"We don’t have the palaces of Altdorf, the arrogance of Middenheim, or the perfumed fops of Nuln, but we’ve got our pride. From the roughest flophouse on the Ormsdeep shore to the top of Castle Salzenmund, we’re a city of fighters. And we say what we mean."
- —Sergeant Astrid Hildbein, Jarlstor Guard[2a]
Salzenmund, the capital city of the Imperial Electoral Province of Nordland and a principality of the Empire in its own right, rests among hills from which flow the tributaries that join to form the River Salz, from which the city gets its name. The Elector Counts built tall castles at the top of these hills overlooking the growing city, once the meeting place for the western scions of the Was Jutone tribe. So narrow is the approach to the keep named the Jutone's Nest that it needs no surrounding curtain wall: the great keep just sits there, watching over the region. It is said by the locals that the Elector Count of Nordland can see the whole of his province from the window of his throne room, which faces west so he can keep an eye on the Eonir Wood Elves of Laurelorn Forest.[1a]
Salzenmund itself is a sizable town that is currently suffering from the loss of trade along the Erengrad-Middenheim roads. Many travelers and merchants would stop there for its fairs, where even Elven goods are available. Brokers sell timber from the Laurenlorn here too, which commands a high price because of its exquisite grain, lightness, and durablility. Salzenmund is also home to the Nordland Silversmith Guild, which controls the trade in finished goods and ingot made from ore found in the nearby Silver Hills. The Smiths of Salzenmund are known for their high quality work, which is in demand as far away as Estalia.[1a]
In the town itself, the most notable landmark is the temple of Ulric, the god of war, winter and wolves, which is made entirely of wood and has stood for over 2,000 years. A vast, three-storied structure constructed in a hexagonal pattern, the temple is unlike any other Ulrican temple in the Empire beyond. Some observers detect a resemblance to archaic temples of Norsca, leading to suspect the temple was first built under barbarian influence during an earlier series of migrations and conquests. Inside, the Great Hall is open to the third story, and a smaller version of the eternal flame of the great Ulrican temple in Middenheim burns here. Ages of smoke have darkened the timbers within, giving them a smooth, black look and the temple itself an air of sombre purpose.[1a]
The High Priest is Erich Granholm, a close friend of the Elector Count who thinks himself the equal of the Ar-Ulric in Middenheim. Salzenmund is a chartered freistadt or free town, which means it has the legal right to govern itself in return for certain duties and obligation to its nominal lord, the Elector Count Theoderic Gausser. A council of guild masters and landowners make up the town council, while a burgomeister chosen yearly from the councilor handles day-to-day affairs. The current burgomeister is Maximilian von Kirscheschlage.[1a]
The city's coat of arms displays the eagle and ship design seen on the provincial heraldry of Nordland. These are ancient icons of the province that have been displayed on its banners since the Age of Wars. Scholars of heraldry dispute the origin and meaning of these symbols, though conjecture has it that the white ship may be a truly ancient design dating back to High Elven heraldic devices used before the War of the Beard.[2e]
The eagle represents the Silver Hills, and has strong associations with ambition and strength. Since Theodric Gausser was elevated to the status of Grand Baron and Elector Count of Nordland, he has decreed that the field upon which the white ship of Nordland is displayed be changed from red to blue. This is likely a sign of his wish to be associated with Nordland's military, who traditionally prefer uniforms of blue and yellow.[2e]
The white wolf is a clear sign of the importance of the Cult of Ulric to the city, and the black boar is important to local folklore. The silver crown dates back to the reign of the von Moltkes, representing the wealth of silver near the city. The axe is supposed by some to betray that family's interwoven ancenstry with Norscan settlers. The motto "Bold Steadfast Defiant" is one of Grand Baron Theoderic Gausser's recent additions, replacing House Nikse's motto of "Fierce to our Foe, Loyal to our Liege."[2e]
History[]
Coat of Arms of Salzenmund
Salzenmund has rarely affected the great sweep of Imperial history. Through the centuries of invasions, politics, and schisms that shaped the Empire of Man, it has always been on the periphery of Sigmar's domain. But it has its own story, shaped by a troubled relationship with greater powers in the Empire, Norscan settlement, and alliance and conflict with the Eonir.[2b]
Pre-Imperial Settlement[]
Long before Men ventured here, the Asur came to the northern Old World. They found rich lands, populated only by primitive tribes of Greenskins and Beastmen. The High Elves built towering coastal cities, such as Athel Toralien and Sith Rionnasc. Inland they established beautiful havens like Tor Lithanel in the Laurelorn Forest. In the Silver Hills, they raised watchtowers and hunting lodges on the peaks and in the valleys. During the War of Vengeance, Dwarf armies trekked through the hills to confront the High Elves. According to the Book of the Ancestors in Karak Azgal, Brok Stonefist's throng camped by the Ormsdeep lake.[2b]
His miners reported no precious metals or minerals of interest in the hills, so Stonefist decreed they should march to destroy the elgi. When a Dwarf throng was lost to the Laurelorn forest spirits, the mountain folk relinquished their attack on Tor Lithanel. They built forts in the Silver Hills to contain the High Elves and later abandoned them to return to the mountains.[2b]
The Grey Lords were Asur exiled from Ulthuan for magical experimentation. One of these "Grey Lords" desired dominion over elemental beings. Grey Lady Athiastra Weavecaller conducted experiments in the Silver Hills, culminating in a summoning ritual atop the future Zinnentor. Over five nights, she coaxed a powerful Elemental spirit from the wind of Chamon, a silver being which writhed and transmutated itself to escape her control. When Athiastra collapsed from exhaustion, the creature transformed into a shining serpent and slipped into the stone that surrounds the lake.[2b]
Was Jutones Tribe[]
The Jutone's Nest, the soaring castle of Salzenmund
When Humans migrated north to the Silver Hills, they adopted the crest of the tallest peak as a defendable outpost. They raised wooden dwellings on the slopes and named the peak ‘Jutone’s Nest’ after their tribe. They sunk piles into the Ormsdeep shallows and built halls over the water. In time, they discovered silver and the settlement grew. The Jutones thanked Olovald for fish from the lake and began to pay respects to ‘Gnistre’, a god they believed dwelled in the waters and rewarded sacrifice with silver. In the decades before Sigmar's birth, the Jutones’ high chief was Marius. His people were harried from the north by Norsii, confined in the east by the Udose, and threatened by Teutogens in the south. The latter proved most dangerous — when the legendary Artur defeated Marius in combat, the humbled chieftain declared that Olovald told him to take the tribe west. Their destiny lay in the marshes at the Reik’s mouth, not here in the hills. The Jutone chiefs consented until only Adda the Stalwart refused. As chieftainess of the Was Jutones, she insisted the tribe remain stewards of the Silver Hills. When the other chiefs led their folk west to found Westerland, Adda entrenched her people in the village of Salzenmund.[2b]
A Silver Kingdom[]
As the Empire grew in the south, the "Nord Lands" remained beyond its border, surrounded by Ostland, Westerland, Drakwald, and Middenland. Sigmar's first people feared the Laurelorn Forest, so Salzenmund persisted far from the nascent Empire. Seeking divine protection, the Was Jutones built an impressive temple to Ulric.[2b]
From the 5th century IC, Salzenmund became chief town of a small independent kingdom ruled by petty monarchs known as the "Silver Kings." The first Silver King was a Dwarf named Thumm Feldpick, an exiled Karak Norn miner of dubious reputation. Feldpick used a few simple Dwarf mining techniques to double the silver yield, became wealthy, and was crowned king by the grateful townsfolk.[2b]
When Feldpick left the town with a cartload of silver, he passed his crown to the man with the best beard. Stories of Salzenmund's wealth reached Wilhelm "Bullshanks", second son of the Graf of Middenland. The Middenlander marched to conquer the petty kingdom, taking Salzenmund and dethroning the last Silver King from his Zinnentor fortress. The "Nord Lands" became the new Barony of Nordland and officially part of the Empire.[2b]
Politics, Plague and Northmen[]
A map of Nordland in the northern Empire, including the location of Salzemund.
