Carroburg

The former capital of Middenheim (when independent of Middenheim), Carroburg is a town of 8000, its numbers swollen by refugees. It specializes in trade, glass, and pottery, with its present day ruler is Duke Leopold von Bildhofen.

Overview

Once the seat of the Teutogen kings and later the Imperial Capital under the Drakwald Emperors, Carroburg is the chief town of western Middenland. Built on the steep slopes that rise from the Reik’s east bank, Carroburg is a maze of twisting streets and stairs. Since water and waste travel downhill, the more well-off the residents of a neighbourhood are, the higher up the hill they will be. This makes the businesses of the shoe and boot cleaners in the docks district very brisk, indeed.

At the top of the city sit two grand palaces. The larger is the residence of the Elector Count of Middenheim and Middenland, held ready for his occasional visits. It is an ancient mansion, tall with narrow windows and no entrances to the residence on the ground floor. Though this has been true since the house was built, Carroburgers think the Graf likes it because it is harder for an angry mob to storm—and the mob has been angry since the imposition of the “penny on the pound” tax, which takes an extra penny for each pound of cargo brought into the port. Ostensibly levied to raise money for the repair of distant Middenheim’s defences, cynics among the public think it is going straight to the coffers of the Ar-Ulric. Currently the house is occupied by the Graf ’s heir, Baron Wulfram von Todbringer. The public has seen little of him since his arrival; word has it that his health is weak and the Graf sent him here to keep him away from the fighting.

The other palace is that of Duke Leopold von Bildhofen, the ruler of Carroburg under the Graf. The von Bildhofen family is an ancient one, tracing its roots back to the great families of Drakwald and even claiming the Emperor Magnus the Pious as a relative. Duke Leopold is popular in the region, as he is a regular donor to the temples and charities and openly supports the town’s charter as “the wave of the future,” an idea that appals his noble cousins. Some see him as a defender of “western” interests in the court at Middenheim.

Like many towns away from the fighting, Carroburg has suffered an influx of refugees from the east. Most live in makeshift camps outside the city walls or hovels built of wood in the town’s alleys. The influx has put a strain on the area’s resources, and crime is becoming a problem for both the Carroburgers and the refugees, with each blaming the other. Town authorities have striven to keep the peace so far, but, should things worsen, riots may not be far off.

Source

Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Sigmar's Heirs (pg. 55, 57-58)