Warminster

Remote Reaches of a Shattered Duchy

Players Guide

By Brian Poprik

Editor-in-Chief – Beren Olean

Production Manager – Brian Poprik

Marketing Director – Cameron Garmer

Contributing Editors

Darcy Johns

Justin Ray

Brandon Dauberger

Rene Newmaster

The Warminster players guide introduces new players to the barony of Warminster, in the duchy of Greyhorn, in the kingdom of Evendarr: the setting for the ARGO chapter of the NERO international role playing game. All enclosed materials are to be considered an in and out of the game resource, suitable for use in the enhancement of the characters and players knowledge of the setting.

The following text is property of the ARGO chapter of the NERO international live action role playing game. Permission is granted to duplicate without editing and to dispense free of charge.

Welcome to Warminster

Speckled by civilization, the untamed lands of Warminster were of those least desolated by the destruction of the ducal forces by the blight of the chaos armies upon the land. Although the sturdy folk of Warminster have known not but hazardous wilds and treacherous roads their whole lives, they still lack the ducal forces and leadership that once held back the hobgoblin hordes.

Welcome to Warminster, one barony in NERO ARGO’s setting, and the home of its current adventure course. Within these isolated hamlets and bleak forests your character will clash with foul brutes and beasts, barter with roaming merchants, and seize the fate of a land. Yet, before you thrust yourself into the world of Tyrra, there is much you will need to know to thrive instead of just survive. This text will prepare you for what is ahead in your travels, inform you of a land and its people, and prime you for the quests ahead.

What this guide is

Other than being just an introduction to the setting, this book provides in-game history in an out-of-game fashion for the barony of Warminster. Everything presented within could be picked up in a week of traveling and should be considered common customs, practices, and knowledge to anyone who lives in the lands. We hope with the aid of this guide many players will create characters with homes or ties to these communities and their people.

The information herein is organized with character generation in mind, though it is useful for characters from any chapter and of any level to know when playing at ARGO. Local cultures of the various races will be detailed in depth and should be considered the race packet for all those native to the area. We will also spotlight many of the major cities and the movers and shakers within.

If his guide leaves you wanting for more info about Greyhorn, don’t worry. New players’ guides will be coming out for each of the baronies, concluded with a Greyhorn compendium describing the interactions of the baronies and its people.

Races of Warminster

​ Although found in all the lands of Avalon, the common races of Warminster share different viewpoints and customs than most, though still follow the characteristics outlined in the NERO rulebook. This is designed to enhance the feel and distinction of the ARGO Setting

Barbarians

​ Due to the high concentration of barbarians in the barony of evermore to the east, the inhabitants of Warminster commonly refer to barbarians as “Eastlings.” Though most barbarians living in the lands have not lived anywhere else there whole lives, none native take offense to the name.

​ Eastlings in Warminster have many similarities to barbarians of other lands and are considered crude by human terms they have become more civilized than many other barbarians. Many barbarians have built houses in the hamlets, though they have few rooms and are adorned with fur ornamentation and frequent taverns as much if not more than they prefer to hunt. Surprisingly, as comfortable as they have become in towns the eastlings of Warminster are a highly superstitious lot. Most Eastlings will not pass through a doorway without tapping each side of the frame with a weapon, and will not take coins from a person’s hand preferring all payment to be done from a table or counter.

​ Many Eastlings are Fighters. Most tend to be of a more martial type loving the shine of polished blades, with even their scholars knowing how to use swords or axes and shields. In fact, it is near impossible to tell a barbarian’s profession just by their equipment or apparel. All Eastlings feel most secure and at ease in armor and prefer to wear natural materials such as leather or wooden plates, or cover their chain and metal plates with Leather Scraps and bone tokens. In the land of Warminster an unarmed or unarmored barbarian is a rare sight.

​ Most Warminster barbarians have joined, at one time or another, the Eastling Mercenary Envoy. The Envoy, despite its name, was started by a number of retired dwarven adventurers who seeing a lack of ducal forces organized the Eastlings of the land. Though not all eastlings the company pays all its members well for tasks that its numerous clients bring in. The Eastlings enjoy the work that they are adapted to: serving in many militias, as trail guards, and generally keep the cities clear of the many monstrous denizens that wander into towns.

