Warhammer Fantasy: A Dynasty of Dynamic Alcoholism

[Dutch]

Now that we're rolling again, have another CC.

Edit: And it looks like I just missed Torroar.

Wonderful.

Eh, I'll post anyways. Will edit out any errors when Torroar gets back.

Enjoy guys.

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner

Now with a new intro text.



Since we've had such fun with Talabecland lately, They've ended up being our next topic.

Talabecland



Alright, Talabecland.



Located in the center of the Empire between the rivers Stir and Talabec, Talabecland is a major transit route for trade in the Empire, with lots of traffic moving down its rivers and the Old Forest Road. The Province is covered by the great forest and while it is more forgiving than the Forest of Shadow and Drakwald, it is still home to a fair share of dangers and mysteries and despite the Talabeclanders' skill as woodsmen, the interior of the forest remains a fearful and dangerous place. Nevertheless, many Talabeclanders make their living from the woods, either as foresters, trappers or charcoal burners. The woods themselves are made up out of Birch, Beech and Oak in the south and changes into Pines to the north.



A central spine of hills runs through the middle of the province, and these hills have been grouped together in three general groups by Imperial cartographers. The Kolsa hills in near Ostermark are known for their eldritch stone monuments atop of the many of its hills, these stones are arranged like pathways between the hills. Farmers occasionally find discover earthworks and odd mounts in suggestive shapes. Their origin is a mystery, but the Cult of Taal has claimed the land for their own research.

The Farlic Hills lie in the center of the province and are home to many clans of herdsmen who are also part-time bandits; they prey upon traffic along the Old Forest Road. In response the Elector Counts of Talabecland employ a large number of roadwardens* and have send troops into the hills to punish the raiders, nevertheless the problem persists. The road itself is in a patchy state of repair. In some places it consists of stone and gravel, in others it is little more than a dirt track. Tollhouses litter the road regardless, though their usage varies depending on the state of the province. As they are often targeted by those that dwell in the forest or hills, and manned by whoever can be spared. In times of great chaos, that is often the very brave or the very stupid.

The final set of hills are the Barren Hills, once known as the Green Hills, these days they're considered cursed. Hundreds of years ago the area was hit by a Warpstone meteor and most plants, animals and humans died living in the area died. Those that didn't mutated in horrible ways and had to be put to the sword by the Counts armies. These days mutants form the hills are still a problem for the towns near the hills.



The people of Talabecland descent from the Taleuten tribe, who Sigmar gave all the lands between the rivers Talabec and Stir. After years of wandering through the Great Forest they stumbled upon a great crater with a single tunnel as entryway. The chief of the Taleutens, Krugan, saw this as a sign from Taal himself and ordered the construction of a great city within the crater. The city was first known Taalahim and later as Talabheim. Now the city is known as the City of Laws.

Talabecland has a reputation for ignorance and barbarism among the other provinces. But this doesn't bother the people who call the province their home. At their best Talabeclanders are patient woodsfolk, with a quiet intensity and honor. Reading, writing and the scholastic are respected, but held in second place to the lore of the wild. The people of Talabecland favour deeds and silence over long speeches, but the woman are considered suckers for the honeyed word. Because of this, rakish types, poets and Reiklanders are viewed with suspicions. Although they are not as paranoid as Stirlanders in this regard.

Fathers are considered important in Talabecland, as it is considered a coming of age ritual for sons (and sometimes daughters) to learn how to hunt and survive in the woods. Just like how Marienburgers learn how to swim from their elders, Talabeclanders learn how to hunt and survive. Someone who didn't get that chance is considered unlucky as it leaves them with no way of being initiated in the ways of their forefathers.

An old Talabeclander saying is "It's the doing that counts, not who does it." In their tales the deeds themselves are told, while the heroes are downplayed. This works both ways, when Talabecland is wronged it holds everyone belonging to the group who wronged them responsible, rather than a single person. Glory and shame belong to the people as a whole. For this reason knights from Talabecland wear the provincial colors on their shields instead of those of their family, the only way to recognize their families is a small badge on their shoulders.



Taal is the most worshipped god in the province, with his greatest temple standing in the small woods still left in the crater of Talabheim. Still, Talabeclanders are also known for their warlike ways, and it comes to no surprise that there are a lot of Ulricans living in the province. The province even housed the Al-Ulric for a while when he left Middenland after a serious dispute with the then ruling Graf.

Sometime between the 5th and 10th century Talabecland conquered the lands of the heirs of Adelhard of the Ostagoths, and the towns of Ostermark became Talabecland's eastern march. These lands were ruled by the Dukes of Talabecland for over a thousand years, until a rebellion sponsored and aided by the Princes of Ostland broke Talabeclander rule over the area. This resulted in the (re)creation of the league of Ostermark in 1905. Armies from Talabecland always dip their banners in the waters of the Talabec when they cross the river, hoping that Taal will bless them.

At their worst Talabeclanders can be argumentative, primitive, hard drinking and mean. And while they don't wear leaves, the people prefer wearing practical clothing. "Kitted like a Reiklander." is a popular expression for someone who dresses like a dandy. And decadent strangers often find themselves tied upside-down to a tree. Still, long ago the Cult of Taal and the Talabeclanders used to nail people to trees until they died, and even now woodcutters sometimes find rusted nails in notable old trees. So perhaps they should count themselves lucky.



Talabeclander speech is smooth with slurred-together words, though the cultured elites of Talabheim prefer "proper" Reikspiel. Others in the Empire muse that the slur comes from the local tradition of brewing "Moonshine" liquor in the woods and many rumors speak of wild parties in said woods. Talabeclanders don't like it when people try to figure out what they do in the woods, freedom is important to them, and a man may think nothing of vanishing into the woods for weeks on end if he feels like it. If he leaves behind a struggling wife and children, so be it, if Father Taal calls, you answer.



* =

 

[Dutch]

Alright guys, here's Stirland. Including some info on its new ruler. Sylvania will be up after I figure out how to include the recent changes and Mootland still needs to be looked at by Torroar.

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner

Still with the whiny Bret as intro text.



Stirland




Stirland is bound by the World's Edge mountains in the east and in all other directions by the rivers Stir, Aver and Reik. The province's terrain is highly mixed and its reputation as a rural backwater is largely undeserved, since the province spots many towns of decent size and does a lot of trade with the dwarfs of Zhufbar. It is mostly the mostly the dreaded lands of Sylvania that make people think ill of Stirland.




The northern parts of Stirland are covered by the last reaches of the Great Forest, with the forest thinning and breaking up in different woods further inland, such as the feared Hunger and Grim woods in Sylvania. To the east of the Grim Woods lies the Hel Fenn, where the army of Mannfred von Carstein was beaten by Imperial forces. The west of the Country is dominated by the Stirhügel, hilly country that is crossed by the Old Dwarf Road and the Nuln Road. The hills are mostly home to villages of sheepherders who trade with the towns of Flensburg and Wörden. Hidden within these hills are the tombs of the ancient chieftains of the Styrigen tribes, these tombs are dug into the hillsides or built as turf covered barrows with well-hidden entrances. These tombs were built in pre-Imperial times and are considered thousands of years old. Stirlanders today refer to their occupants as "The Old Kings".

And then there's Sylvania.

Needless to say things have changed in this quest, so I'm not sure how much of this is still accurate.

Stretching from the town of Tempelhof, that hasn't seen a priest of Morr in over 600 years, to the World's Edge mountains. Sylvania was conquered by Stirland sometime between the 5th and 10th centuries during the "Drive to the Frontiers" and broke free from Stirland in the aftermath of the Night of the Restless Dead in 1681. And got reintegrated after the Wars of the Vampire Counts. I'll probably do a separate CC about Sylvania at some point.

In short. It's a horrible place and everyone, including the dworfs, avoids it and pretends in doesn't exist. Internal stuff is more complicated.



The people of Stirland (sans Sylvania) descent from the Asoborn tribe. Stirlanders are a short, thickset people, much like their Ostermarker neighbors. They're dark haired and suspicious of strangers and their bloodline has remained one of the most undiluted in the Empire. With even baseborn peasants being able to trace their decent back many generations. Others within the Empire tend to say that this is because they are inbred fools.

Stirlanders are famed for their superstitions and are a cautious lot. They are often called inbred, backwards, overly rural and mocked within the Empire for their slow speech and pace of life in general. The Stirlanders themselves are proud of their preservations of the ancient customs and their "Long View" on life in general. At their best Stirlanders are calm, thoughtful and take their time to do things. It isn't often that you see a Stirlander rushing head-first into things without a plan. They are also fond of long tales, gossips and news of the outside world. The tavern is often seen as the heart of a Stirlander community.



Racing is popular in Stirland. But not with horses or on foot like in the rest of the Empire. No. Since most of the country outside of the towns is rather rural and most people come together on the farmers markets, it should come as no surprise that it is not people, but animals that race each other. Geese, cows, dogs and pigs are often raced against one another in local competitions. The winners of these competitions will never end up on someone's dinner plate.

