Warhammer Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Warhammer Wiki

Tobaro, formally the Principality of Tobaro, or Tolarie as it was known to the High Elves, is also called the "City of Sirens" or sometimes the "City of Fools," and is the only great Tilean city-state on the western shores of the Tilean Sea.[2a] Here the narrow coastal plain of Tilea is separated from the arid uplands of Estalia by the Abasko Mountains. Tobaro is situated on the coast. It is quite a rugged coastline, especially to the south where there are numerous small rocky islands. These are inhabited by bird-like creatures called Sirens, that sing so sweetly that they lure unwary sailors to their doom on the rocks. Most of these islands are uninhabited by Men, except for those that are isolated and remote enough to provide lairs for pirates and raiders.[1a]

Tobaro lies apart from the rest of Tilea, both physically and psychologically. Geographically cut off from the rest of the land by the towering Abasko Mountains and made nearly unreachable from the sea by the perilous Fool's Rocks, travelling to Tobaro is no easy task a fact Tobarans relish, for only their pilots and navigators are able to safely guide ships to the harbour, for a fair sum of course. By virtue of its geography Tobaro is rather insular, choosing to keep itself from the squabbling of the city-states across the Tilean Sea.[2a]

This often rankles with the other states that take this as a show of Tobaran arrogance. Tobaro is on good terms with the Estalian kingdoms, much to the jealousy of the other states, and of the few foreign vessels to be found within the harbour, at least half will be from Estalia. Tobaro has little to trade in the way of luxuries; its wares are, as befits the down to earth nature of its people, of a much more basic nature—most commonly ore mined from beneath the city, traded for less readily obtained items such as foodstuffs mostly from other Tilean states. The sea provides a plentiful, if somewhat monotonous diet, while the high valleys offer some sparse agriculture. Although great seafarers, the Tobarans are no match for the Magrittans or Arabyans in a pitched battle, and their maritime trade is fairly restricted, being largely based around the Tilean sea and the southern Estalian Kingdoms.[2a]

Tobaro's domain extends as far south as the Estalian coast[18a] but some of the more southerly islands are Estalian colonies or pirate-sympathetic anarchist ports.[12a]

History[]

Tobaro heraldry as depicted in Man O'War Corsair

The heraldry of Tobaro as depicted in Man O' War: Corsair.

Local legend has it that the entire coast was once inhabited by fell, bird-like creatures that made their nests in amongst the crags of the cliffs. Untold millennia of their scratching contributed to the erosion of natural sea caves, leading to the cliffs becoming maggot ridden with tunnels and caverns. With the arrival of Sea Elves seeking either wealth in the mountains or a defensible site for a trading post, the creatures were driven from their homes and the Elves made their home in the cave system, enlarging it and constructing the harbour. The city of Tolarie was inhabited for nigh on a thousand years until its abandonment at the end of the Dwarf Wars. Tolarie lay abandoned for centuries until its chance rediscovery by a group of Tilean shepherds seeking shelter from the worst of the Abaskan winters. Tobaro, as the city was renamed, was quickly settled by farmers who knew a good thing when they saw it, building on the Elven ruins found within the rock face.[2b]

Rise of Tobaro[]

City of Tobaro

The city of Tobaro

As the only harbour on the western Tilean coast, Tobaro grew, acting as a sometime stopover point between Tilea and Estalia. However, the danger involved in actually reaching the port prevented it from attaining the wealth or the stature of the eastern Tilean city-states. This very same danger acted as a deterrent to would-be aggressors as well, and during the Arabyan Conquests of Estalia, Tobaro proved invaluable as a safe haven from which the crusading forces could be based during the defence and re-conquest. Over the course of the Conquests the city was besieged from both land and sea on five separate occasions, but did not fall.[2b]

Tobaro's Bane[]

Warhammer Tobaro Deepwatch

The Skaven invasion of Tobaro

Although unassailable from outside, Tobaro was not so secure from within and its extensive and uncharted network of tunnels proved to be its bane. Skaven forces attacked the city from below in a series of raids between IC 1563 and 1565, razing large parts of the city and enslaving much of the populace.[1a][2b]

The Prince of Tobaro, Meldo Marcelli, managed to escape with many of his soldiers and most of his ships. Arriving in Remas he spent all his wealth hiring a great army of mercenaries, including a strong contingent from Remas. Returning without delay, and reinforced by a contingent of Sea Elves, the force succeeded in entering the harbour unnoticed and sneaking into the city, catching the Skaven unawares and driving them back, driving them back into the catacombs. There followed further bitter fighting within the rock of the acropolis before all the Skaven were finally cleared.[1a][2b]

