The Principality of StattenlandThe political map of Stattenland and its territories in Hochland.
Red is the border of Stattenland, yellow is disputed territory and the light blue colour is annexed territory in the year 2523.
A more modern map of Stattenland
The Political Map of Wissenland 2527
Red is the Barony of Nuestaat with the town of Nuestaat in the North east corner.
Stattenland, a History.
(As penned by Professor Urial von Sontir, adviser to his highness Prince Seth Contyre and Count Derek Contyre.)
I will begin with a short history of the years leading up to the establishment of the Contyre dynasty in Stattenland. After that will be a chronological timeline of Stattenland and some interesting descriptive notes on the forming of the Principality and then a list of the Contyre’s who ruled Statten and eventually Stattenland.
Every story begins with a great event, although not many would call the Gorbad Ironclaw invasion very great.
But this is where the History of the Principality of Stattenland begins.
1707, Gorbad Ironclaw’s invasion of the Empire smashes through the southern provinces, Solland is destroyed and Nuln flattened, leaving thousands of refugees to flee in the wake of the invasion as it moves towards Altdorf. While many found solace in what was left of Nuln and the Reikland, one man and a group under his protection pushed further north.
This man’s name was Armand Contyre and he claimed to be a relative of the now deceased Elector Count of Solland, Eldred. He reinforced his claim with a magical, rune encrusted sword, said to be a powerful item made by the Dwarfs of Karak Hirn, and gifted to the Electors of Solland. Armand was a visionary, indeed, it must of been quite a man that led this group of people north for nearly five hundred miles.
The journey it was said was brutal, the refugee army was beset by tribes of fleeing Orcs and Goblins, Beastmen and ultimately, the journey itself.
Many lost hope along the way, and blamed Armand for their troubles. Armand, it was said, wept at his charges plight and took all the blame. This restored the people’s confidence in their chosen leader and they travelled north once more along the river Reik, then the Talabec.
Nuln was flattened and Altdorf had pushed them away, and so, at a small town on the north bank of the Talabec, the refugees made their rest.
This town, Statten, was small, only just over a thousand person’s or so, not rich enough to handle over five hundred extra people at once.
So the current ranking nobles came out as a delegation in place of the Baron, who was gravely ill to refuse the entry of these refugees and this Contyre.
Records from the time indicate that the two most senior nobles were men named Van Garret and Van Tasset, who went to refuse the entry of the refugees with three hundred Middenland attired state troops that were stationed at Statten.
The nobles expected a fight from this Armand, but instead he pleaded with them, first face to face, but then on his knees, his people around him doing the same.
The leader of the elected meeting party was Van Garret, and he was moved by the humbleness of the apparently southern cosmopolitan. He accepted, but his condition was that his people had to earn their own way in the community. Armand agreed to that proposition on the provision that they all become Stattener’s immediately and were to be treated as such.
Many in the party refused, as this would enable the Sollander’s to affect the governing of the town.
Van Garret and his side argued with Van Tasset and his side until Armand stepped in and broke the argument.
He famously decreed that; “No Contyre will ever choose to be in power.”
The nobles collectively laughed at him but Armand pressed the issue and swore on his sword. The Middenland soldiers were impressed with this act and they helped convince the nobles that they should accept this Contyre and his followers into the community.
The turn of 1708 marked the beginning of the Contyre legacy. Their previous title was that of Count and Armand kept that title, even though he had no land to go with it.
But the Sollander refugees he brought with him had already agreed that he was their count and called him such.
Armand Contyre was true to his word, he never claimed, but he wanted it. All noble born do.
With his people he divided them in half; one half would build villages and farms on the edges of Statten and Stattenwood (many in Statten knew of the beasts that haunt the forest, but they said nothing, hoping the Sollander’s would eventually be killed by their own stupidity).
While the others began construction on what can only be called ‘Lumber mills’.
Armand Contyre, in his previous life, was the exchequer of trade and commerce in Solland, his tale about being a relative of Eldred was true, the two were first cousins, which had enabled him to gain the position.
The position of exchequer gave Armand a useful insight to the needs of the Empire after Gorbad’s invasion, specifically, lumber and food.
Armand, in his cunning, decided that both would be needed to fund his rise to power.
The year of 1708 was hard for the people of Contyre.
Their monies and valuables had gone into buying grain and seeds to plant for harvest while the lumber and other wood they had first cut was used to complete the lumber mills and their farms and homes.
The only thing that kept them there and going was the Count.
He shared their suffering, their hunger, their anguish when someone was taken by the beasts of the forest, but he gave them something back.
Hope. Hope and drive.
For the next two years the people of Contyre suffered and scraped, their living was left over food from any they sold at Statten. Many a Townsman would sneer at the ‘southlanders’ but when Armand was near, or helping sell the produce his people made at market for the full price, the townspeople said nothing, they were, after all, Stattener’s as had been agreed.
It was nearly five years later, after Armand had planted the seeds of power and prosperity that something changed for the better.
