The County of Wissenland

The County of Wissenland borders the Grey Mountains to the west with the Reikland to the north and Averland and Sudenland to the east. One of Wissenland's greatest assets is having Bugman's Brewery, located by the river Sol. It produces the finest ale in the Empire and probably in the Old World. The stout brew house was set up by Zamnil Bugman and it is his son, Josef, who owns and runs the brewery today. However, it is a veritable settlement now: a haven for expatriate Dwarfs from all over The Empire to taste a bit of 'home'. Bugman's Brewery is well-guarded, which isn't surprising considering a Dwarf's love for beer is almost as much as his love for gold. Some of the meanest and most ferocious Dwarf warriors live in Bugman's settlement and they will fight to the death to protect the alehouse, especially as Giants from the Grey Mountains come down for their ten yearly drinking binge, so it is easy for the brewery to attract good fighters.

Wissenland is attached to the City-State of Nuln and is governed by the Pfeifraucher family, specifically Count Bruno Pfeifraucher. But it wasn't always so. Before the 24th Century Wissenland changed hands several times between Emperors and Counts, gaining independence and then losing it. It was the von Reichenbachs tyrannical rule of the village of Kreutzhofen that signalled changing times for Wissenland and, of course, the beneficent rule of Emperor Magnus the Pious (see the historical notes below.)

Roots: The Avermanni (see Averland.)

Historical Notes: The development of Wissenland has probably been tied to a small village at the foot of the Black Mountains called Kreutzhofen. In 1614 it was nothing more than a hamlet and was raided many times by goblins and bandits from the mountains. Kreutzhofen was abandoned time and again due to these unwelcome incursions but the people would always return to pick up the pieces and in 2107 it became a village. At this time there were three Emperors in the Empire. One of them was Emperor Adelbert IV who ruled from Nuln and controlled both Averland and Wissenland. He heard of the discovery of Montdidier Pass by the Bretonnian Marc Oppoleaux and wished to secure the Kreutzhofen area so that he could benefit from Bretonnian mercenaries who would use the pass to get to the Empire. With the support of the Grand Theogonist, Adelbert sent troops to secure the area and a noble from Marienburg was more than willing to help govern it, a one Count Axel Reichenbach. The troops from Nuln defeated the goblins in the Kreutzhofen area and raids in the region became less frequent. Farmers and craftsmen began to settle in the village but unfortunately things began to go wrong...

Count Axel Reichenbach was a petty noble in Marienburg and when trade with Bretonnia flourished he diverted taxes to his own pocket. He eventually amassed a fortune and had village labourers build him a mansion. The people of Kreutzhofen were ruthlessly under the Count's thumb and with the troops to enforce his rule the villagers became nothing but serfs. Anyone who complained were brutally suppressed. The Count's successors were no better. They retarded the link with Tilea by hiring an explorer to investigate the subterranean stretch of the river Sol to the south of the village and then claiming that it was full of malevolent beasts. These packs of lies were paid handsomely by Count Bruno Reichenbach and no-one thought to explore the Tilean route. Years later, however, Tileans appeared from it, compounding the stories of savage sea monsters.

When Magnus von Bildhofen, later called the "Pious", trumpeted the call to arms for the Empire to go to the aid of Kislev and defeat the spawn of Chaos, Reichenbach lost his troops to the call. Without protection the Reichenbachs were murdered and their mansion burned to the ground by the angry villagers, who seized on the opportunity to rid themselves of their longtime oppressors. The villagers told the authorities that the Reichenbachs had been killed by bandits and because of the upheavel the Empire was suffering at the time no-one questioned them.

Magnus the Pious, now Emperor, gave rulership of Wissenland to the Pfeifraucher family and, on the advice of the Grand Theogonist, tied the county to the City-State of Nuln, thus preventing any single tyrant from afflicting Kreutzhofen again. In later years the military garrison in Kreutzhofen has declined and no goblinoids have raided the area for almost a century; connections with the Barons of the Border Princes and in particular the lands of the Steinkuhler family have increased trade and stability.

Military Colours: Grey and white.

