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===Boatmen's League=== |
===Boatmen's League=== |
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Merchantism is very strong within Talabheim, and as such a small body of merchants and ship captains have band together and formed a powerful entity within Talabheim. The Talabec River is a vital part of Talabheim. The broad, slow streams of this mighty river bring pilgrims, trade, and food in and out of the city. The Boatsmen’s League is a powerful lobbying group that represents various captains, ship owners, and businesses that ply the waters of the Talabec. They fight for the reduction of tariffs and taxes imposed on cargo. They establish new sources of trade with settlements up and down river and settle disputes between boat captains and land-based middlemen. Most merchants, however, consider the League to be nothing more than a front for criminals. The League has been accused of everything from piracy to extortion—a League strike could bring traffic and the flow of goods into the city to a near grinding halt. The current leader of the Boatsmen’s League, an enormous Ostlander named Jens Leonhard, is known to rule his organisation with an iron fist. Lieutenants and business rivals that displease him are often found roped to the bottom of a random flatboat.{{Fn|2d}} |
Merchantism is very strong within Talabheim, and as such a small body of merchants and ship captains have band together and formed a powerful entity within Talabheim. The Talabec River is a vital part of Talabheim. The broad, slow streams of this mighty river bring pilgrims, trade, and food in and out of the city. The Boatsmen’s League is a powerful lobbying group that represents various captains, ship owners, and businesses that ply the waters of the Talabec. They fight for the reduction of tariffs and taxes imposed on cargo. They establish new sources of trade with settlements up and down river and settle disputes between boat captains and land-based middlemen. Most merchants, however, consider the League to be nothing more than a front for criminals. The League has been accused of everything from piracy to extortion—a League strike could bring traffic and the flow of goods into the city to a near grinding halt. The current leader of the Boatsmen’s League, an enormous Ostlander named Jens Leonhard, is known to rule his organisation with an iron fist. Lieutenants and business rivals that displease him are often found roped to the bottom of a random flatboat.{{Fn|2d}} |
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==Religion== |
==Religion== |
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The Priests of Taal are easily the largest contingent in Talabheim. Indeed, the city boasts a higher number of Priests per capita than most other cities. The clergy claims this is because of the large number of faithful present—critics claim it’s because the Priests are exempt from paying the exorbitant taxes on alcoholic beverages that form an important part of their rites. The Priests of Taal split their time between the city and the Taalwelt to the east, where the true Temple of Taal sits. Their rites are conducted in secret, except for the occasional practitioner of Taal’s creed. The Temple of Verena, located in the heart of the Law Quarter, is the second largest in the city. They help manage Talabheim’s immense legal bureaucracy and ensure the laws are just. So far, they are fighting an uphill battle. Much to the dismay of the Emperor, the Cult of Sigmar does not have a strong hold within Talabheim. Its temple is relatively small and tucked away in an obscure corner within the God’s Row. However, those that follow its tenants are known for their utter devotion and fervent behaviour. In order to bolster their numbers, the Priests of Sigmar from Middenheim and Altdorf send more proselytisers to gain more converts.{{Fn|2c}} |
The Priests of Taal are easily the largest contingent in Talabheim. Indeed, the city boasts a higher number of Priests per capita than most other cities. The clergy claims this is because of the large number of faithful present—critics claim it’s because the Priests are exempt from paying the exorbitant taxes on alcoholic beverages that form an important part of their rites. The Priests of Taal split their time between the city and the Taalwelt to the east, where the true Temple of Taal sits. Their rites are conducted in secret, except for the occasional practitioner of Taal’s creed. The Temple of Verena, located in the heart of the Law Quarter, is the second largest in the city. They help manage Talabheim’s immense legal bureaucracy and ensure the laws are just. So far, they are fighting an uphill battle. Much to the dismay of the Emperor, the Cult of Sigmar does not have a strong hold within Talabheim. Its temple is relatively small and tucked away in an obscure corner within the God’s Row. However, those that follow its tenants are known for their utter devotion and fervent behaviour. In order to bolster their numbers, the Priests of Sigmar from Middenheim and Altdorf send more proselytisers to gain more converts.{{Fn|2c}} |
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==Layout== |
==Layout== |
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| − | Talabheim is a distinctive city, and those who explore its streets and shops always leave impressed and a little poorer. Constructed inside a great crater formed from some ancient catastrophe, the City of Talabheim is but one settlement inside Taalbaston. Talabheim has long struggled against its city bounds, and every inch of available space is used by the people living here. Talabheim is crowded with people. There is always something going on, some activity or spectacle to lure the attention of travellers. This is true even in the more sedate districts, for there are more people here than what the living space should allow, at least in the heart of the city. The streets, rarely wide enough for people to walk side-by side let alone accommodate a cart or wagon, are always congested with merchants, beggars, labourers, and nobles all scurrying like ants to their next pressing engagement. Such traffic slows movement, and Talabheimers always give themselves extra time when they need to be somewhere. |
+ | Talabheim is a distinctive city, and those who explore its streets and shops always leave impressed and a little poorer. Constructed inside a great crater formed from some ancient catastrophe, the City of Talabheim is but one settlement inside Taalbaston. Talabheim has long struggled against its city bounds, and every inch of available space is used by the people living here. Talabheim is crowded with people. There is always something going on, some activity or spectacle to lure the attention of travellers. This is true even in the more sedate districts, for there are more people here than what the living space should allow, at least in the heart of the city. The streets, rarely wide enough for people to walk side-by side let alone accommodate a cart or wagon, are always congested with merchants, beggars, labourers, and nobles all scurrying like ants to their next pressing engagement. Such traffic slows movement, and Talabheimers always give themselves extra time when they need to be somewhere.{{Fn|2e}} |
| + | ===Taalbaston=== |