Fighting between the Tobarans and the Ratmen continued on and off for many years with countless skirmishes in the lower levels. An end was finally achieved with the collapse of several strategic tunnels by Dwarf Engineers, allowing the city guard to better watch the entrances to the city. A permanent garrison of warriors, the Deepwatch, are employed to regularly patrol the tunnels and to root out any sign of Skaven. As a result, Tobaro is probably the only city in the Old World without a significant population of rats—bipedal or otherwise.[1a][2b]

The Golden Age[]

Warhammer Tobaro Meldo Marcelli

The Golden reign of Piggallo I

Meldo Marcelli was summarily elected as prince of the city and his family remained rulers for many years after. Their reign is often looked back upon as the golden years of Tobaran culture. The rule of the Marcellis came to an end in 1877 when a secession squabble erupted following the death of Antonio Marcelli III. Civil war was only averted when the court seer prophesied the next prince would meet with an unpleasant fate. The crisis of secession was turned on its head, as suddenly no one wanted the post. Instead, in an attempt to ward off the prophecy, a pig was chosen as prince.[2b]

Years passed and under the benevolent reign of Piggalo I, Tobaro enjoyed peace, free from the machinations and manoeuvrings of the Marcellis, who returned to what they did best: trade. Piggolo I died twelve years later when he fell over the cliff edge and into the sea as he was inspecting his guard. Rumours abounded of an assassination and a number of his courtiers were arrested on suspicion of treason. A new Human prince was elected and the court swiftly returned to politicking as before. Tradition now dictates that a pig must always be running as a candidate for the princeship and other candidates often adopt their own pigs as lucky mascots.[2b]

War of Beasts[]

Chaos in the Old World map Principality of Tobaro

The confines between the Principality of Tobaro and Estalia[18a]

From the tales of Orsini Sardus in Tobaro skies during the War of Beasts strange portents were in motion. A Storm Dragon, Iaybas The Sapphire Eye has been sighted, and most singularly a pair of savage Manticore seen devouring a giant by a party of holy mendicants on pilgrimage to the Abbey of Askara.[10a]

Timeline[]

See also Tilean Timeline for events concerning the whole territory of Tilea and sources.

Prehistory (ca. -4419 to ca. -701 IC)[]

  • ca. -2500 IC - Sea Elves seeking wealth in the Abasko Mountains or maybe a defensible site for a trading post on the east coast of Estalia, drive back the creatures which nest in the Isles of the Sirens and make their home in the cave system, enlarging it and constructing the harbor of a new city, Tolarie.
  • –1997 IC - The War of the Beard begins, with Dwarfs attacking High Elf colonies in what will one day be called the Old World. During the war the armies of Ekrund joined those of Barak Varr and Karak Azgal to battle the High Elves in the land that Humans would later call Tilea, destroying several towns and trading posts including two close to the present-day cities of Luccini and Tobaro.

Classic Age (1 to 474)[]

  • 1 IC - According to legend, Tilean twins Lucan and Luccina found Luccini among the ruins of an ancient Elven city. In the following centuries, Remas, Sartosa and Tobaro arise on the ruins of former Elf colonies.

Era of the Araby Wars (1240 to 1491)[]

  • 1448 IC - Tilean mercenaries participate in the reconquest of Estalia and the subsequent Arabyan crusade, but for less altruistic reasons than most of the other participants, as a result a Tilean quarter is established in the Arabyan city of Copher, granting access to a great deal of exotic goods and establishing a permanent trade route to and from Araby. The Sultan Jaffar sends several fleets to besiege the city of Tobaro, but each one is repulsed.
  • 1563 IC - Skaven forces attack the city of Tobaro from below in a series of raids, razing large parts of the city, forcing its ruler, Prince Meldo Marcelli, to evacuate. After the attack it is discovered that much of civilian populace have been spirited away, never to be seen again.
  • 1565 IC - Tobaro is saved by the arrival of the merchant prince Meldo Marcelli at the head of a mercenary army reinforced by Sea Elf allies. Meldo Marcelli is summarily elected as prince of the city and his family remain the rulers of Tobaro for many years after.
  • 1877 IC - In Tobaro, the rule of the Marcellis comes to an end when a secession squabble erupts following the death of Antonio Marcelli III. Civil war is averted when the court seer prophesies that the next prince is doomed to meet an unpleasant fate. Suddenly, no one wants the post. To ward off the prophecy, a pig, Piggalo I is made Prince of Tobaro.[1a][31a]
  • 1890 IC - After 12 years, Piggalo I of Tobaro dies when he falls over the cliff edge and into the sea during an inspection of his guard. Rumours abound of an assassination and several courtiers are arrested on suspicion of treason.

