"Sturdy, stout folk in a fight. They seem to take the blame on themselves for Solland's fall. I'm not sure why."
Wissenland, formally the Grand County of Wissenland, is a founding Electoral Province of the Empire that lies in the southern reaches of that realm. The province of Wissenland is considered the armoury of the Empire, for it holds within its borders the city-state of Nuln, the largest industrial city within the Old World. From its workshops and factories, the city of Nuln churns out some of the most devastating black-powder weaponry known to Mankind.[1a]
Wissenland's territories was originally confined between the Grey Mountains and the River Soll, but following the destruction of Solland in 1707 IC, the territories of Solland were given to Wissenland. Ever since then, the people of Wissenland have expressed a degree of sorrow and remembrance for their neighbors, going as far as to add the flag of Solland upon their own banners as a sign of respect for their fallen countrymen.[1a]
History[]
Notable Events[]
The heraldry of the Imperial army of Wissenland and Nuln commanded by the Amethyst Wizard Elspeth von Draken on behalf of Elector Countess Emmanuelle von Liebwitz in Total War: Warhammer III.
Prehistory (–1500 to –1 IC)[]
- Before -1 IC - In the lands of what will later become the Empire of Man, a Tilean merchant from Miragliano discovered the River of Echoes and built a fortified trading post atop it on High Elven ruins. The new settlement was named Nuln and quickly became a rallying point for the local Human tribes in times of trouble.[11a]
Imperial Civil War (1359 to 1547 IC)[]
- 1359 IC - Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Stirland, is elected as the new Emperor of Man in Nuln.[10a]
- 1489 IC - The Prince of Reikland formally commissions a state navy. Around this time, several low bridges are also built in Altdorf to limit the influence of ships from Talabheim, Carroburg, Nuln, and Marienburg.[10a]
- 1707-1712 IC - The Orc Warlord Gorbad Ironclaw invades the Empire through Black Fire Pass. Nuln is sacked and the Moot devastated. A large Imperial army under the command of the Elector Count of Wissenland is defeated at the Battle of Grunberg just south of Altdorf.[5a]
The Empire Forged Anew (2304 to 2502 IC)[]
- 2304 IC - Magnus the Pious of Nuln is elected as the first Emperor of Man to be recognised across the realm in centuries in the wake of the Great War Against Chaos. Rebuilding the Empire in the wake of that dire conflict, Magnus establishes his imperial court at Nuln, making it the new capital of the Empire. The High Elf Archmage Teclis formally founds the Imperial Colleges of Magic in Altdorf so that Men might learn to use magic in a rational way that will aid their defence of the mortal world from Chaos while minimising its dangers. Magnus authors with Teclis the Articles of Imperial Magic, a set of laws and rules which all users of magical abilities within the Empire must obey on pain of death,[1b] and for the first time includes the Cults of Ranald and Myrmidia among the recognized religious cults of the Empire.[3a]
- 2383 IC - Children report visions of Shallya, the goddess of mercy, in a grove outside Pfeildorf. Some claim that the children can now work miracles in the wake of the goddess' apparition. Inquisitors from Nuln take a dim view of their claims and have the children burned at the stake. The sect of the Cult of Shallya that venerates the children's vision survives and becomes the Order of the Children of the Dove.[1b]
- 2424 IC - After defeating the Dwarfs at the Battle of Iron Gate, the Goblin Warlord Grom the Paunch's army moves into the territory of the Empire. Much of the north and east of the realm is devastated and parts of Nuln are burnt to the ground. Grom leads his army to the sea where he builds a huge fleet and sails into the west, never to be seen again in the Old World.[1b]
- 2499 IC - The Skaven Assault on Nuln. Ten thousand Skaven of Clan Skab under the command of the Grey Seer Thanquol erupt from the sewers of Nuln, destroying whole quarters of the city.[9a]
Reign of Karl Franz (2502 IC to Present Day)[]
- 2503 IC - The army of Wissenland, led by Emperor Karl Franz, allies with a host of Wood Elves to defeat a horde of Minotaurs that threatens to cross the Grey Mountains into the magical woodlands of Athel Loren. A month after this, an Asrai emmissary appears in Altdorf bearing a Griffon egg and a message: "We will be watching."[6a]
- 2509 – 2511 IC - Tamurkhan the Maggot Lord, body-thief and Champion of Nurgle, leads a mighty incursion of Chaos in a great, scything arc down the Mountains of Mourn that sweeps across the Dark Lands, laying all desolate in its wake. With the Chaos Dwarfs and a horde of nightmarish Chaos beasts as his allies, Tamurkhan lays waste to the Border Princes and strikes at the Empire's underbelly.[8a] In ca. 2511, he is finally defeated before the gates of Nuln.[9a]
- 2517 IC - The Battle of Bones. The Vampire Lord Zacharias the Everliving raises an Undead army of Skeletons and Zombie Dragons and attacks Wissenland. The forces of the Empire, hard-pressed to hold back the terrifying hordes, believe they are doomed when a second Undead host approaches from the south to surround them. However, this army, led by a mummified Tomb King, instead bolsters the faltering Imperial line and together they drive the shambling hordes of Zacharias back.[7a]
- 2517 IC - In Reikland, Emperor Karl Franz personally leads an Imperial army into Bloodpine Woods to purge its Forest Goblin threat. At the Battle of Bloodpine Woods, the Empire is victorious and the Spiderclaw Tribe is eradicated.[7a]
Geography[]
"A lot of them are mountain-folk, and they’re about as talkative as Dwarfs."