At their worst, Stirlanders are isolationist, suspicious and hidebound. They themselves see it merely as keeping traditions. Some of these traditions are rather odd however. Strangers visiting the Stirhügels can expect children to throw pig droppings at them, in the belief that this will drive away evil spirits. (I'm sure it will drive something away.)
If you end up being hit by the pig shit you're especially protected. Villages near Sylvania often have a strain of a potent strain of the local garlic lined from the houses and windows to ward off "the Count's Men". Whenever someone goes missing it is blamed on old garlic.



Another one of these customs is the drinking of hot ale. Stirlander taverns often have a large iron poker kept near the fire. Cold travelers and old soaks trust the poker into the fire while they wait for their drink and then plunge it into their tankard, warming the drink and making an alcoholic cloud of steam.

Stirlanders living in the central portion of the province are known for their dislike for Halflings, this stems from the 1200~1300 year old decision that tore away their best farmlands and gave them to the "Shorties". Although this resentment rarely breaks out into violence, the belief that Halflings are thieves is stronger here than in any other part of the Empire. In Wörden there is a tradition, to make a straw pinata the size of a Halfling for a child's birthday and stuff it with candies and treats it "stole" from the children. Kids hit it with sticks until it breaks and "gives back the candy". Locals deny that drunks have sometimes tied up a real Halfling.

Sylvania has the whole: gloom, evil eye to strangers and hushed conversations in local tongue. But as I said, separate CC for that.

Stirlanders talk with a rustic accent and slow speech, often repeating questions and taking a decent amount of time before answering. In plays it is often used for slow or rural characters.

After the Second Cleansing of Sylvania saw its Count killed by a vampire, Stirland has been ruled by Countess Ava von Krieglitz. Who has recently given birth to her first child Leopold.

 

[Dutch]

As promised here's Sylvania and it's a big one.

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner

With a new intro text.



Sylvania

Flag varies, undead and all that.



Heh, atleast whoever makes these things has a sense of humor.



That quote sums things up pretty accurately. When you walk into Sylvania, you pretty much walk into a foreign country. Halflings and Dwarfs are almost unheard of, technology lags behind compared to the rest of the Empire, gunpowder is a frightening marvel, there is no middle class, and the gap between the peasantry and nobility is even larger than in Bretonnia.

Welcome to Sylvania.

I'll be your guide.

We'll start off with some history. The lands that would become Sylvania were originally settled by the Fennone tribe, a strange and secretive people who spoke their own language and had little to do with the other tribes, or the dwarfs of Zhufbar. They ended up joining the Empire during the "Drive to the Frontiers" sometime during the 5th and 10th centuries. Today their language is still used, mostly when talking about suspicious strangers. When Sylvania was incorporated as a part of Stirland the populations began to mingle, though Stirlanders like to say that the Fennone blood won out in their cousins. Dark rumors started to circulate about the people dabbling in magic, with Sylvania's nobles building their homes on sites marked by ancient waystones, though for what purpose unknown. The winds blow strong in Sylvania after all (Dhar).

Though not doing particularly well for itself and in many ways struggling, live in Sylvania was manageable until the 12th century. When the Black Plague swept through the Empire, no place was as hard hit as Sylvania, with what records surviving saying that 9 out of 10 people dying because of the plague. To make matters worse, Warpstone fell down on Sylvania in large quantities in 1111. Naturally this attracted everyone's favorite rats.

However, the foul lords of Sylvania were ready for them, and used their magics to call up the plague victims from their graves to defend the country. Under the command of Frederick van Hel, later known as Vanhel, the undead crushed the Skaven and forced them back to their tunnels. Ever since, the dead have refused to stay buried for long in Sylvania. For the people of Sylvania this had an unexpected benefit. When the dead rose from the grave in massive numbers in 1681 during the Night of the Restless Dead, the Sylvanians had become experienced at fighting them. Some even battled necromancy with necromancy.

Stirland, meanwhile, was being ravaged by the undead. Sylvania, which had escaped mostly unharmed, used their position to lend aid at the price of independence.

During all this the von Draks rose to power in Sylvania, a family of brutal rulers despised by all. In comes Vlad (or Vladimir) who has been around in Sylvania for long time, teaching Vanhel necromancy and generally turning up every few centuries whenever something tickled his fancy. He married Isabella von Drak and became Count of Sylvania after her father died without a male heir. Vlad was better than the previous rulers and the people continued to follow him even after it was revealed that he was a vampire, all the while Vlad converted the Nobility or murdered them when they resisted. Sylvania became one of the best ruled provinces of the Empire. Then came the Vampire wars and all that stuff. The population joined Vlad's army willingly, and damned themselves in the eyes of the Empire. When Vlad Died and Konrad came to power and everything he did during his insanity, the population began to regret the pact that they had made. But when Mannfred took over they were as loyal to him as they were to Vlad and again joined the Vampire's army willingly. This cemented a special hatred for the people of Sylvania in the Empire, an attitude that survives to this day. The few people who leave the place often claim to be from someplace else to avoid persecution.

After Manndred's fall, Sylvania was brought back under Stirland's control and given a new nobility made out of impoverished noble houses, younger siblings and bastards of the Count of Stirland's line. Bitter at being sent into what was essentially exile, these new rulers treated their people no better than the von Draks and were worse at protecting them from the undead.

In 2158, Gottlieb the Stern led the "Cleansing of Sylvania", Witch hunters and the Cult of Sigmar purged anyone who had collaborated during the Vampire wars. Which caused even more resentment from Sylvanians towards Imperials, and afterwards they saw themselves as a separate nation. In the years that followed a mortal family with the von Carstein name appeared in Sylvania, who gained much support amongst the peasantry.



Whatever plans they had have been put on the back burner however. The Land of Sylvania has rapidly changed in recent years due to two separate forces which shook the very foundations of the long cursed Barony.

The first was the Wolf Crusade, a massive undertaking of the Cult of Ulric involving an army made up of tens and tens of thousands of trained and equipped zealous worshippers of the wolf God at the core of which lay the White Wolves - the premier Knightly Order of Ulric which had most recently been opened up to commoner recruitment - and whipped into a frenzy by Ar-Ulric Kron. During its years of operation, 2316 to 2323, the Wolf Crusade roared its way across much of the Empire before slamming into Sylvania and joining up with the other force already present, the Witch Hunter Army.

The Witch Hunter Army, unlike the Wolf Crusade, was a crusading force of purgation and fire under the aegis of Sigmar. Made up of Witch Hunters from across the Empire, led by Witch Hunter General Rommel and commanded personally by Emperor Magnus and the Grand Theogonist, the Witch Hunter Army ravaged cults of Chaos, vampires, undead, and other such dark things as they made their way across the Empire and eventually entered Sylvania itself, shortly before the Wolf Crusade. Beginning in 2315 IC, it too found success and its own eventual termination in that cursed place in the year of 2323.

Both groups, in their own way, managed to push multiple cults, madmen, vampires, and servants of darkness throughout the Empire into Sylvania. Perhaps it was assumed that the Barony would prove inviolable to the light of Sigmar and wolves of Ulric. If so, it was not to be. Led on by zealous White Wolves and Witch Hunters, Sylvania was set aflame by fires both naturally generated through torches and matches and the powers of Priests of Ulric, Sigmar, Morr and Bright Wizards from Altdorf. The latter two groups proved especially effective. Knightly Orders made their way in, mercenaries were hired by the Witch Hunter Army only to increase the number of troops they possessed to tear into Sylvania.

As for the land itself, seemingly every square inch of it was scorched, prayed over by priests from the three principle God's who had servants present, then scorched again during the course of both crusading forces. Advancing was slow, almost every town put to the torch, and forests that had held and hidden monsters for centuries were uprooted and burnt down or used by the servants of the night within the Barony for haphazard defenses and forts which would eventually prove useless in the long run. Castle Drakenhof was destroyed in the last battle of Sylvania, but that has done nothing to stop the servants of Ulric, Sigmar, and Morr with the 'conclusion' of the fight. In the past years since then, something almost like a competition has begun between the three Gods as Temples and Shrines go up, what very few native Sylvanians are being heavily inundated with sermons and prayers and simple presence by Priests, and the land is burnt again and again before being reconsecrated continually. Knowing that the dead could rise again at any time, any corpse found in Sylvania is immediately put to the torch - or, should it be recognizable as a body from another province, sent to a Garden of Morr there instead - and burnt beyond ash. Said ash is then taken by the servants of Morr far, far away from Sylvania so that even should another powerful vampire or necromancer return to that land, there will be nothing for them to raise. Entire graves are still being turned out, while the more swampy areas that could contain entire armies of bones and corpses are being dredged and cleared on the bill of those who serve the Gods.