Settlement Name Size Ruler Pop Wealth Source of Wealth Garrison/Militia Notes
WISSENBURG T Count Bruno Pfeifraucher 5,772 4 Trade, 'Services', Govt. 100a/500b Capital of Wissenland
Wusterburg ST Count Bruno 1,839 4 Trade, fishing 100b/400c  
Grissenwald ST Count Bruno 1,500 3 Boat-building 50a/250b Ferry
Geshburg V Count Bruno 78 3 Agriculture, Fishing    
Kreutzhofen V Dorfrichter Sigismund Klippel 56 4 Trade, farming 2b/3c See Death's Dark Shadow
Kroppensleben V Count Bruno 47 2 Fishing -  
Scharmbeck V Count Bruno 70 2 Fishing 5c  
Sonnefurt V Count Bruno 182 2 Fishing 10c  
Weilerberg V Count Theodosius von Eisenstadt 18 3 Agriculture 1b/2c Hamlet on the outskirts of Kreutzhofen
Bugman's Brewery V Josef Bugman 88 5 Ale 20a Best ale in Old World

CHARACTERS FROM THE COUNTY OF WISSENLAND

WISSENLANDER WARRIOR BASIC CAREER CHART

Human Elf Dwarf Halfling Career
01-10 01-10 01-15 01-10 Bodyguard
16-20 - 16-20 11-15 Labourer
- - - - Marine
21-30 11-40 21-45 - Mercenary
31-35 41-45 46-50 16-40 Militiaman
36-40 46-50 51-55 41-45 Noble
41-50 51-55 56-60 46-55 Outlaw
51-55 - 61-65 - Pit Fighter
56-60 56-60 66-70 - Protagonist
61-65 61-65 - - Seaman
66-75 66-70 71-74 56-72 Servant
76-90 71-85 75-84 73-85 Soldier
91-95 86-95 - - Squire
- - 85-90 - Troll Slayer
- - 91-97 - Tunnel Fighter
96-00 96-00 98-00 86-00 Watchman

WISSENLANDER RANGER BASIC CAREER CHART

Human Elf Dwarf Halfling Career
01-10 01-05 - - Boatman
11-15 06-15 06-15 - Bounty Hunter
16-20 16-20 16-20 06-10 Coachman
21-30 - - - Farmer
31-35 21-25 - 11-20 Fisherman
36-45 26-45 21-30 21-30 Gamekeeper
46-50 46-55 - 31-40 Herdsman
51-55 56-65 31-35 41-55 Hunter
56-60 66-70 36-40 56-65 Muleskinner
61-64 71-75 - - Outrider
65 - - - Pilot
66-75 - 41-55 - Prospector
76-80 - 56-65 66-70 Rat Catcher
81-85 - 66-70 71-75 Roadwarden
- - 71-80 - Runner
86-90 - 81-85 76-80 Toll-Keeper
91-95 76-90 86-00 81-95 Trapper
96-00 91-00 - 96-00 Woodsman

WISSENLANDER ROGUE BASIC CAREER CHART

Human Elf Dwarf Halfling Career
01-05 01-05 - 01-10 Agitator
06-10 - 01-05 11-15 Bawd
11-15 - 06-10 16-20 Beggar
16-20 06-20 11-15 21-30 Entertainer
21-25 20-25 16-20 31-35 Footpad
26-35 26-35 21-25 36-50 Gambler
36-40 - 26-35 51-55 Grave Robber
41-45 - 36-40 - Jailer
- 36-50 - - Minstrel
46-55 51-60 41-50 56-60 Pedlar
56-60 61-70 51-55 61-70 Raconteur
61-75 71-85 56-65 71-75 Rustler
76-80 86-95 66-75 76-80 Smuggler
81-90 96-00 76-80 81-95 Thief
91-00 - 81-00 96-00 Tomb Robber

WISSENLANDER ACADEMIC BASIC CAREER CHART

Human Elf Dwarf Halfling Career
01-10 01-10 01-15 01-10 Alchemist's Apprentice
11-20 11-15 11-25 11-25 Artisan's Apprentice
21-25 - - - Druid
- - 26-35 - Engineer
26-35 - 36-40 26-30 Exciseman
36-40 16-40 41-45 31-50 Herbalist
41-45 40-45 - - Hypnotist
46-50 46-50 46-55 51-55 Initiate
51-55 51-60 56-60 56-60 Pharmacist
56-60 61-65 61-65 61-65 Physician's Student
61-70 66-70 66-70 66-70 Scribe
71-75 71-75 71-75 71-75 Seer
76-80 76-80 76-80 76-80 Student
81-93 81-90 81-98 81-98 Trader
94-00 91-00 99-00 99-00 Wizard's Apprentice