#things to do in brasov

[m0rbidmacabre]

One for Eternity 🦇

Summary:

Dracopia, a vampire, visits Brasov in search of rare magical materials for his rituals. He meets a witch in an occult shop who offers him a companionship locket.

Notes:

As you are all probably aware my Dracopia obsession is taking over - I've been meaning to do something like this since kinktober day 20 got me hooked, and then reading all the fabulous vampire/ghost fics over halloween... just this is needed! ;) ENJOY chapter one. this is going to be another rolling series for now.

WARNINGS: 18+ MDNI, blood, violance, vampires, blood drinking, swearing, mature nature, human/vampire relationship

READ ON AO3

Chapter 1

Dracopia awoke his eyes, blurred from his slumber. The scent of the cold night air wafting through the window, saturating the pitch-black dwelling. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, remembering where he was. He wasn’t in the comfort of this Transylvanian mansion, no… He was in a boarding house. One that reeked of piss and blood, but as a vampire, you can hardly afford to be picky on your lodgings and his plan was to move unnoticed. He sighed dragging himself to his feet, walking over to the open window, peering around the pitiful bit of fabric the boarding house called a curtain.

Darkness had fallen, the city of Brasov was safe once again for him to roam, the orange glows of the streetlights dancing on its gothic architecture. Dracopia had just left his home in the mountains to meet with a local in the historic city. Brasov itself is the largest city in Transylvania, it held many enigmatic mysteries within the city walls, it was a beautiful place to visit and Dracopia often felt safe here. It was densely populated, so a vampire like himself felt safe concealing himself in the sea of human life for a short time.

 His current visit to Brasov was one where he was in a search of rare magical materials he needed to gather for his upcoming rituals. His life as a vampire had been bare, he spent most of his time alone in the mountains, reliving the days in his head when he was Papa of the satanic church. His rituals were often focused on trying to conjure up a life partner or familiar he could spend the rest of eternity in the arms of. They all had failed. Sure, he had his ghouls for company, but they weren’t the same thing as being with someone to share companionship, His ghouls were more his protecters and often a reminder of his previous life that haunted him. His problem was that being a vampire meant eternity and living for eternity wasn’t something most people found attractive. Life had hardened his once soft shell, and he wasn’t the nice, understanding man he once was, all he had to offer was trauma upon trauma from his previous life that seemed so distant now. This loss of his brothers made it all too much to think about and his hardships multiplied by the days, months, years that passed by.

Dracopia walked to the local occult shop where he had planned to meet the local who ran the store, He could smell the stench of their mortal soul before he even entered the door of store. The small witch stood behind the counter of the store which was cluttered with ancient relics and tomes. The interior was quaint, the dark wood furniture which stored the shops treasures stood proudly behind glass, to avoid being touched by hands that didn’t understand their true powers.

The witch looked up at Dracopia, studying his every move as he walked in through the door.

“Hello Sir, please come in” the witch offered a greeting after noticing Dracopia’s uncomfortable demeanour.

“Si, hello” Dracopia replied lifting his eyebrows into a squint, studying the witch in front of him. She oozed an eccentric nature, but you could tell from her eyes that she was wise beyond her years. She looked friendly.

Dracopia looked around the shop studying its wares, yet keeping a watchful eye on the witch behind the counter, always keep an eye on your company. Especially if you don’t know them, you don’t know the harm they could bring you. Safety first. Dacopia’s mind again lingering on his unearthed trauma.

The witch spotted a change in his Aura and asked “Do you need any help? I’m quite well versed in the occult; I can offer you advice if you would like?” the witch peered at him as he shifted around the store looking extremely suspicious. Being quiet and elegant was never his strong suit, even as a vampire he was still clumsy as hell.

Dracopias eyes pierced into her, as if he was trying to decipher her intentions. She seemed harmless, maybe he should accept her advice he thought to himself. What has he got to lose?

“I'm looking for something, something to help me call out for a companion...” not letting too much information slip as he announced why he was here.

“I see, is this companion someone you already know? A love spell perhaps?”

“No, no, I don’t think I already know who they are. I just need to summon the companionship... Someone who will be with me and well, understand me”. He said letting a little more information out for the witch.

“I see, I have this...but It’s not an item to be taken lightly, it sounds like what you need” she said pulling out a locket from the dark wooden shelving.

The locket itself was wooden and had intricately detailed carvings of the reflection of companionship inlayed into its ancient body.

“It’s a companionship locket, it contains a charm of powerful magic that can summon the ideal companion. This companion can be human, spirit, magical creature or even a powerful familiar. As I’ve said, it comes with a price… once your companion is called, they are bound to you, enslaved without their own free will”. She explained to him as Dracopias eyes widened, was he willing to do such a thing to another living being for his own selfish need? Of course, his ghouls are bound to him, but they still have some of their free will... Most of his ghouls that remain with him are ones that have chosen to stay by his side and remain on earth within their pack that they have known for centuries now. He knew this may not be the right idea, but he made the choice anyway and without hesitation.

“Si, I understand. I’ll take it”.  Dracopia didn’t need to think about it, his longing far outweighs his rational thought. His rational self-died long ago, all that was left was half the man he was when he was Papa, and if he hurt a few people along the way to finding the happiness he's craved his whole life then he didn’t see an issue with that, they could grow to love him, he wasn’t hideous after all, even though on the inside he felt more like an evil comic book villain these days.

The witch studied Dracopias face as she packaged up the Lockett and gave him the instructions, “For it to work you need to do your normal nightly ritual and ask the dark lord to bless the Lockett for a companion to appear. Then you wear the Lockett, your companion should then appear to you. It might not be instant, but I can assure you, it will work”.

He nodded his approval and thanked her. Leaving without a word.  He was starting to feel hungry, leaving the witch alone was a good idea, it was like his blood lust was going to take over his senses. Maybe the smell of human life was too much for him these days, he tried to be good, tried not to kill, but sometimes his urges were too much. Instead of going back to the boarding house, he decided to take a walk through the city and watch the drunks wonder out of the taverns… maybe one of them would be enough to quench his thirst until he got back home to his mountains. He didn’t like to make a scene and if he was going to hunt, it had to be the lowest of the lows... The people who were out for blood, just not the blood he wanted. It would have to be someone the city wouldn’t miss.

He soon spotted a group of men stood outside a tavern, all of them stood huddled in a circle. He watched, silently. Watching them with eager eyes, from here he could smell the blood pumping through their veins. One of them was angry, shouting... They were clearly stood over something, so Dracopia moved closer in the shadows.

“Look at you, you’re fucking pathetic” the angry man shouted. “You're just a fucking slut ain’t you... You thought you could have some fun with us didn’t you, little witch.” he kicks the person in the centre, but she was small, and able to dodge and weave most of the attack by Dracopia hears a small whimper and the strong scent of blood. She drags herself to her feet and bolts like an animal running from its prey. They follow, in chase...

Dracopia sees her clearly for the first time, a small human... a woman... with raven black hair and her clothes all dirty, with a bloody nose and bruises appearing on her skin running for her life, he could smell her fear as she ran into an enclosed alley way, the men running behind her. They caught up to her, the man punched her in her stomach, and she folded in half in pain, crying out as she fell to the floor.