Grand Theogonist Gottfried, who fought in Sylvania personally, has sworn that the servants of Sigmar shall not cease in their efforts until the Cleansing of Sylvania is well and truly complete. He has given no evidence as to when this may or may not be, as another grave or vampire tomb seems to be located almost every other month. Luckily, detachments from over fifteen Knightly Orders, five hundred Witch Hunters, and zealous and watchful Priests of Morr, Sigmar, and Ulric remain present in the Barony as all of this takes place.

Claims on Sylvania by provinces such as Stirland or potentially Ostermark are by all accounts to go unfulfilled until the Grand Theogonist is satisfied.

Next up is the land itself.




Sylvania stretches from the World's Edge mountains in the east to a varying western border. It currently stretches from the ruins of Mordheim down to the edge of Bylorhof
Marsh. In the north, the River Stir provides a border with Ostermark. To the south Sylvania stops at a barren region historically claimed by Averland, but currently held by
Stirland. However, the haunted reputation of the marshes and fallow hills results in both Provinces largely ignoring the area. The south-western corner of Sylvania edges onto Mootland, a narrow border that is steadfastly patrolled by Halfling Fieldwardens.

Sylvania is a place with harsh winters and going out at night means almost certain death. Due to a large amount of storms the land is damp with many moors and bogs like: Dark Moor, Grim Moor on the southern edge of the Grim Wood, the Bylorhof Marsh, Morrfenn, and the twisted Hel Fenn. The Fennone people disposed of their dead in these bogs for hundreds of years, and many of the von Carstein's undead troops come from there. The Sylvanians are forced to visit them as they are the source of the turf that fertilizes their fields and fuels their fires over the winter, the area is also home to edible berries like the sweet cowberry.

Then there's the woods. In the northwest there's Hunger Wood that is cloaked in eternal night by its trees and has strange glowing fungi. Then there's Grim Wood, which is haunted by an unseen monster that takes only maidens who dare to tread there. To the south is Ghoul Wood, said to be ruled by one of the Strigoi who has thrown in his lot with the Von Carsteins.

The Haunted Hills in the center of the barony are good for little more than sheepherding.



Almost done, the only thing left is the Culture itself.

Sylvanians have an attitude towards death that puts them at odds with the rest of the Empire, life has a dismal end for them. Other than that they rarely smile and aren't fond of talking to strangers, doors are bolted shut and people don't often leave the barony. They take pride in the harshness of their lives, seeing others as soft for living in the warmer climates, using black powder weapons and associating with the other races. Sylvanians believe in the worst stereotypes, and it is common to find they believe Dwarfs drown cats, and Halflings routinely eat each other. This attitude goes all the way back to the Fennones, who refused to deal with the Dwarfs they encountered in the foothills of the World's Edge Mountains because they came from the same place as the marauding Greenskins who raided their land.

The largest towns of Sylvania would still be considered rural backwaters by cultured Empire folk, half-empty places where everybody wears clothes that haven't been fashionable for over fifty years. These towns are merely overgrown villages that happen to have been built on slightly better land. As Sylvania's population never recovered from the Black Plague and the countless contagions that followed, overcrowding has never been a problem.

Mutation is rife amongst the peasants. The thin soil has been riddled with Warpstone since 1111, giving Sylvania one of the highest rates of mutation in the Empire. The most deformed Mutants are cast out into the woods or sent to Drakenhof, but many who would be burned elsewhere are accepted in Sylvania. Hunchbacks, walleyes, and those with additional digits are treated no differently from others.

Due to the low yield of the crops, people constantly fight against starvation and hunger pains are a part of life. Turning to "sweet pork," the Sylvanians' euphemism for Human flesh, is considered distasteful but not evil. Desperate times can call for desperate measures.

All this has led to the Sylvanians becoming a detached people. They harbor resentments towards the Empire, especially Stirland. They avoid all contact with the outside world, and many know embarrassingly little about it. It is not uncommon for Sylvanians to not realize they are a part of the Empire, and many could not name the current Emperor if asked. Those who do know a little of the lands beyond their own know that they will not be accepted there, and the Empire has as low an opinion of Sylvanians as Sylvanians have of the Empire.

The life of a typical Sylvanian is as harsh, brutal, and short as that of any Old Worlder, and they see the Vampires as merely another aspect of that. Sometimes the crops fail, sometimes the winter is harsh, sometimes Chaos Warriors raid from the mountains, sometimes the plague comes, and sometimes the Vampires come.

​

 

[Dutch]

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner



Mootland




As many of you probably know Mootland's tale starts in 1010 during the reign of Emperor Ludwig II Hochenbach, known as "Der Große" (The Great) on his coins, but as "The Fat" by everyone nowadays. He was known to torture and kill chefs who offended his tastes, so when a Halfling chef made him a divine meal worthy of his greatness he made him Elector Count of Mootland, and created said province by ripping away the most fertile farmland from Averland and Stirland. It is worth noting he didn't do this just to create Mootland but also to punish the Counts of Stirland and Averland because their daughters rejected his romantic advances.

Yeesh. I wonder why.

As a side note. Ludwig also gave the Sigmarite church its Elector status because the Grand Theogonist, inspired by the Halflings, kept throwing lavish parties and feasts in his honor. The Theogonist didn't live long to enjoy his success, he died a short time later, choked to death by his own neck fat.



Mootland is a land of gently rolling hills and grasslands that slope upward until you hit the Greenleaf Hills in the south east, where farmers grow various famous tobacco types, such as "Fogmaker Red," "Aver Prime Blend," and the notorious "Fumigator". Most of the country is open with scattered copses of oak, beech, elm and willow trees along the riverbanks of the Blue Reach, Aver and Aver Reach. There are two forests of note, the Sleepy woods and the Altern Woods (Also known as "The Old Mother Woods"), the last is considered haunted and anyone who enters it returns with their mind broken, if they return at all.

The Moot is considered to have three major regions. To the west of the Aver is the Aver March once a prosperous barony of Averland, were visitors can still see the ruined foundations of old castles and human settlements, their stones mostly carried off for other construction projects. The area is closer in culture to Averland than the rest of the Moot. It is known for its sheep/goat herds and its famous apples.

North of the rivers lies "Auld Styrlande" an area that was once part of Stirland and is now Mootland's breadbasket.

The last region of Mootland is the old Duchy of the Fallow Hills, now known as Greenleaf Hills, a place where the Halflings grow their tobacco plants. The area is a major source of wealth for the Moot and its government often sends out traders to give away free samples in the hopes of getting more customers. They advertise their product to be better than the "Bretonnian stink weed".

You won't find any humans in the Moot ever since they were forced to leave the area at spear point by Emperor Ludwig's troops, only taking with them what they could carry. Even now noble families from Stirland and Averland petition to have their lands restored, and people living in bordering parts of Stirland and Averland have a dislike for Halflings.

The origin of the Halflings is a debated topic within the academic circles of the Empire. Some say that traveled over the World's Edge mountains together with the human tribes, others say they were created by Verena in order to create a race resistant to Chaos or by Ranald as a bizarre joke. Halflings themselves will just say that they've always been there, and like that quite a lot.



People from the other provinces seldom visit Mootland, mostly because few of them can put up with Halflings for long. Those that do visit often return with stories about the sly, secretive undertone in the Halfling character. Theft, mockery and clannishness are rife. Halflings returning to the Moot are welcomed and the fertile lands of the Moot have made life easy for the Halflings living there, and made them unwilling to be reminded of the outside world.

Halflings are earthly types who enjoy a good meal, a strong drink, a good smoke and conversation that could turn a Marienburg marine's ears blue. Halflings think nothing of discussing their aunt's nightly business with strangers in complete detail. "Just to pass time, y'know." They love a good chat and strangers are welcome in their homes as long as they bring gossip, coin or lunch. Preferably all three.



Outside of the Moot Halflings are mostly see as thieves or cooks, or thieves and cooks. This comes from two traits Halflings have, their ability to make a good meal out of anything and their differing views on property, ownership and theft. The last one is a cultural trait. Most Halflings grow up in what is basically a large extended family of siblings, aunts, uncles, "cousins by way of marriage," and the like. Taking what is needed, a pie, a few coins or even a piece of jewelry, is deeply imbedded in Halfling culture. After all, if everyone is family, why should you ask for permission? Of course they'll let you "borrow" it. This has led to Halflings outside Mootland being seen as little more than domestic helpers that you need to keep an eye on.

Halflings love festivals and celebrations as a way to break the normal routine of country life. Several festivals are held throughout the year: Midsummer, Midwinter, Spring, Fall and the greatest festival of all, Pie Week. Most don't wait for these dates though; every evening is ripe for a party. Halfling festivals include: Eating, drinking and dancing around a pole or bonfire. Foot races are common too, with the winner receives a ribbon from the Halfling woman crowned "Queen of the Festival" the last one back gets chucked in a pond.