- —A Grissenwald innkeeper[1a]
A map of Wissenland
The southwestern-most of the Empire's provinces, Wissenland forms a triangle bounded by the Black Mountains and Grey Mountains on two sides and the River Reik on the third. Originally confined to the lands west of the Söll River, Wissenland in the 18th century absorbed what was left of Solland after the invasion of the Orc warlord Gorbad Ironclaw. Eight hundred years later, the people of Wissenland still often refer to the land east of the Söll as "old Solland" or "Sudenland," a modern derivation.[1a]
Like the Reikland, western Wissenland is heavily watered by streams and rivers flowing from the mountains that feed the Söll, which in turn joins the Upper Reik at Pfeildorf. These tributaries are fed by melting snow in the spring, leading to frequent floodings of the towns along their courses. Meissen itself was nearly wiped out from the Great Flood of 2484 IC.[1a]
The farmlands of Wissenland are fertile near the Reik, but as the land rolls towards the mountains it becomes steadily more dry and stony. Chunks of bluish grey flint are so common that many nobles claim that the land is good for little but harvesting rocks. These stones are often seen heaped at the side of fields, or incorporated into local buildings. Many Wissenland children make their first pennies following the plough in spring, plucking the offending rocks from the lands. As a result, many become skilled at catching the odd crow or hare with a well-thrown flint.[1a]
Being so close to the mountains, western Wissenland has abandoned all but the barest subsistence farming, instead heavily depending on mining for its wealth. While the Dwarfs of Karak Norn and Karak Hirn claim large areas of the mountains for themselves, negotiations over centuries have secured rights for Humans to mine, too, though this does not stop illegal operations on Dwarf lands. The Dwarfs do not take kindly to what they see as theft, and more importantly, shoddy workmanship.[1a]
Overland trade is also important to Wissenland, and many passes cross the mountains from it to the realms of Bretonnia, Tilea, and the Border Princes. Almost all the pass roads converge at Wusterburg, which has prospered from the business brought to its many inns and stables, some of them over a thousand years old. Many travellers take their time to sample the various fine Dwarfen ales that are often sold in these places.[1a]
In the harsh depths of winter almost all the passes to and from Wissenland are cut off because of snow. This makes the underground river starting near Kreutzhofen and emerging near Miragliano in Tilea an invaluable source for year-round trade. Such is the value placed on keeping this "River of Echoes" open that the current Elector Countess's ancestors agreed that the Tileans should keep control of the 150-mile-long tunnel. The revenue they gain from goods passing through their lands more than compensates for relinquishing control of the tunnel.[1a]
East of the Söll, the land stretches out in rolling grasslands used for sheep-raising. This part of Wissenland, the old Solland, is famous for its high-quality wool and the fine furs its trappers bring out of the mountains. Wissenland sable is highly prized in fashionable circles in Nuln, Altdorf, and beyond. There are, however, sad reminders of the past in this part of Wissenland. The ruins of many villages and towns destroyed by Ironclaw stand in silent witness to the devastation his horde wrought. Most people avoid these ruins, either out of respect for the dead, or from fear of their Ghosts.[1a]
Inhabitants[]
The brutal winters of Wissenland can easily kill the weak or careless.[1a]
"I’ve never met a bunch of more depressing people in my life"
- —Hector Brunwald[1a]
Wissenlanders are descendants of the Merogen, the tribe that settled the area in pre-Imperial days. Like the Unberogen to their north, the Merogens had good relations with the neighbouring Dwarfs, particularly the kingdom of Karak Norn, and they answered in great numbers when Sigmar issued the call to arms before the Battle of Black Fire Pass. The fall of Solland was a dark chapter in Imperial history, and Wissenlanders seem to carry this shame with them.[1a]
