Border Princes
The Border Princes is a natural destination for emigrating peasants and nobles, seeking a better life. Most of these colonists are descendants of Bretonnia or come from the Empire and Tilea. Many of them are political or religious refugees, but the region is also the natural destination for deserters and/or criminals on the run from the law.
History
In former times the Border Princes were largely inhabited by savage tribes of Greenskins, but now the land is fiercely disputed by the hardy human colonists and many Orc and Goblin tribes.
In 1452 IC[6b], a second Crusade was being prepared against Araby but the route was disputed until Baron Tybalt du Bois de Balzac was elected commander of the expedition and chose to lead them by land, avoiding pirates and the lack of available ships. By the time they reached Barak Varr, the first crusade had already defeated the Sultan and so the crusaders instead attacked the greenskin strongholds along the Blood River, quickly joined by the local Dwarfs! The cleared region would become known as the Border Princes. [6a] The Knights built great castles to hold back the Orcs, becoming the first Border Princes.
In 1664 IC, a warhost of Daemons and beastmen besieged Kronenbourg and the nearby Dwarf mine, leaving both in flames. [8a]
In 2276 IC Tomb King Settra the Imperishable invaded the Border Princes. His undead legions razed Kasos and Thessos and laid siege at least to Citadelle Bouelia and Matorea.[15][16]
A vast horde of Orcs invade the area in 2420 IC and in response to calls for help, King Charlen of Bretonnia calls an Errantry War against the invaders. The war continues until 2488 when Baron Jules de Fontainebleu led his knights into Death Pass where the entire army is thought to have been wiped out. [6a]
Notable People
- Sven Carlsson: A Border Prince. The militia from his realm are mounted on horseback and garbed in red uniforms and wear very heavy armour. Carlsson's Cavalry are very well trained in combat, as Carlsson himself is a retired mercenary, and values well-trained troops. Carlsson is a personal friend of Morgan Bernhardt and the two often come to each other's aid[1].
- Lietpold the Black, Border Prince and Mercenary General. He rides a barded warhorse to war and has some of the most ostentatious and detailed armour ever to grace the Old World[2].
- Count Schuvaltz - a Border Prince in 2480 IC, Schuvaltz was in need of money and resources to raise an army, so he commissioned another army to plunder the land of Khemri. Only one survivor returned.[3]
- Farnio Forzini was the Duke of Alfori. During the End Times he was captured by Mannfred von Carstein and turned into a vampire. Later, he returned to his family lands and wreaked havoc upon them.[4]
- Gashnag: A Strigoi Ghoul King who commands a small kingdom. He dwells in a soaring tower with extensive catacombs beneath allowing his packs of Crypt Ghouls to enter and leave secretly. Few who enter his kingdom, be they merchants or nobles intent on conquering his kingdom, are ever seen again. The humans who reside in his kingdom view him as a mysterious and even romantic figure who provides them protection.[10a]
Locations
The human colonists are tentatively organized into tiny kingdoms, small principalities, and independent city-states, but most of them are little more than fortified villages. All of them are targets of fierce Orc incursions and few survive for very long.
The colonists are somewhat stronger in the north-west, while the Greenskin hordes dominate the south-east. Even in the north some Orc and Goblin tribes live in hard-to-reach places like forests and mountains. In the centre of the whole region lies Barak Varr, the great seaport of the Dwarfs. The Blood River is the ultimate frontier, but no place north of the river is completely safe from the occasional Orc or Goblin raid.
- Aldium. [12]
- Alfori
- Argalis. [12]
- Black Gulf. [12]
- Blood River. [12]
- Brovska. [12]
- High Hall. [12]
- Kasos. [12]
- Khypris: Relatively large city-state. [11a]
- Kharnos Forest. [12]
- Klossi. [12]
- Kronenbourg: A fortress established by followers of Baron Tybalt in 1452 IC but destroyed in 1664 IC. [8a]
- The Northern Border Confederacy is a mutual alliance of quite different settlements who work together for protection. It includes;
- Akendorf: [12] Currently ruled by Lord Durant.[13a]
- The Duchy of Brovska is ruled by Duke Beaucamp. It has a population of approximately 500, and there economy is based on Agriculture and cattle farming.
- Munzig: [12] A simple dictatorship ruled by Graf von Erhard. It has a population of approximately 520, and there economy is based on timber, sheep and market industry.
- Myrmidens: Founded by settlers from Luccini in Tilea.[14a].
- Styrtia: [12] A traditional principality ruled by High Prince Bela. It has a population of approximately 450, and there economy is based on Agriculture and cattle farming and vineyards. [5]
- Lagoon of Tears.[12]
- Malko. [12]
- Matorea. [12]
- Sonnental: A quiet, well guarded town near the haunted Geistenmund Hills. [9]
- Thessos. [12]
- Vardanos. [12]
- Varenka Hills. [12]
- Vidovdan. [12]
Religion
Cultists of Gunndred in the Border Princes have recently been focussing on the cattle rustling element of their diety. Acting in groups of at least a dozen, they carry distinctive shields painted with a primitive cow skull and lasso and wear bright red cloaks. When they strike, they torture and kill any guards and any cowherds that resist but allow those who run to escape. [7a]
Gallery
Sources
- 1: Warhammer: Dark Omen
- 2: Warhammer Forge, Needs Citation
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Battles (6th Edition), pg. 201
- 4: Warhammer: Nagash, pg. 53
- 5: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (2nd Edition), Renegade Crowns
- 6: Warhammer Armies: Bretonnia (5th Edition)
- 7: Tome of Salvation
- 7a: Chapter 5: Other gods, pg. 117-118
- 8: The Citadel Journal 40
- 8a: Battle of Kronenbourg, pg. 34
- 9: Night's Dark Masters pg. 58
- 10: Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (7th Edition)
- 10a: The Undead, pg. 27
- 11: White Dwarf 125 (UK)
- 11a: Plague Daemon, pg. 12
- 12: The Old World Website
- 13: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition): Empire In Ruins Companion
- 13a: pg. 44
- 14: Lords of the Lance (Novel) by Graham McNeill
- 14a: Ch. 2
- 15: Arcane Journal: Tomb Kings of Khemri: Settra's Fury, pg. 14-19
- 16: Arcane Journal: Kingdom of Bretonnia: War in the Border Princes, pg. 14-19
Border Princes | ||
Units | Border Horse - Border Princes Bombards - Border Princes Brigands | |
Characters | Adalene Monteaux - Alain Clé - Cecil Gastonne - Desa Donalba - Faramond - Farnio Forzini - Fredo Tordorno - Fulma Ortegeta - Gashnag - Giovanni Badrinatti - Gunter Dunkelmund - Harmis Detz - Jaardorf - Julien Pontenne - Jurgan Esselhafen - Karl Raachwald- Karolina Aquilena - Lietpold the Black - Lothar Aquilena - Rutgar - Schuvaltz - Sven Carlsson - Valdos Uvetovsk | |
Principalities and Settlements |
Akendorf - Alfori - Barak Varr - High Spear - Kasos - Khypris - Malko - Matorea - Munzig - Myrmidens - Organza Nova - Rif al-Sakhr - Sonnental - Styrtia - Thessos - Zvork | |
Images - Miniatures |