The corrupt kingdom of Bretonnia

D"2Z2T-!.2

2

\CBDH]]GM22

Bretonnia-Project : www.ifrance.com/WFRP/

Z2

Project Coordinator : Peter Butterworth Main Authors : Rory Naismith, Mark Saunders Thanks to : Lord Bain, Jonathan Tee, Xavier Sanchez Loro, Tom Green, Twisted Moon, Erik Green, Ryan Wileman, Garett Lepper, Patrick Rayne, Claas Cassens, Charles Glass, Benoît Dumeaux, Hayes Parnell, Stephen Ward, François Couillard, Konstantinos Travlos, Richard Leon, Ludovic Arberet, Jeremy Matthey, Christophe Euvrard, Alfred Nunez, Martin Oliver and all those who helped us. Maps : Thomas Dybdal Rasmussen, Benoît Dumeaux, Stephen Ward, Mirco Jakuszeit Art : This supplement introduces a number of promising new WFRP artists : Julia McCune Flory, Abraham Bosse, Rodolphe Bresdin, Jacques Callot, Gustave Doré, Hans Sebald Beham, Albrecht Dürer, etc...

M,2"2\$2

Just a few points I thought may be useful to clear up : - This sourcebook is free and freely distributable. - Compatibility with Warhammer Fantasy Battle wasn't an objective. This work is based on the description of Bretonnia given in the WFRP rulebook (p. 274-277). What we have put together is dark, fun and occasionally innovative. - If you don't like something in this book, change it. It is your creative right to do so. In the end, there is no official WFRP World but that of the GM. I hope you enjoy our corrupt vision of Bretonnia. Thanks, Peter Butterworth (Project Coordinator)

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Z--2

Credits Summary Prologue Story

p1-4

by Rory Naismith

Bretonnian Calendar Map of Bretonnia Map of the 7 Bretonnian provinces Bretonnian Timeline Bretonnian Names and Language Bretonnian Essentials Non-Humans in Bretonnia Bretonnian Cities

p2 p3 p4 p5 p6-8 p8 p9-11 p12-15

by Peter Butterworth

Enchantement ! The Massif Orcal History of Bretonnia from -1000 to 977 Rough Justice? Witches in Bretonnia Witch Hunters and Witch-Trials in Bretonnia Torture in Bretonnia

p2-4 p5 p6-9 p10-15 p16-22 p23-27 p27-28

by Lord Bain by Tom Green by Ryan Wileman by Lord Bain by Rory Naismith by Rory Naismith by Rory Naismith

p2-6 p7-9 p10-22 p23-38

by Rory Naismith by Rory Naismith by Rory Naismith by Rory Naismith

p2-18 p19-24 p25-42

by Mark Saunders by Garett Lepper by Rory Naismith

p2-18 p19-26 p27 p28

by Mark Saunders by Mark Saunders

p2-3 p4 p5 p6-10 p11 p12 p13-19 p20-26

by Erik Green by Lord Bain by Jonathan Tee by Jonathan Tee by Jonathan Tee by Peter Butterworth by Rory Naismith by Twisted Moon

%RRN,²,QWURGXFWLRQWR%UHWRQQLD

%RRN,,²$UFKDLF%UHWRQQLD

%RRN,,,²1RELOLW\DQG2LVLOORQ

by Benoît Dumeaux by Peter Butterworth by Peter Butterworth by Peter Butterworth by Rory Naismith

2

2

The Patronage System The State Council Noble Factions The Oisillon Palace

%RRN,9²5HOLJLRQ

Religion in Bretonnia Saints in Bretonnia Saintly Cults of Bretonnia

%RRN9²*XLVRUHX[OD%HOOH Guisoreux (Background) The Beast of Guisoreux (Scenario) Guisoreux Gazette issue Guisoreux map

%RRN9,²0LVFHOODQHRXV

A Gypsy Night Heist! - A Road Encounter Marie de Martel Conflict in the south gazette articles A Travellers Guide to the Principality of Viero Map of Sourthern Bretonnia Xavier Rousseau' s Gazette Chronicles The Dunkelburg Inheritance PCs

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

by Peter Butterworth

I%!22

By Rory Naismith

‘…and with a great roar the dragon keeled over and breathed its last.’ The reader swirled his short, polished knife in the air and stabbed it down into the hard wooden table. It made a thud which, with a little stretch of the imagination, could easily have been the skewering of a dragon‘s throat. A suitably awed gasp arose from the three listeners. Feeling proud of himself, the reader looked back down at the book and carried on. He was expecting a few appreciative pennies this evening from the satisfied audience. ‘The gallant Sir Agravain retrieved and cleaned his sword and advanced into its fetid, bone-strewn lair. There, he freed the fair, virginal maiden from her ghastly bonds, and she made sweet moan…’ ‘She what?’ asked a gruff voice. The reader jumped slightly, his imagination jarring to a halt. The wizened forest of Sir Agravain and his lady faded from view, leaving him sitting at a chipped table in the shadowy, smelly inn on a cold night. ‘She…made sweet moan. It’s what fair, virginal maidens do when they’ve been freed by a brave knight in shining armour.’ Arnaud, the short but burly innkeeper, folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the reader. His pox-scarred face made the young reader squirm uncomfortably as he awaited some kind of reaction. Eventually, Arnaud gave a low, disapproving grunt which signified his deep-felt sentiments and grudgingly allowed the reader to continue. But the suspension of disbelief had evaporated. Moan, sweet or otherwise, was not heard from females in Arnaud’s establishment, ’Le Jardin d’Or’, and in the opinion of Arnaud and his regulars was best saved for the kitchen and the bedroom. Those ladies who did enter the inn were bound by a strict but unspoken rule of silence and respectable distance from male conversation. In the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

reader’s humble opinion, chivalric stories were not to be criticised and challenged - who was he or any winey innkeeper to find fault with the great Sir Agravain? - but to help him escape from the trials of daily life and perhaps earn a few extra pennies. He continued, determined to try and salvage whatever credibility and coppers he could. ‘…she made sweet moan. Then they mounted Sir Agravain’s noble steed and rode through the forest for three nights and three days until they came to a narrow bridge over a deep river. Before this river there stood…’ ‘A knight in black armour, perhaps?’ offered the unshaven soldier crouching on a stool to the reader’ s left. He wore a mail shirt and a badly weathered breastplate, and a dented helmet rested beside his goblet of wine on the table. ‘Maybe,’ replied the reader, not wanting to spoil the story yet further for the others and risk losing all his pay at the tale’ s end. ’ You’ ll have to wait and see.’ He smiled at his own quick-witted reply and prepared to go on, but was interrupted by the soldier again, who was getting slowly and contentedly drunk on Arnaud’ s heavy red wine. ‘They always wear black, bad knights. It’ s so the good knights can tell they’ re not killing each other. In stories.’ He took another swig of wine, then spoke in an altogether more serious and sober tone, his eyes fixed seemingly on a distant and nauseating vision. ‘If only that were so.’

‘If only what were so?’ asked Jean Manger, the tall and rangy farmer who came to the inn to spend the little money he saved (or perhaps, the reader suspected, stole from his wife) every week on wine and tales of chivalry. He had come to listen to the adventures of Sir Agravain every week since the reader had begun, and would do his best to recite them again for his children: the lions, witches and black knights scared them into a terrified silence every night. As good and honest a man as could be found working the fields of any squire in Bretonnia. ‘When do the bad knights not wear black armour?’ The soldier peered across at the peasant, and his face seemed to have become suddenly haggard and gaunt in 1

the flickering firelight. He looked briefly at Jean, then at the scrawny, beardless reader, then cast a glance round the whole small circle of men listening to the famous and celebrated adventures of Sir Agravain the Chaste. ‘Are there any good knights? Were there ever any good knights? If one of the knights that I’ ve known had found out about that girl in the lion’ s cave, he’ d either have left her there to rot, or else got someone like me to kill the lion for him. And may the gods protect a girl rescued by any knight of Bretonnia.’ Jean’ s wind-weathered cheeks reddened yet more at such an affront to his hero, but the soldier silenced him with a stony glance and a raised hand. He was determined to have his say. ‘If you’ d seen the things that I’ ve seen,’ he went on, ‘you’ d think differently of our daring knights. They’ re as ready to take their fill of plunder - in gold and in women as the next penny a day warrior. And that’ s not all: on the field of Charentaine I saw them cut down their own men as they fled before the enemy, slitting their throats as you, my good peasant friend, might prepare a pig for your supper.’ ‘Do you mean to say,’ began Jean, wondering whether he dared take offence at the veteran‘s slander of his favourite stories (his best excuse to escape the wife for an evening), ‘that these chivalrous stories are false?’ Before the soldier could speak up again, a voice rang out from the corner of the inn, outside the circle of listeners. It was mellow and articulate, a far cry from the strong provincial accents of the other visitors to ’ Le Jardin d’ Or’ ; it was the voice of one who knew knighthood from more than storybooks and bloody battlefields. ‘False? You think you are listening to falsehoods? Does this unshaven pike-pusher think that the kingdom’ s finest are no better than he: cold-blooded killers and mercenaries?’

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The soldier bristled and half rose to meet the new speaker as he advanced across the room. Until then, he had been sitting silently in the corner, brooding and toying with a jewelled locket he opened from time to time, and looked at with trembling hands. After a while, even Arnaud had stopped paying attention to him. He was tall and thin and moved with a ballroom grace. A warm, dark cloak and a wide-brimmed hat - both travel stained - hid him from prying eyes; he had dressed, the others thought, deliberately to keep his face hidden beneath a dark shadow. All they could see were his grey eyes occasionally catching the light. The locket hung from a small gold chain, and though now tucked into his sleeve, the chain still glinted around his wrist. ‘You insult me? You, who have been warm and safe while I’ ve spilt blood in your name?’ growled the soldier, the wine lending him courage and eloquence. The others saw a knife in his hand, no doubt one of many he carried secreted about himself; the soldier stood poised to hurl the slim blade at the stranger. There was a sudden flash and a gasp of steel, and the soldier sat back heavily clutching at his bleeding hand, his teeth gritted as he bore the pain. The knife turned slowly on the floor, casting lurid reflections in the firelight. A delicately balanced rapier was in the stranger’ s hand, with a few specks of fresh blood along the edge. It glowed with a light all of its own, and the others realised that this was no weapon to be trifled with; it was, if anything, the sort of sword a latter day Sir Agravain might have worn. A Sir Agravain who expected to fight duels rather than dragons. All was hushed and poised for a second, save only for the soldier’ s cursing over his wounded hand. Then the stranger stepped back and, taking a lace handkerchief from a pocket, wiped the blade clean and replaced it in a scabbard beneath his cloak. There was a momentary glimpse of the stranger’ s fine, silken clothing. After taking a step back and letting the full gravity of his presence sink in, he spoke again. ‘Oh, please do not be aggrieved, sturdy soldier; I have no doubt you shrugged off such paltry injuries last time you shaved. It is upon men of your ilk that the safety of our fair kingdom rests. As I was saying before that unpleasant interruption, do you think that any self-respecting knight would throw himself upon the serried ranks of the enemy while there are others to do so for him? Like myself, the gentry of this land confine their martial excesses to the fencing hall and the jousting field; or, if they‘re adventurous or foolhardy, to the honourable duel.’ The stranger paused for a moment, stirred by something he’ d just said, and flexed his hand again, as if reaching for the locket in his sleeve. He paused at the last moment. None of the others dared speak out of turn - the man carried an air of authority they had been brought up to revere - but it was clear that the last words had woken an unhappy memory. In a moment the stranger buried it, and went on quickly. ‘And do you believe that a knight’ s armour can hold back cannon balls, crossbow bolts, musket shot or a firmly dealt blow from any sword or axe? We are all men of flesh and blood, and in this day and age have sensibly relegated armour to pageants and tourneys for the delight of noble ladies. These are far more regulated and sedate 2

affairs than might be imagined, partly because we dare not risk the death or discomfort of the realm’ s finest, and partly lest the nobles ladies become too agitated and faint due to the tightness of their corsets. You were fortunate indeed to witness an old-style knightly charge at Charentaine, although on that occasion there was a very good reason why they took to battle. I am sure you recall whom you were fighting at Charentaine. Do remind us, please, or does it slip your mind?’ he speaker said these last words with a note of arrogance, and the others saw the pained expression on the soldier’ s face as he forced himself to reply, still cradling his bleeding hand. ‘You know full well who they were hacking and killing there, you silk-tongued bastard!’ ‘They?’ responded the tall man, firmly in control of the situation. ’ They were not alone, remember; you too were hacking and killing and shooting and stabbing and scavenging for petty trinkets in the corpses’ pockets after the fight. Do tell this company against which terrible enemy you fought alongside the knights of the land, in a battle essential for the security and safety of the great kingdom of Bretonnia.’ A taut silence fell over the inn, with Jean, the reader and Arnaud glancing between the still unrevealed stranger and the soldier. They noticed the stranger’ s hand gradually moving again towards the hilt of his rapier. Tears rolled down both the soldier’ s cheeks as he forced himself to speak. ‘They were farmers! Tenants of the lord I served! They’ d rioted and killed a tax collector after he tried to take all the half-rotten food they had left, and for that they had to die. Starving, desperate Bretonnian farmers driven to revolt by parasites like you.’ The soldier looked around at the shocked gathering and fell silent. He buried his face in his hands and began to weep like a child. The reader, who was just a humble scribe unused to such harsh realities, closed his book and laid it down on the table, and looked at it as if it were poisoned. Somehow it no longer felt quite right to read such stories, to exult in the glorious deeds of men prepared to do battle against their own unarmed, unfed peasants. Jean stared in disbelief at the soldier. He had heard tell from his wife’ s sister of events at Charentaine, but from what he had heard the lords had been fighting off a dangerous attack by foreign spies, or possibly witches’ thralls. If what the soldier said was true, then what chance did he himself stand if a hard winter or a poor harvest deprived him of sufficient food both to satisfy the squire and feed his family? Would he too find himself hewn down like a beast on some forlorn field? The thought chilled him. ‘I see I have disturbed your entertainment,’ said the stranger, looking at the book on the table and at the weeping soldier. The jewelled locket was back in his hand, and he seemed unconscious of the fact. ‘But I wanted to show you the truth, to unveil what lies behind the glorious stories and the shining ornaments with which we lords are masked.’ BRETONNIA–PROJECT

‘What you’ re saying is treasonous. Why do you tell us this?’ asked Arnaud, always wary of any trouble in his inn. ‘What’ s to stop us going out and telling everyone what you’ ve just said and stirring another revolt…’ He hesitated before adding, ‘My lord?’ ‘I tell you because I must tell someone; guilt and conscience must be satisfied somehow, and this opportunity is as good as any.’ His voice faltered, and he cast his eyes downwards so that his face was entirely hidden. ‘Once I cared nothing for you, nothing for anything beyond my estate wall or the bounds of the Oisillon Palace. Could I say I was happy? If the blind are happy for never having seen, then I was happy. But it was three months ago that understanding dawned. I was with you at Charentaine, soldier; do you not remember the name of the man you served? Did you ever know?‘ The soldier glared at him, hate in his eyes. ‘No,’ he retorted, ‘I did not know his name. All I know is that he paid me and that I did my work.’ He glanced to either side of him, meeting the disgusted, incredulous expressions of the others. They were beginning to comprehend for themselves just what the soldier had done: blood seemed to have covered his face. ‘Do you think I’ m proud of the lives I took at Charentaine?’ he almost yelled, not at the stranger in particular, nor at the three onlookers, but at himself. ‘What could I do?’ ‘You,’ said the stranger, more subdued than the soldier and with almost all feeling drained from his voice, ’ served as you were paid to serve. I was the one who ordered and contracted you to serve. What does that make me? It was my bailiff who was killed by those peasants whilst following my orders. I hired mercenaries to kill my own vassals, and even took part in the slaughter myself. It felt…good, at the time, to ride and laugh and slay like a knight of old. I tried to tell myself that they weren’ t people I was killing. I suppose the visor of my armour blocked out more than just the blows of the enemy, such as they were. As long as I wore the armour, rode the horse and from time to time made some pathetic chivalric gesture, I was another Sir Agravain and none could gainsay me.’ His gloved hand was playing frantically with the locket now, feverishly turning it this way and that. He was unaware of what he was doing, but the others had riveted their sights onto it, seeking for any excuse not to gaze at the stranger’ s face. The stranger noticed that their stares were turned to his hand as he finished, and with a shudder he stopped playing with the locket. His eyes widened as he lifted and regarded it. He raised the locket up and took a closer look at it, a new tenderness appeared on his face, and the reader fancied even a tear caught the light for a second. The stranger spoke again, ‘But it was not at Charentaine that my world died, though it was there it began to sicken. For all that I despise myself and my past deeds now, I met with nothing but praise for my firm action and daring swordplay at the battle of Charentaine. Given time, I might even have blotted it out and carried on as I always had. However, it was not to be.’ With a sigh he sat back and paused before telling a gaggle of peasants the secret of his sorrow. But that world was gone now, and the guilt and pain overcame whatever 3

vestiges of decorum still lay within him. Before speaking, however, he held up the locket into the light and opened it. Peering over, the onlookers saw the tiny, perfectly executed portrait of a beautiful woman, with a number of bloody fingerprints on the sky-blue background. ‘I loved her, once. So did many others like me. I, carried away by something stronger than words and meaningless niceties of honour, took the life of another man over her, and of his brother when he sought vengeance. There was blood enough on my hands, but when she was sickened and shocked by what I had done in her name, and scorned me, it was more than I could bear.’ A momentary bitterness and edge came into the stranger’ s voice, and his fingers went white as he gripped the locket’ s chain yet harder. ‘I killed her. A moment of childish, spoilt rage and she is gone forever. This trinket is everything that remains to me. It’ s all gone now. Try as I might, nothing can be the same again. For too long I went blinkered, inured and unthinking, and I am neither capable nor willing to go back. I want to forget myself and the world that made me. And, to answer your question about why you will not stir a revolt, it is because no-one would want to believe what you say.’ ‘What do you mean no-one would want to believe us?’ asked the reader, hesitant to believe that such a gentleman as this stranger could have done what he‘d just said. The stranger laughed slightly. ‘Do you not see? Lies and meaningless charades are all that lie between the people of Bretonnia - the people who fell at Charentaine - and the heartlessness of their masters. Masters like me. If you were to shatter the dream - as it has been shattered for me and, I fear, as I have shattered it for you - then people would wake up to the nightmare.’ ‘Then,’ said Jean quietly after a long pause for troubled thought, ‘what do we have to live for? What can the common man like me do if it’ s all a great jest to keep us in our place? And how far does it all go, my lord? Can we trust anyone?’ Before the stranger could answer, the soldier, his tears now under control, spoke out loudly. ‘No! You cannot trust anyone. In this forsaken land where lords slaughter their tenants for refusing to give up their last morsel of grain, where witches and murderers stalk the shadows, where even the saints and the priests are no more than liars and frauds… what hope do any of us have? None. Only by being crueller and more deceitful than the others can you survive. That’ s what it comes down to, when the mask is dropped.’ The soldier stood up slowly, his eyes still red and watery from the pain in his hand and in his breast. He began to walk slowly towards the door of the inn. The stranger laid a hand upon the soldier’ s shoulder as he passed by, drew back his sleeve, undid the gold chain and handed the locket to the soldier. For a second he hesitated, unsure whether to give up this keepsake to the lowlife before him. Finally he pressed it into the soldier‘s unwounded hand, and said, ‘Please, take it. It is best that I forget. Let her beauty be a comfort to you, as it once was to me.’ Then he turned and was about to march out of ‘Le Jardin d’ Or’ when the reader called to him. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

‘Wait! What is your name, my lord?’ The reader found the others giving him sharp looks: even now, there were certain age-old customs that they did not like to see infringed. ‘My name,’ he responded slowly and deliberately, ‘doesn’ t matter any more.’ He swivelled to face the reader, and moved closer to him. ‘But if you are determined to know, then I will tell you… ’ The stranger leaned forward and said his name to the reader. However, the latter did not notice what was said, for then he saw with an exclamation that the lord’ s face, so long kept in the darkness, was black as pitch, coarse and mottled; the skin of a beast. As the stranger drew back, he smiled and said under his breath, ‘See how my deeds have marked me.’ The reader never spoke again of what he had seen, and stood shocked and unblinking as the stranger slipped out of the inn. None of the others had seen his face closely enough to be able to recognise him again. Not that any of those in the inn wanted or expected ever to see him again. The stranger passed away into the night like a bad dream, blending seamlessly into the shadows. Everyone else felt that it was time to put an end to the evening’ s events, and to retreat to the comfortable normality of their homes and beds. The soldier, after looking for a few minutes at the locket the stranger had given him, slipped it into a small purse he kept hidden in the back of his boot where no thief would find it. He marched out of the inn without another word. Arnaud the innkeeper went round cleaning up for the night; Jean muttered goodnight and furtively went out, wondering whether to tell his wife and sister-in-law of what he had heard. He decided not: these were things he would never have wished to know, and didn‘t want to pass on.

The reader was the last to go, having sat for a long spell regarding the book of chivalrous stories on the table. When he finally got up to leave, hearing Arnaud’ s impatient grunts in the background, he stopped for a moment beside the dying fire and dropped the book of Sir Agravain’ s adventures into the glowing embers. It caught light, and was soon reduced to ashes and forgotten.

4

%RRN,%UHWRQQLD

$Q,QWURGXFWLRQ



%UHWRQQLD ZDV IRXQGHG RYHU  \HDUV DJR ZKHQ *LOOHV /H %UHWRQ LQLWLDWHG WKH VHULHV RI G\QDVWLFFRQTXHVWVWKDWOHGWRWKHXQLILFDWLRQRIWKHPDQ\VPDOOIHXGDOVWDWHVO\LQJZHVWRIWKH*UH\ 0RXQWDLQV DQG QRUWK RI WKH ULYHU %ULHQQH $W WKDW WLPH %UHWRQQLD ZDV D WURXEOHVRPH EDFNZDWHU FRPSDUHG WR 7KH (PSLUH 6RRQ KRZHYHU WKH %UHWRQQLDQ .LQJV FDPH WR ULYDO WKH SRZHU RI WKH (PSHURU DQG KHU FLWLHV EHFDPH WKH PRGHO IRU PRGHUQLW\ DQG IDVKLRQ 6LQFH WKH DFFHVVLRQ RI WKH FXUUHQW .LQJ V JUDQGIDWKHU &KDUOHV  &KDUOHV / ¥QRUPH RU &KDUOHV WKH (QRUPRXV  WKH %UHWRQQLDQ.LQJGRPKDVGHJHQHUDWHGFRQVLGHUDEO\7KHRQFHSURXGFLWLHVDQGSURVSHURXVSRUWVKDYH IDOOHQLQWRUXLQDQDWLRQDODSDWK\KDVVHWLQWKDWKDVJLYHQULVHWRZLGHVSUHDGFRUUXSWLRQLQHIILFLHQF\ DQG GHFD\ 7KH DULVWRFUDF\ ORRNV WR LWV RZQ SOHDVXUHV ZKLOH WKH XQUXO\ PRE VWDUYHV DPLGVWWKH :RUVWVTXDORULQWKH2OG:RUOG BRETONNIA–PROJECT

BRETONNIA-PROJECT

Month of wine harvest Month of mist Month of cold Ulrican Saint Month of snow

Vendémiaire

Nivôse

November December Winter Solstice Shortest day of the year January

October

August September Autumn Equinox

Summer Solstice Longest day of the year July

;,,9RUKH[HQGD\V

;.DOGH]HLWGD\V ;,8OULF]HLWGD\V 0RQGVWLOOH

,;%UDX]HLWGD\V

9,,1DFKJHKHLPGD\V 9,,,(UQWH]HLWGD\V 0LWWHUKHUEVW

9,9RUJHKHLPGD\V *HKHLPQLVWDJ

96RPPHU]HLWGD\V 6RQQVWLOOH

,96LJPDU]HLWGD\V

,,,3IOJ]HLWGD\V

,1DFKH[HQGD\V ,,-DKUGUXQJGD\V 0LWWHUIUKO

Imperial Calendar +H[HQVWDJ

Notes . Current Imperial year is 2512 - 4th year in the reign of our most beloved King Charles III de la Tête d'Or . Geheimnisnacht is Geheimnistag's eve

Brumaire Frimaire St-Leu

Month of heat Month of fruit Verenan Saint

Month of harvests Day of mysteries

Messidor Jour des mystères

Thermidor Fructidor St-Bénéhold

Myrmidian Saint

Ste-Léonidas 22

Month of flowers Month of meadows

Floréal Prairial

Mai June

Month of germination April

Germinal

February March Spring Equinox

Month of rain Month of winds Taal Saint

22

Equivalent New Year

Pluviôse Ventôse Ste-Gudule

Jour des sorcières

Signification Day of witches

%UHWRQQLDQ&DOHQGDU

 ^2

2\--2

By Thomas Dybdal Rasmussen and Stephen Ward

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

3

D"2 2I+-*2

2\--2

By Benoît Dumeaux



BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

4

\---2D.%-2

-1589 Phoenix King Caradryel recalls the High Elf armies from the Old World. Remaining Elf colonies see their departure as a betrayal. -1560 Dwarf-Elf war, terrible battle of Three Towers at the gate of Tor Alessi (now the port of L'Anguille). Dwarves are finally victorious. -1501 Athel-Loren the Wood Elf capital is founded. Around

Arrival of the primitive Bretonni tribes from -1000 the east, settling all lands north and west of the Loren Forest.

Around

0 6321960 977

1125

1301

Bretonni tribes battle against orcs and goblins.

2300

The country remains mostly untouched by the the great Chaos incursion, except for the northern coast which suffers from landings of Chaos marauders. Some, but not many, Bretonnian knights join Magnus the Pious in his fight against Chaos.

2320

Brionne starts to be called the city of thieves.

2402

Discovery of Lustria.

2423

Discovery of Southlands.

2429

Marienburg Provincial Council declare the Wasteland's independence and secede from Empire. Battle of Grootscher Marsh deals decisive blow to Imperial designs. Emperor Wilhelm II recognizes Wasteland independence.

2429

Accession of Charles I l'Énorme (Charles the Enormous). His reign will last for some 57 years and marks the beginning of Bretonnian degeneration.

2450

A series of earthquakes destroys most of the town of Moussillon. Start of Moussillon's despair.

2485

First serious uproars in Guisoreux.

2486

King Charles the First badly ill must pass on the power to his son Charles II de la Dure. Charles II represses all protests in Guisoreux in the bloodiest manner.

2492

War of the Succession of Bilbali. Modernisation of the Bretonnian army and navy under Charles II becomes apparent.

2498

The building of the Oisillon palace is finally completed. The royal court moves from Guisoreux to Oisillon.

2500

Death of King Charles II in joust at the Royal tournament of Couronne. Charles III, though aged 15, is not ready to rule. Eight year decadent regency of the Duke de Gascogne follows. Oisillon becomes famous in all the Old World for its lavish parties. Rise to power of the Shallyan Cardinal Dumourieux.

2508

Charles de la Tête d'Or ascends to the throne as King Charles III.

2512

King Charles III celebrates his 27th birthday in great pomp in Oisillon, while Guisoreux' troubles resume.

Norse raids take place along the coast of the Sea of Claws. Gilles le Breton of Gisoreux begins 70 years of dynastic conquests that lead to unification of Bretonnia under the reign of his grandson king Guillaume Barbenoire. King Louis IV Lefranc is defeated several times by the elves in Loren Forest. Pact of Salignac ends the conflict and concludes an alliance of sorts between Bretonnians and Elves. Marriage of Enguerrand le Fier (Enguerrand the proud), King of Bretonnia and Irène of Navarre. With the acquisition of Navarre, the Bretonnian kingdom reaches its current borders.

1342- Arabian invasion of the south of Bretonnia. 1347 Brionne falls. Roland de Chinon pushes the Arabian troops back to Estalia. 1500

Bretonnian knights take an active part in the crusades against Araby and the sultan Daryuse-Quabir (also known as Jaffar).

1597

Marienburg seized by Bretonnian army under Duc de L'Anguille. Occupation last five years.

1952

Baron Henri d'Amateu of L'Anguille grants the Norseman Skajad the Bastard land in the Armorique region to end the Norse raids.

2232

Alliance of northern Estalian kingdoms invade and conquer southern Bretonnia.

2267

All provinces send troops to drive out the Estalian invaders.

2274

Siege of Brionne results in the end of Estalian domination.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

the

"New Coast"

in

Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

the

5

U2

2\---2].2

by Peter Butterworth

MALE FORENAMES Aimé Alain Albert Ambroise André Anicet Anselme Antoine Antonin Aristide Armand Arnaud Auguste Aymar Aymeric Bastien Benoît Bertrand Blaise Blondel Bonard Briant Brice Camille Cédric Charles Claude Daniel Denis Désiré Didier Donatien Édouard Émile Émilien Enguerrand Estienne Eustache Euvrard Fabrice Fernand Firmin Florent François Frederic Gaston Gautier Gérald Gérard Géronte Gerson Gervais

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Gilbert Godfrey Grégoire Gustave Guy Guylain Henri Hervé Honoré Hubert Hugue Isidore Jacques Janclod (Flandres) Jean Jehan Jérôme Joscelin Jules Julien Lambertien Laurent Léandre Léonard Lionel Loïc (Armorique) Louis Luc Marc Marcel Maurice Maynard Michel Neville Noal (Armorique) Octave Pascal Paul Petrus Philibert Phillipe Pierre Pierrick (Armorique) Quentin Raoul Raymond Régis René Rodolphe Rodrigue Rouget Savinien Thomas Valère Yves

FEMALE FORENAMES Adèle Agathe Agnès Aliénor Amandine Angelène Anne Antoinette Ariane Arlette Aude Aurélie Béatrice Belle Bernadette Bernardine Blanche Brigitte Carole Cécile Céleste Céline Chantale Charlotte Chimène Claire Claudette Claudine Clémence Clémentine Clothilde Colombe Corinne Delphine Denise Edmonde Élaine Éléonore Éloïse Elsiber (Navarre) Emmanuelle Ermenaude Estelle Eugénie Flavie Fleur Francine Frénégonde Gabrielle Gaelle (Armorique) Garance Geneviève

Germaine Gertrude Ginette Gisèle Hélène Henriette Irène Isabelle Jacotte Jacqueline Janeton Juliette Justine Léonie Louise Lucille Ludivine Madeleine Magdalène Margot Marguerite Marianne Marie Marion Mariotte Marise Marlène Martine Matilde Mélanie Mireille Monique Nadine Natalie Nicole Ninon Odette Odile Pernette Renaude Rosalie Rosemonde Sandrine Simone Sophie Stéphanie Suzon Sylvie Thérèse Virginie Xavière Yolande Yvante Yvonne Zerbinette

Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

6

NOTES - Names that are only common in one province are followed by the province name in brackets - The place of birth could follow the name after the preposition “de”. For example Phillipe de Montfort means Phillipe of Montfort. This is not only for nobles. - If using an adjective then this would be proceeded by “le/la” depending on the gender. For example Pierre le Courageux (Peter the Brave), Marguerite la Forte (Margaret the Strong). - Many names have both a masculine and a feminine form example : Emmanuel/Emmanuelle - The letter “é” (i.e. with an acute accent) should be pronounced like the “a” in hate, whilst “è” (i.e. with a grave accent) is like the “e” in there. Were there is a cedilla “ç” this sounds like hissing the letter “s”. - It is quite common for two forenames to be combined to make one name but in these cases they should be separated by a hyphen. For example Jean-Pierre, JeanMarie (which designates a male) or Marie-Claire.

- Roi/Reine = King/Queen. Nobility titles are normally linked to a domain. A baron rules over a barony.

Additionnal info about nobility titles - La Reine : The Queen. Women cannot reign in Bretonnia except in the event of a regency. - Prince : Brothers and sons of the King. - Princesse : Sisters and daughters of the King. - Le Dauphin : The designated heir to the throne of Bretonnia (when there is one).

Hierarchy of the Bretonnian Bureaucracy - Ministre, Secrétaire d' état - Ambassadeur, Gouverneur, Prefet - Officier royal, Magistrat - Fonctionnaire - Préposé (a lowly pen-pusher) Royal Governor : A function given by the King to deserving (or sadly enough not very deserving) nobles. All the main Bretonnian cities have a Royal governor to administer them in the King' s name. Royal Governor has nothing to do with ' Duke'which is a nobility title.

Other titles - Le Cardinal : a member of the holy-council. High Priest of one the main Bretonnian religions. - Le President : the person directing the deliberations of a court of justice or an assembly.

Show proper respect to your betters…

Titles Nobility Titles - Écuyer/Chevalier = Squire/Knight, (Name is preceded by Sire. Example : Sire Henry) - Baron/Baronne = Baron/Baroness, - Viscomte/Viscomtesse = Viscount/Viscountess, - Comte/Comtesse = Count/Countess, - Marquis/Marquise = Marquis/Marchioness, - Duc/Duchesse = Duke/Duchess, BRETONNIA–PROJECT

your grace, your lordship, your highness - His Majesty the King - His Royal Highness the Prince - His Eminence the Cardinal - His Excellency the minister, the ambassador, the bishop

governor,

the

Forms of address - Monseigneur : designates a noble or a high ranking cleric. - Commoner : designates anyone who isn’t noble. - Monsieur or Messire / Mr. = sir - Madame / Mrs. = madam - Mademoiselle = Miss., young lady Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

7

About Bretonnian Language - What language is spoken in Bretonnnia ?

Most Bretonnian speak Breton, the Bretonnian dialect of Old Worlder. In the province of Navarre in the south of Bretonnia, the Languedoc dialect is often preferred though.

- Can my Imperial character understand Breton? According to the rulebook page 291, he can understand Breton at least to a certain extent. The same is true for all dialects of Old-Worlder. The GM should feel free to interpret this rule as he sees fit.

-

What

-

And

does

Breton

sound

like

?

Languedoc

?

(See Rulebook page 275) Breton sounds like French ! Using a few French words and speaking with a fake French accent should do the job well enough.

what

about

Languedoc sounds like a mix of Estalian and Breton. This ancient dialect is in use in Navarre and in the Estalian kingdoms of the Irranna.

- What name should I give my Bretonnian character ?

A few French words to enliven your games - La vache ! - Zut ! - ça alors ?! - Sapristi ?! - Diantre ?!! - Sacrebleu ! - Ventregris ! - Mordioux ! - Fi[ls] de Garce ! (Son of a bitch) - Quoi ? (What ?) - Je ne comprends pas. (I don' t understand) - Qu' est ce qu' il dit ? (What is he saying ?) - Désolé, je ne parle pas l' étranger, Monsieur. (Sorry, I don' t speak foreign, sir) - Excusez-moi (Excuse me) - Oui (Yes) - Non (No) - Et (And) - Vive le Roi ! (Long live the King !) - À bas les tyrans ! (Down with the tyrants !) - En garde !!! (On guard !!!) - Pas de Quartier ! (No quarter) - C' est à la mort, Monsieur ! (It' s to the death, Monsieur) - Je vous aime (I love you) - Bon appétit ! (enjoy your meal) - Partez ! (Go away!) - Place ! (Out of the way !)

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

We use historical French name tweaking them a bit to make them sound more archaic, See our list of Bretonnian names.

Bretonnian Essentials Currency - Le Franc: The Bretonnian currency. It has a value roughly equivalent to that of an Imperial crown. - un Louis d' or : Bretonnian golden coin worth fifty Francs. - une Pistole : a Schilling - un Sou : a Penny Billet is a form of paper money which is occasionally used in Bretonnia.

Distances Distances are commonly measured in Leagues (Lieues) in Bretonnia. One League is roughly equivalent to 3 miles or 4 kilometers.

Years Years are usually recorded with reference to the year of reign of the current King rather than using the Imperial Calendar (IC). Example : 2512 IC is referred to as the fourth year in the reign of Charles III de la Tête d' Or.

Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

8

]-R.-2-2\--2

By Peter Butterworth This article provides a little background information for players of Bretonnian Elves, Dwarves and Halflings.

Elves in Bretonnia Two distinct kinds of Elves can be encountered in Bretonnia : Sea Elves and Wood Elves. The Sea Elves are the seafaring branch of the Ulthuan Elves. Adventurous by nature, they visit the Bretonnian ports to do commerce. The Wood Elves are descendants of the Elven colonist who refused to leave the country, after the defeat in the great war against the dwarves some 4000 years ago. To avoid being found out, they hid in the deepest forest and founded their secret realms there. They have developed a deep love for trees, and nature in general.

evolved in different directions and now share few common interests. However, when contact does occurs, it is generally cordial, though not openly friendly, since the Wood Elves have never completely forgiven their kin for abandoning them. Wood Elves show less than total trust towards Sea Elves, especially if elf-lords from over the seas are involved, but will always side with any Elf in preference to humans, or dwarves.

Wood Elves Wood Elves inhabit the two greatest forests of Bretonnia : the forest of Arden and the forest of Loren. Their dwindling race lives almost completely retired from the exterior world. By keeping the locations of their realms secret, they avoid the contact of men, which they generally value little. The Wood Elves have observed the Bretonnians develop over the ages, from the primitive Bretonni tribes to their current decadent society, they have seen the seeds of Chaos in their hearts... Thus, they have long known that the Bretonnians would want to steal their lands.

Elves of Arden The Elves of Arden are far less numerous than their kin of Loren. The main settlement lies at the south-west of the forest. The Bretonnians call it Bois Delouere. The Wood Elves have fairly frequent and quite good relations with the humans of the region.

Elves of Loren

Sea Elves Since their return to the Old World a few centuries ago, the Sea Elves have regularly visited the Bretonnian ports from their enclave of Marienburg. The fact that the ports of Brionne and L' Anguille were great cities founded by the Elves of old may in part explain their interest. Today, there are Elven families residing in Bordeleaux, primarily involved in exporting wine and in l' Anguille, where the proud city of Tor-Alessi once stood. The Bretonnians of L' Anguille, who it must be said have ever been rivals of the Marienburger, are overjoyed by this Sea Elven presence, yet the Sea Elves themselves are less enthusiastic. Many of them have indeed become mournful of their lost heritage; whilst their ancestors build the town' s great Lighthouse, it is now occupied by the city Governor and his men... The Bretonnian decadence saddens the Sea Elves much and they usually only visit the places where they have business to conduct. Some places they wisely avoid completely like the city of the damned Moussillon, and other places like Brionne they visit only when absolutely necessary. Indeed, many Elven ships have fallen victim to piracy, a field where Brionne' s involvement is only too clear. There are few contacts between the Sea Elves and the Wood Elves. Probably because the two races have BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Even though Elves are naturally benevolent creatures, who like nothing better than to party, sing and dance, they become fierce fighters when it comes to defending their families and their realm (think of elven wardancers !). And their mastery of the forest is such that they are virtually invincible there. King Louis IV Lefranc, an early King of Bretonnia, realized this after vainly attempting to conquer Loren. He finally decided to make a treaty with the Elves instead. The latter, known as The Pact of Salignac, concludes an alliance of sorts between the Bretonnians and the Elves of Loren. The Bretonnians acknowledge the Elven sovereignty over the forest, while in return the Elves must stop all enemies of Bretonnia from crossing it, and act as allies in times of war. The Wood Elves of Loren, as a general rule, kill all those who attempt to enter their lands, be they greenskins or creatures of Chaos, be they dwarves or men with cruel intentions. So far, they have been poor allies for the Bretonnians however, only very rarely sending troops to help them and only when it served their best interests. The Bretonnian crown, though it has never openly denounced the treaty, has never abandoned its claims over the Loren forest either. Certainly, the conquest of the Loren forest would be a glorious feat, if it could be achieved by any possible mean...

Athel-Loren (cf Rulebook p274 and p288) The depths of the Loren forest host the most important Elven community in the Old World, the mythical AthelLoren, capital of the King and Queen of the Wood Elves. Humans are strongly advised against going deeply into Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

9

the forest, since the Elves discourage visitors either by strength or by means of magical illusions which make the undesirables lose their way or pass by without seeing anything.

Relations with other Wood Elves Occasionally, Wood Elves from other settlements will come to visit. Whether Bretonnian or Imperial of origin (human nations mean little to Wood Elves), the visitors are sure to receive a warm welcome : usually great feast will be held to honour them. For the more important guests the celebrations may last for several weeks.

Relation with the Bretonnians The Elves are not well liked by the peasants who live on the fringes of Loren Forest. The latter don' t know the Elves well, but certainly fear their might and their magic. As far as they are concerned, the haughty Elves should certainly not be trusted. Many terrible tales tell of those who went deeper in the forest than the boundaries of the Elven realm, and who never came back. A common belief is that the Elves serve an ancient evil witch of great power; and when something strange happens in the villages on the fringes of the forest, the Elves are usually the first ones to be suspected. But at the same time, it is widely accepted that Athel-Loren must be a beautiful and marvellous place... As can be seen, the relation lies somewhere between awe and jealousy. The peasants suffer great hardships and the Elven wealth, happiness, beauty and long lifespans all seem terribly unfair to them.

Their towns are decadent, their society is corrupt and their minds are perverse Some Bretonnian nobles officially support the Elves, but in fact secretly scheme to perfidiously destroy them. Obviously, the Elves never really trusted them in the first place and many of those who leave the Loren forest to live in the lands of man are in fact acting as spies. The Elves must ever be cautious not to get entangled in the schemes of the local nobility. A sneak raid on an Elven settlement could be made to look as if the responsible were one' s arch-rival. And then any retaliation by the Elves, could only further one' s cause... In truth, many Bretonnian nobles of the Lyonnais region (especially the current Viscomte de Quenelles) would like to get rid of the Elves, which they view as a serious nuisance. Currently the Elves strictly restrict the humans from cutting down any significant number of Loren trees. But otherwise, timber and the renowned hardwoods from Loren could provide them with a wealthy income. AthelLoren is also rumoured to detain the fabulous treasure of the Elves of old, which would have been brought there after the war against the dwarfs. Some nobles surreptitiously incite their peasants to murder Elves, in the hope that some precious objects may in the end befall them. All is not quite so black however, for some true lasting friendships continue to exist between the two races. Some local nobles genuinely support the elves and wish for a greater understanding between the two people. Something to remember is that almost all Bretonnian folk are fond of Elven travelling minstrels and of their fair BRETONNIA–PROJECT

songs and stories. Elves and men meet in good intelligence on The Loren Highway, an Elven road which crosses the southern part of the Loren Forest to give access to the Montdidier Pass and after that to the Empire. Quite a bit of trade takes place there too. Elven crafted object get exchanged against swords and other steel or iron objects, which the Elves do not make to any great extent in their own realm.

The Elven point of view Most Elves are contemptuous of the younger race (they often call it the lesser race). More than anything, they are tired and angered by the miserable stupidity of the Bretonnians. The nobility' s claim over the Loren forest is but one example. The forest has been Elven since the ancient times, what rights could the recent Bretonnian nation hold over it ? What rights do they have to rule the lands of Bretonnia when it comes to it, for their rule is a pitiful one ?! Few Elves ever want to leave the Elven realms of the forest, where they live sheltered lives, yet sometimes young Elves are keen to go and see the world. NOTE : That' s what most of the Wood-Elven PCs are likely to be : Young Elves keen to go and see the outside world. You may wish to check out some specific WoodElven careers, which can be found on various Internet sites and use them instead of the standard rulebook ones.

A final word Elves are probably more common in Bretonnia than they are in the Empire, yet even in Bretonnia it should be remembered that they are rare. The relations between Elves and Bretonnians are usually good, especially in the more cosmopolitan places, however this is far from being the case in places like the fringes of the Loren forest.

Dwarves in Bretonnia Dwarves of the Grey Mountains There is a significant population of Dwarves in the Grey Mountains. They consider their realms as independent of both the Empire and Bretonnia. Karak Norn is the major dwarfhold and there are one or two other smaller holds in the southern Grey Mountains.

Bretonnian Dwarves Bretonnian Dwarves are not usually heroes, but calculating folk with a great idea of the value of money; a few are tricky and treacherous and pretty bad lots; most are not, but are decent people... if you don' t expect too much. Bretonnian Dwarves have a fairly bad reputation amongst their kin. Certainly, there are no Dwarven strongholds left standing west of the Grey Mountains and so these Dwarves are often considered as little better than tramps. Some of them hail from the Grey Mountains, while the others are Bretonnian natives. Imperial Dwarves seldom have any business in the country.

Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

10

Dwarves in Bretonnia don' t benefit from the special status which they are granted in the Empire. Indeed, this special status is linked to the bounds of friendship which exists between the Dwarves and the cult of Sigmar. As a result, Dwarves are fairly rare in the Bretonnian cities. The latter don' t usually have a Dwarven quarter, the exception being Vue du Rocher in Parravon. A few settlements of Dwarven miners and prospectors can be found throughout Bretonnia. A rather small population of Dwarves can for instance be found in Grung Gand, a fortified mining settlement which lies in the mountains between Chimay and Montluc in the Massif Orcal. Bretonnian Dwarves have long since become wary of the Bretonnians and their decadent ways. To keep out of trouble, they generally avoid meddling in the affairs of man and seemingly turn a blind eye to the country' s ills. Bretonnians are of course always a little suspicious of Dwarves, but other than that, they get on alright with them. Dwarven skills in building, mining, smithing or of the military nature are highly regarded; but because of the current situation of the kingdom, the Dwarves clearly favour payment in Gold and in advance if possible ! This often angers Bretonnian nobles, but if their services are not appreciated in one area, pragmatic Bretonnian Dwarves will simply move on somewhere else. Dwarven slayers are rarely encountered in Bretonnia. Though they still value honor, few Bretonnian Dwarves would value it enough to take the terrible slayer oath. Also, there are few dangers deemed worthy of a slayer in Bretonnia, which means that any sworn slayer will usually leave the country. The relations between Dwarves and Elves are as tense as they are in the rest of the Old World (which means pretty tense indeed). The past cannot be undone, yet memories of it are ever present : Great battles of the Dwarf-Elf war were fought on the lands which now make up Bretonnia; they caused bitter losses on the Dwarven side, which were never compensated, since the downfall of the Dwarven Empire followed shortly afterwards...

Bretonnian Halflings History of Halflings in Bretonnia 1848 Spring - Bad weather in the last 10 years has repeatedly ruined the crops in the eastern Empire. The Moot suffers from famine. - Election of the Elder in the Moot is controversial. The Basson family who failed to be elected decides to leave the Moot. - Pat Luckapple an Halfling adventurer who had served for many years in the armies of the Viscomte de Quenelles offers to guide them to Bretonnia, a land where the weather, he claims, is always mild. 1848 Autumn - A few Halfling families led by Luckapple cross the Grey mountains at Axe-Bite Pass. They settle in the Bretonnian town of Quenelles. 1848 Winter and following years

- The Halflings are given a warm welcome by the Bretonnians, who were suffering from population

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

shortage after a plague. The Bretonnians also very much appreciate the Halfling pies. - The Halfling community seems to prosper. The Viscomte de Quenelles employs some Halfling cooks in his kitchens.

2220 - The King of Bretonnia and his knights visit Quenelles. The King is impressed by the pies he is served. Several Halflings follow the King to Guisoreux. 2270 - Louison le halfelingue becomes first Chef of the Royal court. However, this only lasts a short time. Bretonnian chefs plot successfully for Louison’s downfall with the help of some religious bigots at court... Throughout the country, Halfling cooks are considered peasantish. Some Halfling cooks are dismissed, but most of them aren’t, as they are still useful in the kitchens. Few Halfling chefs remain in the noble houses. Whenever it is discovered in a noble banquet that the chef is a Halfling, there is much mockery. In Quenelles, however, one Halfling Chef managed to retain some prestige. Emilien BassonFolboeuf had adopted the Bretonnian style of cooking completely. He had also been the first Halfling to openly condemn Louison, breaking the tacit rule of solidarity amongst Halflings.

Halflings in Bretonnia Nowadays They are few in number, but reasonably prosperous (especially when compared to the most miserable Bretonnian peasants). The largest community, which is located in Quenelles, is dominated by the Basson family. And there are a few settlements of Halfling farmers near Quenelles too. The Viscomte de Quenelles traditionnally calls upon them to constitute his reputed unit of Halfling foresters. It needs to be exposed that there is some division amongst Bretonnian Halflings : Many got annoyed with the attitude of the Bassons (The Basson-Folboeuf branch counts the wealthiest of all Bretonnian Halflings, the latter are extremely snobbish and consider themselves as a kind of Halfling nobility. To their credit Basson-Folboeuf chefs are employed by a number of leading noble families of Bourgon and Lyonnais), notably the adventurous Perry clan. The latter left Quenelles and followed the treacherous Massif Orcal road to Bordeleaux, some 100 years ago. Despite suffering from attacks of orcs and bandits, they did reach their destination. Some of them got involved in the wine trade there, while it is reported that others took part in voyages of trade and exploration overseas. Even after Louison’s bane, few Bretonnian Halflings ever returned to the Moot, maybe because they had few relatives left there. However, visiting Imperial kindred are always welcomed with open arms by all Bretonnian Halflings (except maybe the Basson-Folboeuf’s ?!).

Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

11

\---2Z2

By Rory Naismith "I' ve found that all the descriptions of Bretonnian towns in your manual page 274-277 amount to the same thing; The Bretonnian nobility is decadent and corrupt, the poor die of hunger, and from all kind of awful diseases and calamities without any of the nobles even caring about it; not to mention crime that seems to be more common than anywhere else in the Old World. Dare I suggest however, that we may be missing some important information that could help us get a better idea ? Please pardon me, but it seems these descriptions must have been written by a Marienburghese scribe frustrated for not having been given a good seat at the Opera in Oisillon. Throughout this text, I can see only compassion for the poor and criticism of the aristocracy..." written by the Talabeclander baron Gunthar von Karajan in the Imperial year 2506

expansion of the city since their construction means that over half the population lives outside the walls. Because of its position and importance, Guisoreux boasts a substantial garrison of mercenaries. In addition, many troops of the regular army are stationed at Chateau Luneville, not far from the city; they sometimes visit for a day or two to spend their pay in a suitably reckless manner Living in the largest and most important city in Bretonnia, featuring the Guisonne University, many major temples and dozens of other major sights, Guisoreux’s citizens have a justifiable sense of pride and self-importance, which shines through the dirt and squalor in which they live. Although there is still a lingering sense of respect for the king' s law, the citizens have never balked at showing their disapproval of royal or noble actions, and there is a certain arrogance and stubbornness at all levels. Riots, complaints and protests are regular events. Naturally, being so huge and important, Guisoreux attracts a great deal of trade in almost all products, and is a manufacturing and commercial centre of major importance. There are trade connections with nearly every city in the Old World (and quite a few beyond) and almost anything can be bought or sold in the city if you' re patient - and desperate - enough.

Parravon

Guisoreux Guisoreux is the largest and most important city in Bretonnia and the second largest in the Old World after Marienburg. Traditionally it has been seen as the capital of Bretonnia, and although the king no longer resides there it is still home to many important nobles and houses much of the kingdom’s government. The cities governor is Victoire Breville, Viscomte de Brossard. He is getting rather old and addled, but since he doesn’t offend anyone no-one wishes to replace him. Generally, the intrigues of the city’s big players go unnoticed by him and there is constant maneuvering. Guisoreux is sited in a strategically important position in the Ois gap. However, it has not been attacked for over two centuries now. The city is ringed by a set of high walls, which are sufficient to keep out most querulous peasants but probably not a well-appointed army. Also the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Parravon is not especially large by Bretonnian standards, and is still seen as rather backwards and provincial by the inhabitants of Guisoreux and the Empire. However, it is slowly growing in size and sophistication, becoming a city in every sense of the word, good and bad. The current governor of the city is Armand de Coquerone, Duc de Parravon, who is linked to the shadowy Lefevre family of Bourgon. Coquerone is a rather astute politician, but is still hampered by friction with the populace, partly over his family connections. Governor Coquerone rules the city in uneasy coalition with the council of leading landowners, clerics and merchants, many of whom openly flaunt the governor‘s unwelcome orders. Situated in the shadow of the Grey Mountains two days south of Axe-Bite Pass, Parravon has always been a key stronghold on Bretonnia’s mountain border, and in its time has shrugged off several Imperial attacks; the city' s location below the cliffs makes the task of any attacking army exceedingly difficult. The nerve centre of the border defences is the Chateau Blanc, a large fortress which commands the cliffs above the city and is linked to many other forts and outposts all along the frontier; it is commanded by Captain Frambaud Lande. Parravon' s developing trade and infrastructure have altered the once-tranquil provincial town substantially, and it is being affected for the first time by the real violence and unrest that comes with a large population. Particular sources of trouble are the so-called ' Blackteeth' , the print workers of the city who have formed a powerful unofficial guild; and the Imperial community of exiles and immigrants. There is much resentment of these foreigners felt by natives of Parravon. Despite these Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

12

difficulties, Parravon has a long way to go before it becomes so troubled as Guisoreux or Brionne. Much trade coming from the Empire passes through Parravon, and there are regular barges to Guisoreux. Local produce is still predominantly agricultural, albeit of high quality, but the city has also gained a reputation for its production of printed books: Parravon is second only to Guisoreux in the scale of its printing trade, which is spurred on by the presence of many exiled Imperial printers and agitators.

Moussillon Moussillon' s name is still a byword for degeneration throughout Bretonnia, and is virtually never mentioned at the Oisillon Palace. Most people would rather forget about the place altogether. Very little is actually known for sure about what happens there, other than what is spread by disquieting rumours. Some measure of the disorder and decay within the city can be gathered from the fact that its governor, Eustache de Poissy, Chatelain de Sancerre, has never even visited it; he dwells at the Oisillon Palace, having the small revenue the post brings sent to him and occasionally corresponding with Armand Charnaud, a priest of Verena known as ‘Pretre Armand’ (known and respected for his fiery sermons and indomitable faith) who performs the actual duties of governor within the city. Lack of money is his greatest difficulty. Moussillon is situated in the marshy valley of the River Grismarie, some 15 leagues away from the sea. Disasters have marred the cities'history since 2438 IC, before which it was a pleasant, wealthy trading port known as ' the jewel of the western coast' . Earthquakes, floods and subsequent outbreaks of pox have struck the city, leaving much of the old centre a desolate ruins. Perpetual damp and frequent thick fogs are a lingering sign of these afflictions. There have been no successful attempts to rebuild the whole city so far, despite noble and even royal patronage in the past, and only the official buildings have been properly refurbished for the governor' s use. Even wealthy houses have only been restored to a semblance of their former grandeur, and several areas have not yet been cleared of rubble. Many of the lower classes have moved to shanty towns outside the old city walls. Life there is hard and dirty; what the people gain from leaving the walls they lose to even higher levels of crime and overcrowding. Religious life is surprisingly active in Moussillon, with small shrines and temples proliferating across the city; not all are dedicated to the commonly accepted deities, however, and there are many Chaos worshippers at large. While the governor is actively trying to increase his authority, there are still terrible problems from criminals of all sorts, and especially from mutants, who abound in the downhearted and diseased city. Misery and illness are near-constant companions for the citizens of Moussillon, so much so that comparatively few people feel motivated to try and restore the city to what it once was. Successive governors (the last Duc de Moussillon, Jean-Luc Maldred died of the pox in 2450 IC) have combined the functions of city watch and garrison into a BRETONNIA–PROJECT

single large body referred to in the city as ' L' Armee de Fer'(the Iron Army, after the armour the troops wear); there have been no official inspections of Moussillon for several decades now, so Pretre Armand and his men can do pretty much what they like. Although the Armee de Fer is brutal and trying hard to expand, as yet it is far too small to bring real order to the city. Trade in the city is at a low ebb; most citizens have difficulty getting enough food and drink to survive, for the surrounding towns are extremely reluctant to do business with Moussillon for fear of the pox. A few ships and barges still come into Moussillon, as do some more adventurous land-bound merchants; most of them bring much-needed foodstuffs. The ruins within the old city are scavenged for items with which to buy food, and many merchants have been pleasantly surprised at the payments they have been offered. A few of the vineyards that once made the city' s fortune survive and are cultivated.

Quenelles Quenelles is a large city, famously dominated by its noble classes, where the conflict between the ruling classes and the poor is more evident than anywhere else in Bretonnia. The governor of Quenelles is Edmond-Antoine Noblat de la Renardiere, a minor member of the royal family. He is closely allied to the cruel Calixte Tremaine, Viscomte de Quenelles, leading local landowner and a major power in the city. Though new, De la Renardiere is noted for his bluster and cruelty, and likes to provoke discord in the council he is meant to lead merely for the fun of a good quarrel. This council comprises the richest citizens and clerics ‘of respectable station’ (i.e., of noble birth) in the city. Quenelles’ walls have long been in a poor state of repair, and would provide almost no protection in the event of attack; they have also been outgrown by the city’ s swelling population. The city watch is unusually large and detested by the people for its corruption and wanton brutality. It is employed mainly to protect the nobles'quarter, situated in hills to the north and named Beaumont. Watch patrols in the dark, filthy streets of the city often turn into running battles with the populace. Local nobles visit the town accompanied with large retinues of bodyguards ready to take law into their own hands if necessary. Squalor and struggle characterise the existence of the bulk of Quenelles' citizens. They are kept poor by extortionate taxes and crime, with stealing and violence of all sorts (including ,technically illegal, organised pit fights) being common. The rich inhabitants of Quenelles are said to be especially ribald and decadent, even by Bretonnian standards. There are very few citizens that could be called middle-class. Wizards (universally called witches), agitators, printers and followers of Ranald are hounded by the city’ s rulers who see them as a seditious threat to their position. Any attempt to fight against the authorities - there are many riots and rebellious groups in Quenelles - is hampered by lack of organisation and the corruption of so many desperate citizens ready to sell their companions out to the watch. Some Tileans live in Quenelles, bringing trade and culture; they range from Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

13

aristocrats, artists and wizards, all patronised by the rich, down to dangerous cultists and common thieves. For all its troubles, Quenelles is an important producer of textiles (especially tapestries) and woodwork, amongst other things; however, work is often hampered by crime and unrest in the city. All luxury items and much of the food and money entering the city goes straight to the high towers of the nobles of Beaumont, causing yet more resentment and forcing the bulk of the population into a state of poverty and reliance on a barter economy. Anyone flashing cash or finery around in Quenelles will not last long.

watchtower. It is reputed to be almost indestructible thanks to Elven ingenuity and sorcery. L'Anguille is home to a small number of professional, regular troops who defend the most critical parts of the walls. Much trade passes through l'Anguille. However because of the commercial dominance of Marienburg the city's wealth is not all that great, and this is a sore point with many of the inhabitants; it will be a long time before l'Anguille can really rival Marienburg. There is a strong sense of pride and self-reliance in the city, and also an open resentment of Wastelander success. Most of the people still lead a tough life, often as poor sailors or fishermen , for much of the money from trade goes straight into the pockets of a small number of merchant houses. Because of its strong connections to sea borne trade, there are many foreigners who live in l'Anguille, in particular Marienburgers, Albionese and Norscans. There are even a few Sea Elves. Most of l’Anguille’s wealth is connected with the sea: shipbuilding, fishing and maritime trade. L'Anguille is the main port of outlet for Albionese products such as wool and textiles, because the great lighthouse can actually be seen from Albion, making the trip extremely safe and easy. Smuggling is a less overt but very important business, especially where the export of untaxed brandy to Marienburg is concerned. In time of war, privateering (legitimised piracy; but anyone using the word piracy in connection with the men of l'Anguille can expect rough treatment) soon takes off as a lucrative trade; for this reason, the current peaceful stance of Charles III is irritating.