Era of Enlightenment (2000 to Present)[]

  • 2025 IC - The book of Donatello Verdi about the story of Tobaro and Prince Meldo Marcelli, Meldo Marcelli: Una Vita, is printed by the Tobaran Press.
  • 2302-2320 IC - Terror in Tilea. In the years that follow the Great Summoning, a number of attacks are made on the Tilean city-states. Many small towns bordering on the Blighted Marshes are razed or simply disappeared.
  • 2321 IC - Skaven warships are spotted in the Tilean Sea. Many coastal raids begin at this time. During the winter, Clan Eshin Gutter Runners make a number of raids on Imperial, Bretonnian, Tilean and Estalian warfleets at anchor in their respective ports. The Gutter Runners use firepots and naptha to burn the fleets with varying levels of success. In the end the Dwarfs of Barak-Varr destroyed the Skaven fleet. To date the perpetrators of these attacks are still unknown to the Tileans which only have seen flotillas of strange ramshackle craft near Tobaro.
  • 2321 to 2399 IC - Tilea is gripped by recurrent famines caused by plagues of mice eating the grain. The town of Vedenza rebels again against the Prince of Tobaro establishing the Second Republic of Vedenza.
  • ca. 2500 IC - The War of Beasts, During a Storm of Magic in the 104th year of the Second Republic of Vedenza the city freed herself by the Estalian petty kingdoms of Larhgoz and Geulata. The war was a scheme of the Skaven which plotted to weaken the city of Vedenza to besiege Tobaro once again.

Government[]

Tobaro flag

A flag of the Tobaran navy as depicted in Man O' War: Corsair

Tobaro steadfastly remains a monarchy despite countless attempts at social revolution, each firmly put down over the years. Tobaro has no single ruling family, however, but rather a collection of semi-royal merchant houses, all of which stake their claim on the throne and from which the prince is chosen. At the time of a prince's death the dominant houses all jostle and vie for the throne, until one of them gains enough popular and political support for its patriarch to be successfully elected prince. The prince is elected by a council of peers made up of the most prominent merchant patriarchs and community leaders, as well as a single representative of the Navigator Families and the Engineering Guild.[2c][11b]

The incumbent prince may well have named his heir and successor, but this counts for naught unless his house and his heir remain strong after the prince's death. Being named heir gives the prince's successor a definite edge, but unless he can move swiftly to claim the throne and secure his position, a more powerful house will brush him aside in the scramble for political dominance. The throne of Tobaro is sometimes referred to as the Fool's Rock—more than one house has been broken upon it, and the turbulent political eddies surrounding it are said to be more dangerous than those surrounding the real Fool's Rocks in the bay beneath the city. This being Tilea, where political assassination is practically the national pastime, it is rare that a powerful house has the patience to wait until the prince has succumbed to natural causes.[2c]

A comment often heard when discussing politics within the city, only half jokingly, is that, "'Tis a far quicker path to death to name yourself Prince than it is to throw yourself over Tobaro's edge." The current Prince of Tobaro is Prince Tibaldus Marsarius de Vela, youthful patriarch of the de Vela banking house. Prince Tibaldus has taken the throne from his late uncle who died on the blade of a spurned lover—an impressive death for a man in his nineties. Tibaldus' election was surrounded with rumours of heavy bribery as he brought his family’s considerable financial resources to bear on his rivals. Political rivals have been unusually quiet in their opposition to the Prince, and will presumably remain so until their finances run low and Tibaldus is forced to issue a new round of "funding."[2c]

The Council of Tears[]

While the Council of Tears is an auxiliary governing body of the city of Vedenza (seen by some just as another district of Tobaro) seated by the interior minister Lord Piero Riina.[9a] The Council can hire mercenaries to defend the city, having no qualms about hiring exotic creatures like Warpfire Dragons in exchange for Warpstone.[10a] Beneath the lagoon where the city lays slumbers a Merwyrm called Silak One-eye by the inhabitants, who serves the city as a protector on the command of the wizard Orsini Sardus. So is no surprise that the sigil and banner of Vedenza depict a manticore.[10a]

The defense of the city instead rests in the hands of the Republican Guard.[10a]

Inhabitants[]

"He's the very best. I had a 500-year-old Tilean manuscript that no one could read - it was in some obscure Tobaran dialect. Ralmoris translated it in less than a week! Too bad it turned out to be a pasta-maker's handbook."

