"It was perhaps typical of my companion that no more than this slim provocation, he was willing to risk life and limb in the wildest and most barren places imaginable. Or perhaps it was typical of the effect of "gold fever" on all his people. As I was later to see, the lure of that glittering metal had a terrifying and potent power over the minds of all of that ancient race. In any event, the decision to travel beyond the Empire's most southernmost borders was a fateful one, and it led to meetings with adventures the dreadful consequences of which haunt me still...."
- —"My Travels with Gotrek", Vol.II, by Herr Felix Jaegar (Altdorf Press, 2505)
The Renegade Crown, a unifying symbol of all the Border Princes
The Border Prince Confederacy, known also as the Borderlands,[1c] The Frontiers or simply as the Border Princes is a vast region within the Old World located between the Black Mountains and Black Fire Pass to the north and the shores of the Black Gulf to the south. This region of vast wilderness is home to a multitude of petty Human kingdoms that were established by highly ambitious adventurers who sought to create a realm of their own. Many times, however, these adventurers usually consist of political or religious refugees from lands such as the Empire, Bretonnia and Kislev. [1d]
As such, these lands are infamous as the homes of a wide variety of bandits, mercenaries, cut-throats, pirates and other lawless fugitives. [1d] Following the Battle of Black Fire Pass, human colonist and adventurers during the time of Sigismund the Conqueror led a campaign of conquest towards the Empire's southern borders and fought off the Greenskin tribes that used to inhabit the lands, clearing the way for many nobles and colonist from all across the lands of the Old World to colonized and claimed patches of this territory as their own.[1b]
History
The lands of the Border Princes had always been a rugged and uncivilized wilderness since ages past. It is said that Nehekharans built settlements within these frontiers during the time of Settra the Great, when he went into an all-conquering quest to take the Old World as his new domain.[1c] After the fall of Nehekhara, the Border Princes now served as the location from which multiple Human tribes have migrated from the hostile Eastern Lands, some settling within the lands itself while most ventured through Black Fire Pass.[1a]
In time, the Borderlands were soon infested by Hordes of Greenskins coming in from the Darklands during the Time of Woes. However, following the Battle of Black Fire Pass, Emperor Sigismund the Conqueror promptly invaded the lands and eradicated what remains of the Greenskin threat, and eventually formed the Province of Lichtenberg in the process.[1b] Yet, following the fall of Lichtenburg sometime later in the centuries, the lands would eventually become the frontiers from which new lands and new kingdoms shall form from the desperate, the corrupt, or just the plain adventurous.
Government
"Aye, we’ve a prince. Why, we’ve had a dozen in just the last year! They’re pop’lar in these here lands."
- —Sap Reinhorf, Dirt Farmer
A brutal Border Prince ruling over his petty kingdoms
The regional rulers which have staked a claim within these lands are known collectively as Border Princes, hence where the land gets it name. Each prince would rule a small realm, which have the prestigous and overexaggerated title of Principality, usually a realm that would barely qualify as a Knight's fief in more civilized lands.[1f]
Regional Politics
Some princes insist on referring to their dealings with other princes as “international diplomacy,” but some princes have an inflated view of their own importance. The more realistic ones talk about local relations when dealing with other princes and reserve “international” for dealings with real nations, such as Bretonnia or the Empire. Everyone recognises the most significant relations are those with other princes, as the major nations of the Old World do not regard these petty states as important. Since a mayor in the Empire might have power over more people than most princes, you can see their point.[1f]
Still, politics in the Border Princes are vicious because the stakes are so small. A prince who loses his principality might be able to get a new one, just as good, after a couple of lucky battles or one lucky assassination. Thus, there are a lot of princes who think that it is worth risking everything to grab a bit more power or a bit more security. Cautious stalemates and watchful peaces are very rare in this area. This makes life exciting but deeply unstable.[1f]
Map of the Border Princes
Notable settlements
- Akendorf (population 800)
- Heldegrad (population 800)
- Khypris (population 900)
- Matorca (population 1500)
- Mortensholm (population 3000)
- Myrmidens (population 7000)
- Thessos (population 1200)
- Vardamos (population 800)
- Zenres (population 1800)
- Zvorak (population 800)