Biata

​ Calm and collected, the biata of Warminster live in this harsh land seeking one thing, power. Most biata in Warminster come off as arrogant and aloof. Seeing themselves as the masters of whatever their chosen craft, biata act as such.

Living in such rough surroundings, biata in Warminster have changed their viewpoints. Though usually cerebral and accepting in all things, surrounded by the wilds they see only one pressing goal available, to tame them. Orderly and exact, most biata surprisingly take up more martial professions, with the casters of their race limited to a few templars and a smattering of scholars. Not to be often swayed from their course, biata look for the brawn to back up their purpose as the most important step in their goal, for what good is a philosophy that you cannot put into action.

Most biata learn at a young age to use daggers, and biata will settle that which they cannot agree on with an honor combat using them, ceremonial daggers are often passed down from generation to generation for this purpose, rebuilt from the broken components of the previous dagger if necessary.

Biata hate being told what to do often and thus often seek work as mid-level administrators in all guilds and mercenary companies that have little influence by their central leadership. Getting paid for establishing order only boosts their belief in their quest and fuels their necessity to organize.

Like minded biata sometimes band together to form guilds of their own, and do not see orders in line with their current thinking as derogatory. This has been most observable in the Magisters of the Nine, a secretive guild of Spell-casters with many biata members, where they act as teachers and guardians.

Drae

​ Living in nomadic tribes, the drae of Warminster share many traits of the wild elves of other lands. The dark forests of Warminster let in little light, even in the day and with no ties to the under-dark in the land the drae have cut out their own lands in the forests.

​ Rarely seen by any of the more settled races the dark elves are little more than children’s stories and whispers in the darkness to many of Warminster’s denizens.

​ The drae tribes are entirely self-sufficient, crafting all of their own weapons, clothing, armor, and equipment while on the move. Most if not all drae are some kind of craftsman, or skilled hunters or stalkers. Unfortunately due to their lack of any way to get new metal though means other than barter, most drae weapons are made of the remnants of broken weapons, passed down through the ages. Thus the drae prefer to hunt with bows, making arrow-heads out of coin found on intruders’ corpses – usually silver. When in melee drae use one handed spears and short axes almost exclusively, with the remaining few preferring polearms or long axes or hammers and shields. The heads of these weapons have been passed down from generation to generation and are highly ornamented.

​ Dark elves of Warminster have few celestial casters, never seeing the stars, and having few ways of getting paper with which to write scrolls. Although they have many herbalists and alchemists, few throw gasses because the glass globes required are too difficult to produce. Most alchemists in drae society coat the drae’s arrows with poisons or create draughts to heal their comrades, which are commonly mixed onto their dried rations for ease of use.

​ Unlike most other dark elf communities the drae put no emphasis on the gender of their leadership but more on the ability of the leaders to guide their people. It is just as common to see males and females in any role in their society.

Elves

If any suffer in Warminster it is those of the elven races. While most elves in the lands are refugees of Quintari settlements all are seen as pompous braggarts without the solidity to stand behind their boasts.

Needless to say all elves are treated as second class citizens, as the humans of the lands wish to “put them in their place.”

Most elves who have gained acceptance into society are wild elves, seen as the most practical and human like. Though, it is not unknown for many elves to gain acceptance through mercenary work, as few people wish to snap at those standing in their defense. Acceptance is granted to few elves via time. Some towns just get used to the same elves being around for generations. Most elves find acceptance through deed or not at all.

Elves attempt to find homes banding together, putting cultures aside, though this does little to help them gain sympathy or acceptance from other races. Needless to say a lone elf in human lands is either desperate or not to be tested.

Dwarves

​ Cutthroat businessmen, the dwarves of Warminster were once little but simple traveling craftsmen. Finding little present guild organization in settlements, most dwarves started out setting up temporary homes and traveling, but as more flocked to the area from Khinzu, larger guild structures emerged from these few scattered houses. The dwarves now do little crafting of their own and are now inspectors, bookkeepers, and negotiators.