Rijkspoort book dealer

The people of Tobaro are a gruff folk, weathered by the harsh coastal storms and their stony homes. Tobarans are inevitably great sailors, for the rough waters of the Abasko coast quickly weed out the weak from the strong. Those who do not sail or trade for a living work in the tunnels, either as miners, engineers, or warriors hired to keep the tunnels clear of monsters. The Tobarans are an embittered and stubborn people, with a demeanour and outlook more in common with Dwarfs than their fellow Tileans. In appearance they are somewhat shorter and stockier, with paler skin than other Tileans.[2a] Tobaran accent as rounded vowels making it easy to distinguish from Tilean and Estalian.[12a]

The Role of Mercenaries[]

Tobaro, built into cliffs hard against the Tilean Sea and with the Abasko mountains behind her, has little land to defend. But the sea is her lifeblood, and the tunnels beneath and beyond the city’s bounds hold many dangers — Greenskins and worse. And so Tobaro hires specialised mercenaries, sappers, and tunnel fighters, as well as marines to guard their ships.[11c]

Navigator Families[]

As in every Tilean city-state, no sooner had a ruling family been founded than another family had sprung up as rivals. It was not long after the founding of Tobaro that the first dissidents sprang up, but in a city so short of space they had little opportunity to establish their own territory, except for deeper into the tunnels or out onto the rocky islets that dot the channels to the city. Those who delved deeper were never seen again. Those who took to the Fool’s Rocks became the first of the Navigator Families. The Navigators hold the monopoly on sea trade to and from Tobaro’s great harbour, for only they and they alone know the safe channels between the deadly rocks.[2c]

Each family tightly controls its own routes—some more dangerous than others, but each just as deadly to anyone else—and their secrets are highly guarded, passed from father to son and never written on a chart. Many have died to protect their family secrets, for they are all that guarantees the Navigators their protected status and prevents them becoming a mere nuisance to be swatted by the Prince. There is a fierce rivalry between the families, each of them vying for the custom of passing ships and guarding their territorial waters ferociously. It is not unheard of for fighting to break out between pilots on the decks of ships as representatives from more than one family jump aboard to try and win the job, often by disparaging the reputation of the other pilots. Despite the hostility and rivalry, the families present a united front against their age-old enemies—the ruling family of Tobaro.[2c]

The Navigators have not forgotten their origins, nor are they ignorant to the threats that still exist to their livelihoods. This is no idle suspicion or paranoia, for the Prince and the city’s merchants would dearly love to be rid of the Navigator Families and control the access to the city themselves; but so long as the families keep their secrets to themselves, there is little chance of that. Many families supplement the income from piloting ships to and from Tobaro by salvaging the remains of unlucky or foolish ships that are wrecked on the Fool’s Rocks. This often leads to accusations that the pilots take unnecessary risks with their charges, knowing that they can make a tidy profit either way. If asked, the pilots just shrug and smile, remarking that business is business.[2c]

The most infamous of the Navigator Families is the de Naufragios family, a family with a notorious—if hard to prove—reputation for piracy and shipwrecking. The de Naufragios are led by their ancient matriarch, Nanna de Naufragios, and despite being one of the older and wealthier families, still live in relative squalor on their craggy outcropping. The de Naufragios’ territory is easily spotted, especially at night, for there are an extraordinarily large number of lanterns and torches burning around their islands—almost too many, one could say, and more than a few hapless captains have mistaken the bright lights for Tobaro itself, with disastrous consequences.[2c]

Another Navigator family is the Ferazzo, leaded by Dacia Ferazzo, the head of her house, an expert of beasts of the sea.[9a]

Deepwatchers[]

Warhammer Tobaro Deepwatcher

A Deepwatcher of Tobaro

The Deepwatchers are both the first and last line of defence between Tobaro and the threats it faces from below. The city authorities paint service in the Deepwatch as glamorous, a life of heroics and adventure in the tunnels beneath the city. In truth it is anything but—service in the Deepwatch is distinctly unglamorous, with long days spent in the dark, damp, and cramped conditions. It is hazardous work with risks from natural hazards such as gas explosions, getting lost in the dark, or caught in cave-ins. Not to forget, of course, that the fairy tales about monsters in the depths are in fact true. The potential rewards are substantial; a well kept secret amongst the Deepwatch are the occasional hoards of ancient treasure to be found in the deeper caves, all of which goes straight into the pockets of the finders.[2e]

It is this that has earned them the nickname “the Deep-pockets,” and not the characteristic over-generosity exhibited by a Deepwatcher upon surviving long enough to collect his next paycheck. The Deepwatch Commander is a Middenheim ex-patriot named Oldar Wulfberg, a seemingly gruff and cheerless authority figure at first encounter, but proves to have a razor-sharp sense of humor once he lets down his guard.[2e]