Bordeleaux

L’Anguille L’Anguille is the main Bretonnian port and the largest city north of Guisoreux, slightly exceeding Couronne in size. The sea is key to the existence of l'Anguille, which is famed for its maritime history; many important pirates operated from the city, and it has been the scene of many battles and sieges. The current governor of l’Anguille is Seigneur Xavier Gevaudan, a weak and vacillating member of the Blois family. He is manipulated by Henri Loiseau, Duc de l’Anguille. The governor's actions are hampered by the efforts of Bernard Granvelle, Comte de Perrac, who commands the support of many guilds and important merchants in the city and is opposed to Loiseau. Much of the kingdom’s fleet of modern ships is stationed in the port under Admiral Pierre Marouanec. The city's fortification are old, but nevertheless appear solid. The famous L'Anguille lighthouse which was build by the elves over 5000 years ago is used as a fortress and BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Bordeleaux is the second port of Bretonnia and capital of Gascogne. Increased wealth and culture have come to Bordeleaux in recent years, mainly on the back of the burgeoning wine trade. Many consider it on a par with Guisoreux in terms of sophistication. Bordeleaux’s affluence is not evenly spread, and there are a great many poor living in shantytowns, stealing and even killing just for a bottle of wine to drown their sorrows. Jules Blois, Duc de Gascogne, is the governor of Bordeleaux. His main interests are wine and high living; he is a popular figurehead in the city, but the real decision-makers are his wife Blanche de la Rose Amboise and their son Hubert de la Motte, Marquis de Frejus (who usually resides in the Oisillon Palace). By tradition, the governor’s hand has not lain heavy on Bordeleaux, and the city’s guild council, dominated by the wine merchants, tackles most day to day matters; the noble rulers divide their time between their lavish mansions in the Place Royale and their equally extravagant chateaux in the Morceaux valley. Situated in less-threatened southern waters, Bordeleaux is not home to such a large part of the navy as l’Anguille, and the only modern warships are stationed at the military port of Rochefort, situated at the Navarrese border. In practice the city's mercenary garrison spends as much time patrolling the streets alongside the watch as manning the walls, and the troops' pay is mainly spent on wine and women. The great merchant houses, such as La Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

14

Primante, employ their own mercenary forces partly of native Bretonnians to protect ships and land-bound possessions. Having a good time is the main aim of the rich; work is seen as just a distasteful preliminary. The lower classes aspire to this happy state, but most can only stretch to drowning their sorrows in the occasional night of revelry in the notorious waterside Quartier Bleu, den of lechery and debauchery of all kinds. Cynical observers claim the comparative rarity of major riots in the city is linked to the volume of alcohol consumed in Bordeleaux. Literature, scholarship and art are well patronised in the acclaimed university of Bordeleaux, and all citizens take pride in this cultural refinement. As a major port, Bordeleaux has a large foreign community, though this has rarely been a cause of trouble; most visitors enjoy the cheap wine too much to be a nuisance. Wine is the greatest export of Bordeleaux, dominating its life and trade. It is exported far and wide, mainly by sea routes. Furniture, jewellery, luxury foods and grain from Gascogne, fish and hand-crafted goods are also produced. There are strong links between Bordeleaux and the New World; most products of the Bretonnian colonies (including chocolate, coffee and tobacco) arrive in the city' s port and are highly valued as luxuries all over the Old World.

Brionne Brionne is regarded as a nest of thieves and ruffians by northerners. There is much to support this view: the cult of Ranald is powerful and tacitly accepted by the authorities, and smugglers and pirates come and go almost unhindered. Baron Pierre de Jolensac, a minor noble from Armorique has been governor of Brionne for six years and is based in the imposing fortress referred to simply as ' Le Chateau' . He is a shrewd and grasping individual, not so very different from the more lowly vagabonds who populate the city. He is not well liked, being a little too ready to send in muscle if other means fail; but Jolensac has been shaped by the city' s character, and works closely with the Cartel des Poings (an especially large thieves’ guild) covertly taking a cut of their profits. The other major figure of Brionne is the popular Duc de Navarre who has many clients in Brionne at all levels - even amongst the criminal gangs. Since the occupation of Navarre by the north Estalian league (2232-2274) the Capucinet family has been empowered to issue letters of marque to would-be privateers; this has been the main way for Brionne to defend itself given the lack of support by the Bretonnian power. The cities defences are maintained but probably not as well as they should be, given the proximity of the Estalian border. The only genuine military troops in the city are the clansmen of the Duc de Navarre. The governors mercenary militia is more concerned with enforcing obedience on the populace. Day to day existence in Brionne is a fraught and exciting affair. In the hot, densely populated city, feelings often run to fever pitch, and duels and street-fights are commonplace. Crime is rife, but it is better-organised than BRETONNIA–PROJECT

in most other cities. In fact, since most people (including the nobles) are allied somehow to one or other of the thieves'gangs, they need only look out for their rivals, and it is common for one theft carried out by gang to be avenged by a crime against that same gang, creating a cycle of vengeance and feuding that adds colour and excitement to the city. Many Estalian immigrants and exiles dwell in Brionne. The hidden great hall of Ranald and the impressive Cathedral of Ste Leonidas are some of the main attractions of the city. Crime, piracy and smuggling account for an unknown but large proportion of the city' s trade, probably the majority (the city' s market is something to behold !). Much of the rest is made up by the traditional fishing activity. Brionne is also an important centre for land trade with Estalia, and the choicest products of Navarre, high quality wools and leathers, are offered for sale in the city.

Couronne Couronne is primarily known for its great cathedral of Shallya and its spas. It is also an important market town for the agricultural produces of the Valley du Sannez. Godefroi de Guinard, Duc de Couronne, is governor of Couronne, an old and crotchety fellow. He owes his power to Cardinal Dumourieux, who renewed the Duc’ s family’ s declining position and installed him as governor; Guinard resents his need to obey the Cardinal and his brother Henri-Philippe, and from time to time makes motions towards revolt. But so far he has not summoned up the courage to do so. The governor is only responsible for civil affairs in Couronne; unusually, the city has a military governor with freedom of action who can even override the civilian governor’ s decisions during wartime. Gustave Beauregard, Seigneur d’ Oche, was granted these special powers by the King Charles II De la Durewho recognized in him one of the most capable military Engineers in the Old World. Under him, Couronne has been developed into an important stronghold and military centre. The city’ s fortifications have been modernized, and the royal Manufacture was built, which produces cannons and firearms. Some citizens are trained in the use of artillery, and a large number of regular troops are quartered in the forts surrounding the city. Life in Couronne is generally pleasant: the city is clean and comfortable, with a temperate climate. Food is plentiful and most of the people are content. However, the presence of pilgrims and soldiers sometimes leads to friction. The spas and their visitors are an important source of source of activity in Couronne: all those who come need a place to stay and things to eat, providing much employment for the city' s inhabitants. The high-quality agricultural products of the region are brought to Couronne, whence they are taken to Guisoreux or Marienburg; much of the grain needed to feed the populations of these large cities comes from the Valley du Sannez, which is also noted for its cheeses. The presence of the Manufacture and the army is profitable, too, though all military business is carefully watched and controlled by military governor Beauregard. Book I - Introduction to Bretonnia

15

%RRN,, 2 2



$UFKDLF

%UHWRQQLD 

BRETONNIA–PROJECT



B-*"-.-242

Enchanted Items to be found in the "Corrupt Kingdom of Bretonnia" By Lord Bain In centuries past, before a veil of decadence descended upon the Realm of Bretonnia, mighty heroes defended the provinces from Chaos, Orcish and Undead raiders. They rode upon towering war-horses, bred from Elven stock, and wielded all manner of enchanted weapons and magical items. But their glories have passed into legend and the tools with which they defended the land are lost, scattered across the now corrupt Kingdom of Bretonnia… The magical items given here are designed to be slotted into your Bretonnia-based campaigns or included in adventures of your own design. They can be found in the hands of opponent NPCs, in abandoned crypts or at the end of a lengthy quest. These items could even be the purpose of a quest, with the reward being their capture!

After a few minutes, the human warrior stopped before a glass-fronted cabinet containing an ornate Short Sword. "What is this?" he demanded. "That" announced the storekeeper, "is the very blade used by Gilles le Breton to slay the beast of L'Endour. It is said that it was gifted to him by an old and powerful magician shortly before he died, and its magics are so powerful that they actually flood into the arm of its wielder, giving him the strength of ten men in battle!". "Your claims are far fetched" remarked the warrior, "I should like to feel such a weapon in my grasp." "Mais bien sûr, Monsieur" retorted the clerk as he fumbled with a small brass key to unlock the cabinet. Once it was open, he removed the sword and passed it to the warrior. As he tightened his hand around the weapon's hilt, the grizzled adventurer felt its power flow through and into him. He smiled and passed it to the elf wizard who clasped it in both hands. He too felt the sword’s potency and knew that this was a weapon of unearthly power. He nodded silently to the human and handed it back to him, who in turn handed it back to the storekeeper. "And how much would this set us back?" asked the warrior coyly. "Let me see, shall we say 500 Francs, or gold to that value?" suggested the store man. "Very good," the warrior nodded to the dwarf who swung a heavy satchel from his back onto the floor. From the satchel the sturdy dwarf removed a small wooden and iron bound chest and opened it to reveal the glittering profits from the group’s most recent expedition. As the glint of gold caught the storekeeper’s eye a wry smile spread over his face. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each enchanted item is numbered sequentially from 1 to 12, this is to allow GMs to randomly generate an item ‘off-the-cuff’ so to speak, should your campaign suddenly require one.

1) The Sword of Lyonesse

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The storekeeper looked up as the small brass bell on the door chimed to announce the arrival of customers. A scarred adventurer in worn, trail-stained clothing entered the shop, followed by a stout dwarf and an aloof looking elf. "Gentlemen," chirped the storekeeper, "how may I help you this fine day?" "Just browsing my friend," replied the man, tallest of the adventurers. "Very well, friend, you take your time.” BRETONNIA–PROJECT

This sword of a devout and honourable Knight of olden times was found by Repanse de Lyonesse on the wall of an ancient chapel. The weapon has a great draining power over nearby magical items. The Sword of Lyonesse repels the winds of magic like an opposing magnet and creates a magical ‘dead zone’ which extends two yards around it in all directions. Whilst within this area, other magical weapons, artefacts and armour temporarily loose their magical abilities. All other magic items in the area revert to standard items of their kind. This means that attacks made with the sword treat enemy Magical Armour as standard armour, and other magical weapons will function only as ordinary weapons of their type, etc. However, it is consequently useless for the owner to have other magical items about Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

2

his person: they will not work either. Wizards are still able to cast spells though, since they channel the winds of magic through their own body.

2) The Blade of Couronne When Duc Tancred de Quenelles pledged himself to seek out and slay Heinrich Kemmler, a dreaded Liche, the King gave him this enchanted blade. This ancient relic weapon was found in an old ruined shrine in Couronne uncovered during the rebuilding and decoration of the west tower of the Chateau de Couronne. It was doubtless forged to be wielded against the undead hordes of Settra who beset that part of the kingdom centuries ago. Where it now lies is anyone’ s guess… The bearer of The Blade of Couronne gets a +20 WS bonus when in combat with undead creatures as the sword’ s own will guides it to strike the foul creature with unerring accuracy…

3) Chalice of Malfleur Created by an elderly Mage, the Chalice helped him bolster his spell casting abilities, but if he used it too often the excess winds of magic could burn his mind in a magical overload ! A sip from the Chalice of Malfleur grants 2D6 bonus magic points, but if a double is rolled, the drinker suffers D6 wounds as well.

The Virtuous Lance bestows upon its user a magical bonus when he charges into combat against monstrous creatures such as Griffins or Hippogriffs on horseback with the lance levelled. After the combat round has been worked out, each wound inflicted will in fact cause D3 wounds. If a total of more than 8 wounds are caused then roll for a Critical Injury, as the monster is impaled by the Lance.

7) D10 Black Arrows Tipped with a dragon’ s tooth and with black feather flights from a Carrion Crow, quivers of Black Arrows are highly sought by archers of all skills for it is known that dragon’ s teeth can fell even the mightiest foe! If a Black Arrow hits and causes injury to a character, it causes D6 additional wounds over and above those rolled.

8) Bohemond’s Shield When Bohemond ‘Beastslayer’ de Bastonne reached the end of his self appointed quest he washed the blood from his shield. The waters of the sacred springs cleansed the shield and imbued it with magical power. As well as acting as a normal but ornate shield, Bohemond’s Shield casts a protective spell on its bearer which means that damage from non-Magical weapons will have only a 75% chance of causing wounds to him in combat.

4) Moon Pendant A golden half-moon hung upon a braided necklace. On nights when the moon can be seen in the sky the wearer may dissolve into nothing more than a shadow, making them virtually untraceable… On clear nights when the moon is visible, the wearer may become ‘invisible’ at will.

5) The Beast Mace of Bastonne

9) The Grail Shield

The huge Mace of Bohemond ‘Beastslayer’ de Bastonne is an awesome weapon, as weighty with magic as it is with iron. Its shaft is carved from the thigh bone of a monster slain by Bohemond and its bulbous head was wrought from meteoric iron by Dwarf Runesmiths. The Beast Mace confers upon its user a +2 strength bonus in combat, whilst each wound caused translates in actuality to D2 wounds.

This ancient heirloom was presented to the Duc de Quenelles because of its rumoured powers against the undead and the Duc’ s renowned prowess in the struggle against the hordes of undeath. The icon of the Grail emblazoned on the shield shines with such a brilliant white light that it blinds all undead creatures within 3 yards and within a 90 degree arc to the fore of the shield. Undead creatures blinded in this way suffer a –30 modifier to both WS and BS.

6) The Virtuous Lance

10) Helm of the Dragon Slayer

When Jasperre le Beau set out on his grail quest, he took the Virtuous Lance from a chapel in Sancerre, fancying that its long steel shaft and keen tip would make it an ideal weapon to employ against his enemies. He was well guided in his choice, for the weapon never failed him and the last thing many beasts felt was its sharp point piercing their scales.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The lost helm of Jasperre le Beau is blackened with the fire of his many encounters, but even so it carries the blessings of the Gods of the Old Faith and will protect its bearer as long as he has no blood upon his hands. The Helm of the Dragon Slayer will protect its wearer from the affects of a dragon’ s fire breath, or any other type of dragon breath. What cannot be divined by the PCs, however, is that the Helm of the Dragon Slayer will Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

3

not protect anyone who has ever knowingly killed another human being, by combat, archery or otherwise.

11) Claw of Malgrimace After rescuing the daughter of a rich noble from the clutches of the ferocious dragon Malgrimace, a dragonslayer of old took to wearing the vanquished beast’s claw about his neck. The claw has the power to protect its wearer against beasts lesser than Malgrimace – for he was the greatest dragon of his time, and his power lives on after his death. If the Claw of Malgrimace is worn on the outside of the bearer’ s clothing where it can be seen, they will cause terror in all monstrous creatures. Note that this is a magical and not psychological effect and creatures must test against it even if they are normally immune to terror.

12) Blessed Draught This flask of water was drawn from a secret and holy spring, which has long since vanished. The ornate flask contains Holy Water of extreme potency and a splash can be enough to banish the undead, or to revive those who are near to death. The "Blessed Draught" contains enough measures of Holy Water to be used 1d6 + 2 times. Each measure can be tossed at an undead creature to cause D6 wounds instantly. Alternatively, a measure can be drunk to heal D4 wounds. Two measures can also be poured into the lips of a character reduced to zero wounds to return him to having one wound remaining.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few words from the author : Anyone with the WFB 5th Edition Bretonnian ' Army Book'might notice that some of these magic items look a wee bit familiar. Well, err, ok, I confess: some of the names and descriptions of these items have been lifted from that very tome. It’ s just that reading the WFB 3rd Edition book, it mentioned that before it became corrupt, Bretonnia was not totally unlike the shiny version portrayed currently by GW. So I thought why not assume that the weapons and items used by the characters of today in WFB, were in fact used by heroes of yesteryear in WFRP? In fact, many of the Special Characters in the Bretonnian Army Book are supposed to be dead anyway! This particular slant on Bretonnian history explains how all of these great artefacts came to be lost and scattered, and provides a perfect excuse for your PCs to find them on their quests. Any way, I hope that you find these useful!

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

“Genuine Short Sword used by Gilles le Breton to slay the beast of L' Endour”

Encrusted with gems and imbued with the raw power of Gilles le Breton himself, this Short Sword is an ancient relic of great value… Engraved with the "Cutting and Smashing Rune", this is a cheaply made fake. The gems are glass replicas and the sword has been artificially aged to make it look ancient. It is still a magic sword though, created by an old Bretonnian wizard by the name of Jean le Fraude as part of a batch of ten for a friend of his that ran a weaponsmith’s shop. The rune of Cutting and Smashing gives +1 strength, but unknowingly the character suffers from a -10 modifier to WS in combat, as the weapon is poorly made and ill balanced.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

4

busy with small skirmishes and occasional larger battles, when the Skaven gather with numbers and boldness An archaic region of Bretonnia where knights and sufficient to assault human settlements. greenskins still rule supreme Among the other denizens to be found in the Massif By Tom E. Green Orcal are Ogres, Stone Trolls and even the occasional Giant. The dominant Orc tribe in the eastern reaches is known as the Triste Soleil Tribe. On the western side, within the highlands of Chalons is the Goblin and Orc horde of the Araignée Clan Savages. Human settlements are rare within the Massif Orcal, and primarily consist of lordless peasants who lack proper hygiene and suffer from constant hunger, disease and are prone to superstition. The few knights in the region are little more than armed bullies The great mountain range that dominates central who misuse the peasantry rather than protecting them from Bretonnia is known as the Massif Orcal. In the west, bare the monsters common to the area. cliffs tower above the highlands of the Forest of Chalons. The interior of the territory is very rugged, with huge granite boulders, numerous springs and narrow but fast flowing rivers. The mountains have been occupied by Orcs and Goblins since even before the Elves came to the shores of Bretonnia; as a result the region is riddled with caves filled with all manner of unpleasantness. There are few marked trails and no roads running through the Massif Orcal, but one well worn track runs through the region from The region is fairly rich in metal ores and the few east to west. humans to be found are gathered into mining camps and During the war between Elves and Dwarves, a clan of Dwarves coming through Axe-Bite Pass from the east, built villages supported by that activity. Also found mining the a great fortress within the Massif Orcal, the ruins of which ore of the Massif Orcal is the enclave of dwarves called Grung Gand. The Dwarves are few in number and keep have often been re-fortified by Orcs. When Orc raids become frequent enough to come to the mostly to themselves. They are descendants of Dwarves attention of the surrounding rulers, the might of Bretonnia who came to Bretonnia in ages long past and have little is gathered en masse and the army advances into the hills to connection with Dwarves of the Worlds Edge Mountains. cast down the Orc strongholds and destroy every greenskin Nevertheless, they share many of the traits common to their that can be found. Somehow the brave knights and kind; long memories and deeply-held grudges; reverence determined troops are never able to completely eradicate for all things old; and a love of gold. They are a hardy clan the Orc and Goblin tribes and the process is repeated a year who are admired for their fighting prowess even without great numbers; a good ally but a bitter enemy. or two later. The river Morceaux circles the southern foothills of Greenskins are not the only menace to emerge from the Massif Orcal and is fed by the numerous streams and the Massif Orcal. Skaven have long had a presence in the small rivers that have their source within the heart of the north-eastern part of the region. In the valley between region. Along the Morceaux can be found the Bretonnian Mont Cantal and Mont Tarn the earth is scarred by a great settlements of Chimay, in the southern foothills, and crevasse. Wider than any river in Bretonnia and so deep that the bottom cannot be seen from above, the gorge is Montluc on the eastern fringes of the region. The only known as the Black Chasm, for it lies in the constant castle of lasting significance is that of the barony of shadow of the mountains to either side except for the Giselles, just south of the Morceaux, midway between midday hour in high summer, when the sunlight penetrates Montluc and Chimay. The Baron of Giselles has a the darkness for a short while. It is in the depths of this reputation for diligence in fighting off the advances of Orc chasm that the Skaven emerge from their under-empire to and Goblin raids on his holdings, and as a result is held in raid nearby villages for slaves, and to spread plague among high regard by the neighbouring nobility. The Baron is also the cities and towns of southern Bretonnia. On more than known for his enduring faith in chivalry and his worship of one occasion a great army of the Ratmen has emerged from the Lady of the Lake. This is also true of the Duc of the Black Chasm and marched into the rich valley of Bastonne. North of the Massif Orcal are the lands of Bastonne. Bastonne intent on conquest. Each time the armies of The Duke and his Barons support and protect the venerable Bretonnia have routed the hordes and slaughtered countless Chapels that dot the surrounding hills and plains. It is to Skaven. Still the great gorge is inaccessible to mounted these chapels that unwed maids still go to serve the Lady of knights, and expeditions on foot have nearly always proven the Lake. Their duties include daily prayers and lighting of disastrous. To help contend with this problem the King of candles, but more importance to the Duc are their visits to Bretonnia helped fund the building of a great keep on the the numerous watchtowers and small keeps to bring food to slopes of Mont Cantal. From the towers of this mighty fortress the knights of the knights and men-at-arms who stand guard against Bastonne keep constant vigil, watching the Black Chasm marauders from within the Massif Orcal. D"2^

2H*%2

for any signs of the dreaded Ratmen emerging into the open countryside at the northern end of the gorge. They are kept BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

5

R2

2\--22

.2

22

2

By Ryan Wileman

-1000 - -800 I.C. This period saw the lands that came to be known as Bretonnia inhabited by humans for the first time. Bands of hunter-gatherers gradually migrated over the Grey Mountains from the lands now known as the Empire. These kinbands were very primitive, and there was no uniformity of 'culture' as such. Clothing consisted of crude furs and weapons were stone and wood - essential in the constant fight for survival against the nomadic tribes of orcs and goblins that had already settled in the lands. The insular Wood Elves watched the encroaching humans with curiosity and some concern - whilst they were easily chased from the forest at present, they realised that the expansion and development of these men would bring fresh threats to them in time. Collectively the people who moved into the land are now called the Bretonni, although the name was not yet used by the folk themselves. Their religion was too primitive to be compared directly with those of today, although worship of the Earth Mother is evident from some cave paintings that remain. As such the Bretonni followed an early incarnation of the Old Faith, trusting to nature and animistic spirits for survival and well-being. Wise men and women were early 'druids' - rare figures of mystery and power. In addition to the migration from the east, there was limited migration north from the peninsula to the south. These people may have been forced north by the depredations of the skaven - the ratmen were beginning to encroach on the lands now known as Estalia, scouring the land for warpstone with little success. Today, almost nothing is known of the earliest settlers of Bretonnia. The Dwarfs of the Grey Mountains have some records deep in their holds as do the Wood Elves of the Loren Forest, but neither has seen fit to tell the men of the land of their ancestors. Some druidic legends may refer to the people of this time, but these tales are veiled in allegory and symbolism. Examples of rock art has been found, most notably in the caves of the Pale Sisters and the Massif Orcal, and some standing stones may originate from this period. Most interesting is the recent find in a desolate part of Artenois - six stones stand around a deep lake in a grove of the forest. At the north edge of the lake is a cromlech, and painted on the interior walls is what seems to be a representation of a woman with broad hips. She is clutching two small humanoid figures, while dead bison, aurochs and fish lie at her feet. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

-800 - 0 I.C. This period saw the first true tribes begin to emerge in Bretonnia, with nomadic hunter-gatherers settling and establishing agriculture on a small scale. Kin-bands fused together around fertile areas such as the river valleys of the Grismarie, Sannez and Morceaux, and along the coastlines, and with settlement came stable heirarchies and craft specialisation. External threats from orcs and goblins encouraged banding together yet further, but with larger groups of people defence became easier, and the population grew accordingly. With agriculture came domestication of animals - horses (possibly stolen from the Wood Elves), pigs and cattle were raised for food and labour. Metalworking began, possibly with the dwarf influence. Dependence on the land for subsistence lead to the further reliance on the Old Faith, and it is at this point the true druids became more important amongst the Bretonni. Although some worship of Taal, Rhya and Ulric was apparent in the north, the role of the druids became dominant. They formed an important class within society - not just as religious leaders, but also as judges and teachers. Although affiliated with the tribes of the land, they were bound by no chieftain and they came and went as they pleased, establishing an aura of power and mystery around themselves. The expansion and settlement of the tribes did not go unnoticed by the Wood Elves of Loren, who began to perceive the potential threat of human civilisation to their kingdom. They made tentative contact with the Bretonni through the druids, frightening them to stay clear of the forest, and to leave the trees alone. The druids did not comprehend fully the nature of the Wood Elves, but through surreptitious insinuation the elves succeeded in imparting to the druids the means to increase their own power. Towards the later centuries of this period the druid's power was at it's height. Through the influence of the Wood Elves they realised that if the tribes were to advance and grow in numbers they would no longer fear and revere nature, but would begin to conquer it. The druids acted to suppress advancement and alliance between tribes, using the awe in which they were held to maintain the status quo. A distinct culture within the Bretonni began to emerge during this period, and existing artefacts show a distinctive style which has some parallels with that of present day Albion. Metal was worked with swirling elegant designs, and heavily stylised animals are apparent. Warfare was conducted from horseback and on foot, with some use of primitive wooden chariots. The men would paint themselves with dyes such as woad, in imitation of the fearsome Wood Elf warriors that were occasionally glimpsed by terrified Bretonni. A famous relic of this period is kept in the royal palace in Oisillon - the incorrectly-termed 'Helm of Le Breton'. This horned helmet predates Gilles Le Breton by at least 1200 years. It is a beautiful artefact, worked in gold and bronze with the characteristic swirling patterns of the Bretonni tribes of the period. Another famous artefact from this period is the 'Marguilles Cauldron'. This impressive iron pot was Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

6

found in a lake near to the town that bears it's name cauldrons are known to have had symbolic significance to the Bretonni. The front of the cauldron bears the image of a woman's face - even the stylised representation conveys beautiful and fearsome aspects of her character. Scholars have identified her with the Lady, whose worship is generally taken to have spread throughout the Bretonni during this period. The celebrated and patriotic Imperial scholar Galirus of Nuln stated that the Lady was the 'anthropomorphic representation of a primitive water spirit, akin to those feared by superstitious Kislevites'.

Legendary figures Therouix - several songs recount the adventures of this doomed hero, who fought against many legendary monsters in the Grey Mountains. He met his death at the hands of his fellow tribesmen, who did not recognise upon his return to his home 10 years since departing. Merhuil - a mysterious druid who is said to have helped and terrified the mightiest warriors in equal measure. Myths tell that he had great power, and knew of things before they occurred. Gringda - a witch who lived alone in the forests around what is now Guisoreux. The stories tell that she had dealings with daemons and was the sister of Merhuil.

0 - 400 I.C. The beginning of Sigmar's Empire heralded a period of disruption and struggle for the people of the land. Sigmar's wars with the goblinoids forced many of the routed out of the lands of the Empire, many of which found their way across the Grey Mountains. This triggered many battles and raids on the farms of the Bretonni, casting into disarray the settled lifestyle which many now enjoyed. In 94 I.C., Imperial records state that the Emperor of the day sent a representative to the people of Bretonnia to open trade links and forge an alliance against the goblinoids. However, this was clearly doomed to failure the Bretonni did not speak with one voice, and the petty kings that came into contact with the Imperial party would not have trusted the strangers. During the same century humans discovered and traversed the Nuvolone Pass, the route through the Vaults from Tilea. This may not have been the first time that humans travelled through the mountains, but it heralded BRETONNIA–PROJECT

the opening of relations with the southern Old World. The lands of Tilea and Estalia had for centuries been more advanced than those in the north, and many settlers brought cultural and societal influence with them. For at least five centuries, they migrated into southern Bretonnia - some were fleeing the depredations of Arabian pirates, undead raiders and the skaven whilst others moved into the fertile valleys for economic reasons. Trade relations were established with the Bretonni tribes, which lead to the founding of Brionne and Quenelles on the ancient elven ruins that form their foundations. Despite the increasing conflicts with the goblinoids, as well as the establishment of trading colonies on the south, this period saw some of the small settlements grow into towns, including Guisoreux and Couronne. As predicted by the Wood Elves, the influence of the Old Faith waned, and the people began to adopt the newer gods as they held more relevance to their existence. The influence from the southern Old World brought new gods, in the form of Morr, Verena, Shallya, Myrmidia and Ranald. The escalation of warfare favoured renewed worship of the gods of war, with Ulric's influence in the north and Myrmidia in the south. Particularly noteworthy is the influence of Shallya - at some point during the 2nd century, a miracle occurred in Couronne. The healing waters were discovered, and the people of the town began to make offerings to the goddess. The news spread during the subsequent years to the south, and pilgrims began to flock to the temple which was established there. Around the year 100, there are records of raids on the north coast by fleets of ghostly ships. Bleached skeletons stalked the lands commanded by sinister figures swathed in bandages. The events are recalled in the legend of Vitran, in which the eponymous hero sees his entire village slaughtered or taken prisoner by the undead. After many adventures, he boards one of the shadowy vessels and attacks the commander of the fleet, the Tomb Lord Settra, with a magical spear. He wounds Settra and makes good his escape with his family. The legend ends tragically, as his wife and children are borne away by the waves in the attempt to reach the shore. The declining influence of the druids was not entirely a consequence of man's increasing confidence in the face of nature. The leaders of the Bretonni resented the power of the druids, and their power in society was slowly decreased. The kings and chieftains relied increasingly on their retinue for advice - a band of trusted warriors and advisors who formed a powerful protection against pretenders to his position. Most significantly in this period, worship of the Lady of the Lake reached its height. She became an important part of the pantheon of the pre-unification Bretonni, representing the homelands and taking elements of other deities, especially those with declining influence such as Rhya. The Lady became a common rallying point around which the Bretonni could gather against the orcs and goblins that lived in the forests and mountains. Culturally, this was a rich period of history for the future Bretonnia. Many songs and tales have passed down through the ages, telling of the bravery of the people in their conflicts with the orcs. In the surviving stories, the heroes are typically leaders and warriors first Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

7

and foremost. They are frequently pious worshippers of the gods, especially the Lady.

Sonnus - king and war leader of the Bretonni tribes of the west coast. He is remembered for his bravery in repelling the depredations of Settra. Franais - an early named priestess of Taal, favoured and respected by the people until she denounced the Lady. She is said to have disappeared the same night that she made her famous 'Prophecy of Franais' - now immortalised in the songs of minstrels. Vitran - see above.

400 - 977 I.C

The Bretonni became more outward-looking, as contact with the Empire and the southern states increased. This was not always friendly - the Wasteland saw numerous skirmishes between the fledgling Empire and the peoples of northern Bretonnia. However, trade between the Empire and the Bretonni flourished - hampered only by the lack of unity amongst the latter.

Famous figures This period was one in which the Bretonni had many figures of immense significance, revered for their deeds and admirable traits. Many of these and others from subsequent pre-Le Breton centuries were later adopted by the various cults within unified Bretonnia as saints, particularly as the religious hierarchies realised the importance of these sacred human agents to the people of Bretonnia. History books and epics were scrutinised for relevant figures who could be deemed as acting for the gods, and consequently allow each religion to maintain and often enlarge their sphere of influence. Some of these figures were probably acting under the divine will of one of the gods, and others may not have been - the motives for subsequent canonisation vary from pious admiration to cynical politicking.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The centuries preceding the unification of Bretonnia, saw the establishment of more rigid social classes and the feudal system that survives to this day. The disparate tribal groups were now geographically allied leagues, which roughly correspond to the regions that exist to this day. The leader of each league resided in the largest towns of the region, which had now become major centres of trade and government with formidable stone fortifications. During the 6th century the major cities of Bretonnia became truly established by formal declaration of the ruling parties. The various regions became kleptocracies - 'kings' extracted additional tribute from the rural peasantry to maintain permanent class of warriors and nobility, that had evolved from the tribal retinues of the past. The former have latterly been termed 'knights', and there is some evidence to suggest that the warriors adopted a code of honour, which by the time of Gilles Le Breton had become the code of chivalry. This code was centred around the Lady - who may have been adopted by the 'knights' as a patron at this time. She was assigned new traits of virtue and chastity - characteristics that suited the purposes of the new warrior class. Artisans and crafts developed considerably, and a merchant class became well-established. This in turn opened up more trade with the Empire, and some cultural influence can be seen in the armour and weaponry surviving from the period. Contact with the lands of Tilea and Estalia became more fraught, as the knights and retinues of kings began to resist the uneven flow of revenue from the south into the city states of the southern Old World. Orcs were still a major problem for the Bretonni. Even the fortified towns were frequently besieged by hordes of goblinoids. In 577, a large host swept from the Massif Orcal and besieged a number of towns and laid waste many villages. The warlords of the orcs demanded tribute from the Bretonni, but to no avail. The Bretonni did not give in however, and the goblinoid hordes fell to infighting and eventual dissolution as is usually the case. This episode is fondly remembered by the Bretonnians as an example of the resolve and bravery of their ancestors. Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

8

From 632, the Norse begin to raid the northern coasts of the land, destroying the small ports and settling along the shores. Although they were feared and despised by the Bretonni, they gradually became integrated into Bretonnian society. They brought their interpretations of religion with them, and the noble families of Armorique and L'Anguille have some Norscan ancestry. Although modern Bretonnians are largely ignorant of the fact, there was an attempt to unite the people of the land over 300 years prior to the coming of Gilles Le Breton. Delovic was the king of the Bretonnian tribes in Parravon, and records show that he called a conclave of the other kings in 650. He told them that the Bretonni needed to learn from the men of the Empire to the east, and join together for the benefit of all. It is not known how the other kings reacted - Delovic was assassinated by one of his own 'knights' shortly afterwards. Bretonnian historians now say that this was because he was attempting to unify the tribes with the aid of orcish forces, which he commanded through half-orc allies. The town of Couronne grew considerably during this period, through trade with other nations and the influx of pilgrims to temple of Shallya. Soon it was the largest settlement in the land, and the head of the cult became a figure of considerable importance in the region. In BRETONNIA–PROJECT

contrast, the worship of the Old Faith dwindled along with deforestation and the establishment of feudalism. It is now worshipped only amongst the simpler rural folk, while the more modern gods take precedence. The Wood Elves occasionally communicated with the fledgling kingdoms of the Bretonni, but maintained their isolation and mystery. However, the rise in power and influence of the 'knights' disturbed the delicate balance of unspoken agreement between the two parties, and from 770-820 I.C. there were numerous skirmishes on the borders of the Loren Forest, as the local Bretonni warlords attempted to expand their lands. Inevitably these were unsuccessful, but relations were soured with the Wood Elves as the latter decided that the humans were still too immature race to be treated as equals. Conflict also began to occur more frequently amongst the regions. The first half of the 10th century saw many clashes between L'Anguille and Moussillon, as well as between Parravon and Guisoreux. Although allegiances swapped and changed frequently, no king was able to make much of a dent in the territories of the others, and the constant threat of orc attack kept the various groups occupied on other things. At some point in the 10th century I.C. Gilles Le Breton emerges, as celebrated in 'Le chanson de Gilles'. He was a knight in the retinue of a powerful king the 'King' of Gisoreux. Gilles excelled at commanding armies against the orcs.

Historical figures 'King' Ysengrain - the leader that was foremost in his stalwart resistance of Orcish demands for tribute.'Ysengrain's Proclamation' is still part of the pronouncement by the King of Bretonnia in an annual ceremony to commemorate the final 'defeat' of the goblinoids by Gilles Le Breton. Delovic - see above D'Arginan - a ship's captain known for his pioneering use of ancient naval techniques from the southern Old World to combat Norse attacks. 'King' Guilombe - the 'joyous' king. A figure of fun and humour in many Bretonnian stories, Guilombe was a notorious drunk and foolish leader. He is a popular character in some Bretonnian plays and children's entertainment. Although foolish, his ridiculous flights of reason occasionally have some perverted logic to them.

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

9

C!"2S*a22

Mob Law in Archaic Bretonnia By Lord Bain

As the horsemen approached they slowed to a trot and passed him at a walking pace. "Sirs…? Please…" "Please… Water…" The leading horseman removed a canteen from his saddlebag and plucked out the cork with an audible ‘pop’ . Slowly he raised the neck of the bottle to his lips and took a long hard swig. "Please…?" The horseman took another mouthful but this time held the cool fluid in his mouth and sloshed it around between his teeth. Turning in his saddle to look down on the filthy creature locked into the cage hanging from a road-side tree, he spat out the liquid in a fountain of yellow water mixed with saliva and mucus. The rancid plume hit Pierre full in the face, soaking his once passable shirt, and the riders laughed heartily as they spurred their steeds and galloped off into the distance. The prisoner felt himself moved to tears, but his eyes were too dry and no tears came as he began to suck the vile liquid from his clothing. He knew he was done for…

The archaic practice of ‘Man-Caging’

In most civilised areas of Bretonnia - if any area of that corrupt nation can be called ‘civilised’ the barbaric practice of ‘Man-Caging’ died out centuries ago. In the most backward regions however, it still goes on, unchecked and unchallenged…

It had been half-score sunrises since the last group of travellers had passed by and given Pierre a sip from their cow-hide canteens. Now a flock of ravens was circling overhead and Pierre knew that he would not last much longer. If he could just hold out for another week his sentence would be complete and he would be free. Oh, why did he do it? He should’ ve known better than to take that loaf of bread, but he had been so hungry… He realised now that back then he didn’ t know what true hunger was. Pierre knew now alright, locked night and day in a road-side cage so small he could neither stand nor sit comfortably and was forced into a perpetual crouching position. He hadn’ t tasted food for nearly a week, and he was so weak now that he felt even if someone were to come he might not be able to muster the strength to beg for scraps of rancid meat. But then, in the distance he saw a cloud of brown dust being thrown into the air farther along the narrow dirt road. As it got closer Pierre saw that is was a group of four travellers riding horses and cantering along in the mid-afternoon heat. As they came within earshot he hauled himself up to as near a standing position as he could manage and began to shout. "Good Sirs! Good Sirs! I beg of you! Spare a splash of water for a wretch like me! Good Sirs! I beg of you!" BRETONNIA–PROJECT

In the back-water villages of Bretonnia, the rounds of visiting magistrates are few and far between, and very few settlements can afford to employ one of their own. Out in these barren regions justice invariably means rough justice at the hands of the locals who look after their own interests and those of their friends whenever any smallminded accusations of barbarism and cruelty are made. The construction of a purpose-built gaol is an expensive affair and guards or gaolers don’ t come cheap either. The use of the practice known as ‘Man-Caging’ is believed to have started in the village of Sauleville near to the Wood Elven realm of Athel-Loren. Petty theft was rife in Sauleville and internment in the village stocks was starting to lose its value as a deterrent. The wealthiest farmer in the village was expected to keep order and so he went to visit the old priest of Verena who lived on the hill and asked him for advice. The old priest looked around her cottage and his eyes fixed upon a bird cage which hung in the corner of the room, he had an idea… ‘Man-Cages’ are often found hung from posts at busy road junctions near a settlement. They take the form of large iron cages constructed from bands of metal and hung from tree branches where available or from wooden stakes driven far into ground at a slight angle. They are generally about a foot and a half wide by four feet high, which means that the unfortunate inside is unable to sit or stand but has to slump against one side. The heavy cage doors are sealed shut with padlocks or clasps and miscreants are trapped inside until the local villagers decide to let them out. ‘Man-Caging’ is used as a punishment for everything from theft to adultery and the length of punishment can vary greatly from crime to crime, region to region, or on the collective mood of the armed mob on any given day. The figures given in the table below are an indicator only and can often be much more severe (though when dealing with angry Bretonnian peasantry they will very rarely be less !). It is not unknown for prisoners to be left ‘Man-Caged’ « until Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

10

such time as another crime is committed which is considered more befitting of judicial assessment ». Those who are dealt this sentence very rarely have the opportunity to leave the man-cage, let alone re-offend.

Crime

And Punishment

Minor Public Blasphemy Pub Brawling Theft of a Bread Roll Theft of a Goat Arson of a Public Building Murder

6 days in a ‘Man-Cage’ 2 weeks in a ‘Man-Cage’ 5 weeks in a ‘Man-Cage’ 7 weeks in a ‘Man-Cage’ 9 weeks in a ‘Man-Cage’ Indefinite ‘Man-Caging’

‘Man-Caged’ prisoners rely on the charity of travellers and passers-by for food and water. Often this is given not so much out of good-will, but as a sadistic act by locals who would rather see the criminal suffer in a state of near-death than die prematurely. If the accused has family in the area then they will no doubt bring him supplies, but many are fearful to do so in case the other villagers feel they are being too soft on the errant relation. Several clerics of Shallya tour the areas giving humane support to the prisoners in the form of food, water and blessings, but even they know better than to preach too fervently against the practice, whatever their own opinions on the cruelty of the punishment might be. The survival of captives rests on their sentence being completed before dehydration and starvation take their inevitable toll. This is not always a guarantee, as villagers occasionally ‘forget’ when it’s time to let someone out! The backwoods regions of Bretonnia are some of the few remaining areas of the Old World where Jean ‘la justice’ Jonson, little-known Saint of Verena is openly venerated, generally in his local aspect as the ‘Patron Saint of Man-Caging’. Not a lot is known about this mysterious character from Bretonnia’s past, but it is believed in some areas that Jean ‘la justice’ Jonson was Sauleville’s resident Priest of Verena and the original brain behind ‘Man-Caging’. Runes and symbols of Verena are often inscribed onto the ‘Man-Cage’ and it is not unknown for a priest of Verena to make tours of towns and villages blessing all the ‘Man-Cages’ en route and calling upon their god to make them secure.

occupied. You may modify this figure up or down depending on the region or simply rule that it is or isn’t occupied as the adventure requires. If you want a truly random ‘Man-Cage’, you can generate the occupant by rolling on the chart below :

D100 Roll

Occupant

1 – 10 11-16 17 – 19 20 – 22 23 – 25 26 – 100

Skeletal remains Maggot-ridden corpse Elf Dwarf Halfling Human

If the poor wretch in the cage is still alive, he will beg for food, water or to be released. If the PCs know anything about local customs, they will know better than to help anyone sentenced to ‘Man-Caging’ to escape, unless they have a very good reason…

Breaking open a ‘Man-Cage’ Should the PCs want to free someone from a ‘ManCage’, you can use the figures below to calculate how difficult it will be : D3 +3 Toughness D8 +4 Damage (D4 +1) Lock Rating x 10% After a length of time in a ‘Man-Cage’, a person will be reduced to a grovelling wreck, weak from malnutrition and dehydration and often broken in spirit. If you need a profile for a freed prisoner, you can use the one below as a basis : M WS BS S T W

2 10 10 1 1

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

2 15 1 14 14 14 14 14 19

Don’t forget that anyone freed from a ‘Man-Cage’ will be unarmed and dressed only in rags.

Adventure Hooks

Coming across a ‘Man-Cage’

Help me kinsman!

The PCs might come across a ‘Man-Cage’ at any road junction close to a town or village and more than four or five days ride from one of the great walled towns. As you approach a cross-roads ahead, you see a strange construction hanging from a tree and swinging slowly in the breeze. The large and gnarled oak stretches up into the sky but a sturdy looking branch extends out at a ninety degree angle towards the dirt track. From the branch a thick chain descends from a clamp to a large cylindrical cage of rusty iron bands. Locked within, a bundle of filthy rags peers out at you imploringly… About 90% of all villages in archaic areas of Bretonnia have at least one ‘Man-Cage’ and larger settlements can have multiple cages (D3+1) hung in a group. There is a base 60% chance that any cage is

This Adventure Hook only applies to adventuring parties containing a dwarf PC. As they approach a ‘ManCage’ the group realises that the occupant who at first glance appears to be a man, is in point of fact a dwarf. As they get close to the cage the prisoner singles out the dwarf PC and cries out to him. He will call on his fellow stunty and claim that it is a kinsman’s duty to aid any dwarf that finds himself unjustly trapped like this. The ‘dwarf’, however, is actually a level one Illusionist who was caught using ‘Cloak Activity’ to steal from a local village. He decided to assume the ‘Illusionary Appearance’ of a dwarf in the hope of appealing to the dwarf’s sense of loyalty to his race. He managed to use a handful of clay-rich earth from the ground below his ‘Man-Cage’ to fashion a rough humanoid face mask to

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

11

carry out the necessary enchantment. The remains of this mask may be noticed below if a close search is carried out. If the PCs free him, he will be so scared of the PC’s reaction to the truth that he will decide to try and flee as soon as he can. Whilst vigorously shaking the dwarf’s hand he will begin to mutter strange words and before they know it he will have cast Produce Small Creature to create a snake and have it crawl up the dwarf’s arm and under his clothing. Whilst the PCs try to calm the madly thrashing dwarf and remove the snake from his shirt, the Illusionist will run off down the road as fast as possible. Will he escape? If not, what will the PCs do when they recapture him and he turns back into a human?

Help me, I’ ll do… anything! As above, but in the hope of appealing to a party of impoverished adventurers, the Illusionist takes the form of an alluring and scantily-clad human female (or male depending on the majority orientation of the party)… She (he) will get as close as she (he) can before releasing the summoned snake into the lead PC’ s clothing. Then, as above, she (he) will make a run for it. If she (he) fails to get, the PCs might have a few questions for a scared and panicked girl, and even more for the dishevelled and dirty young magician she soon turns back into !

Ghosts of the past ! Near to the site of an old abandoned village, at a cross-roads where three dirt lanes meet, the PCs find a bleached skeleton crumbling at the bottom of an old ‘Man-Cage’ . As the PCs approach, the ghost of the longdead occupant appears in the lane ahead of them: "Heeelp me… laaaay my soul to ressssst… pleeeaaaase… Heeeeeelp meeeee… " The ghost of Christophe Deloppe, con-man and wrongfully convicted murderer, is cursed to walk the earth forever until its bones are laid to rest. It cannot go further than two and a half miles away from its remains, but the PCs will not know this… All the time that the PCs remain within that distance, the ghost will haunt them, spooking their horses, blowing out their camp fire and keeping them awake with late-night howling. It will beg them to lay Deloppe’ s bones to rest, which is the only way to allow it to move on the next plane of existence. Once the bones have been buried, the ghost will thank the PCs and fade away into nothing. The ghost of this murderer, though, will not rest so easily, and once the bones have been buried the ghost’ s haunting will be transferred onto the last character to touch his remains. The ghost will make itself invisible to anyone but the PC he is haunting. Christophe’ s ghost will follow the PC around wherever he goes from now on, begging that the PC prove his innocence. He won’ t leave the player alone until he returns to the village and, guided by the ghost, starts to ask questions about the corpse in the ‘ManCage’ . Christophe was infact framed by an angry farmer he conned out of 100 Francs ; the farmer had borrowed that money from his neighbour who demanded it back. To fix all his problems, the farmer killed the moneylender and set it up to look like Christophe did it. Only if the PCs can expose this retributive injustice will the ghost depart and move on to the next world. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The Wrath of Verena… In a ‘Man-Cage’ the PCs find a man who offers them 100 Francs to release him. He assures them that "this whole thing was just a big misunderstanding" and that if they free him he can lead them to a buried cache of gold he hid just before he got cornered by the angry heathen locals. He is in fact (and quite unusually) being completely truthful. If the PCs reject his offer and leave him where he is then the encounter goes no further. If they decide to release him, however, they’ re in for a bit of trouble. The last Cleric of Verena to pass by placed a guardian spell on the ‘Man-Cage’ which will summon a "Causidicus Arbitras", if the cage is broken or the locks smashed or picked. The occupant of the ‘Man-Cage’ will count as the Summoner and so the Servant’ s first act will be to skewer him with his sword. After this, it attack the PCs who attempted to defy its master’ s laws and will fight until banished, destroyed or magically restrained long enough for the characters to leg it… ~CAUSIDICUS ARBITRAS~ (Lesser Demonic Servant of Solkan) PHYSIQUE: Humanoid ALIGNMENT: Lawful PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS: Causes fear in other creatures and is therefore also immune to fear. SPECIAL RULES: Subject to 'instability'. M WS BS S T W

4 60

0

4 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

5 60 3 89 89 89 89 89 10

Causidicus Arbitras takes the form of a powerfully muscular humanoid swathed from head to toe in perfectly white robes. A large white cloth hood covers its head and hides its face in shadow, and all that can be seen are two burning white dots for eyes. It is armed with one huge, double-handed, double-edged magical sword, which glows with incandescent light. When summoned, a thick white mist rapidly gathers out of which the demon emerges swinging its blade in lightning fast arcs of death...

Experiencing ‘Mob Law’ PCs caught breaking the law in the more wild regions of the corrupt kingdom of Bretonnia can at least thank whatever gods they worship that they haven’t been caught within the always harsh and the often lethal legal system of the more densely populated areas. Instead, they must contend with the rough justice meted out by the yokels and bumpkins of the superstitious countryside. The heathen masses have a tendency to be inconsistent in their punishments which can vary along with not only the crime, but also with the mob’s mood and other unpredictable factors. As soon as a character is accused of a crime whilst in the vicinity of a village in rural Bretonnia, a mob will gather and will come after the defendant with burning torches and cudgels aplenty. At this point skipping town or resisting ‘the mob’ becomes a very tempting option, but if this goes awry it will count very badly towards the Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

12

character later. The procedures of ‘rough justice’ are pretty standard throughout the kingdom. ‘The mob’ will drag the accused out into the centre of the settlement where they will be forced to the ground whilst the villagers decide what to do. Any wronged parties, along with any witnesses will then shout out demands for the accused to be punished. The accused then gets the chance to make shouted pleas in their defence for a few minutes before the shouting of the rabble drowns out their voice. As one possible sentence, ‘Man-Caging’ your PCs is a very harsh thing to do as a GM. I would suggest letting your players see an NPC get ‘Man-Caged’ and threaten them with it as an incentive not to break the law! If they do cross the line, don’ t feel too bad about imposing it on them. The punishments for minor crimes are rarely lethal so why not give one of your PCs the chance to add a spell in a ‘Man-Cage’ to their life story? Of course, with a group of PCs, what is there to stop the other players from busting their friend out of the mini-prison? Naturally, the possibility of indefinite incagement might be enough to put them off. If they do decide to go ahead with a miniature ‘Great Escape’ , then good for them, but they’ d better be ready to leave town as fast as they can. Angry villagers have been known to hire bounty hunters to track down ‘Cage-Breakers’ …

Guilty or innocent : How rules ‘the mob’? To represent a ‘mob trial’ in WFRP, a character is allowed to make a single Fel test modified according to the chart below. A success indicates that the character has been released by the mob, a failure indicates that ‘the mob’ has ruled against the defendant.

Calculation of Punishment To find out what punishment ‘the mob’ feels is appropriate, consult the chart below and pick the crime description which is closest to the crime the character is accused of and modify the punishment’ s severity as you see fit. More serious crimes (such as Worship of Chaotic Gods, Practice of Necromancy, or Practice of Demonology, etc) will, of course, be punished by public execution/burning!

Duration of time locked with the village ‘Man-Cage’

Crime Minor Blasphemy Rioting (street brawling, etc) Petty Theft Blasphemy Assault Serious Theft (including debt) Rape Grave Robbing Arson Desecration of holy Temple or Shrine Murder Heresy Freeing a ‘Man-Caged’ prisoner

1D10 days D3 weeks D6 +2 weeks D6 +2 weeks D8 +2 weeks D10 +2 weeks D10 +2 weeks D12 +2 weeks D12 +2 weeks D12 +4 weeks (plus eyes cut out) Indefinite Indefinite Indefinite

Modifier Accused has committed previous -10 per crime crimes in the area: -10 Accused uses ‘Law’ skill +10 Accused uses ‘Blather’ skill +5 Accused uses ‘Etiquette’ skill Social Class of accused (see Apoc +20/+10/-10/-20 Now pg21) A/B/C/D Social Class of accuser / victim -20/-10/+10/+20 (see Apoc Now pg21) A/B/C/D Evidence against-

-40 Confession: -40 Caught in the act: -15 Witnesses: -5 Circumstantial Evidence: -20 Resisted ‘the mob’: +20 Accused lives locally Accused speaks Old Worlder with anything other than a Bretonnian -20 accent -20 Accused is not human -10 Accused is a vegetarian -30 to +30 Role-Playing

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Getting Released On the day on which the punishment is due to end, there is invariably one very repentant ex-con awaiting release and eager to be free (or else a somewhat less talkative corpse). The problem, however, is that once ‘the mob’ has calmed down, they often forget who is in the ‘Man-Cage’ , exactly why they are there, or when they are due to be released. There is generally only one set of keys and it is not unheard of for these to be ‘misplaced’ . On the final day of the punishment, there is a base 50% chance of someone from the village remembering to come and to let the character out. The next day this increases to 60%, the next day 70%, and so on until someone remembers. If the character has friends within the settlement, they will do their best to lobby for their release and will each increase the chance by 5% each. Note that reminding the locals won’ t automatically get your friend free, as the key still has to be found…

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

13

Being ‘Man-Caged’ Being locked within a cage day and night, day in – day out, come rain or D100 Roll shine, with very little food or water will 1 – 10 have a serious affect on a character’ s 11 – 20 physical condition. Firstly, a character’ s 21 – 30 WS, BS, Dex, Ld, Int, Cl and WP will fall 31 – 40 by 10 points and his M, S, T, and I will 41 – 60 drop by 1 point for each full or part week (plus D10): that he is encaged, down to a minimum of 1 – 5 10/1. This represents the overall affects of 6 – 7 being caged, (like physical weakness, loss 8 – 9 of motive skills, and sapped Will Power, 10 etc) but not its most lethal affects. 61 – 70 Normally if a character is unable to get 71 – 80 access to food and water he will die (plus D6): within a week or so. In a road-side ‘Man- 1 Cage’ however, there should be at least 2 one traveller a day who is willing to stop 3 and give a mouthful of water and a crusty 4 piece of bread to a 5 starving prisoner. On a day-to-day 6 basis, then, a ‘Man-Caged’ prisoner 81 – 100 should get enough food to survive ; but if, over a number of days, the prisoner fails to beg adequate food from passers by his condition will start to deteriorate. To calculate if a character has blagged sufficient rations in any given week, you should make one test against his Fellowship (+10 for possession of the skill: Begging). If the test is passed; the character has managed to scrape together enough sustenance to last another week, if the test is failed; the character looses a wound. If the character’ s wound count reaches zero, they’ re dead! This means that an average human (W=7, Fel=29) will loose one wound a week (in addition to losing 10 or 1 points from most other characteristics) if he rolls 30 or more on a D100. The average human will loose one of his seven wounds a week, 7.1 weeks out of 10. This (if my math is correct) means that the average human will die after about ten weeks in a ‘Man-Cage’ . This means that only the average length of the worst specified punishment (D12 +4 weeks for "Desecration of holy Temple or Shrine") is likely to kill. Of course, due to the highly fickle nature of how the terms of punishment are created by ‘mob law’ , characters may be slowly starved to death for much lesser crimes. "Petty Theft", for example, carries a maximum penalty of eight weeks in a ‘Man-Cage’ , which could kill a character who only managed to succeed on one of his eight ‘Fel’ rolls! Most ‘Man-Cage’ punishments are non-lethal ; however, if criminals do die, then ‘the mob’ that put them there will not be shedding too many tears! On a psychological note, being ‘Man-Caged’ rarely does very much for a character’ s mental state. To represent this in the game, a character will gain one Insanity Point for each full or part week he spends in a ‘Man-Cage’ . If these bring his total to the point where a Disorder is obtained, you can either pick one, roll for one on the chart on page 83 of the WFRP rulebook or use the following ‘Man-Cage’ specific list.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Disorder Claustrophobia Catatonia Dementia Gluttony Hatred: Of the villagers who put him in the ‘Man-Cage’ Of all characters of ‘Lawful’ alignment Of all characters who worship or follow Solkan Of everyone… Introversion Phobia: Of the villagers who put him in the ‘Man-Cage’ Of all characters of ‘Lawful’ alignment Of all characters who worship or follow Solkan Of cages of any kind Of representatives of the law Of large crowds or mobs Minor Disorder If a PC gets ‘Man-Caged’ you may wish to simply skip the period as time lost and tell you players something along the lines of "You spend seven weeks locked in a ‘Man-Cage’ … and then you’ re free to go" – with a few penalties, of course. Alternatively, you may wish to add a few random events to the time to give you something to role-play out with the PC. For each week or part week that goes by, roll on the chart next page.

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

14

D100 Random Event Roll 1 –4 5 –8 9 – 12 13 – 16 17 – 20 21 – 24 25 – 28 29 – 32 33 – 36 37 – 40 41 – 44 45 – 48 49 – 52 53 – 56 57 – 60 61 – 64 65 – 68 69 - 72 73 – 76 77 – 80 81 – 84 85 – 88 89 – 92 93 – 96 97– 100

Nothing unusual this week! A group of local youths stop to throw stones at the ‘Man-Caged’ character and cause him to suffer an additional wound. Nothing unusual this week! A mysterious brown robed stranger (a chaos cultist) passes by and will smash the lock on the cage if the prisoner passes a Fel test. Nothing unusual this week! It rains all week and the character suffers an additional –10 to WP through depression. Nothing unusual this week! A kindly priestess of Shallya stops to see to the prisoner’s wounds and heals D3 of them. Nothing unusual this week! A Cleric of Solkan stops to examine the ‘ManCage’ and uses his staff to poke the prisoner and cause one wound. Nothing unusual this week! The ‘Man-Cage’ is needed for another still more loathed criminal, the prisoner is set free! Nothing unusual this week! The region is hit by a vicious and violent storm with claps of thunder and forks of lightening flashing all around. The character suffers an additional D3 Insanity Points. Nothing unusual this week! A sunny pleasant week makes being ‘ManCaged’ seem ‘not too bad really’. The character gains no Insanity Points this week. Nothing unusual this week! The food given by a passing traveller is off and gives the PC an additional wound and awful stomach cramps! Nothing unusual this week! The character makes the most of this ‘Thinking Time’ to reflect on his situation. He ‘gets a few things straight in his head’ and looses D4 Insanity Points. Nothing unusual this week! A band of passing travellers stop to point and laugh at the character, before moving on. Nothing unusual this week! GM’s choice, pick one of the above! Nothing unusual this week!

