WFRP: Folk and Folklore of the North - Part 3

#WarhammerWednesday

Have you been reading our recent WFRP Folk and Folklore posts?

If you missed out, you can find part 1 here and part 2 here. Or read on for today's 3rd instalment - Folk and Folklore of the North - Ancient Sites about the Fauschlag by WFRP Developer Dave Allen.

‘Sigmar brought the hammer down in a sweeping arc. Artur sought to parry with his magical Dragon Sword, but its frosted blade shattered under Sigmar’s incredible strength, and the Heldenhammer shattered the rebellious king’s crown to smithereens. There are those amongst the Teutogen who complain that Sigmar’s victory here wanted for glory, for Artur was old and nursed injuries from his struggles with the monstrous Drakwald Revenant. But Sigmar was righteous, having suffered the depredations of Artur’s raiders, and forced to fight by the proud king’s repeated refusal to make apology or obeisance.’

— Extracted from the Grand Theogonist’s 2512 IC Sigmartag Sermon

At the University of Altdorf, history scholars often note that the Reikland’s lands are richly furnished with antique sites in comparison to the area around Middenheim, which lacks any sign of ancient habitation. But before the coming of the Teutogen there is little physical evidence to suggest the lands were inhabited by humans at all, and sites venerated by those few followers of the Old Faith who still live within the Empire are unknown, save for a few debatable exceptions.

Altdorf scholars, being what they are, inevitably advanced the notion that the relative richness of ancient Human sites in their own region was evidence that Unberogen lands had always been a better fit for humanity, therefore they had a significant cultural head start on their neighbours to the north.

In Middenheim, descendants of the Teutogen scorn  such notions . Instead, they state that the lack of ancient Human remains pre-dating their arrival proved that only a defiant warrior people could have settled these inhabitable lands long enough to leave marks of their civilisation.

They have a point.

Before the coming of Teutogen, the lands between the Middle Mountains and Laurelorn Forest were plagued by all manner of malicious creatures and dark forces. The Forest Goblins and Beastmen of the Drakwald preyed upon human habitations built within striking range of their lairs (and still do), but such threats affected folk in other parts of the Empire (and still do). Towering basalt brochs throughout the region indicate a significant Fimir presence in the past, though these monsters never possessed the numbers to withstand an influx of humanity. The Wood Elves of the Laurelorn have not always tolerated human settlement near their borders, but have cooperated and even allied with humans who respected their boundaries.

It was the persistent threat of a pestilent undead menace that is blamed for the trouble early humans had in the region. Only the Teutogen could stand against it, and even they suffered terribly. The legends of King Artur tell of how he and the warrior eternal Myrsa threw down the revenant form of the Lich-Thing Babrakkos, an effort that left Artur wounded and embittered. Only their heroic efforts laid this recurring necromantic menace to rest, and allowed their folk to flourish throughout the region as they never had before.

Dave Allen, WFRP Developer

More about the city of Middenheim will be discussed in Middenheim: City of the White Wolf, due for release later this year.

Altdorfers’ attitudes and their scholars’ conceited views are described in greater detail in a sourcebook for Altdorf, due for release in 2021.

Ancient Earthwork, scene by JG O’Donoghue.

Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd. © Games Workshop 2020