For four hundred years, Salzenmund flourished as a vassal of Middenland. The principality was ruled by House Moltke, a proud warrior dynasty from Middenheim who guarded Salzenmund’s silver wealth from the greed of the Drakwald elector to the south. In 1070 IC, Emperor Boris ‘Goldgather’ Hohenbach arranged for the Moltkes’ imprisonment in Altdorf and secured both town and province for his lackey, Duke Voltimand Salzwedel, who was happy to give silver to the Emperor in exchange for territory and an Electoral vote. The Black Plague devastated the province. The malady spread from trade towns and the coast to Salzenmund, wiping out most of the Nordland population. When Norse raiders landed on the coast and sailed up the Salz, they found settlements choked with corpses. The Skaeling Harald the Roarer took Salzenmund, but the castle held out.[2b]
Duke Osric was safe at the emperor's court, while his daughter and son, Carin and Markus, resisted the Norse assault. In 1114 IC, the Skaven assaulted the town in force, taking Harald and the besieged Salzwedel heirs by surprise. Norse and Salzenmunder formed an uneasy alliance to push the Skaven into the hills, where they skulked in the valleys, waiting for a chance to return. Duke Osric died alongside the emperor in Carroburg and soon rival factions vied for power as Skaven despoiled Nordland. Duchess Carin sought help from Graf Mandred von Zelt of Middenheim, and after an arduous march north the legendary future emperor broke the Skaven at Dietershafen. On the rest of his campaign, Carin rode with Mandred and forged new alliances with the nobility of other provinces. She returned to Salzenmund with a fresh army, routed the demoralised Skaven, and married a Moltke in a political alliance.[2b]
Golden Age[]
After Mandred Skavenslayer's assassination, the Empire plunged into the Age of Wars. In contrast to the tumult elsewhere, Salzenmund prospered. The town rebuilt and expanded while the Moltke rulers restored Nordland's soldiery, mindful of the civil war raging across the Empire. In 1244 IC, Count Einrich Moltke defeated several armies of Orcs and Beastmen before his famous victory over the necromancer Dieter Helsnicht, the Doomlord of Middenheim. The count returned from the Battle of Beeckerhoven in triumph, gloating that it took a Nordlander to deal with a Middenheim problem. In 1267 IC, his son Gottfried secured a momentous victory against Dark Elf corsairs from the Black Ark Ecstasy of Pain.[2b]
The Druchii had taken countless captives from northern Bretonnia and wiped out the army of Duke Phillipe of Lyonesse, but when they made landfall on the Nordland coast, they met stiff resistance. The Dark Elves were routed into the sea and Count Gottfried brought back a substantial chunk of masonry smashed from the Black Ark by a warlock under his command. The stone was dragged many miles by ‘freed’ Bretonnian captives as a trophy and it became the foundation of a new western wall of Castle Salzenmund. This was a historical high point for Salzenmund and Nordland alike. Count Gottfried grew arrogant, proclaimed that the town and province were the finest in the Empire, and laid claim to the disgraced province of Drakwald. But pride comes before a fall.[2b]
Daemons and Despots[]
In 1375 IC, Count Adalbert "The Bear" Moltke tried to end the Age of Wars by brokering an accord between Ottilia and the Nuln emperor at Castle Salzenmund. At a crucial moment in negotiations, eight figures appeared around the castle and sacrificed themselves. The nobles looked on in terror as blood gushed upward to form a swirling vortex in the sky. It yawned open, a daemonic army of Khorne poured forth, and the slaughter began. Salzenmund was in ruins. For years, a mere handful of survivors huddled in shacks on the Walcheberg while priests sheltered in the temple of Ulric. The streets elsewhere were lost to weeds and wild animals. Castle Salzenmund stood shattered on the hill, a reminder of the horror that befell the town.[2b]
From a leaderless province emerged a tyrant -- Duke Hjalmar of Hargen. Where politics failed, Hjalmar used force to destroy rival claimants to the title of Elector Count. By 1401 IC, he had pulled together the province and established a new seat at Dietershafen. He treated Salzenmund with contempt, turning it into a prison camp for the priests, nobles, and merchants who displeased him. Somehow Hjalmar became Emperor for six years, before a timely assassination. In a rare moment of agreement, the electors agreed that Nordland should lose its Electoral status, and the province fell apart. Salzenmund was once again the heart of a principality only, encompassing the Silver Hills and ruled over by a restored Moltke line.[2b]
Restoration[]
By 1420 IC, Prince Ludger Moltke ruled over a handful of farms, villages, and a ramshackle town amongst the ruins of the former Nordland capital. When Count Brakh Metalmane led a Chaotic host from the Middle Mountains to attack Beeckerhoven and then Salzenmund, Ludger had no hope of holding out… until the coming of Jarl Asvaldr. Asvaldr was a Norscan with dominion over several Nordland coastal settlements. His people had fought against and alongside the Men of the Empire, and the Jarl decided on this occasion to side with Ludger. The combined force defeated the invaders and Ludger married Unni, the Jarl’s daughter, who gave birth to Angmar Moltke. Angmar grew up fighting with Skaeling warriors on seaborne raids.[2b]
When he came of age, he returned to Salzenmund with a host of Norsemen and Dwarfs, where his dying father implored him to reunite the province. Angmar vowed he would. Within days of inheriting the title, the new count took his Northman warband through the province, offering protection from Ostland, Beastmen, and bandits in exchange for tribute and fealty. Angmar restored Nordland through diplomacy and implied threat. His legacy lives on in Nordland’s feudal politics and the remnants of Norse law practised in Salzenmund. Angmar and his retinue were keen seafarers, and he helped establish the Cult of Manann in the city.[2b]
The Curse and the Pact[]
The resurrection of the Liche Lord Nagash in 1681 IC brought terror to the Old World. For one night, the dead stirred and walked the land. In Salzenmund, the bones of ancient sacrifices floated to the surface of the Ormsdeep and assembled into multi-limbed monstrosities that clambered into the streets, draped in algae and dripping wet. They snatched up countless townsfolk and dragged them screaming into the lake. Dieter Helsnicht was seen simultaneously in many locations throughout the town, charged with unholy power. By morning the undead had collapsed once again. In Castle Salzenmund, Einrich Moltke III was found frozen in death, surrounded by the inanimate bodies of his ancestors.[2b]
There was not a single mark on his body. He left no heir. The Doomlord had his revenge — the Moltke line was extinct. The Barony of Nordland was inherited by KrentzBildhofens of Middenland, while the Principality of Salzenmund was claimed by Sovereign Countess Eleonore Gausser. Eleonore was both a pragmatist and a visionary — and one of Salzenmund’s greatest leaders. When the count of Westerland marched to take the town, he was surprised to meet a large, well-trained army on the open field. Eleonore proved a capable wartime leader, inspiring the troops by fighting at the fore alongside them. Yet it was Eleonore’s diplomacy that destroyed Westerland’s forces. Years prior, Eleonore made secret overtures to the Queen of Tor Lithanel. At a crucial moment, Marrisith sent swift cavalry and deadly archers to help rout Westerland’s army.[2b]