One of their leader is Olio Contano, a typical Deepwatcher, that joined the Deepwatch as a teenager attempting to avoid the life of crime into which his older brothers had fallen. Contano takes his job and his responsibilities seriously, truly believing it is his duty to keep the populace above protected from threats they cannot begin to comprehend. Contano has encountered Skaven only once, in deep and flooded mines, but once was more than enough, and he still has nightmares about their chittering.[2e]

The City[]

Tobaro Map below ground with text (unofficial)

Graphic representation of Tobaro's districts below ground level (unofficial)

Tobaro Map above ground (unofficial)

Graphic representation of Tobaro's districts above ground level (unofficial)

The prosperous Tobaro is roughly divided into four broad districts, each of which has its own unique personality and atmosphere. The four districts are: Altezza, which is the wealthy area built on the clifftops; Scogliera, which encompasses the streets and houses built on the cliff face itself; Traforo, which is the underground district built in the city’s tunnel network; and Porto, which is the trade town built up around the harbour in the cavern at the base of the cliffs. Each of the districts has a separate watch house and garrison that maintains law and order on their own patch, although each reports to the main watch barracks in Altezza.[2f]

The countless small islands that line that coast are treacherous and exceedingly difficult to navigate. The Tobaran huffers who know the few safe routes have risen to such prominence over centuries that they are, effectively, regarded as minor nobles and referred to as ‘The Navigator Families’. The individual islands have many names, but the Tobarans usually talk about them collectively as the Fool’s Rocks, which tells you something about Tobarans. Maps that do not call them the Carvorna Archipelago name them the Isles of the Sirens, after their most notorious inhabitants.[9a]

Altezza District[]

Wealthy district of Tobaro

A wealthy district of Tobaro

Altezza is the wealthiest part of the city, sitting atop the cliffs overlooking the sea. From Altezza the rocky foothills of the Abasko Mountains rise sharply and although there is more space in Altezza than in the rest of Tobaro, and hence the houses are much bigger than elsewhere in the city, conditions are still cramped compared to the wealthy quarters in other Tilean city-states. In Altezza the residencies of the Tobaran merchant houses can be found, as far removed from the rest of the city as they can manage to get. Each of the merchant houses maintains “estates” that are in reality little more than houses and towers huddled together within walled compounds.[2f]

To compensate for the lack of horizontal space, many of the residents of Altezza build vertically, and the houses atop Tobaro are more like towers than traditional Tilean villas. On the highest point of Altezza, built on a rocky promontory overlooking the rest of the district, is the Palazzo del Vento literally, the Palace of the Wind, named for the harsh wind that constantly blows through the streets from the sea, or the mountains, or both. The palace was originally built to act as the city’s citadel, but its defencibility has long since been neglected since the last of the Skaven were driven from the city. The palace is the official residence of the Prince of Tobaro. As a result of the ever-changing nature of Tobaran politics, it has seen a lot of different inhabitants, each of which has imposed their own unique style and taste, with hideous results.[2f] In the building is shown The Triumph of the Ratmen of the artist Sanzio Raphaelli, this oil on canvas is dated circa 1593 IC, and depicts the final Skaven assault on the Temple of Verena.[7]

Although Tobaro is far removed from the corruption prevalent in the north of the Old World, it is by no means immune, and shadows lurk in the corners of the city. Ironically, it is not in the dank darkness beneath the city that the greatest corruption lurks, but in the decadent palazzos of Altezza. One consequence of the Skaven invasion was increased vigilance in the depths and the creation of the Deepwatch, and whilst all eyes are turned to the darkened tunnels of Trafuro, no one is watching the courts of Altezza. Here greed and jealousy turns the minds of men to dark cults and the worship of the Chaos Gods.[2f]

Library of Tobaro[]

"I made a startling discovery in the library of Tobaro today; a book titled the Doom of Kavzar. - Despite offering a substantial sum of gold, my guide will not take me to see the ruins of the city."

