Altdorf

Altdorf is the Imperial capital, the seat of Karl-Franz; home to the Great Cathedral of Sigmar, the Colleges of Magic and the School of Engineers. The city is a centre for trade and learning; its docks teem with merchants, its taverns with students. From the strange creatures housed in the Imperial zoo, to the majestically solid, dwarf-built walls, Altdorf is a city of great beauty and variety.The city’s official ruler is Karl-Franz; Emperor, Elector Count of Reikland and Prince of Altdorf. Naturally, the Emperor has other duties to occupy him; as a result, Altdorf is really governed by an oligarchy of rich merchants and minor nobles. Corruption is rife; if the Emperor is aware of it, he does nothing.==Overview==

The first city of the Empire, Altdorf sits at the turgid confluence of the River Reik and the River Talabec, where the slow, wide waters of the two rivers flow in channels between broad mud flats. The docks lining the downstream fringe of the city known as the Reiksport are the last navigable point on the Reik for seafaring vessels, and the city attracts sailors and merchants from the furthest reaches of the world. Foreign traders, adventurers and fortune seekers and the presence of the Imperial court ensure that the streets of Altdorf bustle with diverse activity; Merchants peddle their wares including various sundries, weaponry, “rat on a stick” snacks, apothecary leeches, and anything else that will fetch a price, all supporting a flourishing economy.Since its foundation over a millenia ago (when it was originally known as Reikdorf), the city has grown mainly due to chance and circumstance. The streets of Altdorf are lined with rows of tall, aging layered houses that have been built up and onto repeatedly with each passing generation. Decay and decrepitude are common, beggars and thieves are a constant annoyance, and under the streets unspeakable horrors lurk in the rotting sewers. Even with this decay, the city is still a grand sight to see. You can find yourself walking along one of the dark narrow corridors that pass as streets in Altdorf only to round the corner and enter an ornate plaza framing a magnificent statue dedicated to some ancient hero of the Empire. In the middle of the Reik, the great spike of the Reiksfang looms over the city. In times of old, this doughty fortress was the castle of the Prince of Altdorf, and withstood many sieges. Today, it serves as a prison for the most dangerous criminals in the Empire, arranging them in order of rank and wealth from the tastefully appointed chambers high in the fortress' towers to the dark, dank cells cut from the rock, deep below water level. Altdorf is home to many of the most famous institutions of the land. The Great Temple of Sigmar, the Imperial College of Engineers, the Imperial Zoo and the Altdorf Press all benefit from the patronage of the Emperor. The majestic towers of the eight Colleges of Magic loom over the city, from the spires of which the wizards observe currents in the winds of magic. It is here that magic users from across the Old World come to learn their art, and where the Empire’s deadly Battle Wizards are trained. Due to the magical nature of the Colleges, the presence of the buildings may cause the layout of the districts around the Colleges to shift.

Locations

 * Imperial Palace of Aldorf - The great palace of altdorf is massive, very elaborated building standing near the middle of the great city. The Palace is home to both the infamous Riekguard household guards, and the great Emperor Karl-Franz himself. The Imperial palace is a vast building, easily the largest in the city. The Emperor’s court is always filled with nobility from across the Empire, and is a hotbed of political intrigue, social manoeuvring, and hedonistic frivolity. Foremost on the political side is the Council of State, a group formed from the noble families of the most ancient lineage. Though the Council has no constitutional authority, it advises the Emperor on all matters of state. The Grand Theogonist is always a member of this council, and is behind many of the more urgent suggestions – not for nothing is the head of Sigmar’s priesthood regarded as the most powerful man in The Empire.The Elector Counts, though physically distant from the politics of Altdorf, employ their own council of representatives. The Prime Estates, as this council is known, act as a check on the Emperor’s powers – they study the Imperial edicts, tax levies and so on, reporting their findings back to the Electors. Should an Imperial proclamation be regarded as undesirable, impractical, or just plain foolish, the Electors can simply refuse to enforce it. Even the strongest Emperor is helpless in the face of unified defiance from the Elector Counts.
 * Imperial Zoo - The Imperial Zoo was the creation of the famous, but hated late Emperor