Wealth and Wizardry[]
From 1910 IC onwards, the town’s guilds rose to prominence and the nobility courted their prestige and wealth. When merchant knight Lord Gunter Ostrein married the daughter of Count Reinard Gausser, their progeny began the Ostrein line of princes. The Ostreins brought an entrepreneurial spirit to Salzenmund. They opened the town to Wood Elves, Dwarfs, Halflings, and even wizards. They loaned silver to Stirland, Talabecland, and Middenland nobles to bring more wealth to the city. In 2016 IC, the childless Count Wolfgar Ostrein was carried off by a giant eagle while hunting. He was succeeded by Talius the Exalted, first of the Magister Counts. In such a vast, fragmented domain as the Empire before Magnus, witch-hunters and Sigmarites struggled to assert their prohibition of wizardry. Talius was an opportunist who heard of events in Salzenmund and saw an opportunity.[2b]
He came to the city and used illusionist magic to grow his influence amongst the powers-that-be. In 2020 IC, with the support of ensorcelled nobles, generals, and guildmasters, he took control of both town and province to become Count Talius the Exalted. Today, nobody knows anything about Talius’s true name, appearance, or his real ambitions. He seems to have been a devious but benevolent autocrat. Talius founded a school for poor children, introduced the Cult of Verena to the town, reduced taxes, and improved trade with Ostland and Middenland. He also restored Nordland’s Electoral status through further trickery. In 2050 IC, Talius disappeared and passed his title to a former apprentice — Countess Ludmilla Gausser, more commonly known as ‘The Sapphire Mask’. Several more Magister Counts followed Ludmilla by the same tradition of master to apprentice, although it soon became primarily a dynasty of Gaussers. The era of Magister Counts came to an end when Count Ernald Gausser inherited the title, a man who couldn’t even read, let alone cast a spell.[2b]
Time of Four Sieges[]
The Time of Four Sieges
The years between 2121 and 2184 IC are known as the "Time of Four Sieges." The Norscan shaman Sorn Ghoulskin sought the secrets of necromancy. His warhost came to Nordland to plunder the wisdom of Dieter Helsnicht and explore the ruins on Wrecker’s Point. He became fixated on Salzenmund and attacked with his warhird in 2121 IC. Ghoulskin besieged Salzenmund for two years, his dying thralls raised as zombies to bolster the army. In a lastditch attempt to break the town, he fashioned a Necrofex Colossus from the wreckage of the prison hulk Iron Fetter. This walking mass of timber and carcasses pounded at the Crimson Bastion until the siege was broken by Baron Jorgen Nikse and his army supported by Middenheim troops.[2b]
In the aftermath, the high priest of Ulric, Stefnir Nymus, declared that secular rulers had failed and the town was now under the rule of the White Wolf. Nymus was a fanatic who brought harsh salvation to the town and made apocalyptic proclamations from the steps of the temple of Ulric. He banished the nobility and denounced the Grand Theogonist as an agent of Chaos. He pledged allegiance to the Wolf Emperor and condemned anything he associated with the ‘soft’ southern Empire. After 15 years of austere rule, the exiled nobility returned to Salzenmund with tidings that Ar-Ulric himself had denounced Nymus. After a short siege, the self-appointed hagiarch of Salzenmund was executed by the mob and the gates thrown open. During high summer in 2168 IC, the forest itself marched on Salzenmund. For several centuries, Nordlanders encroached on the Laurelorn and built logging camps on the western banks of the River Demst.[2b]
An Eonir host descended on Salzenmund, mobilising so swiftly that the City Guard were barely able to prepare defences. Ancient Treemen and Branchwraiths assaulted the walls as archers picked off defenders from an impossible distance. Eventually Count Algar II surrendered to the Highborn Vatheleir. She acknowledged his apology and swiftly decapitated him. The Eonir were gone within the hour. The final siege brought out the best and the worst in the town. When High King Helvar Ironaxe sailed up the Salz, the townsfolk rallied under the command of the Knights of the North Star and kept the undisciplined Norscans at bay. The drunkard Count Gunter hid in his wine cellar. After the surviving Norscans fled home, a disgruntled Town Council pressured the count to grant them a town charter, which they secured in 2190 IC.[2b]
Incursions and Alliances[]
Baron Thorsten "Redhelm" Nikse was a bloodthirsty man and an enthusiastic hand-to-hand combatant. After he took the throne in 2291 IC, he did his best to avoid the tedious business of ruling in favour of fighting Beastmen or Norscans wherever he could find them. When Chaos began to rise in the north, he didn’t wait for Magnus’s call. He and his army boarded ships on the Ormsdeep to ‘take the fight to the enemy in Norsca’. The sole survivor of this expedition returned ten years later, describing the last sight of Baron Redhelm hacking into a mutated leviathan with a boathook as the waves took them both. Redhelm’s son Roderic was only a year old when he inherited Salzenmund, so the town and province were run by the grandmaster of the Knights of the North Star, Lord Herbert von Laue. He guided the town on a steady path and brokered peace with the Elves of Laurelorn, on instruction from Magnus.[2b]
The period after Magnus' victory saw a new optimism for the united Empire. In Salzenmund, there was a resurgence in the worship of Sigmar. The Town Council raised funds to construct the Temple of Sigmar Protector on Walcheberg. With the establishment of the Colleges of Magic, wizards came to Salzenmund to look for lost relics of the Magister Counts. The new Emperor was unwilling to grant Nordland an Electoral position, but he granted the town an Imperial charter naming it a city. In 2368 IC Baron Ludwig Nikse married Brunhilde Todbringer. The Treaty of Schoninghagen settled the fate of Nordland and Salzenmund alike — both were once again tributary to the City of the White Wolf. The Gausser family were enraged and refused to accept the treaty’s validity.[2b]
Turmoil of 2512 IC[]
Recent years have fundamentally changed the balance of power in Salzenmund, especially during the political crisis known as the Turmoil of 2512 IC. When Baron Helmut Nikse died, his son Baron Werner Nikse saw fit to bring the city closer to Middenheim. He married his daughter Anike-Elise to Graf Boris Todbringer, but the alliance provided little advantage to Salzenmund -- in 2502 IC, it was the new Emperor Karl-Franz who marched north to fight invading Norscans on the coast, rather than Graf Boris Todbringer. After the recent turmoil in the Empire, Theoderic Gausser and a confederation of allies threw off Middenheim rule.[2b]
Geography[]
The hills which define the city of Salzenmund.