Dracopia sees red, and within an instant he is holding the man by the throat. Not giving him a second thought, he punched him, hard... Blood oozed from his face, and he had clearly passed out from the punch. Dracopia looks down at his suit. “Now look what you’ve done you cunt, you’ve got blood on my suit. what makes you feel like such a god that you can hurt such a beautiful creature?” he says to the man he is still holding. His lifeless body hung against the wall. His friends had seen the attack and bolted, leaving him alone with Dracopia and the man's victim. Dracopia looked back at the women, she was passed out in a heap, so he took advantage, piercing his fangs into his lifeless victim, closing his mouth around the holes he created as the blood leaked into his mouth, giving Dracopia the feast he needed. He was soon done, he let go of the man's neck and he dropped to the floor, lifeless... drained of all his life force.

Dracopia wiped the blood from his chin as he came back to his senses, noticing the women still laying still on the floor. He was sure she had not seen anything that had just transpired but he could never be sure. He walked over to her, picking her up in his strong arms. She came too for a moment, shaking in agony from the attack.

“Shh shh.. You're ok… I’ve got you... You’re safe” Dracopia whispered to her, pushing a wisp of her Raven her from her face. She looked up at him, her brown eyes sparkling with tears, and let out a sigh. Passing out again, Dracopia took her back to the tavern where he had found her, carrying her the whole way. Making sure she was safe. He walked in and asked the barkeep who she was, explaining to him what had just happened... But leaving out that it ended in dinner.  The barkeep seemed to know the women, so Dracopia unwrapped her from his arms and passed her to the man that was tending the bar. Dracopia thought she was safe, and it was time for him to vanish before she woke up asking questions. He made his excuses to the bar keep and left her safety with him.

He moved quickly back to his boarding house, a place he could be safe. Walking through the door, he looked down at what was a pristine black suit, now full of blood stains and dirt. He sighed, pulling the package from the shop out of his pocket and placing it neatly on his side table. Slipping out of his suit and changing into some clean slacks. He would wait until tomorrow evening, then return home to the comfort of his mountains. He thought, back to his safe haven.

[vladdocs]

Hello!

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. I would like to ask if there are any common misconceptions about Vlad that are widely accepted as fact? I have often come across historical "facts" that are untrue but are repeated often and widely spread.

Thank you, have a nice day/evening

You are welcome and it's my pleasure <3 "common misconceptions about Vlad that are widely accepted as fact?" There are quite a few of those: 1. He was in the order of the Dragon - Vlad had nothing to do with it, This whole Order of the Dragon thing and his father comes from 1 chronicle that never mention Vlad Dracul's name, but the voievode of Wallachia which at the time was Vlad's uncle Alexandru Aldea. tho Iancu de hunedoara was in it, Quite ironic. 2. Vlad was hated by boyars - This one is completely false since you simply can't be a ruler without the support of the boyars. they are the ones who lands you their armies at need, without their support Vlad couldn't be such an active voievode. 3. His first wife killed herself by jumping of Poenari - pure fiction, we don't even know her name let alone how she died. 4. Vlad was brutal even for his times. - He was quite a chill man, he didn't do anything that his successors and predecessors wouldn't have done, most of his enemies were just exiled and he NEVER impaled a boyar or someone with noble blood since it was forbidden by law to execute them in anyway except decapitation, you now also know why Vlad was so mad on the Brasov's merchants who buried alive his brother. I recommend you to search "Jacobo Pazzi" or "Georghe doja" to find out the average punishments in Vlad's time. 5. There was only 1 night attack. - The campaign of 1462 is really played down a lot, there were in between of 2 and 9 night attacks, Mehmed's aim with that campaign was to absorb Wallachia into the Ottoman empire and to kill Vlad, not to change the rulers. When an army it lead by the Sultan himself it always mean that the invaded country will become part of the ottoman empire if they manage to conquer it. And how we know the whole war started in the summer and finished in Autumn, when Matthias imprisoned Vlad. After Mehmed was defeated (He also retreated because he had another war going on) and left Radu to deal with Vlad, there were actually 3 more fights between Radu and Vlad which Vlad won of course and then he run out of men and went to Matthias. 6. Vlad introduced harsh punishments in Wallachia - Wallachia inherited a set of laws from the previous Serbian empire, Vlad didn't change them and only obey them. that's why it is funny when you hear "Vlad punished them" mf that's the law. A group of boyars and the church were usually the ones that carry out the punishments. 7. Vlad was so feared because of his brutal acts

- he was feared because of his military skills and how efficient he was in battle, also because in his raids he was targeting smaller villages to impact the income of boyars.

8. Vlad was not religious and even hurt priests

- my brother in christ, the harshest punishment in our sets of law was called "Desugubina" and it applied when you hurt a church figure, After Vlad gifted a monastery with the wealth previously owned by a boyar named Albu the great he burned that church and gather an army to fight Vlad, Vlad defeated him and as per Desugubina, his whole bloodline was wiped out. Vlad was extremely religious like every ruler and boyar.

9. Vlad was imprisoned in a dungeon filled with rats.

- People need to realize that he was of noble blood, when you hear imprisoned either in hungry or at the ottomans don't think about a cell, but a luxurious palace surrounded by servants.

10. Vlad was killed by the ottomans and his head was sent to the sultan who put it on a high stake in Constantinople

- "who put it on a high stake in Constantinople" This part is completely fiction, Anything beyond "He was sent to the sultan" can't be found in any document or chronicle. As for the head being sent to the sultan it from Antonio bonfini chronicle(Which i will put it below) i personally don't find it a trustful source but the Corpus Draculianum team do. Vlad died in Bucharest attacked by 3 armies combined of Crimean Tatars, Wallachian rivals and Ottomans when he had only Stefan's 200 men with him. The battle was so violent that almost nobody got out alive, that's why the sources are so confusing and all over the place. Bonfini's chronicle: " It was said that the king rushed to the Transalpine [parts of the empire] to free Dracula, to whom he had given a wife and also his blood relative by a lawful marriage, from the hands of the Turks.

After he went there, he captured Dracula in Transylvania, it is not known for what reason, since this was not quite known to anyone, but the other Dracula, who had been placed in the province by the Turk, he approved of, contrary to everyone's opinion. This one he led captive to Buda and punished with the dungeon for ten years. 

They recall that Dracula was of unheard cruelty and justice.  They say that when envoys of the Turks refused to take off the Phrygian caps at an audience, according to the custom of their homeland, in order to consolidate [this] their custom, he hammered three nails into their heads so that they could not be moved.

He had put innumerable Turks on stakes, and between them he had dined nobly with friends. The beggars and, moreover, all of the degenerates, idlers, and wretches of strength and fortune he took in for a very noble banquet, [and] thereupon, throwing fire into them when they were full of food and wine, he destroyed them. 

Likewise, he often flayed the skin off the feet of Turkish prisoners, rubbed them with crushed salt, and soon after led goats to lick the salted soles, which increased the torture by the roughness of their tongues. 

A Florentine merchant, worried about securing (his) money, he ordered it to be deposited in the middle of the road and, not having lied about the money counted at night, let him go safely.