​ Studious and precise, the dwarves found in Warminster tend to be celestial casters, despite their normal difficulty with these arts, and are usually scholars or templars. These skilled workers usually handle high end special orders and requests for magical items when participating in any type of crafting.

​ Most dwarves favor large gold and gem covered adornments. Ornamentations and jewelry, as a visible sign of their wealth, are what dwarves of Warminster use to gauge the importance of one another. Money talks in these dwarves’ society and family matters less than guild affiliation. Most marry within their guilds to increase their holdings and status, rather than for love. Loss of a guild member is like that of a brother, and most grieve more for the loss of a skilled craftsman than for one of their own siblings. Most smart adventurers are wise to be wary of dwarves who do not introduce themselves with their guild titles, as a dwarf without a guild is usually looking to swindle a few gold to survive.

Gypsies

​ The traveling performers of the Brawnwagner troupe of gypsies are the only gypsies local to the barony of Warminster.

Lone wanderers in the purest sense, the brawnwagner gypsies are a troupe in name only. Trekking across the land and gathering stories, these gypsies are the true masters of the hearth in these lands. Seemingly, every inn and tavern has one of these folk as a patron, though it never seems the same one each time. Following the route of their ancestors, each gypsy of this tribe is truly an adventurer, braving the long roads alone, day after day and night after night, making their lives worthy of song and story.

These gypsies roam with seemingly one goal, to write. Each of the troupe live on the road to eventually compose the epic of their lives and, upon doing so, settle down in wherever memory dawns with the visions of good times.

These gypsies are as diverse a group as any, never bearing little resemblance to each other. No similarity in battle exists between them either, each having his or her own style. Usually, the only thing the troupe has in common with itself is the name.

These gypsies know the value of hospitality, and leave none without repayment. All will gladly give up the last bed in the inn for another and share the food and drink they have with all passersby. Those who have settled down usually have guest rooms for any traveler and will open them up to anyone for two days, though as courtesy most will not take more than one. In repayment they only ask of the trip and past of the travelers, seeing the past as the definition of their life.

Half-Ogres

​ Hailing originally from Ogreheim, the half-ogres, or ogrekin of Warminster are unlike the half-ogres of many other lands in one distinct way: they are truly half ogres. This single difference gives the ogrekin one distinct advantage in Warminster, they share the blood of humans and are the most accepted of any other race in the land. Strong, sturdy, and stubborn they exemplify the traits that prosper in these secluded lands.

The half-ogres see honor and bravery as the guiding force in their lives. They are diligent laborers and craftsmen, stalwart warriors, and bastions of law. Many town guards consider the ogrekin to be their greatest resource.

The ogrekin of Warminster tend to think beyond the scope of battle despite their normal predisposition. Most can read and see their difficulty in scholarly pursuits as a testament to their diligence. Most will take the time necessary to accomplish their goals, and are unwavering in their oaths.

The half-ogres, for all their strengths, have one great flaw. They are terrified of the forest. The woods of Warminster are littered with undead of all kinds and the ogrekin believe all forests to be “haunted.”

Half-Orcs

​ Brutal does not begin to describe the half-orcs of Warminster. Vicious and unkempt in all manners of life, half-orcs are the only people regarded with more suspicion and contempt than elves. The populace of Warminster has little love for any who resemble the hordes of green-skins endangering their forests and hills.

​ Acquiring a semblance of legitimacy, half-orcs have found a place working as porters for the Steinhauer, a barony wide association of stone workers. Their strength and brawn has offset their questionable heritage. Excluded from the bulk of society, the half-orcs excel at their tasks as little skill or precision is necessary for heavy lifting and carrying.

Half-orcs toil countless hours, mining stone in quarries on the fringes of the wild, risking life and limb to free from the hills the future foundations of homes and bridges. Surprisingly in this role half orcs are treated better than their human counterparts, as they are willing to work to the brink of exhaustion expecting little more than a roof to sleep under, a few stout ales, and a full stomach.

Hoblings

The Hoblings who live throughout Warminster have truly joined together for a greater calling, they have created a loose guild of hobling barber surgeons. Creating a strange blend of alchemy, potions, spells and hearth wisdom the Hoblings are the greatest healers in the land – and give a pretty good shave.