At the heart of the Silver Hills is a deep lake known as the Ormsdeep. The surrounding peaks form a great basin, carved into hills by rivers and streams flowing from the highlands. On the slopes facing the lake lies Salzenmund, a small Imperial city, little more than a large town, and the provincial capital of Nordland. This is not a grand city like Altdorf, Middenheim, or Nuln. This is life on a smaller, but no less dangerous, scale. Salzenmund sits on the periphery of the Empire, with the vast expanse of the oceans to the north and the mysterious domain of the Eonir Wood Elves in the west.[2b]
The River Salz flows from the lake, winding many miles to the Sea of Claws. Despite its inland location, Salzenmund has a rich maritime heritage. In recent times, the Emperor himself has committed the Imperial Second Fleet to Nordland, overseen by the ambitious elector, Grand Baron Theodoric Gausser. The new ruler displaced his rival, Baron Werner Nikse, to secure his position. Now Gausser surveys his province from atop Castle Salzenmund, plotting the conquest of lands he claims are his by right.[2b]
Downhill from the castle, the powerful Nordland Silversmiths’ Guild counts the wealth it scrapes from mines in the Silver Hills. Belowground in old catacombs and abandoned mine tunnels, smugglers traffic contraband from the coast into the Empire. In the poorest wards, one encounters unmistakable traces of Norscan influence, from boisterous fighting pits to eccentric religious practices. Salzenmund is a city with ambition. Salzenmunders are blunt, good-humoured, and eager to prove themselves. No longer shackled to Middenheim, they are eager to show the rest of the Empire that they are their equals. They look across the expanse of Nordland, from the Drakwald to the Sea of Claws, and take pride in their land.[2b]
Layout[]
If you ask a Wissenlander or Averlander where to find Salzenmund, they will either give you a blank look or tell you it’s on the coast. After all — Nordlanders are all fishermen aren’t they? Or Norscans. Or both. Despite Salzenmund’s location miles inland, the city is inextricably linked with the sea — both in the popular imagination and in reality. Its setting lends Salzenmund a maritime air. Streets cascade down to the water’s edge, just as they do in Hargendorf or Neues Emskrank on the coast. Buildings are constructed with mast-like flagpoles and wooden arches resembling a boat's bow. Each morning, the citizens are woken by the sound of gulls crying as they swoop above the city. Even the Ormsdeep is reminiscent of the Sea of Claws, rising and falling with the tide, its waters slightly briny.[2f]
Centuries of Norscan raids have driven Nordland’s nobility and merchants inland, to seek the relative security of a city more defensible than Dietershafen, Hargendorf, or Norden. While much of Nordland’s limited power comes from the sea, those who hold that power prefer to shelter where they can hold onto it, rather than seeing it hacked to pieces by barbarians from the frozen north. The economy relies on trades related to the sea — there are sailmakers, chandlers, naval victuallers, and other maritime professions based in the city, while timber floats down the Salz to the shipwrights on the coast. The inns of Steinhafen are frequented by marines and sailors on leave, while the Imperial Sea Lords visit the city to talk naval business with the elector. Many oceangoing expeditions are conceived and financed here, and plunder is one of the main sources of the city’s wealth. The Salz is too shallow for a Greatship, but seagoing galleys are a relatively common sight on the Ormsdeep and it’s even possible to see the occasional Wolfship on the lake.[2f]
Trading Districts[]
The Salzenmund Strand is a minor trade route that carries goods from Kislev, Norsca, and the Empire via the city. They travel through Ferlangen, Neues Emskrank, and Norden on their journey. Seaborne trade moves up the Salz to the wharves of Steinhafen and Osthafen, where it is loaded onto carts and wagons travelling south. Any trade goods from the Silver Hills tend to ship via Salzenmund. Wagons enter through the three main gates to the warehouses in Osthafen and Steinhafen. There is also a lively trade in contraband via the Olhauser Wharf. Salzenmund merchants trade primarily in commodities, notably timber, silver, ice, and salt. There is a lesser trade in lead, a by-product from silver mining. Ice is taken from the Sea of Claws and floated up the Salz during the coldest months.[2f]
It’s then packed in straw and sent as far afield as Altdorf. Timber sold in the city is mainly earmarked for shipbuilding -- there is no shortage of lumber elsewhere in the Empire, but Nordland trees grow tall and straight, perfect for masts and keels. The salt trade is notorious for cut-throat competition, leading to feuds that cross the ties of friendship and family. The Lunhotten brothers stand as an example of how bitter these rivalries can become. Each trades with a different saltworks on the coast and ships their produce to the city by barge. Otto Lunhotten berates his brother’s salt as ‘merely dust and sand‘ whereas Gunther Lunhotten says Otto sells ‘boiled seal piss’. Whatever the truth, both make a good living selling to southern markets. Exports of manufactured goods are less significant, but Nordland woodcraft and silverware are in demand throughout the Empire and beyond. Trade in Salzenmund is overseen by the Council of Trades and the Merchants’ Guild, composed of the wealthiest members of other guilds and a handful of powerful traders. The guild is currently raising gold to support Gausser’s potential assault on the Wasteland.[2f]
Lustria House[]
The famed Lustria House of Salzenmund[2l]
The Lustria House tucked away on a secluded lane in Moltkeplatz is a peculiar townhouse. The front door is flanked by two thick stone pillars, carved with strange, angular reptilian faces and obscure glyphs. Likewise, the corners of the building are fashioned from upright lizard statues supporting stone lintels.[2l]
These motifs continue across the exterior, with carved timbers and panelling reflecting Lustrian themes. The house is owned by Lord Bedauer-Schmidt, a wealthy merchant descended from a long line of explorers. The family made their fortune through loot from the New World and foreign trade, which is now threatened by the merchants of Marienburg. Inside the house is a treasure trove of trophies and strange items from Lustria, the Southlands, Grand Cathay, and Ind.[2l]
Lord Bedauer-Schmidt is a cultured, sociable man with no family or heir. He has an effortless charm and an inexhaustible selection of tales from his forbears' expeditions around the mortal world. He occasionally hosts social events for nobles, merchants, academics, and artists in his home. There are just two topics which break his affability -- the city of Marienburg and the fact that, despite his ancestry, he has never left Nordland.[2l]
Among the treasures which fill Salzenmund's Lustria House, few are as grand as the stone pillar which supports its dining hall ceiling. This pillar is carved with many reptilian faces, surmounted by four toad-like entities gazing down on the diners. The elder Lady Bedauer-Schmidt delighted in telling guests of how she found it overlooking the Lustrian coast and secured it with much ingenuity and daring (and the loss of three labourers, but that's not important to the story).[3a]
Furthermore, after she installed the pillar in her home, she came down one night and heard the faces talking -- chattering away in a tongue she could not understand, but the moment she lit a candle, they fell silent. Lady Bedauer-Schmidt has long since passed, but her stories are still told amongst Salzenmund's nobility. Most believe the tale to be made up to impress dinner guests, but in certain circles, the talking pillar is as famous a subject for speculation as the Lustria House itself.[3a]
Sights and Sounds[]
The city is awash with optimism. The Turmoil continues to have repercussions but Salzenmund has emerged stronger, independent, and restored to Electoral status. Southerners will no longer forget Salzenmund or make snide references to Norscans. The Nordlanders think their time has come! But tensions persist. Relations with the Eonir are strained. Marienburg continues to thrive, stealing trade and keeping Salzenmund forever in its shadow. The Nordland separatists may have triumphed, but there are still those who cling to the security of subservience to the mighty Middenheim.[2c]
Morning[]