Recovering from ‘Man-Caging’ Sadly, Insanity Points can only be removed by a really good physician or wizard. However, the physical effects of ‘ManCaging’ will heal over time. The percentage characteristics (WS, BS, Dex, Ld, Int, Cl and WP) will recover at a rate of five percent for every day of full rest once freed. The non-percentage characteristics (M, S, T, W, and I) will recover at a rate of one point for every two days of rest once released.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The dilapidated city of Quenelles, close to the Loren Forest is the only settlement of its size in the whole of the Old World where ‘Man-Caging’ is still carried out. In the centre of its expensive paved market square stands an old and gnarled oak which has stood there since before the city’ s oldest residents can remember. Hung with no less than seven individual ‘Man-Cages’ , the cruelly embellished edifice is infamously known to the locals as “L’ arbre de Justice”. In recent years the ancient tree has become something of a tourist attraction, with the purveyors of rotten foodstuffs which ply their trade in the square around the tree being amongst the few traders in the city to turn a healthy profit. It is a testament to the vindictive cruelty of the city’ s inhabitants that the rotten food sold to be thrown at the unfortunate prisoners frequently sells for more than the (reasonably) fresh food sold from the carts which line the square around the tree! Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

15

A*"2-2\--2

By Rory Naismith ’I? It is not I who you must fear. My body is but a vessel, a tool. The power which fills me is undying, unconquerable. It lies within me as the seed of future children lies in men and women, and like them it will only grow and become stronger than you can ever imagine. If you kill me, it shall be all the greater and the more vengeful when it wreaks its vengeance. My master awaits your minds and souls beyond the gates of death!’ - from the confession of Guillaumette Maury The word ‘witch’ conjures up definite images in the Bretonnian mind. Some hearers – mainly men – like the idea of naked maidens running round and round a fire waving sticks about and screaming in ecstacy. Suspicious, gossipy women see anyone who lives differently as beyond the bounds of respectability, with just a fine line dividing the eccentric from the terrible witch. The nation’s aristocrats consider accusations of witchcraft as one more political tool to use against rivals, and as a method of keeping the masses appeased. Whilst all of these conceptions and more are common, they are based on slightly more than paranoia and distrust. There is a small but very real and very dangerous element of genuine witches who worship the dark powers and possess harrowing supernatural powers. Their unspeakable designs against the very fundaments of Bretonnian society serve to keep fear and hatred of witches alive. ho are Witches? The majority of people who are accused of witchcraft in Bretonnia are innocent; or, at least, innocent of witchcraft. They have nothing to do with dark magic or evil, and merely find themselves the target of jealousy, fear and hysteria. These are the most common reasons for witch-hunts; the poorly-educated lower classes develop a suspicion of some unfortunate, which spills over into violence at the least provocation. At other times, petty disputes and envy can lead to people being denounced as witches, sometimes openly, sometimes behind closed doors, leading to the slow but insidious spread of rumours that inevitably get embroidered in the telling. In the close-knit peasant communities of Bretonnia, which are dominated by superstition, this process is all too common. If the victim doesn't notice the wary glances and hushed conversations, the first they hear of any action against them might be a rowdy crowd of neighbours outside their home in the dead of night. Often, not a word about such events ever reaches the authorities. The quietest, most barbaric parts of the land are littered with the unmarked graves of those left slaughtered by the witch-crazed mob. There are some ‘good’ witches, however, who do indeed possess magical (or seemingly magical) abilities but are in no way connected with the powers of chaos. They are able to do little more than give locals welcome BRETONNIA–PROJECT

advice on the finer points of life, brew age-old potions and poultices, and sometimes use low-level magic in aid of others. Some of these individuals worship Ecate, but regard her more as a mother-figure and mistress of magic than as an evil deity; in time, however, they occasionally become tainted and corrupted by Ecate and her husbandson Khaine’s true nature, unwittingly turning to evil. In towns, witchcraft is treated slightly differently. The urban populace of Bretonnia is barely more educated or tolerant than their country cousins, and the constant degradation, poverty and toil of their lives lends itself even more to occasional outbreaks of violence at any possibility of evil magic. Indeed, to some extent the authorities encourage the townspeople's fear of witchcraft so that they direct their energies and worries in that direction rather than towards the local leadership. Witchhunters receive official sanction to bring a set number of 'sorcerers' to justice; whether the town contains that many genuine witches matters little to the rulers or the witchhunters. Scholars who look into the witch-hunt phenomenon with a clinical eye believe that it is founded on a combination of genuine fear and outrage at apparently increasing chaos activity in Bretonnia, and a deep frustration and resentment felt by the masses at their hardship and ill-treatment by the rich. The witch-hunts are simply one way of redirecting this pent-up anger, explaining why so many apparently innocent people are branded as witches; they are merely a focus for discontent, seized on the moment. Witches are not drawn exclusively from the lower orders. Members of the nobility and middle classes sometimes find themselves charged with witchcraft, too, often as a result of political manoeuvrings or simple hatred. It is also, however, true that the wealthier, bettereducated elements do seem to find the dark gods and forbidden arts more appealing. Many bright young men who leave to study magic in Altdorf, it is claimed by reactionary elements in society, bring back more than a love of Imperial beer and a few mouldering scrolls. In the case of those not involved with black magic, enemies bring charges against them by running whispering campaigns, or hiring someone to 'produce' evidence and launch a trial. The aristocracy, like their tenants, take a close interest in witchcraft; trials attract great crowds of well-born spectators, especially when one of their own is up on trial. Though a judicious disapproval is shown to anyone who is even suspected of witchcraft, the nobility, with wizards to advise them and possessing generally superior education, can differentiate between genuine cases of witchcraft and accusations made on less secure grounds for worldly motives. But openly declaring so spoils the excitement and can lead to charges of aiding and abetting witches. Nevertheless, the opinion of the majority can usually be guessed at: those considered to be innocent and the victims of slander are received with laughter and catcalls; those whose accusations are based on more solid evidence meet with vehement cursing, pelted fruit and spitting. In fact, the pampered ruling set of Bretonnia, when faced with a genuine user of evil magic (particularly one drawn from their own ranks), are just as incensed and fearful as the lower orders. It is rare but not unheard of for Druids and wandering elementalists to be prosecuted as witches by fearful, Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

16

ignorant peasants and ambitious witch hunters. Even some followers of Taal who live especially wild, isolated lives beyond the bounds of society may be misconstrued as witches. Ironically, although most witch hunters are well-read on the cults and strictures of Chaos, Khaine and other unacceptable gods, the cults of Taal and the Old Faith are only vaguely understood by non-initiates.

Evil Witches Genuinely evil witches, who use necromancy, daemonology and other black arts, are relatively rare; but there are secret covens of witches in many parts of Bretonnia, both amongst the benighted peasants in the deepest countryside and amidst the aristocrats and bourgeoisie of the towns. These covens actively worship the gods of Chaos, and in some cases have existed for centuries possibly more; like the rural adherents of Taal and the Old Faith, for them the worship of Chaos or Khaine is simply a part of village life as it always has been. In fact, these peasants probably don't see worshipping these gods as wrong, or perhaps not even bad; it is simply the way things are done in their village and they don't know any better. However, there are a few - mainly in towns - who turn to the Chaos gods in full knowledge of what they are doing, and revel in the diabolical powers that are granted to them. These are undeniably the most dangerous of all, and include not only peasants and urban lower classes but nobles, academics and even corrupt clerics. In the cities of the coast, the cult of Khaine is especially popular; there are several riotous cults of young nobles and wealthy merchants who indulge in ritual slaughter and blood drinking. It is believed that a small number of Dark Elves head up these groups and try to co-ordinate activities all along the coast. Further inland, there are many covens and cults dedicated to Ecate, the goddess of witchcraft and both wife and mother to Khaine. In fact, there are probably as many groups dedicated to Ecate as there are to the other chaos powers. Her worship, it is speculated, may have been passed on by some of the last Elves in the Old World who fled from the burning coastal cities to hide their dark beliefs in the forest. In time these were passed on to the incoming human tribes, who have kept them alive ever since. In fact, the talent for magic and witchcraft that is displayed in some areas may be a result of lingering Elven blood in the local population. Covens of Ecate tend to be amongst the most cruel and savage of all, taking delight in slaughtering innocents, corrupting the weak and causing general mayhem. Wild midnight sabbats are most common amongst covens and cults of Ecate, which are almost exclusively composed of women in Bretonnia. Whilst chaos covens tend to use secrecy and cunning to preserve and increase their power, Ecate’s followers are far less subtle; fear and cruelty are their greatest weapons against retribution. Rivalry and even outright feuding BRETONNIA–PROJECT

between covens dedicated to different deities is not unknown; even groups knowingly or unknowingly working for the same power find themselves in conflict from time to time. All of these witches make use of necromancy and daemonology, and engage in human sacrifice, deviant sexual revelry and many other unwholesome customs; it is a rare few confessions extracted from members of such cults that has created the popular image of witches. Desperate and dangerous, real witches are only caught very rarely, for they nearly always keep their illicit practices well hidden, and can call on mighty magic to protect themselves should the worst happen. More than one witch-hunter has met his end going up against what he thought to be a batty, cackling old crone with an amusing glint in her eye…

The Gypsies The Gypsies of Bretonnia suffer a great deal of mistrust and prejudice at the hands of the settled population. These travellers are disliked for being openly 'different' and for the separate nature of their lifestyle; it is seen as unnatural for people to travel constantly, outside the natural system of authority and society, owing loyalty to no lord or master. Gypsies are said to be totally untrustworthy and liable to steal, rape and murder at the first opportunity. They feature in stories told to frighten children, where Azbou the Gypsy with his serrated knife, hairy hands and huge lips is a popular fiend conjured up by parents and teachers. In spite of this prejudice, the Gypsies still preserve their own ancient customs and traditions, including a distinct language. Aside from Ranald, Taal and sometimes the Old Faith, they tend to worship Ecate; a goddess with definite connections to evil, although not generally revered in that aspect by the gypsies. It is from their devotion to her that they gain their unusual talent for fortune telling and magic. The spread of the witch-hunts has hit the Gypsy population hard. Accusations of witchcraft are used to sanction acts of violence against Gypsies whenever they settle near a Bretonnian community, excusing the riots and cries against the 'invaders'. Witch-hunters, latching onto this hatred, frequently direct their energies at Gypsies too, virtually guaranteeing a guilty sentence. It is not unknown for witch-hunters to actually follow in the wake of Gypsy bands, hounding them constantly until they pass over the borders of the Kingdom. Whilst it seems that there is a tradition of magic-use and especially fortune telling amongst the Gypsies (which witch-hunters and fearful peasants quickly interpret as collusion with the chaos gods), few actually use evil magic. Those who do, however, tend to be if anything more dangerous than other witches, for Gypsies have a strange affinity with magic and fortune telling which is easily turned against those they deem to be enemies. They frighten other gypsies into servitude and turn the whole band into a wandering cult. Corrupt and misleading futures are read to pervert the minds of visitors, and animals and children disappear around the camp of a gypsy witch as she uses them in weird curses, vile Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

17

concoctions and dire spells. It is partly thanks to them that other gypsies have gained such a bad name.

Beliefs about witches ’Because she looks like one!’ There is a definite witch stereotype current in Bretonnia. This does not quite reflect the reality of witch covens and genuine users of black magic (who usually strive to look as normal as possible), but does help to explain why the public targets the people they do. To the average Bretonnian, a witch is a stooped, warty old crone, who lives alone in a ramshackle cottage. She is prone to cackling and muttering curses, and will undoubtedly keep a cat, owl, raven or any other animal, which is without a doubt some daemonic familiar in disguise. She will also, naturally, possess a cauldron and a broomstick for brewing wicked potions and flying to debauched sabbats. No-one ever pauses to think that an old woman would be decidedly lonely, hungry and dirty if she did not live with a pet, a cauldron to cook in and a broom to do the cleaning; but that is not the point. Anyone who fulfils some or all of these criteria and is unpopular with the neighbours runs the risk of being called a witch, especially if a witch-hunter is active in the area. Although this is the most widely held image of a witch, it is commonly believed that beautiful, virginal maidens might also be witches - they may, after all, be crones or evil spirits masked so as to weaken the resistance of red-blooded Bretonnian men. This also helps to explain the unpredictable and irrational actions of the young to their elders. Men can also be considered witches; typically, it is old men who live alone and are wont to talk to themselves that arouse the most suspicion.

’When shall we three meet again?’ It is an accepted belief that witches work in covens (cults) and gather regularly at great, hedonistic meetings called sabbats. What witches actually do at a sabbat is subject to wild and fanciful speculation: scholars who spend too much time alone in dark libraries with scented candles and fanciful, wide-eyed tavern bawds are responsible for spreading the most outlandish rumours. Devils and daemons are imagined to lead naked witches in great dances, singing lewd and blasphemous songs as weird, inhuman pipers provide an enchanted melody. Babies are sacrificed, cooked and eaten, with the odd blond virgin, black cockerel or lamb thrown in for good measure. Wild acts of sexual deviancy are committed, BRETONNIA–PROJECT

often involving the most unlikely of couplings. New spells to wreak havoc on the hapless people of Bretonnia are passed round like recipes for sweet pastries. The meetings close with the witches swearing to uphold their allegiance to the chaos gods, then flying home mounted on a broomstick or an eggshell. These sabbats are said to take place in the dead of night at isolated places touched by the power of evil spirits: bleak moors, misty pools, shady woods, craggy rocks and deserted ruins are commonly regarded as the places where witches gather. Most villages, in fact, are proud to boast a place somewhere in the vicinity frequented by ghosts and where witches meet for sabbats; the inhabitants of neighbouring towns and villages argue over which attracts the biggest number of witches (sometimes reaching quite absurd levels; as high as 10,000 in some cases), as if they actually wanted the forces of darkness to bless their home in particular. Notably, very few villages will be able to give any proof other than old legend saying that witches ever actually meet at the site in question; nobody will actually admit to having been there recently or to having seen anything odd there, but everyone will know somebody else who has. Whether this somebody exists is another matter entirely. In reality, the idea of covens and sabbats is founded on more than a grain of truth. Most witches do not operate alone, and meet regularly with fellow witches, from the same or nearby communities. These gatherings are not always much like the outlandish romps envisaged by fantasists; they are quiet, forbidding affairs, often with a great deal of diligent chanting, oath-swearing and magicworking needed to achieve any results. Worshippers of Ecate and Khaine, however, do resort to far more debauched and wild excesses than others. And what all witches do is far more subtle and disturbing than popular imagination could even conceive. A witches'coven - typically numbering between two and ten individuals; any more would make discovery likely - is really little more than a chaos cult, which meets to invoke the favour of their dark master. They know that indulging in overt magic or drawing attention to their meeting would be extremely dangerous; real coven meetings more often take place in secluded, sheltered areas, and protection is nearly always used (both magical and otherwise). In fact, urban covens, where all the witches live in the same town, normally meet exactly where no-one would ever expect: under the very noses of the authorities, in an attic or a cellar or a deserted workshop. Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

18

Sabbats also take place at certain times. These occasions involve several covens coming together at the same time to engage in collective devotion to the dark gods; there are particular nights of the year, linked to the lunar cycle and beliefs about magic, which are held to be particularly auspicious for witches. Surprisingly, the public and the genuine witches generally seem to be in agreement on this fact; sabbats are said to take place mostly on le Jour des Sorcieres at New Year and on le Jour des Mysteres in the summer. Those who meet at a sabbat represent a larger, slightly more organised cult, which usually recognises a leader of some sort. It is up to this leader to direct the others in worship and to issue general commands. Sabbats are slightly closer to the popular image than might be expected. Dancing - sometimes in the nude - and chanting are common, and sacrifices must be made; when chaos entities appear, they may well engage in sexual activities with the witches present (it is said that pretty maidens are taken from the front, whilst crones are taken from behind so as not to offend the daemons with their ugliness). However, sabbats are very rare and always extremely carefully guarded. Also, the place where they meet is nearly always changed every year, with those meant to attend only being told shortly before they must make their journey. Those few who have learnt of the genuine witches in Bretonnia speculate on the number of sabbats, and believe that there may be perhaps half a dozen; some say there may even be some sort of vague provincial organisation, based either on ancient, long-forgotten boundaries or on some insidious plan to infiltrate and bring down civilisation. It is only the witches themselves, however, who may hold the key to this debate, and the small number that do fall into the clutches of the witchhunters are rarely forthcoming. Not only evil, chaotic witches hold sabbats and form covens. Since women and peasants getting involved with magic in any way are looked on with extreme suspicion, it is not surprising that those who do so are forced to meet in secret. Those who have picked up knowledge of herbalism and a little magic from ancient tradition discuss their knowledge in secret. Similarly, rural worshippers of Taal, Rhya and the Old Faith, who have followed their gods with strange rites for longer than there has been a Kingdom of Bretonnia, hold secret meetings at places of especial significance for their faith, such as stone circles, blessed groves and faery pools. Their moonlit gatherings, marked by chanting in forgotten tongues, veneration of skulls and trees and dressing in masks, are easily mistaken for chaos worship by witch hunters and commoners alike. Great celebrations are held at the equinox of each season, which look worryingly like sabbats to the untrained eye. Even fully-fledged druids and clerics of Taal are sometimes burnt at the stake for witchcraft.

' For the vain price of four and twenty years…' Contracts with the chaos gods are believed to be vital in granting witches their supernatural powers. When they first devote themselves to a life of evil and cruelty, it is claimed, witches sign pacts with their infernal masters stipulating the conditions under which they will serve. Often these are imagined written in the most outlandish of BRETONNIA–PROJECT

ways: they might be written on cured human flesh, in virgin’s blood, in ancient and forgotten tongues, or backwards. Finding a witch’s pact with the chaos gods is rare, but if one is found then even the most hardened and merciful of observers are forced to accept the suspect’s guilt. As might be expected, though, forged pacts are far from unknown, but convincing ones are very hard to fake, and are only produced in trials directed by the wealthy against particularly detested foes. Unless, that is, a real witch is involved. Chillingly, this belief is based on fact. Most witches, who usually function as part of a chaotic cult, do indeed sign some sort of pact detailing their arrangement with the chaos gods. These are powerful documents, and it is said that destroying or ripping one causes a witch to go blind (one or two cases are on record to prove this). Consequently, they are very well hidden by their owners; many are buried or placed in equally inaccessible places such as at the bottom of wells or in tombs. The text of an apparently genuine contract discovered during the trial of Jehenne de Brigue, verified as such by a revered cleric and no less than three wizards, is given below. The first part, written in a hand more commonly found in texts worm-eaten with age and shunned by rightthinking men, is in the Dark Tongue; the second part was apparently written by Jehenne herself, and is marked at the end with her blood and with another, unidentified substance thought to be the ’mark’ of the document’s other signatory.

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ook II - Archaic Bretonnia

19

Maleficia ' Maleficium'is the name applied to the evil magical acts perpetrated by witches. Aside from the summoning and binding of daemons, most Maleficia cited on the part of witches are more peasant in character. Typical examples include making milk go sour, damaging crops, causing poor weather, inflicting minor curses such as warts and killing animals. Witches are also accused of creating potions from herbs and other substances, which can be used to further the witch' s ends or to be given to favoured disciples; love potions used to seduce recalcitrant men are the most common brew witches are accused of producing. Many of the witnesses called during witch trials will give apparent ' evidence'of Maleficia (' My whole herd stopped giving milk after she looked at them! Well, three of ‘em at least' ). True witches do make frequent use of evil magic, but are far more insidious and imaginative than the witches of popular legend. They do not focus on crops and cows, and if they do so the effects are far more subtle and long-term. Rather, they use their spells and daemonic blessings to further the interests of the chaotic gods, sowing the seeds of fear and dissent amongst others. Some do not even go this far, and use magic only for self-defence and personal gratification. As for the potions and lotions, a great many elderly women in rural communities do know how to use herbs and traditional remedies to prepare medicines and perhaps one or two so-called potions. The vast majority of these, however, do not use any magic; on the contrary, they are often highly valued, being just as effective as the remedies purveyed by apothecaries and physicians at exorbitant prices. However, the brewing of any potion or herbal remedy can be seized upon by anybody as evidence of witchcraft.

Adventure ideas

CAMPAIGN IDEA: La Chambre Ardente It all began as an apparently rather innocuous investigation ordered quietly by King Charles III de la Tete d' Or. Rumours had been picked up by his agents that BRETONNIA–PROJECT

an international ring was supplying aristocrats at the Oisillon Palace with poisons and potions, which it was thought were being used to kill off unwanted husbands, wives and political enemies. Initial inquiries led to a certain Marie Bosse in a large Guisoreux town house, who worked as fortune-teller and seer for the great and the good; many of her clients were nobles up from the Palace. She was caught in a covert operation, tricked by a planted ' client' into revealing the real nature of her services: poisons of many deadly types were offered, the ingredients of some of which were enough to condemn Bosse as a witch. She was arrested, together with a beautiful high-class courtesan lodging with her known simply as ' La Dame Vigoreuse'(she never revealed her real name; many claimed she was the illegitimate daughter of an aristocrat, escaped from a nunnery, but did not know the identity of her parents). Whilst the King' s investigators could already be proud of themselves, it was at this point that the famously merciless witch-hunter Nicholas de la Reynie got involved. He had been conducting research of his own that linked Bosse and La Dame Vigoreuse to far more than the sale of a few poisons, reading Tarot cards and the seduction of aristocrats. He found, on further investigation, a secret shrine hidden in abandoned cellars beneath Bosse' s town house, devoted to Slaanesh, the god of depraved pleasure. Most worrying of all, many of her noble clients had partaken in lewd rituals there according to Bosse' s own testimony and certain papers found at her house and elsewhere. Incriminating ' objects'- including whips, knives, bloodied clothes and damning documents were found in the blasphemous shrine and swiftly spirited away to the securest dungeons in Guisoreux. Fearing a scandal, the King took Reynie into his confidence and (fortunately in one of his more rational moods at the time) had a private interview with the witchhunter. A crisis of dangerous proportions threatened to rack the heart of Bretonnia; transcripts of confessions from Marie Bosse and La Dame Vigoreuse, extracted without torture, implicated several hundred aristocrats in the poisoner-cultist circle with which Bosse was involved, amongst them some of the most illustrious names in the land. The only name ever given to this great cult was ' L' Ecole de la Nuit' ; the School of Night. Reynie was placed in charge of an exceptional institution: ' La Chambre Ardente' , the Burning Room, named as such for the hundreds of candles used to light it. The witch-hunter himself was one of the leading members of the body which sat in judgement of those brought to the Chambre Ardente, and alongside him were some of the most noted scholars, wizards, witch-hunters and lawyers in the land, assembled by the King to cleanse his court of witchcraft and destroy the School of Night. The Chambre' s existence was top secret, and its orders were carried out by the King' s Musketeers, who were under unprecedented orders simply to obey and ask no questions. Clearly the task facing the Chambre Ardente, even with the unlimited support granted by a terrified King, was enormous; nearly all of those named by Bosse and La Dame Vigoreuse were indeed involved with witchcraft to some degree, knowingly or unknowingly. What was to be done to those accused was a delicate question: to have tortured everyone implicated would Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

20

have soon brought the affair into the open, whilst to have executed even half of those named would have constituted an unacceptable holocaust which could never be explained to the shocked survivors, even less to a raging populace. The affair of the Chambre Ardente was indeed one of the gravest threats to strike the Bretonnian court, though the only alternative - the School of Night - could have been incalculably worse. How the Chambre Ardente and the School of Night are slotted into the game is up to you. It would be quite possible to have the players as the initial investigators employed by the King to track down Marie Bosse via one or two vague hints left by a few murdered aristocrats. They could then move on, either working with, against or replacing Nicholas de la Reynie in revealing the shrine in Bosse' s house and tracking down a few other initial suspects. After this, the players could become part of the Chambre Ardente themselves, uncovering, questioning and possibly bringing to justice some of the most important individuals named. The challenge of keeping all of this invisible to the rest of the nobles at the Oisillon Palace and to the public should make everything even more tricky. How the whole Chambre Ardente affair winds up is left open: perhaps the conspiracy is simply too large, and the King reluctantly dissolves the Chambre, ' liquidating'anyone with knowledge of it? Would the individuals involved with the Chambre decide to turn a blind eye to the rot that permeates the court, or else would they pursue a clandestine campaign against the corrupt nobles? Maybe the Chambre could become tyrannical, or even infiltrated by those it wishes to prosecute? What are the credentials of Nicholas de la Reynie and the other members; can they be entirely trusted? Could the Chambre could even discover who is the devious master of the School of Night (undoubtedly a major personality at court), capture them and put an end to the whole sordid business? Whichever eventuality you choose to go with, the Chambre Ardente could easily be worked into a very substantial campaign.

’Get thee to a nunnery!’ The many nunneries across Bretonnia have acquired a reputation for corruption and licentiousness. Perhaps this is because so many who retreat to the cloister do so merely because they are the unwanted daughters of noble families, superfluous and unnecessary after their father decides no more dowries can be paid and elder daughters have forged enough alliances. Others are ' fallen women' , young aristocrats who have become pregnant after an illadvised flirtation; or the illegitimate daughters of wealthy and prominent men. Whatever their origins, the nuns of Bretonnia are often simply shut off from the world and men just as they reach sexual maturity. Many are forced by boredom and frustration to turn to forbidden activities in the dark and silent corridors of Bretonnia' s nunneries, merely in the hope of escape, diversion or attracting men to their plight. Possession, sexual license and worship of evil gods are frequently alleged, and witch-hunters are becoming ever more frequent visitors to Bretonnia' s nunneries. La Barroche is a large nunnery dedicated to Shallya and Sainte Isabelle the Chaste located more or less BRETONNIA–PROJECT

midway between Oiseau and Guisoreux in a secluded area of down-to-earth farmers. It is home to many young women condemned for the reasons given above. A shaded carriage arrives nearly every week to deliver a new member to the congregation, which is ruled over by the formidable Sister Udinot. Until recently, La Barroche was a discreet semi-secret amongst the nobles at the Oisillon Palace and in Guisoreux, but a few shocking discoveries have drawn undesired attention to Sister Udinot' s community. At first it was just a cruelly slaughtered lamb, but shortly after rumours spread of children going missing from the nearby villages. In desperation, the local peasants assembled outside the nunnery crying for an explanation. Sister Udinot told them firmly that she would take steps to find out who was responsible, and affirmed that the sisters of La Barroche had nothing to do with it. Although Sister Udinot did organise a search (she is either deceived or blinkered to the events at La Barroche), nothing was ever found. Only three days later another incident brought damning evidence against La Barroche: one sister, identified as Macette Ruilly (illegitimate daughter of the Baron de l' Equenne), was found dead, her throat cut, lying naked in a grove close to the nunnery, surrounded by crude but unnerving symbold daubed onto the trees. Immediately cries of witchcraft were raised, and it is at this point that the players become involved. Sister Udinot wants them to come and go as soon as possible and with as little fuss as possible; she is keen to maintain the reputation of La Barroche and does not want to jeopardise the hefty ' donations'received when new nuns are sent. Within the nunnery, there are in fact two groups of nuns devoted to dark arts: one is a cult dedicated to the worship of Ecate (of which Sister Ruilly was a member); the other is a smaller group devoted to Tzeentch, the Lord of Change. The latter coven was responsible for slaying Ruilly, for they had discovered that their rivals were attempting to invoke a ritual granting them immense power (which they feared would be used against them). Tensions are running high in La Barroche. Not only are there these two cults opposed to each other, but the more innocent mass of sisters may not prove so innocent in the company of any male player characters.

A Cry for Help As the players travel through a provincial town, they are approached by an anxious-looking man. He identifies himself as the agent of the Viscomte Mervilliers, a local magnate. The Viscomte' s beloved daughter Desle has been accused of witchcraft and, according to Mervilliers' representative, is innocent of any such monstrous crime; he claims she has been targeted by the Viscomte' s enemies on the council of the local town in which the players are currently staying. There certainly is a dispute between the two, for the council wishes to gain greater jurisdiction over its own affairs, and hopes to quietly arrange some sort of deal while the Viscomte worries over the fate of his daughter. Desle is a fairly plain but intelligent and persuasive young woman, the only surviving relative of her father, who has put all his affections and hopes into her. It was her high level of Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

21

education that stirred initial suspicion amongst the local peasants (who see a woman' s place as most definitely in the kitchen), which the council picked up on and decided to turn to its advantage. Antoine Anjeux, an eager young witch-hunter out to make a name for himself, has signed a contract with the council, ostensibly to cleanse the town of witches, but by a secret verbal arrangement to charge Desle Mervilliers with witchcraft. A substantial sum has already been given to him; the rest of his payment is to come after the Viscomte has surrendered some of his powers. The players will be hired by the Viscomte de Mervilliers. Usually renowned as a tough, uncompromising man, he is currently in a state of shock, trembling and weeping with fear for his daughter. He is ready to promise almost anything if she can be proved innocent or somehow brought to safety, but has not yet heard anything of the town council' s plan. To try and do this, the players can try anything they like. They might attempt to legally prove Dehl' s innocence; more actionminded groups may simply go for a jail break and a quick get away. The best plan is to bring proof of the deal between Anjeux and the council to light, though to do so may well be dangerous. After all, Anjeux would be just as happy to add the players to his tally of victims and will pursue them with the full force of the law.

Something wicked this way comes The cities situated on the western coastline of Bretonnia, especially blighted Moussillon, are the stomping ground of wild-eyed avengers who call themselves ' Libertas ab Tenebris' . Their diligent work is undoubtedly beneficial in the area of Moussillon, where just about everyone has some sordid secret they ought to die for. But elsewhere the trouble they cause through indiscriminate slaughter in the name of religion makes for serious trouble with the locals. Bordeleaux is suffering from an unusually tense situation at the moment thanks to one of these zealots; a situation which the players could find themselves dragged into or hired to resolve. Over the past two months, 14 women (and 5 men) have been found dead in the narrow back streets of the harbour area. Normally the watch takes little note of the deaths of whores and thieves, but all the bodies were found mutilated in a disconcerting and bloody way; all had had their throats cut almost to the spine, 11 had had a pentagram cut into the chest, and the hearts of the other eight had been removed. Moreover, one or two of the victims were respectable and even wealthy, such as old Madame Lesous, widow of a rich merchant. The watch was at a loss to explain the killings, and could do little more than send even more patrols into the shadowy streets around the waterfront. Now events have taken a turn for the worse. First, 10 days ago, Caehlin Perrithir - a Sea Elf merchant living in the small colony at Bordeleaux, which is sited close to the harbour area where the other human victims were all found - was discovered killed in exactly the same way as the 11 humans; cut through the throat and with a pentagram etched onto his chest. The Elves were aghast at this murder of one of their own, but at first simply put it down to the violence and ignorant that had to be expected BRETONNIA–PROJECT

from humans - and Caehlin was always regarded as a bit of a loner anyway. However, three days later the quiet, picturesque Elven colony was awoken in the dead of night by the anguished screams of a second murdered Elf. Eann Freingond was not just a trader like Caehlin, but a highly educated High Elf from Ulthuan, who had come to Bordeleaux, he claimed, to conduct research into the ancient Elven empire. It is feared by the governor that his death could have serious repercussions for relations between the Elves and Bretonnia. Since then, two more humans have died - one a Marienburger with a removed heart, the other an elderly local woman with a pentagram on her chest - and three copies of a mysterious letter have been sent to the captain of the watch, the governor of Bordeleaux and the chief magistrate of the Sea Elf colony. Alarm bells are ringing all over the city. The watch and the governor are clamouring for decisive action, and the Elves are on the point of leaving the city in outrage. In this divisive letter, signed by ' a defender of truth and purity' , the writer claims to have discovered damning evidence of a cult of Khaine led by the Elves (some of whom, including the late Caehlin Perrithir and Eann Freingond, are Dark Elves seeking to spread their insidious presence into the Old World) and numbering many corrupt humans, too. According to the writer of letter, it is this cult which is removing people' s hearts. He (or she?) only ' cleanses' victims with the pentagram to save their souls. Is the letter genuine, and can its statements be proved? Could a meeting be arranged with the ' defender of truth and purity' ? How many members of the cult of Khaine survive? Should investigators seek the cult alleged to exist, or try and track down the anonymous ' defender' ? And if they were to go after the vigilante, who would deal with the worshippers of murder? But perhaps the most immediate question is what the cultists, if cultists they be, are going to do with the nine hearts they’ve got in their possession… 2

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

22

A*"2R-2-2A*"D%2-2 \--2

By Rory Naismith ’A seeker of the truth must needs be true of heart and firm of resolution. For the servants of darkness are many, and the powers which are granted to them by their daemonic masters are great indeed. They will not hesitate to lie, kill and blaspheme. For this reason, it is needful that every body and soul be watched and suspected. None can say how the evil ones manifest themselves in their attempts to lead us astray from the path of righteousness. Not a single breathing, living creature must escape our vigilance.’ - taken from the ' Liber de Maleficiis'by Dominic Gordel According to the Bretonnians, witch-hunters are those charged with finding witches and bringing them to justice. This is seen as a vital and highly praiseworthy duty, and witchhunters can become almost rich and famous for sending lots of witches to the stake and making the public feel safer. But the issue is not usually so simple as that. Whilst the majority of common people are glad merely to be told that a witch has been caught and are keen to let populist witch-hunters do the telling (for a price), all too often the more cunning and dangerous real witches go unchallenged. There are some professional witch-hunters, however, who work against the very real threat that worshippers of Chaos and other dark gods present. Equally dedicated to the hunting of witches are the fanatical witch-hunters; zealous and bloody vigilantes who take it upon themselves to cleanse the kingdom.

Witch-Hunters in Bretonnia Witch-hunters are far from so common in Bretonnia as they are in the Empire, or as Inquisitors are in Estalia. Indeed, the whole witch-hunt phenomenon is less widespread in Bretonnia than it is elsewhere; it serves primarily as an occasional outlet for general discontent and fear amongst the masses. This means that real witches are often able to pursue their unspeakable practices undisturbed, giving further justification to the activities of witch-hunters; the kingdom is caught in a vicious circle. Bretonnian witch-hunters are a mixture of clerics and laymen, all of whom must display knowledge of witchcraft, either through knowledge of folklore or learning from scholarly works. To help aspiring witch hunters, the presses of Guisoreux and Parravon turn out many tomes giving long, self-aggrandising accounts of witch trials by famous witch-hunters, but there are also some worthy texts containing genuinely useful information. Many populist witch hunters are the younger BRETONNIA–PROJECT

sons of noble families, who have little but selfconfidence, arrogance, a taste for high living and a little education to show for their early pampering. They find the position of witch hunter exhilarating and profitable. However, there are others, more professional, who take their duty far more seriously, putting more care into picking out genuine witches and not relying so much on popular fear and unrest to get them a conviction. A small number are driven by deep-seated religious convictions which override all else. They are more vigilante than witch hunter, and kill without a second thought anyone they believe to be a witch or in some other way connected with evil. The authorities and other witch hunters work hard to downplay the gruesome escapades of these fanatical witch hunters. Most Bretonnian witch-hunters spend more of their time travelling, reading and writing than hurling fiery sermons at terrified peasants. After all, there is only so much ire and bile that can be directed at hapless old women before the mob loses interest. The populist, pleasure-seeking element of witch hunters also enjoys spending the high fees they charge for successfully hunting down witches. On the other hand, when the serious witch hunters do come to pursue a suspected witch after a long intermission, they are all the more determined to put all their energy and effort into the case, whoever the defendant may be and however flimsy the case. For any witch-hunter to have a suspect acquitted or found not guilty is seen as a sign of incompetence and stupidity; something they would never tolerate. They are not above corruption, and can find their professional opinion swayed by large amounts of money and a prudent word or two.

Publicity and Modus Operandi Populist Witch Hunters Generally, the aristocratic element, which gets involved for the money and excitement, revels in the publicity of huge public trials, surrounded by screaming peasants and comely maidens. The most successful ones - the ones who get the crowds most excited and find the most witches to heckle - become celebrities in their own right, treated with awe and respect by the lower classes and feted by the nobles and rich merchants. They work in the most public way possible, dressing in expensive, well-tailored black and white clothes so as to conform to the public' s ideal of a witch hunter. Most wear a plethora of religious emblems, which they brandish and wave about as if the forces of darkness were trying to sneak up behind them. In public, they talk loudly and make a lot of grandiose statements, backed up with a great deal of movement and hand gestures. All of this is very impressive for the peasants, who feel comforted in the presence of someone who so clearly ' knows his stuff'about witches. Money and fees are probably the greatest concern of populist witch hunters, and they demand substantial payment (as much as 50 gold pieces for the most famous and popular individuals) for every witch convicted. Nevertheless, since fear of witches is not confined to the lower classes, those with the money are glad to pay, Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

23

believing that by employing a witch hunter they are doing their bit for the community and ensuring favour with the gods. Populist witch hunters live a peripatetic life, going from one town to another, sometimes at the request of the local authorities who want to make use of their services. They tend not to work in the countryside unless being employed by a local lord. Not surprisingly, most enjoy a very comfortable and expensive lifestyle, although the ultimate goal is to save enough cash to buy their way into the nobility.

Professional Witch Hunters More ' serious'witch hunters only resort to witch trials conducted before a baying mob once all else has failed. To them, getting the right person is generally more important than getting paid. However, that is not to say that the right person is always one whom they ought to be punishing; even witch hunters who seek those they see as witches might in fact be targeting innocents, druids or others with no knowledge of black magic and Chaos, which are their greatest enemies. On the other hand, some very dedicated witch hunters of this kind see all uses of magic outside the regular, accepted clergy as witchcraft; wizards, druids and others find themselves actively hunted down. Learning and education are the primary weapons the professional witch hunters. All possess a great deal of knowledge about witchcraft, Chaos, Khaine and other occult matters. Most have been to university or undergone training at an important monastery. The majority of professional witch hunters are actually clerics, perhaps members of the religious orders that devote themselves to hunting witches. The order of Saint Antoine (see below) is the largest such group, but there are a few others based in Bretonnia' s major cities. Unlike the popular witch hunters, these dour professionals try not to arouse the emotions of the public, preferring to keep their minds pure and unsullied by darkness (it also makes them less likely to breathe extra colour into witness statements). In fact, they do not even try to attract attention to themselves, usually wearing simple and well-worn clothes to disguise their true purpose. They do not live the rich, luxurious lifestyle of other witch hunters, mainly because their fees are smaller and less frequently paid. Also, nobles and the various arms of local government do not accept them so readily as populist witch hunters, seeing them as at worst interfering and dangerous, at best dull, boring and pedantic. However, it is even more necessary for them to travel than it is for populist witch hunters, as they do not find it so simple to just pick an old woman out of the crowd and brand her a witch. Instead, they conduct careful investigations to try and discover those who might be witches; more often than not their suspicions are unfounded, and they must move on again.

Fanatical Witch Hunters A small number of witch hunters try and ensure their victims never even reach a trial; they latch on to suspects and execute them swiftly and with no chance to plead for mercy. They stalk the alleyways and darker corners of BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Bretonnian towns and cities with a dagger in one hand, a holy book in the other; nothing can shake these individuals' faith. But this element is small and marginalised; the authorities look on them as crazed vigilantes trying to overreach themselves, and offer hefty rewards for their capture. Even the peasants have very mixed feelings about them: most rightly fear and suspect these religious zealots, but the most pious secretly approve of and sometimes even help their work. Other witch hunters dislike these militants, too, for they tarnish the good relations they have with the public and the government. For the most part, this type of witch hunter is one who has a great deal of faith and (sometimes) a little education; young clerics, initiates, students and the sons of nobles and rich merchants fill their ranks. The villages in the region of Moussillon in particular are home to many such determined witch hunters, who have taken it upon themselves to prevent the spread of the blight that afflicts the city. They form a loose but feared and powerful brotherhood known as ' Libertas ab Tenebris' (Freedom from the Darkness), which has become a byword for merciless, draconian slaughter and rule through fear. The locals are perhaps as afraid of the avenging knives and swords of Libertas ab Tenebris than they are of the occasional supernatural horrors that emerge from Moussillon. According to the few rumours that come out of Moussillon, this group was formed some 25 years ago by a zealous witch-hunter called Dolimon Frejus, a wizard who decided to turn to witch-hunting after finding his twin brother, Mael, had devoted himself to daemonology. Whether Dolimon ever caught up with his brother is not known, nor is it certain whether he is still roving the forsaken slums surrounding Moussillon. One or two fanatics have chosen to spread the work of Libertas ab Tenebris to the other large cities of Bretonnia, most notably L' Anguille and Bordeleaux on the coast, which they see as equally full of sin and evil ready to spread into the rest of the kingdom.

Organisation There is no central authority regulating witch-hunters; anybody can call themselves a witch-hunter if they want to, but professional witch-hunters normally have some sort of support in their work. Clerics will receive funding and publicity from their cult organisation, which may direct them to suspected cases of witchcraft; some are members of orders particularly dedicated to the hunting and destruction of witches (the largest such order is that of Saint Antoine). Others might attach themselves to a noble, who supplies them with money in return for good publicity with those who attend the trials. It is not unknown for these noble patrons to use their witchhunters for political ends, having them gather ' evidence' against a particular enemy or to whip up popular anger against witches when the local lord wishes to raise taxes. Some witch-hunters have no regular patron, and work without income except what is taken from witches they discover (one result of being condemned for witchcraft is confiscation of all property; in many cases this part of the sentence is carried out prematurely by acquisitive Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

24

neighbours). Temporary contracts are also signed, with nobles, temples or town councils paying a witch-hunter to ' cleanse'their territory over a specified period. Often he will be ordered to root out a set number of witches to his employer' s satisfaction; if not enough real witches can be found - which is frequently the case - then he must fulfil his contract by other means, no questions asked. Professional witch hunters do request a contribution for each witch they discover, but nothing like the extravagant fees demanded by others. They live hard lives, often forced to seek food and shelter at shrines and temples through want of funds. Needless to say, the vigilantes of ' Libertas ab Tenebris'and the ilk would never even think of asking payment for their work; they see themselves as carrying out a crusade. They also consider themselves above the laws of this transitory world; stealing, breaking and entering and committing other crimes does not trouble fanatical witch hunters.

Witch Trials Witch trials only come about when a witch-hunter gets involved, for it is they alone who have the will and knowledge to conduct such a procedure correctly. Populist witch hunters are the ones which especially love large and public trials, and the trials detailed below are how they turn out under their direction. The witch-hunter will have either carried out his own investigations or (more usually) will have been informed that someone is a witch; rewards are offered for those who report on witches, and all denunciations are totally anonymous. He then apprehends the suspect and imprisons them before bringing the unfortunate out for the trial. If in a town, this will be conducted in a courthouse, temple, hall or sometimes in an open square. Rural trials take place either in the local temple or simply wherever an open space can be found. Witch trials are major events, and much of the local population will turn out to watch and listen, alternately jeering, screaming and gasping in horror at what is revealed. The suspect is bound traditionally with iron manacles - in front of the witchhunter, who conducts his ' prosecution' , listing and embellishing the ' facts'of the case to gain maximum reaction amongst the assembled crowd. Witnesses are called to back up the witch-hunter, and are always primed - and sometimes bribed - beforehand. Virtually no-one is prepared to challenge the word of the witch-hunter or any witnesses, partly through sheer enjoyment of the spectacle, and partly through fear of being challenged with charges of witchcraft themselves. It is helpful, though not essential, for the witch-hunter to obtain a confession from the suspect; they set the seal on anything the witch-hunter might say, giving a measure of justification. Confronted with the twin pressures of a fierce witch-hunter and a crazed mob, some submit instantly, agreeing to anything put to them in hope of ending the trial. Others are reticent, and stubbornly refuse to admit to the accusations laid against them. In this case, the witch-hunters either take no notice and go straight on to passing sentence (after all, they expect witches to try and deny their activities), or else tortures the suspect. All manner of tortures might be employed, and many witchBRETONNIA–PROJECT

hunters travel with a torturer or else make use of the facilities in local prisons or castle dungeons. See below for a list of tortures sometimes used in Bretonnia. Once the trial is done and (hopefully) a confession has been produced, the witch-hunter then either accepts the verdict of the assembled mob (which is nearly always a resounding ' guilty!' ) or, if the trial is taking place before local magistrates or juries, he turns to them for reckoning. Under Bretonnian law, it is technically up to these groups to judge all cases, even witchcraft, with the witch-hunter merely serving to bring in and prosecute the witches. However, in the face of a wild-eyed witch-hunter and an enraged crowd of citizens, there are few judges brave enough to declare anything other than a guilty verdict. In spite of this, there are a few enlightened councils and clerics who do dare to insist on firmer evidence than most witch-hunters provide, or even refuse to sanction the use of torture. Unfortunately, most such radical demands are made when the suspect is wealthy or aristocratic; the authorities may have already received a hefty bribe, or else expect to get one after the trial. For those found guilty of witchcraft, the sentence is invariably harsh. Death is by far the most common punishment meted out; burning, drowning, hanging and beheading are all used in various regions of Bretonnia. More often than not the execution is carried out in public, to the delight of assembled spectators. On rare occasions, wealthy witches might escape the death sentence, but only in return for a forfeit of all lands and titles, arranged surreptitiously with the witch-hunter or the local legal authorities. Known wizards who are found guilty of witchcraft (that is, of using black magic or of using magic to harm others and commit crimes) may either be executed or else sent to Guisoreux to have the Iron Brand applied. Said to have been crafted ages past by St Marc in order to defeat the fabled sorcerer Duc de Brisolles, anyone who is marked with the Iron Brand is permanently deprived of all magical powers. It is kept in a deep and highly-guarded dungeon in Guisoreux, and prisoners are sent under close escort from all over the kingdom. The loss of magical power - that which defines a wizard' s very existence - is a shameful and debilitating punishment for most magicians. Professional witch hunters’ trials take place in private (often in a temple), usually without the public even knowing what is going on. This is because more often than not the individual on trial is more than likely a genuine witch; there would undoubtedly be a panic if such knowledge were to be made public. The magistrates regulating these trials are either clerics or highly respected lawyers, officials and professionals who can bring their skills and wisdom to bear on the case. In fact, it is far from unknown for them to actually find the defendant innocent if the witch hunter’s case is not convincing enough.

Other Creatures Although witches are the most common victims of witch hunters, that is not to say they are alone. Professional and fanatical witch hunters see themselves as general preservers of the religious and spiritual equilibrium, in the Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

25

same way as the king and his government are supposed to keep order in secular life. For this reason, all threats of this kind are dealt with. Vampires, evil wizards, lycanthropes, ghosts, the undead and incursions of Chaos might all be tackled by devoted witch hunters, but most still see witches as their primary enemy, not least because they are (or are at least thought to be) far more numerous than these other dangers. Also, it doesn' t take that much hunting, usually, to deal with many of these horrors, which present a far greater prospect of swift and painful death; many witch hunters, even professionals and some fanatics, are quite happy to stick to witches and call in someone else when they come against anything different. If they find themselves going up against enemies with physical as well as magical or spiritual powers, then witch hunters are not averse to calling on the public, the king and the nobility to help them. Whether these individuals have the guts or not to face such dangers is another question; witch hunters may assemble a crowd eager to save their home from some occult peril, but there are far fewer ready to confront that peril in person (as the unfortunate witch hunter may find to his cost when things start to look bad). Populist witch hunters, although they might sometimes throw in an accusation of vampirism or consorting with the dead to keep their trials fresh and entertaining, will normally blanch at the thought of tackling anything really dangerous. At best they will hand the case over to a professional witch hunter (very quietly, with a good excuse, so as not to ruin their reputation) and get out of town; at worst they will just get out of town and try to forget they ever saw anything.

The Order of Saint Antoine The order of Saint Antoine is the largest, oldest and most powerful clerical order dedicated to hunting witches. It is made up of priests of Verena (and a few of Morr, Myrmidia, Ulric and Shallya) who are empowered by special royal order to hunt down witches and other supernatural menaces to the kingdom. St Antoine was a priest of Verena who lived in the 17th century and was famous for his erudition and determination to rid the land of witches. After moving to the great city of Couronne, Antoine attracted far more fame and support, receiving requests to travel all over Bretonnia to help combat witches. The King at the time, Bernard II le Pieux, was famous for his religious conviction, and gave a great deal of support to Antoine. Eventually he went so far as to grant the cleric special powers allowing Antoine to travel anywhere in the kingdom to hunt witches with full royal support. On Antoine' s death, Bernard again assisted in effecting the cleric' s final request: that an order of like-minded priests be set up to carry on his work. Ever since, the order of Saint Antoine, with monetary help from the king, the Cardinal of Verena and from other generous patrons, has continued to hunt witches. Although the order has shrunk somewhat in the last few decades, it remains free from corruption, as only those clerics truly committed to its cause choose to join nowadays. When conducting their duty, members of the order work closely with local BRETONNIA–PROJECT

temples and judicial authorities, which usually support them thanks to the reputation the order enjoys across the land; clerics in particular see the order of Saint Antoine as a force to be obeyed and respected, partly because it is well known that the head of the order has the ear of the Cardinal of Verena. On a few occasions, foreign rulers in Estalia, Tilea, the Border Princes and the Empire have asked for members of the order of Saint Antoine to aid them. There is actually a small Tilean branch of the order of Saint Antoine active in the south-western Empire. The temple to Verena dedicated to Saint Antoine in Couronne is the headquarters of the order, which maintains a few temples, shrines and other facilities (including, it is rumoured, torture chambers) in the largest cities of Bretonnia. Its current head is Martin d' Arromanches, a venerable but tough and clever priest of Verena. Members are supported by pensions given from the order' s funds, although these are not large; donations to the order have also fallen in recent times. Nevertheless, the order of Saint Antoine is still very widely respected and does sterling work in protecting the spirits of all Bretonnians.

Bretonnian Witch-Hunters and Game Rules As you might expect from reading the above, Bretonnian witch hunters are a little different to the witch hunter detailed in the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay rulebook. The Witch Hunter advanced career is essentially for a far more militant Imperial-style witch hunter who relies mainly on force of arms and unswerving determination to do his job. This career would, however, work very well for a fanatical witch hunter in Bretonnia; someone driven to kill without compunction and pusuing a personal crusade against witches. They would certainly have need of the weapons skills here, although the GM may decide not to let them have access to the Public Speaking skill; after all, they don’ t get many opportunities to address the crowds. Also, entry to this career should work differently; it would take some very profound experience, or the encouragement of a current witch hunter, to get someone to turn to this career. Turning aside after adopting this path would be very hard indeed. As such, the career entry rules should be more flexible. Professional witch hunters would probably not actually follow the ‘witch hunter’ career as it is listed in the rulebook. Rather, witch-hunter would be a title they ascribe to themselves that describes what they do, not just what they are; most would actually be Scholars, Lawyers, Clerics, Wizards or possibly Templars. All should also have access to skills representing knowledge of witchcraft, such as History, Identify Magical Artifact, Magical Awareness and Secret Language – Classical; really learned witch hunters may even know Arcane Language – Demonic or Speak Additional Language – Dark Tongue. In addition to these skills, which could be acquired by spending time in study or working with another witch hunter, a professional witch hunter should have access to all normal skills and trappings from their regular career. Populist witch hunters would most definitely not follow the Witch Hunter advanced career. Most would be Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

26

Demagogues, or at least Agitators, representing their rabble-rousing nature. In addition to their normal trappings, they would also have a set of sombre black clothes (this is how the public thinks witch hunters ought to dress) and one or more hefty tomes on witchcraft (which are used more for show than anything else, to be dramatically consulted or quoted from at the climax of a trial).

D2-2\--2

’Can I truly be called a man now? I have screamed my heart and soul out, I have lain bare my innermost fears and hopes for the perusal of villeins. Before I came to this place, I was the favourite of my lovers for my skill at music. Now I shall be fortunate if I can take my beauty by the hand ever again without crying out…I hope you are satisfied, my friend.' - Le Comte de Louanges, after being tortured for treason Those being tried for witchcraft and other serious crimes such as treason, murder, theft, and rape are often threatened with torture. Generally the rich are exempt from torture, whilst the poorest members of society might go through agony just for stealing a loaf of bread. Bretonnia is at least imaginative if not always consistent or efficient when it comes to torture; many different types of are used, some far more violent, cruel and bloody than others. The severity of torture is not always what might be expected; one suspected witch might simply be treated with thumbscrews or the rack, whilst another criminal may be unfortunate enough to be subjected to Strappado. Some are not tortured at all. In general, however, the very worst tortures - Squassation, the Thousand Cuts and the Iron Maiden - are rare and reserved for the most serious crimes; traitors, genuine witches and worse. Throughout every application of torture, the victim is constantly asked to confess to their crimes or to reveal what the torturer wants to know, sometimes with soft and sweet murmurings, at other times with curses, screams and physical blows.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Most judicial authorities in Bretonnia have access to torture facilities in their prison or in the local lord’s dungeon; large towns also possess private, semi-legal torture chambers where - for a price - the most excruciating methods can be used to elicit information from victims. Some of the methods of torture used in Bretonnia are detailed below. In game terms, every time a person is subjected to torture, they should make a Will Power test, with modifiers either for the severity of the torture or for the number of times it has been applied. Generally, each application of torture after the first in the same session will carry a cumulative -10% modifier; especially severe tortures such as the Thousand Cuts, Squassation or the Iron Maiden will also carry an additional modifier to Will Power of -10% or more. Thus, the first application of normal torture is made with no modification to Will Power, but the second application causes a -10% penalty, and the third -20%. More serious torture would have an initial -10% modifier, rising to -20% on the second application and so on. If any test is failed, then the subject confesses to whatever the torturer wants them to, whether the confession is genuine or not. Note that torture need not necessarily cause many wounds; its object is to cause maximum pain, not always crippling injury. In fact, obvious evidence of excessive torture is sometimes enough to swing the authorities in the opposite direction, since a public outcry would result otherwise. The Thumbscrews and the Rack inflict one wound for the first use, about one Wound for every two times it is applied after the first, or for every two levels the severity is increased. For instance, a witch who is first put on the Rack and refuses to confess suffers one Wound; assuming she holds her tongue, no Wound is suffered the second time the Rack is tightened, but another Wound would be suffered the next (third) time. On the other hand, Squassation, Strappado and the Iron Maiden would be very dangerous, causing at least D3+3 wounds per use, or as much as D6+4 for Squassation. In addition, every time torture is applied deduct one from the victim’s Toughness. When this characteristic reaches zero, they pass out and, if left without proper medical care, may well die after suffering some of the more severe tortures. Thumb-screws (or Gresillons): a vice is used to crush the victim’s thumbs. This is a very common torture for witches in Bretonnia, as it leaves few marks for people to use to challenge the witch-hunter’s methods. Strappado: a torture imported from Tilea, in which the victim’s hands are tied behind their back and fitted to a hoist. This is then used to lift the unfortunate subject up, so that eventually their arms and shoulders are dislocated. Weights might be attached to the limbs to increase the agony. Squassation: a particularly savage Bretonnian adaptation of the above. After being raised above the ground, their shoulders already dislocated and heavy weights attached to their limbs, the hoist is suddenly slackened so that they drop several feet before the rope is tightened again. Those put through squassation can have every bone in their body dislocated or broken; sometimes their arms are actually Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

27

pulled out. Few survive more than one or two applications, and those who do are ready to confess to anything…if they' re still conscious. In one famous case of a genuine witch - eventually burnt at the stake Margherite Dolcine endured no less than nine applications of Squassation, merely laughing each time the dumbfounded and increasingly frightened torturers put her through it. Pricking: based on the idea that all witches have a ' cold' mark somewhere on their body where the dark gods have applied their blessing. The suspect is stripped and shaved all over - often in public - then pricked hundreds of times with a pin or small knife to try and find their ' witches' mark' . Pain and blood loss force many into a premature confession; few if any victims actually have a ' witches' mark' . The rack: the victim is attached by their wrists and ankles to a pulley which is gradually tightened. Estalian Boots: as the name suggests, this torture came originally from Estalia. The victim' s feet are enclosed in two ' boots' : vices which enclose the legs, sometimes just four pieces of wood bound tightly together. These are then either tightened by hand, or else wedges are hammered in, shattering bone and crushing flesh. Thrawing: the victim has one or more ropes tied round their neck, by which they are jerked violently about. This can be far more dangerous and painful than it sounds, especially with burly torturers and stone cells involved. Water torture: this painful but complex torture involves forcing a flexible pipe attached to a large barrel of water into the subject' s mouth and throat, forcing them to drink constantly even as the pipe is forced down their gullet into the stomach. When it reaches the stomach, the pipe is sharply withdrawn - often causing internal injuries, occasional disembowling and always immense pain - and the process begins again if the victim still refuses to confess. The Thousand Cuts: a rare and especially barbaric torture in which the victim is tied naked to a stake and the torturer cuts off fingers, ears and lumps of flesh until they confess. Pincers: red hot pincers are used to burn and tear pieces of skin from the victim. The Flaming Agony: the victim' s feet or hands are placed in lead or leather boxes, which are then filled either with boiling water or fat, or with molten metal. The Iron Maiden: thought to be an Imperial import, this rare, bloody and usually fatal torture requires a specially prepared box shaped like an upright coffin (often with a beautiful maiden carved on the lid, hence the name). Once the victim is placed in the coffin, a lid fitted with long spikes is closed over them so that the spikes pierce their flesh. They might then be left in the iron maiden, bleeding and suffering ever greater agony until either the coffin is opened or the subject expires.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Ordeals Ordeals are another common form of trying a witch, usually resorted to in the absence of a witch-hunter. They are based on the ancient lore of peasant society, and as can be seen they do have a great deal of rationality behind them. Even so, the placebo effect is a documented fact (even in Bretonnia), and it is possible that calling on the help of good, lawful deities can impart some genuine power to these superstitions. The basic concept of trial by ordeal is to put the suspected witch through some sort of test to prove whether or not she (or he) is a witch. These revered customs can be carried out even by the most simple of peasants, who relish the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary or to get themselves back on a hated member of the community. Typical ordeals include Swimming: This involves throwing the witch into the nearest well, pond or stream to see if she floats. Those who float are witches; those who sink are innocent but often drown anyway as few spectators have either the will or the initiative to drag them out. Ordeal by fire: This ordeal requires the suspect grasping a heated iron bar and carrying it twenty paces. If the subsequent burn, after being bound for a week, has healed then the suspect is a witch; if it festers then they are innocent. Ordeal by faith: In this trial, the ' witch'is called upon to recite a certain Classical catechism against dark magic, which they are allowed to hear once before having to repeat it back. If the suspect makes the slightest error in pronunciation or pauses significantly then they are guilty. Many villages will entrust their eldest male resident with learning this catechism, which is known as ' La preuve des fees' . A rough translation of it would be: ’Undone be ye legions of darkness, and begone from this place. May our hearts be bold and let our words be true, and may ye trouble us no more’. Waking and walking: This trial is particularly favoured by more ' lenient'authorities, since it is far less cruel and messy than other trials and tortures. Basically, the witch is deprived of sleep. They are placed into a perpetually lit room, covered so no difference can be told between night and day, and left bound up with guards in constant attendance. Whenever the suspect looks to be going off to sleep, the guards (who are rotated so as not to allow any slackening) shake them into wakefulness and douse them with cold water. Few can sustain this trial for longer than a few days, and are then ready to confess to anything before at last being allowed to rest in peace.