Dealing with common accidents and ailments, few of these “surgeons” have been battle tested, or even remember the incantations for spells, and work in calm quiet environments, surrounded by books.

The suggestion of combat to these folks is unbearable, seeing combat as an issue to be fixed, not caused. Few see knives as more than tools, and most will never feel the grip of anything more in their lives.

Most speak in low humanlike voices as compared to their brethren from other lands, having rough life surround them has ground labor into them in their early years, toughening them up and grinding their edges to a cheerful understanding polish. They enjoy good food, and stout ale. These Hoblings prefer to dress in well to do clothes: wearing brilliant shirts, loose vests, and comfortably worn traveling coats.

Humans

​ Stubborn and opinionated, the most heavily populated of the “goodly” races sees itself as the only hope of civilization in these untamed lands. With six out of every ten people in Warminster being human, few can argue.

​ Most humans in Warminster are extremely xenophobic. Their extreme distrust of outsiders and new ideas stems from the isolation of their communities. Humans will prefer to buy locally even if it costs more, and will boast the superiority of human goods. It may take many visits for a trader of another race to be accepted, but once trust has been established, many other races are adopted into the community.

​ Humans of these lands see little use for scholarly pursuits and are weary of most magic users that did not grow up in their communities. Its not that they don’t see magic’s benefit, nor would they ever refuse healing, just that magic usually has no day to day practical applications. Magic cannot sew a shirt, build a house, or cut firewood.

​ Most humans have held a weapon before, and know which end goes in the monster. Numerous mobs of conscripts are formed to catch necromancers and aid the Greyhorn army when times were dire.

​ Humans in Warminster respect all forms of authority local and ducal, and see the town’s mayor or burgher as their voice to the lands abroad. Most wish to have matters of life and death in the hands of those qualified and appointed to deal with these matters, and will support their lords’ decisions should they not be clearly mad.

Mystic Wood Elves

Not originally native to Warminster, most mystic wood elves have traveled here by sea. With merchants constantly shipping boatloads of goods throughout the sea of storms, the call of the open road by which so many mystics govern their lives pales in comparison to the freedom of the open sea.

Mystics who choose to trade in their sea legs usually follow whoever is leaving their latest port of call, usually following the shipment they just unloaded as it disperses inward for a tour of trail guarding. These mystics carry inward not only cargo, but also customs, speech, and mannerisms from abroad. Unfortunately, the people of Warminster are not known for their tolerance, and mystics can expect little more interaction with most than an odd stare or awkward glance.

Most mystics bring with them armor, weapons, and equipment suited for the sea. Curved light blades are common as well as barbed short spears, which usually double as a fishing tool. Few wear armor heavier than leather if they wear any at all, preferring to be able to swim with what they carry. They usually prefer bright head-wraps and sashes as a sign of their individuality when they sign up with trading companies that outfit them with company equipment, and will keep a cutlass on them as a “backup weapon” in spite of company uniform.

Most Warminster mystics tend to be fighters or rogues seeing trouble on the high sees and treachery at every turn, though a few celestial casters have emerged, learning magic by studying the stars while spending time as ship navigators and helmsmen.

Most mystics have found a home with the Wechslerbach Merchant Marine, who in seeing the mystics penchant to wander of change their minds, offer contracts that can be swapped for new destinations at any of their offices. The Wechslerbach Merchant Marine attracts more mystics based on its free room and board for those in its employ more so than its pay. Nonetheless it pays better than most other one trip contracts, although it makes no payouts until those in their employ complete the full time duration of their contract.

Sarr

Feral, brutal, and gruesome define the wild sarr of Warminster. Traveling in hunting packs and seemingly insane they scour the darkness of the forests of the barony seeking out food or shelter. They move with little to no meaning, letting their whims guide them.

Those few that have interacted with them note they rarely speak, and when they do speak they rarely acknowledge others’ presence, let alone their existence. Truly disconnected from their own lives, these sarr look through everything around them, never focusing, never settling.

