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Offline S.O.F

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WIP Guide to the Empire:
« on: July 09, 2010, 10:24:42 PM »
Last summer bored and unemployed I began as an odd off project a comprehensive guide to the Empire, I was unaware that 6 months later I would have 50 plus pages of stuff. Sadly I probably should be spending more time working on my masters thesis but this is somehow more enjoyable.

Update Info

3/8/14 Wissenland up


Coming Soon: Solland, The Moot, Sylvania (maybe)


Land of the Hammer
A Political and geographical Guide to the Empire




Complied and transcribed by jan von Aldium
Intrepid Scholar and Court Historian to his majesty
Prince Leopold Aulslander
Lord of Aulschweig

Introduction

In the late summer of 2521 IC, his majesty Prince Aulslander requested that I, Jan von Aldium, write a book detailing the nuances of the great nation to his Lordship’s north, The Empire. Prince Aulslander’s son was to be sent to University in Nuln and it was the Prince’s request that this tome be designed in order to garner a degree of familiarity to the land his son would soon set off for.   I spent days combing through his Lordship’s library as well as the library of those neighboring Princes friendly to his Lordship. When this proved incomplete, his Lordship most generously offered to pay for me to travel to the University of Streissen in Averland in order I may wholly round out my work. The six weeks spent there, provided me with an abundant amount of notes and without such this work would have been impossible. I would at this point like to extend my gratitude to faculty of the University of Streissen for their aid in allowing this foreigner, though of proud Imperial ancestry, such access to their archives.
Methodologically this work is a bit of a departure from most other scholarship on the Empire. While I have gone to great lengths in order to include as much relevant information from the great scholars of  our age such Hieronymus of Nuln and Frederick Weirde, this book is designed not only supply dry and dusty history but to allow for understanding of how Imperials feel about one another. To find this component, I have turned to what many of my colleagues would term the ‘Gutter Press’. Though the tales of such writers as Ehrhard Stoecker and Felix Jeager are utterly preposterous, I believe that one can garner a great deal of insight about how various portions of the Empire feel about one another. Certainly the portrayal of Stirland magistrate is done to some hyperbolic degree, as is the wont of such fiction writers, but there must be some underlying truth to the writer’s vision. Judge as you will for I shall be unrepentant in my method.     


Jan von Aldium
2522
Castle Aulsweig

Rough Outline
Chapter One -Brief History of the Empire
Most likely chapter to cut since it has almost nothing written other than a fleshed out blurb concerning the 1360 Ottillan Empire creation and really seems a bit unessential to the book overall.

Chapter Two - Government of the Empire
Covers the Office and Power of the Emperor, the Council of State, the Prime Estates, key figures of the Imperial Government, and a brief section on provincial government.

Chapter Three - The Imperial Heartland
Guides to Reikland, Talabecland, Altdorf, and Talabheim

Chapter Four - The Forested North
Guides to Middenland, Nordland, Hochland, and Middenheim

Chapter Five - The Agricultural South
Guides to Averland, Wissenland, Stirland, the Moot, and Nuln

Chapter Six - The Sparsely Populated East
Guides to Ostland and Ostermark

Chapter Seven - The Lost Provinces
Guides to Solland and Drakwald

Chapter Eight - The Imperial Fringe
Guides to Marienburg and Sylvania

Chapter Nine - The Imperial Cults
Cult of Sigmar, Cult of Ulric, and a brief section on the other cults since they are not as important political players

Chapter Ten - Imperial Institutions
Colleges of Magic and the Knightly Orders of the Empire (considering moving the Templar Orders from here into the Cult section but the Knights of the Blazing Sun are a far more important organization to the Empire than the Cult of Myrimidia is so not certain about separate sections. Also Detailing the Knights Panther would be boring as it is the lone Secular Order with plenty of background.)

Appendix A - Land of the Bear - Guide to Kislev
Done on the lines of the provincial guides though slightly longer.

Comments and questions as always appreciated.


« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 12:17:33 AM by S.O.F »
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Offline Inarticulate

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2010, 11:24:04 PM »
Some nice stuff here. You'll need to provide references though.
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Offline Wendersnaven

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2010, 06:55:44 AM »
Thanks for the ifo on my Province.  I learned a lot, and it will make sense that my WP's will have Sisters of Sigmar- as Mordheim is on the borders and women are traditional leaders in Stirland.  Even my AL is a big old Brun-hilda and I use the Bret. female with the short rod as my Mage with the R.O.P.

You've added a lot to my background I'm building!
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Offline warhammerlord_soth

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2010, 07:00:13 AM »
Great effort !
 
I'll bring it to the attention of the Master of the Library, Rufus Sparkfire. Perhaps you could coordinate with him on this ?
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Offline Midaski

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2010, 10:47:27 AM »
Great effort !
 
I'll bring it to the attention of the Master of the Library, Rufus Sparkfire. Perhaps you could coordinate with him on this ?

... especially as he knows the author of the original "A is for Altdorf" very well ..............  :engel:
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Offline rufus sparkfire

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2010, 10:49:50 AM »
Great work!

However, I don't want to update 'A is for Altdorf' in this way (it would be more like a replacement). I like it the way it is (and I don't think the novels count as proper fluff). But if you want to write your own guide to all the provinces, there is plenty of room in the Library for both.
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Offline S.O.F

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2010, 04:06:47 PM »
Great work!

However, I don't want to update 'A is for Altdorf' in this way (it would be more like a replacement). I like it the way it is (and I don't think the novels count as proper fluff). But if you want to write your own guide to all the provinces, there is plenty of room in the Library for both.

Whatever works sir. On your point about novels I used to feel that way as well but I came to realize after reading enough of them it was really only the extremes of plot that ruined their position in proper fluff (if all were true there would not be much left of the Empire at this point). The little details no matter the author seem to blend into a pleasant non conflicting story.

Anyway I'm game for a separate guide. Currently my plans were to have a section on each province and city state along with sections on the semi provinces (Solland, Drakwald, Sylvania, and Marienburg). I've also considered a rough section on the main institutions of the Empire like the Colleges of Magic (I'm pretty certain with the Liber Chaotica we have the name of the head of every college of Magic), Templars of Sigmar, and the like.

Thoughts? Perhaps on sections of interest I may hove overlooked in the Stirland overview?
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Offline 132nd

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2010, 04:37:02 PM »
  Thanks for some great info on my province of choice.  I really enjoyed it. 

Offline S.O.F

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Re: Updating "A is for Altdorf"
« Reply #8 on: July 10, 2010, 07:43:18 PM »
Had this half done so I knocked out the rest of it for a rough guide to Ostland. Sources used Sigmar's Heirs, Empire Heraldry, Mordheim Ostlander Rules, Heldenhammer/Empire, and Riders of the Dead. Sadly not as many sources to go on as Stirland but still an interesting bit of information.

The Grand Principality of Ostland
Elector: Valmir von Raukov
State Livery: Black and White
Heraldic Devices: Bulls Head and Bulls Rampant

Geography
   The province of Ostland has two definite borders; the Sea of Claws to the north and the River Talabec in the south. Ostlands eastern and western borders are less well defined. To the west from the River Talabec to the Middle Mountains, Ostland is separated from Hochland by the River Wulfen but north of the mountains no similar feature offers distinction from Nordland. In the east, as the forest gives way to the steppe, Ostland’s border is set along a rough line from the Gulf of Kislev to the point at which the River Urskoy joins the Talabec. Ostland is dominated by the Forest of Shadows which stretches from eastern Nordland to the edges of western Kislev. It is a dark and foreboding wood and has a reputation only slightly less ill than the Drakwald.  Ostlanders are greatly dependent on the timber industry and other trades the forest can provide. The narrow slip of land that is not encompassed by forest is found along the coast of the Sea of Claws and the northern Kislev Ostland border. This coastal strip relies on fishing and salt mining for its economic survival.

The People
   The people of Ostland are descended from the Udose tribe who ruled the region in the time of Sigmar. Then as now, Ostlanders are very clannish and oriented toward large extended families. Many smaller villages in Ostland are made up of a single extended family group. Ostlanders are extremely loyal to their kinsmen and outlanders who pick a fight with a single Ostlander may often find themselves facing a dozen of his relatives in short order. Though initially cool toward outsiders, once a person has ingratiated themselves with a group of Ostlanders they can expect similar loyalty and near familial treatment.
   Ostlanders are famed for their stubbornness. It is very hard to make and Ostlander do something they do not wish to do without first entering into a long argument.  Ostland is a poor province and its people make do by being exceptionally thrifty. As long as an item still has use no Ostlander will discard it and will use even the smallest scraps of food to scrap together a meal. If Ostlanders are unsparing with anything it is alcohol. Beer and spirits (Kislevite vodka in particular) are imbibed in great quantity by Ostlanders, so much so that the common caricature of an Ostlander is a belligerent drunk.