Book II - Archaic Bretonnia

28

%RRN,,, 2 2

1RELOLW\2LVLOORQ BRETONNIA–PROJECT

D"2I-!2N.2

By Rory Naismith

The power of the nobility he political power of Bretonnia is concentrated in the hands of the nobility; a large body of often decadent aristocrats who dominate the landscape of the kingdom. Virtually the entire country is under the rule of one noble or another, excepting some of the towns and a few regions under clerical jurisdiction. Aristocratic power in Bretonnia derives from one thing: land. Those who own the land have the power, and since it is the nobility who still hold most of the land, they constitute the most important group in the land. At the time of the first conquest and settlement of Bretonnia some 1500 years ago, the kings needed to establish their authority by placing great warriors and magnates in charge of their newly-won territories. These rulers had to be tough and self-reliant in order to protect the peasantry from the many enemies that still stalked the darker corners of the land. The lower orders, both peasants and other nobles, swore binding oaths of allegiance and service to their local lord in return for his protection; from this custom arose the feudal system and, ultimately, modern patronage. At first, these regional rulers held their power directly from the King, but over the years titles and holdings became hereditary and, eventually, more or less independent of royal influence. For a long time (from about 1300 years ago to around 300 years ago) the regional nobility ruled unchallenged in their domains, with many great modern clans such as the De Semblancy rising to prominence in this period. Starting about the year 2100 IC, however, the crown began to win back much of its power in the provinces, using persuasion and intrigue as much as cold steel to win dominion over recalcitrant Comtes and Ducs. The slow process of rebuilding royal power is far from complete, with the nobility still being extremely wealthy and important; at times they are still perfectly willing to act against the crown, though such open disobedience is rare. In general, Charles III de la Tête d'Or has far greater power over his lands and nobility than, for example, the Emperor does over the Empire, and can normally count upon the nobles to rally to his cause, if only in the hope of gaining royal favour. It is through the nobles that Charles is able to summon armies and collect some of his taxes from the provinces; there, the power of the King is not yet firm enough to bypass their ancient privileges. There are over a thousand noble families in Bretonnia, ranging enormously in wealth and power from almost impoverished knights desperately clinging on to their decayed estates, up to the lavish and opulent magnates, leaders of the greatest families in the land such as the De Semblancy and the Capucinet. In between lie many BRETONNIA–PROJECT

different grades of nobility, regulated by the titles of Duc, Comte, Viscomte and similar, giving a general idea of an aristocrat's standing. Just to make the situation even more complicated, many of the greater nobles hold more than one title and estate; some of the most important might hold up to a dozen titles, and will dish them out to relatives as favours. The upper echelons of the clergy are also under noble dominion, and it is common for younger noble sons to go into one of the various priesthoods whilst the heir inherits control of the ancestral lands; in this way huge power blocs spanning spiritual and worldly spheres of interest are forged by acquisitive households. The Cardinals, in particular, are nearly always of noble parentage; their concerns are all too often more political than theological, but only they can command enough money and support to be able to win 'election' into these influential posts. Perhaps the most successful example of this upstanding tradition is Henri Armagnac Dumourieux, Cardinal of the cult of Shallya, Prime Minister and currently the most powerful man in Bretonnia after the King.

Organisation of the nobility Patronage: Patronage is no new concept amongst the Bretonnian nobility; it has been in existence in one form or another for at least 1500 years, and grew out of the system instituted by the very first Kings in order to bring some semblance of order to the turbulent society of the era. A major change that has taken place over the last three centuries, however, has been the growth in prestige and power of the monarchy; now, the greatest nobles fight for the favour of the crown as well as with each other. Essentially, patronage consists of lower-level nobles (the 'clients') agreeing to serve a superior noble family. In return for this military and political support, the greater family (the 'patron') provides favours and protection for their clients, which might take the form of money, land, government posts, advancement at court or an advantageous marriage. The terms patron and client are very rarely used in public, as directly referring to anybody as one's vassal is an affront to the pride that exists at all levels of Bretonnian society. Indeed, the whole system is in most cases unspoken, based on ties of blood and honour (oaths are taken very seriously by the Bretonnians, and accusing someone of breaking a promise causes intense outrage). Documents affirming arrangements are becoming more common, however, along with the slow rise of a bureaucratic class. Important land transactions, marriages and other deals are now usually committed to writing and sealed by numerous witnesses, but most more traditional nobles (who, given the conservatism of Bretonnia, are in the majority) still prefer the 'personal touch' and greater sense of control offered by direct verbal promises. The peasantry, who are for the most part illiterate, have a deep awe and fear of paperwork. It is seen as one more trick of the nobles and landowners to get the better of them; but even so, whenever a farmer is forced into any sort of important deal, he will obtain a written record of the conditions whenever possible to increase his standing amongst the neighbours - never

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

2

mind the fact that he can very rarely make any sense of what the document actually says. Patronage and warfare: The nature of patronage means that when the gauntlet is cast down and great families come to blows, the conflict is extended far beyond their own relatives and lands, dragging in large swathes of territory across Bretonnia and turning into a bloody civil war - often with the King having virtually no control over the matter. In the past, great ducal armies roamed the land burning and pillaging with impunity, whilst the Kings were able to raise barely enough men to hold their own castles against the marauders. The situation for the crown has improved somewhat over the centuries, but whilst Charles II de la Dure did try to enforce non-military resolution of quarrels (if only to preserve military resources for his own campaigns abroad), other Kings before him took a more lenient stance and allowed the leading aristocrats to expend their energies in feuding against each other rather than against the crown. There are dozens of regions across the land that have been ravaged by these ' petites guerres' , and in one famously violent feud in 2379 IC almost the entire city of Quenelles was burned to the ground in riots caused by competing nobles. More constructively, patronage networks of nobles and their dependants provide a framework for royal military forces and expeditions. The banners of the nobility form the backbone of the Bretonnian battle-line, with the King still enjoying the time-honoured right of ordering the nobility to aid him in warfare by bringing their retinues into the field on his behalf. However, if an especially arduous campaign seems likely the nobles will demand some sort of extra favour from the King in return for committing more of their forces. This might be exemption from tax this year, or perhaps control over any conquests that may result from the campaign. Apprentissage: Bretonnian nobles are introduced to the patronage system from an early age. Sons and in particular heirs are customarily despatched to their patron' s household for their ' apprentissage'in the arts of war and graceful life; that is, hunting, fighting, gaming, drinking and carousing, amongst other enticing activities. Another motive for ' apprentissage'is to instil respect and loyalty to one' s patron (accounting for the immense value placed on traditions and continuity by Bretonnians), which often counts for more than that due to the King but few nobles envision this sort of eventuality, and have no problem whatsoever with serving both King and patron diligently. In recent years, few situations have arisen in which these two sets of ideals have come into conflict; if they were to do so, the very foundations of Bretonnian society would be shaken to their roots. One such crisis arose in the ' Affair of the Lonely Maiden'when a dispute over the inheritance of Jeanne de Beaumanoir in 2234 IC brought the then-powerful Mignon family into open revolt against the King, prompting a long and bitter civil war across eastern Bretonnia. Bourgon still bears the scars of this conflict, and the Beaumanoir lands to this day are a cause for consternation.

The lower classes and patronage Not only the nobility partake of the benefits and pitfalls of the patronage system; the vassals of each BRETONNIA–PROJECT

member of a client network indulge in a much smaller scale version. For instance, the peasant farmers on a gentleman' s land will expect favours and support from their landowner, who in turn will receive aid from the local noble. A great deal of rivalry takes place amongst those on an equal footing, who bicker and scheme for minor privileges and petty advantages. Farmers will obsequiously beg for exemptions and rights to more land; gentlemen will strive to win blood-ties to the lowest levels of the nobility. The system works because both parties need the other both to maintain their current position and to compete with their fellows; gentlemen rely on their tenants' goodwill and support to keep up the supply of goods and money which guarantees the favour of the nobility. More directly, the oaths and services of patronage cement Bretonnian society. It is very hard for anyone to rise above his or her station, or at least to do so easily; from the divinely-ordained King down to the lowliest serf, everyone is assigned their own place to work at and stick to. Quite simply, trying to change this order is a direct challenge to the accepted social system and sense of public propriety; anybody with pretensions of grandeur is severely disapproved of, and lowly peasants or merchants who do have such unpalatable ambitions can expect to be executed or sent to the slave galleys, if they' re lucky. Social mobility is thus rare and difficult; just about everyone considers tradition and consistency to be vital aspects of life. Anybody who does upset the existing system arouses deep mistrust and suspicion. Attempting to better one' s equals, though, is a favourite pastime at all levels of society: peasants argue over whose cabbages are biggest and submit them to the local gentry for arbitration, whilst Comtes try and construct the most elaborate chateaux. Academics, professionals and wizards in Bretonnia' s towns and universities count their customers'loyalty as a kind of patronage, and taking one' s custom elsewhere is seen as rather insulting and ' not on' . Important works and great publications also require large scale investment on the part of wealthy patrons, typically guilds and nobles who wish to put their name to the latest and most distinguished cultural achievements; vicious contests take place as competing scholars and artists try and prove the importance of their project - or take out the opposition. Patronage even extends to the urban classes of Bretonnia, which work as their own little (often very arrogant) worlds isolated from the rural majority; gangland leaders have networks of client thugs, whilst leading ' bourgeoisie'merchant families hold lesser traders in their thrall and may in turn seek to join the ranks of the gentry or even the aristocracy. Despite their wealth from trade, these merchants still see the nobility and landownership as the real ticket to power and prestige in Bretonnia, and rightly so; wealth from trade is both insecure and sneered at by the all-powerful nobility. Individuals who have achieved this dream of buying in to land are known as ' noblesse de robe' , and attract the scorn of more established members of the upper, landed class. The ' true' aristocracy' s attitude to the urban elite is ambiguous, though, with many aristocrats forming treaties with merchants and guilds for the regulation of trade and the supply of raw materials, to the profit of both Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

3

parties. As involvement with trade of any kind is seen as ' gauche'by the nobility, such involvements are usually very discretely organised and rarely discussed. The merchants, however, take immense pride in any dealings they have with gentle-folk. It is the inability of the lowliest members of urban society to gain any sort of patronage that often leads to unrest in the towns; they simply have nothing to offer the rest of society apart from one more mouth to feed, or, at best, one more fist and yell in the mob. It is consequently very easy for the big players in a city to bring together enormous crowds of short-term clients through offers of food or work. It should be remembered that patronage exists not as a way of affirming the existing hierarchy by binding the different classes together through oaths of service and allegiance from top to bottom; not as a ladder for social climbing. People can only get out of their place in the system with great difficulty; and most get just enough out of it to stay where they are in relative peace and comfort. This fundamental respect for security, established tradition and a well-defined structure dominates Bretonnian society. Shifting allegiance: It is possible to shift one' s allegiance from one patron to another - and patrons are equally capable of withdrawing their aid from a client. However, unless very unusual circumstances are involved, changes of this sort are only common at the highest levels, where the land' s most powerful families struggle (often violently) for the dominance of important heirs, towns and estates, or for the King' s attentions. Lower down the social hierarchy, it is seen as bad form to shift one' s allegiance without a very good reason, such as treachery, rescinding on an oath or failing to fulfil one' s expected duties. Peasants, not surprisingly, have the most difficult task in changing their patron; the gentry and local nobles can usually bring overwhelming legal forces to bear on any farmer who thinks he has sufficient grievance to want to become someone else' s client. Fear and innate conservatism make these cases rare. However, sometimes the potential new patron offers his aid to a prospective client in the legal process, with great struggles taking place in local courts over the control of fertile or otherwise desirable territory. The complications, ambiguities and queer ancient precedents make all cases of this type exceedingly interesting, and they are closely followed by everyone in the locality. Frequently wills leave the patronage of certain farms or lands to others, resulting in the splitting of estates and shifts in client networks. In fact, it is in this matter that the most crucial difference is seen between ' free'peasants and serfs, or ' villeins' . Free peasants are those who work their own land but hold it as a fief from a landowner or noble, and are, at least in theory, able to join another patron if they have a grievance of some sort; they have a marginally higher status in the courts. Serfs, however, farm the land owned directly by a noble or gentleman and have virtually no rights or freedoms to change their allegiance or even leave their lord' s lands; they can be bought, sold or given away by their masters with impunity and are only marginally more highly regarded than true slaves. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The extent of patronage: The landscape of Bretonnia is dominated by the patronage networks, with everyone ultimately holding fealty to the next person above them. Generally they are in a geographical pattern, with great families holding large tracts of both their own private estates and neighbouring nobles'lands through patronage. The King, despite the profligate favour-granting of recent centuries, is still the richest and most powerful patron in the land; he not only has enormous estates in the royal ' domaine'(mostly situated in Breton), but also receives tax payments from across the nation (though exemption from some or all taxation is a common boon granted to leading nobles and towns). Women and patronage: Women' s place in the patronage system is an uncertain one. Bretonnian society as a whole is very chauvinistic, and the legal status of women is considerably lower than that of men. It is forbidden under the earliest and most fundamental Bretonnian laws for land to be inherited through the female line, females cannot vote in town elections and in most other respects women are faced with an uphill struggle. However, if there is no alternative the law does grudgingly respect the passage of land to a female heir, though it is expected that she will remarry again and the lands pass to her husband and later her sons. In spite of this, there have been many cases in the past of strong and wilful females who have taken on and beaten everything male society has thrown at them; the men of Bretonnia have a healthy respect for the hidden wrath and persuasive abilities of the fairer sex, and it is not uncommon for sheepish men to waive their legal rights and dues under the gaze of a stern-faced wife or mother.

An example of patronage Below is described a typical chain of patronage, showing how the commonest peasant is linked, eventually, to the King in the overall scheme of society. At the bottom of the heap is Jacques Morin. He is a free peasant living in Flandres in the small village of Bois l' Ortui; his lands are just sufficient for him to keep himself, his wife and his seven children comfortable. Currently he is petitioning his patron for rights to become warden of his parish; a post which would grant him some very minor but competitively sought privileges over his neighbours, such as the power to forcibly remove pesky fences like the one that encroaches onto his north field. Next up the ladder is Lucien d' Ivressy, the local landowner and a member of the gentry. Unlike the nobility, the gentry do have to take an active interest in the management of their lands for the sake of economy, and their existence is far from as secure or comfortable as that of the nobility. Nevertheless, they jealously guard the wealth and power allowed them by their elevated status. Lucien controls five villages in Flandres, including Jacques Morin' s home of Bois l' Ortui. Although now well into his sixties and too susceptible to cold to venture out from his fortified manor house except in summer, Lucien makes sure that his lands are run strictly and by and large efficiently; his bailiffs are notoriously uncompromising and ready with their fists. Just as he receives demands from Morin and his like for small advantages, Lucien is equally keen to press the interests of the d' Ivressy family Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

4

to those above him, and genealogy is a favourite hobby of his (he claims to be able to trace a tenuous link to the royal family, and will gladly and proudly explain the link to anyone who has a few hours to spare). At present, his main preoccupation is the marriage of his son, Armand; he hopes to gain the hand of his patron' s daughter, furthering the bloodline and, hopefully, the power of the d' Ivressy clan. Baron Antoine Romier de l' Estat is the noble patron who is lucky enough to be the subject of Lucien' s attentions. Romier is quite a minor noble, who has about half a dozen clients of gentry status and a reasonably large (though, it has to be said, not especially well-run) estate of his own. By and large, Romier is too busy with honourable and courtly pursuits to worry himself about little things like land management; this onerous duty is left to his stewards. Once a week, Romier brings himself to sit through an afternoon of audiences with his clients and tenants, listening to pleas and grievances. Normally he is bored out of his wits after about half an hour, and is forced to adjourn proceedings because of a headache. He has a large number of children; five by his current (that is, third) wife Marie and at least eleven by various ' femmes de la nuit'in towns and villages across Bretonnia, one or two of whom he supports with surreptitious pensions every few months. The near-constant bootlicking of Lucien d' Ivressy amuses and irritates him; Lucien is certainly the most dutiful and efficient of his clients, who openly vie to present him with the choicest tribute in the hope of the greatest compliments and most lucrative favours. What Romier has not told d' Ivressy is that he has already got husbands lined up for his three daughters; he plans to keep Lucien and Armand on tenterhooks for as long as possible, though, to ensure the best service. Romier' s patron is the extremely powerful Cardinal Henri Armagnac Dumourieux, the King' s leading adviser and master of a very substantial court faction. However, Romier is in this case one amongst a great throng of nobles who are beholden unto the Cardinal; in fact, it is unusual for there not to be another level of patronage between a Baron of Romier' s standing and a figure like Dumourieux. Of course, direct dealings between the two men are rare; it is unlikely that the Cardinal would remember more of Romier than a name, or perhaps the level of contribution he is capable of making to his cause. Although Romier takes every opportunity he can to visit the household of the Cardinal (which is situated at the Maison Verte in Couronne) and even, once or twice, the royal court in the Oisillon Palace, rising out of the crowd is not easy; at both establishments he is outshone by the many Ducs, Comtes and nobles of higher rank who also wish to secure the favours of the great magnate. This does not stop him trying, though, and Romier cherishes ambitions of winning direct influence over the Cardinal, BRETONNIA–PROJECT

connections to his family and, eventually, grants of land and position from the crown. Whether or not the Baron' s political skills are up to the challenge or not is another matter entirely; just one inopportune word or gesture is enough to end any chance of advancement, and could result in something far worse and, almost certainly, far messier. Cardinal Dumourieux is in theory the King' s client; after all, there isn' t really anyone more powerful for him to turn to. The relationship at this level is not so very different as that lower down; the major change is the magnitude of any actions and decisions taken. Now, not only single estates and villages are at stake, but entire provinces and thousands of lives. Also, the King himself only sees fit to engage in the most vital of matters, making his patronage all the more sought after; but few would dare to openly press their case upon Charles III, who is notoriously changeable in his moods. Dumourieux is engaged in hardball intrigue with the King and the other leading noble families; he is versed in decades of shady dealing, and has no qualms about using underhand methods to win pre-eminence over his greatest rivals, especially the De Semblancy clan. To prevent the opposition gaining any sort of advantage over him, the Cardinal is obliged to spend most of his time in Guisoreux and at the Oisillon Palace and leaves the management of his own lands and clients to his capable elder brother Henri-Philippe; the Cardinal maintains a large faction at the Oisillon Palace composed of his and his brother' s leading clients. The precise makeup of this faction at the Palace is in part rotated, with a few constant companions of undoubted ability and influence standing alongside lowlier companions who take turn about to visit the royal court and at least have a whiff of some sort of advancement to reward their support. In return for this attendance and political aid, the Cardinal is able to grant financial benefits, organise advantageous marriages and sometimes put forward his own candidates for important governmental positions. The Cardinal' s own relations with the King are at a more instinctual level; loyalty and service to the King is implicit, and since Dumourieux already has a position of such power his major concern is maintaining it. He and the greatest nobles see the King and his wishes as malleable and open to interpretation, partly because Charles himself does not often deal directly with people where government is concerned; they tend to do their own thing and then fit it into some interpretation of dutiful service to the crown, or persuade the King to do what they want rather than perhaps what might be best. In other cases, they prefer to just cover up more salubrious activities; but the fundamental sense of loyalty to the crown found even at the highest levels of society prevents open rebellion. At least, it has up till now; no-one has ever enjoyed such prominence and power as Cardinal Dumourieux, or at least no-one with his comparatively obscure background. In his rise to power, the Cardinal has raised many grievances that may come back to haunt him. Thus, everyone from King Charles III de la Tête d' Or down to Jacques Morin are joined up in the great patronage networks that form the basis of Bretonnian society. Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

5

Bretonnian society from the top to the bottom

High-society

King Royal family (queen, dauphin, etc.)

High nobility

(dukes, marquises and counts)

High clergy (cardinals and high priests)

High ranking officials (ministers and governors)

Nobility (viscounts, barons and knights)

Gentry (simple nobles)

Ordinary People

Rich bourgeoisie (the wealthiest of the merchants)

Bourgeois and bureaucrats (merchants, master artisans and civil Simple towndwellers Simple peasants (the majority of the population) Peasants in feudal domains (villeins and serfs)

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

6

D"2N2Z-*%22

By Rory Naismith

The workings of the council One of the most prestigious and influential bodies in the kingdom is the King' s State Council. The most basic duty of the council is to advise the King on how to govern the kingdom, but he retains overall power and can veto any decision taken. In practice, he usually delegates responsibility for various duties to members of the council, who take care of the matter on the King' s behalf. There are many possibilities for political advancement for those on the council, which is filled with a mix of the King' s favourites, great nobles and a few genuinely effective administrators. Technically, the King is able to invite anyone at all to the meetings, but the only ones in regular attendance are the Ministers. They are the individuals in charge of the departments involved in running the kingdom, such as finance, the military and foreign affairs. In the past, many important nobles have also attended the council simply because of their rank and position at court (Charles II de la Dure, for instance, sometimes simply called out that the council was in session as he sat in the midst of a palace garden party), but thanks largely to the ministrations of Cardinal Dumourieux numbers are kept strictly limited; indeed, unless the King is adamant he can usually dissuade him from inviting anyone except the regular Ministers, who are obliged to attend. He is fully aware that letting many more individuals onto the council could compromise his own position of power. Instead, he prefers to let the various factions either work through the councillors, allowing him to keep tabs on affairs, or to try and get the King' s ear when he is outside the council chamber. Since he is not keen on discussing ' dull'matters of money, government and appointments when not at the council, it is very hard for other nobles to get him to listen to their wishes. All the court is aware of this problem, and know full well that Cardinal Dumourieux is the cause. Not surprisingly, there are a great many individuals at court with serious grudges against Dumourieux, though none have so far dared try to forge a serious plot or alliance to lessen his powers. The Cardinal has many spies in and around the Oisillon Palace, anxiously watching for any conspiracy and ready to take any steps to prevent a challenge to his pre-eminence. All other Ministers, though, are deeply involved with the patronage networks and factions at court.

The State Council Ministers THE PRIME MINISTER: Normally, there is no Prime Minister, and the King either takes more responsibilities himself or delegates them more evenly. Under Charles III, however, Cardinal Dumourieux has risen to command far greater powers than any other individual in the land. Quite simply, it is he who runs the kingdom on Charles' s behalf, handing out tasks and responsibilities to royal agents and BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Ministers. Many of the most important tasks he takes upon himself, and he spends long hours poring over ledgers and reports. Despite the immense workload placed on the Cardinal, he apparently has boundless energy, and it is said that he does not sleep but simply says a short prayer to Shallya. He is a firm ruler, with a prodigious intellect and the ability to work any situation to his advantage. Sometimes this precludes taking the best course of action for Bretonnia. In practice it is he who chairs State Council meetings, standing in the King' s stead whilst he is hunting, sleeping or engaged in some other graceful pursuit. Even when Charles is there, those who are sharp eyed notice him peer over at the Cardinal before answering. Power of this magnitude is a dangerous thing, and in gaining and keeping his position Dumourieux has made many enemies, not least the powerful De Semblancy clan. A major part of the Cardinal' s time is spent in keeping the De Semblancy and other political enemies at bay; a task which gets harder every day. MINISTER OF FINANCE: The current Minister of Finance is Pierre Granvelle, second son of Bernard Granvelle, former governor of l' Anguille and head of a powerful noble faction. The position of his son on the council owes much to the extent of the Granvelle family' s new-found influence; but even more important to the Granvelle' s status is their proven ability as administrators, clerks and businessmen. Pierre is no exception; indeed, he is widely said to possess a magical affinity for numbers, so great is his arithmetic ability. He is able to accomplish in a matter of seconds calculations that even learned men need hours to complete, and he never makes mistakes; this is, for him, a serious point of honour. Coupled with this uncanny skill is a gift for management and accountancy, which has proved extremely useful given the somewhat chaotic state of Bretonnian finances. Taxes, dues, exemptions and pensions have accumulated over the centuries, so that today the system is positively byzantine in complexity. Even the financial wizardry of Pierre Granvelle is barely enough to maintain solvency, and any serious expenditure - such as on a major war - would soon bring the whole system crashing down. Pierre is probably the busiest man at the Oisillon Palace, and can spare but little time to parade the ballrooms and galleries of the great palace; most of his waking hours are spent shut in a small room with a candle and a quill. Relations with the other council members are good, especially with Cardinal Dumourieux, who values Pierre' s skills very highly; in fact, he is one of the few individuals whom the Cardinal is prepared to trust, at least on matters of finance. Consequently, so long as he is able to give to the King and the Cardinal what they want to fulfil their various designs, Pierre is left to his own devices. There is much idle speculation amongst the other nobles at court as to what he does in his valuable spare time, and Pierre Granvelle is the butt of several unkind jokes devised by his family' s enemies. MINISTER OF THE ARMY AND THE NAVY: In the past, this post has been normally occupied by the Marshal Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

7

of Bretonnia, who after the King commands all the armed forces of the nation. Thanks largely to the machinations of Cardinal Dumourieux, however, the present Marshal (François de Semblancy, the Cardinal' s arch enemy) does not hold a place on the State Council. The last Marshal, Francois'father Chlodion de Semblancy, was Minister of the Army and the Navy, but although his son was appointed Marshal after his death, Charles II de la Dure instead elected to appoint an apparently unknown minor noble, Baron Henri Merienne. It was widely rumoured that the old King was somehow indebted to Merienne for some incident in early manhood; according to some reports the two were educated together, and a few speak of a horrible secret, the truth of which Merienne alone knew. Whatever the case may have been, Merienne died in 2511 IC, several years after Charles II; before his death the old King must have spoken with his son so that the Baron' s position was not challenged. After Merienne' s death, Charles III is said to have wept in joy, and then to have ordered the Baron' s chambers entirely turned over and the contents burned without regard. None have explained the reasons for this conduct. In Merienne' s stead Charles III, at the suggestion of Cardinal Dumourieux, selected his best friend, Louis Villeroi, then aged 17. This was a shocking move, and many observers then and since have muttered that the move marked the end of all dignity and respect in the State Council and in the country as a whole. Not least amongst those angered at the change was François de Semblancy; it is said that two servants were killed before his rage died down. His reaction was not totally unjustified; Villeroi is, although famously handsome, not very bright at all and is committed to ladies and courtly life rather than military affairs. He is a dreamy, rather whimsical young man given to flowing cuffs and sentimental poetry. Villeroi' s origins, too, are somewhat shrouded in mystery; none can actually pinpoint the time he came to court before being appointed to the State Council and winning the adoring eye of King Charles. In fact, a generally hazy, ethereal quality seems to follow him everywhere, leaving all he speaks to faintly bemused. His apparent naivety and lack of decisive action suit Cardinal Dumourieux very well; there is one less politically interested individual close to the King to worry about, the influence of the De Semblancy is decidedly limited and the army is kept firmly under control. SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Because this position is so dependent upon impressing visiting dignitaries, Cardinal Dumourieux and the King support the Marquis de Frejus as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Hubert de la Motte, head of the Amboise and cousin to the King is very effective in this role, and all visitors to the Oisillon Palace have gone away with very clear memories of the splendour of the King. He was appointed by Gontrand, Duc de Gascogne, during his regency. Certainly his elevation owes something to nepotism (Gontrand was Hubert' s father; when first chosen as Secretary in 2507 IC, Hubert was just 21), but to everyone' s surprise the young southerner has proved highly suited to the position. Much more of Bretonnia' s international standing is built on the good organisational abilities of Hubert de la BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Motte than people know; thanks to him, Charles III de la Tête d' Or enjoys a reputation as the most magnificent monarch in the Old World. On the other hand, some have taken this the wrong way, and see the Bretonnian nobility as decadent and wasteful. Whether or not this is true is not Hubert' s concern; he will continue to put on the best organised and most exciting parties for as long as he occupies this ministry. Yet his responsibilities do not end with diplomatic occasions; he is also charged with incoming and outgoing communications with foreign rulers. In this he displays far greater subtlety; he has a firm grasp both of Classical and of Bretonnian, as well as an advanced knowledge of Tilean, Estalian and Reikspiel; he has even learned a little Elven speech in his studies. If there is a danger attached to Hubert, it is perhaps that he is too good at what he does, and that the complex and almost illusionary base on which Bretonnia' s international reputation stands (Hubert has been rather ' optimistic'in his descriptions of Bretonnian armies, fortresses and wealth) could be shattered through one or two false moves. Equally, Hubert is quick to form dislikes and judgements which, though usually based on piercing and accurate observations (sometimes a little too accurate), can arouse resentment amongst those slighted. To many, he comes across as merely arrogant and dissolute; he is both, but the danger comes in forgetting that he is also well-connected, ruthless and very clever, with many talents beyond what meets the eye. SECRETARY OF STATE AT DISPATCHES: At present this post is held by Nicholas Fouquet, Comte de Sarlat. He was appointed in the last year of Charles II' s reign, reportedly as a compromise with François de Semblancy; the Duc de Lyonnais, Marshal of Bretonnia, did not occupy the Ministry of the Army and the Navy during the time of Henri Merienne' s ascendancy, but both the Duc and the King were convinced the powerful and distinguished family ought to have some power on the State Council. On the other hand, Francois did not feel he could stoop to occupying any post himself other than that of Minister of the Army and the Navy; consequently, the King tacitly accepted the Duc' s choice of Nicholas Fouquet, one of his clients and a cousin of the De Semblancy. Charles III respected his father' s selection, and has so far done nothing to challenge the position of Fouquet. François de Semblancy was, however, upset when the post he was hoping to gain - Minister of the Army and Navy - was taken by Louis Villeroi, forcing him to leave the tiresome Fouquet in place as his only means of gaining power on the State Council. The Minister himself is a famously voluble personality, with a loud voice, swaggering gait and a penchant for shouting and beating peasants. He excels at hunting and gaming, and has proven on a number of occasions that he can stomach a great deal of alcohol before keeling over. The Duc de Lyonnais did not actually know Fouquet personally when he was appointed to the post; he wanted someone close and, he hoped, easily led. Fouquet is not exactly what he wanted. It is not that he takes no interest in correspondence coming in to the Palace; he just takes much more interest in food, drink and fun, leaving little time for real work. François de Semblancy often finds Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

8

himself at his wits'end trying to get Fouquet to do what he is told and to bring up some urgent point on the State Council. Many times he has considered removing Fouquet from the council, but he knows that, first, Cardinal Dumourieux would block any such move as he enjoys having the fairly unintellectual Fouquet on the Council; he, his agents and Pierre Granvelle handle most of the important royal correspondence, limiting de Semblancy' s influence. Francois also recognises that, should he get Fouquet off the council, he would find getting another of his clients onto the council almost impossible due to the Cardinal' s presence. Thus, the exasperated and often raging de Semblancy frequently finds himself engaged in blazing rows with Fouquet in an attempt to spur him into some sort of useful activity.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

9

],%2P*-2

By Rory Naismith Because of their dominant position in Bretonnian society, the aristocracy naturally play a very important role in the nation’s government. In fact, to a large extent government is the nobility; they own the land, and control those who live on it.

Leading noble families Apart from the royal family, there are several other leading families and factions who lead the largest patronage networks in the land, commanding the support of thousands of underlings. The power bases of these great polities are based in the provinces, although Breton is largely the preserve of the King himself and his own family and direct clients. That is not to say that the factions are purely territorial in nature; virtually all the leading families own or have influence over land outside their own sphere, making certain areas particular ' hotspots'of political activity as the outposts of opposing families within the territory of a rival. On the southern and eastern borders, the problem is accentuated by the fact that many aristocrats also hold lands from foreign rulers; those of the Empire and Estalia. Normally this actually helps to encourage trade and cultural links, but in wartime it makes campaigning in these areas very perilous. Below are described the most important factions and noble families in Bretonnia:

THE BLOIS FAMILY Factions The governmental extension of patronage is the faction. A faction is a power bloc built around a network of dependants, which comes to a head in just one or two individuals who lead large numbers of clients. Typically factions will try as hard as they can to press forward their wishes and policies regarding current issues: some may want war; others will seek peace; important appointments to be made by the King will be fought over; privileges and rights may be sought, and those of other competitors blocked. Naturally, access to the King and official powers in government are the greatest desires of all the factions. At times, when the need is most urgent, factions might coalesce in order to make their demands even more keenly felt by the King and his council. The precise number of factions at court varies; families die out, new ones arise, clients switch loyalties, royal favour shifts. However, nearly all are based, at present, around families rather than issues; when war threatens, for example, it is common for the entire court to form up into ' war'and ' peace'factions, thought often with wildly differing shades of opinion on both parts. At the Oisillon Palace, the noble factions live and operate separately from one another in different parts of the immense palace complex, only coming together when the King holds court or for other special occasions. Otherwise, direct exchanges between the factions are guarded and rare, more usually carried out through intermediaries, with a good deal of skulduggery going on behind the scenes; even when forced to mix and show a little co-operation and decorum at royal celebrations, there is tension between the factions, who commonly try and take advantage of any situation of this sort to do their best to impress the King by outshining one-another in his presence.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

This is the family name of Charles III de la Tête D' Or, and his been borne by kings of Bretonnia for over three hundred years now, since the last ruling dynasty, the Merienne, died out in the year 2201 IC with the death of King Henri V l' Amoureux. The Blois family is extremely wealthy, drawing its income from estates across the land (concentrated in Breton) and from the several kinds of taxation currently imposed on the populace. They are notoriously prone to infighting and intrigue; Charles III' s father, Charles II de la Dure, was faced with a revolt by his own brother the Duc de Gascogne in the first years of his reign, though the Duc was later pardoned.

Charles III de la Tête d' Or is, as any of his subjects would readily assert, undoubtedly the best, most munificent King ever to sit on the throne of Bretonnia. Privately, many of the nobles have their doubts. Charles has inherited a kingdom which, though generally rich, populous and tightly controlled, is riddled with corruption and tension at just about every level. His father' s military adventures in Estalia, Tilea and against the Empire have not helped matters, and it is expected that a major campaign will be launched sooner or later, if only because Charles III feels the need for action and personal glory. Charles can be extremely energetic when the mood takes him, and at times even displays a considerable level of Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

10

competence and interest in matters ranging from war to religion and finance. However, these assiduous spells are rare; Charles is, most of the time, passive and far more taken with simple and sensuous pleasures such as good food, hunting and (it is said) amorous involvements with the prettier members of the palace staff. Already, and much to his anger, he has begun to lose the slim, boyish figure that used to win him so many admirers; yet no-one would dare mention this fact to his face, and he is still handsome in his own way and can be a very good conversationalist. During his bouts of lethargy the King can become rancorous if approached on official business, rashly ordering severe punishments for those who incur his wrath by calling his attention away from more important issues. Equally, when he does decide that his kingdom calls, he is outraged when those around him fail to recognise the magnitude and dignity of his regal duties. These dramatic turnabouts are utterly unpredictable; on some occasions, Charles ends up tearfully apologising to someone for only a moment before screaming to have their head cut off. As things stand, when Charles is in his more ' relaxed' state, the kingdom suffers when, for weeks on end, government is left to Cardinal Dumourieux and Charles' s other favourites; only to take a sudden upsurge when he emerges into a burst of activity, often merely effacing the work his administration has undertaken beforehand and leaving them with more problems to cope with as he returns to his leisured lifestyle. On average, Charles has about one or two frenetic days of activity a month. King Charles has two younger brothers, Guillaume and Tancred; Guillaume, the elder, is known as an especially devious and cunning individual, famed for a scar on the right hand side of his face that has forced him to wear a mask for his whole life. Masked balls are consequently favourite events amongst his supporters. Guillaume is also known as a ' thruster'in hunting circles, and takes a great pleasure in the chase. Privately, he admits to the kill being the greatest thrill of his life; nothing, claims Guillaume, pleases him more than to plunge his knife into a still beating heart and feel the warm blood course over his hands. No love is lost between Guillaume and King Charles; the two boys used to compete violently for their father' s attentions, and they now rarely meet or communicate. As a precaution against political intrigue at court, Charles has entrusted Guillaume with the stewardship of royal estates around Castelnau, where Guillaume holds his own court as the Comte de Castelnau. Periodically mutterings are heard at court to the effect that Guillaume is planning some sort of attempt on the throne. This has become such a regular occurrence that not even Cardinal Dumourieux, King Charles or the royal guard take them very seriously. Guillaume is ignorant of this realisation, and although he is regarded as something of a comical failure by his brother' s dandified court, he does have genuine ambitions that simply fail to materialise because of a lack of fortune and support. A good number of the rumours concerning his royal ambitions are nearer to the truth than their hearers would suspect, but Guillaume has always so far failed at some early stage in the plot. But he will keep trying… BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Tancred, who is currently just seventeen years old, has shown great intelligence and, unusually for his family, a genuine sense of piety and responsibility. Charles III has much love for his youngest brother, and it is rumoured that he wishes him to go into the church, where he will no longer be a threat to the succession. Other whisperings, though, claim that Tancred is secretly being taught by Guglielmo Andronico, a Tilean master scholar attendant on the King and, it is said, a powerful sorcerer. Tancred, too, has developed a love of old, worm-eaten books that, to the less-than studious minds of the Bretonnian nobility, is decidedly unhealthy. If this is true, King Charles may find himself faced by something far more serious than mere bluster and ambition from his youngest brother in the years to come.

Blaize Blois, Duc de Guisoreux, is perhaps the bestknown member of the royal family after the King. During the regency, it was he who helped to curb the excesses of his elder brother and has always apparently been concerned with the welfare of the people; it is said that the townspeople of Guisoreux know him as ' Le Pommier' because he makes a habit of distributing the yearly produce of his orchards to the crowds. He also lays on many public shows and spectacles at his own expense, all of which make his name a byword for generosity and good government to the impoverished masses. This reputation rubs off onto Charles III, his nephew, for the simple folk of Guisoreux fail to see how nephew could be different from uncle. However, Blaize' s kindness and comparative integrity have rendered him more or less impotent so far as politics go; his morals are so high that he literally can' t bear to be amongst the sycophantic, scheming nobles of the Oisillon Palace any more, and spends most of his time at a quiet retreat to the west of Guisoreux. The dandies like to snigger at the care he takes in managing the affairs of his estate, to the extent of actually talking to the farmers in person. Blaize has renounced politics, and rarely visits the palace. He feels Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

11

as if he has washed his hands of the whole system after doing his best to maintain peace and justice under the rule of his elder brothers Charles II and the Duc de Gascogne, and is reluctant to discuss current affairs with anyone. However, his nephew often craves his advice and sometimes his presence, resulting in occasional visits and consultations; if a cause were to appeal to him enough, it is likely that he would once again take up government, if only for the good of the people. The last male members of the Blois family are Jules Blois, Duc de Gascogne, and governor of Bordeleaux, and Hubert de la Motte, Marquis de Frejus and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Jules is the King' s uncle, youngest brother of the dead Charles II and Blaize Blois; Hubert is his nephew and stepson, son of the dead Gontrand Blois, and thus cousin to Charles III. They are not usually reckoned as direct members of the Blois family, and are far more closely connected with the vibrant, Amboise-dominated lands of Gascogne, home of Hubert' s mother and Jules'wife Blanche. The marriage of Jules to Gontrand' s widow was seen as sordid by some when it took place in 2509 IC, but after a generous contribution to ecclesiastical funds and certain other promises it was condoned by the Cardinal of Verena. Jules was installed in this position simply because both , Blaize Blois and Charles III recognised that he was just too innocent and affable to remain safely at court; Jules has no aptitude whatsoever for politics, and is unfailingly kind, cheery and open. He is none too intelligent, either. Acting, drinking and celebrating form the core of his existence, and everything else soon thoroughly vexes him. Not surprisingly, he actually got on very well indeed with the other nobles at the Oisillon Palace - rather too well for the liking of the King, who feared that his accessibility and willingness to be led by anyone who appeared friendly would lead to trouble. Thus, when Gontrand, Duc de Gascogne and Regent, died and Charles III came into power, he and his closest advisers chose to bestow the title of Duc de Gascogne on Jules and wed him to Blanche before anyone could build a challenge to the throne around him. They knew that, once Jules had tasted the viticultural delights of the dazzling Bordeleaux court, he would never look back. To a large extent they were correct; Jules spends most of his time in a drunken stupor, and is celebrated for his love of rose wine. When sober, he displays a surprising level of energy in getting ready for the next round of parties, only for the wine to start flowing again later. He remains determinedly unconcerned by political issues, and considers the lower classes as something of a collection of pets; sometimes, in his cups, he descends into the streets of Bordeleaux distributing rare vintages to the crowds and rousing them to popular dances and sing-songs. In this way, Jules has overcome the distasteful period of Gontrand' s rule in Bordeleaux and won the love of the crowd. He is quite comfortable to leave serious matters to his nephewstepson Hubert de la Motte, and to his wife Blanche, with whom he has an occasional and rather vague relationship; he is kind, generous and amorous with her, but no more so than he is with literally hundreds of other aristocratic and common dames. Hubert has shown something of his uncle' s love of luxury and festivity, but combines this with a shrewd BRETONNIA–PROJECT

intellect and a natural flair for intrigue. Because the head of the family is technically Jules, the latter (ably assisted by Blanche) leads the Bordeleaux court, leaving Hubert free to pursue the Amboise family’s political ambitions at the Oisillon Palace. There, his flair and intelligence together with an albeit distant claim to the throne - make him a valued member of the court. Although he and everyone else know that he is next in line to the throne after the King' s brothers, neither Hubert nor the King are eager to discuss the matter openly; Charles does not particularly like Hubert, whom he connects with his hated uncle Gontrand the former Regent, in spite of his intelligence and sterling service as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Equally, the Marquis de Frejus knows exactly how much danger his life would be in if he began to make ill-use of his royal blood. Hubert prefers to use it as a bargaining tool only in the most pressing of circumstances and as a backup political trump-card; Bretonnia' s history is full of ambitious cousins, brothers and uncles who came to grief by advancing their claims too far too fast. The lack of any other relatives of the male line is a cause for grave concern to the King and his advisers (the King' s uncle Blaize Blois never took a wife). Although both Charles and Guillaume are married, neither has yet produced any surviving children, and the Blois have not been a traditionally fertile family. With Charles' s first bride, Enrica de la Mantequilla from Magritta, recently dead of Scarlet Fever and his darkly ravishing new wife Pulcrezzia Colonna, daughter of the Duke of Remas in Tilea (she is notoriously temperamental and critical of courtly entertainment, to the point of sending unsatisfactory acts to the torture chamber) as yet without children, and Guillaume' s wife Elsbeth von Ultburg apparently barren, hopes of producing a royal prince to carry on the line are dim. One or two slanderers have looked back to more obscure and unsavoury individuals in the family' s long history, such as Louis XII le SansMutation and Albert I l' Haut, and claim that the royal line is cursed, or plagued by dark and inhuman forces. Needless to say, Charles III and his agents do not take kindly to such rumours and do everything in their power to stamp them out. Many have been exiled - and worse for abusing the King' s honour and family name. Nevertheless, Charles is secretly employing Hugues de Lassay, one of the most erudite professors of Guisoreux University, to research the Blois' shadowy past. His findings, which are being compiled in a long document known only as ' Le Livre Inconnu' , make for potentially treasonous reading, and both de Lassay' s safety and the Blois family position could be seriously compromised if any of the delicate information contained in the book was ever leaked. Indeed, what will happen to him even after the King alone reads it is open to conjecture. King Charles also has an elder sister, Annette, who is married to the Duc de Lyonnais, François de Semblancy. As De Semblancy is usually at court with his wife, Charles still regularly comes into contact with Annette, whom he adores thanks to a childhood spent in close contact. Though Annette does respect her husband' s wealth and position, she is still at heart a supporter of the crown rather than the De Semblancy family, and tries to use her not inconsiderable persuasive talents to keep the Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

12

vigorous Duc de Lyonnais working for the good of the throne. Unlike Charles, she is more consistent in her behaviour, but has rather a higher opinion of herself and her brother than is really the case. When not at court, she writes to her brother every often, expressing information more personal than anything she would tell Francois. There is an unexplained feud between Annette and Guillaume Blois, running to bitter hatred. None save perhaps the King know the origin of this quarrel, considered by some to involve allegations of incestuous relations in years gone by.

THE ROYAL FACTION The royal faction at court is a large one; the crown estates are extensive, and the royal family holds most of Breton either directly or via dependants. Most are very well off and comfortable by Bretonnian standards, and see having the King (or at least his steward) for their patron as an especial honour; they are normally reluctant to shift their loyalty to anyone else, not least because the King does not look favourably on those who abandon his kind and beneficent rule. However, because the governance of the kingdom and his other apparently vital duties as monarch prevent Charles III from taking a particularly active role in his estates, most of the responsibility is shifted onto the shoulders of others. In order to stop the huge royal ' demesne'going the same way as the other provinces (which were once, centuries ago, under far more effective royal rule), the task between several different families and individuals, and Charles only appoints those of whose loyalty he is sure, though their competence may well leave something to be desired. At present, there are three figures dominating the crown estates: Guillaume Blois, the King' s younger brother; Antoine le Saucier, Eveque (Bishop) of Domfront; and the Duc de Saint Fraimbaud, Jacques Pleurier. Antoine le Saucier is the scion of a very old family, but only took over leadership of the royal clientage in his area (in the northern portion of Breton) six years ago when his elder brother was killed in an ill-fated military expedition in the Grey Mountains. Despite his ecclesiastical position, he has proved an effective client of Charles III and is currently attempting to amass a collection of relics from the lives of noted Bretonnian saints, heroes and clerics, in particular of the cult of Morr, to which he is affiliated. Precisely what the motive for this morbid collection is cannot be known, for le Saucier is paranoid about his privacy and calls down dire curses on anyone who attempts to enter his private chapel, located in the small town of Garroche. He hopes to become Cardinal of the cult of Morr in the near future, and is attempting to curry favour with King Charles, Cardinal Dumourieux and other leading courtiers and clerics. The Duc de Saint Fraimbaud is, if truth be told, a simpleton. He is not disabled or in any way physically deformed - indeed, in earlier years he turned the eyes of several noted ladies at court - but possesses only the most rudimentary mental faculties. Conversation is difficult, he is illiterate and any task requiring more than a second' s concentration leaves him perplexed. In addition to these BRETONNIA–PROJECT

obvious difficulties, the Duc is extremely touchy and sensitive, flying into a rage if he is ever shown up in front of anyone save his personal butler, an elderly Reiklander called Otto Kleist. Inside sources assert that the lisping Kleist exerts a worrying level of influence over the Duc, from dictating how his lands should be governed to pulling on his pantaloons in the morning. Very few ideas and beliefs stick in Jacques' s head, but loyalty to the King is one of them. The Duc would follow the word of Charles to the death, rather like a very faithful and enthusiastic but stupid dog. For this reason Charles has seen fit to put him in nominal charge of his southern estates, preventing any possibility of takeover by another noble. Another notable appointee of the Blois family is the elderly Victoire Breville, Viscomte de Brossard and Governor of Guisoreux, appointed not for any real abilities but, again, to try and limit the faction-fighting of the great families in the largest city of Bretonnia.

CARDINAL DUMOURIEUX SUPPORTERS

AND

HIS

Hailing from the north-eastern province of Flandres, the Dumourieux family is actually quite new onto the scene of Bretonnian politics. This formerly obscure noble clan owes its prominence to its leading member, Cardinal Henri Armagnac Dumourieux. In fact, the Dumourieux faction is little more than the family and clients of the Cardinal; they depend entirely on his success at court and with the King for their existence, as they lack the secure basing in land and traditional ties possessed by the other great families. Before the Cardinal' s rise to power, the Dumourieux were just one of about a dozen families of relatively average power in Flandres, holding lands around Couronne centred on the County of Gestionne. However, the Cardinal has managed to secure many more clients, rights and privileges from the King so that in just ten years the Dumourieux have won considerable power, and now possess very extensive estates straddling most of Flandres. Combined with these substantial secular holdings are Cardinal Dumourieux' s ecclesiastical powers; as Cardinal of the cult of Shallya, he commands the income of many clerical estates and dues donated by the faithful. He is also, of course, the Prime Minister of the State Council. All of these powers bring in much money and prestige for the Dumourieux family. Although the holdings of the Cardinal and his family are large, they are still smaller than those of the other great families; it is only through the addition of estates and powers from far less secure clients that they are able to compete at higher political levels. Thus the Dumourieux faction, centred very much on the Cardinal himself, is lacking in a firm power base; most of its members are either new and unreliable, or else derive their power from far more uncertain sources, such as administrative offices won by the Cardinal' s favour with the King. Simply maintaining the size and position of the faction is a very difficult task at the best of times. As a cleric, the Cardinal is not allowed to marry or govern the family' s estates directly. Instead, he works closely with his elder brother Henri-Philippe, who Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

13

occupies the new and splendid family palace in Couronne, the Maison Verte, whilst Henri himself spends most of his time at court managing the affairs of state on behalf of Charles III. Similarly, he allows Sister Blanche du Mirail, an elderly, matronly but extremely pious (in a ' you know it' ll do you good in the afterlife'kind of way) priestess to carry out the day to day religious duties in Couronne. The Cardinal trusts almost nobody and has complete faith in his own abilities, expecting even his elder brother to do exactly what he is ordered (which he normally does; he knows that all the family' s power lies in the Cardinal' s hands). Not surprisingly, the rise to power of the Dumourieux family thanks to the scheming of the Cardinal and extensive royal patronage has aroused much anger amongst the established nobility, who see the Dumourieux winning ever more influence at court. Some have recognised the opportunity to gain a high level of influence at court by becoming clients of the Dumourieux, further cementing their position with numerous outposts of control across the land. One such new supporter of the Cardinal is the governor, Godefroi Guinard, Duc de Couronne, and son of the Dumourieux' s old patron. Although keen to put forward his house' s ailing position, secretly he is livid with envy and resentment at the Cardinal and his family, and from time to time makes motions towards revolt before ducking out in panic. Just how durable Guinard and other clients like him will be should the fortunes of the Cardinal take a turn for the worse is far from certain; already the faction has seen many defections and internal conflicts, so that Dumourieux and his few true allies spend much of their time watching their back and covering over the cracks in their very insecure power base. The other leading nobles look down on the Dumourieux as ' new blood'(though not quite so new and undesirable as the Granvelle) and resent their muscling onto the big boys'stage; they generally wish to see a lessening in the power the Cardinal and his clients have over the King. This is most marked among the De Semblancy family, who are sworn enemies of the Dumourieux and actively plot the Cardinal' s downfall. Although the other families do not share the vitriol of the Duc de Lyonnais, many resent the Cardinal' s power; however, they also appreciate that the rivalry between these two factions draws attention and danger away from them and into a new conflict.

reprisals. A potential exception is emerging in the Artois family. Based in the small town of the same name, famed for its mighty castle which guards the bloody eastern border, Paul d' Artois is a staunch and restless soldier who harbours an ancient family grudge against the Dumourieux (said to date back to an apparently rigged jousting match in 2269 IC). Ever since the Cardinal came to power he has put up as much of a fight as he can, and in the last couple of years has begun to forge alliances with other nobles in eastern and northern Flandres who have not sided with the Dumourieux. He also has a few secret contacts within the faction; those who are now lukewarm about the Cardinal' s supposed patronage and seek a more secure and equal association. More importantly, Paul d' Artois is engaged in covert talks with the De Semblancy, who hope to create a fire in the rear for the Cardinal, possibly leading to an uprising against the heart of his territory and power base.

DE SEMBLANCY

The De Semblancy family is perhaps the most distinguished military clan in Bretonnia. For over 1000 years the soldiers of the family have served the Kings of Bretonnia well, winning dozens of great battles and covering themselves with glory. Several times they have married into the royal family, so that the current head of the family is also the King' s second cousin (though only on the female side). They are a fiercely traditional and proud lot, who look down on virtually everyone else in the kingdom as inferiors and oppose almost any attempt at change or modernisation. Perhaps the only exception to this attitude is in the military; the De Semblancy have pioneered developments in organisation, tactics and general standards of conduct, THE ARTOIS FAMILY always striving to stay at the forefront of sophistication Far from all the nobility of Flandres and Couronne have and efficiency so as to win the favour of the monarch by fallen under the spell of the Dumourieux. Several groups conquest. Their reputation for harsh discipline and remain opposed to the Cardinal and his regime, for not mercilessness is so far unequalled; the peasants and only does he have a tight grip on central government, but soldiers of Lyonnais, which is dominated by the faction, he has arranged it so that his faction can gang up on any go in open fear and awe of their masters. Many members one other family in Flandres if they have dealings with the of the De Semblancy family have been Marshals of De Semblancy or show resistance to the Cardinals' Bretonnia (Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, wishes. Those who are not part of the Dumourieux faction second only to the King and entitled to wear a famous are forced into a brooding and tense inactivity by fear of leopard skin sash and emblazon a leopard on their heraldry) and the current family head, François de

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

14

Semblancy, is no exception; he has served as Marshal now for fourteen years after succeeding his father in the position (though his father was not always Marshal; for a generation the Capucinet family held that honour, largely thanks to a much talked-of affair between King Charles I l' Enorme and the wife of the Duc of Navarre) and in that time has won four substantial battles against the orcs in the name of the King. His lack of a place on the State Council, especially given his military credentials, is a source of enormous frustration and frequent tantrums; Francois still hankers after the Ministry of the Army and the Navy, but knows that with Cardinal Dumourieux in power and Louis Villeroi alive there is not much hope for him. The De Semblancy faction, however, is not without a presence on the Council, though the Secretary of State at Dispatches, Nicholas Fouquet, leaves a lot to be desired. The De Semblancy represent the largest single faction at the Oisillon Palace, numbering almost a hundred aristocrats and their retinues. The only group which comes even close to them in terms of size is the bloated and insecure faction that Cardinal Dumourieux has built up. The De Semblancy, however, have centuries of tradition and favour amongst their members to draw upon, and Francois uses his forceful personality to exert rigid control over his large collection of supporters. Cohesion, deference and loyalty - together with arrogance, prejudice and self-confidence - come naturally to the De Semblancy faction, and as they see ever more forces attempting to challenge their dominant position they become even more determined and entrenched in their age-old mannerisms. Francois is the fitting heir of his predecessors; he is a tall, strong and very well muscled man, known for his blind courage, raging temper and, in many cases, lack of forethought. On the battlefield, these characteristics combine with a strange ability to keep control over himself and his followers; some say he lives in a permanent state of such rage and exertion that battle presents no difference to him. He also has a great command of tactics and strategy, with an uncanny sense of timing that has been the death of countless enemy troops, political adversaries and duelling opponents. Behind closed doors, Francois pursues his love of extreme sensations in a sordid pursuit of pleasure, in all its most ' interesting'forms. Xavier Grouchy, an elderly and stonefaced priest of Morr, has apparently abandoned most of his calling' s usual scruples and acts as a procurer for Francois and his companions in lusty delights, bringing all manner of peasants girls (and boys), animals and unusual substances and devices to the De Semblancy' s greatest palace at Sept-Forges. Although word of what Francois gets up to does occasionally do the rounds at the Oisillon Palace, his forceful personality, violence and power prevent them from being anything more than quickly forgotten mutterings. Four hundred years ago, after the De Semblancy crushed an invasion from the Empire, a grateful King Louis IX l' Aragne granted his victorious generals the title of Duc de Lyonnais, together with large territories in that rich region of Bretonnia. Since then it has been a stronghold of the conservative De Semblancy and their many clients, who are drawn only from the oldest families. These include several who still, overtly or covertly, worship Ulric and the Lady of the Lake, though BRETONNIA–PROJECT

after a memorable brawl at a soiree in the gardens of the Oisillon Palace four years ago, the Duc de Lyonnais has banned all discussion of religion amongst his clients. This has led to some tensions, with the predominantly orthodox, Myrmidian majority suspecting their fellows of deviant practices; they make subtle, devious efforts to find the truth about each other by going behind the Duc’s back, either to use the information for blackmail or simply to satisfy their own insatiable curiosity. A few of the De Semblancy' s supporters are even more secretive and old fashioned, and when not vociferously defying their enemies at court spend most of their time within apparently darkened, heavily-barred rooms. Principally centring on those from the Tremaine estates - known as the site of vast megalithic monuments dating back to long before the founding of the kingdom - these nobles are too close to François de Semblancy for comfort, and though he does not espouse their mysterious activities, he does favour them because of the almost uncanny good fortune their members seem to enjoy. Their most prominent representative is Calixte Tremaine, Vicomte de Quenelles; a very old friend of François de Semblancy and his companion through fire, flood and countless depraved adventures. Tremaine' s tastes are even more ' specialised'than those of Francois, running to torture, mutilation and animals; he enjoys the nickname of ' l' Extreme' , although most believe this derives from his frequent overindulgence in drink. Unconnected with these depraved goings on is Claude de Vendome, Cardinal of Myrmidia, based in Quenelles. Like so many other high-level clerics, he is of aristocratic stock, and has a tendency to get involved in politics. Claude is known as ' Le Gros'for his enormous size, which is a result of the celebrated pastry cuisine of Quenelles. Although most of his life is taken up with eating and reading (often at the same time), he is quietly astute and notices far more than he is given credit for. The Cardinal, however, is also very lazy and suspicious, greeting most happenings with a smile and a knowing grunt. As with almost all De Semblancy faction members, he finds it hard even to contemplate defecting. The current political climate at the Oisillon Palace is not to François de Semblancy' s liking; there have been no wars now for several years, and, at least in his eyes, ever more ground is being lost to Dumourieux interlopers. Although his own supporters are actually the most numerous force at court, he sees the Cardinal and his faction as nothing more than weak-willed and obsequious priests and favour-seekers; incomparable with the martial glories of the De Semblancy and their supporters. Francois also maintains the ancestral hatred for the Capucinet family. Until recently, this consisted of little more than occasional jousts, jeers and duels, keeping the generally introverted Capucinet within their stronghold of Navarre. Now, however, with the advent of Arnaud Alphonse Capucinet at the Oisillon Palace, François de Semblancy has begun to boil with rage at yet another challenge to his own influence and power; he has personally offered Arnaud Alphonse a duel, and is prepared to use any means to get the hated Capucinet ejected from court. One of the main braking influences on François de Semblancy, and perhaps the only force preventing open Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

15

feuding between the Dumourieux and the De Semblancy, is Francois' s wife, Annette, sister of Charles III. She is a beautiful courtesan, who is able to exert a certain level of control over her husband' s violent temper; it is said that Annette is the only person he can bear to be in a room with when he is in a bad mood. However, she is not so clever as she thinks she is, and Francois secretly intercepts her letters to King Charles, using them to keep tabs on her activities and occasionally gaining vital information on the King' s current thoughts and plans. There is very little trust or love between the two, but for the sake of tradition and appearances (which both of them value very highly) they maintain an air of contentment and wedded bliss.

