elevated status. But Alexi felt his heart yearning to head south, for a while a least. Something there was calling him, calling his heart. He didn’t know what it was but he needed to find out. He knew his duty lay to his family and to Gema, and he knew his future was within the Hills, but Alexi’s blood burned fiercely to find the source of that call. He had helped count the revenue from the sales of Burgi, but there was time when his beard was white to count that. He was young and wanted adventure before he settled down. He would return for Gema, his family and his responsibility.His father saw the fire in the boy’s eye and knew he would be hard pressed to make him stay. If this was Sasha, his eldest, the Grand Duke, there would be no question, he would stay. But Alexi was different, he had a level head and a strong arm and Ivar new men like that needed stimulation and challenge, be it through war, intrigue or mystery. But he warned Alexi he must conduct himself as a Burgivini Duke, that he must not embarrass the family. And he warned him that factions within the Hills wouldn’t mind delaying him and his wedding or even worse to try to embarrass the family. And of course if Alexi found new places that did not know about Burgi, well Alexi should introduce it!So Alexi saddles his warhorse, strapped on his shield, proudly bearing the Stag of the Dimitivitches and rode forth to find what Metropolis had in store for him, why She was calling him.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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