—From The Journal of Johannes Alders, Scholar and Outcast, Marktag, second week of Brauzeit, 2509[15a]

A library filled with ancient texts, some of which would be immediately burned in less civilized lands by the witch hunters, tomes such as The Doom of Kavzar, a book which tells the tale of an ancient city not far from Tobaro where men and Dwarfs lived in harmony until the arrival of a mysterious figure known as The Shaper.[15a]

Tobaran Press[]

The writer Donatello Verdi have written in detail the story of Tobaro and Prince Meldo Marcelli in the book Meldo Marcelli: Una Vita, and printed it in this very press in 2025 IC.[7a]

Vela Banking House[]

Bank of the de Vela family, house of the Prince of the city Tibaldus Marsarius de Vela. There are rumors that the bank's coffers are often used by the Prince to silence political dissidents.[2c]

Central Piazza[]

Meldo Marcelli statue

Detail from a statue of the Tilean prince, Meldo Marcelli. (Drawn by Wilhelm Leiber: Charcoal on parchment)[7a]

The central piazza of tobaro is adorned by the statue of the Tilean prince, Meldo Marcelli. The statue commemorates Marcelli's recapture of the city from the Ratmen in the year 1565 IC, and shows him in a triumphant pose with the laurel crown of victory on his brow, though with a single tear staining each of his cheeks. By nature an aloof and calculating man little given to emotion, it is said in the aftermath of victory Marcelli cried two tears - one of joy at Tobaro's liberation; the other of sorrow at the horrors the Ratmen had wreaked on his beloved city in his absence.[7a]

Palace of Justice[]

Palace of Justice of Tobaro

Palace of Justice's interior

The courthouse is a structure rich in arched vaults, it is protected by guards in full armor armed with swords who are in charge of supervising the criminals and bringing them before the judge. From his richly decorated throne behind a desk on which incense burns, he hears the confessions of prisoners even in the later hours.[5e]

Scogliera District[]

The district of Scogliera is built into the cliff face, with streets cut into ledges and tunnels that wind up and down the cliff, and houses clustered on outcroppings or cut into the rock face itself. Wooden lifts and cranes allow rapid travel between parts of the district, and winding stairs and ramps provide slower but steadier access to the rest. In many parts there is nothing to stop a careless or unlucky person from falling over the edge and into the sea far below. In places where this has happened more than a few times a stern warning or crude railings are erected, although this rarely prevents accidents.[2g]

Scogliera is where those wealthy enough to avoid living in Trafuro live—predominantly the professional classes such as merchants, physicians, and scholars, but also many of the city’s well-to-do traders and craftsman. Scogliera has a number of distinct areas, such as Faccia, an affluent street of artisans and merchants; or the precariously balanced houses clustered along Sporgenza, built on ledges enlarged by scaffoldings so that they jut out at strange angles, hanging over nothing. The buildings of Scogliera are mainly small two-storey terraced houses or squat cottages, built atop one another and hewn from the rock face so that the back rooms are little more than caves. In true Tilean fashion, the houses are brightly painted in yellows and pinks and whites, although the sea air takes its toll, leaving many of them looking faded and decayed.[2g]

Trafuro District[]

Sartosa streets

The decadent Trafuro District

Those Tobarans unable to afford housing in Scogliera must live in the warren of tunnels that make up the Trafuro district. There are countless miles of tunnels beneath Tobaro, most of them uncharted and unexplored. The Engineering Guild only maintains the tunnels near the surface, for there are too many to maintain them all. The Trafuro district was once much bigger, sprawling far underground, but in the aftermath of the Skaven invasion most of it was razed and its boundaries officially pulled back and restricted so that it can be defended more effectively. The furthest limits of Tobaro are demarcated by the Deepwatch barracks and the numerous mines and tombs beyond. The mines and the surrounding tunnels are patrolled regularly by the Deepwatch, which maintains a heavy presence in Trafuro itself.[2g]

When an incursion of Skaven is so great that the Deepwatch could not stand against it. The current prince of Vedenza, along with the Council of Tears which governs her, can unleash a whispered horror. A most formidable weapon: a Merwyrm bound by Kadon’s sorcery, Tobarans call it Silak One-Eye. The Merwyrm once set loose in the tunnels of the Trafuro has just a concern, feeding as it will. After hunts that can last weeks the engorged creature return to sleep from a staggeringly large meal of ratmen flesh in the depths of the Tilean Sea.[9a]

The poorer members of Tobaran society inhabit Trafuro, and housing there is the cheapest in the city, but also the worst. The majority of residents work as miners in the ore mines, or engineers responsible for the upkeep of the tunnels. Conditions in Trafuro are unpleasant at best. The tunnels are damp and dark, with natural light only illuminating the tunnel entrances. The rest of Trafuro is perpetually gloomy, lit only by torches and lamps placed at irregular intervals. Housing in Trafuro mainly consists of single storey cottages carved from the tunnel walls or built on the cavern floors. The style is reminiscent of tombs, and no matter what colour the owners paint the houses, they invariably end up grey in a short space of time. Before the Skaven invasion, the inhabitants of Trafuro had nearly unlimited space to build, and their houses were large and spacious. Since the city limits were restricted to allow the Deepwatch to better provide protection, Trafuro’s extent has been vastly curtailed and it is now just as cramped as the rest of the city. At the centre of Trafuro is a large cavern dotted with stalactites and stalagmites, each ornately carved into a beautiful statue by the Elves who once inhabited the city of Tolarie, these sculptures are still preserved by the underground environs.[2h][9a]