As the sun rises over Gnistreberg, the count’s heralds blow a long reveille from the towers of Castle Salzenmund. The trumpet blasts echo from the hills and resound throughout the streets. The morning mist over the lake clears as the bells toll in the Green Bell Tower to mark the day’s beginning. From the belfry in the castle gatehouse, ‘Old Piet’ peals in response. Armoured wagons roll slowly down the Reichsweg towards the Crimson Bastion, accompanied by a troop of outriders and a mounted official in dark blue robes. This is a shipment of silver for trade elsewhere in the Empire, overseen by a master of the Worshipful Guild of Nordland Silversmiths. Children run alongside, whooping and cheering. Fishermen row their boats ashore across the surface of the Ormsdeep, bringing in the morning catch. They head to Schmutzmarkt to sell their wares.[2c]
Noon[]
It's a typical windy day in Salzenmund. A ferocious gale blows through the valleys. Citizens wrap woollen cloaks and scarfs tightly to their bodies as they struggle through the streets. A cart gets loose and rolls down one of the city’s steep hills. The carter runs shouting after it, and several urchins and dogs join in cheering and barking. The cart comes crashing to a halt against a water pump, shedding pots and pans which continue tumbling down the hill. The City Guard kick beggars from the street as Count Gausser and his entourage pass through on horseback. The elector looks irritable and seems to be arguing with a man dressed in an admiral’s uniform. A Wolfship comes up the Salz from the coast, sails furled and the crew rowing hard to bring it to the wharves in Steinhafen. A crowd of gulls follow it from the sea, hoping for rich pickings in the city. A hairy man with a plaited beard sits on a street corner and regales a small crowd with tales of Count Angmar the First’s many triumphs. He shares a fanciful tale of how Angmar conquered the seas before uniting Nordland.[2c]
Evening[]
The setting sun silhouettes the statue of Manann atop the temple on Walcheberg. From the steps of the temple, the wavelord himself calls the first watch. Revellers roll from a dockside tavern on the Steinhafen, strip naked, and dive into the cold lake from a jetty — a traditional and effective way to sober up at the end of a night’s hard drinking. High on Ulricshohe, the huge rings of the Grand Orrery release a metallic groan as they turn to track the stars. The windows in the observatory emit a faint blue glow. On the lakeshore between Seeufer and Osthafen, there is a faint sound of splashing oars. A covered lantern reveals the occasional glimpse of hooded figures with a large wooden crate in their boat. A crowd pours from the Steinhafen Pits, thrilled by the bouts they have seen. They scuffle with one another, halfjoking and half-serious, seemingly unable to calm down after the bloody spectacle they have witnessed.[2c]
Government[]
"Who rules Salzenmund? Count Theoderic of course. He restored our honour and took back the city for Nordland."
- —Hanna Pedurssen, Addasheim merchant[2d]
Grand Baron Theoderic Gausser, the autocratic and ruthless lord of the Nordlands
Salzenmund is a free city, the capital of a feudal province, and the seat of a prince. When an outsider wants to know who rules Salzenmund, they will get several different answers depending on who they’re asking. It’s complicated. The Principality of Salzenmund is ruled by Theoderic Gausser, who is also Elector Count of Nordland. The city itself is governed by the burgomeister and the Council, under the rights of the Charter, which was granted by a former elector count in 2190 IC. Property within the city is owned by the prince; the elector count; the Cults of Ulric, Manann, and Sigmar; the guilds; and the nobility. Only the most diligent lawyer can work out exactly who has jurisdiction over which aspects of life in the city, so most people take a pragmatic approach — do what you’ve always done or follow the rules of the person most likely to punish you if you step out of line. This confusion leads to tensions. Count Gausser doesn’t understand why he can’t get his own way in his own city, and finds the rule of law a major inconvenience. The burgomeister and guilds frequently need to remind the nobility that they live in a free city and are subject to tax on their property. It’s never quite clear who can command the citizen soldiery to muster for war — so they tend to go along with an order regardless.[2d]
One principle cuts through the confusion. Anywhere in the Empire, power carries an implicit threat of violent coercion. In Salzenmund, that violence is much closer to the surface. The military, rather than a civilian watch, enforce law and order. Noble families and guilds pay soldiers to protect their interests. Trial by combat is far more prevalent in Salzenmund than almost any other provincial capital. This is undoubtedly a legacy of Norse influence — in Norsca, might is often right. That said, money and spiritual power still matter. The Silversmiths’ Guild’s wealth and heritage command respect throughout the province and beyond. It has effective dominion over the city’s other guilds and, by extension, the burgomeister. Salzenmund also relies on the sea, hence the Cult of Manann is more influential here than any other non-coastal settlement.[2d]
The Cults of Sigmar and Ulric each have their own sphere of influence and most Salzenmunders will follow the instruction of either cult when told. Thanks to Gausser and his allies, Salzenmund is enjoying a resurgence of influence. After several hundred years, Nordland is finally independent from Middenheim and has regained its Electoral vote. Gausser usurped Baron Nikse with support from Nordland’s coastal nobility, mercantile interests, the studied neutrality of the Cult of Ulric and, quietly from the shadows, politicians in Altdorf. Most citizens celebrated these events and took great pride in their newfound independence, rejoicing that the wolf ’s jaws were no longer around their neck. Money is flowing into the city as the Second Fleet of the Imperial Navy expands and merchants see lucrative opportunities.[2d]
Office of Burgomeister[]
The burgomeister leads the city government, with oversight of the city’s trade, laws, defence, and finances. They sit at the head of the City Council, attend the Council of Trades at the Guildhall, and represent the city’s interests to the prince of Salzenmund and the nobility of Nordland. It is theoretically a position of considerable responsibility and power — the reality depends on the individual. The burgomeister cannot override the recommendations of the Council, but he can ensure that a decree or decision is effectively diluted into oblivion or prioritised as critical business. The position comes with a townhouse by the Radhaus, a nice gold chain, and some strange traditions. For example, the Salzenmund burgomeister must eat a spoonful of salt before every meeting of the Council. He welcomes the gods, by name, to the Radhaus each morning when the doors are opened.[2e]
Every Mitterfruhl and Mittherbst, a captive Goblin is delivered to the Steinhafen Pits and the burgomeister must enter the ring and kill it with the ceremonial mace that comes with his office. A strong burgomeister can direct the citizens and the prince of Salzenmund alike. The previous incumbent, Walter Lebensohn, was such a man — a legendary wit, ‘Laughing Walter’ was a rotund, well-loved figure. He was famous for his jokes, incredible negotiating skills, and profligate embezzlement. Salzenmund secured three great cannons from Nuln for a relative pittance thanks to Lebensohn. Sadly, he met his end when one of the aforementioned cannons slipped its carriage and rolled over him. A more pliable burgomeister will find themself dominated by some combination of the Silversmiths’ Guild, the City Guard, or the prince of Salzenmund. The current burgomeister, Maximilian von Kirscheschlage, has yet to take the measure of Count Gausser. He himself is undoubtedly under the sway of the Silversmiths and the other guilds.[2e]
City Council[]
In 2190 IC, under increasing pressure from merchants tired of paying tribute to an unstable feudal nobility, the beleaguered Count Gunter Ostrein signed a charter confirming Salzenmund’s status as a free town. The first Town Council was instituted, led by the Burgomeister Dankmar Hasel. Each ward sent a representative, along with the guilds, landowners, religious and military authorities. The Council exists to raise taxes and make and enforce bylaws. In particular they protect the rights of Salzenmund in trade, but also discuss matters of warfare and how the city responds in periods of strife. They issue edicts and pass laws which they can enforce through fines, imprisonment, or a day in the Schmutzmarkt pillory. The majority of the Council are the wardens. Each represents a city ward and carries the ward’s banner.