In a barbaric region he applied such a great rigor that anyone could be completely safe with his fortune in the middle of the forest.  Matthias restored him to his old dignity, but he was finally killed in a Turkish war, his head was sent to Mehmed as a gift.

The king never allowed the Turkish envoys to come before him without presenting Dracula, whom he held as a prisoner, the most bitter enemy of the Turks and exceedingly terrible to them, again and again. The latter recognized the man from whom they had experienced so many inhuman tortures, as often as they had been beaten and put to flight, and looked at him askance.

And the more they were invited to the completion of the truce. But the king, to confirm their fears, refused a truce, submitting that by paternal right it was not lawful for any king of Pannonia to make truce or peace with the Turk: If he did so, his royal dignity would be immediately ruined." You have to keep in mind that there are over 50 Ottoman chronicles about Vlad and almost all are written after his death yet none ever mention something about it or his 3rd reign, as for Bonfini chronicle you decide for yourself how truthful it is. 11. Vlad lived in Sighisoara at Casa Dracul.

- He might have lived in Sighisoara but Casa Dracul was built in the mid 16th century, As for the fresco of Vlad Dracul from there, the respective fresco represents Ali Pasha from Timisoara, together with Mihaly Apafi and the mayor of Sighisoara, very probably during the first visit to the city, in 1662.

______ There is a LOT more stuff but the post is already too long, I don't think i need to say anything about Bran Castle, Katherina Siegel, German pamphlets or rural legends. My advice for you it to stay away from articles, documentaries, youtube videos, books with that title "The true story" "The real life" and for the love of god, avoid Vlad's Wikipedia at all costs. that thing is a dumpster fire. Seek professional opinions and if you can ask for a proof. In the future the Corpus Draculianum volumes will be available in English as well and people will finally have something to confirm or debunk claims but until then, you can just visit their YouTube channel or facebook page/group

[thisoneisbatter]

Holy: Chapter Eight

This is a new fic that is completed but I think I’ll be rolling it out chapter by chapter because it is a long one. It’s brat tamer, jaded widower Sheriff Hassan in full effect. This fic does contain some very rough sex and consensual sexual violence in some chapters so please do not read if that is a trigger for you. Otherwise, please enjoy and leave feedback!

Holy

Chapter Eight

Word Count: 1k+

Rating: Explicit (18+ only)

Deep family secrets are finally revealed.

Hassan had promised to take the weekend to help Leslie go through her mother’s things. His intentions weren’t entirely altruistic. The state medical examiner hadn’t issued his report, but had said off the record that it definitely seemed like foul play. Unofficially, poisoning.

There wasn’t much evidence to collect in the guest room closet that could tie someone to Cindy’s murder, but maybe he could figure out what the hell was going on on the island and why someone would want to poison her to begin with.

“What’s in this box?” Hassan reached for a hat box at the top of closet. He’d been handing things down to Leslie, most of which she’d stuffed into a black trash bag. A stack of old National Geographics, a pair of dry rotten men’s penny loafers, exactly the types of things you’d expect to find. This box was different. It was leather and very old but well cared-for.

“Uhh, I think it’s like my adoption stuff.” She gestured to the bed where they’d been putting the things she wanted to keep; photo albums and a few of her mom’s old dresses. “It can just go over there.”

“Do you-can I look at it?” It felt wrong to ask. Something so incredibly personal. He was more prepared for her to say no than yes.

“It doesn’t have who my birth parents are or anything like that. Its just like, basic info.” She replied flippantly. “I’m going to take a couple of bags down to the trash. You can look at whatever. I don’t have, like, giant family secrets or whatever.” She shot him a mockingly crazy look, laughing a little at his interest.

Fifteen minutes later, when Leslie returned, Hassan was sitting in a chair by the window deeply engrossed in the papers he couldn’t even read. It was almost entirely in Romanian. A stack of handwritten notes, typewritten documents on impossibly thin paper, a photo of a crying baby wrapped in a threadbare blanket, and a maroon passport with a picture of a pale toddler in pigtails. The name was Lavinia Eder. It was Leslie.

“Your name is Lavinia?” He chuckled a bit.

“And your name is Hassan.” She pointed out the obvious with a smile.

“Why do you go by Leslie?” He couldn’t imagine calling her anything else.

“Lavinia sounds like an 80 year old woman with a hunch back selling potatoes. Not very in line with my personality.” It amazed him how little she seemed to care about her personal history. Maybe it was something she had already worked her way through earlier in her life, but it was surprising to him nonetheless.

“Can you read Romanian?” He asked, lifting the papers to indicate that he needed translation.

“Kind of.” She took a seat on the floor next to him. “I can read these ones,” she pointed to the typewritten ones, “but not the cursive notes.” She took the first fragile page from the file, staring at it for a long time, trying to process the letters through the out of practice dictionary in her mind. “Uh, okay. It says infant girl,” she smiled at him and mouthed <i>me</i>, “found at Biserica Neagra, which I guess means like, Black Church or whatever, in Brasov. Weight 2.2 kilograms. Infant found beneath statue of Saint Petroclus. I don’t know if I’m saying that right. January 21st, 1998. And that’s my birthday.” She winked. His heart was breaking imagining this tiny newborn left in the cold, and she fucking winked. “And then it just says I was moved to an orphanage in Bucharest, which is where my parents adopted me.” She handed the page to him, taking the next one in the stack. “Okay, this one is their request to adopt me. It just has my mom and dad on here saying they want the infant found in Brasov on my birthday. My mom told me she read about it in the paper.” She took the next page. “This one is saying that I am Lavinia, I’m 2 years old, I weigh 11 kilograms, it says ‘no damage’ but I think that’s talking about, like, disabilities and stuff. I think it’s just info about me at the orphanage.” She takes another page. “Uh, yeah, okay. This one is saying I’m being adopted by my parents on October 6th, 2001. They get me, my clothes, my blanket, and some papers.” She shot him a final smile. “And that’s it. Nothing that interesting.”

Hassan let her brush it off while they finished clearing out the upstairs rooms her mom used for storage. They ate pizza on her bedroom floor and had kind of boring sex before he called it a night. His mind was elsewhere.

He’d taken pictures of the papers in the box, more specifically, the handwritten notes. He knew it was a violation of her privacy. She hadn’t given him permission. For all he knew, she was saying she couldn’t read them because she didn’t want to. He just had to know.

The next morning, Hassan went into work early. He jumped head first into a Google rabbit hole almost immediately. At face value, Leslie’s adoption was unusual, but not extraordinary. Cindy, a Romanian woman living in America, saw that a baby was abandoned at a church and wanted to adopt her. Stuff like that happens. Once he started adding it all up, the details spelled something bizarre.

“Hey, Les.” He caught her the second she sat down at her desk. It was 8:30. She was late, but he had way too much swimming in his mind to even address it. “Come over here. I need to talk to you about something.”

“What’s up?” She rolled her chair to his desk, looking only mildly concerned.

“I know you’re probably going to be upset, but I took some pictures of the papers in your adoption file and looked up what they said.” He braced for impact.

“Whoa, Hassan, what the fuck?” Her look of disgust stung a bit, but he’d expected it. It was a violation of her trust after all.