Palazzo in Profondita[]

This is the Palazzo in Profondita or Plaza in Profondita — the plaza of the deep — and it is here that the Engineering Guild is situated, based in a huge, hollowedout limestone column in the centre. The tunnels surrounding the plaza are known as Profondita and comprise larger and more well off housing, inhabited by and large by engineers and their families. The Deepwatch barracks are located right at the edge of Trafuro in the area of Scuro, where the tunnels are at their narrowest and most burrow-like. The Deepwatch guard the narrow tunnel that leads from Scuro and Trafuro into the deeper tunnels and mines, and only authorised miners and Deepwatchers are permitted to pass. The site is a natural bottleneck that can be defended easily should the city be attacked, and although it is not the only entrance to Trafuro from the deep, it is the largest entranceway. The Engineering Guild has rigged this area of Trafuro to cave in should the defences be overwhelmed during an attack, sealing the city off from below.[2h][9a]

The Tobaran Engineering Guild is one of the most powerful organisations in the city, responsible for the construction, expansion and maintenance of its network of tunnels and caverns, as well as its mining equipment and lift mechanisms. The city’s sizeable Dwarf population dominates the guild, utilising their people’s expertise to guide the growing number of Human engineers. Thanks to the power the guild holds within the city, the guild master is the only non-mercantile member of the Tobaran council. Although no one would ever seriously consider the guild master to be a contender for prince, there are no laws against it and the guild often jests about how an engineerprince would keep the city in order.[2f]

One example of an engineer is Sorrio de Stonehelm, a senior Engineer in the guild. Sorrio’s name amply demonstrates the mixed cultural influences at work within the dwarfs of the city. Sorrio has a deal with some of the shadier members of the Deepwatch, helping them find long forgotten tunnels and caverns in exchange for a share of any treasure they might happen upon along the way. Such dubious dealings are all too common beneath Tobaro.[2f]

Halfling district[]

Here is located the Quinsberry Lodge, an organisation dedicated to ensuring equal rights for Halflings across the Old World.[3a]

Harbour & Porto District[]

Tobaro stands on the edge of the sea, with the many islands of the Cavorna Archipelago at its backs and the wide lagoons between its islands. This allows the city to carry out naval maneuvers even in the event of a siege from the mainland.[10a]

Seven mighty sea-gates lead from the base of the cliff into the harbour of Tobaro. The Elf-made harbour was built within a huge domed cavern hollowed out by millennia of erosion and sheltered from the sea by the gates. The point where the natural and the Elven section of the cavern meet is all but undetectable, but what surely can be no act of nature are the shards of quartz and diamond that stud the roof of the dome, glittering in a breathtaking recreation of the night sky. Docks and wharves ring the cavern and the bustling trade district of Porto has grown up here, connected to Tobaro above by tunnels which spiral up through the rock. Porto is filled with a mixture of markets, warehouses, inns, and brothels, where both goods and sailors can be attended. Few of the crewmen who sail into Tobaro take the steep road up into the city proper, so those Tobarans who rely on the passing trade of outsiders are forced to come to them, selling their wares and services from makeshift stalls set up on the wharves.[2h]

Temples[]

As in the rest of Tilea the dominant gods of Tobaro are Myrmidia and Ranald, and their shrines can be found scattered throughout the city. There are several churches to Myrmidia in each of the districts, and some of the rock-grottoes fashioned into churches are amongst the most stunning buildings in the whole of the city, despite their innocuous outward appearance. Manann is worshipped widely in the Porto district, where many fishermen and sailors make their homes. A large temple of Manann is situated on the dockside right by the customs house. The Navigator Families also venerate Manann, although the temple has taken a keen interest in their worship of late after rumours surfaced that the Cult of Stromfels has a heavy presence on the Fool’s Rocks. The Dwarf god Grungni is worshipped in parts of the city—and not just by the Tobaran Dwarfs—especially in the tunnels and streets of Trafuro. Within the city Grungni goes by the Tileanised version of his name, il Grungnio, although his strictures and doctrines remain the same.[2a] Another mysterious cult is dedicated to the Shadow of Chill Hagh.[10a]