The Ruling House
Von Raukov Coat of Arms: A red Bull’s Head on a bisected white and black field.
   Valmir von Raukov is the first of his dynasty to sit upon the Electoral throne of Ostland but his family has long been important figures in Ostland’s government. Originally the von Raukovs were merely the Barons of Ferlangen but their connections to the preceding von Tasseninck dynasty vaulted Valmir into the Electoral seat. Several generations of von Raukovs married into the ruling family and served as the Elector Count’s marshal. Though the last of the von Tassenincks were weak and poor military men, the von Raukovs honored their familial obligation to the ruling dynasty without question. When the last of the von Tassenincks died without an heir, Valmir inherited the electoral seat.
   Valmir is a career general and a skilled leader of men. He has fought many campaigns against marauding Greenskins, Beastmen, Norscans, and the odd band of bandits. Von Raukov has continued a tradition toward modernizing Ostland’s military which began during his father’s tenure as Marshal of Ostland. Under the von Raukovs, Ostland has drastically increased the size of its artillery train, number of handgun regiments, and vastly improved the fortification of its cities. This is not to suggest that Ostland has been put in financial strain because of these expenditures, as the von Raukovs are as thrifty as the next Ostlander. However the von Raukovs have been keenly aware that though the crossbow in the arsenal may still work it doesn’t hurt to import a large number of handguns to have issued as the primary weapon of state regiments instead.

Religion
While the worship of gods like Taal and Ulric are common in Ostland, the province is anomalous for its devotion to Sigmar when compared to its neighbors.
   Scholars often debate the reason for the strength of the Cult of Sigmar in Ostland and are torn between two great tales about the Man-Gods life. The first and least credible tale is that Sigmar smote a dragon at the behest of Wolfila thus earning the Udose King’s respect and sword oath. This interpretation is often discredited as an exaggeration of overly zealous preachers in the early days of the Sigmarite Cult. More learned scholars say that it was Sigmars campaigns against the Norsii that won the respect and loyalty of the Udose. The Udose lived far from the Uberogen heartlands and when Sigmar brought his armies to the aid of Wolfila unbidden, the Udose King felt indebted to a man who treated him as if he were his own kin. Whichever story is true, most Ostland villages have some sort of Sigmarite temple.
   As most Ostlanders depend on the woods for their livelihood, the Cult of Taal is the second most powerful force in Ostland. While Ostlanders may not be as skilled hunters as Hochlanders or as skilled in woodcraft as Talabeclanders, Ostland lumbermen know it is important to honor the god that protects them from the threats the forest offers.

Important Towns
   Though sparsely populated compared to other provinces Ostlands boast three major towns. These large concentrations of people are partially due to the inhospitableness of a great deal of Ostland’s woodland.
   The capital and largest town in Ostland is Wolfenburg. Located at the foot of the Middle Mountains and on the River Wolfen, Wolfenburg is the first major stopping point for land based trade between Kislev and the Empire. Trade income is supplemented by the local timber industry as well as pewter ware cast from ores extracted in the nearby mountains. Wolfenburg also sports the most modern fortifications in all of the eastern Empire. Under the constant threat from forest goblins, beastmen, and the random chaos warband, such modernization has been important to the provinces survival. Wolfenburg is also home to the largest Sigmarite Cathedral in the eastern Empire.
   Ferlangen is Ostland’s second city. Sitting astride the trade road that connects Wolfenburg to the Salzenmund-Erengrad road, Ferlangen is made wealthy from trade coming from the south destined for markets in Nordland. This wealth has allowed regiments raised in Ferlangen to be perhaps the best equipped outside of those of the major nobility’s own household troops. This may in part come from the initiative by the von Raukovs who have ruled Ferlangen for generations.
   Ostland’s port, Salkalten, is the last major town in the province. A century ago the town was nothing more but just another small fishing village on the Sea of Claws. With the secession of Marienburg, Imperial merchants contrived schemes to create port cities to rival that of Marienburg and increase their profits by reducing the number of duties paid to outside middlemen. While most of these schemes have been failures, Salkalten at least has grown to a moderately large town. Though nowhere near a successful as had been hoped, it provides Ostland with a point to ship its products from and a small base for the Imperial Navy to protect the coast from Norscan raiders.

Military
   Near constant conflict keeps Ostland's military sharp. Though it may not have as many toys as the armies of other provinces, they know how to get the most out of what they have. Junior officers and sergeants in Ostland are also renowned for their bland appearance, sergeants in particular. Ostlanders don’t need extra tassels or fancy plumes to show they of a higher rank merely the respect of the men they lead. Should an Ostland sergeant or junior officer come into some money they often spend it on a single item of extremely high quality made by a name of significant bearing. Many non-Ostlander officers are thrown off by the fact that their Ostland counter part may be wearing a well maintained armoury grade suit of armour but carry the finest Estalian rapier, Tilean pistol, or Hochland made double-barrel hunting rifle. Ostland regiments are also very tight knit units as they are often raised from a single area and the unit consists of a mix of cousins and other relatives. Even when this is not the case, Ostlanders tend to project their social norms onto their military life and look at their regiment as a ‘family’.

Famous Regiments
Ostland Ogres. Nowhere else in the Empire is there as large a congregation of ogre tribes as Ostland. Though opportunity may offer a chance to raid with forest goblin or beastmen tribes, Ogres in Ostland predominately find service under Imperial commanders (mainly since the food is much better). Ostlanders and ogres get along surprisingly well as both peoples enjoy drinking, brawling, and more often than not a combination of the two. Individual ogres may even find employment in lumber camps or as town guards. It is not uncommon for these ogres to be brought into the same familial bond Ostlanders have with their human kinsmen. Ogres may be flattered by this and it may even remind them of their own clannish nature but should food run short, Ogres will still eat their human kinsmen as readily as they would fellow ogres

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Offline osterknact

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Re: A different Guide to the Empire (So far Stirland and Ostland)
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2010, 04:17:22 PM »
This is awesome stuff could you bump up the ostermark on your list... i cant wait to read it!
« Last Edit: August 19, 2010, 10:00:08 PM by osterknact »

Offline S.O.F

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Re: A different Guide to the Empire (So far Stirland and Ostland)
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2010, 01:41:15 AM »
Alright Averland is most of the way done and partials on a lot of others. But I have finished this for the Drakwald. Sources used Beasts of Chaos, Sigmar's Heirs, Sigmar Heldenhammer, The Loathesome Ratmen, and "The Story of Bernhardt the Brave" from Inferno 6.

The Former Grand Province of the Drakwald
Last Elector: Boris Hohenbach (died 1115 as Emperor)
State Livery: Yellow
Heraldic Devices: Thistle Flowers and Thorns

Geography
   The former province is dominated by the feature that gives it its name, the Drakwald Forest. The western reaches of the Drakwald have always been a foreboding place. In ancient times a great dragon inhabited the forest for which the wood was give its name. When the tribes that formed the Empire entered the land, it was the ferocious Thuringian tribe that made its home in the depth of the forest. Though battles were constant with beasts and goblins of the forest, the formidable wood preserved the Thuringians from the neighboring Teutogens, Norsii, and Jutones. As an Imperial province, the Drakwald’s wealth was based on the lumber and wood crafts the forest provided.  Furniture made from Drakwald Oak is some of the finest and highly sought after in the entire Old World. As the grip of the Empire has slipped from the forest, it has grown darker and more twisted under the baleful influence of its bestial inhabitants. The few settlements still found in the region today are under the protection of the Count of Middenland. However the vast majority of these are only a few centuries old, often having been rebuilt on several occasions already in that short of time.

The People
   The few human souls that dwell within the borders of the old Drakwald are the descendents of the Thuringians of old, though these days their blood is more often a mix of Thuringian and that of neighboring tribes. In Sigmar’s day, the Thuringians were wild berserkers. During battle Thuringian warriors, male and female alike, would chew on various plants and herbs that sent them into a frenzy of destruction and made them able to sustain injuries that would cripple a normal warrior. The Thuringians did not initially submit to Sigmar’s dream of unifying the tribes of man. Only after a great battle, in which Sigmar bested the Thuringian King Otwin in single combat, did the tribe join into Sigmar’s confederation. To this day, many suggest that Thuringians are tenacious to the point of self-destruction often disregarding risks for initial gains.

