Music Vibes

"Step to the pedestal, and give your speech, Otaman Semenov."

"Thank you, honourable Chairman." Otaman Semenov stepped to the pedestal, and began to address the Rada.

Surrounding him were 500 men, sat in a semicircle. Or, at least, there should have been 500 men. Instead, there was a few hundred, at most, and most of them disinterested at that. Semenov turned back to look at the Chairman, the venerable Anton Rozkishny. Rozkishny raised an eyebrow incredulously, obviously agitated that his time was being wasted by the Cossack's address to the Rada.

"As the supreme authority in this land, I implore you to override the election of Yakov to the head of the Bug Host. It is a disgrace to the title of Otaman, and a disgrace to our way of life."

The Rada floor chittered amongst themselves, with a few agitated pounds on the table. One young deputy stood up and shouted at the Otaman, "Take your funny dress and begone! Like you said, we're the top authority in the Republic! You have no right to make demands of us!"

An irate Semenov instinctively reached for his sabre, and pointed at the deputy as he began to shout. The previously disinterested Rada roared to life with the draw of the sabre, before a booming voice from the Chairman's seat silenced the crowd, "ORDER."

Semenov turned around to lock eyes with Rozkishny. Semenov didn't fear the Rada, but he did fear Rozkishny's ally and friend, Voyevoda Alexei Poltavsky.

Calm now that he had regained control of the Rada, Rozkishny spoke to Semenov, condescendingly, "Semenov, I know that you are opposed to Yakov's election to Otaman. I believe what Deputy Holub is trying to say is that we do not possess the authority to dictate internal politics to the Hosts, just as we cannot interfere with the Soviets."

Rozkishny's eyes fluttered up to Holub, who sheepishly sat down, and turned bright pink in the face.

Semenov huffed, "There's never been a woman Otaman! It's a disgrace!"

Rozkishny shrugged, "There's never been a Deputy killed by a Cossack in the Rada before either, and yet we're on the precipice of such, I think."

Semenov laughed, "You know I'd never do such a thing in front of the magnanimous Chairman Rozkishny. I'd do it at night, while the world slept."

"A smart Otaman you are, Semenov. I understand your concerns, but you're going to have to resolve them without the help of the Rada."

Rozkishny exited the Rada chamber, and began making his way for his office. A stream of deputies flooded from the chamber, with a young Holub chasing down the Chairman. "Chairman! Sir!"

"You're a brave bastard, yelling at a Cossack like that - much less an Otaman."

"He's a wretched and vile bigot! Why should we have to listen to-"

"Listen here, Holub. You're a good kid. The Oil Concerns are dangerous, and you are very capable at navigating their intricacies. You've got a good career ahead of you sucking them off, but you need to listen to me here. The Cossacks are not Syndykat. Syndykat will throw you in a river in the middle of the night if you act against them, but the Cossacks? They'll cut your head off right there on the Rada floor if you so much as slight them. I know it's a different world to that you're used to in Kaniv-"

"Kiev, sir."

"Kiev, Kaniv, whatever. It's different in the Polye. As soon as you leave the cities, it's them that are the real muscle. This place is run by the Red Army, yes, but unless you're suckling on Poltavsky's teat all night, they can't protect you from them. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, now bring me a mug of tea in my office. We've much to discuss."

General Information

Name: Dikoye Polye | The Wild Fields

Capital: Kirovograd (UA147)

Flag: Flag of the Kirovograd Assembly

Government Type: It's complicated

Leaders:

• Chairman of the Rada Anton Rozkishny

• Voyevoda of the Red Army of the Dnieper Alexei Poltavsky

• Various Cossack Otaman

• Various city soviets

• Various oil concern leadership (corporate or otherwise)

Map: Territory beholden to the Kirovograd Assembly