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| + | The Taalbaston is the greatest of Talabheim’s defences. Formed from the natural walls of the massive crater, the rim of the Taalbaston has been reinforced and constantly improved for centuries by the militaries of Talabheim. The perimeter of the crater is traversed by a narrow treacherous road known as the Spierrestrasse. A mixture of large and small watch posts are placed along the Spierrestrasse at regular intervals. The minor watch posts are referred to as “Lashes.” Small garrisons of thirty men man the Lashes, and each is equipped with nearly a dozen cannon and ballistae. Though capable of harassing enemy forces both outside and inside the Taalbaston, these watch posts are expected to provide early warning of an enemy’s encroachment upon Talabheim. |
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| + | Signal rockets of various colours and intensities are launched from these posts, different combinations providing instant information to the soldiers and citizens living within the Taalbaston. The three major watch posts are positioned at the northern, eastern, and southern extensions of the Taalbaston. Whilst not nearly as formidable as High Watch, each is nonetheless a daunting obstacle for any enemy daring to mount an assault against them. All are equipped with signal rockets, as are their smaller brothers, but the defensive artillery available to each one consists of a combination of forty cannon and ballistae. One hundred men and support personnel occupy each of these keeps. Access can be gained by winding paths that climb the treacherous interior wall of the Taalbaston. |
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| + | ====The Wizard's Way==== |
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| + | The only legal way to enter into Talabheim is to take the Wizard’s Way. As the Old Forest Road approaches the towering walls of the Taalbaston, it begins a winding path of switchbacks as it rises nearly two hundred feet up the side of the crater wall. The road is wide enough to allow several wagons side-by-side to traverse its length without impediment. The road is extremely busy during the day, and the lines grow long as the guards check each and every person’s pass to enter the city. At the top of the road sits a massive fortress that casts long shadows onto the shanties below it. |
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| + | ====High Tower==== |
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| + | Known as High Watch, it is the first and best defence of the city. The gates are kept open except during times of crisis—High Watch has four separate black-iron portcullises, well greased and connected to a series of levers that can release the gates to slam shut with a single command. The walls and ceiling inside this tunnel are lined with murder holes, offering a great field of view for crossbowmen and soldiers to dump boiling oil in case an army actually makes it that far. The tunnel extends nearly 200 feet through the black walls of the Taalbaston and is illuminated by massive torches every 10 feet and huge candelabras that dangle from the ceiling. |
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| + | Although street sweepers work to keep the tunnel clean, the stench from people and animals, especially in the summer, can be unbearable. A special branch of the City Watch mans High Watch at all times. The Taalbaston Guard consider themselves the elite branch, though most have grown bored and complacent due to the droll nature of their job. To keep themselves entertained, the Taalbaston Guard are notorious for the intensity of their questioning and searches of travellers as they pass through the gates. Assuming one possesses the correct paperwork to pass through High Watch, they find a breathtaking view before them—the entire city of Talabheim sprawls beneath their feet, and the interior of the Taalbaston stretches out to the horizon. The Wizard’s Way then begins another series of switchbacks down into the Merchant’s Run below. |
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| + | ====Passing Through the Taalbaston==== |
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| + | Visitors from somewhere other than Talabheim are in for a rude surprise if they think they can waltz down the Wizard’s Way and into Talabheim. In fact, they will be stopped at the gates of the Taalagad Garrison and asked for their proof of citizenship or their letter of passage. Those without either are directed to apply for a city pass appropriate to their reason for visiting Talabheim at the Municipal Entry Office, which is a block over from the garrison. The first hurdle a prospective visitor to Talabheim faces is literacy or lack thereof, for inability to fill out the appropriate forms results in one having to join a list to apply for an “entry interview,” which can take several weeks (or forever if one’s name happens to have a foreign sound to it.) |
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| + | Those who can fill out the forms have to pay a fee, depending on the type of letter they’ve requested. The cheapest letter of passage is the standard visitor’s pass, colloquially called a “Pilgrim’s Pass” as it is the one that the faithful of Taal and Rhya most often buy when on a pilgrimage to Taal’s holy city. The pass used to cost more, but pressure from the Cult of Taal has lowered the price, effectively the cost of the parchment it is written on. Truly devout followers can sometimes even get this fee waived if they are well regarded by the church. Once the papers are filed, the prospective visitor will have to wait anywhere from three days to a week for approval. This enables the clerks of the office to check the applicant’s name and appearance against various Imperial wanted lists. |
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| + | It is the applicant’s responsibility to show up each day and check the lists posted on the Municipal Entry Office’s outer wall to see if his pass has been approved. Presuming there were no difficulties, and he wasn’t flagged for arrest, the applicant will be granted his pass. The standard pass gives visitors access to the city for three days, the dates of both entry and departure clearly marked. The Dogfaces regularly check the papers of any troublemakers they catch and often spot check obvious outsiders on principle. Having an expired pass results in anything from a stiff lecture or a small fee and ejection from the city if the pass recently expired, to arrest, imprisonment, and torture for long-expired passes. |
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| + | There are a number of other passes, the most common being the “Itinerant Pass,” which is common with well-to-do sailors (as the poor ones stick to Taalagad) and adventuring types. The Itinerant Pass costs 10 s and is renewed yearly. It allows its bearer to come and go regularly, staying as long as they like at a stretch, though it doesn’t allow the purchase of long-term properties or businesses in Talabheim. There are Merchant’s Passes that allow property ownership, though those wealthy enough to afford it can usually afford to purchase citizenship. Imperial soldiers, Witch Hunters, and Priests that have come to take office in a Talabheim church or shrine all have to be able to prove their identities upon demand, but they aren’t required to have a pass. |
