Bran

The Pigeon Coop

by Dazzlinkat

"Well, there goes another Dragul carriage.

I wonder what, or whom, Dracula wants them to fetch."

A Quiet Town

Bran is a town built in a gorge that serves as the main mountain pass between Wallachia and Transylvania. It has more stables than a town of its size requires for the merchant caravans that travel throguh the pass. There are also lodges for travelers as well as warehouses that provide a goods exchange during more turbulent times. Sadly, turbulent times happen far too often in Transylvania, though not too often within Bran.
Bran's most famous citizen, and its terrifying protector, is none other than Count Dracula who lives and plots within the castle. Monsters dare not hunt the citizens of Bran for they would certainly face the wrath of Dracula as he considers Bran exclusively his. Only with his direct permission can a vampires partake of a Bran citizen and even then they must do as little ahrm as possible.
Bran is also a monster haven of sorts, as not even the dreaded Van Helsings can hunt monsters in Bran. Monsters living in Bran must do their very best to never be noticed by humans or have sworn allegience to Dracula.
Ever since the rise of the Holy Roman Empire, Dracula's rule of Transylvania has withered to being the whispered power behind various lords and ladies. Still, his whispers are mighty and carried throughout Transylvania by his vampires. It is a deadly dance between clergy, Van Helsings, and vampires. But there has been so much war, that this delicate stalemate is fraying. Other monsters factions have begun to raise their heads.

by Noupload

"That's not just any Dragul carriage, that's the Dark Carriage!!

Only Dracula rides within it."

by Dazzlinkat

HISTORY

Bran Gorge has stood as a trading pass between Wallachia and Transylvania for millenia.
In 1212 the Teutonic Order, built a wooden castle in Bran Gorge giving them control of trade as well as a base to enforce Catholicism. The castle was named Dietrichstein after Commander Dietrich who had it built.
In 1242, the Monguls destroyed it. This destruction also broke the power of the Teutonic Knights in enforcing Catholicism in Transylvania. This lead to the rise of Calvinsim and the fall of Catholicism amongst the converted.
In 1377, with Transylvania now a part of the Kingdom of Hungary, the Saxons were granted the right to build a castle in the Bran Gorge, at their own expense and labour. This castle was made of stone and, as with all castles, a settlement formed about it. This castle, and its settlement, were named Bran after the gorge.
After the competion of the stane castle in 1386, it was ruled by Mircea cel batran, Voivode of Wallachia. Mircea was a Shadow Dragon and a strong member of the Order of the Dragon. He was slain by the Van Helsings in 1418.
Vlad II Dracul, an illegitimate human son of Mircea the Elder and a Lord-Errant within the Order of the Dragon, took command of Bran Castle. He established it as a customs point as well as a sturdy defender.
In 1436, Vlad II took the throne of Wallachia after the death of his half-brother, and true dragon son of Mircea. This sparked outrage within the Order of the Dragon. With the furious Dragons deterine to regain the Wallachia throne, the Ottoman Empire began its invasion.
From 1438 - 1442, Bran Castle stood firm in defense against the Ottoman Empire.
in 1447, after years of battles against Dragon-led armies, Vlad II was finally killed and John Hyundi, another Shadow Dragon and regent-govenor of Hungary, finally took Wallachia. Young Dracula was forced to flee into the Ottoman Empire, not to return until 1456 as the first vampire and settled into Bran. He has based his rule from there ever since.

by Dazzlinkat

<<<<<

"The carriage gallops east towards the rising sun!"

>>>>>

"Grab a pigeon! We must send word right away!"

by Dazzlinkat

Dracula's Castle

by rafaelutza

Five Transylvanian familes serve within Bran castle with a deep and unbreaking loyalty earned over the centuries of Dracula's defense of Transylvania.
It was his planning, plots, and vampires that have kept the Transylvanian people from being slaughtered into non-existance, something that Dracula considers intolerable and these families cherish.
Because of their steadfast familial loyalty, Dracula has deemed them the Untouched.
No vampire, or monster, can ever prey upon them even in the slightest of ways or they will face the full fury of Dracula.