Halflings worship the gods of the Empire, but also have gods of their own. Esmeralda is honored during Pie Week and others are: Phineas, patron of tobacco with the ever-full pouch; Josias the Farmer, who knows what weather it will be and can grow anything anywhere; and Hyacinth, goddess of childbirth and fertility.

Halfling warriors are rare and often the butt of a human joke. And although the people of Mootland can be surprisingly brave when something they own is threatened, when an Imperial officer reports of Halfling bravery in his dispatches it is often accompanied by complaints from the Quartermasters.

In recent years, there is a rising flush of religion in the Moot. The creation of the Grand Kitchen in Ostland, staffed by priests of Esmeralda, as well as closer and more widespread relations between the northern polity known as the Northern Trident of the Empire and the Mootland has led to a large amount - compared to previous centuries - increase in halflings outside of their homeland. Their cultural tendencies of 'borrowing' have been painfully pruned, a process that is ongoing and ends up yearly with more than half of the potential immigrants leaving back for the Mootland cursing the humans behind them for their cruelty and strangeness, but those that remain are setting down roots.

With the rise of the Grand Kitchen and the building of lesser versions in a foreign province, the more understated religion of Esmeralda has become more prominent, chefs are actually praying more, and copy-cat facilities which are in actuality and essentially Temples to the Goddess, a wave is making its way across the Mootland. The highest placed priests, the chefs, have even begun displaying minor powers akin to other priests of other gods, something largely unseen until now. Though many halflings do not like the change, others, the younger ones, seem to be enjoying how it tweaks the noses of their elders.



Overall the Moot is a peacefull land, where the Halflings don't concern themselves with the affairs of others. Their speech reflects their isolationist attitude; Reikspeil spoken in the Moot is utterly incomprehensible for those living outside of it, with fast pacing, slurred words and a mish-mash of other accents. With slang words changing every year.

 

[Dutch]

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner

Were we have a detailed look at the (sometimes) more unknown organizations operating in the Empire. Since we're done with half the provinces, I decided to do something special. I rolled a 1d8 for the topic and you guys got the Imperial Navy.

Obligatory Sailor music

The Imperial Navy



The Imperial navy as we know it is one of the most powerful navies in the Old World, it provides opportunities for the rich and poor, and is one of the only institutions were nobles and commoners not only rub shoulders, but mingle. Whether you are a soldier or sailor, craftsman or cook, weaver or gunner, armorer or engineer, the Imperial Navy needs you.

The Imperial navy is an essential part of the Empire's military. It is not only responsible for defending the coast and trade routes, but also transports state troops and militias wherever they may be needed, acting as a force multiplier and allowing for a rapid deployment of Imperial troops. Further, the navy is used to blockade enemy ports, escort merchant convoys, explore distant lands, transport important dignitaries, and for capturing foreign vessels.

No matter someone's skill there is a place for everyone in the navy.



The first Imperial ships were build over two thousand years ago, in response to Norscan raids in the north. The Norscan tribes were expert shipbuilders and launched frequent raids on the coastal provinces. According to the Chronicles of the venerable Ottokar, the local nobles were "powerless to the blasphemous Norse." because every time they rallied an army against them they would "Flee to their vessels like the godless cowards they were, and sail down to another part of the coast to attack."

Because the Empire lacked a method to transport its troops along the coast the Norscans had freedom to raid anywhere they wanted. In an attempt to change this, the desperate nobles ordered "Great boats be built, so Westerland may be proud again in Sigmar's grace."

Apparently they succeeded because not every long after that entry it is noted; "There were great boats from point to point with great men within, bone-cages wrapped in battle coats, arms bright with weapons of war."

So successful was this early ship-building that the Local dukes and Counts demanded their coastal Barons "All build a ship for the transport of men." as part of their feudal obligations. This change proved effective against the Norscans because "They did smite the Norse like Sigmar to the unholy." However it was not enough.

In 632 the Norscans sacked Marienburg, the capital of Westerland (A feat that they would repeat three more times). According to Sigmarite records, the Emperor himself demanded that action should be taken. After lengthy discussion a new title was created: "And with Sigmar's wisdom, he did order the Keepers of the Coast be made true by law".

These new nobles were charged with creating and manning ships, further they were to: "Establish coastal patrols and watch-fires, organize routes of escape and fortifications for when invasions were too large to bear."

By the time of the mid 700s the standing navy of the Empire had spread across the northern and western coasts of the Empire. According the dwarf Saga of Damrik Ulgriksson:



Despite Damrik's opinion the fleet proved effective, the fleet did make a difference. For in 765, the Baron of Westerland concluded treaties with the Norscan Sarl, Skaeling and Bjornling tribes at the Althing of Traktatsey. Ending hostilities.

For the next three generations the Keepers of the Coast were largely ceremonial in nature, with most of them never seeing the sea or setting foot on a ship. This was a mistake, in time the Norscans took advantage of the Empire's lowered defenses. Marienburg was sacked a second time in 1109 and shamefully it wasn't Imperial forces that forced them to leave but the Black Plague in 1111. If not for the plague the Norscans would have most likely held the city.

The next two centuries civil issues at the heart of the Empire left the coastal provinces to fend for themselves. And while the navy never truly died in this period, it was devastated. Nordland was raided and settled, and records show that Westerland and Ostland didn't fare better. The permanent arrival of the Norscans did have one advantage though.



While advancements were made in the north, disaster struck in the south. The civil war had begun, by 1360 there were two Emperors and by 1547 there were three. While the Empire disintegrated around it, the navies of Nordland, Ostland, Middenland, Reikland and Westerland rose to prominence, particularly those of Reikland and Westerland. Altdorf is said to have built several large bridges to block the power of the fledgling Talabeclander and Wissenlander navy, safeguarding Altdorf from bombardment and smothering naval dreams from both provinces in their infancy.

Illustrations and Tapestries from the period suggest that the ships were armed with simple catapults and bolt throwers, along with longbow men. Imperial ships were designed for river or short coastal journeys and their designs didn't change for many centuries. However one port did make some advancements: Marienburg

The Westerlander port city was growing fast as merchants from across the Old World gathered to gain access to the goods of the war-thorn Empire. Of these, the most advanced were the Tileans (Yes, I did check my eyes and double checked the text, who'd have thought that Tileans could be useful). They were skilled with black powder and in shipbuilding.

The temple of Verena in Marienburg recorded:



The Westerlanders took this as a challenge and in short order Tilean secrets were secured and Marienburg's ships spotted new designs in relative short time. Westerlander art from the middle of the 16th century depicts ships with small crude cannons. Neither save nor pretty, but they look like cannons.

Naturally, the Dwarfs were displeased.



Marienburg ignored the declaration and several angry records in Middenheim speak of the Westerlanders sinking all vessels of the coast of Nordland and Ostland, bringing all trade from Kislev and Norsca under their control. When the Empire finally fell apart in the early second millennium, there were no fleets north of Marienburg, but Carroburg and Altdorf both had a large amount of ships on the river Reik. The Marienburg fleet outnumbered both combined, something that was necessary, because Marienburg was sacked again by the Norscans in 1360 and 1850. With its new naval superiority it could afford to follow Tilea's example and explorer.

As a result, the Empire "discovered" Ulthuan in 2000 and was warned to stay away from the open seas on pain of death. The elves made good on their promise until the Treaty of Marienburg in 2150.



While the fleet of Marienburg grew, so did the fleet of Reikland, if slower. The Nordland and Ostland fleets were eradicated; the Middenland fleet lasted longer, but was destroyed in 2251 after a dispute between the Wolf Emperor and the Baron of Westerland.

When Magnus the Pious reunited the Empire, Marienburg's navy rapidly made it into a world power, though not without help. Though in the past, when the last true noble ruling over Westerland died and the merchants council was put into place, the aging and largely useless Reikland navy was named the 'Imperial First Fleet' on insistence of the Cult of Sigmar, even though it was hardly fit for service. The Marienburg's superior navy was named "The Imperial Second Fleet". This naming scheme changed, however, upon Magnus's ascension to power.

Instead, the 'First Imperial Fleet' was finally let go, as none of its ships had even touched open sea in generations, not to mention generally being nigh unusable in battle or anything beyond short bursts of traveling. Ships still plied Reikland's waters then and to this day, only without the greater prestige and authority of before. Scholars theorize to this day that had it not been Magnus the Pious who did the deed, the Cult of Sigmar might have gone into an uproar instead of the quiet and short lived grumbling they displayed instead.

The mantle, instead, was given over to Nordland who had made a stunning recovery in naval power under the brilliant logistician Stephan von Kessel, the province's Elector Count, and renamed the First Imperial Navy. Said naming scheme was copied soon after by Westerland, i.e. the Second Imperial Navy. Soon after, as a requested award for heroic actions in 2312 IC (See, Battle of Three Armies), the Count of Ostland, Frederick von Hohenzollern, became the Steward of the Third Imperial Navy while his province's one major port - Salkalten - became its home.