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| + | ===The Law District=== |
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| + | The Law District, known to thieves and scum as the Richter or Law Town, sits in the centre of Talabheim. It is a place bereft of humour or joy, as barristers, judges, and clerks bustle to and fro from their places of business, focused on carrying out the letter of the law without question. Licensed runners, wearing the city livery, scurry about, carrying important documents. Wealthy nobles and merchants are commonly seen striding through the district with their entourage and litigants in tow. The Law Quarter is an immense span of ancient, foreboding buildings constructed from the dull grey granite of the Taalbaston. Within its confines, numerous litigator firms, guild headquarters, temples, banks, and other vital services line the streets. The houses of the wealthiest inhabitants are tucked away behind imposing stone walls, keeping a distance between those that create the laws and those that must suffer beneath them. While the wealthiest of litigants and judges make their homes in the Manor District, most lower-level scribes, aspiring young litigants and clerks, live in or close to this quarter. Prices are inflated and demand is high for accommodations among the many boarding houses. |
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| + | ====Grand Courthouse of Edicts==== |
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| + | “The ‘Ol Court,” as it’s known to the locals serves as the main building where the laws and rules of Talabheim are written, debated, and enacted into law. Squat and ancient beyond compare, it is said the building was one of the first in the city and crafted by Dwarfen hands. Although it’s known that at least one tunnel leads from here to the prison across the street, rumours persist of a labyrinth of additional basements, tunnels, and long-forgotten cells beneath its impressive form. The courtyard in front of the Courthouse is the notorious “Field of Absolution.” Row upon row of stockades and cages are found here, where the guilty serve out sentences for petty crimes. The Field also boasts three huge poles for whippings and a raised platform where beheadings are performed for the most egregious crimes. The infamous “Dancing Man Tree” is an enormous gallows where up to four people can hang at a time from its 40-foot-tall pillars. Horses pull ropes that hoist up criminals to their demise—it’s considered good luck for a hangman’s horse to eat an apple from your hand before a sentence is carried out. |
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| + | ====The Hollows==== |
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| + | Directly across the street from the Grand Courthouse of Edicts sits The Hollows, Talabheim’s enormous central prison. It’s speculated that thousands of prisoners are incarcerated behind its walls and underground, though no one is certain. After the City Watch, The Hollows is the second largest employer of guards and hired muscle in the city. Warden Leopold Hadschieff is an utterly devout Sigmarite at heart and sees his job as an extension of his God’s will. He commonly exhorts his prisoners with fiery sermons from his office’s tower, proudly proclaiming Sigmar’s path to redemption. Hadschieff despises foreigners, non-believers, and non-Humans and often sticks them in the worst conditions possible, regardless of their actual sentence. |
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| + | Despite his pious nature, Hadschieff is thoroughly corrupt and is more than willing to release prisoners or make their lives more comfortable with the proper bribe. The prison runs the gamut of accommodations, from utterly squalid hellholes to cellblocks that are almost akin to a decent inn. The best cells are obviously reserved for the rich and powerful who have been incarcerated for some minor crime and do not “deserve” to stay in the same sort of cells used to house common criminals. Five years ago, an intrepid prisoner managed to carve a hole through his cell wall and found himself in a warren of tunnels that had previously been uncharted. The prisoner was later found when he returned to his cell utterly insane and spouting nonsense. His hair had turned white and amongst his babble, the terms “creeping horror” were occasionally discerned. The hole was sealed off and the prisoner was sent to the Eavesdown Sanatorium where he remains to this day. Prisoners are commonly used as slave labour for the city government, such as cleaning sewers or stables, and other less savoury jobs. These work gangs are common sights throughout the city and are always under heavy guard. |
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==Military== |
==Military== |
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Revision as of 21:55, 9 February 2017
"Though all the Old World should fall, Talabheim will resist to the last."
- —Countess Elise Krieglitz of Talabheim
Talabheim, known in ancient times as Taalheim, which means Taal's Victory, is the capital city of the Grand Duchy of Talabecland. Talabheim lies deep within the Great Forest of the Empire of Man, and as such earned its name as the Eye of the Forest, like the eye of a mighty storm, the crater being an island of calm amidst the surrounding danger. The city itself is built within a huge shallow crater called the Taalbaston, which is many miles across, whose outer edge formed a large rocky rim and a natural wall. This wall has been built up and fortified with many tall gun towers and effectively marks the boundary of the city itself. The land inside is extensive and includes fertile farmlands as well as the grand city itself. The River Talabec flows around the outside of the crater, and where it flows past the north-eastern edge of the wall, there is a fortified Imperial town known as Taalagrad and a deep harbor from which lies the river fleets.[1a]
From the fortress of Talagraad, a narrow road climbs the ridge of the crater and enters the city via a tunnel carved through the rock of the ruined wall. This tunnel is the only entrance to the city, and a massive, fortified gatweay at each end of the passage makes Talabheim one of the strongest and most fortified city within the Empire, perhaps second-only to the great fortress-city of Middenheim itself. However, this proteciton is bought at a high cost, for the city's civilian populace lives in grim poverty to support Talabheim's demanding military and an unforgiving martial law is in force at all times. Despite this, Talabheim as served as the greatest bastion of light within the dark forest of the Empire.[1a]
History
After Taal gifted his brother Ulric with the flat-topped mountain that would one day become Middenheim, he ventured deep into the woodlands to the east in search of a place where his own worship could flourish and thrive. The legends say Taal encountered a gigantic Wyrm as he searched, and the enraged creature attacked him. The two fought for several weeks, their battle shaking the foundations of the world. At the very last, Taal grabbed the beast by its tail and lashed it against the ground again and again, carving out the western reaches of the Talabec River as he did so.[2a]