THE GRANVELLE FAMILY The Granvelle have much in common with the Dumourieux of Couronne, in that they are relative newcomers onto the political stage, but they are keen to maintain their independence and not got trapped in any business they can' t get out of. Unkind observers, often of the De Semblancy faction, say this is a relic of their days as shopkeepers; all too often this rather sordid titbit of gossip is recalled at court in the company of the supporters of Bernard Granvelle, Comte de Perrac and until recently Governor of l' Anguille. His family epitomises a new phenomenon in parts of Bretonnia; that of the ' noblesse de robe' . These are individuals who, rising from lower or middle class backgrounds through hard work and education, have wormed their way into the upper echelons of society, buying into land, castles, titles and power. They have much to offer their employers and patrons; only a small number succeed in actually joining the nobility, representing the very best and luckiest individuals, with the greatest aptitude for administration, politics, trade and government. However, they are absolutely detested by their long-established aristocratic companions, who see these upstarts coming in, buying land that ought to belong to a proper noble and generally making a mockery of the sacred aristocracy of Bretonnia, polluting the ancient bloodlines. Violence is not uncommon when a member of the ' noblesse de robe'gets too far above his station and his patron is not powerful or willing enough to help them. The province of Armorique, from where the Granvelle family spring, is the area in which this new branch of the nobility has made the greatest advances, purchasing lands from defunct noble houses and gentry to turn into their own estates; most of them are former merchants from l' Anguille seeking to move up in the world. The Granvelle dynasty made a fortune in the textile trade, and the canny father of Bernard Granvelle, Edouard, invested wisely in the lands of the once-almighty d' Eracle family. Over a twenty year period, he went from being the most successful merchant in l' Anguille to one of the most powerful nobles in the land, and along the way helped secure the fortune and support of similar entrepreneurs and a small number of old families desperate to revive their fortunes. In many parts of Armorique, it is now the case that most of the land is owned or controlled by ' noblesse de robe' ; part of their success lies in their BRETONNIA–PROJECT

ancestral thriftiness and care over money, encouraging far more efficient land management than is common to the nobility. This attitude survives amongst the current members of the class, who are thought by the King, Cardinal Dumourieux and other important magnates across Bretonnia to represent extremely able officials (though very poor company for the more highly born). They are tolerated by the established aristocracy only for their wealth and service; the Granvelle tacitly recognise this fact, and their work ethic and survival instincts sustain them in their efforts to be as rich and efficient as possible. For this reason the Granvelle family has become one of the most important in Bretonnia, and all six of the Comte de Perrac' s sons hold important posts at the Oisillon Palace in the administrative machinery of the kingdom and lead the industrious family faction at the royal court. Nevertheless, the Granvelle could not exactly be described as adventurous or brash; in courtly life they put an emphasis on caution and austerity (except for Bernard' s wife Marie d' Eracle, whom no-one would dare tell to do anything of the sort). In administration and government, they prefer refining and developing existing methods to introducing sweeping changes. Bernard, as he will gladly tell anybody who' ll listen, did not get where he is today by turning everything on its head or fixing things that ain' t broke. Bernard Granvelle excelled in his spell as governor of l' Anguille by bringing a new level of efficiency to the administration (which had long languished under disinterested aristocratic appointees), and the town is providing a greater return to the King Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

16

every year and attracting more and more trade from abroad, including from the New World. They still seek to have the King restore their power over the city, pilfered from Bernard in a surprise coup two years ago by Henri Loiseau, Duc de l' Anguille, a noble who has moved into commerce. He and his supporters are the personal rivals of the Granvelle family; their courts in l' Anguille compete for control of the town and their clients fight for the most lucrative trading contracts. Both have an abiding hatred for Marienburg and its merchant princes, but ironically the commercial disputes caused by their rivalry only play into the hands of the Wastelanders. The ' court'of the Granvelle is unlike any other in Bretonnia, more akin to a guildhall or even a very wellkept merchants’ tavern than a properly elegant chateau. But Bernard Granvelle and his faction pride themselves on their businesslike manner and, secretly, most feel uncomfortable in excessively colourful and luxurious settings, preferring good cider or ale to any fancy wine. At 71, the Comte is venerable by Bretonnian standards, and enjoys regaling any audience about how his father had to dry dishes with his ruff when times got hard. His wife, last survivor of the d' Eracle family, is famed for her enormous girth, loud voice and love for gossip and cream cakes.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE HOLY BLOOD Another minor faction that hails from Armorique is that known as the ' Chevaliers du Sang Sacré' ; the ' Knights of the Holy Blood' . They are violently opposed to the Granvelle and their like, and will defend to the last breath their (often impoverished and ill-kept) estates. Every one of the Knights of the Holy Blood is a noble of the old school, brought up in all the social and military graces so loved by the upper classes and with centuries of blue blood flowing in their veins. The Knights claim a history going all the way back to the crusades in Araby, but have only arisen in their present form in the last fifteen years. They make a habit of wearing white surcoats atop oldfashioned suits of armour; they claim the armour is symbolic of their holy brotherhood, but it is rather to hide the fact that they simply cannot afford to keep up to date with the more expensive fashions preferred at court. Another of their peculiar practices, but far from universally followed, is the worship of Ulric, god of battles, and of the Lady of the Lake. Both are invoked and cited by the most fervent and traditionalist Knights as a sign of martial glory and knightly chivalry, but several take a less ardent stance as far as his worship goes, seeing it as a slightly anachronistic hangover from the distant past, too outdated even for the Knights. Leading the Knights of the Holy Blood is Leoncoeur, Baron d' Ouistre, whose ancient family castle is perched on a high cliff overlooking the northern coast. Leoncoeur exemplifies the Knights'attitude; he is not especially intelligent, and if he finds himself in a situation beyond his reckoning resorts to oaths, threats and violence - not necessarily in that order. Many hopeful duellists at the Oisillon Palace and in l' Anguille have learned to fear his broadsword, which is reputedly one of the oldest and bestwielded in the land. Certainly King Charles III was convinced of Leoncoeur' s boasts when he became the first BRETONNIA–PROJECT

knight ever to win two Grand Summer Tournaments in a row, and was selected as the King' s official champion. It is largely due to this position that the Knights of the Holy Blood have any clout at all. Behind Leoncoeur' s bluster and blades, however, there lies a small but very committed faction who do heir best to make themselves heard at court. Sometimes the unpredictable Alf-Andre de Negrepelisse gives them his nominal support, but even the Knights have learned to accept his aid with reservations. Always in the background, apparently directing their affairs, is a shadowy figure who goes by the name of Père Laquette, said to hail from the City of the Damned, Moussillon. According to those close to the Knights, Laquette is Chaplain to de Leoncoeur and extremely learned in the ' old lore'as he calls it; this includes heraldry, ancient epic poetry and genealogy. Others claim that his knowledge extends much further back, and that at nights he slips out of the Oisillon Palace and Leoncoeur' s castle for reasons unknown. Although the Knights of the Holy Blood make a lot of noise and, in the opinion of the richer, more dapper aristocrats from elsewhere in Bretonnia, take themselves a bit too seriously, they represent a conservative reaction to the threat that is slowly appearing to challenge the nobility throughout Bretonnia; that of becoming displaced and outshone by parvenu businessmen and lawyers and falling back on ancient, tarnished glories.

THE DE CABOURG FAMILY The De Cabourg family also hail from Armorique, and like the Knights of the Holy Blood they represent the proud, entrenched and landed aristocracy of the north, including many members aligned to Ulric. While they place great value on blood ties, they are not really concerned about knighthood; the de Cabourg clan are direct descendants of the Norse nobles (hence the Ulrican Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

17

connection) who settled on the rocky northern coast of Armorique centuries ago. For a long time they remained unchallenged as masters of the shore, displaying an especial love of sailing and fighting. Neither of these aptitudes have disappeared; the de Cabourg are as proud, belligerent and skilled at sailing as ever. In fact, it is due to these abilities that they possess some sort of influence in Bretonnia, for their leader, Guillaume de Cabourg, is an important officer in the Bretonnian army, with power over many garrison troops in Armorique. Thanks to his power, the de Cabourg are able to voice their hatred and fear of the Granvelle faction, whom they see as a direct menace to their ancestral honour and power; any entrepreneurial encroachments on their lands are bitterly opposed, sometimes violently. Another occasional supporter of the de Cabourg is Alf-Andre de Negrepelisse, Cardinal of Ulric. The Cardinal, however, is somewhat unhinged and cannot be counted upon in any way; often he declares instead for the Knights of the Holy Blood, and at other times he simply withdraws for months on end, apparently engaging in evangelical missions to the countryside. Although they are a naturally individualistic breed and almost obscenely arrogant, the de Cabourg usually support the De Semblancy faction at court, seeing them as kindred spirits in the fight for tradition and noble liberty. In spite of the advances of François de Semblancy, Guillaume de Cabourg and his relatives have refused to enter into any firm alliance, partly due to religious reasons, but also because they prefer to maintain the idea of equals rather than patrons and clients (thought everyone else can see the relationship between these factions for what it really is).

THE LOISEAU FAMILY The last important faction based in Armorique is the Loiseau clan. In the complex and changing society of this northwestern province, the Loiseau have managed to carve themselves a unique slice of power. Like so many other old families of the region, they saw their lands and importance beginning to decline in the face of increasingly audacious merchants from l' Anguille. But, instead of quietly submitting or putting up a futile struggle, Henri Loiseau, Duc de l' Anguille, chose to try and beat the so-called ' noblesse de robe'at their own game. After years spent developing the Bretonnian colonies in the New World, he inherited his father' s title just over two years ago and returned with an intrepid, grasping attitude and a determination to win power for himself and his family. Upon arriving in l' Anguille, Henri mustered what resources his family could still claim (and, as they had once been the greatest family in Armorique, these were still considerable) and invested them in commercial ventures and in developing his remaining estates. He expanded his clientage, abandoning many intransigent old families (some of whom retain a deepseated grudge for the Loiseau even today) and gave BRETONNIA–PROJECT

patronage to promising merchants and professionals. Henri and his supporters now constitute the strongest counterpoise to the Granvelle in Armorique, vying closely with them for dominance of l' Anguille. Although the Duc de l' Anguille has actually embraced many of the practices his fellow aristocrats decry as more befitting the ' noblesse de robe' , he is nevertheless seen as the conservative, traditionalist party in Armorique. Ironically, he is far more ready to quit old practices and norms than the Granvelle, who place a great value on caution and consistency. Already Henri has introduced a number of new practices to his estates, and encourages intrepid ventures amongst the traditionally stolid merchants of l' Anguille; these include further colonisation in the New World, direct challenges to the hated dominance of Marienburg (said to involve midnight raids on premises in the Suiddock of Marienburg and sabotage of rival vessels) and even attempts to woo Sea Elven traders into l' Anguille. In his struggle to gain primacy over the upstart Granvelle merchants, Henri Loiseau divides his time between l' Anguille and the Oisillon Palace, where his slick (some would say slimy) technique of persuasion has won him many supporters, especially amongst the King' s own faction where Henry has some blood-ties; privately, he knew that they presented the best way of getting at the King without tying himself either to Cardinal Dumourieux (who favours the Granvelle family) or the De Semblancy faction (who would dominate the comparatively weak Loiseau). A major coup was won last year when Loiseau, in conjunction with the minor Bloisrelated Gevaudan family of Breton, succeeded in having Seigneur Xavier Gevaudan appointed as Governor of l' Anguille, having persuaded the King that Bernard Granvelle was well past his prime. Since Henri has eased Xavier' s progress in several ways, the Seigneur has taken the hand of his daughter and spurned the somewhat draughty and functional L' Anguille lighthouse for Henri Loiseau' s comfortable mansion. This overt fraternisation with the Duc de l' Anguille is seen as a scandal by Bernard Granvelle, who sternly disapproves of the new governor' s well-bred ways. Xavier Gevaudan is a weak and vacillating man, tormented by gout and terminal indecisiveness, who is quite content to do whatever Loiseau tells him. Already Henri is fighting an arduous legal battle with the Granvelle family to try and win control of l' Anguille, distracting his opponents from their work at the Oisillon Palace. One individual who has associated himself with the Duc de l' Anguille, more out of a sense of traditional loyalty to the nobility than anything else, is Admiral Pierre Marouanec. He was offered the chance of an alliance with the new governor of l' Anguille, and saw that this would make his job of controlling the naval elements stationed in the city much easier. Loiseau, however, is finding it hard to get Marouanec to do anything; he is extremely pragmatic, and will do very little that is not directly related to his naval responsibilities. But the fact that he has declared for the governor rather than the Granvelle family is enough for Henri to keep on currying his favour.

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

18

THE CAPUCINET FAMILY The large and thinly populated province of Navarre is the heartland of the Capucinet clan, who have a deep and ancient control over the area rarely equalled elsewhere in Bretonnia. Their clients have a strong sense of loyalty ingrained by centuries of border conflict with the Estalians, in which the Ducs of Navarre, the Capucinet family, have always provided effective leadership for their countrymen (the people of Navarre, that is; Bretonnians are to a large extent seen as foreigners). The province was only attached to Bretonnia comparatively recently through the marriage of Enguerrand le Fier to Irene of Navarre in 1301 IC. Prior to that date, the people of Navarre - in particular the nobility - had just as much in common with the Estalians as with the Bretonnians, and their speech and customs are still markedly different from those of the north. Even the King and Cardinal Dumourieux tacitly recognise the fact that, if push came to shove, the nobles and people of Navarre would follow Richard Trenchant Capucinet rather than Charles III de la Tête d' Or. Richard Trenchant Capucinet has inherited many of the worst features of his father, Cedrique Olivier Capucinet; he is devious and cunning, eager to seize any advantage or opportunity if it will advance his position. Although he is in fact a notably handsome man, fond of fencing and careful of his food, amongst the population outside mountainous Navarre he is seen as a fairy-tale villain, hunchbacked and hideously ugly. Most of this is due to natural mistrust of southerners (who are seen as too much like Estalians to be quite trusted) and to rumours put around by the De Semblancy family, with whom the Capucinet have an ancient and bitter feud. It is said to date back to a botched campaign in the passes to Tilea in eastern Navarre, in which the heir of a Duc de Lyonnais perished. The De Semblancy say this was due to the desertion of the Capucinet, the Capucinet claiming that the expedition simply vanished into the mists when nearing an abandoned dwarf settlement. The influence of the De Semblancy also goes to explain why the Capucinet have never been able to acquire lands outside Navarre, though this is more because both the Capucinet and their clients feel far more bound to the land of Navarre than others do to their homelands. Richard Trenchant shares this attitude to some extent, but is also keen to advance the power of his family, hopefully at the expense of the De Semblancy. To this end he is increasing the traditionally minor Capucinet presence at the royal court, and he is actively seeking heirs for his two young children; force and compulsion are well within his grasp, and he will stop at nothing in getting control over the areas on the border he has in mind. According to some sources, the recent troubles with Bilbali have not been entirely uninfluenced by the Duc of Navarre, and if the kingdom was suddenly threatened on its southern border, Richard Trenchant Capucinet could hold King Charles III and the security of Bretonnia to ransom. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

A major potential point of contention is the lawless city of Brionne, where Charles III has installed Pierre de Jolensac, a famously lucky and grasping baron from Armorique, as governor. Jolensac' s governorship has seen the situation in the city remain static; whereas before the Capucinet Ducs, acting as governors, commanded an innate respect if not obedience from the people, the King' s agent wields authority thanks more to his blunt, sometimes brutal administration, far firmer and more efficient than most other governments. In the city, he has struck a balance with the various criminal gangs and semi-criminal guild associations, many of which are also subsidised by and linked with the Capucinet family. They carry on their feuds and fighting just as before, but for the moment Jolensac has no problem with letting them spend their energies on bickering with each other, so long as it is done privately. On the whole, Jolensac has managed to ingratiate himself with the existing Capucinet partisans, and has even won the grudging respect of Richard Trenchant Capucinet for remaining in power: prior to his term in office, which began six years ago, no governor save the Capucinet themselves, had lasted so long. The people of Brionne, including even the most lowly and desperate criminal elements, have a natural sentimentality towards the Capucinet family, who have simply been in charge for so long that they cannot give countenance to any other possibility. One of the reasons they like the Capucinet so much is that they generally accepted that they couldn' t exert their control over Brionne, and by and large left the town to run itself. They even tolerated the cult of Ranald; though an unofficial arrangement, it has been picked up upon by the De Semblancy, who spread the rumour at court to damage the reputation of the Capucinet. Richard Trenchant Capucinet' s younger brother Arnaud Alphonse Capucinet leads the deputation of swarthy Navarrese nobles at the Oisillon Palace, where he is winning a reputation as something of a ladies'man; the De Semblancy family, however, hate him just as much as they do the Dumourieux family, and Arnaud Alphonse has been involved in half a dozen duels; his steady hand and swift blade have maintained the honour of Navarre in the face of all challenges, but Richard Trenchant has told him not to endanger the family' s presence at court by indulging in any more ribaldry. As this brother shares all the chivalric faculties of his elder sibling, the Capucinet are expected by those in the know to begin to make a comeback soon. It is rumoured that, in his earlier travels in Tilea, Arnaud Alphonse spent time at the University of Miragliano, gaining some very valuable skills and acquaintances that may be called into play sometime in the near future.

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

19

THE AMBOISE FAMILY Amongst the great houses of Bretonnia, the family of Amboise are renowned as the most cultured and sophisticated. For five hundred years they have presided Gascogne and Bordeleaux, and today they live a dizzying life of eloquent recitations, dances and visits to the many graceful chateaux which dot the countryside around the wide and lazy river Morceaux. Although the province of Gascogne, the domain of the Amboise family, is small by Bretonnian standards, it is unusually rich and productive; its peasants are famously fat and good-natured, with bad harvests being little more than bad dreams for these lucky farmers. On the back of ever-greater wine exports from Bordeleaux, the phenomenal wealth of the Amboise family has been built up to truly dazzling levels. They and their leading clients can afford to subsidise grand projects such as the construction of fairy-tale chateaux perched high over rivers and rolling countryside, or the writing and printing of books on poetry, history, magic, science and folk-tales. Under the patronage of the Amboise family, the university of Bordeleaux was founded in 2288 IC, and has now become one of the greatest academic and literary centres in Bretonnia, if not in the Old World; its writers and professors have advanced the literature of Bretonnian (as opposed to classical) to a far greater extent than Reikspiel. In terms of law, theology and science, it is an open rival of the Faculty du Sorbet, the University of Guisoreux. The Amboise family is not large, and is dominated by two great figures: Blanche de la Rose Amboise and Hubert de la Motte. Jules Blois, Duc de Gascogne and supposed head of the family is, though an ebullient figure, liberal in his consumption of wine and distribution of gifts, rather a nonentity in matters not connected to the table and the goblet. Hubert de la Motte, the Marquis de Frejus, chooses to expend his time on other pursuits than is common for young men of his age and birth, including politics. Unlike other nobles, he is not especially interested in hunting and warfare; he has a deep love of learning, culture and enlightened society. Some at the Oisillon Palace say his knowledge is not befitting one of Hubert' s station, and it is certainly true that he spends more time in the more esoteric sections of the extensive royal library than is entirely good for him. In this he is like Tancred, his cousin and the King' s younger brother; the two actually have quite a close relationship, and the older Hubert spends long hours aiding Tancred in his studies of obscure subjects. Despite Hubert' s love of scholarship, the Marquis feels just as comfortable in the ballroom. He and his elegant companions cut a dashing sight at the Oisillon Palace, impressing the court with their intelligence and grace; they are the life and soul of balls and daily life at the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Palace. He also wields much political influence thanks to his position as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Hubert revels in the opportunity to write finely-honed missives and organise impressive entertainments for foreign officials. Although suave and sophisticated, Hubert is renowned for his arrogance; he is clever and powerful, and he knows it. If he judges someone to not be worth his time, they soon know about it. A major saving grace is the fact that he is very good at deciding who can be of most benefit to him or to the state (though his own good takes first place) without automatically looking at birth or wealth. Indeed, his insight is perhaps a little too deep and unnerving; Hubert' s piercing gaze lets everyone know that he has something on them - not always something that he could be reasonably expected to know. Hubert’s aunt, Blanche de la Rose Amboise (or, to some, Blois) inherited rulership of the Amboise lands when her father died without a mature heir; she in turn had been married to Gontrand le Bien Bel, a younger brother of Charles II notorious for his appetite and enormous belly. Someone more different from the thin, pretty little de facto heiress to the wealthy Duchy of Gascogne was hard to imagine. However, Blanche rose to the challenge, and when her husband wanted her to be, she proved a dutiful wife. Gontrand, of course, took little personal interest in Blanche (though her lands certainly did arouse his attention) and the two spent little time together, with the Duc obliged to be at court to, at first, stick close to the heart of government and later to run the kingdom. Hubert de la Motte was perhaps the only positive product of their relationship. In his absence, Blanche developed the chateaux and palaces of the winecountry round Bordeleaux and the Morceaux river into an especially vibrant environment to cultivate the spirit and the intellect. An ' age d' or'of poetic and artistic finesse opened, and continues to this day; the scholars, writers, architects and artists who compete for the attentions of the Amboise faction far outstrip even their demand, so that most end up living a very ' bohemian'existence in the squalid but cheery slums around Bordeleaux university known as ‘Le Grand Mont’. Blanche' s current husband Jules, another brother of the King, was once again forced upon her by the Oisillon authorities, who are said to have threatened to disinherit her under an obscure law concerning female land ownership. But despite their relationship' s lack of real feeling on either side (Blanche is somewhat disdainful and arrogant so far as upper-class Bretonnian men go after her experiences) Jules certainly does know how to have a good time, and his presence has only added to the unique lifestyle of Gascogne. Another important project that has gone ahead thanks largely to the influence and especial interest of Blanche is that of colonising the New World. Bordeleaux has a long and proud maritime tradition, and even the bourgeois Merchant Guild agreed to fund part of the expeditions. The city, the Guild and the nobles now have the profits of the colonies of Nouveau Bagnoles, Charlesfort and others to fight over. Blanche herself has far outlived Gontrand, but never produced any children save Hubert. Those close to the Bordeleaux court say that offspring are unlikely to result from the new union with Gontrand' s brother, Jules. She Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

20

and her son, consequently, have a very close relationship, with Blanche acting as Hubert' s adviser and confidante; he trusts her implicitly and will speak his true mind to her alone. Known as the ' Diamond of the Deep'because of her connections with the wealth of the Morceaux, Blanche keeps a peripatetic court that is constantly on the move from chateau to chateau to Bordeleaux and back to the country again; it is a long and colourful procession of banners and numberless servants, followed by legions favour-hunters and hangers-on. The intelligent Blanche thrives in this atmosphere, governing the duchy of Gascogne very efficiently, and has even composed poetry of her own; she is widely spoken of as the best hostess in all Bretonnia. Under the guidance of Blanche and Hubert (who has been appointed governor of Bordeleaux in recognition of his royal blood and cultural connections; in practice he allows Blanche to do the actual work of government in the city), the cultural life of Bordeleaux has thrived, whilst regular distributions of free wine and bread ensure her popularity with the commoners. Even so, they have not aroused the sympathy of Bordeleaux' s bourgeoisie, who stubbornly maintain their many ancient privileges; at times there is virtual warfare between the rich merchants and the Amboise' s supporters, with both trying to gain the aid of the intelligentsia and the commoners in a continuing power struggle. Although the existence of the Gascogne nobility may sound idyllic and free from the dangers of the outside world, this is far from the truth; beneath the enlightened veneer lies just as much backstabbing and intrigue as is to be found in the Oisillon Palace or any other noble household. Illicit affairs, dependency on the many chemical and herbal substances used to add verve to balls, membership of strange and ancient societies that hold secret, decadent meetings in the dead of night, plots, slanders and much else are all hinted at but never brought into the open; to do so would be to rip the heart out of the grand illusion on which the happy aristocrats of Gascogne thrive.

The Lefevre, wealthy Comtes de Domme, never visit the court, though it is believed that they donated one daughter to the royal lineage some 150 years ago. Occasionally an envoy or communique is received, but this is apparently as far as connections with the mysterious Lefevre go. Charles III, however, fearing for his borders, is keen to regularise contact with his eastern defenders, and is currently trying to organise some sort of visit from the Lefevre.

Government members recapitulation - Prime Minister : Cardinal of Shallya, Henri Armagnac Dumourieux (Dumourieux Faction) - Minister of Finance : Pierre Granvelle, son of Bernard Granvelle, Comte de Perrac (Granvelle Faction) - Minister of the Army and the Navy : young Louis Villeroi, Charles III' s best friend (Blois Faction) - Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs : Hubert de la Motte, Marquis de Frejus the King' s cousin (Amboise faction) - Secretary of State at Dispatches : Nicholas Fouquet, Comte de Sarlat (De Semblancy faction)

A summary of factions at court The King' s court at the great Oisillon Palace is a huge and diverse mix of nobles and favour-seekers assembled from across the kingdom and beyond. To try and help make some sense of the complex situation and summarise the information above, here is a brief list of the factions to be found at the court in order of size and influence; further details can be found above: THE BLOIS FAMILY: The King' s own clients and extended relatives; a very large faction who openly interfere and get dragged into the machinations of other groups, with little group dynamic of their own and several leaders with conflicting interests. Few if any would, however, desert the King' s patronage. They include the King' s brothers, Guillaume and Tancred; his brother Blaize (though he is rarely at court); the King' s favourite, Louis Villeroi; and the Duc de Brossard, Governor of Guisoreux, as well as numerous other officials and nobles dotted around the land. THE CARDINAL' S FACTION: The King' s Prime Minister, his friends and his dependants; many are attracted to the Cardinal by his current level of influence, and were this to be diminished so would his faction decline in numbers. The Cardinal is generally opposed to the De Semblancy, and anyone else who gets too big for their boots can expect him to oppose them.

THE LEFEVRE FAMILY Very little is known about this ancient and proud family, who hold the potentially vital border with the Empire in Bourgon. Indeed, the whole region is something of a backwater, known for its isolation, bloody past and brooding, well-defended chateaux. The sullen peasants remember many tales of war, massacre and other, darker secrets that are best left told behind barred gates. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

THE DE SEMBLANCY FAMILY: François de Semblancy, Duc de Lyonnais and Marshal of Bretonnia, together with his own clients and relatives, including his wife, Annette, sister to King Charles; and Nicholas Fouquet, Comte de Sarlat and Secretary of State at Despatches. They are bitterly opposed to the Cardinal, ' noblesse de robe'and the Capucinet family; in general Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

21

they are arch-conservatives who distrust any new measure that could compromise their position. THE GRANVELLE FAMILY: Led at court by Pierre Granvelle, Minister of Finance and son of Bernard Granvelle, Comte de Perrac (who is based in l’ Anguille); supported by his brothers and clients, most of whom are comparatively new into the aristocracy and politics. They have a good working relationship with the Cardinal and the King, but encounter varying levels of hostility from other, more established nobles, in particular the De Semblancy. The Granvelle are open rivals with the Loiseau family, and the de Cabourg family and the Knights of the Holy Blood detest them.

Cardinal of Ulric, Alf-Andre de Negrepelisse (l' Anguille) - KNIGHTS OF THE HOLY BLOOD/DE CABOURG FAMILY THE KNIGHTS OF THE HOLY BLOOD: Small but vociferous group of old-fashioned knights and impoverished aristocrats, mostly from Armorique led by Leoncoeur, the King' s champion. Advocate war and very conservative ideals, especially on religion; Alf-Andre de Negrepelisse, Cardinal of Ulric, supports the Knights sometimes.

THE AMBOISE FAMILY: Dynamically led at court by Hubert de la Motte, Marquis de Frejus, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the King' s cousin; also many nobles from Gascogne. The official head of the family is Jules Blois, Duc de Gascogne and uncle to Charles III; he is not active in politics and remains in Bordeleaux with his wife Blanche. The Amboise faction get on fairly well with all the other factions and have many allies in the Blois family thanks to Hubert' s royal blood. THE CAPUCINET FAMILY: As the family head, the Duc of Navarre, is reluctant to leave his own lands, the faction at court is led by his brother Alphonse Capucinet, who is accompanied by a number of fellow Navarrese aristocrats; they bring an unsavoury reputation and an ancestral feud with the De Semblancy to the Oisillon Palace. Other factions are still trying to determine exactly what the Capucinet want at court and if the Duc of Navarre' s wishes are compatible with their own. THE RELIGIOUS FACTION: Not really a faction in itself; comprises all the great clerics in the land, who are obliged by tradition to sit together when the King is present. At varying times all seven Cardinals (of the cults of Shallya, Myrmidia, Verena, Taal, Morr, Manann and Ulric) and the kingdom' s Archeveques and Eveques (archbishops and bishops) attend. Nearly all who regularly come to court are affiliated with one of the other factions, whose interests they support. Most of the Cardinals are involved with one of the courtly factions, and many have blood ties with the nobility. Below are listed the seven Cardinals, where they are based and the factions they support: Cardinal of Shallya, Henri Armagnac Dumourieux (Couronne) - DUMOURIEUX FACTION Cardinal of Myrmidia, Claude de Vendome (Quenelles) - DE SEMBLANCY FAMILY Cardinal of Verena, Gibaud De Rennes (Guisoreux) BLOIS FAMILY Cardinal of Morr, Cicere Marsallas (Guisoreux) BLOIS FAMILY (but only by instinct; generally stays out of politics) Cardinal of Taal, Quentin Eurtre (Parravon) DUMOURIEUX FACTION (again, rarely attends court and normally not concerned with government) Cardinal of Manann, Toine Rohan-Rochefort (Bordeleaux) - AMBOISE FAMILY BRETONNIA–PROJECT

THE ARTOIS FAMILY: Old military family from eastern Flandres who refuse to bow down to the advances of Cardinal Dumourieux. Led by Paul d' Artois, who is slowly winning the allegiance of other Flandres nobles opposed to the Cardinal. Quietly allied with the De Semblancy faction. THE DE CABOURG FAMILY: Represent the staunch, proud and independent section of Armorique' s old-style aristocracy. Descended from the Norse settlers of northern Armorique with some links to the Ulrican faith and led by the soldier Guillaume de Cabourg. Support the De Semblancy by default, but are reluctant to enter into any firm alliance. Hate the Granvelle and the Loiseau families. Most of the time Alf-Andre de Negrepelisse associates with the de Cabourg. THE LOISEAU FAMILY: A landed family from Armorique who have taken on the Granvelle and the noblesse de robe at their own game. Seen as traitors by some nobles. Led by Henri Loiseau, Duc de l' Anguille, whose clients include Xavier Gevaudan, the Governor of l' Anguille, and admiral Marouanec. He is in direct competition with the Granvelle family and has closest relations with the Blois family. Generally more concerned with advancing his own power than forging alliances. OTHERS: There are many other individuals and groups at court who are not linked with any of the major factions. These include nobles who simply have no ties to the great families, foreigners (including ambassadors) and some individuals who are asked by the King to attend the court; military officers, lawyers, clerks, doctors, wizards, academics and others can all be found at various time.

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

22

D"2H%%-2I%*2

By Rory Naismith "Ne'er had mine eyes beheld such splendour…a palace, a mansion of the gods, all shining-gilded with gold and purest marble. Within its mighty walls, beyond its luxurious extern, I soon found yet more to dazzle and enthrall; more, I say, than mortal man may dare to dream. Chamber upon chamber, stretching to heaven and hell and back, each one full gloriously ornamented with the most elegant and precious trinkets. And yet all - all this wondrous show of riches and magnificence - was built for but one man…I could not fail but ask myself, could it be that one man could fully take in the Oisillon Palace, or be it that the King of Bretonnia is, as the peasants claim, not a man but a demi-god?" - Enrico Cattiatorre, Tilean scholar, 2507 IC, describing his visit to the Oisillon Palace

The Oisillon Palace is the heart of Bretonnia, the heart of King Charles III’s beneficent rule. It is where the King and many of his nobles reside, and as such most of the important decisions are made there before being passed along to the provinces and central government in Guisoreux. Indeed, some of the administrative work is carried out within or nearby the Palace itself by the clerks, lawyers and messengers who daily attend on King Charles.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Physical Description: Quite simply, the Palace is enormous! Cattiatore’s description (see above) does not exaggerate; there are rooms almost beyond count within the main complex, ranging from vast and dazzling ball rooms and apartments decked out by the very best artists and craftsmen the Old World has to offer, down to the drear and functional servants quarters. The Palace is, of course, far larger than even King Charles and his most hedonistic subjects could ever use at one time. Many rooms lie locked and unoccupied, with the furnishings covered in sheets; some have not been opened for decades, save for occasional games of hide and seek or careful inspections by diligent servants. King Charles and his predecessors do not see the Palace’s immense size and excess space as in any way wasteful or superfluous: after all, nothing is too much for the King. The Oisillon Palace is not simply a place for the King and his noble subjects to live in, it is a tangible symbol of the majesty and might that is Bretonnia; thus, the King’s palace should be infinitely larger than any other monarch in order to fulfil the Bretonnian rulers’ vision of themselves and their state. On a more practical level, the size of the Oisillon Palace allows the fickle aristocrats to move their apartments from one side of the complex to the other in order not to get bored, and they are able to live in proximity to the King without living on top of each other. The grandeur of the Palace is not lost on the many ambassadors and guests who visit; there is a huge number of guest rooms, subtly graded in terms of quality according to the prestige of the visitor. Some of the most ’sensitive’ rooms are fitted with observation devices and, it is rumoured, hidden traps. In terms of architecture, the Palace combines a number of styles; most of it is soaring, curved and graceful, painted in shades of cream and pastel to look like something from an angel’s dream; other parts look like the castles and fortresses of old Bretonnia, though considerably altered in the interests of comfort and aesthetics. In fact, the heart of the Palace is a very ancient castle, first built by King Guillaume I in about 1300 IC. Although virtually all of the old castle has been removed, one of the walls has been built into the present structure and can be seen on the side of one of the inner courtyards. On midsummer night, the servants claim that the sounds of revelry at King Guillaume’s court can still be heard; and it is said that anyone who attempts to climb the ruined spiral staircase in the wall that once led up to a tower will be eternally ensnared by Guillaume’s debauched throne room. Inside the Palace, the areas meant for the nobles and especially for the royal family are as luxurious as possible: no expense is spared to make them comfortable and attractive for their foppish, demanding occupants. Paintings, ornaments, suits of armour, plaster fittings, rich tapestries and more are all to be found adorning the rooms for the nobility; the King’s apartments are, quite literally, the most sumptuous in the Old World. Few save Charles’s personal servants are allowed into these rooms, and those that are come out staggered by the opulence within. All nobles have an extra +20 modifier to Fellowship tests taken when dealing with anyone unused to such surroundings. Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

23

The ' Chambres des Fêtes' , which include several large dining rooms, a theatre and the grand ballroom, are said to be the nearest thing to heaven on earth, partly thanks to the delicate ceiling paintings of winking cherubs bearing up King Charles and his illustrious ancestors. It is the custom, whilst dancing below, to fix one' s eyes on those of one of the cherubs before casting around for a partner; the nobles believe that each guides the eyes of future lovers together and unites them on the dancefloor, and it is uncanny the number of times that dance partners confess to having looked at the same cherub. Servants'accommodation is a great contrast to that of their masters. Although generally quite clean (for lowerclass Bretonnian standards) and roomy, they are still bare and spartan; the furniture is cheap and serviceable, and there is virtually no decoration. In fact, the masters' stables are better furnished and equipped than most of the servants'rooms.

Areas of the Palace: The Royal Apartments: As has been said, there is really no beating the King' s private chambers in terms of luxury and opulence. Everything in them is the best; the softest linen (changed twice a day); the smoothest silk; the finest paintings and ornaments; the most voluptuous and charming serving girls. Not just the King lives in this section of the Palace, but also his wife, his brother Tancred, a few more distant relatives and the King' s closest friends (such as Louis Villeroi, Charles' s current favourite). Musketeers guard the gold-inlaid doors that lead into the apartments; there is only one entrance, used by both servants and masters. Anyone entering is questioned on their purpose; many are sharply turned away by the stern-faced musketeers. In contrast to the fairly lax security elsewhere, there are always at least six musketeers and a sergeant watching the door. A single, very long gallery - which by tradition holds portraits of the Kings of Bretonnia (another tradition says that when there is no room left in the gallery, the Kingdom will fall) - runs all the way from the royal apartment to a balcony at the opposite end of the Palace, overlooking the Grand Courtyard.

The Servants’ Quarters: The large majority of the Palace' s great number of servants have their rooms here. These are tightly packed dormitories, with only the Majordomes and a few other higher-level servants having their own rooms. Dingy corridors and steep, winding staircases make the area extremely difficult to find one' s way about in; but the servants have to get used to it, for a virtual labyrinth of small corridors and staircases extends across the Palace from here, allowing them to move quickly and unseen from one place to another. Learning the course of the ' Warren' , as the servants know it, takes many years. Some have got lost for hours - if not days - in the Warren, and emerging into any of the masters'chambers other than one' s destination constitutes grounds for instant dismissal, or worse. The immense kitchens are located at the eastern BRETONNIA–PROJECT

end of this area, and are midway between the grand dining area and the storehouses where the supplies come in.

The Guards’ Quarters: Sited at the head of the Great Courtyard to ward off any trouble, this militarised area is where the guards of the Palace are quartered. Like the servants'quarters, these are infinitely less comfortable than the nobles'apartments further back. This part of the Palace is made to look almost like a miniature fortress: armouries, murder holes, portcullises and thick stone walls can be seen all round. What observers tend not to realise is that these are almost entirely for show; the fine, delicate lines, selected so as not to spoil the view of the Palace, would crumble and break under any attack. Prettiness and good paintwork are the hallmarks of the Palace' s ' defences' , and the guards tend to spend a good deal of their time improving plasterwork, cleaning and painting. The noble born and finely trained musketeers constitute the elite of the guards of the palace. They head the regular guards who keep watch in and around the Palace and whose efforts are not always consistent. Some of the latter do not actually come from Bretonnia, but are recruited from the Switzer cantons. These troops are respected for their ability to keep silent and stern come what may, and are more stoic and determined than any others. By long-established precedent, a Switzer is always in charge of the Musketeer guard outside the royal apartment. This custom dates back long before the building of the Oisillon Palace; in the distant past, the Kings kept no regular household troops in the style of the Musketeers and, following the assassination of King Louis II (d.1596 IC) by a group of drunken knights who misheard a curse from the Cardinal of Myrmidia, the rulers arranged to have a small force of tacit, loyal Switzers employed to act as personal guards to the king. All the guards take an immense pride in their work despite their many shortfalls and are carefully selected for their strength, bravery and loyalty (if not always for their wits).

The Administrative Wing: Here are to be found the clerks, records and archives that run the King' s estate and the Palace. Bare floorboards and a strict economy are evident as one wanders these quiet halls, silent save for hushed murmurs about percentages and quotas, and the busy scratching of countless quills. Messengers and petitioners arrive daily from Guisoreux and elsewhere, bringing messages from other parts of the Kingdom; the near-critical situation of royal finances ensures that the clerks, accountants and lawyers are constantly running on adrenaline, and the Marienburg merchants sell vast quantities of exotic and stimulating eastern spices (usually brewed into a hot, dark drink) to the administrative staff at the Palace. Unbeknownst to the lower ranks of officials, the Minister of Finance - Pierre Granvelle - often comes here, stripped of his elegant attire, and is recognised only as a stressed, intelligent and very efficient manager.

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

24

The Stables: Much more than just stables (though stables there certainly are, in great abundance and quality), this part of the Palace houses many of the bulkier objects that are needed in the Palace, though mainly on an occasional basis. Large, darkened halls contain sinister, dust-sheeted masses in great quantity; they include deck-chairs and wrought iron tables for summer; sledges for winter; pianos of many types; spare furniture; and there are other piles in the darker corners that no-one knows anything about nor, for fear of venturing too far from the light, dares to investigate. Rumours persist that a few young servants have disappeared with only a faint scream and a whisper of dusty wind whilst in a chamber thought to contain artefacts brought back from the Crusades in Araby many centuries ago. Locks have been placed upon the doors to this large room, known as the ' Khedive' s Treasury' , and it is a closely guarded secret amongst the most senior servants that these heavy padlocks have to be replaced and fervently blessed and replaced every month.

The Nobles’ Apartments: Slightly over half the Palace is given over to accommodation for the many aristocrats who come to be in attendance on the King, leaving their estates to the management of relatives and stewards. Some have never actually visited their lands; others split the year between the Palace and the provinces. The many suites and chambers are split into blocks and sections according to the courtly factions that dominate court life, with the largest and most favoured factions (the De Semblancy faction and the faction surrounding Cardinal Dumourieux) having the rooms nearest the royal apartments: a mark of great prestige. Wide, red-carpeted corridors run between the various apartments, and are used by the nobles when descending to meals, attending court and other occasions. Venturing out of one' s chambers is almost like stepping into no-man' s land: both gentlemen and ladies are coy and awkwardly polite, always on the lookout for any sign of misdemeanour or weakness that can be pounced upon in the cut-throat world of courtly intrigue that dominates the Palace.

The ' Chambres des Fêtes' : Comprising the huge rooms that are used for occasions within the Palace, the ' Chambres des Fêtes'lie between the royal apartment and the nobles' apartments. Ballrooms, dining rooms, meeting rooms and others with no fixed purpose are to be found here, including the huge and near-celestial Grand Ballroom; there is also a private theatre for the amusement of the King and his nobles, with an in-palace troupe of players and musicians laying on performances every day. Their master is, unusually, a Wood Elf by the name of Uthlin Saramir, who has been overall director of the Oisillon Palace' s entertainment every since it was built. Although he is all smiles and charm with the King and his courtiers, it is said that his steely gaze and long willow rod have reduced many players, dancers and musicians to tears and screams during rehearsals. Just like every servant (and noble, for that matter) Uthlin and his companions know that they BRETONNIA–PROJECT

must put on a brilliant, dazzling performance whenever the King desires: given Charles and especially his wife' s critical attitudes towards music and theatre, the troupe is kept in constant readiness to perform an extravaganza, and those who can' t hack a fifteen-hour day are thrown onto the streets.

The Great Courtyard: Just in front of the Palace itself, facing Oiseau, is the Great Courtyard: a large open area which comprises the space between the two front wings of the Palace and a substantial expanse beyond. A series of three high iron fences run across the Great Courtyard, and varying numbers of gates through them are opened for different occasions; the innermost two are never opened. The outermost fence extends all the way around the Palace grounds and is many miles in length. Some sections are not very well kept, and people and animals could slip through to tackle the hedges, dogs and woods beyond. Those who know the Palace and its perimeter well can usually find some way of getting in, and once through it is possible to make one' s way into the main complex itself; the guards are mostly stationed at the front to ward off gawping churls and look good in their surcoats, whilst the nobles rely primarily on self-confidence and burly servants to keep the occasional curious interlopers out of harm' s way. One or more regular guards are stationed at the many small gates in the outer fence, which are used for discrete comings and goings by both masters and servants. Although this technically means that there is nothing more than a wall or fence standing between the King of Bretonnia and the wilderness, the situation is not quite so bad as one may think. For a start, the fences surrounding the Palace itself and the immediate surroundings are very high and well-maintained (and, according to some sources, protected by magic), and could easily stand up to the efforts of a peasant mob. Beyond this area, there are dogs and dense thickets making access to the Palace difficult. Also, the guards make up in numbers what they lack in wits; patrols are frequent, and there is nearly always a group of guards fairly near at hand, especially close to the Palace. They are ready to summon reinforcements or, in dire circumstances, send word to the Musketeers and even the army barracks midway between Oiseau and Guisoreux. At the front of the Oisillon Palace, just inside the second of the three high fences and rising slightly over the top of it, there is a high, wrought iron rostrum, embossed with the letters CR III: it is from here that King Charles III de la Tete d' Or speaks very occasionally to the public, giving them messages and speeches in time of crisis or on some special occasion. In his reign so far King Charles has only ascended the rostrum four times, and three of those were to dispel rumours of his death. The rostrum is more often used to deliver messages from the King, royal decrees or, rarely, gifts to the joyful masses. It is more usual for the King to appear at the balcony above the main entrance to the Palace itself; this is far too distant from even the second fence to be seen clearly or targeted by any missile, but even so distant a

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

25

glimpse of the King is enough to send assembled mobs into paroxysms of delight and patriotism.

The Chapels: The Bretonnian royal family have always been pious, though not always on a regular basis. However, when the Oisillon Palace was constructed it was decided early on that a large complex would house a chapel to every major deity worshipped in the country. Thus, at the heart of the Palace (almost dead in the centre, in fact) there is a series of interconnected chapels and temples, with accommodation attached for the clerics who serve them. Both nobles and servants are able to use these chapels, although there is a clearly defined hierarchy within them: the aristocrats get comfortable seats close to the pulpit or altar, whilst the lower orders are discretely placed in a gallery or behind a screen. Although the different tenets of the various deities represented are there to be seen, there is a generally more stylish, luxurious and ostentatious feel to all the chapels. Paintings, plaster fittings and elaborate decoration can be found in all, with subject matter and colouring showing the difference. The largest chapels here are those of Shallya, Myrmidia, Manann and Morr. Each of these is staffed by two clerics and four or more initiates, who organise daily services and minister to those who request aid. Smaller chapels are dedicated to the cults of Taal, Ulric and the Lady of the Lake, with just one cleric and one initiate on hand. Some of these chapels fulfil other roles, too; the chapel of the Lady of the Lake, for instance, is the centre of activity for the Knights of the Holy Blood when they are at the Palace, and the spacious chapel of Myrmidia is by tradition the place where extremely sensitive trials involving the nobility are held, often presided over by the Cardinal of Myrmidia and sometimes the King himself. A few faithful souls who have died in the Palace have chosen to be interred here, buried beneath great inscribed slabs in the floor of the chapel of their liking, a monument for all to see. This comes at no small fee, but it is a littleknown fact that these tombs also act as morbid vaults for those expecting to use them and for the families of the deceased, encouraging their use by the especially rich and protective. Covered by rocks weighing many tons, there is little way even a very ingenious thief could break into any of these tombs to find what lies within. In the midst of the plotting and backstabbing that constitutes life at the Palace, a spell in the quiet of the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

chapels appeals to many nobles and servants - although it has been whispered that some initiates and even clerics are not above accepting bribes to listen in when worried visitors confess their fears and misdemeanours. Worse, a few late-night visitors to the chapels have heard odd sounds, almost rapturous screams, emanating from the chapel of Morr. Pere Urbain Grainier, the presiding cleric of Morr, is a young and intelligent man, apparently highly respectable due to his noble birth (he has links with the De Semblancy family); perhaps the only odd thing about him is the voluminous and secretive correspondence he carries out with ' student friends'in Middenheim and Nuln, and the occasional large packages that arrive for him, which one inquisitive porter claimed had air holes punched in the top.

People in the Oisillon Palace: The King and Nobility: Altogether only a few hundred people live in the Oisillon Palace with the status of ' masters' . These include the King himself and his household, together with the various factions of the nobility and a few other honoured visitors such as foreign ambassadors and favoured wizards, scholars and physicians (at least a few of all three are always on hand as official royal servants). Needless to say, they all live a life in which they want for virtually nothing; servants are in constant attendance, and they live in the midst of splendour and beauty. They see very little of the immense work and cost that goes into maintaining this quality of existence. Normally they will not rise until at least about 11 am (some do not even get to bed until then, however, and live a virtually nocturnal existence) and must then spend an hour or more dressing and taking a lengthy toilette. This applies to both men and women; fashionable dress is complex, very expensive, difficult to put on and usually impractical. Currently the ' in thing'for both is to simulate peacocks and phoenixes; outfits are covered in multicoloured stitching - flame-coloured for men, blue and green for women - and ladies wear enormous fake peacock tails up to eight feet long. Once the aristocrats have woken and dressed, it is customary to assemble in the Grand Ballroom around 3 pm to greet the King if he so wishes. This is the great event of the day; the factions gather into groups, eyeing one another from across the glittering ballroom and vying Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

26

to approach and draw the King' s favour. Gaining his ear is vital to advancing oneself, so there is a great deal of very well-mannered pushing and shoving to get access to the King. Occasionally there have been broken fingers and raised fists as particularly impassioned courtiers conflict for an audience with King Charles, who either sits atop his throne or meanders amongst the assembled crowd. However, since any hint of genuine violence in the King' s presence would be grounds for banishment, there is at least a show of decorum and organisation; so much so that Charles rarely notices anything other than a large crowd before him. Sometimes, however, he declines to greet the nobles, in which case they remain in their apartments and take their meals there (breakfast is usually forgotten or else eaten in private), perhaps venturing out if they' ve arranged to meet someone, either in another set of apartments or in one the many rooms available for use; excursions into the extensive gardens and grounds of the Palace are also common, especially in summer. It is common, when leaving one' s apartment at any time, to take at least a couple of burly but well-appointed bodyguards; the poor state of the regular guards is a frequent source of amusement. Of course, if King Charles decides he wants to emerge, then nearly all those present in the Palace will attend; not to do so would be to invite dishonour and possible retribution from the slighted monarch. It is in the evening and hours of darkness that the masters of the Palace really come to life. Balls and parties take place every other night, often celebrating birthdays, anniversaries of various occasions and some religious festivals. Fancy-dress is a common aspect of balls, with masques being especially popular. Wine, punch and cognac flow freely, and many courtiers (especially young gentlemen) get inebriated every night, sleeping it off during the day and waking themselves up again for another evening' s entertainment with strong smelling salts. Morals are also very flexible, and some aristocratic couples have amazingly tolerant and liberal relationships based on a combination of mutual ignorance and discretion. Frustrated love affairs, illegal offspring and desperate medical remedies for infection and pregnancy are amongst the more unsavoury and less-discussed troubles that face the nobles at the Oisillon Palace.

The Servants: A truly vast number of people live in and near the Palace working as servant in some capacity or another. These include cooks, maids, cleaners, footmen, Majordomes and countless others. Some are brought in from the provinces by their masters, but the majority live all year round in the Palace. The most important set of servants in the Palace are those who wait on the King; only those who display the most impeccable manners, loyalty and (in the case of women) comeliness are ever elevated to this position. Posts on the King' s staff are highly coveted: not only is the pay increased and the prestige value immense, but on retirement it is customary for dutiful servants to be sent away to a comfortable place in the country with a good pension - so they do not use their knowledge to any untoward purpose. It is also not uncommon for oncebeautiful and submissive maidens to leave quickly and BRETONNIA–PROJECT

quietly with somewhat more to remember the King or one of his courtiers by. The location of these ' little places in the country'is a very well-kept secret. The servants'day begins much earlier than that of their masters. All are up and about by 6 am at the latest; some rise two hours earlier. A great many tasks must be carried out before the aristocrats awake: cleaning of the corridors and main chambers, cooking and getting ready for the rest of the day' s events (there is something special going on virtually every day somewhere in the Palace) are the main ones. Once the masters begin to appear, when most of the frenetic work of cleaning and preparing is done, the servants make ready to attend to the nobles. This is a demanding job; nearly all of them need help to be washed and dressed, and demand food and drink to be brought to them. They also consider it a slur on their honour to ever be in a room where there are no servants at all; they imagine they are expected to wait on themselves. Taking care of the masters occupies the rest of the day for the servants. Things get even more busy and complicated in the evening as the main meal of the day approaches. Something spectacular is expected every night, and the head cook is called out and ridiculed (sometimes injured) if the food is not up to scratch. The Oisillon Palace gets through a new head cook about once every six months. The festivities and entertainments that inevitably follow dinner take up the evening and night for the servants, and cleaning up after them often lasts until the early hours. To cope with problems such as these, certain groups of servants, who receive higher pay, sleep during the day and keep strange nocturnal hours so as to see to these duties whilst the bulk of the staff snatch a few welldeserved hours of sleep before starting it all again the next morning.

The Majordomes: The highest-level servants in the Palace are the Majordomes. Recruited from the most devoted, fastidious and well-mannered young men, the Majordomes undertake a long and arduous training in a special college located outside the Palace in the town of Oiseau, known as ' Le Centre Lidou'after its founder. After a ten-year education, they are ready to become the personal manservant to an aristocrat. Majordomes have an extremely strong sense of dignity and propriety; doing things ' correctly'and keeping up a routine in the face of all inconveniences are their aims. The best Majordomes keep calm and well-organised at all times; all problems and needs are foreseen, and they are never surprised or flustered enough to betray any sign of real emotion. A mastery of etiquette and the countless delicacies of running a great household are also included in a Majordome' s training. In his time, a Majordome becomes attuned to his master' s requirements, whilst his master comes to depend absolutely on the Majordome' s trust, judgement and powers of organisation. Maintaining their reputation in the eyes of other servants - and especially other Majordomes - is another important part of a Majordome' s duty, and he literally never lets his guard down to show

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

27

any sign of weakness to lesser (or greater) mortals; dignity must be upheld at all times. Amongst themselves, Majordomes'conversation turns to the greatest Majordomes of the past; those who have served the greatest masters most successfully, and anecdotes are lovingly recounted of order and cleanliness triumphing over all the odds. One of the most famous Majordomes was Pierre Jeyves, Majordome to Duc Philippe Duplessy, the aristocrat and explorer. Jeyves followed his master on his ill-fated expedition to the New World, and during the harrowing trek through steaming, stinking jungle that followed, he managed to shave the Duc' s moustaches every morning and have a freshly laundered shirt ready hanging on the tree beneath which he slept every night. It is said that those Majordomes who fail their master in some irredeemable way kill themselves, traditionally by poison. Player Character Majordomes: It is rare, but it is possible for VERY professional and well-regarded individuals to come straight into the position of Majordome without spending their youth at Le Centre Lidou, though this is dependent on finding and serving a noble (and, as the best Majordomes swear, the master must be an aristocrat, never a wealthy commoner), and on gaining acceptance from other Majordomes. There is no formal guild structure, but word gets round quickly about anyone trying to pass himself off as a real Majordome. Majordomes are accorded a great deal of respect by non-nobles (+20 to Fellowship tests) for their inscrutability and links to the upper classes. For those player characters who may wish to become Majordomes, the career details are given below. Note that before taking on this career, the character MUST be attached to a person of suitable rank (a person of noble birth). Since the Majordome is expected to spend every waking moment seeing to this person' s needs, it is very difficult for them to serve someone who is not a member of their party. Bear in mind that the relationship between a Majordome and his master is not simply a scam to force one player to follow the beck and call of another; there are certain expectations of the master, too, and it is hoped that this relationship will allow for interesting and rewarding roleplaying. ADVANCE SCHEME M WS BS S +10 +10

T W I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel +1 +4 +20 +10 +10 +20 +40 +30 +10

CAREER ENTRIES: BASIC: Artisan' s Apprentice, Scribe, Servant, Squire, Student. CAREER EXITS: ADVANCED: Charlatan, Forger, Spy. SKILLS: Acute Hearing, Cook, Etiquette, Heraldry, Read/Write, Shadowing, Silent Move - Urban, Tailor. TRAPPINGS: Two very clean and smart suits; sewing kit; copy of Follenvie’s Guide to the Ancient and Glorious Nobility of Bretonnia.

The Guards: Several hundred guards of various types live in and around the Palace, including about a company of Musketeers. They are divided into a large number of patrols and sections, although in practice duties are BRETONNIA–PROJECT

generally undertaken on an as-and-when basis depending on who can remember what exactly needs doing and who' s there to do it. The most important task of the numerous general guard is to be seen by the peasants, proving that more than high fences, arrogance and pastelcoloured stonework protects the King. Meeting the Guards: Anyone drawing near to the outer fence during the hours of daylight has a 10% chance of meeting a regular guard patrol; this rises to 20% at the second fence, and 60% at the inner fence (even the regular guards tend to notice someone get that far). However, if anyone does attempt to enter the Palace directly, there is a 90% chance that someone will see them, and a75% chance that they will raise a hue and cry. All of these probabilities are half as likely at night time, and each should be repeated every twenty minutes. Also, on special occasions or when a crowd of peasants assembles for some reason, a patrol of guards will always appear within ten minutes. Actually within the Palace (that is, beyond the last great fence), there is always a 65% chance of meeting a guard patrol, and there is a 20% chance that this patrol will be of Musketeers. There is always a heavy guard of Musketeers outside the King' s apartments. Not surprisingly, those caught trying to enter the Palace are severely punished: commoners can expect to receive at best a severe beating and a period in Oiseau' s dungeon; at worst, they may be killed or mutilated.

The Management: This is the name applied to the body that is charged with the overall control and management of the Oisillon Palace. It consists of personnel from the administrative department, the royal household and the head servants; about a dozen individuals in all who come together for a meeting every Monday, Thursday and Saturday (or whenever duty calls). Plans for important celebrations, the King' s wishes and other information is discussed at the meeting, and the relevant persons are made aware of any decisions taken. The two most important members of the Management are Gui Pollux, the King' s Majordome (a dark, middle-aged man well known for his acid wit, poker face and faultless conduct), and Victoire Udot, the former accountant and lawyer with the unenviable task of managing the financial affairs of the Palace (he is famed for his nervous twitch, stutter and delicate digestion; all of which have appeared in the three years since he took on this position). Amongst the servants, the Management is a feared and omnipotent body that can at any time give them their notice or, it is rumoured, worse (word is occasionally heard of particularly inept maids and footmen being found strangled in dark alleyways in Oiseau). The administration: A small army of clerks, lawyers, scribes, accountants and others have offices in the Palace. Some of the higher-level officials do not actually live in the dismal rooms provided for them in the Palace, but have houses or apartments outside in the town. They lead extremely stressful lives, staggering from one expensive near-disaster to the next in the name of King Charles. Few have the inclination, let alone the time or the energy, to get involved in matters far Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

28

removed from work, sleep, strong spiced drinks and the occasional cheap meal.

Non-humans: There are very few non-humans present in the Oisillon Palace on a regular basis. A few Halflings work as cooks or as entertainers for the nobles (who find their small size extremely amusing); there is a troupe of eight Halflings who work with Uthlin Saramir and the other members of the in-palace entertainment group. Their leader is Ilmo Sackaspuds; he enjoys a fearsome reputation amongst the staff as the only individual able to stand up to Saramir. No Elves except Uthlin Saramir actually live permanently in the Palace. In fact, there has been some speculation as to why Saramir does stay; he has not left the Palace grounds ever since it was built, and - most interestingly - he has never spoken to another Elf in that time, scorning the presence of visitors. This may be due to his somewhat unusual behaviour, for an Elf; he is obsessive, prone to excitement, arrogant and prone to resorting to curses and even violence. The master of Palace entertainments is not exactly approachable on the motive for this dislike of other Elves, and only occasional wild rumours give any hint as to the supposed truth. Some of these state that he is actually a fugitive, seeking asylum amongst humans; others believe that he is beholden unto the Kings of Bretonnia for some reason; the most fanciful (and treasonous) claim is that he is not a Wood Elf, nor even an Elf from the Kingdom of Ulthuan, but rather a Dark Elf from across the ocean, watching and studying the humans for his own and his masters'mysterious ends. Aside from Uthlin Saramir, there are fairly frequent Elven embassies to the Palace from Loren, which, lying within the boundaries of Bretonnia, has close and by and large good relations with the court. The visitors do not approve of the extravagance and luxury of the King' s court, but are always made welcome for their exoticism. By ancient tradition, a deputation of Wood Elves visits the court for a week during the summer every three years. This is a major event, with great gift-giving on both sides and reaffirming of old alliances. Since this is more or less the only regular visit of the Elves to a human court, the Empire, Marienburg and other states are always very keen to have officials and representatives on hand to court the visitors. The culmination of the visit, which was last held in 2510 IC, is a great party and contest in the grounds of the Palace. An immense feast of both Elven and Bretonnian delicacies is prepared; there are jousts between nobles from Bretonnia, Loren and many other lands; archery contests - dominated by the eagle-eyed Elves - take place; and dancing and tale-telling continues until the sun rises the following morning. Ulthuan occasionally sends ambassadors to the Palace, but only very rarely; letters are the most frequent mode of communication. The last time a High Elven visitor came to the Oisillon Palace was in 2502 IC, and even then the wise mage who came with a small company of fellow Elves spent only four days in the Palace, and passed most of those in studying intensely the Nigle Marbles and other parts of the royal collection. Dwarfs naturally dislike the hedonistic and opulent nature of the Palace. A few Dwarf artisans were BRETONNIA–PROJECT

contracted during the building of the Palace years ago, but a long-running dispute over pay and conditions the stubborn craftsmen left shortly before completing their work. There was some bad blood, and (it is said) a good deal of drunken violence between the Dwarfs and the human workers; a fond story still told by the servants and guards that one Dwarf, out of wits on cheap ale, fell into the cavity between two layers of stone together with all his tools and was accidentally walled up the following day, never to emerge again. The plaintive sounds of his hammering for help can still be heard echoing through the halls of the servants'quarters. Nowadays, no Dwarfs live in the Palace permanently, and only one deputation of ambassadors from the Dwarfs' holds in the Grey Mountains has ever been to the Oisillon Palace. They did not like what they saw, and were laughed at by the dandified aristocrats; the Dwarfs swiftly concluded their business and departed. Now, all communication with the Dwarfs is carried out by messenger, despite the King' s entreaties for another embassy to help shore up relations on the fragile Imperial border running along the line of the Grey Mountains.