At their best, Wissenlanders are stoic, dependable, and willing to endure hardship should it be needful. Known to be a dour lot, they are a hardy people, given to few words and little emotion. Their stony implacability is known to soften when they are in their cups, and on rare occasions they might break into "The Lament of Solland" or other such lonesome ballad. This heavy, plain speaking, and practical nature is reflected in the cuisine of Wissenland. Whilst they are known to have excellent Tilean or Brettonian wines at the table, they are also infamous for their flat, glutinous bread, thick mutton stews, and heavy "flinter" dumplings. At their worst however, they are depressing, dull, and obsessed with the gods.[1a]
For all their earthy practicality, Wissenlanders are religiously devout, their towns and villages hosting multiple shrines, chapels, and temples to all the recognised gods, as well as local spirits. Many Wissenlanders take a few minutes each day to visit a temple or shrine, working their way through the gods over the course of a week. The people of Wissenland claim this is simple devotion on their part, while cynics elsewhere cannot decide if they are show-offs or trying to cover all the angles—or both. While all the gods are honoured in Wissenland, Sigmar and Taal and Rhya have special prominence. Sigmar's cult centres in the west, where contact with the Dwarfs is greatest, and both Wissenburg and Meissen have large temples that host shrines for the Dwarfs to worship their own deities.[1a]
Upriver from Geschburg in the foothills of the Grey Mountains lies the shrine of Sigmar Protector, a popular pilgrimage spot. It was here in the 14th century that a force of the Elector Count was trapped by marauding Orcs. Their destruction looked certain. According to that legend, at the height of the fighting a great horn was heard, and from nowhere a powerful warrior wielding a hammer appeared to lead the Wissenlanders to victory. Revealing himself as Sigmar, the warrior promised he would always protect their people in their times of need. A monastery has since been built on the spot, and the monks are only too happy to give out pious icons, artefacts, and illuminated prayers in return for "donations."[1a]
Wissenlanders soften Reikspiel, and deliver it in a monotone that some folk find exceedingly depressing. The influence of Dwarf culture is said to be the reason so many Wissenlanders are short and practical in their speech. Little time is given for flowery words or fancy phrases, and even less to artists, poets, and foppish Reiklanders. Tales of death, liturgies, and mournful plays are sometimes delivered in a Wissenland accent, to heighten the feeling of the piece.[1a]
Notable Settlements[]
Gazeteer of Wissenland in 2522 IC, during the alternate timeline of the Storm of Chaos.[1a]
- Kroppenleben - Village that lies at the centre of the fur trade within the Black Mountains.[1a]
- Kreutzhofen - Village that serves as an important way station for trade with Bretonnia and Tilea.[2a]
- Dotternbach - A good-sized Imperial village with a thriving wool trade located near the Wissenland provincial capital of Wissenburg.[4a]
- Vennland Marches - An area once ruled by Baron Gottfried von Diehl, he was removed since Countess Emmanuelle of Nuln saw fit to banish him and confiscate his lands for a crime. Some say that the real reason was his devotion to Ulric instead of Sigmar.[2a]
- Wissenberg - Wissenberg is a little village, rumors speak of Beastmen in its surroundings, stealing children.[13a]
Sources[]
- 1:Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd Edtion: Sigmar's Heirs (RPG)
- 2:Warhammer Fantasy RPG 4th Edtion: Archives of the Empire Vol I (RPG)
- 2a: pg. 11
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Tome of Salvation (RPG)
- 3a: pp. 160-163
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Children of the Horned Rat (RPG)
- 4a: pp. 118-119
- 5: Warhammer Armies: Orcs and Goblins (8th Edition)
- 5a: pp. 17-19
- 6: Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves (8th Edition)
- 6a: pg. 33
- 7: Warhammer Armies: Empire (8th Edition)
- 7a: pg. 17
- 8: Warhammer Armies: Warriors of Chaos (8th Edition)
- 8a: pg. 15
- 9: Warhammer Armies: Empire (8th Edition)
- 9a: pg. 17
- 10: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Core Rulebook (RPG)
- 10a: pg. 273
- 11: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Forges of Nuln (RPG)
- 11a: pp. 5-8
- 12: Gotrek and Felix: Trollslayer (Novel) by William King
- 12a: Ch. 2: "Wolf Riders"
- 13: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Tome of Corruption (RPG)
- 13a: Ch. 4
Gallery[]