“It’s uhm,” He leaned forward, smoothed his hand down his beard, and rested it on Leslie’s knee. “You’ve got to know there’s something weird going on there.”

“What, then?” It was her turn to find him incredibly annoying. “My parents were weird people. What did you find?”

“Okay,” Hassan pulled out his notepad and leaned back in his chair, ready to elevator pitch Leslie’s own life story to her. “So you were found in the Black Church in Brasov. Brasov is in…Transylvania.” He drew the word out, cringing a bit at her mocking raised eyebrow. It sounded so stupid out loud. “The statue you were found under was Saint Petrolcus of Troye. I tried to look stuff up but came up really short until I realized that your family isn’t Catholic. They’re Eastern Orthodox, right?” She nodded, starting to slump in her chair. He was right. The story wasn’t as cut and dry as she’d believed her entire life. “In the Orthodox church, he is the Patron Saint of Demons and Fever, and his feast day is January 21st.”

“So what does that mean, then?” She looked confused, but mostly angry. Either this was the coincidence of a lifetime, or she’d been lied to at some point by her own family.

“I’m not done, Leslie.” He almost didn’t want to tell her the rest. It sounded crazy. It was crazy. “Do you know how hard it is to find some kind of translation for cursive Romanian? It took me all morning, but I did find it.” He put his phone on the desk at their side with the photos of the three notes pulled up. “These papers were stuffed into the blanket with you when you were left.” He pointed to the first one, which read <i> morții să rămână în pământ</i>, “’May the dead stay in the ground.’ Weird thing to put on a baby. The second one,” he pointed to one reading <i> salvatorul nostru de îngerii căzuți</i>, “Our savior from the fallen angels.” He flipped to the last photo, this one more of a scrawl than the rest, clearly written in haste. It said <i> ea va ști unde poate fi găsită lumina </i>. “She knows where the light can be found.”

Leslie had her head in her hands now, not looking at Hassan.

“Now, Leslie, I want to think that you definitely didn’t know what these notes said, because you’d have told me. And it could also just be the scribblings of a crazy person. I’d believe that last bit for sure if it wasn’t for an email I got from the old Sheriff before I ever even moved to the island. It said, that if I need anything, I should ask Leslie, because she knows where everything can be found. That’s a strange way to word that, right? ‘She knows where everything can be found.�� I did a little extra research on Sheriff Henry. He was pretty well loved by everyone, but one thing he wasn’t was a Catholic. And neither am I, and neither are you, or your mother.” He leaned as far forward as he could, taking her head in his hands and lifting her face to be just inches from his. “Tell me why there are suddenly missing people on an island that hasn’t had more than a fender bender in almost 100 years, a woman is screaming about demons and then suddenly turns up dead, and her daughter, a Sheriff’s Deputy, has a few too many weird connections to be just a fluke.”

Leslie was in tears. Gasping, inescapable tears. Hassan suddenly became hyper-aware of his grip on her and pulled his hand away.

“I don’t understand what you’re accusing me of.” She gulped down a sob. “I don’t know what’s happening.”

“I’m not accusing you of anything.” He sat back, taking stock of what exactly he was doing. “I guess I’m accusing everyone else of something. I just don’t know what yet.”

“So what, Hassan, demons came to Crockett and killed my mother?” She didn’t sound entirely sarcastic. Maybe it was a start. Maybe she’d believe him.

“No, I think that Bev Keane killed your mother.”

[supranatural85]

Things to do in Brasov

[mart-studies]

Things to Do in Brasov: The Ultimate Guide Want to make the most of your visit to Brasov? Our ultimate guide has got you covered. Explore the city's unique culture, indulge in delicious cuisine, and embark on outdoor adventures that will leave you in awe.

[eyhier]

Things to Do in Brasov: The Ultimate Guide

Want to make the most of your visit to Brasov? Our ultimate guide has got you covered. Explore the city's unique culture, indulge in delicious cuisine, and embark on outdoor adventures that will leave you in awe.

[altarix]

Things to Do in Brasov: The Ultimate Guide

Want to make the most of your visit to Brasov? Our ultimate guide has got you covered. Explore the city's unique culture, indulge in delicious cuisine, and embark on outdoor adventures that will leave you in awe.

[lowryinbohemia]

Tips to Pass Along Pt. 1

So, here's my wrap-up tips from the trip for those of you thinking about heading to the area, just from my experience.

Places Not to be Missed:

Spice Market, Istanbul: Yes I know it may seem touristy but this is 100% definitely worth it to visit. The smells, the colors, the people watching are all amazing things to experience. Though make sure you don't go too crazy and you know how to barter so you can get a good deal. And bring cash if you can, gives you more barter power.

Haga Sophia & Blue Mosque, Istanbul: They are both right next to each other so you can tour both in one day. They are both exquisite and 100% worth the hype. Make sure to take some time to just sit and listen or mediate while you are in there if you can. And don't forget your head covering if you are female.

Bosporus Boat Ferry, Istanbul: honestly you don't need to waste money on a boat tour if you don't need to, just ride the ferry around the Bosporus. It is such a beautiful vista.

Jewish Quarter, Prague: it is worth it to pay the 25 euros for access to all the synagogues because each has its own history and artwork. Get a tour guide from the main center and give yourself a couple of hours to enjoy it. It's brilliant.

Cesky Krumlov, CZ: The whole town is so lovely. Go during the week if you can so you avoid all the Prague tourists, and get a local hotel. The views are beautiful and the castle is seriously cool.

Parliament Building, Bucharest: It is seriously one of the most impressive buildings I have ever seen, and the eclectic collection of different design styles is something you have to see.

Bran's Castle: Yes, it is 100% worth the hype. Do it. It is AWESOME.

Brasov, Romania: A really lovely mountain town with lots of fun shops, restaurants, hiking trails and some of the nicest people I've met.

Salina Turda, Turda, Romania: This entire place is just incredible and you will be amazed at the sheer vastness of the place.

Hunesdora Castle, Romania: Such a beautiful place with such a rich and interesting history. It's brilliantly restored & very easy to get around.

[germanshepherddoginfo]

Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog: A Unique and Versatile Breed

The Romanian Raven Shepherd dog is a large and powerful dog with a black coat. They have a long history of protecting livestock in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. These dogs are known for their loyalty, courage, and intelligence. They are excellent companions for active families who enjoy spending time outdoors. History Appearance Temperament FAQs on Romanian Raven Shepherd DogWhat are the grooming requirements for a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog? What are the health concerns for a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog? Where can I find a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog? How long do Romanian shepherds live? Romanian Raven Shepherd is a relatively new breed to the United States, but it is quickly gaining popularity. These dogs are still rare, but are becoming more available as breeders work to increase the population. If you are looking for a loyal, intelligent, and versatile dog, the Romanian Raven Shepherd may be the perfect breed for you. Here are some things to know about this fascinating and unique breed. Here are details on the Romanian Raven Shepherd FeatureMaleFemaleHeight70–80 cm (28–31 in)65–75 cm (26–30 in)Weight40–60 kg (88–132 lb)30–50 kg (66–110 lb)Lifespan12–14 years12–14 yearsTraitsLoyal, intelligent, protective, active, barkerLoyal, intelligent, protective, active, barkerRomanian Raven Shepherd Dog

History

The Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog is a natural breed developed over centuries in the Meridional Carpathian and Subcarpathian area (the old Muntenia region of Wallachia, in the counties of Dambovisa, Arges and Prahova, and around Brasov). These dogs were originally used as livestock guardians, watching over sheep and cattle in the mountains. They are known for their courage, intelligence and loyalty, and are essential to the success of shepherds who rely on them to protect their flocks from predators. The Romanian Raven Shepherd is also known as Corbi, which means "crow" in Romanian. The name is a reference to the dog's distinctive black coat. Corbies are typically large and powerful dogs, standing 23-28 inches tall and weighing 88-110 pounds.

