Nordland

The Barony of Nordland is the northernmost provinces of The Empire , and is the only province to have a direct access to the sea. It is located between the Wasteland (to the west), Middenland (to the south) and Ostland (to the east). The symbol of the state is a sea eagle holding a shield displaying a ship. 

Geography

The southern parts of Nordland consist mostly of rough terrain and large forest, with the Drakwald being the largest of them all. Because of this, it is mostly uninhabitated but for a few villages and heavily fortified inns along the Great Northern Road. This road is the main route between the Nordland capital of Salzenmund, and the great city of Middenheim to the south.

Further north the terrain becomes more flat, and it is here that the larger towns and villages appear. It is also where the capital of Salzenmund is located, where the provincial Elector Count resides. 

In the northernmost part is a long coastline, where many fishing villages can be located. These villages are under constant threat from raiders such as Dark Elves and Norsca, and it is a common sight to find soldiers on patrol or large fortresses and watchtowers along the coast. The Coastal Road, the preferred route to Marienburg from the cities of the north, is also located here, and it is from this road, and the several toll gates along it, that a large sum of the provinces riches comes from.

The western part of the province is covered by Laurelorn forest, rumored to house one of few Wood Elf communities in the Old World. For this reason the forest is shunned by ordinary folk, as the elves slay all who comes to close to their home.

Places of importance

Salzenmund - Capital of Nordland and home of the Elector Count, who hold his audiences in Castle Salzenmund.

Stielstand - One of many coastal fortresses built to protect against raids, completed around 1600 IC.

The Nordland army

The people of Nordland are often viewed by their southern cousins as gruff and quick to anger, but also as though and uncomprimising soldiers. This is mainly because of the constant attacks from raiders along the coast, and beastmen attacks from the Drakwald, which means the soldiers of the province is one of the Empires first lines of defence.

The state colors of Nordland are blue and yellow and, because of the provinces link to the sea, most of the symbols that appear on the regimental banners are nautical. As mentioned, most of the soldier are tasked with patrolling the coastline, or man one of several fortresses along it. These jobs are most often given to the state troops and light cavalry, such as halbeirdiers, spearmen and outriders. The more experienced troops, such as knightly orders, are located back in the capital, along with the counts greatswords. 

Being mostly covered in forests, the province is home to several experienced hunters, and when the Count marshalls his armies several of these groups answer the call. They are highly respected and sought after, since their skills in tracking and archery brings means they are both great scouts as well as deadly shots.

Nordland is also home of parts of the Imperial Navy, and it is common for army recruits to have some form of nautical training and experience. Infact one of the states most famous regiments, the Nordland Mariners, consists of veteran sailors.

Elector Counts

The current Elector Count is Theoderic Gausser, a man who by many is described as hungry for glory and power. He has several times tried to increase his standing and position through acts such as declaring himself Prince of Marienburg (because of a distant ancestor on his mothers side who lived in the city once), for which the Burgomeisters of Marienburg have forbidden him to enter the city, under pain of death. Gausser also tried to provoke an attack on Hochland, which was only averted when Supreme Patriarch Balthasar Gelt transformed the gold bars, ment as payment to mercenary forces, into lead (an action the Elector Count declared to avenge when given the chance).

Theoderic Gausser was one of the few electors that disagreed with the coronation of Karl Franz as Emperor, and he once declared that he tought of Karl Franz as merely "a puppet". 

Despite these actions, Gausser is still a respected warrior and although his skill as a general has sometimes been debated, his skills with a blade and his concern for his soldiers has never been questioned. Several foes, from orcs and beastmen to dark elves, have fallen beneath his blade - the Runefang Crow Feeder.

The former count, Baron Werner Nikse, and his family were closed linked to the Todbringer family of Middenheim through intermarriage.

Most famous of the Nordland counts were Enrich Moltke, who slayed the necromancer Dieter Helsnicht, the self-proclaimed Doomlord of Middenheim, during the battle of Beeckerhoven. Despite the fact that the count ran the necromancer through with his runefang, the body of Helsnicht was not found after the battle and legends say the Doomlord still haunts the Drakwald to this day.

History of Nordland

The dates are according to the Imperial Calendar, and are arranged from earliest to most current historical events.

• 1152-1359:  With the death of emperor Mandred, the counts cannot agree on a successor and the empire becomes divided into self-governing provinces.
• 1414:          After centuries of sporadic fightings, the counts of Middenland and Nordland sign an agreement to divide the contested lands of Drakwald.
• 2173:          The Black Ark Tower of Infinite Pleasures attack the coastal town of Handelsee. When the counts army arrives, five days later, they find no sign of the 8000 inhabitants that lived there.
• 2302-2304:  The Great War against Chaos. The army of Nordland is marshalled and joined together with  armies from the rest of the Empire, under the command of Magnus the Pious, to destroy the chaos forces of Asavar Kul. This they succeed in outside the gates of Kislev.
• 2304-2305:  Remnants of Asavar Kuls army rampages through the province, sacking Salzenmund. The horde is destroyed at the siege of Stielstand by a combined army of men and elves, commanded by captain Stefan von Kessel and lady Aurelion.
• 2502:          Few months after the Emperor returned with most of his army, to the Nordland counts chagrin, the nordlanders are still fighting to remove remnants of the norsemen. At a battle near the town of Hargendorf, only the charge of a unit of Reiksguard knight keeps the army from being destroyed. The count, having lost many men and with his own son badly wounded, is forced to retreat.
• 2502:          Newly appointed Emperor Karl Franz leads an army to Nordland to reinforce the counts own army. Aided by celestial wizards and heavy artillery, they take a heavy toll on an army of Norse raiders.
• 2521-2522:  The Storm of Chaos. Norse raids increases and count Gausser is forced to retain several of his troops, from aiding the besieged city of Middenheim, to defend his own province.

Sources

• Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th edition, 2006)
• Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (7th edition, 2008)
• Warhammer Armies: Beasts of Chaos (6th edition, 2003)
• White Dwarf no. 345 (UK-edition, September 2008)
• Williams, Richard (2009): Reiksguard
• Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Battle March (PC-game, 2008)