The Grounds: Around the Oisillon Palace are very extensive gardens, forests and other grounds; about ten square miles of ornamental garden, all told, together with about fifty square miles of wild land for hunting and other purposes. The gardens are amongst the most picturesque and well-kept anywhere; a legion of gardeners works yearround to keep them so. There are long, beautiful avenues lined with tall trees. Courts and open spaces are provided for a number of sports, and there is a track suitable for racing on horses or traps; whilst the men enjoy the racing (the Duc de Lyonnais and Arnaud Alphonse Capucinet are great riders and even greater racing rivals), the ladies enjoy betting on the winner, though they are not above doping horses and loosening wheels on traps. Flowers, shrubs, herbs and other plants can also be found in the gardens for the pleasure of the King and the nobles, for in the summer and spring they tend to spend most of their time out of doors admiring the greenery and taking part in games and entertainments. Gardens of all styles can be found, from lakeside groves to very formal walled gardens with well laid-out borders and pretty ornamental fountains. Merely finding one' s way about the gardens is a challenge, even for some of the gardeners themselves; some have devoted their entire lives to making one tiny part of it absolutely perfect, and watch with pride as the King or one of the greatest nobles pauses to admire their work. The topiary gardens, the life' s work of Jules Pagnol (who died recently in a tragic accident, falling from a ladder whilst working on his beloved creations) are especially well-liked; Pagnol had a special flair for making uncannily lifelike and animated topiary hedges, and his works include dogs, cats, lions, birds, flowers and even dragons. For some reason, however, the other gardeners never liked Pagnol or his secluded part of the garden, and are very superstitious about it. None would dare venture in there alone. At the heart of the gardens, which extend behind the Palace complex, there is a hedged-off patch containing a Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

29

number of tall trees that look conspicuously unkempt amidst the tightly-ordered splendour of the other. No-one, not even the Palace gardeners, are allowed into this garden on King Charles' s express orders. Exactly why this is so is a painful secret known only to the King, a few of his closest friends, and his oldest servants; none dare speak openly of it for fear of arousing Charles' s sorrow and, with it, his wrath. If they can be persuaded to speak, they will explain that this was the favourite garden of Charles when he was a boy, before the death of his father. There, he and his brother and sisters used to play; at this point the teller reminds the listener to note the word sisters as at present the King has but one sister, Annette, wife of the Duc de Semblancy. However, the King did at one time have another sister, elder than Annette, who used to dote on him and, in return, attracted his especial affection. Her name, Claudine, is never to be spoken, thanks to Charles' s orders. The story goes that, whilst Charles was aged only seven, he and his beloved sister were playing in this garden, and chose to climb one of the tall trees that are to be found there. Whilst their nanny sat nearby, afraid of muddying her petticoat, they climbed higher and higher. Suddenly there was a scream and a crash, and the young, beautiful Claudine lay on the ground beneath the tree with a broken neck; she died in agony two days later. Charles was bereft: no-one was able to console him, and for days he refused even to speak. Eventually he returned to something approaching his former self, though those who knew him said something had changed, had died in him with Claudine and even to this day remains bitter and unhealed. All he ever said of the incident, and even this he soon regretted, was that ' the man in the mask pushed her' . According to hearsay, voices can be heard as the chill wind howls through the forbidden garden; some say they is the screaming of a child, others that it is mad, cruel laughter from beyond the pale.

Oiseau, the Town: Ever since the building of the Palace began (about fifty years ago, under King Charles I l' Énorme) and the court moved in permanently (in 2498 IC), the once-peaceful and quiet village of Oiseau has expanded into a quite substantial town. Most of those who live there are connected in some way to the Palace; many have a relative on the serving or administrative staff, and others work outside the Palace itself, for example in producing the many items consumed on a daily basis in the Palace. A good number, however, live there for no better reason than that they are near the King and the most important nobles in the land, and go in daily hope of receiving some sort of employment or favour. A few do have this luck, and certainly the chances of finding some sort of decent work here in the staff of one aristocrat or another are quite high; but even so, there are masses of unemployed people wandering the streets in seek of some sort of entertainment and way of earning money. The constant traffic of messengers, wagon-drivers and visitors in connection with the Palace also brings custom to the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

town' s many taverns, inns, traders and red light districts and a few of the more adventurous and extroverted aristocrats from the Palace descend from time to time to take in the sordid delights the peasants of Oiseau have to offer. Even more so than other Bretonnian towns and villages, the buildings of Oiseau have been thrown up in a hurry with little care for safety, aesthetics or health. It is not actually very big at all, but constraints laid on constructors by the Palace authorities mean that all building must take place in a ludicrously small space. Houses are very tall - up to six stories - with the streets below being dark, narrow and extremely winding and irregular; the place has been likened to a maze, with dead ends and u-turns aplenty. The majority of the buildings were intended only as temporary, and collapses are not infrequent. The streets are knee-deep in dirt and rubbish, for drainage in the town is very poor. Crime, too, is very much in evidence, for there is both a large percentage of people out of work, and a high number of people with money (pay from the Palace). Assaults, murders and robberies are commonplace, and it is a brave soul who roams the dingy heart of Oiseau after dark, especially on a Friday (traditionally the day when the servants get paid). But in the midst of the squalor and thuggery that dominate the dirty and crowded town of Oiseau, there is a surprising level of reverence for the King: none will hear a work said against him, and those who speak poorly of Charles and his government are amongst the first to fall foul of the town' s many footpads. Equally, aristocrats who attend the brothels and taverns are treated with deference and awed respect. The clearest manifestation of this patriotism is in the Chapelle du Roi, which is located close in the servants'quarters of the Palace itself. This simple, rather austere temple is a place of pilgrimage for people across Bretonnia afflicted with the ' King' s Evil' ;a painful and all-but incurable illness that causes unsightly blemishes and spots to appear all over the body and can, in extreme cases, prove fatal. It is said that the only way of getting rid of the King' s Evil is to be touched by the King of Bretonnia himself, and it is in order to serve this need that the Chapelle du Roi exists. Travellers arrive almost daily from across the Kingdom in the hope of being touched by the King and cured of their agony. They stay in hostels around the Chapelle, where little trinkets and mementoes of the visit can be bought from the town' s traders. Pere Jules keeps the Chapelle, with the dutiful aid of two old and doughty sisters that have seen virtually every skin complaint known to man and are inured to the most nauseating of sights (and smells). King Charles obliges the devotion of his subjects by coming on the last Sunday of every month to touch those afflicted with the King' s Evil, always closely guarded by at least a dozen Musketeers. Although the success rate is far from 100%, even those few physicians who have come to the Chapelle scoffing at the pious hopes of the simple pilgrims come away amazed by the instant recovery shown by a few. The most cynical claim this to be some sort of act to show off the supernatural power of the King, but most believe that Charles III - like every other King of Bretonnia for over 1000 years - has the divine power to heal the King' s Evil. Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

30

Daily Events in the Oisillon Palace: For every day the characters stay in the Palace, roll a D100 on the table below to see what’s going on. Feel free to create other events and occasions as you need; this is intended only to supply fill-in action before moving on with the rest of an adventure. Remember to tailor the affects of each one depending on whether the characters are masters or servants. 01-10 PARTY: Either a birthday, a religious festival or something else, such as the King' s whim (equal chance of each). Much time spent by the servants cleaning and preparing; much time spent gossiping and dressing by the masters. Includes dancing, buffet and lots of drink. Doesn' t start until evening; lasts until the early hours. There is a 50% chance that a party will be themed in some way; themes may include fancy dress, masques or basis on the music and culture of another country. 11-20 BANQUET: Held on special occasions, usually memorials of famous battles and events, and some religious occasions. Cooking goes on all day (probably for several days before as well) with many extra helpers being roped in. Most of the lavish food (ten or more courses is the norm) served at the banquet in the evening goes uneaten; it is discretely shared amongst the staff or given to the royal hounds and swine. 21-30 SCANDAL: One or more members of the nobility have had some shocking secret either insinuated or revealed. Aristocrats spend the day hurrying about in excited little groups, making servants run hither and thither with notes and letters. More often than not rumour blows any scandal out of all proportion (though genuine filth is far from difficult to dig up), and most are forgotten within days. If men are involved, there is a 25% chance that the scandal leads to a duel with either swords or pistols. The servants probably notice little; they generally do not concern themselves with the masters'affairs of this type. 31-40 NEWS: A major piece of new information stirs the life of the Palace. There is an equal chance that this will be of a political nature or of a personal nature, concerning the King or one of the most important nobles (or one of the servants, depending on where the player characters are working in the Palace). Typical bits of political news might be a declaration of war, a particularly juicy scandal, the death of a ruler, an important battle, or a major foreign wedding. Personal news may be something like a death in a family, a marriage or a scandal outside the Palace. News is avidly discussed for the next two or three days, then forgotten. 41-50 DIPLOMATIC EVENT: Two or more nations with ambassadors at the Palace strike a deal or have some other important business. This may be the signature of a treaty, a declaration of war, the arrangement of a dynastic marriage or an alliance. There is a 50% chance that the dignitaries and states involved lay on a banquet or party to mark the occasion. 51-60 CRIME: Someone has committed a crime in the Palace. There is a 50% chance that the culprit will be known, and a further 50% chance that the guilty party will BRETONNIA–PROJECT

be a servant. The crime will always be something noticeable and significant to attract the gossip of either servants or masters (or both); typical crimes that might attract such attention are thefts, rapes, assaults and murders. 61-70 BIRTH/DEATH (50% chance of either): Someone of the player characters'social level has either died or given birth. Both occasions call for considerable activity, especially on the part of servants; noble deaths mean services and burial, with an attendant wake; noble births mean lavish parties and banquets in honour of the new-born. Births and deaths among the servants gain little if any notice from the masters, but mean just as much to the staff. 71-80 VISIT: Someone pays a visit to the Oisillon Palace. They may be a foreign ambassador, a rich and well-known aristocrat, a scholar, a wizard, an explorer, a foreign aristocrat or ruler, a troupe of specialised entertainers or a famous artist. All of these will draw the adoration of the aristocrats for a little while, but generally they lose interest after a couple of days. Servants tend not to pay much attention to important visitors, as they rarely get a chance to converse with them or enjoy their talents. 81-90 SPECIAL ENTERTAINMENT: An unusual entertainment is laid on for the masters. Examples might include a play, a concert, an excursion into a more distant part of the Palace gardens, an especially elaborate and important banquet or party (the King' s birthday, for example) or a large-scale game (hunts and horse-races with attendant betting are not unknown). This calls for particularly hard work from the staff, who have to work flat out from dawn till dusk getting everything running smoothly. 91-00 NOTHING: Nothing of particular note is happening today; an unusual enough event in itself in the Oisillon Palace!

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

31

Adventure Ideas: The Attics: Partly because of the problems associated with building cellars and basements in the Palace, for the water table is extremely high in this region (digging down just a couple of feet releases a trickle), the Kings'architects built in a great many attics and towers which soar over the main chambers and thoroughfares of the Palace. These serve a number of purposes today: the tallest, most conspicuous central tower, known simply as ' La Grande' , houses a great clock and bells that chime in the hours of day. Its keeper, Monsieur Jourdain, is a reticent and shadowy figure who is said to be paranoid about coming into contact with the ground and has spent years in ' La Grande' , having his meals sent up by winch. He is extremely protective about ' his'tower, and resents anyone entering, let alone questioning his work. What he would do to anyone who entered unannounced is unknown; and due to the fact that the workings of ' La Grande'are said to be made of gold to facilitate correct timekeeping, there are those who might be desperate enough to consider such a venture. Other areas of the attics and towers are given over to storage and, known only by those close to the King, to the holding of important political prisoners. They are kept in cages, suspended above a ground covered with sand, and under constant guard; exactly what these unfortunates have done to merit such treatment is a mystery, and one is even compelled to wear a mask at all times to hide his identity. Great swarms of bats have colonised the attics, and can be seen swooping around the towers and upper stories of the Palace during the hours of darkness. It is a common belief amongst the people of the town that the bats watch over the Great Courtyard in front of the Palace, and will attack anyone who dares try and sneak across. Everyone can speak of a friend of a friend who knew someone that suffered this fate, but it is enough to discourage all but the most foolhardy from attempting an attack on the Palace.

La Chambre Noire: King Charles III de la Tete d' Or, like his father and grandfather before him, knows the value of an efficient secret service, which can keep down the most dangerous political enemies and plots against the crown. Very few, even amongst the nobility, know anything of La Chambre Noire other than its name and vague purpose; many suspect (quite rightly) that it is based in the Oisillon Palace. In fact, La Chambre Noire is just that: ' The Black Room' . It is found in the heart of the royal palace, far from prying eyes, and has no windows or anything else on the walls; moreover, to guard against the members of the group who control the extremely delicate service from knowing each other' s true identity, meetings take place in absolute darkness, with the members each entering from a separate door and being guided to their seats by a chord. Only the Master of La Chambre Noire knows the real names of all the members - and his own identity is the most closely guarded of all. These details, however, are almost unknown outside La Chambre Noire itself; but its BRETONNIA–PROJECT

reach goes further and deeper than even the King himself could guess. Much speculation goes on amongst the aristocratic inhabitants of the Palace as to who might be a part of La Chambre Noire, and rumours run rampant, stirring the hearts of young heiresses. A few rash and daring noble gentlemen, seeing this, have it put about that they are actually members of La Chambre Noire themselves. Those who make such claims soon learn their folly: a dagger with the blade half snapped off is the first warning, a full dagger is the second, and death is the third.

The Masons: The fickle aristocrats who people the Oisillon Palace are constantly demanding changes and improvements to their chambers: a new door here, an extra wall put in there, these two rooms joined together, ad nauseam. The frequent changes in ownership of the various rooms force yet more changes to suit the requirements of new occupants. To fulfil all these requirements, the Management employs a corps of elite craftsmen known as the Masons. They are expert builders, joiners, plasterers, masons and carpenters, and at a moment' s notice they are able to go to any set of rooms in the Palace via the Warren of servants'corridors and carry out the requests of the Palace' s privileged inhabitants. Their work rarely gives cause for complaint, and they have an extremely strong work ethic shown in secret handshakes and what almost amounts to a whole other language that can be understood amidst the sounds of sawing and hammering so common in their work. More importantly, however, they sometimes take advantage of their position to build in little extras, for a price: secret rooms, hidden corridors, and hiding places. It is said that a Mason with full knowledge of all these secret rooms can make his way from one side of the Palace to the other without being seen. Often these secret rooms are built in return for generous contributions to the Masons'Society, and are used by intriguing aristocrats to spy on their fellows, or to effect discrete nocturnal visits to ladies' (or men' s) chambers. The head of the Masons, Monsieur Jacques Trouvier, is a loveable rogue from Bordeleaux, famed for his stereotypically common accent, plebeian attitude and grubby, dusty clothing; as well as being an absolute, selfproclaimed authority on anything to do with building or construction, he insists on knowing all of the secret annexes built by the Masons, and is constantly being sought by various nobles for nefarious ends. The many who use their rooms for rather more than decorous conversation and delicate evening pastimes soon learn that there is far more behind Trouvier' s gold-toothed smile than they would believe; he and his men do a handsome trade in blackmail on the rich inhabitants of the Palace.

One of our Comtes…: Marriages are a common way of great aristocratic families forming alliances, and since the most important noble families congregate at the Oisillon Palace, weddings (with, of course, lavish celebrations and buffets to die for at the reception) are not uncommon. However, the recent wedding of the young heir to the County of Deols to Baroness Varine Udinot has begun to raise the suspicions Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

32

of a few relatives on both sides. For, two days after the wedding took place, a body was found, so horribly mutilated as to be beyond facial recognition, in a dark alley in the town of Oiseau. Normally no-one would have taken note of one more killing in the rough and hectic backstreets inhabited by prostitutes and thieves; but a sharp-eyed urchin noticed that the body wore a ring belonging to the bridegroom, and earned himself a few pennies by returning it to the Palace. It was clear to see that the heir had, apparently, ' misplaced'this ring; it was not on his finger by the time the families came to look. Word of the discovery was kept hushed up by the heir' s family, but it appears the body also has a gold tooth: another distinguishing mark of the bridegroom (whose name was Henri du Guesclin). Although both families seem to be perplexed by the discovery, they are becoming ever more suspicious of each other and are considering taking steps to find out exactly what the opposition knows: whose is the body found in the alleyway? Who slaughtered him in such a cruel and bloody way? Why did he have du Guesclin' s ring and a gold tooth? And, most important of all, if it really is du Guesclin lying dead and slashed, then who is the young man now enjoying his first week of wedded bliss with the ravishing Baroness Varine Udinot? Serious doubts and a scandal of the first order could be aroused if it turns out that an impostor (though, it must be said, an impostor who has not yet put a foot wrong and is the spitting image of du Guesclin as he always has been) has taken advantage of the charms of Baroness Udinot and cast the whole succession of the families'lands into question.

A Misunderstood Masterpiece: Christophe Marlieu was regarded as the best playwright Bretonnia - nay, the entire world - had ever produced. Dashing, young, handsome and incredibly gifted, he had been brought to the Oisillon Palace by order of Uthlin Saramir, who had heard tell of his talents in the theatres at Parravon. The King and all the courtiers were suitably dazzled by his eloquence and by performances of some of his past productions; more than one of the pretty young ladies took a particular liking to the playwright, and he is known to have passed the night with at least two. But people were most excited by what he told them of his latest work: Doctor Fustian. A tale of magic, Chaos and intrigue, it tells of a proud and ambitious scholar who sells his soul to the dark gods in return for supreme magical powers. Having been written in conjunction, so Marlieu said, with a friend who had studied magic and the occult at Guisoreux (and has now disappeared completely), it included many authentic and chilling details bound up with Marlieu' s own inimitable verses. The tragedy came, however, just as rehearsals for the play were about to begin. After going into his lavish guest chamber to put the finishing touches to his work, nothing more was heard of Marlieu. All that was found the following morning when the servants entered was the completed manuscript of Doctor Fustian, neatly stacked on the playwright' s desk. A slip of paper on top of the document bore the one word ' Ready'in red ink, written in a hand different to that of Marlieu. In spite of Marlieu' s absence, Saramir has chosen to continue with the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

production; the King is expectant. On reading the manuscript, everyone agreed that the play was frighteningly good, there was no doubt of that. But already fears and unusual events have begun to occur. Those who read the text or try to copy it begin to see things out of the corner of their eye, and awake at midnight from strange and chilling nightmares. During rehearsals, the lights mysteriously dim, and unearthly whispers and applauding are heard from the empty theatre. Most worrying of all, one or two of the players swear blind that in the climactic summoning scene one extra face appeared amongst the cast. Some are having serious doubts about whether or not to continue, that it would be best to look for Marlieu and consult him before staging the play. But the King and Saramir are adamant; the show must go on…

The Treaty: The presence of so many foreign ambassadors in the Oisillon Palace - which is almost unique in this way means that shady deals and complex intrigues are always going on behind the scenes. No-one, least of all the King, knows everything that is happening at any one time, and the situation changes on a daily basis. In the past, wars have been declared on the basis of what has been said and done in the Oisillon Palace, and none of the major states of the Old World can afford to be without a presence. Indeed, some have gone so far as to say that if the Oisillon Palace sneezes, the Old World catches the cold. One such negotiation has recently been going on between Piet Ruystier of Marienburg, and Fernando Garcio Sanchez of Magritta. The deal aimed at setting new customs tariffs and formalising trading arrangements between the two powers, and had been carried out in relative though not obsessive secrecy. However, on the day the document was to be signed, Ruystier found that his copy had been stolen and one of his servants killed. Already worried, he then learnt that his companion had suffered similarly - though in his case the thief was caught. The culprit was Didier Legriffe, a not especially bright but greedy serving boy. He has named, to the shock of Sanchez and Ruystier, the Granvelle family of L' Anguille as his employers. It is certain that they have interests in damaging the economic power of Marienburg, and something Sanchez has not told Ruystier is that before negotiations were concluded Pierre Granvelle approached him with a similar offer. But Legriffe is far from trustworthy, and the Granvelles would never admit to such a scheme; could it be a double-bluff, with Legriffe being paid by one of the Granvelles'enemies to sully their name?

The Royal Collection: Over the centuries, the Kings of Bretonnia have accumulated a huge collection of artworks and antiquities which must altogether add up to a staggering value. The thousands of paintings, sculptures and objets d' art amongst them works by the most highly respected of Tilean masters, together with gilded and dazzling relics of old Bretonnia - mostly adorn the Oisillon Palace, with the choicest pieces of course in the King' s own apartments. However, there is a very substantial portion of the Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

33

collection which rarely sees the light of day and is very poorly documented. These works are housed in a number of chambers, storerooms and safes across the Palace, usually locked up, with the priceless antiquities and cabinets of curios inside covered in dust-sheets and forgotten to all but the most erudite of scholars. The King is generally willing (depending on his mood) to allow anyone who looks intelligent and socially acceptable to study his collection, and will have the Musketeers confront the Guards to dig up the relevant key. One particularly contentious and mysterious series of artefacts in the collection are those known simply as ' The Nigle Marbles' . These are a series of beautiful and intricately carved marble friezes showing scenes of diabolical worship and weird rites from millennia gone by, which are stored in a dark and thick-walled room in the heart of the Oisillon Palace. Strange writing and even stranger pictures cover the marble slabs, and have defied the intellects of the Old World' s greatest minds. Although the nobles know nothing of the marbles other than they exist (old lumps of rock, however pretty they may be, cannot hold their interest for very long), many learned scholars in Guisoreux, Nuln and elsewhere have written long monographs on what the marbles might possibly mean. All that is known for definite is that the slightly eccentric Comte de Nigle brought them back from the last of his voyages into the South and east; there are rumours that he had them cut from ancient ruins somewhere in the South Lands, whilst armed men held off the degenerate cannibals who sacrificed to the ' Great Changer'at the ruins. There was at one point a journal kept by an officer under Nigle, from which these few facts have been learned, but the journal - last seen in Guisoreux - has been lost for many years, and some now doubt its existence. The strangest events surrounding the Nigle Marbles began a year ago, when two swarthy men claiming to come from Estalia arrived in the Palace and petitioned the King most forcefully to view the marbles. Concerned by the strange accents, features and unaccounted eagerness of the visitors, King Charles consulted all the Estalian ambassadors present at the Palace and all of them denied the men came from Estalia. Charles refused them access to the marble, where upon they flew into a rage and attempted to force there way towards the room containing the precious artworks. How they knew which way to go in the labyrinthine Palace is a mystery, but after a hard fight both were killed by the Musketeers. Since then, no less than three similar men have attempted to break into the marbles' chamber; one was actually caught whilst attempting to open the door with an axe and clung onto the door so forcefully that his hand had to be cut off. None have disclosed what importance the marbles have for them; all, however, had a series of tattoos on their chests similar to the weird signs on the marbles.

' By the pricking of my thumbs…: Witchcraft or divine intervention are used as explanations for just about every inexplicable event in Bretonnia until something better can be suggested. It is unfortunate that witches and sorcerers are currently more in vogue than kindly gods, for a great many people across the land have been tried and punished for using illegal magic to cause BRETONNIA–PROJECT

harm. Any accusation of witchcraft is taken very seriously by almost the entire community; everyone has a genuine terror of the dark powers and what they might do to them. This paranoia stretches from the lowest to the highest classes, and is as much to do with fear and vindictiveness as it is to do with genuine concern about the encroachment of dark powers; the majority of those who suffer are innocent. Even the Oisillon Palace is not exempt from the supposed taint of evil, and it is a grave insult to call anyone (especially a lady) witch or hag. In the high-stakes intrigue that takes place every day amongst the nobility, allegations of witchcraft are not unknown. Their basis, however, is more often political or personal; after a few days of fevered gossip, the suspect is brought before a religious court and, in the company of illustrious nobles and clerics, asked searching and revealing questions. Aside from a serious loss of reputation, nothing usually comes of these trials, though the hapless victims often leave in disgrace even after being declared innocent. But one recent case has bucked the trend of witchcraft trials at the Palace. Jeanne des Anges, the pretty and soft-spoken young wife of the Comte de St Ortail, was charged out of the blue with attempting to murder the Duc de Lyonnais, François de Semblancy. The Duc was livid with rage; according to him, he discovered a pig' s heart nailed to the door of his bedchamber, his horses had had their blood sucked by something inhuman and one of the servants found, in a shrub outside a window from the Duc' s apartment, a doll made in the likeness of De Semblancy and skewered with pins and knives. This discovery coincided with an inexplicable illness that the Duc de Lyonnais had been suffering, which miraculously cleared the day the doll was found. Francois wants nothing less than burning at the stake for Jeanne des Anges. The plot thickened when the factional affiliation of Jeanne' s husband became clear: the Comte de St Orteil is one of Cardinal Dumourieux most prominent clients and supporters. The Comte' s patron did not abandon him in his hour of need; the Cardinal has brought to bear all his intellect and influence to defend Jeanne in her upcoming trial. This is not just an especially sensitive political manoeuvre on the part of two great factions; it seems there is more to the Duc' s accusations than a mere wish to damage his opponent' s support base, and many reliable witnesses exist who swear that what he alleges did in fact take place. A spy in the Duc' s employ has also uncovered documents showing that Jeanne was educated at an isolated convent in Bourgon well-known for its lewd and heretical practices and which was burnt down in a fire just six months ago. With seemingly damning evidence of real witchcraft on his side, the Duc de Semblancy has a strong case, and looks forward to publicly humiliating the Cardinal and his clients in court (the King himself has already expressed a strong interest in the case). But Dumourieux is clever and resourceful; neither is he a man to let the truth, however sordid and damning it may be, stand in his way.

Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

34

Major Characters in the Oisillon Palace

Charles III de la Tete d’Or of the House of Blois, King of Bretonnia DESCRIPTION: Aged 27. Tall. Definite regal air…most of the time. Shoulder-length blond hair; handsome face; fairly fit, though starting to get slightly overweight. Elastic face, which shows very clearly his current emotional state. Prone to violent mood swings: roll D10 to determine current state (changes normally every few hours) : 1=rage (+30 Ld, -10Int, -10Cl, +20WP, -10Fel), 2=brooding anger (+20Cl, +10WP, -10Fel), 3=sullen and sarcastic (+10Int, +10Cl), 4=melancholic; refuses to talk of present (-10Ld, -10WP), 5=normal, 6=unusually cheery (+20Ld, +15Cl, +30Fel), 7=frenzied - and often inspired - activity to help rectify all the world' s ills (+30Ld, +30Int, +10Cl, +25WP, +20Fel), 8=physical, aggressive and juvenile (+20Ld, -10Int, +30WP), 9=lusty (not always for girls) (+15Ld, +10Int, +30Fel), 10=abject sorrow and tears at his own inadequacy (-10Ld, -10WP, -10Fel). QUOTES: ’I deem it so’, ’Men, take him away and execute him! And I want to watch this time!’, ’Please, accept the castle. And the horses. Please, please I beg you, take them! Take them all!’ M WS BS S T W

4 45 40 3 4

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

9 40 2 35 40 40 30 30 40

SKILLS: Charm; Dance; Etiquette; Game Hunting; History; Public Speaking; Read/Write; Ride; Secret Language - Classical; Specialist Weapon - Fencing Sword and Lance; Strike Mighty Blow; Strike to Stun; Wit. POSSESSIONS: Extremely opulent and luxurious clothing (the best money can buy); Jewelled Fencing Sword; Jewelled Dagger; Cardinal Henri Armagnac Dumourieux, Prime Minister DESCRIPTION: Aged 48. Tall and thin, with a gaunt face. Very piercing stare; seems never to blink. Sudden, quick movements. Speaks as if he knows everything, but always keeps tight rein on conversation. Gives very little away. Raises eyebrows a lot. Holds hands lightly together in front of him when thinking. Imperious and forceful with anyone other than the King. Comes across as a man with hidden - and dangerous - potential. QUOTES: ’I agree, sire’, ’Really? Would you care to enlighten me?’, ’I believe I have wasted quite enough time’. M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 35 30 3 4 10 55 1 45 71 79 80 70 45

SKILLS: Charm; Etiquette; Haggle; History; Immunity to Disease; Law; Magical Awareness; Public Speaking; Read/Write - Classical and Old Worlder; Scroll Lore;

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Secret Language - Classical; Speak Additional Languages - Tilean, Reikspiel and Estalian; Theology. POSSESSIONS: Very high quality red robes of a Cardinal; Energy Jewel mounted as necklace; Ring of Protection (against poison attacks); Dagger. Hubert de la Motte, Comte de Frejus and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs DESCRIPTION: Aged 30. Average height and slim build. Long, delicate hands. Dark, shoulder-length hair. Very handsome, tanned face; although this attracts the ladies (with whom he gets on very well), he tends to get on the nerves of many men. Looks at people very closely during conversation, often making use of silences when he' s speaking to someone new. Poker-faced when he wants to be. Very deep blue eyes. QUOTES: ’That would not be the best of plans, old fellow’, ’What would Heloise say if she saw me like this?’, ’You know I could have you killed in a moment if I wanted’. M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 55 45 5 4 11 66 2 60 62 66 60 55 65

SKILLS: Arcane Language - Magick; Cast Spells - Petty Magic, Battle Magic 1 and 2, Illusionist 1 and 2; Charm; Consume Alcohol; Dance; Demon Lore; Disarm; Dodge Blow; Etiquette; Gamble; Heraldry; History; Identify Magical Artifact; Identify Plants; Identify Undead; Law; Luck; Magical Awareness; Magical Sense; Manufacture Potions; Manufacture Scrolls; Meditation; Musicianship; Prepare Poisons; Public Speaking; Read/Write - Classical and Old Worlder; Ride; Rune Lore; Scroll Lore; Secret Language - Classical; Seduction; Sing; Speak Additional Languages - Tilean and Reikspiel; Specialist Weapon Fencing Sword and Lance; Strike Might Blow; Strike to Injure; Strike to Stun; Wit. SPELLS: 30 magic points; choose spells as appropriate. POSSESSIONS: Flashy and very high quality clothing; Amulet of Enchanted Jade; Fencing Sword of Protection (automatically parries one attack per round); Dagger; 100GCs in Jewellery. François de Semblancy, Duc de Lyonnais and Marshal of Bretonnia DESCRIPTION: Aged 38. Very tall and muscular (always tried to use imposing presence to best effect). Black, bushy hair, with big eyebrows and a beard. Fiery eyes that tend to scare whoever he is looking at. Shouts and resorts to violence a lot. Very physical; always moving. Forms opinions quickly and sticks to them doggedly. QUOTES: ’I despise you and all your kind!’, ’Nine before breakfast! I think that’s the record.’ M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

5 70 60 6 5 13 60 3 65 70 45 50 65 40

SKILLS: Consume Alcohol; Disarm; Dodge Blow; Etiquette; Heraldry; Luck; Orientation; Public Speaking; Read/Write; Ride; Secret Language - Battle; Specialist Weapons - Fencing Sword and Lance; Strike Might Blow; Strike to Injure; Strike to Stun; Very Strong. Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

35

POSSESSIONS: Dark and very high quality clothes; Fencing Sword Additional Damage (double normal damage); Breastplate +2 (3 APs body); Dagger; 200 GCs worth of Jewellery. Pierre Granvelle, Minister of Finance DESCRIPTION: Aged 29. Short and thin. Pale skin and light brown hair, cut short; not especially ugly, but doesn' t make good impression, especially on nobles. Hands and fingers often ink-stained. Quite often unshaven. Always preoccupied with something, and rarely halts or looks at anything other than ledgers for any period of time. Hurries. Feels slightly awkward dealing with people other than clerks and lawyers, especially women of his own age or younger. Very committed to his work, both for the King and for his family. QUOTES: ’Not now!’, ’Erm, yes… hello… ' ,' But if only we could reduce the annual deficit by 7.8% then we could go on to… ' . M WS BS S T W

5 35 35 3 4

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

8 50 1 40 45 65 35 50 40

SKILLS: Arcane Language - Magic; Etiquette; Heraldry; History; Law; Numismatics; Read/Write - Classical and Old Worlder; Secret Language - Classical; Secret Signs Lawyer; Super Numerate. POSSESSIONS: High quality clothes; Pen and ink; several ledgers or scrolls of accounts and figures; Fencing Sword; Dagger; 10GCs in cash. Pulchrezzia Colonna, Queen of Bretonnia, second wife of Charles III DESCRIPTION: Aged 16. Short and quite plump, but wears a corset. Round, shiny face with olive skin. Not especially attractive or pleasant; tends to be blunt and open with everybody. Raven black hair that she always wears in a complex style to make herself look taller. Smiling and giggling a lot when happy. Doesn’t take anything seriously unless it displeases her; many things displease her, and when displeased she gets extremely loud and tearful. Gets displeased if she doesn’t get have her own way. Very strong Tilean accent. QUOTES: ' I am NOT amused!' ,' Oh, what a lovely ring! ' , ' Off with his head!' M WS BS S T W

4 25 25 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

7 35 1 35 40 35 25 25 40

SKILLS: Dance; Luck; Read/Write; Sing; Speak Additional Language - Bretonnian; Strike to Injure. POSSESSIONS: Very showy and expensive clothes (the height of fashion); Fan; 500GCs worth of Jewellery. Tancred Blois, brother of King Charles III DESCRIPTION: Aged 17. Average height and build. Shoulder length blond hair, usually worn as a ponytail. Deep, contemplative eyes; thoughtful expression. Very handsome, with pale, clear skin. Quiet and unobtrusive; dislikes having to appear on state occasions. Shy in front of crowds. Warms to anyone who speaks to him about history and study, but will remember to check himself as if hiding something a short way into the conversation. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Because of the King’s affection, he feels indebted to his brother. QUOTES: ' Do I have to?' , ' You' ve read Erebirius? So have I! What did you think of chapter nineteen, the one about the battle of Fermace?… ' . M WS BS S T W

4 40 40 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

8 45 1 40 45 50 50 45 45

SKILLS: Arcane Language - Magick; Cast Spells - Petty magic, Battle Magic 1; Etiquette; Heraldry; History; Identify Magical Artifact; Luck; Magical Sense; Numismatics; Read/Write - Classical and Old Worlder; Ride; Secret Language - Classical; Speak Additional Languages - Eltharin, Estalian, Tilean and Reikspiel; Specialist Weapon - Fencing Sword; Story Telling. NOTE: Tancred is VERY reluctant to show or discuss his magical skills to strangers. SPELLS: 18 magic points; choose spells as appropriate. POSSESSIONS: Very good quality clothing; Amulet of Thrice-Blessed Copper; Fencing Sword; Dagger; One or two small books or pamphlets on favoured topics tucked away somewhere; 10GCs in cash. Annette de Semblancy, wife of the Duc de Lyonnais and sister of King Charles III DESCRIPTION: Aged 24. Average height and slim build. Long blond hair that she is fond of wearing let down and stroking whilst thinking. Inquisitive but pretty face, with keen eyes. Tends to stare. Believes herself to be cleverer than she actually is, and fancies herself as a great manipulator. Thinks too much about what she is going to say and do. Enjoys reading romances, which give her quite a few odd and old fashioned ideas on expected behaviour. QUOTES: ' Alas, sir knight, for I make great dole' ,' I' ve got him wrapped around my little finger' . M WS BS S T W

4 25 25 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

6 40 1 45 50 40 45 40 60

SKILLS: Charm; Dance; Etiquette; Heraldry; History; Luck; Read/Write; Speak Additional Language - Tilean. POSSESSIONS: Very high quality clothes; One or more romance books; One or more ’secret’ letters; Dagger; 250GCs worth of Jewellery. Arnaud Alphonse Capucinet, Baron de Montaubagne and brother of Richard Trenchant Capucinet DESCRIPTION: Aged 25. Tall and thin, but very athletic. Long legs. Black hair, worn long but swept back, often with a little bit of grease in it (a Navarrese custom which does not attract the approval of sophisticated courtiers). Dark, handsome but playful and mischievous face. Sits very close when talking to someone, especially to a woman; may also try to take a woman’s hand and lavish praise on her. Emotional and quick to anger; flourishes sword a lot and makes use of long but heartfelt oaths. Often involved in duels with brothers and husbands who feel aggrieved. More cunning than he appears, and fond of obscure poetry and historical anecdotes. Strong Navarrese accent; he and his few fellow Navarrese are seen as slightly wild and uncouth by the other nobles, Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

36

who always think twice about accepting their offers to dance. QUOTES: ’You have the eyes, my dear, of a goddess’, ’Have at you, you gutter-born, rat-suckling poltroon!’, ’A gentleman, good sir, will stand for anything in the name of his fair lady.’

driven. Fawning when dealing with superiors. Always dressed in the height of expensive fashion, which is usually highly ostentatious. QUOTES: ’Oh, what a charming footman, Albert! Can I have him?’, ’One does tire of diamonds after a little while.’

M WS BS S T W

M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

5 55 30 4 4 10 51 3 57 55 50 40 45 68

SKILLS: Charm; Dance; Etiquette; History; Luck; Read/Write - Classical and Old Worlder; Ride; Secret Language - Classical; Seduction; Speak Additional Language - Estalian, Tilean; Specialist Weapons Fencing Sword, Lance, Firearms, Parrying Weapons; Wit. POSSESSIONS: Very high quality and very chic clothes; Fencing Sword; Left-hand Dagger; Small book of Tilean poetry; 100GCs in Jewellery; 20GCs in cash.

Typical Inhabitants of the Oisillon Palace Servant DESCRIPTION: Clothes will be cheap, dirty and functional for back-room servants such as cooks and gardeners. Footmen, maids and others who work in the presence of the nobility will wear very clean uniforms, usually livery. All servants put on an inferior and selfeffacing air in the presence of visitors and nobility. QUOTES: ’Yes, m’lud’, ’Don’t dirty my shirt, you great ****! The Comte’ll kill me!’ M WS BS S T W

4 25 25 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

6 30 1 30 25 25 25 25 30

SKILLS: 10% chance of Cook; 40% chance of Dodge Blow; Etiquette; 30% chance of Flee!; POSSESSIONS: One suit of clothes (either very high quality or very poor quality depending on function); Handkerchief; D6 pennies. Majordome DESCRIPTION: Usually old, dapper and inscrutable. Always dressed immaculately in plain but smart clothes. Poker-faced. Usually goes unnoticed. Always ready with a helpful comment or penetrating observation. Very wary of young women and commoners. QUOTES: ’Very good, sir’, ’Will you be requiring the cat o’nine tails again today, sir?’, ’One wouldn’t have thought a duster could be put to so many good uses, sir.’ M WS BS S T W

4 30 30 3 4

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

7 40 1 40 40 45 60 45 40

SKILLS: Acute Hearing; Cook, Etiquette; Heraldry; Read/Write; Shadowing; Silent Move - Urban; Tailor; 50% chance of Wit. POSSESSIONS: Two or three very clean suits; Several handkerchiefs; Sewing kit; 2D6 pennies. Noble DESCRIPTION: Arrogant. Regards commoners as another species. Short attention span; normally leisure BRETONNIA–PROJECT

4 35 25 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

6 30 1 25 45 25 35 30 45

SKILLS: Charm; Consume Alcohol; Etiquette; 50% chance of Heraldry; Luck; Read/Write; Specialist Weapon - Fencing Sword (men only). POSSESSIONS: Many very expensive suits of clothing, frequently changed; Fencing Sword (men); Makeup; Wig (optional); 12D6 GCs in jewellery; 2D6+10 GCs in cash. Ambassador DESCRIPTION: Usually fat and middle aged. Likes to talk about themselves and their experiences in the past, which are almost always very long, involved and boring. Highly opinionated; vendettas against one or more nations and individuals. Fond of dice and cards. QUOTES: ’They don’t like it up ’em, those damned Imperial swine!’, ’I remember; it was back in ’85, when I was serving in the Wasteland with General Dupont. Charming chap, shame about the shoes. Oh, and that cannon; who ever would’ve thought to put one there? Where was I?… ' M WS BS S T W

4 45 40 4 4

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

8 35 2 30 50 45 50 45 40

SKILLS: Blather; Consume alcohol; Etiquette; Gamble; Haggle; Heraldry; History; Read/Write; Speak additional language - Bretonnian; Specialist Weapon - Fencing Sword. POSSESSIONS: Expensive but well-worn clothes, often with some sort of national livery or badge incorporated; Well-ornamented Fencing Sword; Medals; 2D6 GCs in cash. Guard DESCRIPTION: Big and brawny, but awkward looking. Quite clumsy. Wears armour and livery like child forced into Sunday best. Doggedly loyal. Very simple; talks slowly, with a strong peasant accent. QUOTES: ' Mind your head, m' lady' ,' Where' s my spear?' , ' I am at attention, sir' . M WS BS S T W

4 40 30 4 4

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

8 30 1 25 35 25 30 25 30

SKILLS: Specialist Weapon - Polearm; Strike Mighty Blow; 50% chance of Disarm; 60% chance of Dodge Blow; 50% chance of Strike to Stun; 25% chance of Flee! POSSESSIONS: Suit of livery; Mail coat (1 AP body/legs); Helmet (1 AP head); Shield (1 AP all locations); Sword; Spear; Dagger; D6 pennies. Sergeant DESCRIPTION: Strong and tough, though always old and sometimes fat. Shouts all the time. Tries to look Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

37

menacing when nobles present. Thinks a lot of himself. Very competitive. QUOTES: ’AAAA-TEN-Shun!’, ’I’m glad you like ’em, sir. Bunch o’ maggots, I know, but we’ve got to do the best we can, haven’t we sir?’ M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 50 35 4 4 10 40 2 30 45 25 35 30 30

SKILLS: Specialist Weapon - Polearm; Strike Might Blow; Disarm; Dodge Blow; Secret Language - Battle Tongue; Strike to Stun. POSSESSIONS: Suit of livery; Mail coat (1 AP body/legs); Helmet (1 AP head); Shield (1 AP all locations); Sword; Spear; Dagger; Stick; 2D6 pennies. Musketeer DESCRIPTION: Tall and athletic. Extremely loyal and serious; puts a great deal of importance on work. Low opinion of regular guards. Wears flashy uniform with pride. QUOTES: ’Yes, sir!’, ’You’re not worthy to wear that uniform!’ M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 50 40 4 5 10 50 2 40 45 40 45 40 40

SKILLS: Disarm; Dodge Blow; Secret Language - Battle Tongue; Specialist Weapon - Fencing Sword, Parrying Weapons, Firearms; Strike Mighty Blow; Strike to Injure; Strike to Stun; 50% chance of Very Resilient (add +1 T to profile above). POSSESSIONS: Mail Shirt (1 AP body); Very impressive uniform, kept meticulously clean; Plumed Hat; Fencing Sword; Left-hand Dagger; Blunderbuss and shot; 50% chance of Pistol and shot; 10% chance of two Pistols and shot. Mason DESCRIPTION: Tubby, with big arms and a round, cheery face. Laughs a lot. Insubordinate and occasionally lecherous. Always covered with and smelling of dust. Usually has a pencil behind ear and two or three tools stuck into belt. Very unkempt. QUOTES: ’I won’t be finished till Tuesday. Or maybe Saturday’, ’Fancy a pot of ale?’, ’I’m going to need five bits o’ seven-by-two and twenty six treble-T screws’, ’You’ll never do it if you carry on like that, my lad’. M WS BS S T W

4 30 25 4 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

9 30 1 50 40 30 40 30 45

SKILLS: Blather; Carpentry; Charm; 20% chance of Lightning Reflexes; Spot Traps; Stoneworking; Strike Mighty Blow; 40% chance of Very Strong (add +1 S to above profile). POSSESSIONS: Dusty and very functional clothes; Many pencils; Two or more tools; D6 pennies. Visiting Scholar DESCRIPTION: Old and dignified. Unused to such luxury. Finds it hard to concentrate on or follow courtly matters. Intimidated by young people. Very BRETONNIA–PROJECT

knowledgeable and keen to discuss subject. Often very illinformed on non-academic topics. QUOTES: ’Oh dear, it’s not like it was in my day’, ’That was the Comtesse? What was she doing so close to the punch-bowl?’, ’Well, it all started back in the year 679 by the Imperial reckoning. The Bituriges had just founded their new capital at Biturigernum, and… ' M WS BS S T W

4 25 25 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

6 40 1 30 45 65 40 45 40

SKILLS: Arcane Language - Magick; Astronomy; Cartography; History; Identify Plants; Linguistics; Magical Sense; Numismatics; Read/Write; Rune Lore; Secret Language - Classical; Speak Additional Language - GM’s choice. POSSESSIONS: Good quality clothes; Several hefty and obscure tomes; Pen and ink; Set of notes on current studies; Letters of commendation from various nobles and universities; Dagger; D6 GCs. Clerk DESCRIPTION: Intense and stressed. Doesn’t like being interrupted. Tends to twitch a lot, as if standing still were alien. Always darting glance about. If not constantly spoken to will start muttering about money and try and walk away. Often carrying a (sometimes cold) cup of a hot, enervating drink. Face and fingers stained with ink. Bags under eyes. QUOTES: ' Not now!' ,' Henri! Have you got those figures yet?' ,' Please let me get on with my work' . M WS BS S T W

4 25 25 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

6 40 1 30 40 45 45 40 40

SKILLS: Law; Numismatics; Read/Write; Secret Language - Classical; Super Numerate. POSSESSIONS: Sombre clothes; Mug of enervating spiced drink; Pen and ink; Several poorly bound scrolls; Dagger; 3D6 pennies and D6 GCs. Actor DESCRIPTION: Tense and panicked-looking. Tend to have strong habits such as nail-biting or toying constantly with a lucky charm. Optimistic and smiling, but both come across as forced. Often painfully thin. Changes to a different person on the stage or in the orchestra. QUOTES: ' We' ll be ready by tomorrow. We have to be (hahaha)' , ' Who' s going to play the quadruple-bass? Jacque' s got the Sweating Fever!' M WS BS S T W

4 30 30 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

7 45 1 45 40 45 30 40 45

SKILLS: Acting; 50% chance of Art; Blather; Charm; Comedian; Dance; Musicianship; Public Speaking; Read/Write; Sing; other ’showmanship’ style skills at GM’s discretion. POSSESSIONS: Plain and cheap clothes (when not performing; costume or smart clothes worn at these times); Pen and ink; Well-thumbed script or musical score; D6 pennies. Book III - Nobility and Oisillon

38

%RRN,9 2 2 2 2

5HOLJLRQ BRETONNIA–PROJECT

C%!-2-2\--2

By Mark Saunders "The priests of Morr charge you an arm and a leg for a simple funeral rite, and sit on their piles of gold like carrion crows on corpses, the priests of Verena know a thousand ways to deceive a man without ever telling a lie, the priests of Myrmidia are more interested in fighting battles in the court than on the field, and the priests of Shallya are neither humble nor merciful. The only honest priests in the whole kingdom must be those of Ranald, because they’ll tell you to your face they’re going to rob you blind, spin you a pack of lies, and walk away with their heads held high. No, take my word for it, you’ll never find a more pestilent stench of corruption than in the temples of Bretonnia. I love it. It reminds me of home." Paul von Halstadt, attache to the Imperial Ambassador

same superstitious savages who stumbled into the lands of Bretonni at the dawn of time." Quentin Resousse, Verenan scholar-priest

The Ancient Bretonni Much of the culture of the ancient Bretonni is lost, most historians call anything earlier than Le Breton "prehistory", and even the Elven records are scanty. Of their religion some things can be said with certainty, however. As with most of the early human tribes, the earliest religious practices seem to be druidic, the cult now known as the Old Faith. As is detailed in the section on Saints, the Bretonni form of the Old Faith seems to have had a particular emphasis on the place of holy people as intermediaries between the people and the goddess. Apart from this peculiarity, however, the Old Faith took much the same form as it did in the Empire. As was the case in the Empire, however, as the Bretonni developed culturally their beliefs became more sophisticated. For some unknown reason lost in the mists of time the early human tribes throughout the Old World underwent a transformation in their religious belief. A religious movement swept across the Old World; in place of a vague notion of a mother goddess more personal deities became popular. Amongst the Bretonni the gods of the natural world : Taal, Manaan, Ulric and Rhya, already popular in the neighbouring Empire, came to the fore. The Old Faith began its long decline, eventually reaching the point where only the more isolated and backward tribes continued to follow it. The cult of Ulric never really took as central a hold amongst the Bretonni as it did in the Empire, perhaps because their milder climate made winter less of a devouring force than in the northern parts of the Old World (but also perhaps because the Lady acted as a patron to warriors). It was only to rise to real prominence in the area much later, brought by the Norse settlers of Armorique.

The Lady of the Lake

A History of Religion in Bretonnia "The priestess of Shallya pours a cup of water over the head of a newborn child saying ’You enter this world alone, bloody, and crying, receive now your first gift of mercy from the Lady of All Mercies, water to cleanse you, and arms to hold you.’ The blessing is millennia old, and the Lady it speaks of is not Shallya, though the chances are neither the priestess nor the parents know it. Oh yes, you have but to scratch the surface of the religious life of the peasantry and you find yourself face to face with the

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Although the tendency towards personal deities led many of the Bretonni to embrace the cults of the northern pantheon, already worshipped by their neighbours to the East, there was another peculiarly Bretonni expression of this religious movement: the cult of the Lady of the Lake. Although it seems never to have had an extensive cultic structure or many clergy, the cult's rituals were passed on in families and soon became a significant part of the religious life of peasant families. It is easy to see how the cult developed from a rather "patriotic" understanding of the mother goddess. The Lady was understood as in some sense a personification of the land of the Bretonni. It was by her leave that the Bretonni dwelt in the land and enjoyed its bounty. In return for their devotion and allegiance, the Lady gave her strength to their warriors, her comfort to their sick, her wisdom to their leaders. As part of her worship tokens of devotion to the Lady were thrown into sacred lakes or pools. The dearer the item thrown in was to the offerer the more acceptable it would be to the Lady. Some scholars suggest that early tribal leaders threw their own first-born children into sacred lakes to secure the Lady's blessing. It also seems to be the case that tribal chiefs and early "kings" were recognised Book IV - Religion

2

as such because they slept with the Lady. Most scholars believe this to be a reference to ritual intercourse with the cult' s high priestess. In any event the cult seemed to develop a strong political power base, having the authority to bestow or withdraw the goddess' favour (effectively the power to "crown" kings). It is almost certainly this tradition that lies behind some of the later legends concerning Gilles le Breton and the Lady, in which she is presented as a seductive sorceress whose charms he resists before being crowned by clerics of the new deities of the south : Shallya, Verena, and Myrmidia (followers of the Lady claim that such tales are fabrications by the cults of the southern deities, a claim acknowledged privately by some clerics of Verena). It is also, of course, the basis for the more complete political settlement that the new cults would develop.

The Gods of the South Sometime before the rise of Gilles le Breton, as the great cities became a more significant part of Bretonni culture, and links to the southern Old World became stronger, worship of a new pantheon of Gods began to spread amongst them. The cults of Morr, Verena, Shallya, Myrmidia (and along with them the less publicly acceptable cults of Khaine and Ranald) seem to have first come to prominence in the city states of the south, but these sophisticated new deities, whose worship was intimately bound up with new technological and cultural developments, soon spread along trade routes to the Bretonni. These new cults were aggressively championed by well-organised missionaries, who often found ways to absorb and incorporate existing religious practice into worship of the new pantheon. The cult of Shallya became very swiftly established in Couronne, following a series of miraculous healings at its sacred springs (once sacred to the Lady of the Lake) which were claimed as acts of Shallya by charismatic missionaries. The new pantheon were very much urban deities, and a slow but inexorable process of religious change began whereby the other cults were pushed to the rural margins of society, though Manann remained important in the great ports. The cult of Taal (and to a lesser extent the cult of Rhya) regrouped and retained its strength in the farming communities. The cult of Ulric remained the most important cult amongst the Norse of Armorique, who strongly resisted the incursions of these soft southern deities. The cult hardest hit by the success of the new pantheon was the Old Faith, whose followers were reduced to a small number of villages in the most isolated areas of the land. The greatest challenge to the dominance of the new gods was to come from the cult of the Lady of the Lake. By the time the southern pantheon was beginning its advance, the cult of the Lady had risen to pre-eminence amongst the Bretonni, in particular, the cult had become closely associated both with the authority of kings, and the conduct of war. The Lady was the patron of the developing knightly class, and the source of a developing code of chivalry. In addition, the cult had successfully "modernised" its conception of the Lady, who was now portrayed as upholding both virtue and chastity. The scene was set for a direct confrontation with the cults of Verena, Myrmidia, and Shallya, all of whom claimed BRETONNIA–PROJECT

authority over the areas of life the cult of the Lady had previously claimed for its own. In the long term, the southern deities clearly had the resources to ensure their ascendancy: they were better organised and brought with them access to learning and technology that was manifestly superior to that of the Bretonni. The battle for supremacy was, however, set to be a slow one of gradual change, and in many places all the cults coexisted peacefully. One man was to change this however, and make the ascendancy of the southern cults swift and inevitable: Gilles le Breton.

Gilles le Breton and the politicisation of the cults Gilles le Breton was the ruler of a petty kingdom centered on the city of Guisoreux. An extraordinarily capable military leader, he dreamed of establishing himself as king of all the Bretonni. To claim such authority, however, he realised he would need some means of legitimising himself. He needed divine approval. All kings were traditionally declared beloved by the Lady of the Lake, (indeed, despite his ultimately catastrophic role in the history of the cult, it seems Gilles himself had participated in such a ritual), but Gilles would need greater authority than this. He would need to be decisively declared King of all Bretonni by divine right. The cult of the Lady of the Lake had no single recognised high priest who could make such a declaration and make it stick, but the new cults of the south did. Political necessity drove him to a drastic choice. Gilles conquered his kingdom, but then turned to the gods of the south to legitimise his claim to kingship. The high priests of the cults of Morr, Verena, and Myrmidia, seizing the opportunity, declared him the chosen of the gods. The high priest of Shallya, Leyeur, was harder to convince. The cult effectively ruled Couronne and its environs as a kingdom of their own, and were loath to swear fealty to Gilles. It was only after Gilles had conquered most of his kingdom and stood with his army before the gates of Couronne that Leyeur bowed to the inevitable. The new King of Bretonnia was declared ruler by divine right. The unholy alliance of king and priests that was to dominate the entire history of the kingdom began with Chlotharius, high priest of Verena placing the crown on Gilles'head. Gilles'line was assured of the support of the cults in asserting their claim to absolute rule of Bretonnia. The cults, favoured by the new king, would spread unhindered throughout the entire kingdom, achieving complete preeminience over their rivals. The coronation of Gilles was to have a disastrous effect on the fortunes of the cult of the Lady of the Lake. There is considerable evidence (though often suppressed by the southern cults) that Gilles had been a devoted follower of the Lady for most of his life, and probably never meant to repudiate the cult by claiming the support of the southern deities. The "Chanson de Gilles" in particular shows Gilles to be a champion of the Lady, accomplishing mighty deeds in her name (it should be noted, however, that the "Chanson", and the troubadour tradition that produced it, are associated with those noble families who have remained devoted to the Lady). However, even if unintended, Gilles'actions essentially Book IV - Religion

3

cut the cult' s link to kingship, ensuring the decline of its political influence. The cult that once secured the authority of all the kings of the Bretonni no longer secured the authority of the sole remaining king. The cult was never officially abandoned, but most of the knights of the realm swiftly changed their allegiance to the cult of Myrmidia, leaving only a handful of stubborn traditionalists remaining as the Lady' s followers. Many of the Lady' s aspects, holy sites, and rituals were taken over by the cults of Shallya, Verena, and Myrmidia. Within a couple of generations, the cult of the Lady of the Lake had all but disappeared, and the cults of Shallya, Verena, and Myrmidia were the most important cults in Bretonnia, as they remain to this day. The relationship between the cults and the monarch was regularised with the formation of the Holy Council by Guillaume Barbenoire, Gilles' grandson. The council was to advise the King and had authority over all religious matters in the kingdom. By Guillaume' s time the cults of Taal, Ulric, and Manann had developed an organisational structure similar to that of the southern pantheon, and there was an uneasy peace between these major cults. Therefore the council had seven members, the high priests of each of the cults of Shallya, Verena, Myrmidia, Morr, Taal, Ulric, and Manann. They were each given the title Cardinal, as a recognition of their importance to the kingdom. The Council has ensured that a king of le Breton' s line has ruled Bretonnia for 1500 years, bringing the kingdom unparalleled peace and stability. The cost to the independence (and some say the very souls) of the cults has, however, been high. Many aspects of the doctrine and practice of the Bretonnian cults have been affected by the centuries-long link to the monarchy. In the Empire it is often said that all Bretonnian nobles are vain, and all Bretonnian priests are corrupt...

The Religious Establishment "Get this straight in your head or you’ll never last ten seconds at court. In this place the King’s word is law. He can have you killed or made a Duke, even both together, whenever the whim takes him. But step outside whatever ballroom that pampered child is holding his court in and you’re in the Cardinal’s hands. Charles Blois may rule Oisillon, but Cardinal Demourieux rules Bretonnia. So whatever you may think about the cult of Shallya at home, in this place treat every priest as a spy and every nun as an assassin. You tell them nothing, you believe nothing they tell you, and you never ever accept a drink from one of them." Paul von Halstadt, Imperial spy master As outlined above, the monarchy and the cults have been intertwined for centuries. The two have, in fact, become thoroughly interdependent. Without the support BRETONNIA–PROJECT

of the cults, the Bretonnian absolute monarchy would collapse, but likewise without their privileged position as part of the establishment the cults would lose much of their current power. (In addition of course, if the cults were ever to suggest that they weren' t sure that the monarchy really was established by the will of the gods they would be admitting to centuries of complicity in perpetuating a tyrannical system of government at massive human cost). The cults therefore have a lot invested in maintaining the status quo. All the cults have sought to theologically underpin the Bretonnian social system, justifying the social divides, absolute power of the monarchy, and the often excessive force used by kings to secure their thrones. The relationship between the cults and the monarch is expressed best in two great institutions: the coronation ceremony, and the holy council.