The Fall of the Drakwald
   The first millennium saw general prosperity and expansion for much of the Empire. Woods were cleared for farming, the foothills of mountains made safe for mining, and canals constructed for commerce. The rulers of the Drakwald did not share in these advances. Unlike the other provinces that were capable of expansion in multiple directions, Drakwalders only had the Forest of Laurelorn. Rather than beasts or greenskins, the armies of the Drakwald Electors faced significant kingdom of Wood Elves that reside to this day under the eaves of Laurelorn. Despite constant reverses, the Drakwald Electors continued to throw themselves at problem with traditional Thuringian reckless abandon. Never a particularly a wealthy province, the Drakwald had all but been bankrupted of money and men by the eighth century. In a bid to reverse their fortunes, the Drakwald Electors bribed their way into the Imperial throne through payments of gold and promises of reduced Imperial authority. The resulting Drakwalder dynasty was not only disastrous for the Drakwald province but the Empire on a whole. Freed from the comparatively spartan life back in Drakwaldschloss, living in Carroburg, the Imperial capital, was one of ease and opulence. As the generations pasted the Drakwalders became more and more detached from their native lands as well as increasingly corrupt producing two of the most infamous Emperors in Imperial history, Ludwig the Fat and Boris the Incompetent.
   Despite the money following into the House of Hohenbach’s coffers, little was invested in their own province. The goblin and beastmen tribes of the forest grew increasingly bold raiding and destroying towns and villages throughout the Drakwald. The issue came to a head in the first decade of the twelfth century. The Empire had suffered for fifty years under the terrible and unfortunately long lived reign of Boris the Incompetent. Beginning in the year 1106, beastmen attacks in the Drakwald increased precipitously. The Drakwald defender were hard pressed and eventually defeated by the far greater beastmen force. This loss was compounded by the death of the Drakwald general, Count Vilner Hohenbach. Vilner was Boris’s great nephew and heir to the Electoral seat of the Drakwald as well as the title of Emperor. Furthermore, Count Vilner was a man not of the traditional late Drakwalder mold.  He was raised outside of the Carroburg palace and had not succumbed to any of his line’s vices. Vilner would most likely never have sat to inherit the throne if it was not for his Great Uncle’s longevity and the prospect of his ascendance to both the Electorship and the Imperial crown looked to be very positive signs for the Empire’s future. His death destroyed that hope and when the Empire and Emperor Boris were ravaged by the Black Death a few years later, the entire Empire was thrown into turmoil.
   The Empire was immersed in a deluge of beastmen scant days following the Emperor’s death. Some scholars, either brave or foolish, argue that these beastmen were the ‘ratmen’ or ‘skaven’ of folk legend and some even argue that it was through there machinations that Count Vilner had been slain, as this work attempts to provides only the most core of knowledge ink shall not be spilt to affirm or deny such accusations. ‘Ratmen’ or not the Drakwald was devastated. Emperor Mandred’s dissolution of the Drakwald as a province hastened the regions demise. Without a Count over the course of the century almost all the towns and villages of the Drakwald were overrun by beastmen or goblins.       

The Drakwald and the Wolf Emperors
   The death of Emperor Mandred plunged the Empire into a dark period the country would not emerge from until the time of Magnus the Pious. During the era of three Emperors, the Wolf Emperor of Middenheim created a ‘rump’ Electorate out of the portion of the Drakwald under Middenland’s control. The Drakwald Runefang had been placed in the care of the Cathedral of Ulric during the time of Mandred and it was easy for the Middenheim Emperors to create the position in order to build some sense of legitimacy for their Imperial claim.
   Little is recorded about these ‘Elector Counts’ as it was for the most part a sham position and offered little aid to the Wolf Emperor’s struggles with his rivals. Sole among the men to hold the position that garnered any place in history was the last, Count Bernhardt sobriquet the ‘Brave’. When the majority of the Empire proved initially apprehensive to Magnus’s call to arms during the Great War on Chaos, Bernhardt quickly gathered what forces he could muster to aid Kislev. Bernhardt’s force consisted of a mix of cavalry and light infantry who were subsequently attached to Ar-Ulric Kriestov’s vanguard.  Berhardt and his Drakwalders executed several successful ambushes of Asvar Kul forces and was personally at the head of the decisive cavalry charge that ended the Battle of Kislev. Sadly for the Drakwalders, many Drakwald towns were overrun and Middenheim besieged in their absence. With Magnus’s election to Emperor and the reorganization of the Electors, the Drakwald was in no position to regain a full grand provincial status. It had been almost a millennium since the province had been official absorbed into Nordland and Middenland with neither province willing to forego territory. Further as the Ar-Ulric was granted an Electoral seat, it was the fear of many that a new Drakwald would be unable to escape Middenland’s orbit and add an additional vote to go the Elector of Middenland’s way. Bernhardt was instead granted the title Protector of the Drakwald and the right to bear the Runefang of the Drakwald for the rest of his life. Since that time the title has been passed to several families but maintaining it is most difficult as the beastmen seem to grow more powerful each year. Currently the title of Protector of the Drakwald is borne by Count Todbringer of Middenland himself. 

Famous Regiments
Drakwald Forest Legion
The Forest Legion provided the bulk of the infantry Count Bernhardt brought to. While elements of the Drakwald muster were armed in similar fashion to other Imperial regiments, the Forest Legion was not. Recruited from the villagers of the Drakwald, these troops were instead armed with woodsmen’s axes. Lightly armored and highly maneuverable, the Forest Legion were renowned for their ability to hit hard and fast, often through broken or wooded terrain skills they had undoubtedly acquired fighting off beastmen raiders at home.
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Offline Burgermeiser

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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire: Stirland, Ostland, and Drakwald so far
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2010, 06:03:54 PM »
Awesome fluff, almost makes me want to change my army to a Middenland theme.
"To reign in Averland, you must be as mad as an Elector. Which, fortunately, I am!"-Marius Leitdorf (Viscilitudes of Count Averland, Chapter VII, Paragraph XIV)

Offline S.O.F

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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire: Stirland, Ostland, and Drakwald so far
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2010, 04:40:17 AM »
Finally Averland is done. Been busy with other projects. Sources: Sigmar's Heirs, Sword of Justice, Mordheim Averland Warband, Empire Herladry, and Heldenhammer.

The Grand County of Averland
Elector: Marius Lietdorf (deceased) succession disputed
State Livery: Yellow and Black
Heraldic Devices: Suns and Hammers of Sigmar
Runefang Title: The Sword of Ruin

Geography
Averland contrasts sharply with the other provinces of the Empire as it is not dominated by large tracts of woodland. The Upper Reik, the River Aver, and the junction of the Worlds Edge and Black Mountains create the roughly triangular shape that forms the borders of Averland. Between these borders, Averland is a mix of rolling hills and plains providing the richest agricultural land in the Empire outside the Moot. On the grassy plains, Averlanders raise vast herds of longhorn cattle and the finest horses in the Empire. Averland also enjoys a warmer climate than other Imperial provinces and with a longer growing season, Averland produces large quantities of cereal crops as well as being home to vast vineyards.  Black Fire Pass lies in the south and makes Averland an important commercial power dealing with goods coming from both the Dwarf Holds and Tilea. Wissenland may have more passes but they are far more dangerous compared to the ‘relative’ safety merchants can enjoy by travelling through Averland.

The People
   Averlanders are descended from the Brigundian tribe. Even in the time of Sigmar the Brigundians were rich from trade and were known more as merchants then warriors. Siggurd, King of Brigundians, was a shrewd diplomat who had assembled a rough confederation of his own from amongst the southern tribes of the Merogens and Menogoths. When Sigmar petitioned for Siggurd to join the fledgling Empire, he was initially cool towards the offer and only swore allegiance once Sigmar slew a great beast that troubled the lands of the southern Kings. Siggurd saw the Man-Gods merit and brought his own confederation into the Empire.
   Averlanders are considered flighty by many other Imperial subjects, though Averlanders defend themselves by describing it as a freedom of conscience. They seem never to make up their mind and are constantly willing to change their opinion. For most part this sentiment stems from interactions with Averland merchants who constantly alter their stances on deals in order to ensure they have received the greatest bargain possible. Imperial legal scholars do point out thought that Averland’s law is perhaps the most contrived, convoluted, and cumbersome in the Empire leaving a great deal open for interpretation with contractual exit clauses and other loop holes which allow litigants and judges to make sudden adjustments in their decision. Averlanders are also famed for their ostentatious tastes. Elsewhere in the Empire a style of clothing or art remain fashionable for a decade, in Averland it rarely lasts a year. Northerners scoff that it such is the result of erratic minds left with too much money on their hands, where the Averlander contends they are just trying and keep life interesting.   

The Ruling House
House of Lietdorf Coat of Arms: A Yellow Sun on a Black Field
   The current political situation in Averland is tense. Several years have passed since the death of Marius Lietdorf and there has been little movement by the Steward Tochfel to press for deciding the succession. The main bone of contention is that the Lietdorfs failed to solidify their hold over Averland. Marius came to power through the scandals of the previous Alptruam dynasty and with the support of the Sigmarite Cult. The good faith many burghers had about the change was quickly dampened by Marius’s bouts with madness. Now there are many who question the wisdom in appointing a successor from a mentally unstable line.
   This deadlock has been further insured with the lack of a suitable alternative candidate. Ferenc Alptruam is too old for the Electoral seat and though his family is still powerful, there are many merchants that are keen not to see his line return to power. If another candidate were to arise they could almost certainly count on the support of the Alptruams if only to spite the House of Lietdorf.