In many cases the warden literally acts as standardbearer when citizens are mustered for battle, which may explain why so many are combative during meetings. Other members of the Council are the city treasurer, the captain of the City Guard, five guildmasters selected by the Guildhall, representatives of six noble houses, Lawspeaker Ola Verensdatter, and the burgomeister. Council meetings are rowdy affairs held around a great fire pit in the Radhaus, a tradition said to date back to the tribal councils of the Jutones, although people outside Salzenmund insist it’s a Norse practice. All councillors can speak freely regardless of their station in life, but alliances and cliques have their preferred spokespersons. Raised voices are inevitable and the occasional fight breaks out when discussion gets heated. A recurring controversy is ‘what to do about Marienburg’ — there is consensus that Salzenmund is suffering as the Wastelanders steal trade from the Empire, but passions run high about how aggressive or overt a response is appropriate.
Noble Houses[]
The noble houses of Nordland lack the political finesse of their southern neighbours and tend to rally around the most powerful amongst their number. The most important clans in the province are the Gaussers, the Nikses, the Köhlers of Dietershafen, and the von Hargenfels. The latter two families are coastal baronies with historic maritime links. The Köhlers have centuries of association with the Imperial Navy and the halls in their dockside palace are lined with portraits of numerous admirals and sea lords. They are allies of the Gaussers, for now. The von Hargenfels are a strange family, once powerful in Salzenmund. Baron Klement rarely visits the city and sends his steward to conduct business there. Rumours persist that the family are ensorcelled by the Eonir or lackeys of the Smuggler Queen.[2e]
The Margravinate of Forstmark is Nikse territory, the Ulrican heartland of Nordland. The family’s ancestors negotiated the Treaty of the Leaf in 738 IC, the first pact with the Eonir to allow Human settlement of the ‘Nord Lands’. The Nikses have long allied and intermarried with the Todbringers of Middenheim. It is an unequal accord, reflected by the tributary relationship of Nordland to the City of the White Wolf. When the Nikses first ruled Salzenmund, they were renowned warriors who lead the province in battle, but Baron Werner has a reputation as a subservient retainer to Graf Boris who spent more time in Middenheim than Salzenmund. All the major noble families have residences in Salzenmund, although the Nikses have recently moved out of the castle into their draughty property in Moltkeplatz. The minor nobles in the city fear for their continued position since the coup, and remain steadfastly obedient to Count Gausser. The Nachtmann family have a large property in Moltkeplatz and a favoured position in Gausser’s inner circle. Lord Gustav is high steward of Nordland and his older brother Baron Ulf Nachtmann commands a battalion of the State Army.[2e]
Lady Helga von Plutz is never seen outside her cobwebbed residence, but she writes countless letters to friends and acquaintances voicing her support for the count and his mother, whom she considers a friend, despite not seeing her for many years. The Bedauer-Schmidt family come from a long line of explorers and merchants who became wealthy with plunder from their excursions across the seas — their mansion is the ‘Lustrian House’, a notable landmark on Zinnentor. Lord Cornelius Bedauer-Schmidt continues to make astute investments in overseas adventures. The von Macht family have an impressive past – the first preceptor of the Knights of the North Star was a von Macht. The last baron of Westerland was Paulus van der Maacht, whose daughter married into the Gaussers — hence Theoderic’s claim to the Wasteland. Today the family is impoverished and wholly dependent on their usefulness to the Elector Count. Elderly Heinz von Macht keeps one set of good clothes and a sword for occasions when he is summoned to the palace.[2e]
Law and Order[]
Salzenmund law is informed by the Norslaug, a code brought to the city by Norse rulers in the past. This legal system emphasises individual honour and the regulation of violence rather than its elimination. Trial by combat is common in Nordland and all nobles and many merchants have a judicial champion to fight on their behalf. Others take pride in fighting for themselves. There are also complex rules regarding insults -- which ones are grounds for retaliation and which are acceptable raillery. Salzenmund has an old tradition of the lawspeaker, who can recite the laws of the city by rote. Originally this served to help the illiterate understand what was forbidden by law and what was permitted, but it later evolved into a profession akin to a judge. The tradition continues and Lawspeaker Ola Verensdatter represents the city’s laws to the Council.[2f]
She is still expected to memorise and recite the laws without reference to notes. There is no dedicated city watch in Salzenmund, which visitors find disconcerting. Instead, law is upheld within the walls by the City Guard, who patrol in pairs looking like what they are — professional soldiers. They have little interest in investigation, preferring to halt crimes in progress rather than deal with them afterwards. Inevitably private citizens turn to others to uncover crimes already committed and bring them to the attention of the authorities, so there is a thriving business for private investigators. When someone is accused of a crime, they’re taken to the courthouse, imprisoned, and eventually tried. The lawspeaker recounts the relevant laws and the accused tells their story, the accuser theirs, and the lawspeaker delivers a verdict on the advice of a jury of eight townsfolk. The accused can also choose trial by combat to ‘determine’ their guilt or innocence. Punishments range from fines to exile, imprisonment, service on a wargalley, or execution by a means chosen by the lawspeaker. A favourite for murderers is to tie them to the body of their victim and throw them into the lake.[2f]
Salzenmunders[]
Humans[]
The half-Norscan people of Salzenmund
Salzenmunders are known as boisterous, tactless, and good-humoured. They are quick to anger and just as quick to laughter. They value straight dealing and honesty over guile and politicking. They speak literally and don't favour allusion or metaphor, although storytelling is a prized skill -- Salzenmunders tend to explain everything through anecdote or lengthy accounts of personal experience. They accept that physical conflict is often inevitable and rarely practice restraint where a fist or a boot could resolve an issue. Violence is rarely far beneath the surface. Salzenmunders also take a pragmatic, pluralistic attitude to religion, an approach that is less common elsewhere. Trinkets, amulets, and symbols of multiple gods are popular -- Salzenmunders can be superstitious and like to feel protected by unearthly powers.[2c]
Salzenmunders usually wear their hair long, typically braided or loose. Men often sport beards and moustaches waxed into points. They keep themselves clean -- Nordlanders like bathing and Salzenmunders are no exception. Gold Status citizens are a little too eager to show other Imperials that they can fit in with high society elsewhere. They adopt typical Empire fashions -- slashed sleeves and hose are popular, as are fur-trimmed cloaks and feathered hats. Silver Status citizens are a little more distinctly Salzenmund. They favour woollen clothing in bold colours and trousers loose above the knee. The poorest citizens wear furs, boots, and animal skin caps to keep out the wind. People dressed in nautical attire are a common sight -- woollen smocks with laced necks, baggy breeches and round, flat caps, often made from sealskin.[2c]