The sarr of Warminster have little need for possessions, they rarely own more than they are carrying: Armor and shields appear too restrictive to carry, potions and elixirs to delicate for traveling, and clothes barely necessary. They wield blades fearlessly in battle, dancing through foes as though they were ghosts with little reason besides self defense or hunger for interaction. Rarely seen outside of battle, the small numbers of sarr on the borders of the forests are seen fighting shadows of the unknown horrors of the deep wood.

Few know their true motivations; fewer still believe they have them.

Scavengers

Truly the embodiments of their races namesake, most scavengers of Warminster are Rat-men. Living on the fringes of society adorned in its cast off, the rat-men of Warminster have flocked in small swarms from the old sewers of Stormsport, the drowned city to the south, upon its falling into the sea at the end of the last Chaos-war.

Ostracized by society, none could have foreseen the rabid success the rat-men achieved in Warminster. Not constrained by social graces the rat-men act in the area as the largest information appropriation and organized messenger service in the barony.

All rat-men see each other as cousins, members of a large family of civilization’s black sheep and regard all other rat-men as equals, though most will default all important decisions to a spell-caster in their swarm, seeing these scholars as wizened overseers of scavenger society.

Most rat-men prefer to use ranged or light weapons, specifically the crossbow or throwing dagger and short sword. Most prefer to keep a few extra daggers on themselves as well, using them as offhand weapons in primary combination with their short swords. Their favorite ranged weapon is the explosive trap, preparing ambushes they trigger from a distance with their crossbows.

Rat-men hate Sarr, which they refer to as “door-bait,” and the feeling is mutual. Most will go out of their way to avoid them, and have been know to line the fringes of their encampments outside most cities with trapped boxes full of mint sprigs. No Sarr will happily ask for or take assistance from a Rat-man, and will pay immediately for any services rendered wishing not to be in their debt.

Warminster

The Land

Littered with forgotten wreckage, the wilds of Warminster are scattered remnants of a previous age. Few know the locations of the ruins, and fewer still know their purpose. Few locals dare to risk leaving their homes in search of glory or treasure. Death lies at all angles, and nowhere is safe. Few would choose this life, but those who have had it thrust upon them are of the sturdiest folk of the duchy.

Vitnerheim

The town

Settled in the duchy of Greyhorn’s furthest reaches, Vitnerheim is the only town carved out of the depths of the northlands. Truly surrounded on all fronts by murderous trolls, hordes of goblinoids, and haunted forests, Vitnerheim’s citizens risk death day in and day out for huge profits on the local flora. Vitnerheim is known duchy-wide for is production of surprisingly sweet ice wine, truly a taste to behold most of its citizens make an entire years living off of the harvest and production of this crop of winters fruit. Others make their livings defending, clothing, lodging and supplying these stalwart folk who have chosen this as their craft.

The law

With the recent collapse of ducal support Deitmar Brauer has taken the empty reigns of leadership in the community. A former soldier in the ducal army, Dietmar has had experience with dealing with the roaming monsters of the lands, and is widely accepted as the new mayor in the area, as no burger has been named yet.

Birgit Mehlinger is the Roadwarden of the road connecting Vitnerheim to Schiedgaard not necessarily a leader by choice, many of those who have to travel between the towns rely upon her guidance and make donations to the ducal coffers to have her make her normal rounds on the road coincide with their most recent caravan.

The land

To say that Vitnerheim is surrounded by forest would be an understatement. Truly Vitnerheim is a city built within a forest, trusting their livelihood on the natural grapevines of the lands. Few buildings lie within eyesight of each other and after dark many of the younger folk tend to sprint from house to house running from (sometimes) imaginary monsters.

The people

Many folk live in the realms of Vitnerheim. Though all important to the community a few outshine their others in importance to the adventuring populace. Sven Muller leads the local chapter of the Steinhauer, a barony wide guild of stone miners and masons. Having many fit able-bodied men under his command and always looking for a new stretch of the hills to be cleared out to mine and build on.

Likewise, Ranier Lichtman runs the local Baumite sect, guiding many lumberjacks and carpenters alike.

Though few trust him Werner Arzt is the local representative of the magisters of the nine.