Religion
   The peasant farmers may look to the Cult of Taal and Rhya for the good of their crops, but it is the Cult of Sigmar that is of greatest importance in Averland.
   The Cult of Sigmar is so powerful since it appeals to the large urban merchant class in Averland particularly because Sigmar is good for business. Black Fire Pass attracts countless pilgrims a year who pay great sums of money for food, lodging, and the odd reliquary to remember their trip. Ulric demands warriors, Taal demands hunters, Verena demands justicars, things which merchants have little time for and are for the most part unprofitable. The Sigmarite Cult, on the other hand, is more than content to accept large sums of gold for the deliverance of the souls of those who donate. If a merchant is particularly generous perhaps they can count on the significant political muscle of Holy Sigmar’s Church to help them out in the future. All around it is a great deal for the clever businessman. Corruption is perhaps not as rife as agitator priests like Luthor Huss contend, but it is in Averland where they are perhaps the closest to true. One should look no farther than the significant amount of Cult resources which were invested wresting the Electoral seat from the Alptruams in favor of the more ‘pious’ Lietdorfs.

Important Towns
   Averland has a very large number of significant towns which dot the state’s important trade roads and ferry points. Wealth has made a great number of these towns rather slovenly when it comes to their town walls and town guard. A century has passed since the ravages of Grom the Paunch and town councils are more than willing to cut militia budgets for the sake of increased profits.
   Averland’s capital, Averheim, is built on a steep hill a critical bend in the River Aver. The site is rumored to have been picked by Sigmar himself to be used as a fortress to defend the upper reaches of the Aver. The truth of this claim cannot be completely verified but the scale of Averheim central keep, the Averburg, suggests a past that was far more warlike then the current city that surrounds it. The Averburg has held out in a number of key sieges and was even spared the ravages of Gorbad in 1707. The sprawl of Averheim has even extended into Stirland. The ‘New City’ on the north bank of the Aver, houses the poorest portion of Averheim’s populace. Counts of Stirland may not happy with this arrangement but the ‘New City’ is a necessity during the last month of summer when large numbers of migrant Stirland workers flock to Averheim during the peak of the cattle slaughtering season. Sacrificing a small portion Stirland’s sovereignty for the ability to garner better taxes off its peasants is a trade off the impoverished Counts of Stirland are forced to make.
Streissen is the second most populace city of Averland and home to the province’s largest University. The city is famed for its progressive often revolutionary attitude and more than once has required the intervention of Averland’s soldiers.
Grenzstadt is the last town in Averland before entering Black Fire Pass. The town derives the majority of its wealth from furs and ore gathered in the nearby mountains. It also enjoys a great deal of trade by supplying caravans and pilgrims traveling up through Black Fire Pass. The rotation of Mountainguard troops from the pass to the city garrison also garners tavern owners with a regular custom of men with several month’s wages and little else to do with it than drink it away.
Wuppertal would not be as significant a town if it were not for its very large Temple of Sigmar. It is from this region in which the Lietdorf family hails a fostered the good will of the Sigmarite Cult in order to propel them into Electoral office. It’s position along with it large Sigmarite Shrines make the city an ideal starting point for many pilgrims tours of Averland.

Military
As a general rule Averland soldiery are some of the finest dressed in the entire Empire. Some regiments perhaps wear more extravagant outfits than those worn by the lesser nobility of more impoverished provinces. Many ignorant toughs think Averland soldiers easy marks for robbery or ridicule. This usually ends with the offending party suffering several broken bones or missing teeth because of it. Averlanders have a taste for style and their military is no different.. Though for all their finery, Averland regiments are made up of bruisers, thugs, and various other sordid types whose sole qualification for their employment was the ability to hold a weapon and not be afraid to use it.
Many military men from more storied provinces, such as Reikland or Middenland, argue that Averland has no martial tradition. This is of course incorrect but non-Averlanders struggle to recognize the different set of traditions that govern Averland’s soldiers. The merchant class is far more sizeable and influential in Averland then any other Imperial province. Merchant Guilds and Town Councils hold a great deal of political sway and are loathe to allow recruiting sergeants to enlist elements of the population that contribute to the town’s wealth.  Recruiters go to great length to attract the suitable type of scum to fill out the ranks. Soldiers that would most likely have joined a free company elsewhere in the Empire, find themselves in regular liveried formations. A certain number of wanderlust filled farm boys do find their way into the army but not in the same number as in other provinces. Averland soldiers are professionals who have more in common with a Tilean Crossbowman then an Altdorf Halberdier. Averland militia and other town guard units have garnered a reputation as poor soldiers. This is not through any failing in the men that make up these units but the city fathers who reduce the number training days on order to cut city expenditures.
Averlanders treat their military with mercantile zeal. Regiments are just as much organs of the state are they are the private money making venture of their captain.  The state commissions and subsidizes the regiment and the commanding officer has total control over regimental finances. This does lead on occasion to corruption and negligence but a stiff punishment for such actions deters the most flagrant offences. Plunder and campaign bonuses also make Averland regiments far more well-travelled then those of other provinces. 

Famous Regiments
The Mountainguard
Charged with defending the fortresses of Black Fire Pass, the Mountainguard are drawn from the best of Averland’s regiments. The regiment has perhaps the most garish uniforms in the entire Averland army and while it contains a much larger percentage of native Averlanders then normal regiments, its ranks are filled with combat veterans who are more ill tempered over jibes at their appearance than other regiments. Mountainguards are very touchy about their uniforms, they may look like wealthy fops but they take it poorly when lesser regiments or merchants mimic the pattern of Mountainguard uniform. Even new members of the regiment must earn the right to wear the uniform as strict codes exist for the tailoring of Mountainguard kit. Therefore the greater sleeves or the more intricate the slashes denote the veteran members of the regiment. Drawn from across all state regiments, the Mountainguard strives to be capable with almost any weapon. When used in a regular field battle, men armed alike are brigaded together usually resulting in blocks of halberdiers supported by crossbowmen.

Bergjaeger
Averland is not a state renowned for its archery. Crossbows and Handgun require far training in order to use them proficiently on the battlefield and as Averland has the funds to afford them they are primary choice Averlands state regiments. The Bergjaegers of the Black Mountains represent the exception. Bergjaeger formations are not particularly well organized along traditional military terms. A detachment is officially mustered for the garrison of Black Fire Pass but when it sees real military service it is more likely draw from an ad hoc collection of trappers and rangers. Though some Bergjaegers are experienced military men, they have never enjoyed a good reputation as hand to hand fighters. Use of traps and cunning ambushes are the primary weapon of Averland’s Bergjaegers. Extremely stealthy, Bergjaegers know it is often more important to warn a Mountainguard garrison about an impending Greemskin raid rather then throw away their lives in a fight they cannot win.
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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire: Stirland, Ostland, Drakwald, Averland 8/31/10
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2010, 11:09:45 PM »
Alright another entry this for the Cult of Sigmar and perhaps the one that required the most splicing from little bits of other works. Sources include Tome of Salvation (WHFRP 2ed), WD Sigmarite Article, Witchhunters Handbook, the Mathias Thulman Trilogy, Shamanslayer, Troll Slayer, and really a whole little bits from even as far back as the 3rd Edition Warhammer Armies book.

The Cult of Sigmar
Head of Cult: Grand Theogonist Volkmar von Hindenstern the Grim
Arch-Lectors: Kasmir XI and Thorgad IV
Holy Texts: The Unfinished Book, Deus Sigmar,
Common Symbols: Hammer, Twin-tailed Comet, and Griffons

Organization
The Cult is comprised of four primary orders and a myriad of lesser attached orders. The Largest of the primary orders is the Order of the Torch who provide the ecclesiastical structure to which all other orders are attached and maintains the bulk of cult’s temples and holy sites. Second in importance is the Order of the Silver Hammer. Its members are the travelling Warrior Priests who serve as chaplains in the Empire’s armies and wandering preachers in the more dangerous regions of the Empire. Third in significance is the Order of the Anvil, the monastic branch of the cult charged with the preservation and correct interpretation of the word of Sigmar. Last is the Order of the Cleansing Flame an order which is shrouded in mystery but in truth most likely holds more power than any other order.