The Imperial fleet has a strict order of command that can generally be sorted into three groups. Commissioned Officers, nobles granted right to command by the Elector Count. Warrant Officers, commoners whose talents and experience demands special recognition. And lastly, Seamen.

Commissioned officers each hold a commission, a letter granting them the right to exercise some of the Elector's authority in return for performing duties. Only nobles can hold commissions and holders are entitled men of the Empire while they hold their commission. Some commission can be hereditary and can be passed down. Commissioned officers have right to a private cabin and are attended to by several servants.

At the Head of a Fleet stands the Imperial Sea Lord, who is only answerable to his respective Elector Count. An Admiral a responsible for a squadron of ships, which can range from an entire fleet to two ships, but commands normally between three to twelve ships. Admirals with a large squadron usually appoint captains to act as Vice-Admirals to command the lead ships, the "Van" that will bear the brunt during the fighting, and Rear-Admirals, who command the "Rear". Typically the Vice-Admiral is rated higher than the Rear-Admiral.



The length of an Admiral commission varies.

The rank of Captain is relatively new, and was established by the Prince of Altdorf in 2235 in order to differentiate between the master of a ship larger than 700 men and the master of a smaller vessel. Magnus the Pious granted the position its commissioned status, afterwards the Electors of Reikland and Westerland gave offered a Captain commission to every noble commanding a warship in order to entice experienced nobles into the navy.

Nowadays most Reiklander Captains have little to no knowledge no how to run a ship, and have to rely on their officers to for all technical aspects of running their vessels. They dream of easy glory and riches. Nordlander Captains are by contrast almost all seasoned veterans and the Nordland fleet refuses to grant Captain Commissions to those who have no idea to run their ships. This difference in mentality of both the captains and their command is a point of conflict between the two fleets. This doesn't stop rivalries from forming within both fleets though.

Every Captain is assisted by one or more Lieutenants, the last of the commissioned ranks. Their deployments depend on the ship and its Captain, most are responsible for a deck or quarter, or act as a second in command for the Captain. Lieutenants of larger vessels are often regarded higher than Captains of smaller ships and informally hold more authority.



While the nobles command the ships, the Warrant Officers run them. All ships require specialists, and these specialists are granted a warrant, a letter from the Sea lord granting them special privileges, including better pay and a servant and mate to help them with their work. In the Nordland fleet experience is rated higher than commission and a Warrant Officer who knows his stuff is rated higher than a Lieutenant, and high-ranking Warrant Officers are treated like Commissioned Officers in all respects. In the Reikland fleet most nobles would rather die than taking an order from a commoner.

The highest ranking Warrant Officers are called Wardroom Officers; they are named like that because they are allowed to eat in the Officer's mess hall. Most common Wardroom Officers are magisters, masters, surgeons, priests and pursers. The master is regarded as the most important Wardroom Officer, as he is often an experienced ship commander in his own right, and is responsible for running the ship and navigation. In the Nordland fleet a Master is the second in command instead of a Lieutenant.

Standing Officers are highly skilled commoners who are responsable for an important aspect of running the ship. Many are permanently attached to their ships, and can be sorted into three groups; Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner.

Boatswains (pronounced bosun) are in charge of the rigging, sails and anchors and making sure that the crew conduct themselves efficiently. They are also the ones who deal out punishment and are often feared men on the ship.

The Carpenter is the most important standing officer, it's his job to make sure that the vessel keeps floating and his crew is always inspecting and doing maintenance.

The Gunner is responsible for the ship's guns, and insures carriages, cannons, tackle, instruments and gunpowder are properly stored and ready for use. All gun crews and the ships armorer answer to him. He doesn't give the order to fire, that's left in the hands of the Lieutenant.



Lower Warrant Officers are skilled seamen who have worked below deck and worked their way up. The Captain can promote or demote them on a whim. The most common Lower Warrant Officers are; armorer, cook, caulker, master-at-arms, ropemaker, and sailmaker. The Armorer serves as a smith, making whatever the Gunner needs. The Cook is often an old are disabled sailor who earned his warrant through service, he feeds the crew. The Caulker fills the ships seams with oakum, to keep the ship watertight, and answers to the Carpenter. The Master-at-Arms is the ship's watchman, keeps the peace and trains the crew for boarding actions; he is typically a former Marine. The Ropemaker and Sailmaker work for the Boatswain and make their respective things.

After that there are the Seamen who are led by Coxswains (Petty Officers).

The Marines are the fighting wing of the navy and follow a separate command structure similar to the State Army. They board other ships, attack coastal targets from warships, and work as firefighters, arms trainers, and bridge watchers. Their relation with the seamen is often poor and officers from both sides keep a close eye to the situation the stop incidents from escalating.



The Imperial Navy uses two primary means of communication. Flags and pennants, and whistle blasts. However other ways exist, especially since the arrival of Engineers aboard many ships. Flags and pennants are the most popular method of communication, 26 square flags represent and 10 triangular pennants represent numbers. Several combinations have preset meaning. 0F For example means that a ship's powder store is vulnerable and that other ships should move away in case it explodes. The Nordland fleet also uses a hand-flag system to supplement this.

Heraldic flags, called ensigns by the navy, are used to provide information about the ship; it's home province, whom it represents, if there's a Sea Lord or Admiral on board. The Admiral's ship is known as the flagship since it flies his crest.

Whistles are used for communication on the ship itself and every officer, from the Sea Lord to the Coxswain has a whistle as a symbol of their authority. With different tones and lengths carrying different messages.



The navy employs a large amount of people and it is always recruiting. Despite popular believe it doesn't just press-gang people into service, since almost no one wants untrained men on their ship who don't know what to do. Men who are press-ganged have often served on merchant ships before joining the navy or, in some cases, have served on foreign ships. Most people in the navy are volunteers who join for the regular pay and promise of adventure. Most people in the navy are unmarried men between the age of 18 and 30.



People employed by the navy have a lot of responsibilities, but in return they get many benefits. Most people in the navy work onboard ships and are at sea for months at a time, or work in its massive support and bureaucratic network. A select few work undercover as spies. Whatever the work, if it needs done it gets done. Whoever joins the navy gets a fresh start, access to the naval missions along the river Reik and coasts, and a chance at riches.

All new recruits get cleaned, deloused, and clothed, and after signing their contract, are guaranteed wages. They also get fed on board, a significant draw to people who have no chance at other employment. The network of naval missions along the Reik and coast provide serving seamen with cheap food, bedding and entertainment, which makes them very popular.

The largest draw by far is the chance at riches. Any ship legally captured gets sold, along with its contents, upon returning to port. The money earned is split between the Sea Lord and the crew. The Sea Lord takes one eight, the Captain takes one quarter, the Lieutenants, Master, Warrant Officers and Petty Officers each take one eight. The last eight is split by the Seamen and Marines. However, if a ship is illegally captured, then the full cost is borne by the Captain, something that can easily turn a man into a pauper if he's not careful.

 

[Dutch]

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner


Our journey south continues. Next up, Averland.

Averland
When Solland fell, most of the surviving nobles fled to Averland, and the province added the sun to its banner.

Previous banner.




Averland lacks the great forests that cover the rest of the Empire, instead the land is filled with great plains in the east and hills in the west that lead into the Black and World's Edge mountains. The province is a fertile place and one of the breadbaskets of the Empire, flooding from the rivers bordering the province provides it with water, however sometimes when the waters are higher than expected this leads to the flooding of villages and towns along the riverbanks. The Averlanders see this as a price to pay for having an overflow of food. In the center of the province the Old Dwarf road meets the Agbeiten road at Heideck





The center of Averland is covered in small villages. And in both the western and north-central portions of the province, nobles devote themselves to the management of the famed Averlander longhorn cattle. Each year whole herd are led to the stockyards of Averheim and Loningsburg for slaughter and export. Among the more conservative and traditional noble families leading the cattle is considered a point of honor.



In the south-central and eastern regions, cattle herding gives away to winemaking and viticulture (grape farming/growing/whatever), the grapes are either used to make wines at the estates or sold to merchants in the villages surrounding the estates. Famous Averlander wines include the more expensive Grenzstadter White and Loningbruck "Ruby" wine, which is popular with beggars across the Empire.

In recent years the northern province of Ostland has recently begun to challenge and in many cases outright defeat these traditions with its own. It is a source of minor contention amongst wine and beer merchants up and down the Empire as to which makes better drink - Ostland or Averland - with the new drink ostka becoming ever more popular. The fact that Ostland has somehow managed to get a series of world famous dwarf brewmasters to take root right next to their capital of Wulfenburg may have had something to do with the rising star in the world of alcohol...and the recent downturn of Averland's own fortunes in that regard.



The mountainous edges of the province is the home to a large amount of traders in gems, mineral and furs. Averlanders mine the edges of the Black and World's Edge mountains, and a portion of the goods are given to the local lord in return for being allowed to work the mine. However, they don't venture too far into the mountains, less they trespass on dwarven claims. The Electors of Averland have instructed their local vassals to do whatever it takes to keep the dwarfs happy.