The coronation ceremony The coronation ceremony is at its most basic level a re-enactment of the coronation of Gilles le Breton. It functions symbolically to identify all subsequent Kings with their legendary ancestor, and to bind both King and Cardinals to the settlement between monarchy and cults that he established. Naturally over the centuries the ceremony itself has become embellished with extra roles for courtiers and prominent nobles, (and at a fairly early stage by the inclusion of roles for all the Cardinals) and every step taken must now follow exact rules of etiquette. The ceremony takes place in the Shallyan cathedral in Couronne, site of the coronation of Gilles le Breton. The Lord Marshal of Bretonnia knocks on the gates asking that the one chosen of the gods be admitted. The Cardinals invite him in, and the Cardinal of Shallya leads him to a central throne. The king-to-be kneels and acknowledges all the gods, thanking them for choosing him to rule. The Cardinal of Shallya then raises him up and seats him on the throne. The Cardinal of Morr presents him with the signet ring, telling him to accept authority over all the inhabitants of the realm, until they travel from his kingdom to the kingdom of Morr. The Cardinal of Myrmidia presents him with the sword, telling him to accept the power of the armies of the kingdom. The Cardinal of Verena presents him with a book of the law, telling him to accept the power of judgement over the kingdom. The Cardinal of Shallya anoints him and tells him to rule with mercy and care for all his subjects. The Cardinals of Taal, Manann, and Ulric then bring the crown forward. Together they tell him to accept into his care the land of Bretonnia and its waters. Then the Cardinal of Verena places the crown on his head and proclaims him King of Bretonnia with these words (first used at the coronation of Guillaume Barbenoire) "Name Book IV - Religion

4

is of Le Breton' s noblest blood. Therefore he is the rightful ruler of this land and he shall rule by the power of the gods themselves. Be it known to all that whoever opposes the king, opposes the gods." This statement neatly encapsulates the doctrine of the divine right of kings. The Kings of Bretonnia are sacred, given divine (absolute) power to rule. Any act of treason is also an act of apostasy against all the gods. Any action the King takes is justified because he rules by divine right. The sacred nature of Bretonnian kingship resides in the direct bloodline of Gilles le Breton, no-one but a direct descendant can be King. The Holy Council alone has the authority to proclaim someone King. Naturally the coronation ceremony is so loaded with symbolism that any proposed changes have massive theological and political significance. It is for this reason that Cardinal Demorieux is re-opening the debate as to whether it should be the Cardinal of Shallya or of Verena who crowns the King. Symbolically, the action suggests that the Cardinal of Verena is the pre-eminent Cardinal. Although the debate will be conducted on academic historical and theological grounds the real debate is about current political power in a court where the perception of power is often more important than actual power.

The Holy Council The Holy Council is the most obvious expression of the political power of the major Bretonnian cults. The seven members are the high priests of the most significant cults within Bretonnia (with the exception of Ranald). They use the title Cardinal and traditionally dress in red robes. The wearing of red robes started after a dispute that took place over 700 years ago. During a meeting of the Holy Council the third ranking priest of Ulric didn' t recognise the newly nominated Myrmidian Cardinal, being unfamiliar with Myrmidian robes of office, and as a result he didn' t show proper respect to him. Such matters are taken very seriously in Bretonnia, and it would have been a duelling matter if the dignity of the Cardinal' s office hadn' t precluded it. The faux pas and resulting tensions (the Cardinals of Myrmidia and Ulric refused to speak to each other) rumbled on for years, and it was decided that to prevent future such incidents all Cardinals would wear robes of a distinctive colour to stop any further confusion. All the Cardinals agreed to this, but not to the colour. Red was proposed, but the Cardinals of Shallya, Verena and Morr violently opposed this, arguing it was plainly not proper for them to wear red. The discussion continued but no agreement could be found until several months later at the coronation of Robert le Féroce. The Cardinals were presented with sets of red robes for the ceremony, and Le Féroce made it very clear he wasn' t going to put up with any kind of nonsense. The Cardinals reluctantly put on the red robes and went on with the ceremony. The red robes stayed, and are now accepted (if not coveted) by all, providing the Cardinals with a powerful symbol of status. The Council meets at least once a year, and often more frequently. It always meets when a new king must be crowned, as it is the Council who must examine genealogies to determine who has the right of succession. The Council has a number of powers, most obviously the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

power to crown Kings. However, the Council also has the power to make ecclesiastical law (binding on all cults within the Kingdom), to distribute funds between cults, and technically has power over every cleric and temple within the Kingdom. It maintains a small force of guards, known as The Blackcloaks, to enforce it' s will. (In most cases, the Council relies on the local watch or troops to put down heretical groups or bring in erring clerics for trial, employing the Blackcloaks only in cases where a degree of subtlety is required). The cult of Verena, for obvious reasons, exercises a large degree of control over this aspect of the Council' s activities, drafting most laws, and trying the cases. The Cardinal of Verena has the supreme authority to bring any cleric to trial, and any cleric sentenced by a lesser court can appeal to him. The Council was originally charged with advising the King, and this is a function it still occasionally performs. Most of the time the Council is too pre-occupied by its internal affairs, or too riven by political disagreement to give any advice on matters of policy, but on those rare occasions when all the Cardinals can agree its recommendations carry significant weight. One of the Council' s lesser known powers is the power to declare that the gods have withdrawn their favour from a reigning monarch, and chosen another of le Breton' s line. This requires the unanimous agreement of all seven Cardinals, and has only happened once, and never in modern times. Such a pronouncement would almost inevitably start a civil war, and would never be used except in the most dire of circumstances. However, the mere fact that the Council has this power is enough to ensure at least a respectful hearing for all the Council' s recommendations. The Holy Council long ago ceased to be an effective body (if indeed it ever was). It has long been dominated by the powerful cults of Shallya, Verena, and Myrmidia, with minor Cardinals like the Cardinal of Taal barely getting a look in. Since the rise of Cardinal Dumourieux to political power it has become the scene of vicious power struggles between the three most powerful Cardinals, each trying to outwit the other. Tactical alliances between the other Cardinals against Dumourieux are not uncommon, and often make for unlikely partnerships. The Council now spends most of its time locked in endless deliberations about finance or politics. Because the Council has ceased to be a viable means of exercising power within the kingdom, most of the Cardinals have found alternative avenues to influence the court and the country at large.

Priests and society Priests by and large are respected in Bretonnian society, though the cult a priest belongs to obviously affects the way people react to them. The most positive reaction from common people is likely to be to priests of Shallya, and the most positive from nobles to priests of Myrmidia or Verena. Most priests adopt the title "Father" or "Mother" for priestesses, though priests of the cult of Shallya tend to adopt the humbler "Brother" or "Sister". Precise titles vary from cult to cult, but by tradition the high priest of any temple is referred to as "Archpriest", and those Archpriests with additional oversight over priests in the surrounding area (often including a number Book IV - Religion

5

of lesser temples) as "Bishop" or "Archbishop", depending on the seniority of the temple. In theory a priest leaves the normal social order behind, and with it any rank or privilege they may have been born into. In practice this is palpably untrue. Most senior clergy are of noble birth, and although it is possible for those of humble origins to better themselves in a cult few rise to high office. Becoming a priest is a respected career for a second or third son of a noble family, and one of the few openings for noble daughters wishing to have a degree of independence (this perhaps explains the preponderance of female clergy in the cult of Shallya). According to the rules of Bretonnian etiquette, a priest is approximately equivalent to a member of the minor nobility, an archpriest to a baron or lesser noble, a bishop or archbishop to a duke or greater noble, and a Cardinal is equal to the highest ministers of the kingdom. However, such neat distinctions do not hold universally true, and a priest who is the son of a Duke is likely to be treated with more respect than his superior whose father was a merchant. All priests are expected to be celibate, though in practice this simply means that they are not allowed to marry. The nobility have long feared the possibility of

priestly dynasties rivalling their own in power. Becoming a cleric in Bretonnia is in part a matter of education, which largely restricts the profession to nobility and the middle classes: merchant and guild families. The cults of Shallya and especially Morr, who require many clergy to minister in rural areas occasionally relax these requirements for their "country priests", many of whom are barely literate. The cult of Taal is notorious for its low educational standards. There are two basic models of initiation into the clergy. The first, and more traditional route, is to study and minister for many years in a temple, learning from the clergy there. This is the route adopted by those cults who train "country priests". The second route, which all cults follow to a certain degree, and the cult of Verena follows exclusively, is that would-be clergy first study theology at a college or university, after which time they may become an initiate, then study at a seminary to become a cleric. This is the route followed by all those aspiring to high office in a cult, and almost all nobles seeking to become priests go to BRETONNIA–PROJECT

university first (the only real exception being those who buy their way in, which is not unknown, but usually occurs only when some scandal has attached to the noble in question and their family wants to remove them from the public eye).

Religious orders Although priests and priestesses are the most public face of a cult, they are not its only servants. All of the cults have a variety of associated orders. These vary in character from cult to cult, but tend to fall into three main groups. First there are the "lay orders", made up of those who take a vow to serve the deity in a specific way (and occasionally for a specific length of time) but also continue with their own daily work. Sometimes lay orders are entered as a form of penance, but mostly as a sign of devotion. The most famous of these is perhaps the lay healers of Shallya, who assist the cult' s priests and priestesses in their work. Such lay orders are usually genuine in their commitment, but occasionally they become private clubs made up of those who do nominal service to the cult in exchange for considerable fringe benefits (several lay orders of Manann effectively offer free passage to members for example). Second are the "martial orders", or Templars. Although some of these have become relatively independent of their associated cult, and function as little more than knightly orders under the sole command of a Grand Master (like the Myrmidian Order of the Hawk), some are still closely associated with their cult, taking orders from the cult' s hierarchy and working to support their goals. Genuinely committed templar orders are often disturbingly fanatical. Finally there are the true "monastic orders", made up of those who have devoted their lives to the service of the deity. There is a clear distinction between the role of priests, who lead worship and minister to the faithful, and the role of monks and nuns, who devote themselves to living out a life of ideal service to and worship of the deity. Many monastic orders are enclosed, with their members living their entire lives in worship of the deity, with no contact with the outside world. Others seek to serve the deity in the world. In either situation the monks and nuns live and work as a community, under strict vows of obedience to their superiors. Because they have no concern for ministering to the faithful it is not unknown for monastic communities to come into conflict with the local priests, and in such situations their conviction that they are living as the deity intends often makes difficulties hard to resolve. The best monastic communities can be hopelessly idealistic, and largely indifferent to the realities of life. Monastic orders of Taal occupying woods the local Comte has ordered felled, for example, is not uncommon, and such situations tend to end with the local noble sending in the troops. However, for every genuine monastic community there are half a dozen that have become corrupt. This is particularly the case with enclosed orders, which are often little more than gentleman' s or ladies'clubs, preserves of the younger children of noble families who live lives of comfort and luxury in what amount to country retreat houses. Monasteries are often incredibly wealthy, owning vast swathes of land, and their Abbots act like the nobles they Book IV - Religion

6

are, entertaining guests, going hunting, and, it is rumoured, maintaining harems of "servant girls".

The Major Cults

The Cult of Shallya Of all the Bretonnian cults, it is the cult of Shallya that has become the most corrupt. Paradoxically, it is also the cult of Shallya that is best loved by the common people, and perhaps is best able on occasion to rise above its corruption and genuinely communicate something of its true ideals. The cult has become thoroughly accepted by Bretonnians, both in urban and rural areas, and dove pendants are very common talismans, even amongst those who do not count themselves as especially devout. Shallya tends to appeal to the downtrodden of Bretonnia. Due to years of oppression, they turn to her to heal their pain - so the Cult of Shallya, in contrast to the Cult of Myrmidia, is seen as lower class. It is in the poorest areas of the cities that the Shallyans are most active, running soup kitchens, and ministering to the sick. The appeal of Shallya is not entirely restricted to the lower classes however, disillusioned or penitent aristocrats, nobles hating the decadent lifestyle they were born into, those driven from power or shamed may also find refuge in the Cult of Shallya. In addition, the cult runs convents for noble women of ill repute or those who do not wish to marry or do not have the dowry (perhaps because their families will not provide it) - and this is yet another noble connection. Finally, of course, there are those from all walks of life whose natural temperament and sympathies draw them to the worship of the goddess (this includes some physicians). So the membership of the cult is an awkward mixture between the poor and down-trodden, who often lack the education and subtlety required for high office, and the idealistic and (supposedly) repentant nobility, who are well-educated but have never really known what life on the streets is actually like. Unsurprisingly, most of the cult' s leadership is drawn from this latter body. This creates an inherent tension within the cult, between its grassroots members and the majority of the leadership who have very different perspectives. In addition, as noted above, the leadership of the cult tends to be made up of either idealists, blind to the evils of the world, or the disillusioned, cynical, and

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

repentant, who are often then placed in positions where temptation is all around them. Naturally, this is a recipe for disaster. There are a large number of corrupt clergy within the cult, surrounded and overseen by good people who would rather believe the best of those around them. Abuse of power, sex scandals, embezzling of funds, orgies and drunkenness abound. The cult has further doctrinal and political tensions. On the one hand, Shallyans are sometimes seen as providing for and caring for the neglected poor oppressed by their nobility - Shallyans have at times been seen as guardians and protectors of the poor and impoverished, and there is a long history of wandering Shallyan monks and priests martyred for their defence of the poor. This is one aspect of the cult and its doctrine which is very attractive to many of its members, but which sometimes places the cult in a position that is adversarial to the nobility, and the cults of Myrmidia and Verena. There have always been demagogical elements, prophets, and often genuinely holy individuals within the cult standing in this theological tradition and advocating this role of protest and non-violent resistance for the cult. On the other hand, there is a strong element of the cult' s teaching and practice that advocates non-resistance to injustice. Much of the teaching of Shallya is not about revolting against the oppressor, but perseverance and turning the other cheek, and it is this aspect of the cult that some of its noble members and outside nobility support. The cult is there to alleviate suffering, not to destroy the system that causes it. In this aspect of its teaching, the cult of Shallya helps to keep the people under control by discouraging violence and revolt and making them more submissive and controllable. It is this tradition that the king and nobility seek to support, and the court actively seek to ensure that the leaders of the cult follow this doctrine rather than the cult' s more radical tradition. It is in fact largely due to this role of the cult in pacifying the population that the monarchy has endured for so long, and for this reason the cult is perceived by the nobility to be perhaps the most important religious institution in the kingdom, even if they don' t go along with its limp-wristed teachings themselves. Nobles often give very generously to the cult, partly to assuage guilty consciences, but partly because such charitable giving is seen as a good insurance policy in this world as well as the next: peasants who have been receiving hand-outs from a soup kitchen established with their Duke' s money are less likely to revolt. Nobles are genuinely aggrieved at priests of Shallya who criticise the social order, not so much because they take it as a personal attack, but more because they feel the priest is "letting the side down". The people are not entirely oblivious to this doctrinal schism within the cult and the poor do not favour those priests who preach only endurance of your lot in life. The cult is far from unified, and there is frequent conflict between the populist preachers and the corrupt and conservative leadership. Doctrinal schisms within the church are common, as is antagonism on class lines. In many ways the cult reflects the divisions in Bretonnian society as a whole, and is a microcosm of Bretonnian dysfunction.

Book IV - Religion

7

The cult is centred on the great temple of Shallya in Couronne, with its sacred springs, believed to have healing properties. The cult' s councils occur here, and its seminary is attached to the temple. However, the cult owns much land and property throughout the kingdom. Many cities have Shallyan orphanages and hospitals, and the countryside boasts many convents and monasteries. The cult has many associated orders. The lay healers are an order of lay people attached to temples throughout the kingdom. They assist the priests in ministering to the sick. Some have medical knowledge, others simply run errands. Many temples have lay charitable orders, groups of nobles and merchants who commit themselves to giving money to support the work of the cult. These groups are often highly exclusive clubs, with membership dependent on a high level of giving, but those who can gain entry make contacts with the highest levels of Bretonnian society. For obvious reasons the cult has no military orders, but there are many monastic orders. The most well known of these are the sisters of mercy, who have convents throughout the kingdom. Their plain white robes and veils are a well-known sight. The sisters are bound by vows of poverty, chastity, silence (greater or lesser, the distinction being between never speaking and speaking only at certain times), and unconditional charity. They often distribute food to the needy in the local area and sometimes have attached orphanages or hospitals. They are obliged by their vows to accept all women who come to them without asking questions, and to offer hospitality to any who need it. Many nobles disapprove of the convents and suspect (as is sometimes the case) that they provide havens for outlaws and agitators. The sisters of mercy are not the only monastic order associated with the cult, however, and some are far less strict. There are also a number of orders of mendicant priests, not attached to temples but free to travel ministering to people as the goddess directs them. Such priests are bound by three vows: obedience, poverty, and chastity. The first vow is said to be the best observed, the second not strictly observed, and the last not observed at all! Of course, in recent times the cult has come to even greater prominence with the rise of Cardinal Dumourieux. A scion of a noble family, the Cardinal is very much a career cleric, who read theology at Cardinal college, Guisonne University, then studied at the seminary in Couronne. He excelled in his studies, displaying a sharp intellect and brilliant rhetoric. His ability to manipulate both ecclesiastical and court politics is phenomenal, and in becoming Prime Minister as well as Cardinal he has become the most powerful individual in the kingdom, some say even more powerful than the king himself. What is more, he has managed to do all this whilst maintaining an air of complete humility, and retaining the goodwill of senior members of the cult, who naively assure themselves that he is a good and sincere servant of the goddess. So Sister Blanche du Mirail, high priestess of the great cathedral of Couronne is convinced that Dumourieux is a genuine and holy man, who through his devotion to the people is forced to make very difficult decisions. The Cardinal can no doubt reassure himself that in the event of his meeting an untimely end his elevation to sainthood is almost assured. In his wake, Dumourieux has attracted a number of clergy in his own BRETONNIA–PROJECT

likeness, ambitious churchmen with a taste for politics, and a gift for dissimulation. Increasingly, then, the senior clerics of Shallya are becoming smooth and sophisticated political animals, far more akin to priests of Verena.

The Cult of Myrmidia The cult of Myrmidia lacks the broad appeal of the Cult of Shallya, and yet has remained one of the most significant cults throughout the history of the kingdom, largely because of its successful appeal to the nobility. The Cult of Myrmidia has in some ways been the most important cult for the monarchy, as the cult and its doctrines and customs have formed the basis for the feudal system that has maintained the monarchy' s power. It is part of the cult' s teaching that nobles, seen primarily as warriors, must show proper allegiance to the king, their commander. The cult' s doctrines both justified an overarching social structure, and provided a code of life and conduct for individual nobles to follow. The cult taught that nobles should live lives of honour, aspiring to a knightly chivalric ideal. The cult of Myrmidia has, however, shown itself to have a remarkable capacity to adapt to changing circumstances. Over time, the technology of warfare and the role of nobles have gone through massive change. Nobles are now unlikely to live in isolated castles as custodians of swathes of farmland, but rather congregate together at court, where their lifestyle is an urban one. The feudal system has evolved into an absolute monarchy, in which nobles are not primarily warriors, and the archetypal warrior is no longer a heavily armoured knight, but a cavalier, skilled with both sword and the new black powder weapons. Therefore the high chivalric knightly ideal has been transformed into a cavalier code, in which allegiance, honour, and living lives of beauty and elegance are all important. For a follower of Myrmidia, nothing is as important as personal honour and dignity. This is located Book IV - Religion

8

in a pride in self and respect of others. To live as a gentleman, a man of honour and dignity, requires proficiency both in the arts of fencing, shooting, hunting, and riding, and in the more gentle arts of dance, conversation, and appreciation of the fine arts. Clumsiness, or committing a social faux pas may in some circumstances bring as much disgrace as proven cowardice in battle. Keeping your word is important, though only when given to an equal or superior, as a gentleman cannot be seen to be obligated to an inferior. The cult' s teachings are centred around a strictly hierarchical view of the world, in which distinctions in rank and position are all important. The key teaching, however, is that although certain aspects of status are determined by birth or commission, the bulk of a person' s status is determined by their honour. An honourable baron has higher status than a dishonourable duke. All social interaction is understood as basically combative, an attempt to maintain or enhance your own reputation whilst injuring that of your enemies. Naturally the cult also sees politics as a form of warfare, often referring to the court as the "other" or "higher" battlefield. Historically the cult has had a major role also in formulating the rules of duelling and has helped create the whole duelling culture. In recent years, however, Cardinal Dumourieux has succeeded in having duelling declared illegal, forcing the cult to distance itself from the practice. The close relationship between the Cult and the aristocracy does not always make things easy for the cult. Its influence amongst the nobility and strong links to the military forces of the kingdom make control of the cult a great political prize. The royal family strives to control the leadership of the cult in order to secure its own supremacy. Appointments to high office in the cult are often highly political, with the king having an obscure family member ordained as a priest of Myrmidia in order to be appointed to a key post. The king has considerable say in appointments within the cult because most senior posts are also chaplainries to army regiments. Other powerful families seek to build their own power base within the cult to increase their influence. The De Semblancy have for many years been establishing a close relationship with the cult, and now have more of their appointees in post than the royal family, binding senior clerics to themselves with strong ties of obligation and patronage. The cult has on occasion used this to its own advantage, allying itself more strongly with the De Semblancy in order to retain its independence from royal control. However, the cult as a whole wishes to remain free of control by any faction, and will often resist the will of any political appointee. Claude de Vendome, the current Cardinal, is a strong supporter of the De Semblancy due to his family ties, but not actually an appointee, having risen to his current position due to his own machinations within the cult. This gives him a degree of legitimacy in the eyes of the cult, though many feel his unquestioning allegiance to the De Semblancy must damage the cult' s independence. The cult' s transformation from being a cult of knightly virtues to a more sophisticated faith for courtiers has naturally taken it a long way from its origins. There is now little need for priests, especially senior clerics, to personally engage an opponent on the field of battle. As BRETONNIA–PROJECT

long as a priest is shrewd enough he has little need for any great military ability. Many senior clergy, like the Cardinal, are notoriously unfit, and live highly luxurious lifestyles far removed from the hard beds and soldiers rations that traditionally characterised the life of a priest. It is still the case that priests are expected to have graduated from the Royal Military Academy before they go to seminary in Quenelles, but very few now see active duty, with most simply holding a commission in a fashionable guards regiment for a few years, and some skipping actual military service altogether. It is far more common now for would-be priests to have studied at a fencing school than it is for them to have seen active service. Priests are no longer expected to take command of military forces in time of war, but to act as advisors and confessors to nobles in command positions. This general flabbiness (both literal and metaphorical) that characterises the cult is what gives a lot of heat to the antagonism between the cult and its traditional rival, the cult of Ulric. Followers of Ulric view followers of Myrmidia as little more than dandies and rakes, with no real warrior spirit, and in return the followers of Myrmidia see followers of Ulric as unsophisticated savages.

The organised cult is, as has been made clear, very much a preserve of the nobility. Its services and rituals are conducted in castle chapels, and tend to concern noble rites of passage (the entry into manhood, for example, is highly significant in the cult' s practice, marked by a nightlong vigil and a service derived from the knighting ceremony). They are therefore little known to the general populace. Warriors from the lower orders of society may attend services in the great temples of the cult (especially the commissioning ceremonies before forces are sent out to war), but that is their only real contact with the Book IV - Religion

9

organised cult. Followers of Myrmidia from amongst the common people have their own rituals and religious practice. Mercenaries and soldiers who follow the goddess memorise prayers and learn ritual acts that are passed from soldier to soldier – often every regiment has its own rituals. They are ministered to by part-time priests within their own units, who nominate and train their successors from amongst the members of the regiment. These common priests proselytise, give speeches to boost morale, give blessings (and hear confessions if necessary), and enable those dying on the field of battle to go to Morr' s realm with the blessing of the goddess. There is no real contact between these unofficial priests of Myrmidia and the trained priests of the cult, though they acknowledge their existence, and occasionally use them as means of communicating to the common men (and, it is rumoured, as ways of gauging the morale of the troops). The majority of devout soldiers follow Myrmidia, but some see the cult as encouraging an unhealthy subservience to the noble officer class, and choose to worship Ulric (or less commonly the Lady of the Lake) as a statement of defiance against the authority of the nobility, who are often incompetent military leaders. The cult has no lay orders to speak of, though the unofficial "common priests" could be seen as a lay order of a sort. As might be expected, it has a plethora of associated military orders, some with a long and glorious history, others of more recent origin. The older orders are generally those with most independence from the cult. The most famous of these orders is the Order of the Hawk, whose members swear vows of obedience to their superiors, chastity, and abstinence from alcohol. The Order has become fantastically wealthy, as well as acquiring a history of glorious battles and brave deeds, and many nobles aspire to join it. The Order are fierce warriors, and there are surprisingly few public cases of members breaking their vows. However, it is rumoured that although they may abstain from alcohol, there are various other substances they use freely, and that the reason few knights are found in bed with servant girls is that they prefer to share each other' s beds. One of the more recently-formed orders is the Order of the Scarlet Band, a company of dragoons, noble led, but with the ranks comprised of members of the merchant classes seeking to better themselves, who fight as mercenaries in the Border Princes and the Empire. The Order swear allegiance to the Cardinal of Myrmidia before all things, and should he command they have standing orders to pay their way out of any contract they are currently engaged in and return to Bretonnia. In the meantime, they continue to fight their way across the Old World, and are feted in story and song throughout Bretonnia. To have served in the Order is a recognised means of social advancement, as a member of any rank may style themselves "Sir", effectively entering the ranks of the gentry. The Order are not sworn to chastity, and many of its members who are not noble-born are married, with families in Bretonnia. Monastic orders may seem far removed from the ideals of the cult, but several exist. These are usually found in fortresses or strongholds in remote areas, and are comprised of retired warriors. They commit themselves to defending a frontier area, and often also function as training centres for local militia troops. A final important BRETONNIA–PROJECT

institution within the cult is the Cathedral-Academy of St Epiclesius in Guisoreux. The Academy is an institution of international repute that trains experienced followers of Myrmidia in the skills of tactics and strategy. It usually only trains nobles, but exceptions can be made for gifted or highly experienced commoners, especially those who are devout and sponsored by a noble. Only the elite, of all the nations of the Old World, pass through its doors, and its graduates, including the current Duc de Semblancy, form a very exclusive international old boy' s club.

The Cult of Verena The cult of Verena has not enjoyed the widespread popular support of the cult of Shallya, nor been as key to the interests of the nobility as the cult of Myrmidia, yet somehow throughout its history has always managed to make itself indispensable, retaining its position as one of the three most powerful cults in Bretonnia. It is generally perceived as being more of a cult for the rich than for the poor, and strongly aligned with the powers that be, though occasionally the cult spawns heretical demagogues. Followers of Verena, unsurprisingly, tend to be academics. This limits the cult' s following to a fairly small section of society, as not even all nobles are particularly academic. However, those who do follow the goddess tend to occupy influential posts. Bureaucrats, university staff, judges and lawyers, all worship Verena. Strangely enough, within the cult distinctions of birth are less significant than education. Almost unique within the religious establishment, the cult of Verena stands for equality of noble and commoner, on the basis that it is the quality of someone' s mind (represented by their academic qualifications) that determines their worth. Unsurprisingly, this makes the cult incredibly appealing to the middle classes, who welcome its teaching that a university-educated commoner should be accorded more esteem than an ignorant noble. However, although this is tacitly accepted within the cult as being simple common sense, the cult is wise enough not to preach such things openly. The most obvious public manifestation of this rather radical Verenan doctrine is the intellectual snobbishness shown by all Verenans. This sort of contrast between inner teachings and outer appearances is a feature of the cult, which has a reputation for secrecy and knowing far more than they ever reveal. Priests of Verena are seen by the common people (and often by the nobility too) as arrogant, manipulative, and deceptive, all under a mask of sincerity. Verenan clergy are bound by strong vows to never tell a lie, and in consequence they are renowned for their evasiveness and ability to tell halftruths. It is notoriously difficult to get a straight answer from a Verenan priest, though they are capable of using truth as a weapon too when it will serve. Over the centuries, the cult' s structures and clergy have become thoroughly intertwined with the administration and judicial system of the kingdom. A high proportion of Bretonnian judges are Verenan clergy, and a large number of those who aren' t worship the goddess as lay people. The cult is in fact indispensable to the smooth running of the kingdom. Most universities and colleges are either Verenan or began life as Verenan foundations, and all those educated within Bretonnia will have been Book IV - Religion

10

taught according to Verenan principles. The Administratorum is full of Verenan clergy, and it is Verenan legislators who draft the country's laws. Rumours that they slip in loopholes to benefit the cult in the legal small print are not entirely untrue (though generally the cult is far more subtle than this). Anything that requires education will have some Verenan influence. Even the medical profession is influenced as much by Verena as it is by Shallya. Most notoriously, the cult is believed to have great influence over the Chambre Noire, and the cult's intelligence-gathering capabilities are second to none. Not much that happens in the kingdom escapes the eyes of the cult, and if they can find a way to turn it to their advantage they will. The cult are master manipulators with an uncanny knack for finding any information they need.

By and large the cult has used its influence for two main ends : to further secure its own position, and (as a consequence) to maintain the monarchy and the social system it is dependant on. Publicly it stands for a basic conservatism, for regulation and order in society. The social system, with its strict hierarchy, is taught to be the natural order of things, a right and proper state of affairs. Any rebellion against it is therefore condemned from Verenan pulpits as evil and perverse. Over time the cult has focused less on abstract concepts of justice and more on the law. The kingdom's law and legal system are largely the product of the cult, a concrete expression of its concern for justice, that the cult regards far more highly than hazy notions of "fairness". The law is seen as an absolute good. Lawbreakers are given little sympathy, no matter how "unjust" their plight, and the cult of Ranald, BRETONNIA–PROJECT

with its disdain for the law, is often seen as truly evil. The cult of Verena spearheads the oppression of the cult of Ranald in some areas. A degree of harshness is seen as justifiable in preserving the social order and enforcing the law. The cult does not condone tyranny, but gives its support to the not infrequent armed suppressions of the peasantry as a necessary measure. Even overly harsh rulings of the judicial system are unlikely to be condemned by the cult, which will support the system out of principle. However, there is another tradition within the cult, which is at variance with the teaching publicly presented. The belief in equality has already been mentioned, but some within the cult extend this equality also to women, believing that women are just as capable of learning as men, after all, the goddess is female. Along with a belief in equality (however limited) the radical Verenan tradition calls for tolerance of others, and acceptance of different views and opinions. Followers of the more liberal Verenan tradition also, in private, call for complete freedom of thought, to speculate and research in any field, irrespective of legal or moral constraints. This radical tradition is a closely guarded secret, carefully nursed by the senior members of the cult, but denied and actively preached against in public. The cult has too much to lose to ever preach such doctrines openly. The tension between the cult's inner beliefs and its public face enforces a sort of double life on all Verenan clergy, and on the cult as a whole. Verenans deliberately, as an act of policy, act and speak in ways that they believe are fundamentally wrong. The survival of the cult is so bound up in the monarchy that the cult cannot afford to undermine it, but the spiritual and mental stress of living such deceitful lives (especially for a cult that is supposed to uphold truth as a cardinal virtue) is great. Many Verenans indulge in sex, drugs, and alcohol in an attempt to release the mental and emotional anguish they feel, increasing the cult's reputation for corruption. Others begin to believe the lie they preach, abandoning their high ideals for a cynical political realism. Still others find the tension between belief and action too impossible to bear, and speak out, condemning the social system the cult perpetuates. Such individuals are swiftly disowned, declared heretics and handed over to the secular authorities for execution. The cult's complicity in the deaths of its own priests, who were standing up for beliefs they know to be true, adds to the inner spiritual torment at the centre of the cult. And there are even more extreme rumours, that the hierarchy of the cult does all it can to suppress, rumours that some Verenans go completely insane, becoming thoroughly evil and corrupt, engaging in unspeakable acts. Verenan clergy are often incredibly complex and multi-layered personalities. A single cleric can appear at times to be a hopeless idealist, a cynically amoral politician, and a broken wreck of an alcoholic, all hidden behind the polished clerical exterior created by a consummate actor. You are never quite sure where you stand with a Verenan, never certain if you are being told all the truth, or indeed any of it, and never sure exactly what their objectives are. The cult hold many secrets, truths they entrust to no-one but themselves, and always know far more about what is going on than anyone else. Book IV - Religion

11

The cult has a number of associated lay orders. The Sacred order of Verena the Teacher (usually simply known as the "Sacred Order") is a large and widespread group that run the cult's many schools. Membership of the Sacred Order is seen as giving any scholar a certain status, and makes it much easier to find teaching posts. In addition, nobles tend to hire members of the Sacred Order as tutors for their children. The Sacred Order demands a genuinely high quality of teaching from its members, but by and large the teaching they give is in accordance with the cult's public doctrines. Especially gifted students are, however, initiated into some of the cult's hidden doctrine, and encouraged to think freely. Members of the Sacred Order are bound by oath to pass on any information of interest they should discover to their superiors in the cult, and act as a wing of the cult's spy network. The Order of Secular Legalists is a less well-known order, comprised of lawyers and judges who follow Verena. Membership of the order is secret, and the order is effectively used as one arm of the cult's activities. It is suspected that some of the judicial system's more arbitrary decisions are due to the influence of this order. Members are sworn to obedience, and in return often receive preferment from more senior lawyers who are also members of the order. The cult has no associated military orders (though some were founded during the crusades they have since been disbanded). There are a number of monastic orders, the most significant of which being the Order of the Quill. The Order has monasteries all over Bretonnia, Estalia and Tilea and a couple in the south of the Empire. The monks are scholars, spending their time researching, copying, and learning all that is knowable. Many universities evolved from monasteries of this order, and the order resents the fact that the universities are now regarded as the premier centres of learning in the Old World. The monasteries have impressive libraries and scriptoriums, and monks are frequently sent out to investigate some area of knowledge. Scholars occasionally seek out monasteries of the order in search of obscure texts, and are allowed access to the library for a small fee. Monks take vows very similar to the clerical ones, and some monks are also Priests. However, Monks are also bound by vows of Obedience, and Silence. The latter is lifted only when speech is necessary to their work, or to prevent conflict. Monks wear plain grey robes and have a tonsure. A final religious order associated with the cult should be mentioned: The Order of St Antoine. This highly secretive order work as witch hunters throughout the kingdom. The order in a sense manages to offer a synthesis of the cult's divided identity: they are agents of oppression with consciences, determined to act justly, and to uncover the truth. Members of the order are, unsurprisingly, among the more well balanced of the cult's priests. The Cardinal of the cult, Gibaud De Rennes, is based in Guisoreux, near the centre of power. He has close links to the University (as Chancellor he effectively has authority over it), the Law Courts, and the Administratorum (though here he is engaged in a subtle contest for power with Cardinal Dumourieux). The cult's Seminary is attached to the University, forming its own college: Lady College (it is dedicated to Verena, Lady of Justice and Learning), and the Cardinal has a role in the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

formation of new priests and priestesses. The Cardinal resolves the contradictions of the cult in his own fashion, by choosing to wholeheartedly align himself with the more conservative elements of the cult's doctrine. He retains enough Verenan ideals not to force his conservatism on the cult as a whole, but privately considers the cult's agonised wranglings over matters of conscience unnecessary. As far as he is concerned, the cult must simply accept the wisdom of the doctrines they have been proclaiming for generations. The cult's teaching is objectively good for itself and good for the stability of the kingdom. Its high-minded ideals are best forgotten. In effect, De Rennes is a heretic: he no longer truly worships Verena, but rather the gods of law. However, the cult's capacity for self deceit has blinded them to the reality of this situation, and he is remarkably popular within the cult. In any event, De Rennes is one of the more capable Cardinals the cult has ever had, and under his leadership the cult's position seems secure.

The Minor Cults The Cult of Morr Although the other cults of the southern pantheon have obvious appeal, and have built significant places for themselves within the political establishment, the cult of Morr has never been able to. The cult's practices and rituals are probably the most widespread and best accepted of all the Bretonnian cults. Even followers of Taal, Ulric, or the Lady of the Lake turn to the Cult of Morr to provide funeral rites (though in some isolated areas the cult of Taal continues to do this, and burials at sea are traditionally undertaken by clerics of Manann). Only followers of the Old Faith refuse to accept the cult's offices, burying their dead in the traditional fashion. The cult has more clergy than any other cult, indeed more than several of them put together. The majority of these are poorly educated, often illiterate, "country priests", who travel isolated villages performing funeral rites. There is a priest of Morr within a few days journey of any inhabited part of the kingdom. However, it is only at the moment of death that most people have anything to do with the cult, and so its influence is less than might be expected. The cult's main responsibilities in the settlement with the monarchy are to make sure the dead stay dead, and for this reason the Cardinal of Morr has the title "watchman of the kingdom's dead". The corruption that lies at the heart of all the Bretonnian cults has taken an unusual (but perhaps foreseeable) turn in the cult of Morr. The only hold the cult has over the populace, its only means of gaining influence, is its funeral rite. The common people believe that unless a priest of Morr conducts a funeral service for a dead person, they cannot travel to Morr's realm. Their spirit may remain restless, haunting their relatives, their body may rise from the grave to walk once again, or, even more chillingly, their soul may find its way into the kingdom of Khaine, whose doors are always open, there to be tormented for all eternity. This superstitious dread (which the cult has always done its best to encourage, having no desire for people to start burying their own Book IV - Religion

12

dead without adequate safeguards against necromancy) means that all people, peasant and noble alike, are willing to pay whatever the cult asks in exchange for a funeral. Sooner or later, everyone comes to the cult and has to pay its extortionate fees. As a result, the cult has become fantastically wealthy. However, they have a long tradition against ostentation, and so none of this wealth is spent on rich robes or ornate temples. A small proportion is spent on the priest' s personal upkeep (and the "country priests" are generally the wealthiest men in the local area), but the majority of the money goes to the cult' s central funds. The cult has become a major banking and mercantile power in the kingdom, lending money to merchants and nobles, even financing expeditions and merchant ventures of its own. This financial side of the cult' s activities has in the past been managed by the Cardinal, but the current Cardinal, Cicere Marsallas, came to power as a reformer, determined to refocus the cult' s energies on its obligations to guard the kingdom' s dead. He has delegated the cult' s financial management to Alain de Jolouse, Archdeacon of Guisoreux, a previously minor functionary now very much in the limelight. Alain is a capable man, but out of his depth negotiating with merchant princes. There is a good deal of internal political manoeuvring occurring within the cult at present, as senior clerics vie with each other to control the cult' s considerable assets by acting as patrons to Alain. The cult' s main lay order is the Mourner' s Guild, which assists priests in the arrangement and execution of funerals. The cult also has a little-known military order, the Raven Knights, who hunt out and destroy necromancers and undead, and a number of monastic orders. The monastic orders tend to live in very remote areas where they worship Morr isolated from society. Many are sworn to silence, but some have been known to offer interpretations of dreams and omens to those who come to seek their help.

as a Navarrese rather than truly Bretonnian). As this suggests, the cult also tends to attract the naturally conservative and the northern patriots. Followers of Ulric tend to be far less political than followers of Myrmidia, some seeing the court as a decadent place, not fit for true knights. The politicisation of the cult of Myrmidia is yet another sign of its weakness in the eyes of the cult of Ulric. Priests of Ulric must always have served as soldiers of some description, and after studying at the cult' s seminary in L' Anguille they are expected to resume their military service. Most priests serve as chaplains in military units in much the same way as priests of Myrmidia. Priests who act as chaplains to devout noble families usually also serve in their household retinue. The cult has a number of associated military orders, most very ancient, with long and proud histories. It has no monastic orders. Retired warriors generally take up senior positions in the cult, whose senior clergy are therefore often older than their opposite numbers in other cults. It is reasonably common for senior clergy of the cult of Ulric to have some degree of disability due to injury. The current Cardinal, AlfAndré de Negrepelisse, is no exception, lacking one eye, and bearing an impressive scar across the side of his face. However, many believe that his head injury lost him more than his eye. The Cardinal seems at times to be somewhat unhinged, highly unpredictable, but with undeniable religious fervour. He can at times provide truly inspirational leadership, throwing himself into politics, where he favours either the de Cabourg or the Knights of the Holy Blood (though he switches allegiance between the two frequently, without apparent reason) but at times he withdraws completely from public life, travelling the countryside leading evangelistic missions to isolated villages.

The Cult of Ulric The cult of Ulric has a long history in Bretonnia. As outlined previously, it was the original warrior cult of the Bretonni, alongside that of the Lady of the Lake. Both cults lost ground to the powerful cult of Myrmidia at around the time of Gilles le Breton. The cult of Ulric, however, managed to retain a strong following, especially in the north of Bretonnia, with its stronghold in Armorique, amongst descendants of Norse settlers. Part of the cult' s appeal has always been its focus on individual martial prowess and the honour of the warrior. The cult has never had much interest in the wider societal codes of honour and obligation that the cult of Myrmidia developed, and it has retained a suspicion and hostility towards change and innovation in society and technology. For this reason, many of those who still aspire to be "true knights" find themselves drawn to the worship of Ulric. The cult abhors the new black powder weapons and the changes in tactics occasioned by developments in technology, harking back to the days when all battles were won by a charge of heavy cavalry. The cult considers itself to be the guardian of the chivalric ideals of Bretonnia, implacably opposed to the foreign influences of the cult of Myrmidia (which the cult regards BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The Cult of Manann The Cult of Manann has in many ways managed to see through the centuries relatively unchallenged and unchanged. Its main worshippers are drawn from sailors, boatmen, and fishermen, and those others whose livelihood and safety are dependent on rivers and the sea. The worship of Manann is as strong as ever in coastal towns and villages, farmers with lands susceptible to flooding frequently give offerings to Manann as well as Taal, and merchants whose wealth is tied up in ventures overseas customarily give large donations to the cult' s temples before their ships embark. Although Affairiche commands more respect from merchants as a whole, few would dare abandon their devotion to the master of the oceans when a ship sunk could ruin them overnight. Changes in shipbuilding and advances in navigation and cartography have not done much to diminish the Book IV - Religion

13

vulnerability of those spending months on board a ship, and sailors use the cult's rituals and prayers superstitiously. Indeed, much of the cult's liturgy is out of its hands, having become ingrained in the way of life of seamen over the centuries, and it couldn't change the rituals used on board ship even if it wished to. Priests serve in two distinct ways, either onshore, running the cult's Temples, and blessing new vessels, or at sea, where they act as ship's chaplains. All ships of any size have chaplains, and most sailors will not set sail without one. Customarily all priests must serve as chaplains for at least one sea voyage after completing their training in seminary at L'Anguille, though many spend all their ministry as chaplains. Senior clergy are drawn from the Temples. The cult's two largest temples are in L'Anguille and Bordeleaux, the kingdom's two biggest ports, and the high priests of these Temples are significant figures in the life of those cities. Most coastal villages have simple shrines to Manann, that the villagers tend themselves in the absence of a priest. The cult has traditionally had little vested interest in politics, and its Cardinals have tended to simply follow their own political interests. Indeed, especially for noble families in coastal areas, a career in the cult often appeared a good move, as the cult's lack of baggage in politics meant that a noble family with a connection to the current Cardinal would reap significant benefits. The Cardinal has traditionally been the archpriest of either Bordeleaux or L'Anguille, with the two alternating. The current Cardinal of Manann, Toine Rohan-Rochefort, is from Bordeleaux, and from a family traditionally allied with the Amboise. The Cult tends to coexist harmoniously with the cult of Affairiche in its patronage of the commercial aspects of seafaring, but there has long been rivalry with the cult of Myrmidia, as both seek to be patrons to the kingdom's navy. In most cases the more powerful and cut-throat cult of Myrmidia (which also has the considerable advantages of being well connected to many noble families) wins any conflicts between the two, though occasionally the cult of Manann gets its way. The cult of Myrmidia has long sought to professionalise the Navy, and by so doing increase its control over the Admiralty (a significant political force). It is now normal for most Naval Officers to have attended the Military Academy in Guisoreux, which is heavily influenced by Myrmidian teachings (indeed some within the cults of Manann and Ulric jokingly refer to it as "The Seminary"). However, not all graduates of the Academy are devotees of Myrmidia, and it is still possible for nobles to buy their way into a commission in the Navy, avoiding the Academy altogether. Some noble families with a long seafaring tradition make a point of avoiding the Academy in fact, regarding it with a great deal of suspicion. These families, often traditionally worshippers of Manann, have some of the greatest sea captains and admirals in the history of Bretonnia as their ancestors, and ensure that the cult is never entirely without influence. In the main, though, the cult and its teachings are likely to have far greater influence over the crew and minor officers of a ship than over the ship's commanders, who are probably Academy trained and devotees of Myrmidia. These religious differences can lead to conflict (and even occasionally mutiny) at sea. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The Cult has several associated orders. There are lay orders of shipwrights and boatbuilders, as well as navigators and sea captains. All function partly as a means of expressing special devotion (and hopefully securing more of Manann's blessings) and as social clubs. Several merchant adventurers guilds are effectively lay orders of the cult, functioning as places where overseas ventures can be planned. There are also a number of societies amongst naval officers that are dedicated to Manann. The cult has a number of military orders, mostly being orders of Marines devoted to Manann, though the Order of the Trident should be mentioned. This is an investigative and punitive order, legally recognised, though resented by the judiciary, that exists to find and execute wreckers, pirates, and followers of Stromfels. Finally, the cult has a small number of monastic orders. Most of these are contemplative, living in monasteries or hermitages on remote islands or headlands, but some also function as light-house keepers.

The Cults of Taal & Rhya The Cults of Taal and Rhya (which are essentially one and the same) are seen by the majority of urban Bretonnians as little more than superstitious nonsense mouthed by the backward peasants of the countryside. The cult of Taal has, for historical reasons (tradition is a powerful force in Bretonnia), retained a seat on the Holy Council, but few regard the Cardinal of Taal as a serious political figure. The cult are the butt of countless jokes about fertility rituals involving lusty farmers and livestock, and are seen as rustic, foolish, and very much part of the kingdom's past rather than its future. Unsurprisingly, such treatment of the cult breeds resentment. The decline of the cult's fortunes is in part due to the dominance of the southern pantheon, but in fact this is a fairly minor factor. The cults of Manann and Ulric have retained far more influence. The main reason for the cult's decline is the inexorable movement of power, resources, and people from the countryside and into the towns. The rural hinterlands of Bretonnia are simply not as important as they once were. Most nobles now live in the cities (if not at court in Oisillon), only visiting their country estates occasionally. It is very much the third or fourth rank of the aristocracy who live in the country, barring the odd eccentric who dislikes life at court. In geographical terms (and even in sheer numbers of worshippers) the cult should be one of the most powerful in the land, worship of Taal is more widespread than worship of any other deity, save perhaps Morr. However, almost all of Taal's worshippers are peasants. Taal is primarily a god of farmers and countryfolk, whose worship is intimately bound up with the cycle of the seasons, sowing and reaping of crops, and the care of animals. Such people may in theory wield considerable economic power, as they feed the kingdom, but in practice they are at the bottom of the social order. Hunters, trappers and woodsmen also follow Taal, and large hunting expeditions often begin with a ritual invocation of the god. The cult does have some noble followers, drawn from the country gentry, and it is these individuals who tend to form the hierarchy of the cult. Thus the current Cardinal of Taal, Quentin Eurtre, is from Book IV - Religion

14

a family of minor nobility in Armorique. These nobleborn priests are well-educated diplomats, who attend the cult's small seminary attached to its high temple in Parravon. They handle the cult's political affairs and its relations with other cults. The majority of the cult's priests are "country priests", peasants, often illiterate, who lead rural communities in the worship of Taal. They conduct marriage services, and in more remote areas they sometimes conduct funerals (something resented by the cult of Morr). The cult has temples in towns, but these are not its real holy sites. Its high temple in Parravon exists more for the convenience of other cults than because the site is of real significance. The true holy sites of the cult are found in wilderness areas, away from human settlement. This devaluing of the urban and valuing of the rural is such a central part of the cult's identity that some suspect that the cult's Cardinals are mere figureheads, and that the cult's real spiritual leaders are to be found somewhere away from the cities. Few take the cult of Taal seriously, but this is a mistake, because it relies on a purely urban perspective. The cult is often the most powerful force in rural areas, with a deeper hold on people's lives than the nobility, and country gentry often have to reach an understanding with the cult if their authority is to be respected. The cult is in some places linked to outlaw groups, and more than one royal tax collector killed by wild animals on the road may have fallen foul of the cult. The cult has in some areas made common cause with more minor nobles who feel excluded from the corridors of power, and these alliances are a real potential danger to the powers that be, though they are by and large deemed insignificant by urban observers. There is a genuine bitterness and resentment within the cult over the way others in the establishment look down on them, and in some clerics this has become a festering hatred of those in authority. The cult has a number of associated orders. Its lay orders are primarily semi-guilds dedicated to the god. Orders of huntsmen, ostlers, and woodsmen are the most common. The cult has no known military orders, but it is not unknown for outlaws to dedicate themselves to Taal. There is a strong monastic tradition in the cult, but most monks are hermits, living in remote areas. Those communities that do exist are entirely self-supporting villages, with the monks tending the land themselves. The most famous monastery dedicated to Taal and Rhya is La Maisontaal, in the Grey Mountains.

The Lesser Cults The lesser cults are those whose worship is confined to a small area of Bretonnia.

The Cult of Affairiche Affairiche is the Bretonnian name for Handrich, the god of trade, and the cult is followed by merchants and financiers throughout the kingdom. Unlike the other lesser cults, worship of Affairiche is not restricted to a particular geographical area, though it is unquestionably strongest in the great port cities, but it is restricted to a very limited section of the population. Merchants are not always the most devout of people, and the cult does not have the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

same following in any Bretonnian city as it does in Marienburg. However, in L'Anguille, where the cult has its high temple, the cult has considerable influence. Worship of Affairiche has long been a recognised part of city life in that great port, and the high priest is a significant political figure.

The Cult of Emilion The cult of Emilion, god of wine, is a peculiarly Bretonnian institution. Essentially Emilion is a human version of the Elven Liadriel, though this would certainly not be admitted by Bretonnians. The origins of the cult are uncertain, but worship of Emilion is fairly localised, being found primarily in the areas of Bordeleaux and Gascogne, though in other wine producing regions of Bretonnia Emilion is also acknowledged. Emilion is the spirit of the vine, and his worship is concerned with all aspects of viniculture, from growing the grapes to making and selling the wine, and finally to drinking it. There are innumerable cultic rituals passed down in families that are followed superstitiously in the vineyards, and which are said to guarantee the wine is of a consistently good quality. The cult's major celebrations occur around the grape harvest in mid summer, and tend to involve much drinking, often leading to decadent parties. The cult's only real stricture is the drinking of wine with each meal, though the god encourages a general bonhomie and appreciation of the finer things in life in his worshippers. In areas where the cult is strong it tends to replace the worship of Taal (and to a certain extent Affairiche, though the god of trade is not as significant in the vineyards in any case), and the few clerics of Emilion are often counted as "really" being clerics of Taal. They certainly treat the Cardinal of Taal as "their Cardinal", and tend to share many of the larger cult's concerns. The cult wields considerable power in the Bordeleaux region and at the Gascogne regional parliament.

The Cult of The Lady of the Lake The cult has declined greatly since its glory days when it was the most widespread of all Bretonnian cults. As described in the history, the Lady is essentially an embodiment of the Bretonni people (and for this reason has never been popular amongst the Norse of Armorique or the Navarrese), and despite the decline in the cult's influence worship of the Lady has always remained strong in some areas. For some, the Lady is still the single most important deity, the guardian and patron of the kingdom as a whole. The Lady is worshipped across a fairly wide social spectrum, and her worship still has a certain degree of respect, even though the cult has little political power. Most people treat her as a sort of patron saint, and she is invoked in countless half-forgotten rituals and phrases that are part of everyday life, used as good luck charms. Thus soldiers calling on "Our Lady of Battles" to aid them before they fight are not invoking Myrmidia, but actually using an ancient prayer to the Lady. The Lady's influence can still be traced in language and superstition, but few know much about her actual worship. Most see her as an amalgamation of Myrmidia, Verena and Shallya, beautiful, merciful, bringing justice and giving strength in battle. The darker side of her Book IV - Religion

15

worship, the connections with fertility and sacrifice, that link her cult in some ways far more closely with that of Rhya, are forgotten by most people. The cult has no real hierarchy, and only a few clerics. The most significant group of her worshippers is a small circle of traditionalist nobles, who believe that the Lady can restore the past glories of the kingdom if her worship was to be revived on a large scale. This highly conservative group, comprised mainly of knights, is active in the court, and headed by Leoncoeur, who has become the king's personal champion.

The Cult of Sigmar For obvious reasons, Sigmar is not a popular or significant deity in Bretonnia. Bretonnian scholars have often argued that Sigmar was not a genuine god but rather a saint of Ulric (an opinion repudiated by both the cult of Sigmar and that of Ulric). The cult is found only in a few villages near the border with strong populations of Imperial emigrants, and in Guisoreux, which has the only temple of note in the kingdom. Imperial mercenaries and emigrants are the main worshippers within Bretonnia, forming a very unstable body of worshippers. At various points the cult has been proscribed, its followers declared spies and traitors, hunted down and executed. However, at present the cult is officially tolerated, though worshippers are still regarded as potential Imperial spies by the common people.

The Proscribed Cults The cults of Khaine, Stromfels, and those of all chaos powers are proscribed by an ancient royal edict. Worship is punishable by death. However, as Chaos is not seen as a direct threat by most Bretonnian rulers the repression is extremely relaxed. The cult most actively persecuted by the authorities is that of Ranald.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The Cult of Ranald It is perhaps ironic, a jest that the Prince of Thieves himself would find amusing, that in a kingdom riddled with corrupt priests it is the clerics of Ranald who are perhaps the least corrupt. The Cult of Ranald is a proscribed cult, whose followers are hunted throughout the kingdom, but it is also one of the most widespread of all cults, with followers in every settlement worthy of notice. Proven followers of Ranald are held to be thieves or worse and prosecuted as such when caught. In areas where the cult is more rigorously hunted, like Quenelles, the cult is believed to be seditious and followers of Ranald are hung as traitors. Only in Brionne is Ranald worshipped freely. The city has a semi-clandestine Temple and no attempt is made to prosecute worshippers. Partly by its very nature as a cult that dislikes confining rules and structures, and partly due to its present circumstances as a persecuted cult, the cult has no overarching structure. Worshippers of Ranald in a particular town will have a recognised priest (or priests) and temple, known to the god's followers in that place, but there are no wider structures. There is no equivalent to the "Cardinals" of other cults. The cult in one town may know some members of the cult in neighbouring towns (especially if members are involved in smuggling), and can arrange an introduction for those needing to travel there, but they will know little in detail about the other cult's make-up, meeting places, or the identity of its priest. This limiting of knowledge about the cult's activities helps prevent disaster striking if a follower of Ranald is captured. No one, not even a senior cleric of the cult, can identify cultists in more than two or three cities. The cult uses Thieves Tongue and Thieves Signs extensively as means of identification and communication, and also in worship. The form of Thieves Tongue used by common rogues is in fact a bastardised and pidgin version of the language as it is used liturgically by the cult. Many good luck gestures in common Thieves Tongue are derived from their use in the ritual of the cult. The cult has always venerated Ranald in a number of different aspects, as trickster, master thief, gambler, illusionist, and many others. The precise nature of the worship of Ranald in any area will depend in part on the makeup of the cult in that town. It is perfectly possible for there to be a cult of Ranald the gambler and a cult of Ranald the night prowler existing in the same town, with a very different social circle of worshippers. The two cults would have little to do with each other, and in some cases might not even be aware of each other's existence. Indeed, this is relatively common, and gives the cult an unexpected social diversity in its makeup. The core of the cult's membership is obviously made up of the poor, and particularly of criminals. For such people the fact that worship of Ranald is illegal is irrelevant, as most of their way of life is illegal, and it makes little difference if they are arrested as pickpockets or cultists. However, the cult also has a following among the more well-to-do, for whom the cult's illegality makes the worship of Ranald a thrilling risk. Cults of Ranald the Illusionist flourish amongst the more devout wizards, especially those with a disliking of authority. Cults of Ranald the Gambler and Book IV - Religion

16

Trickster appeal to the wealthy and dissolute. Groups of students determined to make fools of the University authorities may well take Ranald as a patron, as do some Agitators, especially those who prefer to take direct action aimed at embarrassing the powers that be. Secretive gambling clubs with wealthy merchants and nobles as members exist in the upper echelons of society, fleecing gullible aristocrats for the sheer fun of it. All of these cults, however, are influenced by one aspect of Ranald that has become central to his worship throughout Bretonnia: Ranald the Protector of the Poor. Even the exclusive gambling clubs find they are drawn by their worship of the god to have a concern for the victims of society. The injustice of the Bretonnian social system, the corruption of its courts and religion, the crushing poverty of those at the bottom of the pile, all of this has had a profound effect on the cult' s theology. The cult has always had a concern for the underdog, and a desire to frustrate the authorities, but in Bretonnia this aspect of the cult' s teaching has assumed a central role. The cult does all it can to alleviate the suffering of the poor and defenceless, to shelter them from the excesses of the nobility, and to remove particularly vicious officials. This often results in strange alliances for the cult. Its teaching on this subject is almost identical to radical Verenan teaching, and the cult often shelters rogue Verenan clerics branded as heretics by their superiors. It often finds its work to ease the suffering of the poor gives it common cause with the cult of Shallya, and this combined with the role of Shallya in the cult' s mythology often means that on a grassroots level the two cults often work very closely together. Shallyans have frequently offered sanctuary to followers of Ranald, and in return the cult has often offered protection and finance to the Shallyans (generally the Shallyans decide it' s best not to know where the money comes from). This aspect of the cult' s activities means that it often has the support of the urban poor (in rural areas the cult is still viewed with considerable suspicion), who often have a romantic "Robin Hood" ideal of the cult. This is, of course, naïve. The cult is perfectly capable of robbing from both the rich and the poor (and tends to deceive everyone as a matter of course), and does not always give what it robs to the poor (though it should be noted that few genuine devotees of Ranald are actually greedy, the money is simply a means of keeping score). The cult' s major stricture is the prohibition of violence, except as a last resort in self defence or the defence of others. This stricture is one that by and large the cult adheres to, differentiating it from other pseudorevolutionary movements. One of the major exceptions to this stricture is followers of Khaine and other particularly bloodthirsty rogues. The cult is implacably opposed to cut-throats and assassins, and when it is aware of such killers at work on its patch it often takes drastic action against them. In some areas, however, the cult has become corrupt, and permits killing. In places this is in reaction to the oppression inflicted on the cult by the authorities (who certainly have no qualms about using violence), but in some places it seems to reflect a deeper corruption of the spirit of the cult, as its members are drawn into the worship of Khaine. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The cult has an enormous variety in its makeup and associated orders. Priests and other devotees recruit and train their own successors, teaching them the lore of the cult as it was handed down to them. In one sense all the cult' s orders are lay ones, as every follower of Ranald must practice their craft, and many also have legitimate "cover" careers. However, there are more formal orders (in as much as anything about the cult is either formal or ordered). Many thieves guilds have close relationships with the cult, and some, like the Halegrin of Guisoreux, are comprised in the main of worshippers of Ranald. It is rumoured that an order of illusionists dedicated to Ranald exists, though it is also possible that this is a rumour deliberately spread as misinformation. In some areas groups specifically dedicated to Ranald in his guise as protector have formed. These are the closest the cult gets to military orders, though in accordance with the cult' s strictures they only use violence as a last resort. Such groups (the indigents of Guisoreux are a good example) use a multitude of means to frustrate the authorities and protect those who live in their patch. Using street skills and deception to make policing an area almost completely impossible is a normal tactic, but actively setting up a sting operation to remove a particular official from office has also been attempted. Their concerns occasionally bring them into conflict not only with the authorities but also with more violent criminal groups. If active confrontation is unavoidable, these cultists acquit themselves well as skilled knife-fighters, but usually prefer to make a smooth escape without combat.