The Order of the Torch.
The task of seeing to the spiritual needs of Sigmar’s faithful falls to the Order of the Torch, the largest of all the Cults Orders. The Priests of the Order are responsible for carrying out services as well as other ceremonially duties a town requires of its priest. Members of the order are not known to be particularly warlike but when their flock is threatened most priests can handle a weapon and some are even retired brothers from the Order of the Silver Hammer. The Order of the Torch is a very hierarchal structure with a myriad of ranks and positions.
This branch of the Cult has supreme control over the Cult’s business and its leader, the Grand Theogonist, is the head of the entire cult. Directly below the Grand Theogonist are the Arch-Lectors of Nuln and Talabheim. The three top officials in the Order are each responsible for one third of the Order’s hierarchy. Since the Grand Theogonist has more extensive powers, particularly as also being one of the Emperor’s councilors, the he has an Arch-Adjutant to oversee the more routine elements of his duties. Though the Arch-Adjutant may not have the prestige of the more independent Arch-Lectors he is still a very important figure within the Cult.
Beneath the Grand Theogonist, the two Arch-Lectors and the Arch-Adjutant are the eighteen Lectors. This College of Lectors is responsible for advising the Grand Theogonist in matters of cult policy. When a Grand Theogonist dies it is also the job of the College of Lectors to elect a new Grand Theogonist from among its members. In addition each Lector is responsible for a certain portion of the Empire which is their personal administrative district. Certain temples and pilgrimage sites are so important to the Cult they are given a special administrator who is answerable only to the Grand Theogonist. These Capitulars, which are twelve in number, are therefore freed from having to play inter-cult politics and can see to their charges with more devotion. However six of the Capitulars, denoted High Capitulars, do sit in the body called the Domain of Sigmar which is responsible for districting the dioceses of the Cult of Sigmar. 
The smaller districts are then headed by various levels of priests. Most larger towns have a High Priest who may have several lesser priests under his command that care for outlying villages. The Sigmarite Cult does carry out some missionary work abroad. These agents are at the same level as High Priests but are denoted as Theogonists to mark their position being outside the traditional cult structure.

The Order of the Silver Hammer.
Cult historians say that this Order is the most ancient of all the orders that make up the Cult of Sigmar. The earliest Cult documents suggest the Order was formed by Sigmar himself as a secret society to combat the forces of the ‘Old Night’ and had existed for over a century before the Cult of Sigmar had its first Grand Theogonist. Origins aside, the Order represents the militant arm of the Sigmarite Cult. The Order attracts many of the faith’s most zealous followers as well as a fair share of radicals. Influential members of this order can find their way into the upper echelons of the cult and several have been appointed Arch-Lectors or even Grand Theogonist. However, such advancements are incredibly rare.

The Order of the Anvil.
 To most outside observers, the monastic branch of the Sigmarite Cult, though numerous, appears the least important. The monks of the Order dedicate their time to preserving important texts, maintaining Sigmarite shires, and otherwise having little contact with the outside world. It is through this rather innocuous looking group that ultimate power and codification of Sigmarite law originates. In their capacity as scribes, the orders monks safeguard the laws of ancient texts both secular and religious. The Keeper of the Word, the head of the Order, is the Cults supreme authority on all of the cults religious doctrine and can only be overruled by the Grand Theogonist, though this almost never occurs. The order does not share the same degree of hierarchy as found in the other orders but works on a pseudo-democratic basis as each monastery elects its own Abbot from among its members.   

The Order of the Cleansing Flame
   This is the youngest of the primary Orders of the Sigmarite Cult having been created during Magnus the Pious’s Imperial Reforms. With the ‘secularization’ of the Witch Hunters, the Cult still required a branch to deal with protection from potential heretical coming from within the Cult itself. The Order of the Cleansing Flame was created to fill this need as well as act as liaison with the Templars of Sigmar. The Inquisitor Priests of the Order are rightly feared for their power is even greater than that of a Witch Hunter Captain.

The Templars of Sigmar
Grandmaster: Lord Protector Thaddeus Gamow
Headquarters: The Grand Temple in Altdorf adjacent to the Cathedral of Sigmar
During the time of the Three Emperors, the Grand Theogonist of Sigmar, Siebold II, created an order of templars tasked with hunting down and dealing justice to sorcerers, demonologists, and mutants. As the authority of the office of Emperor had weakened and the Empire’s provinces expended the bulk of the energies on their own internecine wars, the number of these destructive groups had greatly increased. The order was not entirely new but drawn from members of the Order of the Silver Hammer. In addition to curbing destructive elements of the population, the Sigmarite Cult soon found the Witch Hunters, as they were quickly dubbed, an ideal tool for enforcing their own political will. Writs issued by Witch Hunters were above those of civil authorities and particularly unscrupulous members used their position to extort money and all sorts of other favors. The position also attracted those who were often more zealous than competent, burning followers of other religions for failure to show proper piety as readily as they would true followers of the Dark Gods.
As part of the process of mending the Empire, Magnus the Pious detached the Witch Hunters as an organ of the Sigmarite Cult and added them as a part of the Empire’s secular government. A set line of jurisdictions between normal civil authorities and the Witch Hunters were established and more formal guidelines created for the initiation of new Witch Hunters. The divorce between the Sigmarite Cult and the Witch Hunters however was far from complete. They were now answerable to the Emperor but the Grand Theogonist still retained control over nominating the head of the order however now not in the capacity as head of the Sigmarite faith but his place as advisor to the Emperor. The Grandmaster of the Order, titled the Lord Protector, is appointed from among the most senior Witch Hunters in the organization. The new Lord Protector is usually drawn from the Order’s Inner Circle Knights who sit upon the Advisory Council which has twelve members. Each major city of the Empire has a Chapter House of the Order which is headed by a Witch Hunter Captain. The ‘Brother’ Witch Hunters below the Captain deal with the issues that warrant their attention the area adjoining the Chapter House to which they are stationed. Chapter Houses do not have strictly demarcated areas of operation and often larger houses overlap into the areas controlled by lesser ones.
The retinues that follow Witch Hunters about their work are not set in size or composition by the Order. They do however tend to be small consisting of the Witch Hunter and one or two henchmen.  While the armament and temperament of these henchmen is quite variable, it is almost certain that the Witch Hunter himself will be armed with a rapier and a brace of pistols. The Order spares little expense on equipment and the firearms used by Witch Hunters have locks of the most modern and exceptional quality.
The writs of Witch Hunters are still superior to that of local authorities but arguments of jurisdiction are still prevalent. An otherwise commonplace murder or smuggling ring all too often conceals darker more malign influence behind it. Power is almost always differed to the Witch Hunter in these cases as there are few in provincial government to stand up to an organization backed by both the Sigmarite Cult and the Imperial Governement. Since troubles suffered by the Light College of Magic some years back, and the perversion of many Light Acolytes to the worship of the Dark Powers, there are some in government who would like to see less power be placed in the singular figure of the Lord Protector.  Propositions include creating multiple lower level positions denoted Witch Hunter General to oversee a certain regions of the Empire but until the current system is found failing little real change should be expected.

Sigmar Outside the Empire
Of all Old World Religions, only Sigmarites are so bold and proselytizing. To these idealist Sigmarites, the importance of Sigmar is not in his creation of the Empire as a nation but his example as to the place of man in the world. These priests, or ‘theogonists’ as the Cult of Sigmar deems them, spread the word of Sigmar to the far flung corners of the world. In order to reach a wide array of people, Theogonists seek to convert foreign followers by illustrating Sigmar as a beacon in the fight against the powers of the ‘Old Night’. Many are beset by Greenskins, Undead, or the Ruinous Powers and the message can carry a considerable amount of weight. However, little money is actually expended on such efforts by the Cult. The extent of the spread of the Sigmarite faith is often limited to the lifetime of the Theogonist who preaches it. Outside of the Empire, Kislev has the largest population of Sigmarites having even developed a rudimentary ecclesiastical hierarchy headed by Theogonist Gregori Sorgher.

Women and the Cult of Sigmar
   The position and place of women in the Sigmarite faith has been a bone of contention for well over a millennium. One of the earliest and most famous female orders was the Sisters of Sigmar who were headquartered in Ostermark. Had it not been for the starfall that destroyed Mordheim in 1999, this relatively small branch of the Sigmarite faith would have been suppressed by Cult authorities and lost to history. Sigmarite Lectors have never completely excluded women from a place in the Cult but limited their position to one of purely monastic contemplation. The Cult has had no interest in seeing women take an active role in the preaching of the faith or the protecting of the faithful. From time to time exceptions have been made and the odd female Witch Hunter or Warrior Priest has worked their way into the Cults primary orders but faced incredible difficulties in reaching such positions. Though not as prone to burn these ‘heretics’ as the Cult would in the past there are still only a few all female orders which break with the Cult traditions, many of which owe a great deal to the current Grand Theogonist’s moderate position.

Sigmarites at War
   Other then the Hammer Bearers, the Holy Church of Sigmar does not maintain regular standing regiments but can rely on a number of privately raised regiments for support. In times of dire need the Cult appeals to its congregation and forms ad hoc regiments mainly consisting of peasant militias and flagellants. The Cult of Sigmar has called a number of crusades but few have been on a grand scale. At any point there a number of small crusades going on within the Empire which, while endorsed by the Cult on a whole, are not funded by it.

Famous Formations
Knights Griffon
Grandmaster: Tomas Bacham
The relatively young order, the Knights Griffon, was formed in the wake of the Great War on Chaos by Magnus the Pious. Drawing the most devout Sigmarites from the ranks of the Knights Panther, Emperor Magnus envisioned the Order as the great protectors of the Church of Sigmar and the office of Emperor. The Order was initial based in Nuln but moved their headquarters to Altdorf with the ascension of the Princes of Reikland to the Imperial throne. With the advent of the Reiksguard, the Knights Griffon no longer is charged with the protection of the Emperor but now solely serve to protect the Sigmarite Cult. This has caused friction between the Reiksguard and the Knights Griffon as well as displeasing the far older Order of the Fiery Heart which had protected the Sigmarite Cult for centuries.
   Numbering only a little over a hundred brother Knights, the Order is considered the most drilled and disciplined Knightly Order in the Empire. Many of the Order’s senior knights are charged with protecting important members of the Sigmarite Clergy and when the Grand Theogonist goes to war, a detail of Knights Griffon is always provided. The Order’s official livery is a yellow Griffon upon a dark green field. There has been some discussion among the senior members of the Order to add black into the livery colors so that the order may remember its foundation and first century of existence in Nuln.