Petra Weber keeps a good supply of contracts open for trail guards as the owner of the local guildhall of the Eastling mercenary company.

Schiedgaard

The town

A small trade way-station for ship building natural resources on their way south to Gearsport, Schiedgaard is the gateway to the wilds of the northlands. Crucial to the success and defense of Warminster, Schiedgaard is the stop of civilization and the start of adventure.

The law

Roadwarden for all of the roads connecting Vitnerheim to Gearsport, Gustav Kuster is the true ducal presence in the lands. Though he is supported by the local mayor, a former Steinhauer member named Corin Scheneker, he really guides all of the cities coming and going, and as a trade hub for the north travel is the cities lifeblood.

Heinrich Kramer is the Roadwarden for the southern road. With Gearsport in the hands of the Kingdom forces the southern road is well defended and leaves little for Heinrich to do other than assist Gustav in regulating the southern trade route.

The land

Schiedgaard is by no means as remote as Vitnerheim, but is still a far cry from civilization. The small cluster of buildings that represent the town proper are a small inn, the town hall, and a old barracks building. Also, an old ship that has seen better days has been placed into dry dock and is being used as a merchant stop and free trade location.

The people

Gunnar Mehler is a retired ship captain that was an old river pilot for the Wechslerbach merchant marine. His dry docked ship is a permanent way station for merchant marine traders. All traders are free to trade there, though all prices are limited by Gunnar and his standards for the goods being sold. Most find his standards agreeable, but those who price gouge when supply is low have no place in this town when all other merchants do business in Gunnar’s house.

The Steinhauer in the area are led by Franke Reifsnyder, the only manager still in the area with no chance of cheap labor the threat of hobgoblins around. Bogged down by trying to direct so many operations at once Franke frequently spends most of his nights inebriated with his fellow workers to let off steam.

Miekel Schulthies is the local Baumite director and he and his men have been little affected by the threat of monsters, all brawny axe wielders constantly besieged by unknown terrors.

Edith Lederer is a wizened sage who keeps the local magisters of the nine working constantly at work on unnamed magical experiments and exploration. Though elderly and not often active, she manages to keep all in line.

The Eastling mercenary company does not have a permanent base of operations in Schiedgaard but Lorenz Rader is their local representative and manages to run a good many constructs from Gunnar’s trade ship.

Kesslerberg

The town

Sat on the opposite side of the great gorge from Khizu, slightly upstream, Kesslerberg handles most of the trade coming down and upstream from Lakeport. Set in the light woods just outside of the rivers view it is a great way station for many, and has another reputation. Much of the duchy’s copper coins are mined and minted in the area by numerous smiths of all kinds.

The law

An elderly man, Rolf Puttkam has been the mayor of Kesslerberg for 20 years and other than a few notable exceptions few have any complaints.

Mehmet Detlev is the Roadwarden from Rehbach to Kesslerberg and keeps the roads safe that connect the small town to travelers from Eastgate, though he spends most of his time in the area immediately surrounding the town.

The leader of the town’s trade council is Hienz Volkmar, who is one of the few who disagree with Rolf Puttkam on a regular basis, but he usually dose so just out of principle. Heinz father Deidrich was the previous mayor who established the town council, and upon his death he named Rolf as his successor, much to his son’s dismay.

The land

Rich in copper and downstream from Eastgate, the land Kesslerberg was built on is in a prime location for trade. Surrounded by light forest and open plains there is potential for much food about and little that cannot be seen coming.

Recently Kesslerberg has been a waypoint for many travelers out of the northern reaches of Warminster, heading to Larsa during the start of the plague of black mist that crosses the land

The people

Elke Kuntsler is the leader of the Kessler’s guild, and makes sure that all copper goods leaving the area attain a respectable quality. Appointed by Rolf Puttkam, he has arbitrated a great and many disputes over sending out raw materials to gain higher profits selling to other kesslers in nearby towns.

Axel Farber is the local leader of the Steinhauer, and surprisingly handles most of the copper mining in the area. In their search for different stone quarries the Steinhauer in this area have found many of the large copper deposits in the area.