With a mighty heave, he flung the dragon high into the air and watched its fiery corpse plummet to the ground. When it struck the earth, it formed a great crater several miles across. Taal came to see what had become of his enemy, but he found little remained. The Wyrm’s flesh had spread across the crater bottom, mixing with the earth and making it incredibly fertile. In addition, the scales of the creature found their way into the soil and rock of the crater. Pieces of this magical material are occasionally found by Talabheim’s farmers as they plough their fields, and it is much prized by blacksmiths in the creation of weapons and tools.[2a]
Taal saw the crater and was pleased with his work. He called it Taalahim, “Taal’s Victory,” and proclaimed that, in time, his faithful would come and make the land their own. He bore a great tunnel through the crater wall to allow his people access the fertile bowl within. After hundreds of years, Taal’s prophecy came true. The Talabec, descendants of the ancient Taleuten tribe, happened upon the crater and the tunnel that led within. Kruger, chief of the Talabec, ordered his folk to venture within the crater and construct a great city to honour Taal. The city of Talabheim was not realized within Kruger’s lifetime. Instead, in I.C. 40, Kruger’s son, Talgris, founded the city his father had demanded built. It would carry the name Taalahim for centuries, but over the years, the place came to be called Talabheim, and it is now known as one of the most defensible cities in the Old World.[2a]
Sigmar and the Taleutens
As is well known, Sigmar left the throne and travelled into the east. Before he reached his final destination and dismissed what remained of his retinue, Sigmar chose to pass through Talabheim. It is said he rode through the Wizard’s Way upon his white stallion and looked out upon the budding city below him in wonder. In a loud voice, Sigmar proclaimed, although it would weather many storms, Talabheim would never fall so long as it remained true to its patron deity, Taal. Sigmar and his men only remained in Talabheim for a day, but they left their mark on the city’s founder. Sigmar dined with Talgris, son of Kruger, and the two shared tales of their youth. Talgris was impressed with Sigmar, who had known and fought alongside his father. Though he asked Sigmar to remain for a few days longer, Sigmar declined.[2a]
Instead, the Emperor granted Talgris his white horse in exchange for his hospitality. With a fraternal nod, Sigmar left Talabheim behind, leaving Talgris’ lands, never to return. About 20 years later, a new religion bloomed in the Empire. A mad preacher in Nuln proclaimed he had a vision of Sigmar being crowned by Ulric himself, thus implying Sigmar had risen to join the Gods. Whilst the new Sigmarite faith spread north into the Reikland, the people of Talabheim remained staunch adherents to Taal. But Sigmar’s Cult caught fire, gaining legitimacy and attention from the new Emperor, and Sigmar’s proclamation—or as some said prophecy—that Talabheim would not fall began to carry more weight, and the people feared this upstart new religion. The Talabheimers largely held to the worship of Taal, and though the Sigmarites founded a temple in their city, Taal remained the dominant religion.[2a]
The Ottilian Dynasty
Though the Cult of Sigmar would grow unchecked for centuries, with it came an increasing resentment from those in the Empire who believed and followed the older Gods. Those who followed Ulric and Taal saw the burgeoning Sigmarite movement as a threat to their way of life. The situation only worsened when the question of religion entered into the political arena. In I.C. 1359, the Grand Duke of Stirland, a staunch apologist and puppet for the Cult of Sigmar, was elected Emperor. This was the final straw, and the Grand Duchess Ottilia of Talabecland refused to recognize his title. To make matters worse, The Elector Count of Stirland imposed a series of taxes upon the Cult of Ulric. In response, Ottilia crowned herself Empress in I.C. 1360 and banned the Cult of Sigmar from Talabecland.[2a]
Religion, now used as a political tool, had come to be central to the wars of the Empire. The Cult of Ulric in Talabecland, supported by the worshippers of Taal, took up arms against their Sigmarite enemies. For two hundred years, the squabbling continued, one Emperor in Talabecland and the other in Stirland. In 1547 IC, Grand Duke Heinrich of Middenland sought to garner enough votes to legally establish himself as Emperor. He took his case to Frederik V of Talabheim, the so-called “Ottilian Emperor,” who soundly rejected Heinrich’s claim. Heinrich returned to Middenheim in a rage and pronounced himself Emperor nonetheless. He then declared war on Frederik V, as well as the whole of Talabecland, in I.C. 1550. Frederik, not one to be undone, declared his own war against the self-proclaimed Emperor in Nuln, while simultaneously defending his own province from Middenheim’s armies. In I.C. 1557, Middenheim sent an army to destroy the city of Talabheim, but the crater wall was never breeched by the invaders. However, the port of Taalagad was razed and subsequently occupied by the invading army. An abysmally unsuccessful siege of Talabheim, which lasted almost twenty years, followed.[2a]
Talabheim felt few repercussions from these incidents. Because of the verdant interior of the Taalbaston, the city was able to support itself almost indefinitely. Whilst times were often tight for the citizens of Talabheim, they rarely suffered. The results of these wars were to have a lasting effect on Talabheim, especially in regards to its complex series of laws and edicts. As the rest of the Empire seemed to slide ever deeper into confusion, the Lords of Talabecland rejected the growing anarchy by implementing an overabundance of stringent regulations and rules. Talabheim came to show its own penchant for independence during the Age of Wars. In 1750 IC, the Emperor of Talabecland, Horst the Cautious, was asked to help repel an invading army that was approaching Talabheim. When Horst refused to send his troops to the city’s aid, the city revolted, seceding from Talabecland entirely. Talabheim went so far as to crown its own Emperor, Helmut II. Unable to assail Talabheim’s walls, Horst could do little but issue idle threats. The estrangement of Talabecland and Talabheim would continue for several hundred years, until Emperor Magnus of Nuln acceded to their formal reunification in 2304 IC.[2a]
The Great War against Chaos
When the Kislevite Tsar sent requests for help to the provinces of the Empire in I.C. 2302, none returned to him with the aid he had requested. Talabheim’s response was no different than any of the other provinces or city-states. It had managed to gain a great many enemies since the Age of Wars, and the city parliament was more concerned with the city’s own defence than with that of Kislev. Chaos Cults surfaced in Taalagad, revelling in the imminent arrival of their twisted masters, but these were quickly and fiercely rooted out and destroyed.[2a]
It took the actions of Magnus of Nuln to reunite the Empire after centuries of distrust and war. As Praag fell to Chaos in the north, Magnus came to Talabheim to request the city’s aid. Just as an apparent miracle had earned Magnus the loyalty of the Ar-Ulric of Middenheim, so too did Magnus convince the leaders of Talabheim to join his cause against Chaos. Upon Magnus’ arrival in the city, it is said the wolves of the Sacred Forest loosed a howl that echoed between the crater walls like thunder, and that a single stag with a hammer-shaped mark on its forehead appeared at Taal’s temple in Talabheim. It seemed the God of the city had spoken in support of Magnus.[2a]