Non-Humans[]
Salzenmund is an overwhelmingly Human city, but as with any major settlement in the Empire, there are small populations of non-Humans like Dwarfs, Halflings and Elves resident within the walls.[2i]
Military[]
Like any province or city-state in the Empire, Nordland has a standing army of professional soldiers paid from taxes and commanded by the Elector Count. The Army of Salzenmund forms the core of the Nordland State Army, and at any given time its regiments could be on campaign in the province itself or fighting alongside other states in alliance against a common adversary. In times of war, the Nordmarshal drafts trained citizens and every ward is expected to supply troops for the army. Alongside the state troops and citizen soldiers, there are knightly orders, mercenaries, ship’s companies and temporary militias raised to defend Salzenmund and sally forth against its enemies. The Army of Salzenmund is composed of numerous battalions, including the City Guard.[2g]
These companies serve to protect the city, maintain peace within the walls, and uphold the law. Their yellow, blue, and black uniforms are a common sight on the streets of Salzenmund. Count Gausser's hold on power is recent and he must be sure the military are still on his side, so he keeps the commanders close. There are two generals often found in Salzenmund. The Army of Nordland is commanded by the Nordmarshal, formerly Gausser's role; the count recently appointed General Gunter Fredhoff, a bluff veteran campaigner who never liked serving under Middenheim. The commander of the Household Guard oversees Gausser’s personal troops. This role is currently taken by Lord Harman Barthelm, an old friend of the elector count. This was a controversial choice as his son Malthe shot the "Princess" Katarina Todbringer during the recent Turmoil of 2512. Barthelm has disowned his son to keep the peace with Middenheim, but it’s not clear how sincerely he regrets his offspring’s actions.[2g]
The Salzenmund city watch are nicknamed the "Bear-Baiters."[2a]
[]
The Imperial Navy defends the coasts, protects trade routes, and transports the Empire's armies overseas -- as well as fighting seaborne adversaries and indulging in plunder. Since Marienburg’s secession, the Empire has been reliant on Wastelander captains and the First Fleet for sea power. The latter is ageing, primarily river-borne and insufficient to deal with increasing Norscan and Dark Elf raids. Emperor Karl Franz has decided to support Elector Count Gausser in strengthening a Second Fleet. The Imperial First Fleet is based in Altdorf and officially commanded by Sea Lord Adalmann von Hopfberg, currently confined to the Great Hospice. During lucid moments, he dismisses the creation of the Second Fleet as a folly, and the Sea Lords in Altdorf tend to agree -- Nordlanders are savages more suited to splashing around on the coast than serving the emperor's navy. The emperor himself disagrees and has commanded High Chancellor Hochsvoll to provide funds for the Second Fleet.[2f]
The nascent fleet is based in Dietershafen and overseen by Sea Lord Ludolf Köhler II, son of the current baron. He and Gausser have commissioned new officers and several admirals, primarily drawing on the extended Köhler family, a long line of noble sailors. The equally nautical von Hargenfels family have been deliberately overlooked. Lord Tyrkel von Hargenfels has recently transferred to the First Fleet on the assumption that his career prospects under Köhler were limited. Despite the nepotism, naval officers commissioned must prove themselves exemplary sailors. Upon commission, each is gifted a golden whistle to denote service to the Imperial Navy and Nordland. The Second Fleet is a source of great pride in Salzenmund. The flurry of shipbuilding has invigorated the local economy and Sea Lord Köhler is something of a celebrity in the city, welcomed with enthusiasm when he visits. His father and Gausser have convened the Nordland Naval Chamber, consisting of the elector count, Wave Lord Sider, Baron Ludolf, Sea Lord Köhler, and Astromancer Xavier Köhler. The latter is the sea lord’s brother, and while Magisters must relinquish their titles to become wizards, he remains influential. Sea Lord Köhler officially answers to the elector count, but in practice it is his father who makes decisions with Gausser.[2f]
Knightly Orders[]
There's a joke amongst the Empire's military orders that a Nordlander can ride a horse as well as a cat can swim. The province has always taken pride in the quality of its infantry, and the soldiery are most comfortable fighting in the forest, hills, or on the deck of a ship rather than prancing around on horseback. Nevertheless, only a foolish general forgoes the opportunity to field a regiment of knights, and there are several orders with chapter houses in Nordland.[2f]
Given that the major religions in Nordland are those of Ulric, Sigmar, and Manann, it is no surprise that all three have templars active in the region. There are several battle companies of the Knights of the White Wolf in Nordland, including one deployed in Salzenmund as temple guards, another in the Silver Hills nearby, and more in Castle Midfast on the Middenheim-Erengrad road.[2f]
They are popular in rural areas, although Nordland separatists believe they are agents of Middenheim. There are Knights Griffon quartered in the prominent temples of Sigmar in Dietershafen, Norden, and Hargendorf, while Order of the Fiery Heart templars guard the Temple of Sigmar the Protector in Salzenmund. Wherever the Cult of Morr fear the return of the Undead, there are small companies of Black Guard quartered in temples to the god of the dead. Manann's knights have a greater presence in Nordland and Ostland than anywhere else in the Empire. The Sons of Manann patrol the coast but they have a chapter house to guard the temple of Manann in Salzenmund. The Knights Mariner have greater links with Marienburg which makes them less popular, although they have a minor preceptory in Dietershafen.[2f]
Secular orders are uncommon in Nordland. The Knights Panther have no permanent presence in Salzenmund and only a small chapter house in Beeckerhoven. More prominent are the Knights of the North Star, an order native to Salzenmund sworn to fight on behalf of the Elector Count.[2f]
Magic in Salzenmund[]
Outside Nordland, few people have heard of the "Magister Counts," who ruled the province from 2020–2103 IC. This was the Time of Three Emperors, a lawless era when witch hunters and Sigmarites struggled to assert their authority across a fractured land. Talius the Exalted used trickery and illusions to take control of Salzenmund and Nordland in 2020 IC. For 83 years, rulership was passed from one mage to another. While the Magister Counts were viewed with suspicion, warlocks throughout the Empire began to whisper that Talius and his successors had amassed a large collection of magical tomes and artefacts. When the Colleges of Magic were founded by Magnus the Pious, several newly-licensed Magisters travelled north to establish a presence in the city, hoping to find some remnant of the Magister Counts’ collection. Ceruleos of the Celestial College laid claim to the Glass Tower of Talius and it became the Grand Orrery.[2f]
