Montana Province
Montana Province is a sprawling, sparsely populated region. It boasts two major population centers: The capital (predictably, also called Montana) in the southern third of the province, and the port town of Lom, on the Romanian border in the extreme north along the Danube.
The province has a total population of about 150,000 people, 18,000 of whom are semi-nomadic Rom, whose smuggling operations contribute heavily to their people's reputation for criminal activity. South of the capital, the region is extremely mountainous, but well watered valleys lead north to the Danube, and the economy of the region is mostly agricultural. Poorly designed irrigation is a constant struggle, as farmers compete with monied interests and one another for water rights.
The Municipality of Montana was founded as an outpost of the Roman Empire. It was dedicated to its patrons, Diana and Apollo. Montana boasts wide streets framed by attractive, if somewhat uniform high-rise buildings. Its economy is based on light industry and being a transit hub for the agricultural products collected from further north in the province. It's economy and population (43,324) have been in decline since the 90's, and its commercial and entertainment districts are marked by boarded up storefronts and long-term stagnation.
For at least the last five centuries, Montana has been the stronghold of a series of Tzimisce Voivodes. Traditionally, their interests have concentrated in the countryside, largely leaving the capital to go its own way. The current ruler, who calls himself Volos, usurped (and by rumor diablerized) his sire during the riots that accompanied the fall of the Iron Curtain. Volos has taken a more active hand in guiding his “worshipers,” and a more militant stance toward the Brujah presence in Lom.
The port town of Lom is controlled by the Turkish Brujah (Mushaquis) Palanka, who is supposed to have moved to the region to found the town in the 18th century (the town was originally called Palanka Lom. Lom boasts about 30,000 mortals, and is Bulgaria's second most important port on the Danube. Palanka is supposed to be locked in a rivalry with the Tzimisce Voivode of Montana.