Appearance

The Romanian Raven Shepherd is a large, powerful dog with a black coat. They are typically 23-28 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 88-110 pounds. They have a long, thick coat that helps protect them from cold weather. The coat is two-layered, the undercoat is short and bushy, and the outer coat is long and rough. The hair on the head and front legs is sparse, while the hair on the body is abundant. The hair on the neck is thick and looks like a mane. The Romanian Raven Shepherd has a large, strong head with a wide muzzle and moderate stop. The eyes are small and almond-shaped and are amber or brown in color. The ears are V-shaped and floppy and are set high on the head. The neck is thick and strong. The body of the Romanian Raven Shepherd is massive and sturdy. They have a rectangular body shape with a broad chest and strong back. The tail is bushy and long and carried high when the dog is alert. The Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog is a black dog with a black coat. However, some dogs may have small white markings on their chest or legs. If the dog is exposed to the sun for too long, the coat may develop a red color. Overall, the Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog is a large, powerful dog with a black coat. They have a distinctive appearance that makes them easy to spot.

Temperament

The Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog is a loyal, intelligent, and protective dog. They are known for their courage and their willingness to protect their families. These dogs are very active and need a lot of exercise. They make great companions for active families who enjoy spending time outdoors. https://youtu.be/pY-RwcStEx0 The Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog is a very independent dog and needs to be trained with patience and consistency. They are not well suited to apartment living and need lots of space to run and play. They also bark and warn you of any potential danger. Here are some additional things to know about the Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog's temperament: - They are good with children but should be supervised around them, especially small children. - They are not aggressive dogs, but they will protect their family and property if threatened. - They are very intelligent dogs and can be trained to do a variety of tasks. - They are not suitable for hot climates. - They need to be groomed regularly to keep their coat clean and free of mats. If you are considering getting a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog, do your research and find a reputable breeder. These dogs are a wonderful addition to any family, but they are not right for everyone. Also Read: Why Does My Dog Pee On Other Dogs? A serious Concern

FAQs on Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog

What are the grooming requirements for a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog?Romanian Raven Shepherd Dogs have a long, thick coat that requires regular grooming. They should be brushed at least once a week to remove loose hair and prevent mats. They may also need to be trimmed to keep their coat from matting.What are the health concerns for a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog?Romanian Raven Shepherd Dogs are generally healthy dogs, but they can be prone to certain health conditions, such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and bloat. It is important to have your dog screened for these conditions before breeding or adopting.Where can I find a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog?Romanian Raven Shepherd Dogs are not a common breed, so it may be difficult to find one. You can contact a local rescue organization or a reputable breeder to inquire about the availability of Romanian Raven Shepherd Dogs.How long do Romanian shepherds live?Romanian Raven Shepherd Dogs typically live for 12-14 years. However, some dogs may live longer or shorter than this. The lifespan of a Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog is affected by a number of factors, including genetics, diet, exercise, and overall health. Read the full article

[travopo]

Fun Things to Do in Brasov | Travel Guide (2023) | Best Places to Visit

[photofabulicious]

🇷🇴Brasov is a fantastic cozy town in Transylvania, Romania. With train it’s around 2,5 hours from Bucharest. I came here yesterday after a trip from Sweden. So far I really love this little city up in the mountains. . Today I also went on a tour to Castle Bran (Draculas castle) and Rasnov. Unfortunately Castle Peles was closed today (it almost looks like the Castle in the Disney logo). My tour guide Dan was awesome. He new so much about everything. History is really fascinating! To visit Draculas Castle has always been a dream of mine. Yet another thing I can cross from my bucketlist. . There are so many more things to do here, but I arrived too late yesterday. And I’m leaving tomorrow already for one night in Bucharest. So this was a very short and intensive trip. . But I love exploring. I love travelling. I love to visit new places. This is what I live for! . My first time in Romania has been a pleasent surprise actually. Everything is so cheap compared to Sweden, USA and Mexico. And nobody is bothering me on the streets. I will definately come back to Romania. Happy that I have many Romanian friends as well. They have given me so many tips on what to do and eat that I could stay here for one more week, and not be able to finish everything they recommended! Haha. You have to come here if you haven’t been. Ps. Have had amazing food as well. 🥰 ….. #visitromania #romania #brasov #transylvania #rasnov #castlebran #dracula #draculacastle #bucharest #letsgosomewhere #exploremore #explorepage #adventuretime #history #globetrotter #digitalnomad #travelphotography #travelphoto #travelpics #swedishnomad #travelgram #thesecret #lawofattraction #travelblogger #travelblog #travelbug #europetravel #eurotrip #europe #traveler (på/i Transilvania Brasov) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnhIB8aN_kP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[mstravelsolo]

Best things to do in Brasov Romania in one day: Solo Brasov Itinerary

Best things to do in Brasov Romania in one day: Solo Brasov Itinerary

[touromania]

Here Is Why You Should Visit Brasov | Romania

Here Is Why You Should Visit Brasov | Romania

FOR MORE TRAVELING TIPS CLICK HERE UNDERSTANDING THE CITY CLICK HERE FOR HOTEL DEALS IN BRASOV Brasov is a city in Romania’s Transylvania region and is surrounded by the country’s Carpathian Mountains. With a population of over 300,000, it is considered the 7th largest city in the country. It is located approximately 176 kilometers from the capital of Bucharest. It’s no secret that Brasov is…

[bujorulgalben]

ok before i get to replies, and yes i will make a serious hc post on this in the near future i promise (this list is getting out of hand), one of my favourite notes i read a lot about wrt cotroceni is the local stray cat population, and while bucharest has it’s fair share of stray cats, this is a known hub and i love this because. so does anica.

alongside the potted flowers on the stairs up to her front door there are food bowls with supermarket brand cat food for the local strays who have taken a liking to anica... and will welcome her home/nag her loudly about dinner when she’s home later than usual.

all the while....... iulia sits on the living room windowsill..... and stares.