Temple of Mercopio[]

An holy building dedicated to Mercopio, God of Commerce. On a rainy night the roof of the temple was the theatre of a terrible fight between deadly Skaven armed with blow-gun from the Clan Eshin guided by a mysterious Deathmaster and the dwarf slayer Gotrek Gurnisson.[16a]

Temple of Morr[]

Temple of Morr of Tobaro

Temple of Morr

This temple was builded to workship the God of Deads and Dreams, Morr. The windows are tall and narrow leaving the place into a gloomy darkness, attenuated only by the faint lights then cast by countless candles, placed on the side of a stone arch under which an incesiere burns, spreading its scent among the faithful seated on benches. austere, under the watchful eye of a crow resting on a perch at the entrance. The structure of the temple is supported by mighty granite columns.[5e]

Temple of Verena[]

Skaven below Tobaro

The Triumph of the Ratmen, circa 1593 IC. (From the Palazzo of the Prince of Tobaro: Oils on canvas)[7]

This temple dedicated to the goddess Verena, was sacked by the Skaven during the invasion of 1563. This obsene act is depicted in The Triumph of the Ratmen of the artist Sanzio Raphaelli, and stored in the Palazzo del Vento, in the district of Altezza.[7]

Under-Tobaro[]

The stronghold of Under-Tobaro is a secret lair of Clan Skurvy under the city-state located beneath the city with tunnels leading out to the Isles of the Sirens and to the warrens that riddled the cliffs beneath the city. Its tunnels' excavation are dated around -1500 to 0 IC.[6a][2e][17b]

Subsidiary Settlements[]

Tobaro is a regional centre of political power, wielding significant influence over the settlements listed below.[11a]

  • Cera-Scuro - A poor hamlet. Previously a lair of pirates in the Siren Isles, recently conquered by Tobaro.[11a]
  • Vedenza - A busting town and a small republic on the border with Estalia recently reconquered from Estalian overlordship. Despite attempts at social revolution, Vedenza is still under the rulership of Tobaro.[11b]

Notable Tobarans[]

  • Antonio Marcelli III - Prince of Tobaro until his death in 1877, bringing the end of Marcelli rule over the city his death led to a succesion squable that threatened civil war.
  • Prince Piggalo I - A pig elected Prince of Tobaro in 1877 IC and retained the throne for 12 years. Many regard his reign as the Golden Age of Tobaro.

Trivia[]

With the publication of Up in Arms from C7, the state of the city of Vedenza has undergone several changes, now the city is subject to the authority of Tobaro and share the same location on the map. One of the authors of Imperial Zoo revealed it was a decision taken to pay homage to the wishes of the now-deceased original story writer.

Tobaro could be inspired by the Roman city of Tarraco, built on the eastern shore of Spain.

Sources[]

  • 1: Warhammer Armies: Dogs of War (5th Edition)
    • 1a: pg. 78
  • 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: The Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Companion (RPG)
    • 2a: pg. 79
    • 2b: pg. 80
    • 2c: pg. 81
    • 2d: pg. 82
    • 2e: pg. 83
    • 2f: pg. 84
    • 2g: pg. 85
    • 2h: pg. 86
  • 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Shades of Empire (RPG)
    • 3a: pg. 101
  • 4: Warhammer Fantasy Battle - Army Essentials - Uniforms and Heraldry of the Skaven
    • 4a: pg. 47
  • 5: Warhammer Monthly
    • 5a: Issue 71
  • 6: Warhammer Armies: Skaven (4th Edition)
    • 6a: pp. 34-35 (The Skaven Under-Empire Map)
  • 7:The Loathsome Ratmen and All Their Vile Kin (Lore Book)
    • 7a: pp. 81-95
  • 8: Warhammer Armies: Skaven (7th Edition)
    • 8a: pg. 15
  • 9: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: The Imperial Zoo (RPG)
    • 9a: pp. 86-87
    • 9b: pp. 86-87
  • 10: Monstrous Arcanum (8th Supplement)
  • 11: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Up in Arms (RPG)
  • 12: Fell Cargo (Novel)
    • 12a: Chapter 10
  • 13: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition: Marienburg, Sold Down the River (RPG)
  • 14: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition: Dwarfs, Stone & Steel (RPG)
  • 15: White Dwarf Weekly 49
  • 16: Gotrek and Felix: The Serpent Queen (Novel) by Josh Reynolds
    • 16a: Chapter 20
  • 17: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Sea of Claws (RPG)
  • 18: Chaos in the Old World (Tabletop Game)
    • 18a: Game board
Advertisement