Talabheim mobilized its troops and joined Magnus’ formations. They marched to the north, and the armies of Chaos fell before them. The Talabheimers, at home in the forests, proved to be invaluable to the war effort, using their woodland skills as trackers and scouts to maintain the security within their own ranks, as well as to harass the Warherds of Beastmen roaming the countryside. Following the war in the north, Magnus was unanimously declared Emperor in 2304 IC. Talabheim’s Elector Count surrendered his own Imperial crown, and the line of Ottilian Emperors came to and end. Plague and pestilence descended upon Talabheim. Brought by Skaven in the wake of the war, the diseases decimated the people of Talabheim. Taalagad was especially hard hit by the virulent epidemics that spread through its poorest neighbourhoods. Plague-ridden refugees from the north did not help matters, and many were turned away from the city at the business end of a crossbow or pike.[2a]
Government
A detailed map of Talabheim
As an independent city-state, Talabheim possesses a unique method of ruling and a style of politics that can bewilder outsiders. It’s a huge city, and many different factions vie for power or simply struggle to keep it slowly moving forward on a day-to-day basis. The most prominent and obivious ruler of the city is Count Halmut Feuerbach, Lord of Talabecland and Talabheim.[2b] Alongside Count Halmut is a governing body known as the Parliament. The Parliament consists of the most powerful and influential nobles in Talabheim. New members are nominated by those already with seats in this esteemed assembly. As a result, most Talabheimers sneer that this institution is fraught with rampant cronyism and corruption.[2c]
The nobles represent a wide swath of the rich and wealthy—powerful landowners and merchant lords. Certain high-ranking members of the churches of Sigmar, Ulric, and Taal are allowed to make their arguments and sway the policies of the Parliament, but they are not allowed to vote. The Parliament meets in a separate wing of the Grand Courthouse of Edicts. Sessions are supposed to occur twice per month, though Talabheim’s numerous festivals, holy days, and secular holidays regularly interrupt this schedule. “Keeping a noble’s hours” is a common joke among the lower class about being lazy or absent from duty. One of the most prominent families is the Krieglitz-Untern family, whose leader, Countess Elise is most well known and loved by the people, and some say is second only in power to Count Halmut himself.[2c]
The nobles and statesmen of Talabheim want to keep their coffers full, regardless of the state of things in the world outside the Taalbaston. One way they keep the Shillings flowing is by taxing almost every conceivable thing. In a city famous for its adherence to law, the overabundance of taxes is not particularly surprising. Most common transactions see some manner of taxation, much as they do in other cities throughout the Empire; yet, that is where the similarities between the tax codes of the rest of the Empire and Talabheim end. A good many of the city’s taxes seem frivolous to outsiders, and they make trade and travel within Talabheim especially expensive for merchants.[2d]
Despite this, the Talabheimers have grown used to the way things are done, and they rarely make a fuss—even when their precious alcohol is taxed. The majority of the most expensive taxes affect outsiders, or such is the general consensus in the city. This, of course, is untrue; the manner and mode of taxation on imported trade goods means they are likely to be much more expensive than they would be otherwise. The Talabheimers, especially the wealthiest burghers, have grown adept at exploiting loopholes in the local tax code. Even the lowliest farmer knows the ins and outs of some of the city’s more esoteric fees, and so they are paid less often than would normally be the case. Outright tax evasion, though uncommon, is still known to happen. Those caught depriving the city of its coin, however, are subject to brutal penalties. To the lords of Talabheim, failing to pay taxes is akin to sedition.[2d]
Hunter's Council
Beneath the ruling government, a small body of military officials called the Hunters’ Council controls Talabheim’s militia, City Watch, and even its levies for the army. The Hunter Lords, all of the ranks of General, include Mannfred Schultz, Christoph Stallmaier, Detlef Kienholtz, and Joerg Hafner. Schultz commands Talabheim’s army and was severely wounded during the recent struggles. Still recovering from his grievous injuries, he leaves the day-to-day affairs to his various commanders. Stallmaier commands the Taalbaston Guard, and Kienhotlz commands the City Watch. Joerg Hafner is in charge of the Militia and serves as the commanding officer of Taal’s Chosen. To become a Hunter Lord, one must not only prove martial prowess and political savvy but also prove skill as a hunter by tracking down and killing a dangerous creature of the forest. Targets include bears, lynxes, or wild boars. The animal skin is worn as a drape and is a symbol of honour once blessed by the Priests of Taal.[2c]
Boatmen's League
Merchantism is very strong within Talabheim, and as such a small body of merchants and ship captains have band together and formed a powerful entity within Talabheim. The Talabec River is a vital part of Talabheim. The broad, slow streams of this mighty river bring pilgrims, trade, and food in and out of the city. The Boatsmen’s League is a powerful lobbying group that represents various captains, ship owners, and businesses that ply the waters of the Talabec. They fight for the reduction of tariffs and taxes imposed on cargo. They establish new sources of trade with settlements up and down river and settle disputes between boat captains and land-based middlemen. Most merchants, however, consider the League to be nothing more than a front for criminals. The League has been accused of everything from piracy to extortion—a League strike could bring traffic and the flow of goods into the city to a near grinding halt. The current leader of the Boatsmen’s League, an enormous Ostlander named Jens Leonhard, is known to rule his organisation with an iron fist. Lieutenants and business rivals that displease him are often found roped to the bottom of a random flatboat.[2d]
Religion
The Priests of Taal are easily the largest contingent in Talabheim. Indeed, the city boasts a higher number of Priests per capita than most other cities. The clergy claims this is because of the large number of faithful present—critics claim it’s because the Priests are exempt from paying the exorbitant taxes on alcoholic beverages that form an important part of their rites. The Priests of Taal split their time between the city and the Taalwelt to the east, where the true Temple of Taal sits. Their rites are conducted in secret, except for the occasional practitioner of Taal’s creed. The Temple of Verena, located in the heart of the Law Quarter, is the second largest in the city. They help manage Talabheim’s immense legal bureaucracy and ensure the laws are just. So far, they are fighting an uphill battle. Much to the dismay of the Emperor, the Cult of Sigmar does not have a strong hold within Talabheim. Its temple is relatively small and tucked away in an obscure corner within the God’s Row. However, those that follow its tenants are known for their utter devotion and fervent behaviour. In order to bolster their numbers, the Priests of Sigmar from Middenheim and Altdorf send more proselytisers to gain more converts.[2c]