[vladdocs]

Dracula and Brasovians. Part 8. Mission of Voika Dobritsa Original in Russian: http://samlib.ru/.../dracula_ziznvzrosl_1456_1462_brasov8... Annotation: Finally, we return to the letters of Dracula, as it is time for us to study his message to Brasov on June 4, 1460. The open confrontation with the Brasovites had already ended by that time, but negotiations on the resumption of trade and political cooperation had not yet begun. Dracula writes to the Brasovites that he is sending his man to them, whom he calls "the highly esteemed Voiko Dobritsa, our special advisor," but Voiko is not authorized to speak at all about peace ... If you watched the Romanian film "Vlad Tepes" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSBNR9NDf0E&t=1923s) then, of course, you paid attention to the patriotic fair-haired boyar, who, according to the plot, becomes one of the most confidential persons of Prince Vlad. This boyar catches robbers, executes unfaithful boyars, heads a delegation sent to Brasov, takes part in the famous "night attack" on the Turkish army, and dies in the final of the film trying to protect his prince, who was arrested by the Hungarians. Voiko Dobritsa became the prototype of this character, but only a prototype. The biography of the real Voika cannot be studied from this film. For example, it is absolutely known that in 1462, when Dracula was arrested, Voiko did not die, but let's not get ahead of ourselves and consider all the stages of the life of this comrade-in-arms of Dracula in order. Voiko Dobrica - Serb Considering how little they write about Voika in popular science literature, I can assume that this article will come as a surprise to many, because we can restore Voika's biography almost completely - just like it happened with Mane Udrische - and let the leading role in this reconstruction again will not be occupied with facts, but with versions, but the base of the versions is solid. The first thing that we can almost say for sure is that Voiko was a Serb by nationality. How do we know about nationality? The name itself tells us about it. Name as a pointer In modern Serbia, this name is still used - as a diminutive on behalf of Voikan. In the same country, there is a village called Voika (the feminine version of the name we are considering). However, not everything is so simple, because this name is also used in today's Slovenia, but not as a diminutive, but as a complete one. In addition, Voiko is a fairly common Ukrainian surname. And also in Slovakia there is a settlement that has the same name as in Serbia - Voika, and this fact also cannot be discounted. It would seem that with all these facts we have gone far from Serbia, but if we systematize everything, we will come to Serbia. Since Voiko is a name, then the place of its origin should be considered exactly the region where the name was preserved as a name. If it remained only in surnames or geographical names, this means that there was a migration of the bearers of the name, who took root in a new place and gradually disappeared into the composition of another people, without preserving either their language or their culture. That is why it is one thing when the settlement of Voika is located in Serbia, where the names Voika and Voiko are still used, and it is quite another thing when the same name of the settlement comes across to us in Slovakia, where there are no people with similar names. There is no name Voiko in Ukraine either - only a surname. Here and there on the Internet you can read that Voiko is a common Slavic name that has the root "howl" and comes from the word "warrior", but at the expense of the common Slavic name, this is an obvious exaggeration. Yes, the name is associated with the word "warrior", but this does not explain where the established form of Voiko came from. But it exists in strictly defined regions. Migration flows in the 15th century So why was Dracula's boyar exactly a Serb? Why not assume something else, because there is the same Slovenia. There is also Bosnia and Croatia, which are very closely related to

Serbia in terms of culture. Why is Voiko, Dracula's boyar, a Serb? To answer this question, it is important to remember the location of the state borders of the 15th century and what peoples in one way or another contacted the Romanians. Let us also recall the word "migration" that was sounded earlier. So in the 15th century it was the Serbs who actively migrated, and the reason was the aggressive policy of Turkey. In Slovenia, the situation was different, because Slovenia was part of the Austrian Duchy - a very serious state, especially when you consider that it was ruled by the powerful Habsburgs. Bosnia and Croatia belonged to the Hungarian kingdom, which was also very strong and large. This influenced the direction of migration. If the inhabitants of Slovenia, Bosnia and Croatia began to suffer from the Turks, then they moved deep into their own state, away from the border, but with Serbia everything was different. It did not exist as such. In its place there were many small principalities that were at enmity with each other, so the Serbs, who were tired of enduring Turkish raids, moved to other states where the territory is larger and the local nobility is not hostile. Thus, the Serbs ended up either in the Austrian Duchy, mixing with the population of Slovenia, or in the Romanian territories, or in the Kingdom of Hungary. By the way, the previously mentioned Slovakia also belonged to the Hungarian Kingdom, which may explain where the Serbian name of the village comes from - Voika. Many Serbs also settled in another part of the Hungarian kingdom - in Transylvania, where the Bulgarians had settled a little earlier, driven from the Bulgarian lands conquered by the Turks in the 14th century. By the way, Transylvania borders on modern Ukraine, and it is for this reason that the name Voiko could appear in Ukraine. Migration! Crossing paths And now we mentally draw a route of movement of Dracula himself and see where this route could come into contact with the migration flows just marked. We see the intersection only in Romania and Transylvania, which means that a person with the name Voiko, who eventually became a servant of Dracula, had to come from the Serbian lands, because the Slovenes, Croats and Bosnians did not migrate to Romania and Transylvania. Dracula had nowhere to meet with Slovenes, Croats and Bosnians. He has never been to Austria. He visited the lands of Croatia and Bosnia only in the mid-1470s, shortly before his death, and in fact the meeting with Voika took place much earlier. This means that either Romania or Transylvania remains. Where did Voiko live before meeting Dracula? So, it turned out that Voiko is a Serb. But this does not mean that he necessarily lived or was born in Serbia. There are three versions of his small homeland, and they are put forward on the basis of an analysis of the nickname Voiki - Dobritsa. Version one M. Kazaku believes that the nickname Dobritsa comes from his father's name, that is, Voiko Dobritsa could have been the son of a boyar named Dobrota (emphasis on the second "o"). This boyar sat on the Romanian princely council under Prince Dan II (1420s). We also know that in modern Serbia there is a male name - Dobritsa. That is, it could very well be that in the 15th century, representatives of a certain noble Serbian family moved to Romania and entered the service of the Romanian princes. Why not! By the way, on the territory of modern Romania (Gorj county) there is a village called Dobritsa, which could have belonged to Voica's father. And it might not belong, because we do not know how ancient this settlement is. Second version Voiko Dobrica could also be from Transylvania. There was also a migration flow from Serbian lands, and the Voika family could well have moved to those lands. In Transylvania, in the south of the county called Hunedoara, there is the Dobra River - a tributary of the Maros (Mures) River. This means that the Voica family could have migrated from Serbian lands and settled in Hunedoara, but not necessarily in the south, since in the

