The Parliament of Larcuda is an island nation across the CentralianStrait from the Principality of Centralia itself, largely inhabited by a native species of human-like magical beings called Vampires. Vampires, in addition to needing to eat and drink, must drink the blood of other humanoid creatures about once a month. In the present day, this is usually done via purchasing donated blood. Larcuda itself is the largest bulk purchaser of blood donations in the world in exchange for its own valuable exports (chiefly clothing and the innumerable varieties of fancy tea produced on the island). Vampires sport a pair of wings, and different types thereof can be differentiated by them. Bat vampires have bat wings, swallowtail vampires have butterfly wings, jeweled vampires have dragonfly wings, and corvid vampires have crow wings, among a few other rarer types. Vampires are immortal, and while they do age, do so at an extremely slow rate relative to humans. Relations between vampires and humans are generally friendly, despite what an outsider might assume. Vampires have a number of magical powers, including the ability to control small animals, flight (despite their wings being ordinarily unable to support it), bilocation, echolocation, and the ability to summon rain in groups.
Larcuda has a storied and very productive relationship with Centralia, and the nations are each other's primary trading partners, stretching back to the dawn of modern Centralian history.
Oktavia I is the tepes (variously translated as Princess, Queen, King, or Empress by different official sources) of Larcuda. She is childish and temperamental, and is somewhat obsessed with appearing "mature" to outsiders, perhaps owing to her relatively young age of 595 (roughly the equivalent of a young teenager, in human terms). Oktavia ascended to the Crimson Throne upon the departure of her father, Wolodimir II, in 1931. (Voluntarily stepping down after a millennium of sovereignty is traditional among vampire monarchs.) Despite her immature personality, she is a capable administrator, and is widely liked by her people, nobility and commoners alike. Oktavia's personal interests include writing poetry, playing chess, and hosting elaborate tea parties. She is also a television junkie, and has a good command of the entire history of Larcudan broadcast television. Oktavia receives tutoring from her handler, Frederika, who is quick to reprimand her poor handwriting and spelling.
Despite, or perhaps because of, their rather different temperaments, Oktavia and the ruler of Centralia, PrincessAlice, are good friends, frequently visiting each other's nations for what Oktavia refers to as diplomatic missions, and what Alice refers to as playdates.
CategoryLarcuda CategoryGeography CategoryContributionsBySalixBabylonika