Furs brought back from the mountains are otter, beaver, and the rare Blue Mink.

The Averlanders claim that their ancestors arrived in the province during the great migrations around -1000 IC. Master of horses and chariot warfare, the Brigundians drove out the existing tribes and made themselves lords of the region. From their great camp and fort at the future site of Averheim, they fought against the Unberogen (Reikland), Asoborns (Stirland), Merogen (Wissenland), and invading bands of Orcs and Goblins. They developed good relations with the dwarfs and often provided cavalry for their armies. The Brigundians developed a reputation as fierce warriors and held the respect of even their most bitter rivals. It was their leader, Siggurd, who was given the honor of accompanying Sigmar during the final charge during the battle of Black Fire Pass.

While new blood has entered the province over the years, the Brigundian traditions remain strong. Though no longer raiding their neighbors or using chariots, Averlander discipline is notorious and keeps their troops cool headed and steady in the most dangerous situations.

Averlanders are a curious lot, but many fear that the old bloodlines of the Brigundians have spoiled, with time and inbreeding. Many within the Empire consider Averlanders to be a little "moon-touched". At their best, Averlanders are considered open, passionate and honest about what they're thinking. If they think a funeral is funny, they'll laugh. If someone upsets them, they'll let them know. They are also known to be generous, especially to entertainers. Dwarfs are welcome in Averland, and their plain way of talking is admired.

At their worst Averlanders are contradictory, flighty and changeable. Astrology and other superstitions are popular, and merchants are known to ditch deals made under bad circumstances. Even troll slayers think that Averlanders are a little "odd in the head."

Their changeable nature has resulted in many jokes at their expense, including jokes about their regiments retreating in the face of fear, an implication that they resent to no end. Averlanders are also known for their intolerance towards lawyers and contracts, since a man might change his mind. People dealing with Averlanders often find that they want everything confirmed "on honor" as an insurance that neither will go back on their deal.

Averlanders have an almost sing-song element in their speech. They tend to soften harsh words and enlongate vowels. Many artists and young nobles who make poetry imitate an Averlander accent, in the belief that all great geniuses are touched by madness.

 

[Dutch]

I do not believe there is some abstract form of "humanity" outside of people desperately rationalizing their existence in the Hellhole Malus is. There is only the human norm and various deviations from it.

In short I do not think there is a qualitative difference between the mutations of the spirit suffered by a Magister of the Orders and a warrior priest of Sigmar.

Click to shrink...

The origin of Divine Lore lies with whatever race the god belongs to. Say in case of a human god.

Human -> Faith -> God -> Divine Lore -> Mutation of the Spirit

Mutations of the spirit take shape related to the relevant god, because the relevant god is a construct by humans, the mutations are closer to the default human that isn't touched by either Lores than someone who would have his spirit mutated by a Wind of Magic.

Say, for a hypothetical case, a human worships a halfling god and get's his spirit mutated.

Halfling -> Faith -> God -> Divine Lore -> Mutation of the Spirit

Assuming that said god is primarily worshipped by halflings and perceived as a halfling. A mutation on the spirit would move the human away from "human" and more to the perceived nature of said god. Which would be halfling in this case. While he/she wouldn't turn into a halfling or something like that, he/she would take on either physical or mental traits normally associated with the Halfling god and therefore halflings.

With the Winds of Magic it's different. It's origins lie in the Aether itself.

________________________-> Hysh -> Lore of Light -> Mutation of the Spirit
Aether -> Vortex -> Winds -> Shyish - Lore of Death -> Mutation of the Spirit
________________________-> Azyr - Lore of the Heavens -> Mutation of the Spirit
________________________ect

In this case the origin of the mutation would be the individual wind. As with the previous examples the mutation is influenced by it's origins, however since the winds are more comparable to forces of nature than to a relatable concept. The mutation isn't "blunted" like with Divine magic since the origin lies so far away from human understanding.

Instead of adding "Idealized Human" to "default Human" and mutating the soul relatively little. The Wind of Magic add a concept that is too different from "Human" to the soul. Therefor people who have their soul mutated by said wind, are changed relatively more and lose more on the "Humanity" scale.

 

[Dutch]

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner


Further south we go.

Wissenland

Lion should be white, but this was the best I could find.



Wissenland lies in the south most corner of the Empire, and forms a triangle bound by the Black and Grey mountains on two sides and the river Reik on the third. It was originally confined to the lands west of the river Söll, but grew to its current size after absorbing the remains of Solland after the former province got wrecked by the Orc warlord Gorbad Ironclaw in the 18th century. The area east of the Söll is still called Old Solland or Sudenland to this day.

Like Reikland, western Wissenland is heavily watered by streams and rivers flowing from the mountains and feed the river Söll, which in turn feeds the Upper Reik. The rivers are fed by the melting snow high in the mountains, and flooding is common during the spring. As a result, farmland is fertile near the Reik. Further inland the ground becomes stony and dry, with a large amount of blueish grey flint embedded into the earth. Wissenlander children often earn their first coins by removing the flint from the farmlands.





Western Wissenland has little room for farming and heavily depends on mining for its income. Over the centuries rights to dig in the mountains have been given by the dwarfs of Karak Norn and Karak Hirn, but that doesn't stop illegal mining operations from happening. The dwarfs don't take kindly to what they see as theft, and more importantly, shoddy workmanship.

Overland trade is important to Wissenland, and many passes cross the mountains from it to Bretonnia, the Border Princes and Tilea. Many travelers take the time to sample the various dwarven ales sold in the region.

During the harsh depths of winter the passes are often blocked by heavy snowfall. This makes the underground river starting near Kreutzhofen and ending near Miragliano in Tilea all the more valuable. The so called "River of Echoes" is so valuable that the Counts of Wissenland agreed with the Tileans that the Tileans would patrol and maintain the 150 miles "river" in return for total control of it. The insurance that trade and wealth would flow uninterrupted compensated the province more than enough for their lack of control.

East of the Söll the land is perfect for sheep-raising. Old Solland is famous for its high-quality wool and fur. However, ruined watchtowers, towns and forts still stand as silent monument to the tragedy that befell Solland.

Wissenlanders are descendants of the Merogen tribe, who settled the area in the pre-Imperial days. Like their neighbors in the north, the Merogens had good relations with the dwarfs, particularly the Kingdom of Karak Norn. The influence of dwarven culture is said to be the reason why Wissenlanders are short and practical in their speech. Little time is spent on fancy words, poets, artists and foppish Reiklanders.



Wissenlanders are known as a dour lot, the fall of Solland seems to be a secret shame for the province. They are a hardy people and give few words and little emotion. Their stony appearance is known to soften when they share drinks, and on rare occasions they might break into "The Lamment of Solland" or another lonesome ballad.

At their best Wissenlanders are stoic, dependable, and willing to endure hardship should it be needed. At their worst, they are depressing, dull, and obsessed with the gods.



For all their earthy practicality, Wissenlanders are very devout. Towns house shrines, temples and chapels to all legal cults and the local spirits. Many Wissenlanders visit a shrine or temple every day, and work their way through the gods during the week. Wissenlanders claim that it is simple devotion on their part, people from other provinces note that they're just showing off.

Sigmar and Taal and Rhya have special prominence in the province. Sigmar's cult is more prominent in the west, with various large temples hosting shrines for the dwarves and the location of the shrine of Sigmar the Protector, a popular pilgrimage spot. It is said that Sigmar himself appeared on this spot when the army of the Elector Count was cornered by a large force of orcs in the 14th century. Old texts say that when their destruction seemed inevitable, a great horn was heard and from nowhere a powerful warrior with a great hammer appeared. When the fighting was over, the warrior was gone. Some soldiers are said to have heard a voice saying that "He will always protect them".

The cult of Taal and Rhya is more popular in the east of the province, as it was since the time of Solland. It is also the home of a much darker cult seeking revenge.



Wissenlanders soften Reikspiel, and deliver it in a monotone that a lot of people find depressing. Tragic theater plays are often played with this accent, in order to heighten the feeling of the piece. Their heavy, plain speech and practical nature is reflected in their cuisine. Excellent Tilean and Bretonnian wines are often present at the table, but so are their infamous, flat and glutinous breads, Thick mutton stews and heavy dumplings.

 

[Dutch]

Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner



Hochland




Situated in the eastern end of Drakwalk Forest, Hochland is a heavily wooded province bounded by the Middle Mountains in the northeast, and the rivers Drakwasser, Talabec, and Wolf's Run in the west, south and east. Middenland lies to its west, Talabecland in the south and Ostland to the east and north.

Deep within the province are the Weiss Hills, a treacherous mix of hills and fens watched over by the lonely Fort Schippel. Even though most of Hochland is covered in forests, the farms along the river banks and villages are fertile thanks to the many rivers and streams that flow south from the Middle Mountains. This makes Hochland self-sufficient in food, but luxury goods are still imported from Middenheim or Talabheim.