Layout
Talabheim is a distinctive city, and those who explore its streets and shops always leave impressed and a little poorer. Constructed inside a great crater formed from some ancient catastrophe, the City of Talabheim is but one settlement inside Taalbaston. Talabheim has long struggled against its city bounds, and every inch of available space is used by the people living here. Talabheim is crowded with people. There is always something going on, some activity or spectacle to lure the attention of travellers. This is true even in the more sedate districts, for there are more people here than what the living space should allow, at least in the heart of the city. The streets, rarely wide enough for people to walk side-by side let alone accommodate a cart or wagon, are always congested with merchants, beggars, labourers, and nobles all scurrying like ants to their next pressing engagement. Such traffic slows movement, and Talabheimers always give themselves extra time when they need to be somewhere.[2e]
Taalbaston
The Taalbaston is the greatest of Talabheim’s defences. Formed from the natural walls of the massive crater, the rim of the Taalbaston has been reinforced and constantly improved for centuries by the militaries of Talabheim. The perimeter of the crater is traversed by a narrow treacherous road known as the Spierrestrasse. A mixture of large and small watch posts are placed along the Spierrestrasse at regular intervals. The minor watch posts are referred to as “Lashes.” Small garrisons of thirty men man the Lashes, and each is equipped with nearly a dozen cannon and ballistae. Though capable of harassing enemy forces both outside and inside the Taalbaston, these watch posts are expected to provide early warning of an enemy’s encroachment upon Talabheim.
Signal rockets of various colours and intensities are launched from these posts, different combinations providing instant information to the soldiers and citizens living within the Taalbaston. The three major watch posts are positioned at the northern, eastern, and southern extensions of the Taalbaston. Whilst not nearly as formidable as High Watch, each is nonetheless a daunting obstacle for any enemy daring to mount an assault against them. All are equipped with signal rockets, as are their smaller brothers, but the defensive artillery available to each one consists of a combination of forty cannon and ballistae. One hundred men and support personnel occupy each of these keeps. Access can be gained by winding paths that climb the treacherous interior wall of the Taalbaston.
The Wizard's Way
The only legal way to enter into Talabheim is to take the Wizard’s Way. As the Old Forest Road approaches the towering walls of the Taalbaston, it begins a winding path of switchbacks as it rises nearly two hundred feet up the side of the crater wall. The road is wide enough to allow several wagons side-by-side to traverse its length without impediment. The road is extremely busy during the day, and the lines grow long as the guards check each and every person’s pass to enter the city. At the top of the road sits a massive fortress that casts long shadows onto the shanties below it.
High Tower
Known as High Watch, it is the first and best defence of the city. The gates are kept open except during times of crisis—High Watch has four separate black-iron portcullises, well greased and connected to a series of levers that can release the gates to slam shut with a single command. The walls and ceiling inside this tunnel are lined with murder holes, offering a great field of view for crossbowmen and soldiers to dump boiling oil in case an army actually makes it that far. The tunnel extends nearly 200 feet through the black walls of the Taalbaston and is illuminated by massive torches every 10 feet and huge candelabras that dangle from the ceiling.
Although street sweepers work to keep the tunnel clean, the stench from people and animals, especially in the summer, can be unbearable. A special branch of the City Watch mans High Watch at all times. The Taalbaston Guard consider themselves the elite branch, though most have grown bored and complacent due to the droll nature of their job. To keep themselves entertained, the Taalbaston Guard are notorious for the intensity of their questioning and searches of travellers as they pass through the gates. Assuming one possesses the correct paperwork to pass through High Watch, they find a breathtaking view before them—the entire city of Talabheim sprawls beneath their feet, and the interior of the Taalbaston stretches out to the horizon. The Wizard’s Way then begins another series of switchbacks down into the Merchant’s Run below.
Passing Through the Taalbaston
Visitors from somewhere other than Talabheim are in for a rude surprise if they think they can waltz down the Wizard’s Way and into Talabheim. In fact, they will be stopped at the gates of the Taalagad Garrison and asked for their proof of citizenship or their letter of passage. Those without either are directed to apply for a city pass appropriate to their reason for visiting Talabheim at the Municipal Entry Office, which is a block over from the garrison. The first hurdle a prospective visitor to Talabheim faces is literacy or lack thereof, for inability to fill out the appropriate forms results in one having to join a list to apply for an “entry interview,” which can take several weeks (or forever if one’s name happens to have a foreign sound to it.)
Those who can fill out the forms have to pay a fee, depending on the type of letter they’ve requested. The cheapest letter of passage is the standard visitor’s pass, colloquially called a “Pilgrim’s Pass” as it is the one that the faithful of Taal and Rhya most often buy when on a pilgrimage to Taal’s holy city. The pass used to cost more, but pressure from the Cult of Taal has lowered the price, effectively the cost of the parchment it is written on. Truly devout followers can sometimes even get this fee waived if they are well regarded by the church. Once the papers are filed, the prospective visitor will have to wait anywhere from three days to a week for approval. This enables the clerks of the office to check the applicant’s name and appearance against various Imperial wanted lists.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to show up each day and check the lists posted on the Municipal Entry Office’s outer wall to see if his pass has been approved. Presuming there were no difficulties, and he wasn’t flagged for arrest, the applicant will be granted his pass. The standard pass gives visitors access to the city for three days, the dates of both entry and departure clearly marked. The Dogfaces regularly check the papers of any troublemakers they catch and often spot check obvious outsiders on principle. Having an expired pass results in anything from a stiff lecture or a small fee and ejection from the city if the pass recently expired, to arrest, imprisonment, and torture for long-expired passes.