Eberhard Kessler is a descendant of the first Kesslers to set up shop in these copper rich plains, and owns the original guild that remains in its original location. He has little to do with management, and focuses on more of the fine custom work created and quality inspections.

Leading the local tower for the magisters is Arno Umlat. An orphan and small time crook as a child, he was taken in by the magisters and has taken well to its monastic lifestyle. Truly believing in its tenets, his devotion to magic ahs led him up the ranks to run the current conclave.

Rudiger Bauer keeps the area safe by maintaining the largest contract the Eastling mercenary company has ever attained, being the local town guard. Equally between Gearsport, Eastgate, and Lakeport there are few ducal forces actually stationed in the area, though many pass through.

Gearsport

The town

Home to kingdom shipyards Gearsport is one of Greyhorn’s greatest holdings. The north most port on the sea of storms, there is little that can compare to the size and activity that Gearsport now possesses. It now has more activity than once possessed by Stormsport before its siege, evacuation, and destruction.

The law

Soren Pfannenschmidt has been the regent of Gearsport since the coronation of chance. With a huge amount of ducal and kingdom support he leaves most of the defense issues to Oskar Fleischer, the warden of the lands immediately surrounding the area. The Roadwarden to the south Greithe Kellerman is a brutish military man with little to no sense of humor, however none can disagree his road is clean.

Manfred Dubois leads the kingdom forces in the area and has little care for more than the city’s shipyards and defense he leaves most of the local issues to the ducal representatives.

The land

The largest port remaining in Greyhorn, Gearsport has had an amazing amount of growth in these desperate times, though many ner-do-wells and sounders have made this there home as the depart from a life at sea. Trade is plentiful and commerce is cutthroat, like many of its backstreets.

The people

Sigmund Liechermann Leads the Magisters College in Gearsport, and runs a small but growing cartographers’ guild that has many small chapters scattered across the duchy.

Roland Kreig is the leader of the main chapter of the Steinhauer, located in Gearsport since it has been created. The Steinhauer guild house here now handles shipping of quarried stone, and large contracts, with few quarries left in the area.

The Eastling mercenary company handles many contracts in Gearsport, and all of them go through the hands of Pater Nauchtmann, this chapter’s leader. With a large sign up rate in the area by former sailors, he also handles shipping out many mercenaries to other branches.

Nadja Maurer is in charge of keeping shelter in Gearsport even with the population, as the director of the Baumite guild, constantly building housing to accommodate the recent massive influx of workers, traders, and sailors.

Anton Barot operates the main office and shipyard for the Wechslerbach merchant marine, constantly organizing incoming and outgoing shipments, and where they go inland from here. Eugene Reifschnieder is the dock manager for Wechslerbach, knowing the shipping schedule at all times and organizes all workers in the docks

The leader of a local band of Ratmen, Heiko Saltz of clan slitheren is the shaman who guides the ebb and flow of information in the barony. With all information on message boards populated by his ratmen, as well as private messaging and information gathering has proved the ratmen to be invaluable, and have made slitheren the largest of the numerous ratman clans.

Ogreheim

The town

On the borders of the high country, the town of Ogreheim is like no other in the duchy: It is the only lawful town populated by ogres, and only ogres could survive in such a rugged rocky landscape.

The law

Olaff Verg keeps the local militia regimented and trained, although most citizens take part in the militia in times of need, a large standing militia is always kept available at all times. The militia is actually headed by Hugo Kurtz, who does all of the troop organization.

Fritz Kai is the head of the town’s council of elders, five of the oldest and most battle hardened ogres who have exemplify the best traits of ogres in their actions. They pass their wisdom down to Hanno Ulf who is the mayor, their hand in implementing their decisions.

The land

Craggy and inhospitable terrain surrounding Ogreheim is dotted with small clumps of hospitable soil and scattered with numerous Tall trees to blot out the sun. Few could see this as where they want to call home, but the ogres and their kin find it more than accommodating.

The people

Karl “Rocky” Slate is one of the few humans who have made Ogreheim their home. As the leader of the local Steinhauer chapter, he commands great wealth in the community, and many able bodied soldiers when there are no battles to be fought.