Order of the Fiery Heart
Grandmaster: Baron Orenstihl
   The Order of the Fiery Heart is one the Empires older Knightly Orders having been founded during the first years of Talabeclands succession from the Imperial system. For much of its history the Order has been primarily dedicated to fighting Greenskins, deeming them the ancestral enemy of the Empire. This has led the Order to have strong links with the Dwarfs and the Order’s vaults hold a great number of Dwarf made relics in honor of their service. Over the centuries the Order has increasingly fallen behind the times. It has very little political clout in the Empire and with the relocation of the Knights Griffon lost a great deal even in Altdorf. The Orders leadership continues to stress importance of pilgrimages and questing. This makes it far more likely to see a band of Fiery Heart Knights defending a remote village rather than mustered alongside the forces of one of the Grand Electors. This quality means that the Order only attracts the most sincere and idealistic novices but many older knights do harbor resentment towards the better placed but less virtuous knights of other Orders.
   In appearance, the Order’s affection for the past becomes even more evident. Though as well armed and armored as other Knightly Orders, Fiery Heart Knights care little for the latest fashion and styles. Some Knights of the Inner Circle are so nostalgic they have even been known to wear surcoats over their modern armor, a style which faded from the Empire a millennium ago and only remains popular in Bretonnia today. The Order’s livery is a red heart wreathed in flame upon a white field.   

Hammer Bearers
Not every temple or High Priest can be constantly defended by noble templar knights. Traditionally the position of Hammer Bearer is given to the most devout and martial from a temple’s laity. During important religious ceremony, Hammer Bearers present the temple’s most holy relics and act as the priest’s champion. As the Empire and the Holy Church of Sigmar has vastly changed since the custom began, it is only in the smallest of communities which the tradition is maintained in its ancient sense. Larger temples rely instead on a body of professional bodyguards who still are designated Hammer Bearers but are organized along military lines.
   Hammer Bearers are recruited from veterans of the Empire’s armies, usually on recommendation by a Warrior Priest to attest to the man’s piety. Hammer Bearers are equipped in a similar manner to Greatsword regiments. They wear black uniforms and their armour is adorned with various sigils of the Sigmarite Cult. Many Bearers attach scrolls of parchment to themselves bearing verses from Sigmarite holy texts they find especially moving. Nominally, it is the duty of the Hammer Bearers to protect the Grand Theogonist and the Arch-Lectors in their capacity as Electors of the Empire but this role is superseded by more prestigious units. Still if need be, the Hammer Bearers are more than willing to fill this role on the battlefield much as the Greatsword regiments of state troops.
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Offline Ebola

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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire:Added Averland 8/31/10, Added Cult of Sigmar 9/3/10
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2010, 01:11:25 AM »
Great reading and fluff.  Many thanks for the time you have spent researching and organising such writing.

Cheers!
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Absolutely great stuff!  :eusa_clap:   Why haven't I found this earlier?

Thanks a lot. :icon_biggrin:

-Z
Live in peace and prosper.

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please keep it up SOF this is awesome!

Offline S.O.F

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Well after sometime I think Nuln is done enough for the moment. Sources include: Sigmar's Heirs, Skavenslayer, Manslayer, Iron Company, Forges of Nuln, Empire Heraldry Book, Beasts in Velvet and the WHFRP Companion.

Part I
The City State of Nuln
Resident Electors: Emmanuelle von Liebwitz of Wissenland and Kasmir XI Arch-Lector of Sigmar
Livery: Black
Heraldic Devices:  Scales of Verena and Cannon Barrels

History:
In the days of Sigmar, the nascent city of Nuln sat on the borders of several great tribes of men. Its position, at the confluence of the River Aver and Reik, made it an important ferry point as well as a nexus for trade. However as it existed on periphery of each tribes’ land, it was far too isolated in times of war and did not have that large of population. Its continued existence at the time has been attributed to the influence of early Tilean traders who sought to purchase furs from the northern parts of the Empire.
Nuln’s growth and success was the product of Sigmar’s policies following the foundation of the Imperial State. In order to connect the more remote portions of the Empire to his capital in Reikdorf, Sigmar commissioned the construction of two great roads. The first of these was the of course the Alrdorf-Middenheim road which insured the capital’s contact with the Empire’s religious heart of the time. For his second project, Sigmar chose to connect Nuln as its position was not only ideal for trade but a convenient stop for the Counts of the southern tribes on their way to Reikdorf. With improved road and river commerce, the city quickly blossomed into a mercantile powerhouse.
The city’s place as one of the great in the Empire was sealed with the advent of the Sigmarite faith. Johann Helstrum, the Cult’s first Grand Theogonist, began his preaching career in the streets of Nuln and the city’s inhabitants were enthusiastic converts to the new religion. As the Sigmarite clergy played an increasingly large role in Imperial politics, Nuln became an attractive choice for Sigmarite Emperors. Coupled with the stubborn traditionalism Emperors faced in Altdorf, Nuln spent a great deal of the first millennium as the Empire’s capital. As home of the Emperor, the city reaped the benefits in the form of massive building projects and the endowment of the Empire’s oldest and most esteemed University. Skilled Dwarf craftsmen moved to the city in great numbers and aided, most notably, in constructing the city’s sewer system which are still more advanced than any other in the Empire. With the election of the Drakwald Emperors, the capital moved from Nuln to Carroburg. With the Emperor, went the highest echelons of the Sigmarite clergy as they sought to ensure the continued high political position.
The upheavals of the second millennium altered the economic and religious life of the city. Nuln’s advantageous position coupled with its large Dwarf population spawned a burgeoning arms industry. The constant strife between the provinces drastically increased the demand for arms and Nuln grew rapidly to accommodate the large workforce and wealth weapons manufacturing attracted. Having abandoned Nuln to pursue their own sycophantic ends, the Cult of Sigmar was unable to reassert its position of dominance. In the absence of the Sigmarites, Nuln’s University increasingly venerated Verena, the Goddess of Wisdom, whilst returning Crusaders imported yet another Classical Goddess, Myrimdia. When Gorbad Ironclaw sacked the city in 1701, the growing dissatisfaction of Nulners solidified. Nuln secured a position as an independent City-State and plied its own fortune during the dark years of civil war and the Wars of the Vampire Counts.
Nuln’s reintegration into the Empire came at the hands of its native son, Magnus von Bildhofen. The eldest son of a prominent Nulner family, Magnus was afforded the finest education available and excelled at Nuln’s University. In addition to be very learned man, Magnus possessed an inimitable spiritual fervor. In the dark years preceding the Great War on Chaos, Magnus’s skilled and unique oratory won a large following among the populace of Nuln appealing to nobles, burghers, and peasants alike. When the hordes of Asvar Kul crossed into Kislev, it was from Nuln where Magnus began his campaign against the Ruinous Powers.  Following the victory of Imperial arms, Magnus was elevated to the post of Emperor and established his capital in Nuln. Though the Bildhofen dynasty did not maintain the Imperial Crown after Magnus, the Unfahigers of Stirland continued to use Nuln as their capital until the twenty fifth century. In 2421, Nuln suffered the indignity of being again sacked by Greenskin invaders. Dieter IV managed to cling to power for eight more years but instead conducted business from Wurtbad. With Marienburg’s scandalous succession and Deiter’s ensuing deposition, the capital moved to Altdorf in the Reikland. Since those days Nuln has drifted back into the orbit of the Counts of Wissenland. This greatly due to the position of the ruling Liebwitz dynasty’s title as Counts of Nuln in addition to the Electoral County of Wissenland.

The People
Though attached to Wissenland, the people of Nuln cannot be traced back to the lines of any of the old tribes of the Empire, it is an entirely cosmopolitan city showing the influences from many of neighboring provinces. In addition, Nuln houses a large numbers of immigrants and has the largest population of Tileans in all the Empire. Nulners are proud of their city’s history and are often better educated, regardless of class, than any other people in the Empire. The beauty endowed on the city by Emperors past manifests itself in higher aesthetic tastes of Nulners. Nulners are not particularly religious and coupled with their ‘fancy’ tastes they get branded as libertines by many Wissenlanders. While this may be true of some Nulners, particularly the younger of the city’s nobility, Nulners are simply a people who enjoy life and are not ashamed to show it.