There are a number of other passes, the most common being the “Itinerant Pass,” which is common with well-to-do sailors (as the poor ones stick to Taalagad) and adventuring types. The Itinerant Pass costs 10 s and is renewed yearly. It allows its bearer to come and go regularly, staying as long as they like at a stretch, though it doesn’t allow the purchase of long-term properties or businesses in Talabheim. There are Merchant’s Passes that allow property ownership, though those wealthy enough to afford it can usually afford to purchase citizenship. Imperial soldiers, Witch Hunters, and Priests that have come to take office in a Talabheim church or shrine all have to be able to prove their identities upon demand, but they aren’t required to have a pass.
The Law District
The Law District, known to thieves and scum as the Richter or Law Town, sits in the centre of Talabheim. It is a place bereft of humour or joy, as barristers, judges, and clerks bustle to and fro from their places of business, focused on carrying out the letter of the law without question. Licensed runners, wearing the city livery, scurry about, carrying important documents. Wealthy nobles and merchants are commonly seen striding through the district with their entourage and litigants in tow. The Law Quarter is an immense span of ancient, foreboding buildings constructed from the dull grey granite of the Taalbaston. Within its confines, numerous litigator firms, guild headquarters, temples, banks, and other vital services line the streets. The houses of the wealthiest inhabitants are tucked away behind imposing stone walls, keeping a distance between those that create the laws and those that must suffer beneath them. While the wealthiest of litigants and judges make their homes in the Manor District, most lower-level scribes, aspiring young litigants and clerks, live in or close to this quarter. Prices are inflated and demand is high for accommodations among the many boarding houses.
Grand Courthouse of Edicts
“The ‘Ol Court,” as it’s known to the locals serves as the main building where the laws and rules of Talabheim are written, debated, and enacted into law. Squat and ancient beyond compare, it is said the building was one of the first in the city and crafted by Dwarfen hands. Although it’s known that at least one tunnel leads from here to the prison across the street, rumours persist of a labyrinth of additional basements, tunnels, and long-forgotten cells beneath its impressive form. The courtyard in front of the Courthouse is the notorious “Field of Absolution.” Row upon row of stockades and cages are found here, where the guilty serve out sentences for petty crimes. The Field also boasts three huge poles for whippings and a raised platform where beheadings are performed for the most egregious crimes. The infamous “Dancing Man Tree” is an enormous gallows where up to four people can hang at a time from its 40-foot-tall pillars. Horses pull ropes that hoist up criminals to their demise—it’s considered good luck for a hangman’s horse to eat an apple from your hand before a sentence is carried out.
The Hollows
Directly across the street from the Grand Courthouse of Edicts sits The Hollows, Talabheim’s enormous central prison. It’s speculated that thousands of prisoners are incarcerated behind its walls and underground, though no one is certain. After the City Watch, The Hollows is the second largest employer of guards and hired muscle in the city. Warden Leopold Hadschieff is an utterly devout Sigmarite at heart and sees his job as an extension of his God’s will. He commonly exhorts his prisoners with fiery sermons from his office’s tower, proudly proclaiming Sigmar’s path to redemption. Hadschieff despises foreigners, non-believers, and non-Humans and often sticks them in the worst conditions possible, regardless of their actual sentence.
Despite his pious nature, Hadschieff is thoroughly corrupt and is more than willing to release prisoners or make their lives more comfortable with the proper bribe. The prison runs the gamut of accommodations, from utterly squalid hellholes to cellblocks that are almost akin to a decent inn. The best cells are obviously reserved for the rich and powerful who have been incarcerated for some minor crime and do not “deserve” to stay in the same sort of cells used to house common criminals. Five years ago, an intrepid prisoner managed to carve a hole through his cell wall and found himself in a warren of tunnels that had previously been uncharted. The prisoner was later found when he returned to his cell utterly insane and spouting nonsense. His hair had turned white and amongst his babble, the terms “creeping horror” were occasionally discerned. The hole was sealed off and the prisoner was sent to the Eavesdown Sanatorium where he remains to this day. Prisoners are commonly used as slave labour for the city government, such as cleaning sewers or stables, and other less savoury jobs. These work gangs are common sights throughout the city and are always under heavy guard.