north of Hunedoara there is a valley called Dobranei. Voiko could have originated from there as well. In general, everything revolves around Hunedoara, and if Voiko really came from there, then his acquaintance with Dracula took place in 1456, when Dracula was recruiting an army in Transylvania. Dracula also entered the territory of Hunedoara (an attempt was made on him there in the town of Joaju). I repeat - we have only one more version before us, no more! Version three The latest version is my absolute favorite. It consists in the fact that Voiko was not only a Serb by nationality, but was also born in Serbian lands in the village of Dobritsa, 55 km north-east of Belgrade. This village was first mentioned under the name Dobritsa back in 1425. But if Voiko was born in Serbian lands, then where and when did he intersect with Dracula? I could have just come and come to Romania, but there is also a more interesting scenario - Dracula and Voiko could have met in Turkey in 1448, because the Turks drove many Serbs into slavery. Let's recall a very famous quote from the "Notes of the Janissary", from the part that tells how Dracula first came to power, and that in doing so he took advantage of the support of Sultan Murat. "The Sultan gifted him (Dracula) with money, horses, clothes, magnificent tents," says the "Notes". But it was not Dracula himself who looked after all this good! He did not dress himself, cleaned and fed the horses, set up the tent. The Sultan had to give Dracula also servants for such a work ... But what if Voiko was one of the servants whom the Sultan gave Dracula? A? Yes, this is my favorite version, but how much more reliable it is compared to the two previous ones - let everyone decide for himself. Voiko in the service of Dracula Whichever one chooses, all three versions tell us that the Voika family somehow suffered from the Turks, who pressed Serbia very actively, and in 1459 they completely conquered it. Only Belgrade remained unoccupied, but only because it was a Hungarian fortress, which the Hungarians protected with all their might. I think, in the context of this whole situation, it would be logical to assume that Voiko adhered to anti-Turkish views and constantly pushed Dracula to start military operations against the Turks. Dracula shared these views. This is indirectly evidenced by his letters. Just in case, let me remind you that the letters of the Romanian princes almost always mentioned the boyars who were present when the document was drawn up, and the closer the boyar's name stood to the top of the list, the more honorable it was. So, in Dracula's letters, an interesting pattern can be traced - the closer to 1462, which became the time of the largest clash of Dracula with the Turks, the higher is the name of Voika in the list of boyars. In a letter dated April 16, 1457, Voiko is indicated in third place - after Mane Udrishche (already known to us) and a certain about Dragomir Tsakala. In the charters of 1458-1459, Voiko is listed in second place, tk. Mane Udrische retired. In the letter dated February 10, 1461, Voiko is listed in the first place. Let the letters of Dracula survived a little, but I think that this pattern is by no means a mere coincidence. It is also noteworthy how Voika's life developed after the arrest of his master in 1462 - Voiko got a job with Dracula's brother, the same Radu, but he did not serve him for long, only 4 years. The reason for such a short service life should be considered the pro-Turkish policy pursued by the Rada. It did not dovetail with Voika's views in any way, but the Serb, apparently, hoped that this was a temporary course. When it became clear that Radu was not going to turn off his pro-Turkish course, Voiko left. However, this is not the end of the story, as the historian N. Stoichesu in his famous monograph "Vlad the Impaler" cites one very interesting fact. When Dracula was released from a Hungarian prison, former boyars found him and asked to serve again. This, incidentally, is mentioned by Layota Basarab in a letter to

the Brasovites dated April 9, 1476. It was Layota who would later be called the killer of Dracula, but what is important now is that in the letter to Layota, a certain Voiko Tatul is mentioned, who sided with Dracula. Stoichesku admits the possibility that it is Voiko Dobrica. This version is supported by a letter from Dracula himself to Brasov, written much earlier - on June 4, 1460. Dracula in this message calls Voiku "our special adviser, we sincerely welcome." The word "welcome" (dilectus) can also be translated as "favorite". This directly means that Voiko is not only a subordinate for Dracula, but also a friend, and true friendship always stands the test of time. So just imagine - in 1462, friends were forced to part, and in 1475 Voiko learns that Dracula was at large after so many years. Of course, Voiko would have dropped everything and hastened to look for a friend! Even the historian Stoichesu thinks so))) Sometimes you can hear that Dracula, due to some peculiarities of his personality, did not have friends. However, Voika's example just shows that Dracula, after the tragic death of his father and older brother, did not become an absolutely closed person, as they periodically try to present him in articles and studies. 1460 mission in Brasov And now, when we have a good idea of ​​what kind of person Voiko was, we can consider the role of Voika in the conflict between Dracula and the Brasovians, that is, Dracula's letter dated June 4, 1460, which speaks of this role. From the letter we learn that Dracula, despite the victory over Dan in April 1460, still had enemies in Brasov. Yes, during the battle with Dan, which we examined in detail a little earlier, many of Dan's people were killed, but there was still a certain number of any hangers-on and hangers-on who, for one reason or another, did not go to the battle, as a result of which they remained intact. Dracula calls these people "defectors". This means that they once lived in Romania, but left its borders, guided by political motives - they did not get along with the new power in the person of Dracula. These people hoped to return to the country with Dan if he became the new Romanian prince, but they did not grow together. And now the defectors settled in Brasov, realizing that in Romania they did not have to wait for a warm welcome. As a result, Voiko is sent to Brasov to pick up the defectors from Brasov and deliver them to Romania. As we can see from the same letter, Dracula was initially going to come to Brasov himself, but the defectors intrigued in every way and prevented this. What exactly were the intrigues, alas, is not specified. However, if you remember how the city council was organized, which decided all issues in the city - including the issue of extradition of fugitives - then we can make some assumptions. As we recall, the council consisted of a judge and a jury, who helped the judge to administer the trial. In practice, the jury often initiated the consideration of a case (for example, if the jury noticed fraud when weighing goods in the city market, he immediately ran to report it to the judge), and even though none of the jurors had the right to vote, the judge had to take into account their opinion. This also applied to the question of who to invite to the city and who not. If the Brasovians decided to invite Dracula to come to them, then the city council should have made a decision about this, and he would have made such a decision if the jury had no objections. So it turns out that defectors could manipulate the opinion of the council, exerting one or another influence on the jury. Whenever the question of whether to invite Dracula into town was raised, two or three jurors should have actively discouraged this venture. dya arguments in support of their opinion. And, apparently, the deserters who incited the jury or even bribed were engaged in inventing arguments. As a result, Dracula himself did not go to Brasov, but sent Voika, because, as the letter says, the defectors agreed to Voika's arrival. Dracula even writes

"they demanded to be sent with their own lips," but at the expense of the demand, this is most likely said for the sake of a catchphrase, since irony appears throughout the letter. But still, why did the defectors trust Voika so much and so did not trust Dracula? It seems strange, because Voiko was a devoted servant and friend of Dracula, which means he would not have done anything contrary to his master and friend. There may be different explanations: 1) Perhaps the defectors believed that Voiko, although he is a confidant of Dracula, does not know all of Dracula's enemies, so some of the defectors had a chance to avoid deportation to their homeland - Voiko, not knowing them, would not point them out to the Brasovians and say " give these out. " 2) Perhaps the defectors hoped that Voiko Dobrica was nicknamed Dobrica for a reason. Let there be no words in the Romanian language that are consonant with the Slavic "good", but many representatives of the Romanian nobility (and deserters) were fluent in the Slavic language, so they could easily interpret the nickname of Dobritsa as a good omen for themselves. Be that as it may, Voica's task was extremely specific - to bring the defectors back to Romania, and Dracula gave Voica soldiers for this purpose. The letter says so: "For the aforementioned deserters, we send (to you) not only the servant of our Voiko, but also the velites." It is clear that, despite Dracula's victory in the battle with Dan, the Romanian warriors would not have been able to enter the city walls of Brasov. To the lands of Brasov - yes, but not to the city itself. Only Voiko could enter the city, and the soldiers would have to wait outside. That is why the letter specifically stipulates Voika's mission, he must observe how the Brasovians themselves will expel the defectors from their city: "Let the mentioned Voiko, our servant, see with his own eyes those (people) and the fact that they have been expelled." What for? And then, that the warriors of Dracula, who remained under the walls of the city, would immediately grab the exiled defectors under white little hands to escort them to Romania. In Romania, all defectors, of course, faced an unenviable fate, because Dracula is Dracula, but that's another topic. The letter also mentions a certain Christian, "servant" of Dracula. Dracula writes that the Brasovians have already talked with this Christian about the extradition of the defectors, and even came to some agreements. Apparently, lists of persons subject to deportation to Romania were drawn up. “Depending on (what) you agreed with our servant Christian and (whom) you promised to expel, you expel those (defectors) from your borders,” the letter says. That is, Christian began this operation to return the defectors, and Voiko had to complete, and even if Voiko did not know in person all of Dracula's enemies, who became defectors and hiding in Brasov, it would not have helped the defectors very much to avoid deportation. There were already lists! Dracula trolling I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there has been no talk of peace negotiations between Dracula and the inhabitants of Brasov - only about the surrender of the defectors, but Dracula in his letter hints that if the defectors are extradited, then peace negotiations will begin, otherwise the war will continue: "From your borders those (deserters) you drive out, thanks to which you will be able to maintain peace." The main problem in this case, apparently, was that not all eminent and influential people of Brasov wanted peace with Dracula. There were also those who opposed in every possible way, therefore Dracula in his letter sneers, referring to the city council - "our friends, for the most part deserving our respect." That is, there were those who did not deserve respect there, but it would be difficult for the Brasovians to take offense at Dracula for such words. If someone from the city council considered himself offended, Dracula could ask this gentleman quite reasonable questions: “Why do you think that I meant