A former soldier, Vera Burkhardt has become the only ogre to lead a Baumite guild. After crippling her leg in a battle, she maintain s her commanding presence in negotiation and foremaning.

Jakob Ute manages the local lode god the Eastling mercenary company, and has more barbarians than any other chapter. Guiding many trade carts and keeping the mountain roads open is good business that requires constant attention.

The oldest shaman in the town and the new conclave head of the recently established magisters guild, Maik Olmar is a strong ogre who displays that being a caster does not make one weak, and that diligence can turn even an ogre into a genius celestial caster

Ina Erwin was once a shipmate on a trade ship, and when she signed a contract with the Wechslerbach merchant marine, she was surprised at their acceptance and willingness to sign on an ogre. Now strongly loyal to her company, Ina keeps a Wechslerbach presence in the community and organizes much of the outgoing trade through the merchant marine.

Rehbach

The town

Rehbach is a small town that began as a campsite for traders from Oakenhurst and Eastgate. Where the rivers meet many ships would stop and camp on the large clearing. Today it is a small collection of carpenters, inns, and general stores

The law

Rupert Sander, the mayor of Rehbach has little political power in the town, and focuses mainly on the town’s defense and the safety of trade routes.

The leader of the alliance of guild masters, Gregor Thorsten is the real political power in town, having a huge sway over the town’s distribution of wealth and the opinion of the population.

The land

Set beside the river that separates the two northern baronies, the town of Rehbach is the gateway between the tamed regions of Warminster and Evermore. Rich in natural resources, and close to a city and two other towns, is a prime target for many river pirates though, chasing away many prospective residents.

The people

Gotthold Schroder is the leader of the magisters in the area; however the guild is too small to have a full conclave. Many of the members here travel form other towers to have privacy in the small town.

As the wife of Gotthold Schroeder, Sebine Barton is the local Baumite leader and has an unshakable faith in the alliance of guild masters. However she keeps grander expectations for her guild in mind and as it grows plans to take charge of the alliance.

Harri Waldschmidt keeps the interest of the Steinhauer in mind with the alliance as its chapter leader. He does little actual management, preferring to get more involved in local affairs.

Schonebruch

The town

In the welcoming lower realm of Warminster, Schonebruch is the only town in the barony that has not been affected by the plague of the black mist in the duchy. Formerly in Glymrae, Schonebruch is still alive and thriving, heavily defended by ducal forces and supported by food rationing.

The law

Schonebruch is run by Dirk Eisenhauer, a retired ducal knight who has reenlisted with the coming of the chaos war with Morgosh. He keeps tight controls over all who leave and enter the town, the palisades are constantly patrolled and the gates are watched, with all coming and going required to check in with a guard at the gates.

The land

On two rivers and two major trade routes, Schonebruch is the largest inland trade city remaining untouched by the ravages of the mist that hangs over the duchy. Surrounded by plains and medium forests the residents have all the resources necessary to survive without trade, though have all the trade necessary to turn this once small village soon into a bustling city.

The people

Markus Zumwald runs a profitable trading guild, the brass cutlass, and is being pressured to become the newest chapter of the Wechslerbach merchant marine, although elderly, Markus wishes to keep his guild local and private and is in negotiations to come to terms.

Tobias Schumacher was the guild master of the old mages guild in the area and, although offered the position has declined to join the new magisters guild being formed. Spearheaded by his apprentice, Jorg Schlosser, the guild is gaining many younger members but most of the old mages have stuck to their ways: refusing to join, refusing to change.

Lydia Berndt runs the local Blacksmiths Guild, the Burnt Anvil, and provides many of the weapons for the ducal soldiers stationed in the town.

Leading the local chapter of the vampire hunters’ guild, Clemens Adler is a stern man always on the lookout for undead hiding in the shadows of the town. He has unearthed many chaos cults in his time, but now has a more managerial position as time has taken its toll on his body and mind.

Hopewell

The former capitol of Greyhorn, Hopewell city and castle are now little more than rubble held by hundreds of undead of all kinds. Though few leave the city’s grounds the area is still avoided by many travelers. Within a days travel is the bolt and buckler tavern, connecting the main road through Greyhorn to the ruins of Hopewell city