Military
The fur-covered pride of Talabheim military
The Talabheim army is notable for its sizable proportion of bowmen to regular foot soldiers and its ability to move quickly through forested regions. The bulk of its soldiers are recruited from the woods and glens both within the Taalbaston and outside its reach. Footmen prefer the axe or spear to the sword. The army has a small contingent of cavalry, which are used for fast lightning strikes rather than massed charges—they leave that task to the Knightly Orders.[2c]
Famous Regiments
- Taalbaston Guard - The Taalbaston Guard is responsible for the defence of the Crater Wall and, most importantly, the fortress protecting the Wizard’s Way. They consider themselves superior to all the other military units, including the rest of the army, with the possible exception of the Taal’s Chosen. Taalbaston guardsmen take their jobs very seriously but are known to accept bribes from the right people. They boast a heavy emphasis on artillery and crossbowmen to protect the gate—the fortress atop the Wizard’s Way has nearly a hundred cannon, ballistae, and catapults that can be brought to bear on the enemy. The turrets of the High Watch are also lined with vats of boiling oil, lye, and other caustic substances.[2c]
- Tunnel Bridge "The Terries" - Within the ranks of the Taalbaston Guard is a special unit that roams the numerous tunnels and warrens within the walls of the crater itself—known as the Ratholds. Though officially known as the Taalbaston Tunnel Brigade, most (including themselves) call these guardsmen “the Terriers” for their mission is to “find and kill the rats in the walls.” The Terriers patrol the best-known tunnels and are constantly on the search for new ones. It’s not illegal to be, or even live, inside the wall, but numerous illegal acts occur within them. Their biggest concern is finding tunnels leading outside of the Taalbaston, where people can slip in and out of the city without being seen (and more importantly, not pay their entry taxes). Terriers are selected from the shortest of the Taalbaston Guard— the source of innumerable taunts and jokes by the rest of the troops—but they are fierce and capable fighters. Few are noted of having much in the way of a sense of humour. Dwarfs and Halflings are far more common in the Terriers than in the other branches of Talabheim’s military.[2c]
- The Militia "Drunken Gangs" - The militia is a hodgepodge of trusted citizens, woodsmen, and hunters that band together in times of need. When necessary, horsemen ride out into the Taalwelt, blow a trumpet with a unique call, and hold aloft a green banner depicting an upside-down drinking horn. Ancient law dictates all able-bodied men must muster when this occurs, though how many come depends on the amount of Rotfire moonshine consumed the night before. For this reason, the army commonly refers to the militia as the “Drunken Gang”—more than a few brawls have occurred when a soldier quips with this remark to an assembled group of militiamen. Despite its malign reputation, the militia is capable, made up of rugged and dependable Talabeclanders. Most men consider it an honour to serve the militia when summoned and they take their duty seriously. However, the Hunter Lords have learned not to impose strict discipline, much less require them to wear uniforms or the like, on the independent-minded folk within the Taalbaston’s borders. A commander that imposes too many restrictions or “dandy” rules on his troops had better sleep with one eye open at night.[2c]
- The City Watch "Dog Faces" - Talabheim’s City Watch is known as “the Dogfaces” for the rather poor wolf ’s head heraldry they sport. Should they go into battle, they are known to cry “For Taal! For Elise!” The city guard were gifted the wolf ’s head heraldry by the Cult of Ulric during a short interregnum in the second millennium, that saw Ar-Ulric uproot himself from Middenheim to Talabheim after a spat with the Graf. The Cult of Ulric has always been influential in Talabecland and is not different in Talabheim, being the second most influential Cult in the city, after Taal of course. A large Temple and a statue of the God stand in the City of the Gods. The City Watch is responsible for enforcing the city code, maintaining order, and acting as a reserve in times of siege. They are known for arresting individuals for the slightest infraction, rationalizing there must be some law buried in the massive tomes at the Grand Courthouse of Edicts that applies to the given situation. However, Talabheim is unusual in that a citizen arrested by the City Watch may attempt to charge the arresting officer with illegal incarceration if they can bring the case in front of the judges at the Grand Courthouse of Edicts—but only the wealthiest and most influential can attempt such a task.[2c]
Knightly Order Chapters
Whilst all the main Knightly Orders have a presence in Talabheim, none can rightly claim dominance over each other. With the Storm of Chaos in its death throes, and the missing Elector Count’s own personal bodyguard, the Order of the Red Shields still missing in action, and Talabheim’s defences in disarray as armies return, the various commanders of the other Knightly Orders hope to expand their strength and sphere of influence. Public sentiment to this plan runs the gamut—some welcome an increase of capable fighters, while others see it as nothing more than a power grab.[2c]
- Knights of the White Wolf - Most of the Knights of the White Wolf remain in the field. Those that stayed behind in the city were charged with shoring up its fortifications. Unfortunately, they found themselves with little to do—something that angered such hardened warriors. Their loyalty lies with Talabheim’s current High Priest of Ulric. The order has gotten more insular and zealous over the years, as the Cult of Ulric remains lesser to that of Talabheim’s patron deity—Taal.[2c]
- Knights Panther - The Knights Panther have long had a presence in Talabheim, though their loyalty and resources lay mostly in Middenheim. It’s said their chapterhouse in the Eye is the second largest in the Empire. The knights are viewed with a great deal of suspicion and most believed their continued presence is a means for Middenheim to expand its sphere of influence where it isn’t wanted.[2c]
- Knights of the Stag - Proud and regal, the Knights of the Stag are a relatively new order. Shunning the open guerrilla-style of warfare best known by most Talabeclanders, the Knights of the Stag pride themselves on fighting in dense, highly disciplined units. Some accuse them of being more concerned with parade drills rather than fighting ability, though they have proven themselves time and time again when they take to the field of battle. The Knights Stag are highly disdainful of the other Knightly Orders and consider themselves the true sons of Talabheim.[2c]
- Taal's Chosen - Taal’s Chosen are an exclusive group of elite woodsmen that patrol the interior of the Taalbaston, particularly the Taalgrunhaar. They are vigilant in protecting pilgrims from the predations of bandits and hunt down the rare Mutant or dangerous beast that finds its way inside the interior of the crater. On rare occasions, they span outside the Taalbaston and patrol the Old Dwarf Road to the south. In war, Taal’s Chosen serve as scouts and commandos for the main army, though a detachment is left behind to ensure the safety of the sacred woods. They are masters of hit-and-run tactics, trap setting, and tracking. The members of Taal’s Chosen disdain any sort of uniform but wear a stag hide draped over their shoulders to indicate their status. The current leader of Taal’s Chosen is Joerg Hafner, a fearsome warrior and tracker without peer. He prefers the trackless wilds to city living, but his duties as commander for both Taal’s Chosen and the city militia keep him embroiled in politics more than he likes. Hafner maintains good relations with the Knights Stag and considers them true brothers in arms.[2c]
Wizard Order
- Jade Order - The Jade Order is easily the most powerful magical faction in Talabheim, and unlike most cities, it works closely with the Priesthood. An appointed Magister Lord advises the Countess and Parliament and preserves the abundant wilderness within the Taalbaston from over development. In times of war, the Magister Lord coordinates Magister reinforcements for the militia to shore up defences, though the currently appointed Magister Lord, Dieter Vogt, dislikes getting too involved in the machinations of the Hunters’ Council. The Amber Order runs a close second in representation of Magisters in Talabheim. Few spend time within the city proper, instead practicing their arts in the Taalwelt where wild beasts still run free. A tale persists of an elderly, and crazed, Amber Magister that commands the rats of the city by means of a flute.