The current baron of Statten, Otto Koenig, was dying and had only one child, his daughter Elsabeth Koenig, to succeed him. Lady Elsabeth was a sharp minded and shrewd individual, she knew much about running Statten and had been aware of the trade abilities that Statten had, being on the main river trade from Altdorf to Talabheim.
Unfortunately, the current will of her father stated that she could not rule unless she was married.
Lady Elsabeth hated the idea of a Van Garret or a Van Tasset in control of her beloved town, but there was no one else that she knew of who was eligible.
That is, until Armand Contyre happened to be in town the day of her reading of the will, stating that she needed to have a husband.
Lady Elsabeth saw him from afar, saw his sword; which, in Statten, is a mark of the nobility and knew that he could save her from domination under one of the Van Garret’s or Van Tasset’s.
Armand Contyre, after five years was finally where he needed to be to make his move. The farms of his people were now producing excellent food at peak efficiency, their last two harvests had produced huge amounts of wheat, barley, cabbages and vegetables, which dominated the markets of Statten and made the people of Contyre able to live comfortably in their villages.
While the lumber mills were working six days a week, their workers now expertly able to tell the difference between the species of wood and what it is best used for. Oak, elm, maple and other species of hard and soft woods had been harvested, clearing the land around Statten even further for farming and the raising of cattle and poultry in relative space.
Armand and his people became quite rich, with the supplies of food and lumber paving the way. All Armand needed was an opportunity, one that Elsabeth gave him.
Her proposal was that he would marry her and become Baron and Count of Statten, while she ruled in his place and their first born son or daughter would rule after them.
Armand agreed to this, on one provision, that he be allowed a permanent seat in the town council and that his lumber mills be turned into a company with him as the sole owner by law.
At first Elsabeth thought his price too steep, but when she heard his plan of selling the timber throughout the southern war affected Empire for cheaper than the other, larger timber companies in the northern Empire, she unanimously agreed.
However, before the marriage could begin, Armand first asked her to let the people accept him and his before he ruled over them.
Lady Elsabeth understood, ever since Armand had led his people to Statten, they had treated them like foreigners and the council had even tried to place unjust taxes on them. But those ever inventive taxes were always defeated by the original agreement by Armand Contyre and Van Garret in 1708.
1713 was a bountiful year, food was plentiful, the increase in trade was boosting the local economy and a marriage was set to take place.
But all that good fortune was almost ruined by a beastmen scourge from the northern forests.
In the dead of night they came, burning and killing. Statten lacked any defensive walls and so was easy prey for the beastmen.
The Middenland troops fought well into the night, but against this enemy they had little experience, coming as they did from further west, where goblin tribes were more common.
The morning revealed the devastation reaped by the raid, many in Statten had been affected by it and Otto Koenig had died during the night.
In the middle of the town square, Armand gathered the finest huntsmen from his people and, raising The Sword of Contyre high, declared; “Revenge shall be Statten’s, no beast of the forest shall ever return to plague my home again!”
The townspeople watched them for with heavy hearts, for he had cut a fine figure and he was a good man.
Three days later, on the day that lady Elsabeth Koenig was to choose a husband, Armand returned. Many had thought him dead, and so the Van Garrets and Van Tassets had pressured Lady Elsabeth into choosing one of them to be her new Baron.
The two men chosen waited patiently while Lady Elsabeth tried every tactic to stall the wedding when Armand and ten of his dozens returned.
They were all injured in some way, with many missing fingers and a few missing an eye or two. But each brought back the head of one of the leader beasts, while Armand carried a massive head with the Sword of Contyre lodged in its brain.
The townsfolk were joyous at his return and almost smothered him and his soldiers.
The wedding was cancelled for the day while Armand recounted his story.
(Excerpted from; ‘The revenge of Contyre’, author anon.)
“We spent two days following them, for they covered their tracks well, but we eventually found them at a hideous part of the forest.
“They had begun feasting on the captives and . . . (I removed this next part as the details were gruesome, I expect this is folklore passed down through the centuries, but it is still sickening) the moans and screams of pain and anguish led us straight to their camp.
“Under a massive statue their ‘celebrations’ took place, drinking and eating till we thought they would burst. But they continued. My men and I were horrified, but we watched, we waited for the perfect moment to strike.
“It came after they had all passed out, drunk and gorged on food and drink.
“We snuck into their camp, slitting throats as we went. We had just killed the leaders when a ruckus brought the entire herd awake, a patrol had returned and had bellowed in anger at first, thinking they had missed their chance at food.
“There were still many drunk beasts left that we had not killed and these awoke in a rage.
“My men and I slaughtered these first but their returning allies were harder to finish off.
“I lost good men and women to these monsters but our will and faith in Sigmar prevailed and we vanquished them all.
“We burnt the entire place to the ground, we left nothing alive.
“Our people are avenged”.
Folklore and records indicate that Armand was almost thrown into the lady Elsabeth with the demands of ‘the new baron! Huzzah!”
The wedding took place immediately following the story; even the Van Garrets and Van Tassets were silent for it.