Ruling House:
Von Liebwitz Coat of Arms: Yellow Scales on a black field.
   Emmanuelle von Liebwitz is the beloved Countess of Nuln as well as the absentee Countess of Wissenland. The eldest of the Von Liebwitz line, Emmanuelle was set to inherit a vast demesne from birth. In addition, Emmanuelle is blessed by being one of the most beautiful women in all of the Empire. As fate dealt her both fabulous wealth and stunning appearance, she has been able to live a life in which her merest demands are answered instantly beginning with her doting father and servants to the vast array of lovers she has entertained since. There are few Elector Counts of the Empire who are not rumored to have, at one time or another, enjoyed the Countess’s charms. Though in her middle years now, the Countess is still a striking woman for her age and scandalous accusations continue to this day over her numerous affairs, most notably the recent suggestion of liaisons with the bachelor Elector Count Helmut Feuerbach of Talabecland. Completely disinterested with the dealings of state, Emmanuelle relies a great deal on advisors but has the sense to appoint competent ones at that. These advisors have seen to continuing many of her father’s directives particular towards improving Nuln’s wealth. Vast sums of money have been expended in order to open a Nuln Engineering College. Despite setbacks during the Mutant attack on Nuln early in her reign, the College has managed to attract a good deal of prospective Engineers. Proximity to the Imperial Gunnery School as well Nuln’s foundries, enables the Nuln College to siphon more and more students away from the more storied Altdorf Engineers College. Besides attending extravagant parties and purchasing the finest of things, Emmanuelle wants nothing more than make Nuln the wealthiest city in the Empire in order that she might divorce it from Wissenland. She of course wishes to retain her position as Elector of the Empire and is more than willing to remain as such through a very large donation to the Imperial treasury.
   The senior branch of the von Liebwitz line has no other members since the tragic death of Leos von Liebwitz at little over a decade ago. Leos, the younger brother of Emmanuelle, was perhaps the finest duelist in the Empire being hired by some of the most influential of the Empire’s families as tutor in swordsmanship. Leos ironically met his end in a duel with an otherwise unremarkable Altdorf guardsman. Whether it was hubris on Leos’s part or blind luck on the side of the guardsman, few are willing to speculate. The Countess is particularly defensive about rumors surrounding Leos’s death and few are as unwise as to mention any such talk within the palace halls.

Important City Locations
Like any other older city, Nuln is divided into a number of sections of various ages and purposes. The earliest part of the city lies in the Altestadt, which is constructed upon a great hilltop. Before the ancient war between the Dwarfs and Elves, the hill was a fortified outpost and the early humans most likely built the initial city upon old elven ruins. The area is now home to the Countess’s palace, the homes of the nobility, and the city’s great temples. Below the Aletstadt, encompassing the land between the old city walls and the River Reik, is the Nuestadt. This district houses the bulk of Nuln’s population, its major centers of learning, and most of its merchant offices. The youngest portion of the city lies on the western bank of the river. The Faulestadt, as the region is known, is home to the bulk of Nuln’s industry. As the city has expanded its industrial output, more and more of the upper and middle classes have complained about the fumes and grime such activity creates. Laws have slowly increased the regulation of were certain activities can take place and the strictest of these have come under Emmanuelle herself. Along with the many of the city’s smelting operations all other ‘unpleasant’ industry has been transferred to the far side of the river by decree of the Countess. The smallest portion of the city comprises the spur of land between the Aver and Upper Reik and is referred to by Nulners as Der Halbinsel. Here the majority of Nuln’s Dwarf population resides as well as housing the bulk of Nuln’s military barracks and infrastructure. 

The Imperial Gunnery School
High Chancellor: Lord Julianus Groot
   Modern artillery began working its way into the Imperial arsenals late in the second millennium. The constant civil wars offered a lucrative opportunity for Dwarf smiths to found mercenary artillery companies and ply their trade within the Empire’s borders. The demand for these new weapons soon outstripped the supply. As early as the sixteenth century Marienburg vessels were beginning to be outfitted with primitive guns. These guns were often based on Tilean designs as the Tileans were more than willing to share the information they had copied from the Dwarfs for a price. This competition inspired more and more spurned Dwarf Engineers to sell their services to wealthy Imperial lords and open their own foundries within the Empire’s borders. By the beginning of the Vampire Wars, most Elector Counts sported a moderate artillery train and a handful of Handgunner regiments.
   It was only in the twenty-second century in which the first combination of foundry and gunner school was opened in Nuln. The preexisting arms industry in Nuln along with its large Dwarf population made it the ideal site for such a venture. The arrangement was further solidified through a substantial donation to the Dwarven Engineers Guild, which up until this point had clamored for redress at the illegal Imperial ‘reproduction’ of Dwarven technology. The Count of Wissenland, at the time acting as the ‘Sigmarite’ Emperor, nearly bankrupted the state in order to pay for the enormous costs of expanding Nuln’s foundries, building the School’s facilities, and paying the hefty sum demanded by the Dwarfs but once paid for, the financiers of the venture reaped profits often in excess of three times they had invested in a little over a decade.
In the four hundred years since it opened, the Imperial Gunnery School has greatly expanded. Its buildings in Nuestadt are quite large and imposing compared with those of Nuln’s University. As the School and city have expanded, new parts of the town have been annexed for the School’s use. The most important of these acquisitions is Aver Island where the School conducts the bulk of its live fire testing. Though the foundries of Faulestadt have taken over a good deal of the work, the School still casts many cannon and mortar barrels on site. Most of the large caliber pieces are cast from brass or bronze but evolving technology has allowed the school to experiment with iron. Most of the carriage fittings for artillery are also made on school grounds along with a number of pieces for handguns and pistols. The School is also responsible for production of a great deal of powder and shot it uses. 
The curriculum for students is aimed at training master gunners. Math is a key component of this education along with the knowledge of how to keep a gun operating in the field. Each student is at least given rudimentary training in how to repair field pieces as well as producing powder and shot for their weapons. 

The Temple District
Though not as highly placed in the old city as even the homes of the nobility, the cities various temples hold great sway in the city’s affairs. Nuln’s Cathedral of Sigmar is the most ancient building of Sigmarite worship in world. Constructed over the area in which Johan Helstrum first preached the divinity of Sigmar, the Sigmarite Cathedral may no longer have the same clout as the Grand Cathedral in Altdorf but still attracts a great number of pilgrims and donations.  The city’s Temple of Myramidia is one of the grandest in the Empire taking up an entire city block. Though not the Orders Headquaters, many Knights of the Blazing Son are stationed in Nuln because of the large Myrimidian Temple. Arguably the most influential of Nuln’s temples is that of Verena. Strong patrons of the cities Universities, the Temple of Verena is a massive structure located at the edge of the Temple District. In addition to religious duties, the temple is also used as the city’s court house. Countess Emmanuelle does reserve her right to pardon cases and have final say in sentencing but most of the city’s judicial business is conducted by the cult. In addition Nuln boasts a large Garden of Morr and a small Temple of Ulric.

The Nuln College of Engineering
Headmaster: Waldred Teuber
   Nuln’s Engineering College is often overlooked by people as a separate entity. The Imperial Gunnery School’s age and size eclipses that of the Engineering College and that the Engineers have a close relation with the Gunnery School further blurs the distinction. Opening an Engineering College in Nuln was the brain child of Emmanuelle’s father, who began luring Engineers away from Altdorf in the 2490’s. Immense sums of money were expended in order to procure the services of these Engineers as well as to construct a campus on par with the older Imperial Gunnery School. Shortly into Emmanuelle’s reign the College was completed but was soon ravaged by fire set by unknown saboteurs. The College has never been completely rebuilt though construction continues to restore the facility to its former, if brief, glory.
   The College still garners a considerable endowment from the Countess but funds are directed at moving the College out from the shadows of both the Gunnery School and the Altdorf Engineers College. Many of the original faculty were the lesser professors from Altdorf and brought with them many of the tried and true designs of the great engineers such as Leonardo da Miragiliano and Ludwig von Meinkopt. Unfortunately this stifled the Nuln College’s originality and, to many Altdorf Engineers, the College looked more like a talentless parody. In order to remedy this problem, the College scoured the Empire for fresh and innovative minds. Initially the policy was a success but senior instructors began to grow concerned that the work of some students flirted too close to heresy. To curb the unrestrained imagination of some in the student body, the College offered positions to many exiled Dwarf Engineers. The fusion worked perfectly and now the Nuln College of Engineers produces nearly as many new and fantastic inventions as the much larger Altdorf College.

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Part II

The University of Nuln
   Nuln’s University is one of the oldest in the Empire. Comprising four grandiose buildings located in Nuestadt, the University has a strong sense of tradition and culture. However, the University has struggled of late with its traditionalist position. The University’s curriculum is much the same as it was centuries ago and is losing out to more modern institutions, particularly the University in Altdorf. Nobility still receives preferences in admissions and housing further exacerbating the problem by pushing wealthy burghers into sending their sons off to Altdorf or enrolling them for training in the Imperial Gunnery School.