Heavy snowfall in the winter and rain in the spring makes many of the province's towns vulnerable to flooding, the previous ruling house of Tussen-Hochen invested heavily in a system of Dikes in order to control the floodwaters because of this.



Three main roads cross the province. The Old Forest Road leads from Middenheim to Talabheim and beyond, the Hochland portion leading from Krudenwald to the Talabec Ferry, passing the shrine-town of Gruyden along the way. The North Road carries traffic from Ostland to Krudenwald, while the New Road opens the way from the lands of southern Ostland to the town of Delbez and then to the capital of Altdorf. (No idea where it is on the map though.)

Hochland's main trade is in timber and woodcrafts. Thick woods of Oak and sycamore grow in the south, while pines and cedar are in the north. Lumbermen cut down the trees trim the trunks and float the logs downstream to mills in Esk, Bergendorf and Krudenwald, and Hergig. The logs are then bought by brokers, loaded on barges, and shipped out.

Deep within the forests lies the Weiss Hills, a sparsely inhabited area of moorlands and low hills that are mainly traveled by poachers and licensed trappers and hunters. Much of the land is a royal demesne of the Counts of Hochland, watched over by Fort Schippel.

Hochlanders mostly descent from the Cherusen tribe, "mostly" because they mingled with the Taleutens of Talabecland for a while before heading north, where they found the home they wanted, one filled with of game. The Cherusen tribe was less warlike than their neighbors and contented themselves with hunting, fishing and worshipping Taal and Rhya. When they got raided by Orcs or beastmen, they would disappear into the woods and fight them on their terms.

By the time of Sigmar, the Cherusen would be known as Hochlanders, because they lived up river from their kin in the south. They had also become skilled scouts and skirmishers. When Sigmar unified the Empire he made their chief, Aloysis a Count of the Empire. Much to the annoyance of Talabeclander Count, who felt that the ties of kinship gave him the right to rule Hochland. The issue has been used as a Casus Belli by the more expansionist counts of Talabecland in the past.

The capital of Hochland is Hergig, which is the site of the Hochland College of Sorcery, a school licenced by the Emperor for the study of magic and all its theories. It is also the site of the Gate of the East bridge, which has been the focus of battles between the Counts of Hochland and Ostland.



Hochland is famed for its hunters and trackers and its fined venison is exported to all parts of the Empire. At their best Hochlanders are loyal, valiant and adaptable. Hochlanders are amongst the most open and friendly people in the Empire and have developed a tolerance considered unusual, this happened due to their land being the crossroads of much of the northern and eastern Empire. Most of the Province worships Sigmar, Taal and Rhya. Ulric is worshipped almost solely in the north-eastern part of the province. Shallya also has a strong cult.

The province's nature as a trade hub also created a respect for intellectuals and the Counts of Hergig encourage the founding of private schools. Because the woods covering most of the land prevent large-scale farming or cattle-raising, the people of Hochland do what they can to convince people to leave some of their money behind when they visit. Shrines to several cults can be found in most towns and villages, each claiming to be the site of a miracle and having blessed relics for sale. Fortified coaching inns dot the roads for the convenience of travelers, during war these inns are important rallying points for defences.

Fond of hunting in all its forms, tales of loyal friendship and jaunty ballads, Hochlanders are known to be easily distracted by the prospect of a little sport. Some people say that their good nature is more due to naivety than loyalty and jokes about Hochlanders who love their bow more than their wife are abound. The Hochland spirit is said to resist defeatism in all its forms. "Even unto death."

Folk from Hochland are known for their warm, positive style of speech more than their accent, which is mild at best. They tend to use a lot of animalistic references in their language.

 

[Dutch]

Dutch's Kislevite Culture Corner: Ungol and Gospodar Law

First some background info for the people who know nothing about Kislev.

Kislev is a country forged from various warring invaders who finally settled alongside each other. The bulk of the Nation's population is made up of Ungols, the Gospodars, the Norse and the last remnants of the Roppsmen. Tribes such as the Dolgans make their home in Kislev's northern areas and many of the people living in the south share many traits with people living in the Empire, as it is common for people from this area to interact and mingle the bloodline.

In fact, Kislev can be called two nations in one. On the one hand, there are the more civilised peoples of the south and the cities, where the lands are relatively fertile. And in the north, particularly north of the Lynsk, there are wild, nomadic tribes.

In the time of Sigmar, the harsh lands north-east of the Urskoy were populated by the Ungol tribes, who also dominated the smaller tribes of the Ropsmenn who lived in what is now Troll Country. the Ungols were a scattered people consisting of nomadic, horse-riding tribesmen. Sigmar's influence did not stretch this far north and the Ungols didn't answer Sigmar's call of a confederation of tribes.

Around the year 1500 IC there was a large westward migration from the eastern steppes, and of particular importance was the arrival of the powerful and wealthy Gospodars. Torn with strife, the Empire was in no position to contest these lands, and the superior arms and tactics of the Gospodars drove the Ungols to the west and north, who in turn absorbed the Ropsmenn completely. Over the following century, the power of the Gospodars grew, and the city of Kislev was founded. The settlement of Praag grew in size as the Gospodars used the Lynsk to launch incursions into Ungol territory, eventually forcing the Ungols to accept Gospodar rule. By this time, the former Ungol city of Erengrad had grown into a busy port ruled by the new Kislevites, and from here, the Kislevites were able to sail the Sea of Claws, trading and fighting with the Norse and on occasion the Empire, as well as keeping the Ungols in check.

Alright. Now unto Ungol law. (Just going to copy this since it's a mouthful.)

The fundamental concept of Ungol law is that a group is responsible for the actions of all its members. If a member of a group commits a crime, any member of the group may be punished for that crime. The smallest such group is the family, defined as all the blood descendants of a living woman and the husbands of any married women in that bloodline. Men change families when they get married. Families split into groups defined by blood descendants of a matriarch's daughters when she dies. Ungol law has nothing to say about actions taken within a family, and the elders discipline as they see fit. In most cases, however, the harsh environment ensures families pull together. It is normal for a family to travel together or live in the same place. And while individual members may leave, it is unheard of for a family to be split between two stanitsas. Above the families come the clans and tribes, as well as the stanitsas. Both clans and tribes were originally defined by blood links, but over the centuries, they have simply become traditional groupings. It is unusual, but not unheard of, for a family to change clan or tribe, though an individual woman must belong to the clan and tribe chosen by her family. It is not uncommon for men, on marriage, to change both clan and tribe as well as family. Stanitsas are places of residence, typically villages, and often host a number of families and even different clans or tribes.

If a crime is committed against an individual, the penalty can be levied on any individual who shares membership with the criminal in a group to which the victim does not belong. Thus, if both criminal and victim are in the same family, there is no possible group to take the penalty. If they are in different families within the same clan, a member of the criminal's family must be punished. If they are in different clans, anyone in the same clan may be taken.

The law states that the actual criminal is the preferred target of punishment, and the judge grants the criminal's group a period of time to produce the malefactor for punishment. This deadline is normally at least a week, occasionally as long as a year; the length depends in large part on how important the criminal's group is. Gospodars are, for the purposes of Ungol law, considered to be one family. That means any crime committed by a Gospodar against an Ungol may be avenged on any other Gospodar. Kislevites are considered to be a single group, and all foreigners are treated as a single family. This generalisation has led to an innocent Tilean merchant being executed for a murder committed by a mercenary from Stirland, particularly because judges have been known to give foreigners only until sunset to find the true criminal.

Ungol Courts
Ungol law courts consist of a single judge who listens to the evidence, asks questions as he wishes, and then makes a decision. There is no appeal. The only rule is that the judge must not belong to the same group as either the victim or the accused. Thus, a judge between two families must be from a third family, which means that a judge between Gospodar and Ungol must be a foreigner, though the Ungol tribes have agreed the Tzarina in person can also serve as judge in such a case. When judging between a Kislevite and a foreigner, there is no neutral group, so any judge can serve. As a result, foreigners rarely win their cases. Although the formal requirements are simple, most judges are chosen based on their experience and reputation for fairness. The judge decides what evidence to hear, and the verdict is at his sole discretion, as is the penalty. For the most part, this process works well enough and provides something close to justice quickly enough to allow life to continue on the unforgiving steppes.

Ungol Laws
Ungol law is not written down anywhere authoritative. Rather, it is remembered by the judges and the wise women and applied according to common sense. It is unwise to argue the details of the definition of a crime in an Ungol court. The laws contain the normal kinds of prohibitions against theft and violence but also have a number of provisions based on life on the steppes. Refusing hospitality is a serious offence, only a little below murder. Some allowance is made for the circumstances, but turning someone away from your camp is always a criminal matter. The basic rule is that more permanent settlements must offer hospitality and that, if both groups are equally nomadic, the responsibility falls on the larger. Abusing hospitality is an even more serious offence than murder, and some judges argue that it is the most serious offence possible. It is one of the few cases in which a judge might order innocent members of the criminal's group to be punished as well. However, the most important mark of gravity is that the Ungol put a lot of effort into finding and punishing those who commit this crime, in some cases spending years on the hunt. For example, one Tilean follower of Ranald was finally slain by a half dozen travel-worn Ungol warriors on the streets of Sartosa.