Gold wizards travelled to the Silver Hills, intrigued by the unusual patterns of Chamon that move through the peaks and valleys. None have ever found Talius’s library, but rumours persist that it is still somewhere hidden in the city. Today, Salzenmund has a small population of wizards. Several Astromancers are resident in the city, most notably Magister Steglitz at the Grand Orrery and Xavier Köhler of the Imperial Navy. The hilltops and clear northern skies are conducive to working the temperamental wind of Azyr. Magistra Sabine Flamius is a senior scholar at the University of Salzenmund, where she furthers research into the alchemical properties of silver.[2f]
During the spring and summer, Ghyran flows in from the verdant valleys surrounding the city to pool on the surface of the Ormsdeep, and Jade Wizards are sometimes seen in the city at this time of year. The Eonir have mages, but few are ever seen in the city. The exception is Spellsinger Ceifilithair, a Laurelorn Wood Elf fascinated by Humans and their clumsy use of magic. He has a long association with the rulers of Salzenmund and even shared some basic spells with Human wizards — most notably those which create storms of arrows and magic missiles.[2f]
Religion[]
Salzenmunders are pragmatic when it comes to faith. They see the gods as almighty beings to fear, who must be placated if you need their protection. Rather than risk the wrath of the gods, Salzenmunders play it safe and show respect for most of the Empire’s pantheon. While the city has its share of religious zealots, people are generally tolerant of others’ religious beliefs -- after all, you never know which god is planning your doom. That said, natural forces, history, and culture have favoured certain cults. Sigmar, Ulric, and Manann are predominant, with notable high priests of all three gods established in the city. They are not humble clerics -- the Lector of Sigmar, High Priest of Ulric, and Wave Lord of Manann each insist on a degree of independence from their respective cult leaders in Altdorf, Middenheim, and Marienburg. Morr and Shallya are venerated specifically as protectors.[2f]
The priests of Morr maintain a vigil against the undead, and Mother Agata at the temple of Shallya is ever watchful for the threat of plague. A small, educated populace pays respect to Verena, primarily as a patron of learning — she has little influence on justice in a city where the law is cruder than elsewhere in the Empire. Salzenmund has an unusual proliferation of minor gods. Stovarok is a Nordland god of storytelling who is always invoked at the end of a fine tale. Loerk is a slender, mercurial god who brings good cheer, dancing, and carousing to inns and drinking halls. Elves recognise him as a crude Human representation of their god Loec, but realise that the trickster god no doubt finds the clumsy Human misappropriation rather hilarious.[2f]
In Holzermarkt, Steinhafen, and Osthafen there are small shrines to Villich, the silent, muscular god of smithing and shipbuilding. The most significant of the city’s minor gods is Gnistre, a patron deity that brings the city wealth from silver. Worship of Gnistre has ancient roots in the Was Jutone tribe, who venerated him in the form of a faceless, shining silver figure who bathed his worshippers in metallic light. In the intervening millennia, the character of the god became confused with the petty monarchs known as the Silver Kings.Today, Gnistre is patron of the Nordland Silversmiths’ Guild, and those involved in the Nordland silver trade pay their respects to him. Even the prince of Salzenmund pays homage to ensure Gnistre continues to bless the city with wealth from the hills. The god is said to dwell deep in the lake, although other stories say he moves through the bedrock of the Silver Hills, trailing silver ore behind him.[2f]
Cult of Sigmar[]
The territory that became Nordland was not part of Sigmar's original Empire. The Was Jutones were, at best, a disputed footnote in the first emperor’s united peoples. Despite (or perhaps because of ) this, Sigmar is an important deity in Salzenmund, revered as a benevolent warrior god who guards his people from the depredations coming from the north. Salzenmunders’ worship of Sigmar is suffused with a pervasive sense of guilt — after all, many of them are descended from Norse raiders, and the Norsii were one of Sigmar’s hated foes. Perhaps for this reason, the historical rivalry with the Cult of Ulric is muted in the city. Most people are content to worship both gods and leave the partisanship to rural Nordlanders in the south or distant Sigmarite fanatics. Veneration of Sigmar is political as well as spiritual -- it is an affirmation from Salzenmund that the people are independent from domination by Ulrican Middenheim. There are three temples to Sigmar in Salzenmund. The Temple of Sigmar Protector is pre-eminent as the seat of the Nordland lector (see page 80), the Hammer Temple in Entwasserung serves the lower classes, and the tiny Temple of Sigmar’s Blessing stands on the Reiksweg close to the city’s main gate.[2f]
Cult of Ulric[]
The south of Nordland is Ulrican country — a rural expanse of woodland and highlands physically and culturally close to Middenland, the Empire’s heart of Ulrican worship. After many long eras of dominion by Middenheim, Salzenmund is suffused with the Wolf God’s influence, from the ancient temple of Ulric to the muddy slums of Wolfsmatze. Carvings of Ulric’s rune, wolf heads, and claws are commonly found around doorways, to ward against harsh winter and, in ages past, actual wolves. The citizens know that unless they placate him, the Lord of Winter may freeze them all in their beds. The High Priest Eric Granholm is typical of his forebears in asserting some degree of independence from Ar-Ulric in Middenhim. As such, Salzenmund worship of Ulric is more idiosyncratic than in Middenland and unusual traditions and sub-cults prevail. Amongst the poorest citizens, he is often called ‘Olric’, a name associated with a more bloodthirsty Norse interpretation of the god. Just like their subjects, rulers of Salzenmund pay respect to Ulric. The more well-to-do worshippers of Ulric in the city do not believe Gausser’s professed faith in their god and would prefer an overt Ulrican like Baron Nikse to oversee the city and province.[2f]
Cult of Manann[]
Many miles from the sea, Salzenmund is home to the grandest temple of Manann in Nordland and arguably the most politically influential temple of the sea god in the Empire. The wave lord in Salzenmund represents the faith of Nordland’s coastal peoples, its seaborne trade, and its fleet. The Cathedral of Manaan in Marienburg may be the centre of the Cult in the Old World, but the priests there hold little sway in a city where the Wasteland is derided as a traitorous rival. Given the importance of Manann to Nordland, the wave lord is a powerful figure in the province and city alike. The head of the Cult has acted as a kingmaker and arbitrated in political disputes in the past — it’s a wise move for any Nordland ruler to cultivate an alliance with the Sea God’s priesthood. Citizens in Salzenmund revere Manann as a bringer of good fortune to the city. He is a god to be feared and honoured rather than loved, but this is not so different to how Nordlanders see most deities. Most Salzenmunders pray at the main temple on occasion, and those who rely on the sea for their livelihood join the congregation whenever Mannslieb is full.[2f]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Sigmar's Heirs (RPG)
- 1a: pp. 63-68
- 2: Hammer & Bolter 25
- 2a: The Problem of Three Toll Bridge (Short Story) by Josh Reynolds
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Salzenmund - City of Salt and Silver (RPG)
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Lustria (RPG)
- 3a: pg. 27