The Richthofen Foundries
   Controlling one third of Nuln’s artillery foundries, the Richthofen’s are one of the wealthiest families in Nuln. Karl Richthofen, the current owner, inherited the enterprise only a few years ago but in that time has put considerable work into making them Nuln’s finest. The Richthofen Foundries already provide half of the Gunnery Schools supplies and Karl has used his contacts to make the techniques and equipment employed in his foundries technological superior to his competitors, namely those owned by the Countess.

The Iron Tower
   Located on an island in the middle of the Reik, the Iron Tower is Nuln’s dreaded prison. Built only a half century ago, the Iron Tower already has a fearsome reputation amongst Nuln’s criminals. Unfortunately in its brief tenure many ‘innocents’ have also ended their days in one its cells or torture chambers. Most of these excesses occurred under Chief Magistrate Fritz von Halstadt, a particularly adept spymaster though some argue over zealous, some twenty years ago but many today cannot be certain it still contains a great number of guiltless souls.

Important Feastivals
The Feast of Verena
Not so much a city wide festival, the Feast of Verena is the annual banquet held to honor the faculty and students of Nuln’s Engineering College and the Imperial Gunnery School by the Countess herself. The day of the feast the both Colleges are affectively shut down. While the event is designed primarily for staff and the College’s senior students, many of the younger students manage to ‘sneak’ into the banquet hall and participate as well. Though the evening begins with a great deal of ceremony it quickly degenerates into a raucous drunken celebration.

Black Powder Week
Several weeks after Mittherbst in the autumn, the Imperial Gunnery School’s outdoor live fire exercises are called to a halt. Test firings of new guns continue throughout the year but winter weather is hard on the School’s permanent pieces as well as the older gunnery instructors. To celebrate the conclusion of the season, the younger charges of the school produce a vast assortment of small fireworks which are then distributed to townsfolk passing by the Gunnery School grounds. Nights are celebrated with increasingly grander fireworks displays culminating with the School’s graduation ceremonies which conclude the week.
   

Military
   For a city that houses the Imperial Gunnery School and a College of Engineering, it is not surprising that Nuln’s military forces are oriented toward artillery. While other Imperial armies attach their guns to specific regiments, Nuln regiments are built around the guns. Batteries or even individual field pieces are assigned personal regiments for protection. Imperial gun crews are very superstitious about their guns and none more so than Nulners. As all guns cast by the Gunnery School are christened with names, crews and the regiments that protect them attribute all sorts of anthropomorphic qualities to their field pieces.
   Nuln’s regiments are also more likely to be led by a non-nobleman than anywhere else in the Empire. There is little glory and prestige in commanding artillery or being an engineer so few of the high nobility bother and level of technical education required further disinterests noble sons from entering such services. Nobles that do enter are often from the lowest tiers of the Empire’s nobility who, without military careers, could not afford to maintain their station. The majority of Nuln’s officers tend to be drawn from the merchant classes and even the current High Chancellor of the Imperial Gunnery School is, himself, the son a Nuln burgher. Education extends even beyond the officer class as many of Nuln’s common soldiers have received some form of instruction as any male orphan in Nuln becomes ward of the Imperial Gunnery School. Termed ‘Sons of the Guns’, these orphans are tasked with a myriad of minor chores that keep the School operational while at the same time preparing them to have useful trades when they are adults. Beyond trade skills sons are also instructed in writing, reading, and basic mathematics. The service is not free and when they are old enough their debt must be paid back to the School. Many achieve this through enlisting in Nuln’s military and some of more gifted become master artillerists themselves.

Famous Regiments
The Siege Train of Nuln
Nuln is famous for its artillerists and only the best are attached to the city’s finest battery, the Nuln Siege Train. Composed of only the most storied guns cast in the city’s foundries, the Siege Train inspires pride in every Nulner. When the regiment departs for a war, great pomp and circumstance is put into the parade given to ensure a quick victory and the regiment’s safe return.  Cumbersome and unwieldy, the regiment is primarily reserved for defensive actions and sieges. Most recently, the regiment’s batteries were instrumental in destroying the Ogre army at the Battle of a Hundred Cannons.
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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire:Added Nuln 10/17
« Reply #19 on: October 30, 2010, 05:37:14 AM »
Cant wait till this is finished and enshired in the library! Such a great resource

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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire:Added Nuln 10/17
« Reply #20 on: October 31, 2010, 10:07:34 PM »
Cant wait till this is finished and enshired in the library! Such a great resource

Agreed.  :eusa_clap:

This goes nicely together with osterknact's project on bringing the nuances of the provinces on the battlefield. Great to see people doing something I'd like to do but have no time. Thanks!  :lol:

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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire:Added Nuln 10/17
« Reply #21 on: November 03, 2010, 01:33:19 PM »
Really good work here.
Me and Wissenlander had babies!

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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire:Added Nuln 10/17
« Reply #22 on: January 04, 2011, 01:47:51 AM »
This is a pretty cool thread. Props to anyone producing campaign material based on cross-referencing a wide research of source books and novels.

I was a bit disappointed in two areas though;

1. You've referenced Sword of Justice by Chris Wraight, and not given any details on the outcome of Schwartzhelm's visit to Averheim. Without spoiling too much for anyone who hasn't read the story yet, a new Elector Count has been crowned in Averland!

2. How about including a bit more of the scandal surrounding the death of effete duellist Leos von Liebwitz. Most folks must have read Beasts in Velvet from the Genevieve Undead omnibus so surely it can't hurt to mention he was a cross-dressing bipolar dandy. ;)

Great effort all round man.

Regards,

Werekin.
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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire:Added Nuln 10/17
« Reply #23 on: January 05, 2011, 12:36:11 AM »

I was a bit disappointed in two areas though;

1. You've referenced Sword of Justice by Chris Wraight, and not given any details on the outcome of Schwartzhelm's visit to Averheim. Without spoiling too much for anyone who hasn't read the story yet, a new Elector Count has been crowned in Averland!

2. How about including a bit more of the scandal surrounding the death of effete duellist Leos von Liebwitz. Most folks must have read Beasts in Velvet from the Genevieve Undead omnibus so surely it can't hurt to mention he was a cross-dressing bipolar dandy. ;)


Well the main reason for going into such depth is that the goal of the guide is not to ruin the plot of such books but use the ancillary details that expand our knowledge of the Warhammer universe to compile a single guide. In addition the idea of this guide is that is written by some Tilean as a political guide for his patrons son that will be attending university in Nuln or some such. This precludes the outcome of Sword of Justice since it is set in the post-Storm of Chaos world which the 8th edition has now dropped and generally is rather boring when describing how crappy things are in the North Empire. For the second the events described in Beasts in Velvet would really not be something many people in the Warhammer World would learn of and by the bit at the start of the Ambassador series suggests that the Nuln Court keeps the events quite secret with the odd disappearance of those that bring up to many of the real details. 
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Re: WIP Guide to the Empire:Added Nuln 10/17
« Reply #24 on: January 05, 2011, 08:04:25 PM »
Quote
Well the main reason for going into such depth is that the goal of the guide is not to ruin the plot of such books but use the ancillary details that expand our knowledge of the Warhammer universe to compile a single guide.

I can totally respect that line regarding anything which is current. And the Electoral struggle in Averland is hot topic right now! That being said current events panning out in the Black Library publications become the foundation of future campaigns & contests. It's all completely relevant. When I picked up a copy of the latest Warhammer rulebook upon release I seem to recall reading an excerpt about the Everqueen biting the dust, and thinking to myself when the heck did that happen!? It wasn't until reading an old copy of Defenders of Ulthuan (upon recommendation) that the penny dropped. The attention to detail in a lot of novels is pretty mind-blowing and vice versa regarding the source books!

Quote
In addition the idea of this guide is that is written by some Tilean as a political guide for his patrons son that will be attending university in Nuln or some such. This precludes the outcome of Sword of Justice since it is set in the post-Storm of Chaos world which the 8th edition has now dropped and generally is rather boring when describing how crappy things are in the North Empire.

The way in which point of view encourages mild confusion or ambiguity is rather thrilling. There must be a healthy amount of debate caused by perception at Black Library HQ!

Life in the Empire is always crap. Unless you're a  merchant things were looking grim before, during and after SoC! At any given time the future is only going to seem as bright at the talented quill of the scribe can suggest.

Quote
For the second the events described in Beasts in Velvet would really not be something many people in the Warhammer World would learn of and by the bit at the start of the Ambassador series suggests that the Nuln Court keeps the events quite secret with the odd disappearance of those that bring up to many of the real details.

Agreed S.O.F. The mysterious way you've reported on this should make a curious delve into the archives in order to find out more about the son of a gun who was fortunate enough to best a trained killer who moved in circles above his station. Curiously, I believe this event might have (triggered another author hence) inspired Felix Jaeger to cut down the corrupt official heading up the secret police in Nuln, during 'Skavenslayer'. ;)

Did you manage to sort out some work ok?

Regards,

Werekin.
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— Detlef Sierck, Impresario and Greatest Actor-Playwright of the Old World