Ungol Punishments
The Ungol do not use fines as punishments, though they may require compensation to be paid to victims. Similarly, they do not use imprisonment as a punishment, but criminals may be held while they await trial. Suspects are normally held by their own family, rather than by the accusers, in order to ensure the right person suffers if the decision goes against them. As a result, Ungol punishments are almost entirely corporal. Flogging and branding are popular, and the number of lashes or the size of the brand depends on the nature of the crime. Crippling is only employed when a whole group is held to bear some responsibility for a crime, as a crippled member becomes a burden on the group. Indeed, it is not uncommon for a crippled criminal to be killed by his family, an action outside Ungol law. However, minor mutilations, which do not affect a person's ability to survive, are used in much the same way as brands. Finally, capital punishment is common. The following specific punishments are popular in Ungol areas, but most judges have their own favourites.

Spoiler: punishments

Arrows
The criminal is tied to a post, and archers shoot arrows at him. The number of arrows, and the distance between the archer and the post, are determined by the judge. This punishment can be anything from a death penalty to a light slap on the wrist. In almost all cases, the victim is allowed to nominate an archer. The Ballad of Isukin and Noga includes a famous scene in which Noga shoots twenty arrows at Isukin—who was convicted of betraying Noga—from five paces and misses every time. In the ballad, this act is the start of an alliance that overthrows a horde of Kurgan. Satirical versions in which Isukin kills Noga as soon as he is untied are almost more popular than the original ballad.

The Glove
A metal glove that opens like a clam shell is heated until it glows and then is closed on the criminal's hand. It is left closed for a number of heartbeats depending on the severity of the crime and then removed.

The Helm
A closed helmet is heated until it glows and then is forced onto the criminal's head. This punishment is a form of execution, and if the judge is feeling merciful, the helmet is riveted to the base of the skull with a long spike, causing near-instant death and sparing the criminal considerable pain.

Horse Running
The criminal is tied to a rope, which is tied to the saddle of a horse. The horse is then set into motion. Many variations of this punishment exist, allowing it to be tuned to the crime. The length of the horse's run can be controlled, as can its speed. Similarly, the length of the rope and the means by which it is fastened to the criminal make a difference. A rope tied around the waist allows the criminal to run as fast as he can. One tied around the wrists makes him more likely to fall, while one tied around the ankles guarantees that he will be dragged. Further, the horse might be ridden or simply driven into a gallop out onto the oblast. Leaving the horse to its own devices means the final level of the penalty is in the hands of the Gods, something appealing to some judges.

Spirits' Mercy
The criminal is driven out into the oblast, branded on his face with a mark indicating that it is a legal duty to deny him hospitality. This act is basically a death sentence, and in most cases, the criminal is driven out naked and with no possessions, which guarantees a swift death. However, in some cases, the criminal is allowed full equipment, particularly if his family is very popular or if the judge feels he was justified in his actions. It is still essentially a death sentence, but a few people manage to survive alone on the steppes. Suren the Dead is a legendary example; certainly, his exploits in support of his family and against the raiders from the north have been exaggerated in the telling.

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Gospodar Law.

Gospodar law is more like that of the Empire and has been strongly influenced by it. Some Kislevites feel there has been too much influence and long for a return to the good old days of proper Gospodar justice. The biggest difference from Ungol law is that the responsibility for a crime rests solely with the criminal; Gospodar courts cannot flog someone just because his cousin is a thief. Nearly as significant is the fact that Gospodar law is written and defined by the wording of the Tzarina's proclamations. The judges must make decisions in accordance with this written law and, thus, must study it before they can be entrusted with a court. Although the written law exists, it is simple compared to the laws of the Empire and leaves a lot of room for judicial interpretation.

Feud
Gospodar law permits feuds between families, possibly under the influence of Ungol law. The law allows an individual, or an individual's family, to take revenge for an injury suffered. The person receiving the injury need not be the guilty party. It is, of course, also permissible to take revenge for the injury inflicted in revenge. The legal mechanism to bring feuds under control is the law that it is not permissible to take revenge for a reasonable injury inflicted as punishment for a crime recognised in a court of law. If the punishment is unreasonable, however, this rule does not apply. Taking revenge for a reasonable punishment is, however, regarded more seriously than inflicting the original injury.

Gospodar Courts
Gospodar courts are run by professional or semi-professional appointees of the Tzarina. In remote areas, the ataman of the settlement almost invariably holds this position, but in the cities, the magistrates are increasingly becoming a professional group separate from the nobility. Most courts have a single judge, though those set up to judge boyars or higher members of the nobility have three judges who must agree unanimously in order to convict. Kislev and Erengrad each have a single permanent court for the nobility, while Praag has two, a reminder of the unrest among the northern boyars. The judge decides who speaks, what other evidence can be admitted, and whether the accused is guilty. There is no appeal, but a judge who issues a decision that contradicts the law can
be tried for treason. Even if the judge is found to have broken the law, the judgement against the person convicted still stands. The penalty is determined by the victim or the victim's family. The law sets out a list of permissible penalties, but they are not distinguished by offence. A victim can choose to have a verbal insult punished by slowly torturing the criminal to death, and that penalty is enforced. The main check on this is the possibility of a feud, as discussed above. Of course, when the victim is powerful and the criminal is not, it's not really an issue; boyars often inflict draconian penalties on peasants.

Outside the settlements, law is enforced by "oblast justices." These judges are as much police as judge, and they bear many resemblances to the bounty hunters of the Empire. Unlike city judges, they are also permitted to impose penalties, though some take pride in dragging criminals before the victims for punishment. If a settlement is without a judge, which is rare, or has a complaint against the ataman, which is more common, its members may appeal to the oblast justices.
The need for oblast justices is assessed on the apparent level of crime in a region—meaning, if things appear to be calm, the residents are reluctant to stir things up too much by undertaking detailed investigations. On the other hand, if there is an obvious problem, many try to scare it back into the shadows, for tales of close links between oblast justices and local crime syndicates are common. The chekist spend some of their time looking for such corruption.

Gospodar Laws
Gospodar laws naturally have the standard sorts of laws against theft and violence. But the laws also contain a number that are more specific to the land of Kislev. It is illegal for adult males to not have, maintain, and practise with appropriate weapons. For most of the country, this law is irrelevant, as there are far more pressing reasons to be ready to fight. However, in the cities, there are some who want to get around the law, and the judges and chekist worry about the
possibility of armed vagabonds rioting when they realize they can't be stopped. Before the Storm of Chaos, the pressure to change the law was strong, but the reminder of just how much of a threat the raiders from the north are has undermined this position for now. It is important to note women are permitted
to wield weapons; it is merely not a legal obligation for them.

Gospodar law does not contain any requirements to offer hospitality, but it does contain laws punishing abuse of hospitality. These laws state a host should be treated as a member of the nobility by his guests. As a result, very few people in the cities ask for hospitality from people they are not already friendly with. Out on the oblast, customs of hospitality are very strong, and abuse, while rare, is punished with the full force of the law.

Gospodar Punishments
As noted earlier, under Gospodar law, any legal punishment may be meted out for any crime at the victim's discretion under the feud provision. Punishments tend to be harsh, but very few victims go against the social sense of what is reasonable, and those who do are often ostracised, even if they are not targeted by a feud. Of course, nobles feel that harsh punishments are entirely appropriate when a peasant assaults a noble, and they do not care if peasants want to ostracise them. Fines, of any amount, are a permitted punishment. Half of the fine goes to the court—and thus to the Tzarina—while half is kept by the victim. Fines of a bit more than twice the cost of any damage are universally recognised as reasonable, and victims of theft who restrict themselves to such punishments can get a reputation for justice and mercy even as they vigorously pursue anyone who wrongs them. It is common for victims to require a fine in addition to any other punishment.

Flogging, up to one hundred strokes with implements ranging from a light cane to heavy leather straps loaded with weights and spikes, is another popular penalty. The most popular form of legal discussion in taverns is of the appropriate level of flogging for hypothetical offences.

Branding is not permitted under Gospodar law. It used to be, but it was abolished after a series of petty thieves were branded "rapist" or "cultist of the north."

Mutilation is generally only applied in cases of wounding, where it is common for the same injury to be inflicted on the criminal. Nobles can often get away with imposing injuries that correspond to damage done to their property. An urchin who broke the windows of a noble's house might be blinded, for example.

The death penalty is also available but rarely used by the common folk for anything short of rape or murder. Nobles use it more loosely and commonly impose it for the death of valued animals.

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