you? It turns out that I have something to disrespect you for? have you done this? " That is, we have before us an example of classic trolling, and even if it was not called that at the time of Dracula, but here is exactly what trolling is. The main question in this situation is whether the people of Brashov will tolerate the insult or not, and if they do not, then which of them will not be able to withstand the nerves. If we remember other letters from Dracula, we will see - he trolled only those whom he could go on a campaign. Trolling is clearly present in a letter to the inhabitants of Sibiu in 1457, written before the campaign in the lands of Sibiu. In a letter dated September 10, 1456, sent to Brasov, Dracula also sarcastically in places, which means he seriously believed he said that his relations with Brasov (due to a misunderstanding related to the Turkish ambassador) could deteriorate. But in a letter dated May 18, 1458 (containing a request to the Brasovians to send craftsmen), our Dracula is a courtesy itself. Perhaps when Dracula, in a letter dated June 4, 1460, says that he does not respect everyone in Brasov, he means the very jurors who were influenced by defectors. However, let's not forget that at practically the same time (April-May 1460) letters were sent to Brasov by Janos Gereb de Wingart and Nicolae de Vizacna. We know the content of their messages, but Dracula, too, probably had an idea of ​​the general content of this correspondence and was not thrilled. As mentioned in another article, some of Dracula's statements suggest that he had an agent in Brasov. So if this agent told Dracula about the intrigues of de Wingart and de Visacna, then Dracula could rightfully refuse respect to those citizens of Brasov who listened to the intriguers at least a little. In fact, there are still many stinging phrases in Dracula's letter: - "since the highly esteemed Voiko Dobritsa ... these deserters themselves ... demanded (send) with their own lips, we sent that very Voiko to you" - since they wanted to, they will get it, but if suddenly he turns out to be not as lenient as they expected , let them blame themselves - "The aforementioned defectors themselves, through all possible (ways), kept us from leaving (to you), but you, prudent gentlemen, are diligently encouraging us (to come)" - political tug-of-war, an illustrative example - "for the aforementioned deserters, we send (to you) not only the servant of our Voiko, but also the velites (ie, soldiers)" - the deserters will be an "honorary escort" when they return to Romania - "if they themselves (the defectors) consider it unworthy to come to us" - if they resist and pretend to be offended innocence, because in fact their veins are shaking - "you still expel those (deserters)" - otherwise, again, as always, promise and do not fulfill In principle, the entire letter dated June 4, 1460 is saturated with irony, so it makes no sense to quote every line. Better to just read the text. * * * So, Dracula's letter. I draw your attention to the fact that in the Latin text of the letter Voika's name is not declined, therefore, in my translation, Voiko is written everywhere, although in the article I decline this name. My translation: (Words and expressions in parentheses are absent in the document itself, but added for better understanding of the meaning). Prudent and prudent gentlemen, our brothers and friends, for the most part deserving of our respect. Since the highly esteemed Voiko Dobrica, our special adviser, whom we sincerely welcomed, these deserters themselves, who have since become our opponents, demanded (send) with their lips, we sent to you the very Voiko who was required to be sent. Due to the fact that the aforementioned defectors themselves, through all possible (methods), kept us from leaving (to you), but you, prudent gentlemen, diligently urge us (to come), for the mentioned defectors we send (to you) not only the servant of our Voiko , but also velites (i.e. warriors). If they themselves (the defectors) consider it unworthy to come to

us, since then, according to your promises, depending on (what) with our servant Christian you eventually agreed and (whom) you promised to expel by oath, from your borders those (deserters) you drive out, thanks to which you can remain calm. In a similar way, we - since because of ourselves (deserters) and others like them we can (as before) remain restless - we wish that there would be no more quarrels and long-standing grievances in our land caused by (deserters) themselves. Therefore, you still drive out those (deserters), and let the mentioned Voiko, our servant, see with his own eyes those (people) and that they are driven out. (Sent) from the fortress on the Dymbovitsa River *, on Wednesday of the Four Times ** after Pentecost *** (i.e. June 4), the Lord's year of the same one thousand four hundred and sixtieth. Vlad is the governor of the Transalpine lands. For prudent and prudent gentlemen, for the judge and the jury, the citizens of the Brassovskoy community, the brothers, as well as our friends, who for the most part deserve our respect. ________ * Ie from Bucharest. ** Four Times - Catholics have special days of fasting, three days (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) in each of the four seasons. This is hardly practiced at present. In the Middle Ages it was observed. *** Pentecost is the fiftieth day after Easter, which fell on April 13 in 1460. ________ Latin text: Prudentes et circumspecti viri, fratres et amici nostri nobis plurimum honorandi. Quia hunc egregium Woyko Dobricha, nostrum specialem consiliarium, nobis sincere dilectum, propter illos pribagos et nobis hucusque adversarios qui eundem Woyko ore suo postularunt, duximus ad vos transmittendum, quoniam ipsis dictis pribagis per omnia de excessibus pepercimus, igitribras estrogenic) P (ru) cum prefato nostro homine Woyko ad nos transmittere velitis. Si vero ipsi ad nos venire contempserint, extunc, juxta dicta vestra, prout cum homine nostro Cristyan conclusistis et expellere spopondistis, vestri e medio eosdem expellatis, eo quod requiem habeatis. Similiter et nos, quoniam propter ipsos et ipsis similibus non repausare possumus, - ne plures rixae et rancores causa ipsorum in nostri medio existant. Sic tamen eosdem expellatis quod is Woyko noster homo eosdem videat oculis expulsuros. Ex castro fluvii Dombovicha, feria quarta Quatuor Temporum Penthecostes, Domini anno eiusdem millesimo quadringentesimo sexagesimo. Wlaad wayvoda partium Transalpinarum. Prudentibus et circumspectis viris, judici et juratis, civibus civitatis Brassoviensis, fratribus atque amicis nostris, nobis plurimum honorandis.