The Cult of Khaine The assassin' s god is worshipped primarily by (perverse and generally unsettling) individuals, and there are no known temples in Bretonnia, though a few more well-organised cults exist. Rumours of assassin cults surface from time to time, but although some assassin guilds exist, with Khaine as a notional patron, more widespread cults with a regional or kingdom-wide organisation are believed to be no more than an urban myth (this comforting dismissal of unpleasant realities is, however, a common Bretonnian response to the activities of proscribed cults). Some of the less scrupulous fencing schools are believed to have devotees to Khaine amongst them, and heretics of both Myrmidia and Ranald occasionally turn to the worship of the lord of murder. To the establishment, there is little difference between a Book IV - Religion

17

follower of Khaine and Ranald, as both are seen as dangerous criminals. The cults of Morr and Ranald are most active in hunting down followers of Khaine, though due to their activities a cult of Khaine is just as likely to be discovered and hunted down by the watch. If assassin's guilds dedicated to Khaine exist it is possible that the powerful individuals that employ them (which in Bretonnia could include senior clerics as well as nobles or merchants) might actively work to conceal their existence. (Rumours that Cardinal Dumourieux employs such assassins must surely be groundless, however...)

The Cult of Stromfels The storm god is worshipped primarily by pirates and wreckers. It is believed that some pirates are actually devout followers of the god, carrying priests of Stromfels as chaplains on board much as other ships carry priests of Manann. The most significant cults of Stromfels are however found in remote coastal villages where wrecking is common. Often entire communities follow the god, wrecking ships as an act of worship and living off of the goods recovered as salvage. Shrines to Stromfels in such villages are often made to resemble shrines to Manann, with only a trained observer being able to pick out the symbology distinctive to the darker deity. Such cults are actively hunted by the Order of the Trident of the Cult of Manann. There are persistent rumours of a temple to Stromfels somewhere near Brionne, and another in Moussillon.

The Chaos Cults Chaos Cultists are far less numerous in Bretonnia than they are in the Empire. Adventurers expecting to find chaos cultists at the bottom of every plot and intrigue will often find themselves searching in vain. Bretonnian culture has been profoundly affected by the taint of chaos, but this does not express itself primarily in direct worship of the chaos gods. Many Bretonnian nobles are in fact profoundly perverse, displaying extremes of cruelty, immorality, greed, pride, and a general willingness to indulge in the darker desires of the human heart, that makes them notorious throughout the Old World. As we have seen, the Bretonnian cults have in many ways turned away from the ideals they should be upholding and their worship is often an empty meaningless thing that exists only to justify the political power wielded by the cults themselves. It is just as satisfying to the gods of chaos to see a group of people who think they are devout Shallyans exploiting the sick and poor, living lives of obscene luxury, and indulging in the occasional orgy, as it would be if these people actually established themselves as a cult of Slaanesh. Bretonnian society as a whole turns a blind eye to the excesses of the rich and powerful, and such things are never openly discussed at court except by the most jaded and perverted aristocrats, who simply don't care about appearances. However, it is common knowledge that some nobles have rather eccentric tastes. Open worship of the chaos gods occurs nowhere except in Moussillon. The most popular of the chaos powers in Bretonnia is indisputably Slaanesh. Most circles of nobility have some connection to secret orgiastic societies, whether or not BRETONNIA–PROJECT

they are full cults of Slaanesh. The main Slaaneshi cult in the kingdom is the "Purple hour", and many influential nobles have taken part in orgies organised by the cult. Slaaneshi cults tend to be organised by the aristocracy, but often include members of the merchant classes, and often numerous pretty peasants. For the lower classes joining the cult of Slaanesh can occasionally appeal to their desire for social advancement as well as their more earthly desires, as an attractive or well-endowed peasant can find themselves plucked from obscurity to be given a place of influence in a noble's service because of certain other services they render in the activities of the cult. In Couronne the prevailing cult of pleasure is largely inspired by Slaanesh. Shrines to Slaanesh can be found hidden away on many estates, and it is rumoured that there is a temple hidden somewhere in the Oisillon palace and grounds. Nurgle is, unsurprisingly, very popular amongst the urban poor. A cult which teaches that disease and squalor are power, that these very tools of oppression can be employed as a weapon against the powers that be, has obvious appeal. In times of plague many will offer prayers to both Shallya and Nurgle. The cult of Shallya, although convinced of the need to oppose Nurgle, does not see the cult as a real threat and is in any event too corrupt itself to do much to resist its influence. It is, however, largely due to the activities of the grass-roots members of the cult of Shallya (often branded heretical by their superiors) that the cult of Nurgle has not completely captured the souls of the poor. Worship of Nurgle is still seen by the majority of the population as wrong (rather than simply being illegal), and as something that displeases Shallya (indeed those invoking Nurgle will often carefully conceal any symbol of Shallya before doing so, in the superstitious belief that if they cannot see the goddess then she cannot see them). Temples to Nurgle exist in the sewers of several Bretonnian cities. Tzeentch has some adepts amongst the nobility, though many powerful nobles are perfectly capable of Machiavellian scheming without any need of inspiration by the Lord of Change. The most significant followers of Tzeentch are probably found in academia, where wizards and sages occasionally find themselves drawn into his worship through their desire for esoteric knowledge forbidden by the authorities. Khorne has never had much appeal, except to some members of the military. However, in an environment in which clerics of Myrmidia argue that making a bloody example of a village or two is the most expedient way of crushing a peasant revolt, identifying followers of the blood god is not always easy.

The Law Cults Though not actually proscribed, worship of the gods of Law remains far from commonplace in Bretonnia. It is very much limited to a small number of secretive groups typically dedicated to only one of the powers of Law. Most of these cults started a long time ago, introduced by early settlers coming from the southern Old World. One Bretonnian singularity is that cult of Solkan the god of Vengeance is not pre-eminent. This is probably linked to the fact that Bretonnians don’t feel very concerned about the threat of Chaos. Small sects of worshippers of Alluminas and even Arianka exist.

Book IV - Religion

18

N-2-2\--2

After the text by Garett Lepper What strikes both the informed student and casual observer alike about Bretonnian religion is their peculiar penchant for the worship of human servants of the divine deities. “Beholden to the Image of Deified Men : A Sincere and Scholarly Account Rendering the Peculiarities and Curiosities of Bretonnian religion.” By Professor Ehrlich of the University of Nuln Religion in Bretonnia is in many ways distinct from the worship of the gods in the Empire, but the primary difference is the Bretonnian focus on Sainthood. There is considerable dispute as to what exactly constitutes a saint, but they are typically defined as individuals who have led an exemplary life in the service of a deity or embodied the virtues of their faith, and that has become revered for their piety. They are believed to act on behalf of those requesting their patronage. In this way a Saint is seen as an intermediary between the worshipper and the deity, who acts as a patron to the worshippers. It could be said that the popularity of saints in Bretonnia reflects an extension of the highly entrenched system of patrons and clients, with the worldly system of masters, duties and obligations extended to the spiritual sphere as well. Despite the claims of Imperial scholars to the contrary, the Saints are themselves not revered as gods, but rather the channels by which the gods and their worshippers interact. The Saint, in their role of neither human nor god, is able to empathise with both deity and devotee and attend to the needs of worshippers. For Bretonnians, the Saints' position makes their religion very human and close. The nature of Sainthood ensures that the average Bretonnian knows how near the divine world truly is.

Shrines of Saints The cults of Saints are a wildly popular and public means of worship in Bretonnia. Nearly every temple of any faith has the relics of a past Saint enshrined in their altar or in another location in the temple. There are hardly any shrines or temples that are not dedicated to some saint

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

or another, by whose name they are known, even if they possess no relics at all or even those of another, lesser known saint. A shrine or temple will have murals, stained glass windows, and other art depicting the life, tribulations, triumphs, and miracles of the patron saint. Saintly motifs decorate the entire shrine and the centre of the shrine is most often the reliquary; a coffin, box, or sarcophagus that is elaborately decorated to the highest of standards. This reliquary houses some physical object or objects that were the saints in life, usually containing all or part of the reliquiae, the body of the saint. Even if it does not house some part of the saint's body, it will contain some other significant physical object that is believed to be imbued with the power of the saint. The largest temples may house a number of significant saints who each have their own shrine, and in this case the altar of the church holds the most important of all the saints, and it is this saint that the temple will be named after. Smaller temples will usually have one saint in whom they take great pride and is often the centre of worship for the entire community. Nearly all monasteries in Bretonnia have at their heart a shrine to the founder of their monastery, or else to some other well-respected saint, and it is these monastic saints that are some the most cherished of all. Certain monasteries were founded by visionaries who, after passing on, were then revered and interred as saints; other monasteries, however, were dedicated and built in honour of an individual that had already died and been recognised as a saint. These monasteries are built near a place that had significance in the saint's life: where they worked a miracle; where they were born; where they had a religious epiphany; or where they died. Such monasteries are dedicated specifically to the doctrine that the saint proclaimed. It should be noted that not all shrines are temples and monasteries, although over the years most important places have had a temple built near them. Some places are recognised as shrines even though no formal temple exists there. A well where a respected saint paused to cleanse the poisonous water may very well be a shrine, as will a point in the wilderness where pilgrims and other journey as an expression of their devotion and as a means of rededicating their lives.

Book IV - Religion

19

The Worship of Saints The traditional means of showing devotion to a saint (and consequently to the deity the saint serves) is through worship at a temple or shrine on a particular day of the year. This particular day always falls on the same day of the week but is carefully calculated so as not to interfere with other cults or saints'days of neighbouring temples. In areas of long standing religious animosity though, it is quite common for saints' days to clash, dividing worshippers not only between cults, but sometimes within the same cult if there are two shrines to saints of the same god in conflict over doctrinal matters. Regionally the days of the week are often named after local saints, with each day bearing the name of a different saint, although this is more common in small towns rather than the larger cities. The ceremonies on such days are fairly typical and usually entail a sermon of religious doctrine, prayers, and songs from the choir. On such normal occasions a few small artefacts may be flourished by the priests or paraded through an aisle of the church. After the ceremony the worshippers may approach the altar, shrine, or other sacred areas within the church invested with religious significance. They hold aloft a candle or other symbol, and petition the saint to intervene on their behalf with the deity. The petitioner then leaves a small monetary offering behind to aid in the maintenance of the shrine. Some clerics, mindful of their income, encourage the unofficial belief that particularly large donations representing unusual generosity and piety - are more likely to be looked on favourably. It should be noted that few Bretonnians worship one saint, but rather look to a number of them to fulfil the various spiritual needs the individual has. However, it is not uncommon for people to relate closely to one particular saint above all others. This is not seen as amiss, and such a saint is referred to as a patron saint. Each individual house usually has a small shrine dedicated to its patron saint whom they appease with daily prayers and more elaborate weekly rituals. The central event of a saintly cult is the feast day of the saint, or feast days since some of the more popular or pretentious saints have more than one day commemorating them. The feast day is always a date marking an important event in the saint’s life: the date of their birth: a day marking a grave tribulation or triumph; spiritual ascendance; public recognition; return from a spiritual journey or pilgrimage; canonisation; or death (particularly if martyred). These saints'days are in most cases festive occasions in which the entire community takes part, including many related shrines and even other temples if relations are particularly close. The day begins with the tolling of bells from the temple and possibly other temples if they are participating as well. A crowd usually gathers at the site of the shrine where a service is performed. The clergy wear their formal vestments and bear the regalia of the cult and provide a stirring sermon. Then the reliquary is usually lifted aloft and heads a procession to the centre of the town, village or city in an event known as the saintly procession, and this entourage walks along a given path usually packed with spectators, and when they arrive at the heart of the settlement, the clergy renew the saintly covenant, a claim that the saint BRETONNIA–PROJECT

will continue to protect and nurture the people thanks to their dedication. The allure of the event is that the cults patrons, usually the wealthy and rich, have donated considerable funds for the feast day, which takes place shortly after the saintly covenant is read. Those who have donated money to the saints feast day are mentioned in the covenant by name, those providing the largest donation first. Then food is distributed to those participating in the procession and considerable feasting and merriment begins. Vendors distribute food as well for those who have the money, others bring their own food to share in the spirit of this charitable event, while others must eat the bread distributed on behalf of the donors. After a few hours, the ceremony ends and the procession returns to the temple or shrine to the tolling of bells, and the donors and their invitees are allowed to attend the return of the relics to their place at the altar. For those outside the feasting may continue all night since the day is a holiday and there are numerous diversions on hand, usually street performers and other entertainers taking advantage of the occasion. Many theatre groups appear as well, performing moments of the saint’s life or commemorating other notable events in local or Bretonnian history. There is one other notable aspect to the worship of deities through saints, and that is the pilgrimage, which plays an important role in saintly cults. The pilgrimage usually entails following the path that a saint took during important events during their life, or else travelling to the recognised centre of a saint' s cult, although some of the more devout pilgrims will follow all the travels and visit all the relics of a saint. The intention is that by undertaking such a journey one comes not only closer to replicating in their own lives the spiritual growth of the saint, but to also understand the saint by the experiences they had. The roads of Bretonnia see thousands of pilgrims travelling every year to shrines near and far, and these pilgrimages play an important part in the local economy as pilgrims spend their money en route or perform services or sell goods to fund their travels. Benefiting from pilgrimage as well are the shrines themselves, who can expect gracious offerings from those who have travelled far as further signs of their devotions. Many temples and shrines see pilgrims as an opportunity to spread their doctrine, good faith, influence, and increase their profit, and provide relics to pilgrims in exchange for their donations. Often resourceful or unscrupulous individuals sell similar items for slightly cheaper prices outside of the temples and shrines. With the most famous saints who have shrines and temples all over Bretonnia, this problem is becoming very serious.

Saintly Relics At the heart of saintly cults is the physical remnants or manifestations of the saint, usually their body but often their worldly possessions, known as relics, which are highly revered. It is these items that are the focus of the cults for they embody the human dimension of the saint, an aspect long discarded by the figure who now serves the deity spiritually. Nevertheless, these remains still form a Book IV - Religion

20

tangible link between this world and that of the gods; although physical rather than spiritual, these objects are believed to be imbued with potent religious energy from the saint and as such ought to be carefully treasured and protected as sacred artefacts of both the saint and the deity. As mentioned earlier, the most important relics are the remains of the saint, known as the reliquiae, the mortal shell of the spiritual being. It is claimed that all the saints will one day return to their bodies, and therefore it is important that they be safeguarded. Furthermore the fact that the body is left behind is a sign that the saint still has a vested interest in returning to the earth and is therefore receptive to the pleas of devotees. It is these reliquiae that are housed in the reliquary, a richly decorated coffin that is often carried forth on important occasions and even taken on campaigns with armies to ensure the saint’ s continued blessing on the enterprise. In many if not most cases the saint’ s body is separated into parts with some portions sent out to other shrines to that saint as a means of legitimising the new shrine as well as spreading the influence of the original shrine. Some are horrified by such a prospect of separating the remains of a saint but the sheer demand by worshippers and other clergy for an authentic manifestation of the saint and the concomitant political and religious influence overshadows such concerns. By making a gift of parts of the saints, the original shrine increases its political influence, and therefore nearly all churches turn a blind eye to this practice. Almost as significant as the reliquiae are the saintly accoutrements that the saint had with them in their life. These items are held in awe not only because of their association with the saint, but because they were the tools by which the saint often did their sacred work. The practical and spiritual applications of such saintly trappings are attributed great powers and are not to be underestimated; the shrine may often use these artefacts to fulfil the designs of their saint and deity. In some cases items of incredible religious significance may be more valued than the remains of the saints themselves, although this is rare. Enjoying less significance, are the brandia, or objects that had been associated with the relics of the saint, such as stones in a shrine, vestments worn during ceremonies, and other paraphernalia. These items are donated to lesser shrines or used in common ceremonies, or in many places sold to the devout. Forged brandia are commonly reproduced near popular pilgrim centres. A step beyond these brandia are the items related to the cult of the saint but with no claim to a direct association with the saint themself: the memorabilia. These items include prayerbooks, bead necklaces, lockets with pictures of the saints, and other such items that serve to remind people of the importance of the saint. The authenticity of the relic can be problematic. Reliquiae especially are a source of contention, for it is not uncommon for two or more shrines to claim to possess the remains of a saint; claims that due to the politics of cults are very difficult to authenticate. Similar problems occur around other relics as well, complicated by the fact that the very desirability and power of all saintly artefacts means that they are frequently the subject BRETONNIA–PROJECT

of thefts. After centuries of thefts, false claims, new discoveries, splitting up of reliquiae, losses of artefacts on battlefields, destruction of temples and shrines, and countless other events that the veracity of many cult artefacts is questionable or uncertain. There are always those unscrupulous individuals who claim to sell true artefacts of the saints, such as powdered bone for potions or other curiosities, and so great is their reputed power that there is no shortage of people to pay outrageous prices for items that may be illegitimate or illegally obtained. Countless thefts have been suppressed by cult authorities or never even recognised, and religious authorities would be horrified to discover how many artefacts had been stolen and switched by not only thieving outsiders, but by the very members of their own cult! To address the issue of authenticity of cult artefacts, the cult hierarchy has many scholars versed in cult lore and history and claim to be able to identify cult artefacts with unerring accuracy. Naturally, their studies are sometimes judiciously curtailed or otherwise doctored; it is not in the cults'interests to have valuable, popular relics declared fake. Items deemed authentic by the cult leadership, usually after exhausting research, are given a document attesting to their validity, and item known as authenticae. Obtaining such a guarantee can be worth almost as much as the item itself.

Becoming a Saint For the common person in Bretonnia it is quite clear how one achieves sainthood: by living a good and virtuous life embodying those things that one’ s deity stands for, and after years of service you are recognised by the deity and called to serve them spiritually. Beatification: The first step towards sainthood comes with beatification. This involves declaring a deceased person to have been blessed and favoured by their deity, and to now be with that deity in the afterlife. Beatification Book IV - Religion

21

is automatically given to Cardinals and Archbishops; some bishops are beatified, too, although the honour gets rarer lower down the church hierarchy. Beatification is granted by a gathering of higher clerics of the same deity, who examine the good deeds of the individual in question and weigh them against any misdeeds. After deliberating, they declare whether or not that person can be beatified or not. If they declare them worthy, then a special service is held in their honour, the course and customs of which vary for each cult. Most involve prayers and services (usually paid for in advance by the deceased or their relatives), and each cult maintains texts in major temples listing those that have been beatified. There are some other practices attached to beatification for the different cults. Those beatified by the cult of Taal, for instance, are entitled to a special type of burial, in which they are simply abandoned somewhere far out in the wilderness atop a sanctified plinth for nature to reclaim. Only those who have been beatified are eligible for sainthood. Few would dare say so, but beatification is not the pious, enlightened system it is made out to be. Nowadays, it is mainly a financial and political consideration. Although the religious authorities would explain the rise in non-priestly beatifications as evidence of increased faith amongst the laity, it is really the money and power of those under consideration that draws the blessings of churchmen. Guaranteed life after death (which is how laymen of all levels regard beatification) is amongst the most coveted of all accolades, and naturally the richer members of society wish to ensure their eternal souls’ wellbeing. Noblemen and rich merchants who give lavishly to the local church and have a surreptitious word with the priests can expect beatification after death, with the meeting required to grant the honour being nothing more than a discussion of how to divvy out the richest left to the church. Cathedrals and major temples are littered with huge, ostentatious monuments to beatified aristocrats and bishops, as if the gods looked especially well upon big, expensive memorials. Thus, beatification has been cheapened to some extent. Genuine faith and devotion are often overlooked by clerics who feel that only material contributions merit spiritual reward. Those who don’ t leave wealth to the church are rarely even considered for beatification nowadays. Nevertheless, to the laity, the fact of beatification remains a paramount goal and evidence of true divine favour. If ever pinned down to answer charges of simony, clerics merely say that gaining and keeping such wealth as beatified laymen have – and having the generosity to give it away – is evidence of the will of the gods, and what right do mere mortals have to argue? Canonisation: But beatification, although still comparatively rare and distinguished an honour, is a far cry from full sainthood. Whereas beatification implies entry into the realm of the gods after death, sainthood carries an idea of enhanced power and spiritual authority – the favour and power of the gods flows through their saints and relics of those saints. Saints are seen almost as demi-gods in themselves, working on behalf of their deities to interact with those on earth. As with beatification, the fact of the matter is that the process of becoming a saint, known as canonisation, has become far more political than most people understand. There are two BRETONNIA–PROJECT

groups controlling the process of elevation to sainthood: the church hierarchy and the nobility. The church hierarchy controls church doctrine and policy and those who contradict or challenge the church are unlikely to ever be canonised. Many charismatic wandering holy people who hold unorthodox opinions are popular and well liked but are rarely ever officially recognised as saints because of their beliefs, and upon their death an unofficial shrine may be built but this can be destroyed by the church authorities as heresy. A few irregular cults have eventually been accepted by the church hierarchy, but this has become exceedingly rare. Nowadays, it is far more common for such cults to be broken up by the local watch and bailiffs, with the regular priesthood stepping deftly in to restore normal worship. The nobility, which is influential in the various churches because of its financial, military, and judicial power, also has a considerable say over whether or not an individual is recognised as a saint. Also like beatification, canonisation requires the agreement of a priestly council on the case. A council assembled for canonisation is considerably larger than one for mere beatification and must always include the Cardinal of that cult, and at least one bishop each from two other cults; such meetings are difficult to organise and tend to take place only in major cities. Evidence must be presented for at least one miracle associated with the individual under discussion. More recent councils have taken to using physicians, scholars, lawyers and sometimes even wizards to try and prove miracles have taken place (but are far from universally used). Naturally, the potential saint’ s contribution to the state of the church – especially in a financial and material context – has become an important, though less openly mentioned, criterion for sainthood. Those who are canonised tend to come from that section of society which does not challenge church authority or teachings, and which works closely with the establishment. Over the years it has become common for nearly all heads of the cults to be canonised as a means of legitimising the spiritual position of the church. Not all are fully invested as saints, and few receive the true devotion and respect of the public, but it is a formality that has become commonplace. Likewise, those wealthy noblemen (and, more recently, successful merchants) who give often and generously are likely to be canonised based more on their monetary contribution rather than their adherence to church doctrine; some cathedrals containing tombs of such saints actually place the amount that individual gave in the tomb' s inscription, producing a goal and an incentive for ambitious onlookers. Some ‘saints’ were murderers, wife-beaters, adulterers and worse; but they were scoundrels who gave a great deal of land and money to the church, which was able to make good all their sins and grant them sainthood. As such the process of canonisation can be a political one that all too often simply reinforces the existing status quo. As another means of rejecting church and noble controls, the common folk often worship unrecognised saints who are known as ' les Saints du Peuple' , who provide an alternative to formal religion. These movements are quite popular, but are often brutally repressed by the authorities. Book IV - Religion

22

Ancient Saints: Ancient, long-cherished saints are generally seen as beyond reproach by everyone, from Cardinals and Ducs down to peasants and beggars. Most often this is because little if anything is known for certain about their lives; minor but undoubtedly venerable cults restricted to just one town or village often have nothing but a name and a couple of relics to go on. Even betterknown saints are sometimes only remembered through dubious and fanciful works of hagiography composed many years after their death. In the past, ambitious clerics made a great living out of wandering the country writing saints’ lives based only on stock tales and a few local legends; these texts are still used and revered all over the kingdom. It is more than likely that a lot of these saints were little better than contemporary ones. Those scholars and clerics who have studied more reliable sources from the times of early saints have come up with far less inspiring stories of political entanglements and abuses; some saints appear to be little more than bloodthirsty warlords who saved an important monastery from destruction by turning aside an Orc horde, or priests who survived falling from a church tower (undoubtedly an act of divine intervention). Still others have no record at all, or at least no record of any saintly deeds, and are claimed by cynics to be nothing more than fabrications created to draw in crowds of pilgrims and their money. It is even possible that some saints, especially in isolated rural areas, represent survivals of ancient cults that worshipped entirely different (and far less wholesome) gods to those accepted today. However, there are not many who make such statements in public; the ecclesiastical authorities of Bretonnia are sensitive to blasphemy and heresy, and will take swift and stern action against anyone challenging the sanctity of the saints.

A History of Saints Before the formation of Bretonnia, the Bretonni peoples had a strong belief that although there was a clear divide between the natural and the supernatural, the profane and the sacred; that some special individuals were specially chosen by the deities to serve as examples to others. Some early Bretonni were renowned for their solemnity and their ability to put the dead to rest; others for their compassion and ability to heal; but most important of all were the warrior cults that sought to epitomise martial skill as the means to defeat the threats that beset the Bretonni. These early holy people had great power and influence and were revered upon their death as models to emulate. Some are still worshipped as saints today, although their names and deeds are often tacked on to lesser, later figures or their dates wildly confused. So even before the formation of Bretonnia the Bretonni had established early ideas about the relationship between the human and the divine. Men looked upon the world of the gods and the dead as a place of power and strength which would be laid open to them through prayer and good works. Primitive chieftains lavished wealth on building small but impressive temples to these early saints. Soon the cosmology of Bretonnian religion paralleled the social structure of society, so that just as the noblility BRETONNIA–PROJECT

mediated between the people and king, so there were individuals such as the clergy that mediated between people and deity. The clergy were held in high regard for this power, and especially esteemed clerics and other holy figures continued to be consulted even after death by noble and commoner alike. During this early period hundreds of people both inside the church hierarchy and among the laity claimed to have received visitations from the dead providing advice and knowledge. Such a vision was, in the right circumstances, enough for the canonisation of a new saint. At this time, moreover, canonisation still lay mostly in the hands of the people; if they believed a person was a saint and began to revere them as such, then after a few years they simply became a saint. There was no complex, authoritative church hierarchy to impose its control over the process. It was about a century after the disappearance of Gilles le Breton, that saintly cults began to spring up in the modern sense. They have dominated the churches of Bretonnia since.

The True Nature of Sainthood ? Belief in a saint does not necessarily entail efficacy. It is up to the GM to decide the true nature and power of saints, if any. Below are some suggestions as to the various roles a saint may play, but it should be noted that there are a great number of saints and their origins, power, and authenticity may vary so it may be applicable to provide different saints with different natures. Simply living embodiments: The Saints were merely people who embodied those principles that the deity held highest. The deity may have blessed these people with powers, in which case the saint may be legitimate and have some potency. On the other hand, they have never been truly recognised by their deity even though their own accomplishments were noted by contemporaries, and therefore the saint may have no particular power at all and the worship of them is actually just the worship of the deity. Possessed by the divine: The Saint may very well have been possessed by the divine essence or a servant of their deity, who guided their lives and granted miraculous powers. If this was the nature of the saint, than it is quite likely that the saint is capable of interacting on behalf of the followers. Just as when one is influenced (see below), divinities sometimes work through mortal flesh (i.e., possession), and the mortal being's shell temporarily houses divine energy, infusing the body with great power. The gods use these bodies as tools, and the glory and magnificence of the god is immediately apparent to all. Those who have been possessed by some manifestation of the divine are never the same again; their souls have been eternally transformed, and they either tend to live far longer than normal mortals or die soon after, their body unable to deal with the shock of the manifestation. Visions can be interpreted as possession, with the god sending a small part of their strength to inhabit that person.

Book IV - Religion

23

Influenced by the divine: Saints may have not been possessed by the deity, but they may have been guided by the divine, in which case the saint was chosen with a specific agenda, and were capable of miracles and other measures since the deity would have allowed for such things to occur, but the frequency and power would have been much less than if they had been possessed by the deity. Retroactively a Saint for political reasons: As mentioned above, not all people canonised as saints lived exceptional lives, and many saintly appointments are political in nature. In this regard the worship of the saint is quite empty and has little power, and the deity in question will probably not even recognise the cult as being its own. Those worshipping the saintly cult will be denied blessings and spells. A Sham: The Saints are mere mortals, nothing more, nothing less. Worshipping them is an empty act, and those few priests who do exhibit unusual powers unknowingly tap directly into the patron deity rather than the mundane saint standing between mortals and the gods. The gods may view Saints as a form of heresy, or useful camouflage. In truth the saints have no power, nor do their artefacts. Minor Gods: The Saints are actually minor gods, elevated to goodhood by their patrons on the occasion of their death, and they are able to intercede on behalf of their mortal followers. Although technically gods in their own right, they are bound to the broad strictures of the supreme deity and have reduced powers.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book IV - Religion

24

N-%2Z%2

2\--22

By Rory Naismith Below are described a selection of saints linked to the various cults of Bretonnia. Any Bretonnian would be aware of at least the principle ones. There are in fact hundreds more; some great, some not so great, most being very local in nature.

Saintly Cults of Myrmidia Saint Epiclesius "’Caedite eos. Noverunt enim domini sui qui sunt eorum’ [Kill them all. Their gods will know their own]" Allegedly spoken by Saint Epiclesius during the siege of al Hrakk, 1502 IC.

Cult St Epiclesius was the scion of an old, distinguished noble family from near Guisoreux in the 15th century. He displayed an unusual aptitude and lust for battle, and took service as a knight in the royal household. There Epiclesius' talents won him recognition from the king at the time (Raoul le Peregrin) and he was appointed Marshal of Bretonnia at the age of just 26 around the year 1476 IC. For the next 18 years, Epiclesius disciplined and trained his forces, raising the standard of royal armies and holding ever more hunts and tournaments for the knights. Unfortunately, military campaigns were few at this time, limited only to undignified slaughters of revolting peasants and raiders. Epiclesius had his big break when the crusades began in 1494 IC. Raoul le Peregrin wished to send an army to oust the wicked Daryus-e-Quabir, and he decided to place Epiclesius in charge of this force. An enormous army was raised, the grandest produced up to that time by any realm in the Old World. This host and its tall, gallant commander set off to Araby in the company of dozens of other crusading companies, to spend many years far from home fighting for what they believed to be right. In time, Epiclesius became recognised as the best leader and most determined crusader of all (or at least, that's how Bretonnian historians tell the story), leading many great campaigns and winning pivotal battles against the hated Arabs. It is this aspect of St Epiclesius' history which is so fondly remembered by Bretonnians. They look back on a principled and ascetic monk-soldier who maintained the high ideals of the crusade for over fifteen years. Epiclesius' death, shortly after the final siege of Badresi in 1511 IC, is the stuff of legend; he had been suffering from the effects of a wound incurred in a previous battle, and was on the point of death when the siege finally began. However, by a superhuman feat of endurance (undoubtedly achieved with Myrmidia's aid) he held out until the end of the climactic encounter, directing events BRETONNIA–PROJECT

to the very end, and finally expired moments after being carried into Jaffar's private chapel and hearing a final blessing in the name of Myrmidia. St Epiclesius' cult is one of the most widespread and popular in Bretonnia, especially amongst the upper classes (most of whom can boast crusader ancestors who fought alongside Epiclesius). Even commoners look up to him as what a good knight and lord should be like; often they pray to his example in the hope that less idealistic contemporary overlords will take heed. Dozens of books on military theory have been ascribed to him (though nearly all are later works which have adopted the saint's name to expand their audience). There is, however, a second side to the life of St Epiclesius which is tacitly forgotten and ignored by most of his devotees. New generations of cynical and inquisitive students are shedding light on the 'true' Epiclesius. They paint a picture very different to that of myth and memory: an Epiclesius who delighted in slaughter and bloodshed, who was not afraid to use torture and unchivalric methods to achieve his ends. It is even claimed that Epiclesius fathered several bastard children both in Bretonnia and in Araby, and was forced into celibacy not by deep religious feeling by an unfortunate jousting accident. The most damning episode of all - and with considerable documentary evidence to substantiate it - is the siege of al Hrakk in 1502 IC, when Epiclesius led a merciless siege of a large oasis-city. He spurned offers of negotiation from the enemy and, after the defiant townspeople had repelled his first attacks, flew into a terrible rage and ordered everyone in the city to be slain. Since al Hrakk is still nothing but a ruin blasted by sandstorms and unhappy memories, there may be more to these claims than the aristocracy would like to believe. Attempts to publicise and spread these heretical ideas would certainly meet with a savage reaction from the nobility.

Shrines A great many of towns in Bretonnia have temples to Myrmidia dedicated to St Epiclesius; those wealthy temples and shrines which are patronised by the aristocracy are the most common dedications. Many military shrines and temples are also dedicated to St Epiclesius. Castle chapels which are frequently offered to Myrmidia are often in the name of St Epiclesius, too.

Relics After his dramatic death in Araby, the story surrounding Epiclesius and his remains becomes complex and uncertain. There is a small temple to Myrmidia patronised by visiting Old Worlders in Badresi (on the north coast of Araby) which claims to possess his entire body. But it is likely that at least some of his corpse was taken back by returning crusaders. However, this version of the story only serves to reflect the scope of this great enterprise: if every supposed relic of St Epiclesius were genuine, he would have had four hearts and six arms, together with over a dozen swords and shields. The best claim is probably that of the Cathedral-Academy of St Epiclesius in Guisoreux, which has had a 'complete' body in its collection since the early 17th century at least. Book IV - Religion

25

In spite of the dubious nature surrounding many of these relics, any object claimed to be associated with Epiclesius commands immense interest and prices from the Border Princes to the Empire (which is why fakes are so common).

none of them would countenance sharing the glory of the saint with others. Whatever the truth behind Sainte Leonidas, she is worshipped far and wide, especially by soldiers and knights who see her as a kind of substitute sweetheart and guardian watching over them at all times. She stands for fortitude and defiance in the face of adversity, particularly in a military context. Many people in and outside Bretonnia associate her closely with the chivalric ideal, which is ironic given the limitations the code of chivalry puts on women.

Principal Shrine

Sainte Leonidas “Amongst them there was one woman, known as Leonidas, who was touched by the courage and strength of Myrmidia. This Leonidas came to the men of Navarre, and led them against the foe, even though she was a woman, for there were none who could stand before the power of the goddess. With Leonidas at their head and Myrmidia’s blessing upon them, nothing but death could await the despised enemy. They were slain, all, and the land was cleansed of their impure blood.” From the Chronicle of Albert de Brionne, c.1550 IC

Cult The cult of Ste Leonidas is popular throughout Bretonnia, but is especially entrenched in Navarre, which likes to see Leonidas as its own patron. Albert de Brionne’ s mention of Leonidas is perhaps the first, and it is much clearer than most; yet even so he still doesn’ t say when Leonidas lived and which enemies she fought. Much energy has been expended upon trying to trace the origins of Sainte Leonidas, and some believe that she is a combination of several figures ranging widely in date, with the latest being active during the Wars with Estalia in the 23rd century, and the first in a distant, barelyremembered tribal war before the time of Sigmar. All the stories, however, do agree that she was a simple, pretty maiden who was inspired by Myrmidia to lead the chastened menfolk back into battle against some hated invader. One of the most extreme beliefs, recently ventured by a Navarrese academic at Louisienne College in the Guisonne University, is that Ste Leonidas is more of a spirit or goddess which has come down to help the kingdom of Bretonnia (and more especially Navarre) on a number of occasions, taking on the same form every time. Conservative clerics are aghast at such a suggestion, for BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Leonidas’ main shrine is the Cathedral dedicated to her in Brionne. This large, gothic building - the largest temple in the city - is eagerly patronised by the martial nobility of Navarre, and it is full of memorials to knights killed in dozens of wars, feuds and skirmishes over the centuries. But it is not the only important temple of Ste Leonidas in Navarre: that of Blaye-Leonine is the site of a major festival which takes place at the beginning of summer. Traders, pilgrims and fashionable nobles of Navarre all convene in this small, extremely well-defended town for a week of feasting, praying and celebrating. Much trade in wine is done, especially with merchants from Tilea (who love the party atmosphere), for the most prestigious vineyard in Navarre, ' Côtes de Blaye' , is situated in the valley below the town. Blaye-Leonine' s motto is ' Numquam polluta'(never polluted) which refers to the town' s distinction of being the only place in Navarre never taken by the enemy. According to many versions of Ste Leonidas' s history, she was born in this town and set out from here to save the rest of the province. Most important towns and cities in Bretonnia, especially those with a large knightly or aristocratic presence, have a shrine to Ste Leonidas. There is a large temple to her in Quenelles. Many military chaplains worship her, and portable shrines to her are sometimes taken on campaign.

Relics The Cathedral of Ste Leonidas in Brionne has the sword of Ste Leonidas as one of its major attractions for pilgrims. It is a beautiful, keen-edged blade which exudes an air of sanctity, and although it may indeed be a magical blade of great potency, swordsmiths who have seen it believe it to be only three or four hundred years old. Because of her nation-wide popularity, supposed relics of Leonidas are relatively common. The temple to her in Quenelles has a skull said to be hers in its collection, and another temple in Navarre attracts pilgrims to see the shield of Ste Leonidas. The temple of Ste Leonidas in Blaye-Leonine has a helmet and a standard said to have belonged to the saint; the standard, though dazzlingly beautiful, is unquestionably of later date, although the helmet is convincingly austere and of ancient work, and has many stories of miracles attached to it. These relics are placed at the head of the grand procession that marks the start of the great festival in Blaye-Leonine every summer. Book IV - Religion

26

Due to the haziness surrounding Leonidas' life (or lives), no one can conclusively say that these relics are the genuine article or not - although the faithful have no doubts whatsoever and are willing to argue the point with cold steel.

Young DesRuisseaux “And at a time when the world was as cold as the human heart can be, men with their bellies full only with envy spied the beloved of Myrmidia and DesRuisseaux, the first born son of an aged count. And the villeins, covetous of the knights armor, fine steed and noble bearing, let loose with a cowardly flight of arrows. The brave lone knight, his horse fallen and his flank pierced grievously by the wicked barbs stood and received the onslaught, slaying one of the blackguards and gravely wounding two others before being smote upon his scalp by a treacherous attack from behind. Robbed, stripped, and left for dead in the winter night, the younger DesRuisseaux held on to life until his father found him, and with his last dying breath he spoke the names of his murderers. And Monsieur DesRuisseaux, rather than act in vengeance, called forth some Templars and Priests of Myrmidia to prosecute those responsible. With their execution and his son avenged, Monsieur DesRuisseaux then had the families of the villeins and the all the villagers who had hid them removed from their homes and gave the land to the Cult of Myrmidia to found a monastery and shrine in remembrance of his son.” From the Prayerbook of Chardonnay, 17th century IC.

Cult The Cult of Myrmidia has always been elitist in Bretonnia and often prejudiced against the lower classes. At the extreme end of this intolerance is the saintly cult of DesRuisseaux. A returning knight was murdered and those responsible were brought to justice by a small and unusual group of Myrmidians who had some knowledge of law. The martyred knight’s father then donated land and money to the Myrmidians in honour of his son to create a monastery which would focus its attention on bringing to justice those guilty of offences against Myrmidia or responsible for assaulting followers of Myrmidia. The cult has a particular vehemence for those who assault their social betters.

Shrine The DesRuisseaux shrine is a private one on the DesRuisseaux estate about twenty leagues west of Guisoreux, with an immense adjoining law library. There are few visitors, all of whom are invited; but countless 'clients' arrive or send pleas for help; the family priest and his attendants take care of the place, and a body of carefully selected legalists and clerks (trained to a man at the best universities in the Old World). In truth, the knowledge and connections of this cult extend far and wide, being part of fable and myth rather than part of accepted religious practice. Not surprisingly, the nobility in particular patronise the cult of DesRuisseaux. It is BRETONNIA–PROJECT

viewed as more of a moral lesson on the depravity of the common man and the nobility of the lords and ladies.

Attendants There are a dozen of Templars, priests and other clergy at the shrine who are devoted to the Cult of DesRuisseaux. All of the priests are former students and lawyers. Despite their small number and distance from the main cities they have considerable power, and attract important but discreet clients from the aristocracy. They are the only clergymen versed in non-ecclesiastical law and its prosecution, and this gives them considerable power within the cult of Myrmidia; they are often called to attend councils or the Oisillon Palace. Their distance from major population centres lends them an air of impartial detachment.

Relics At the heart of the monastery in the chapel of the monastery lies the stone sarcophagus of the fallen DesRuisseaux and laid alongside the body are those possessions of his that were stolen by the knaves who murdered him. There are no powers directly attributed to the various items, but it is believed that any who would ever steal such relics would never be able to hide from justice.

Saintly Cults of Morr Saint Vadnais “And the rest of both the living and the dead were shattered by the fierce strike of a shard of the heavens that had come hurtling down to smite the earth. With horror the living awoke to find that the dead had arisen from their graves. Families were pulled from their beds by those hungry for their warm breath, beating hearts, and pulsing blood. Human flesh was the grisly feast for the awakened dead. Fear and blood flowed, but one mortal moved with righteousness that dark night, commanding the dead to return to their graves. When the mortals heard his prayers and commands, they took heart; when the dead heard his cries, they returned to their graves or raised their cold fists to attack the lone priest that moved among them. And when they turned to destroy the lone priest, his very touch lay them to rest. Thus it was that the peace returned to Vilmorre through the miracles worked by Nicholas Vadnais the Priest of Morr.” From the Lives of the Saints of Bretonnia by Karolus Arbogastiensis, 11th century IC.

Cult St Vadnais’ cult is not particularly large, and is centred upon the city of Moussillon. As the ’Life’ of Vadnais written by Karolus Arbogastiensis tells, St Vadnais was a priest of Morr who saved the townspeople from undead assault.

Book IV - Religion

27

St Vadnais has become an unofficial protector to the people of the unfortunate city of Moussillon, and his name and symbol (a white or silver skull) is invoked for protection against undead evils. It is said that the soul of anyone who wears a talisman of St Vadnais cannot be forced into the legions of undeath; for this reason, removing the skull-charms carried by most of the people of Moussillon is seen as an especially cruel and heinous crime. Vadnais' cult is by far most popular amongst the destitute commoners who live in the slums and ruins of Moussillon, but there are a few priests of Morr and noblemen who venerate him; mostly those who live near sites of unearthly activity in north-west Bretonnia.

Principal Shrine Although St Vadnais is most popular in Moussillon, his home and main shrine are located slightly east of that city, in the small mercantile town of Vilmorre (which prides itself for its high-class preserved meats). The largest temple in the town is dedicated to Morr and St Vadnais, whose body is kept inside. The self-satisfied people of Vilmorre are highly conservative and insular; they resent any untoward influence from outside and dislike strangers. In particular they detest the pious but disease-ridden pilgrims who often come from Moussillon; there are sometimes so many pilgrims that they build their own shanty town outside the gates of Vilmorre and squat there until the town militia sees them off. There are several small, poverty-stricken shrines and temples to St Vadnais in and around Moussillon, and one or two in other settlements between there and Vilmorre.

Relics St Vadnais' body is claimed by his temple in Vilmorre; an ornate casket contains the reliquiae, and despite the fact that the body has not been seen for many years now, the devout swear that it is as fresh as the day it was interred (whenever that was). The largest temple to St Vadnais in Moussillon possesses a wizened staff said to have belonged to the saint. Unlike the body of St Vadnais, which has not been removed from its casket and shown to the public for decades, the staff of St Vadnais in Moussillon is kept almost permanently on show, and attracts many visitors to the temple. It is claimed that on St Vadnais' day the staff is charged with his power, and can cure any disease connected with the undead and the powers of chaos.

Saint Margelon "The dead are not merely collections of bones and withered skin. They are our flesh and blood, our fathers and forefathers. When the dead rise and walk among us, their souls are tortured and beholden unto some unholy power which shackles them once more to the hateful earth. For this reason I shall not suffer the dead to rise and chew on the flesh of the living." From the Teachings of St Margelon, c. 10th century.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Cult Like many early Bretonnian saints, Margelon's reallife history is poorly known, obscured by millennia of pious legend. According to the best of current learning, he was a priest of Morr living in the region of Parravon around the time of Gilles le Breton, or perhaps a little before. Margelon's homeland, after sustaining an attack of the plague, found itself afflicted by a still worse malady: the curse of necromancy descended, and hordes of hungry zombies and mindless skeletons roamed the stricken countryside. As the intercessor with Morr, god of death, Margelon took it upon himself to trace and defeat the source of this scourge. It is variously reported that he performed a mighty ceremony of exorcism from atop a great earth mound called la Tumule de Margelon (which can still be seen some 10 leagues south-west of Parravon); hunted down the liche responsible for causing all the trouble and imprisoned him under the aforementioned mound; or that he used the power of Morr to entice all the undead into a pit beneath the mound and seal them there for eternity. All versions of the story focus on the Tumule de Margelon, which certainly enjoys a sinister reputation amongst the locals, who report witches' sabbats and other weird goings on there in the dead of night. At the end of his life, Margelon too was struck down by the plague, and lay feverish and agonised for days until a young novice of Morr called Sugre came to his side. Sugre spoke soothing, kind words into his old master's ear, and immediately Margelon's pain subsided and he passed away calmly and contentedly. St Margelon's cult is centred on Parravon and the surrounding region, where he is called upon by those praying for peace in death for friends and relatives. Less often he is invoked by people threatened by the undead, and witch hunters engaged in hunting the undead apparently call on his name when working in benighted Bourgon.

Shrines In Bourgon and Parravon there are many dedications of shrines and temples of Morr to St Margelon. For whatever reason, the people of this province see it as especially important to secure their souls for the hereafter, so Margelon and Morr are called upon far more than one might expect. He is especially popular in small, isolated towns and villages, where common folk pray devotedly to him every day in the hope of aiding their loved ones in the next world. The brooding, gothic cathedral of Morr in Parravon is dedicated to St Margelon.

Relics The body of St Margelon was preserved for some 500 years after his death until the year 1490 IC, when the abbey situated at la Tumule de Margelon where his reliquiae was housed came under attack from person or persons unknown. The abbey was found the following morning, burned to a blackened shell, the monks savagely slaughtered, and the valuables stolen. What became of the abbey's treasures is still a mystery, although gossip Book IV - Religion

28

sometimes surfaces of sightings in Orc hoards in the Grey Mountains. The people of Bourgon, however, whisper to each other that someone - or something - which had ' unfinished business'with the saint came to get their revenge… Strangely, although the Tumule de Margelon is almost universally associated with the saint, it is only very rarely visited. There is an indefinably evil, forbidding quality about the place which seems to deter even the most devout.

Saint Sugre "Though your soul walks in the twilight of life, fear ye not, for I shall be by your side." From the Last Catechism of St Sugre, spoken to the dying by priests of Morr.

Cult As with the life of his friend and mentor St Margelon, St Sugre' s history is very obscure. It is said that the elder saint taught the young Sugre, who was an apt and enthusiastic pupil. Before long, however, the venerable Margelon was struck down with plague. Everyone, including Sugre, could see that the old priest was dying. As St Margelon lay dying in his cell, Sugre (who had always been far too shy and quiet to say very much in public) wept pitifully for his inability to do anything to ease his tutor' s suffering. That night, after crying himself to sleep, Sugre had a vision of Morr in his dreams. The god appeared as a talking raven, and taught Sugre how to speak soothing and fortifying words to those in pain and need. When Sugre awoke the next morning, he found that his reluctance to speak had gone, and was replaced with a desire to help the needy and spout eloquent words of spiritual healing. Immediately he went to St Margelon' s bedside, and used his new-found skills to alleviate the old man' s pain before he passed away. From that day on, Sugre followed a new calling. Instead of the contemplative life of most clerics, he instead took it upon himself to travel far and wide, going all over the kingdom to teach and help the dying pass on without difficulty. Dozens of towns and villages still cherish legends relating how St Sugre came one day and eased the suffering of some local invalid in their last hours. At last, after spending decades travelling in this way, St Sugre settled down at a temple of Morr (the location of this last temple is disputed). But he continued to try and reach out to others; Sugre spent his last years composing a famous book of teachings, eulogies and words to be spoken at death, including his famous Last Catechism. The ' Liber Sancti Sugris'is still regularly used by priests of Morr across the Old World when conducting last rites. Naturally, Sugre is most venerated for his famous written work, a copy of which (or at least of the Catechism) is possessed by nearly every shrine and temple of Morr in Bretonnia - and in most other Old World nations too. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Because of the manner in which he was granted his unusual talents, Sugre has also become associated with Morr' s aspect as god of dreams. In particular, it is believed that he can provide relief for those afflicted by terrible nightmares.

Shrines In spite of the very widespread use and fame of the ' Liber Sancti Sugris' , there is not a great number of shrines and temples dedicated to St Sugre. Those that do exist are found mainly in larger towns and cities, and provide free, round the clock recitals of the Catechism for anyone in their last moments. Although this service is gladly and honestly accepted by most Bretonnian citizens, in some cases the clerics'willingness to care for the dying has seen murder victims foisted on them in order to prevent the killers being suspected or traced. There are more substantial temples to St Sugre in Greoncy, not far from Parravon; and in Argeance in Gascoigne. Both ardently claim to be the place where Sugre ended his days and wrote his famous book.

Relics The two temples in Greoncy and Argance each lay claim to parts of St Sugre' s body (respectively, his right hand and jaw bone); no other parts of his corpse are known to exist. Although not strictly relics, extremely old manuscripts of the ' Liber Sancti Sugris'are treated with almost as much respect, and the age-worn copy held by the university library in Bordeleaux is said by some to have been written by St Sugre himself.

Saintly Cults of Shallya

Saint Jean de Guisoreux "Let none be e’er so blessed as this most generous son of fair Guisoreux. For he hath given from the heart such wealth to the city that surely the favour of Shallya is in him; it is through his munificence that so many have escaped death and discomfort. Hath he not done as much as the doctor with his medicines, or the priest with his prayers? Praises be to St Jean de Guisoreux!" From the sermon of dedication at the chapel of St Jean de Guisoreux, given by Cardinal Olivier Lidion, 2110 IC

Cult St Jean de Guisoreux is said by cynics to embody the materialistic heart of Bretonnian religion. According to them, Jean was nothing but a rich merchant who bought his way to sainthood by lavishing vast amounts of money on the church; evidence of his fabulous wealth can still be Book IV - Religion

29

seen all over Guisoreux, with dozens of monuments and public buildings bearing his crest and initials. In life, Jean began as just the son of a moderately successful cloth trader and an impoverished lord's youngest daughter; by the time of his death, he was one of the richest men in the kingdom, with fingers in countless pies and assets stashed away in as many diverse enterprises. Even the king condescended to have dealings with Jean, for his wealth put him on a par with even the greatest nobles in the land. This astounding success was due to a combination of luck and incisive business acumen. However, as in most cases, Jean's case is not so onesided as some would make out. For all that Jean did achieve sainthood by giving such huge sums to the cult of Shallya, especially in his will, he was not without religious sentiment or devotion (or at least the intelligence to make a show of possessing those virtues). The public remember his frequent spending on beautiful monuments and handouts of bread rather than his famous eccentricities and personality flaws, and St Jean is still regarded as the embodiment of success and blessings from the gods. People - especially commoners and traders - pray to St Jean when they want things to go well for them, and in some quarters he has become a 'catch all' saint, appealed to for anything and everything by those who wish for a share in the near-divine fortune that seemed to follow him in life.

Shrines St Jean is worshipped only in Guisoreux and its suburbs. Perhaps the greatest shrine to him is his tomb, which is housed in its own large and lavish chapel on the west side of the Sully Cathedral. The cathedral's completion after many centuries of halted work was funded almost entirely by St Jean. Both the cathedral and the tomb are dazzling in their display of riches; gold leaf, silks and masterful Tilean painters were all used to make this a tomb fit for a king. A heavy iron screen blocks the chapel off from the covetous masses, who are forced to gawp at its splendour from behind bars. Services are held in the chapel every day for the wellbeing of St Jean's soul; the fortune he left to fund these services (which incidentally saved the Shallyan cult from bankruptcy) will pay for three services a day for the next 500 years. There are a number of other shrines and temples to St Jean dotted around the city, found mostly in lower to middle to class areas. Most of these were actually built using Jean's own money, and some were even constructed in his lifetime; these still bear his coat of arms.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Saint Leyeur "And in this year there came to Couronne a great warrior, a lord and knight from the south, who was called Gilles le Breton by those who knew him. This Gilles le Breton stood with his companions and soldiers before the gates and demanded entry; not knowing the will of Shallya, the people of Couronne held council. There Leyeur, the high priest of Shallya and wisest man in the city, spoke thus to the assembly: ’We have heard of the flourishing of the men of Guisoreux, of the blessings that attend them in peace and war. Their fields and cattle are the most bountiful; their blades the keenest; their womenfolk the most fertile. In all these things they stand pre-eminent before all other men, and it is known also that they are full of praiseworthy faith and devotion to true religion, abhorring the old and unclean gods of yore. This Gilles le Breton who stands at their head, for one, has called often on the most graceful Shallya to aid him in his quest; is it not clear to all of you here, men and leaders of Couronne, that his is the power to which we must submit? For in following him, it is evident that we would be following the course chosen for this land by Shallya. For this reason I, Leyeur, am ready to bow before Gilles le Breton as my king if he will continue to bow to Shallya as his heavenly guide.’ Thus spoke Leyeur, and the men of the council discussed what he had said and at length came to agree with him. Then they went to the gates and allowed Gilles le Breton and his men to enter their city, and they all made good cheer….After Gilles le Breton had enjoyed the peace and hospitality of Couronne for several weeks, he came one day to Leyeur and said unto him: ' Leyeur, I have now won twelve great battles across the length and breadth of this fair land, and now all parts of it have accepted my sovereignty. It behoves me to have these conquests made fitting in the eyes of the gods; I would like for this jewelled crown to be placed upon my head and so for me to be proclaimed to the world and to the gods as king of Bretonnia.'Leyeur listened to Gilles le Breton, and then said unto him: ' My lord, if Shallya be willing I will gladly do this thing for you and let it be an honour for myself and my city; in ages to come, all your line must come here also to receive their crowns in this great city.'Both men were contented and made good cheer; and in that same year, Gilles le Breton was crowned as first king of Bretonnia." From the Chronicle of Pepin le Grand, 11th century IC

Cult Although St Leyeur is justifiably revered for his smooth dealings with Gilles le Breton when he began his wars of conquest, and much attention is drawn to the fact that Gilles was crowned in Couronne in the great temple of Shallya built in part by Leyeur. However, one aspect of this proud legend that is not so well remembered is the quarrel which broke out between Leyeur and Gilles shortly before the coronation, supposedly over the rule of Couronne. This was a bitter disagreement, which was never fully resolved; so intense was the discord between the two men that Gilles at the last minute had the first Cardinal of Verena, Chlotharius, summoned from Guisoreux to actually place the crown on his head before a humiliated Leyeur. This is why, to this day, the Book IV - Religion

30

coronation of Bretonnian kings takes place in the great temple of Shallya in Couronne but is actually carried out by the Cardinal of Verena. There is still some bitterness on this matter in Couronne, and one or two ambitious clerics dream of rectifying and resolving the age-old conflict and allowing the Cardinal of Shallya to crown the king. Cardinal Dumourieux is certainly interested in this possibility, and secretly funds research into the matter. The cult of St Leyeur is popular in Flandres and especially in Couronne, where the great cathedral to Shallya is dedicated to him. Leyeur is seen as the patron saint of the city, and is treated with due reverence and respect thanks to his place in Bretonnian history. Pepin le Grand' s famous chronicle gives perhaps the most stirring account of his involvement with Gilles le Breton, which culminates in the famous coronation in Couronne towards the end of le Breton' s long reign. Traditionally, Leyeur is seen as simply a wise and suitably devoted high priest forerunner of the Cardinals of Shallya - who legitimised le Breton' s power. The real Leyeur was not quite like this, however. It seems that the only reason Gilles chose to be crowned in Couronne instead of in his home city was to try and placate the rebellious people of Couronne; for at the time of his coronation, unification and control in Bretonnia were still a long way off. Leyeur was virtual ruler of the city; a little-known manuscript even describes him donning armour and leading the men of Couronne out to confront those of Gilles le Breton. Fortunately for Leyeur and his successors'reputation, this aspect of his life has been largely forgotten.

Shrines The great cathedral of Shallya in Couronne is dedicated to St Leyeur. This is amongst the grandest buildings anywhere in the Old World; a near-perfect masterpiece of Bretonnian gothic architecture rising hundreds of feet above the city below. It is believed by some students that the place is so majestic and graceful that it shouldn' t actually be able to stand, lacking support and stability in its design; they claim that some force, magical or divine, must keep the thing upright. Couronne and other settlements in Flandres often have shrines and temples dedicated to St Leyeur, too. Because of their closeness to the upper-echelons of the Shallyan cult in Bretonnia, temples and shrines of Leyeur are some of the richest in the land.

Relics St Leyeur' s entire body is claimed by the cathedral in Couronne, although it is in several parts; the skull and ribcage have been in the cathedral' s collection ever since records began and thus are probably genuine. Some doubt is cast on the veracity of the other parts by the fact that, if the claims of neighbouring shrines and temples were to be believed, Leyeur would have had sixteen fingers and four legs. Which if any of these relics are genuine is a question few dare try to answer.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Saint Francois-Xavier "In the name of St Francois-Xavier of blessed memory and of great Shallya, I absolve you of all sins committed in the past, both of the mind and of the body. May you turn your back on the misfortunes of the past, and instead embark on a new and peaceful life of charity and prayer. Arise." From the investiture ceremony for ' blood-marred' members of the Pious Order of Our Lord of Repentance. NOTE : A more in depth look at the cult of St FrançoisXavier is available in the corresponding article of Bretonnia-Project.

Cult There are two versions of Saint Francois-Xavier' s life, which were given simultaneously to two crusaders (one each from Bordeleaux and Quenelles) who subsequently went on to found separate orders dedicated to the same saint. According to the Bordeleaux version of the saint' s life, Francois-Xavier was the son of a noble who lavished all his attention on Francois-Xavier' s elder brother. The young saint found himself isolated and neglected, tormented by his brother' s fame and glory and his own ignominy. Eventually he decided to take some drastic action, and after dressing himself in armour, sneaked into a tournament held by his father and challenged his brother to a duel to the death. Unable to turn down such an offer, Francois-Xavier' s brother attacked and, against all the odds, was killed by his younger sibling. Aghast at his own rash actions, Francois-Xavier fled the tournament and everything connected to his old life, and spent many years dwelling alone in the wilderness as a hermit. At last he arrived at a resolution (devotees say that Shallya granted him a vision guiding him onto the path to sainthood) to spend the rest of his life trying to atone for what he had done. Francois-Xavier journeyed to Brionne, where he had heard the people to be oppressed and downtrodden by the nobility. The situation was every bit as bad as he feared, and he devoted his remaining energies to helping the city' s commoners. He was killed leading a protest (or, if the official records are to be believed, a riot), allegedly by seven stab wounds to his chest. The other version of the saint' s life, that told by the Quenelles branch of his cult, differs mainly in that it claims Francois-Xavier to have been the eldest son of the noble lord. He enjoyed preferential treatment from his father, and although he attempted to improve relations between his brother, his father and himself, rage and resentment began to boil within his brother' s heart. These spilled over at a tournament, where his younger brother entered the lists incognito to challenge Francois-Xavier to a duel to the death. Not knowing whom he was facing and eager to uphold his reputation, Francois-Xavier laid into his opponent and soon struck him a fatal blow. On lifting the dead enemy' s visor and seeing his brother' s face, Francois-Xavier was so shocked that he cast off his armour and noble trappings to flee into the wilderness. From this point on the story is more or less the same as that of the Bordeleaux version. However, as a result of this divergence in the tales, the two branches of FrancoisBook IV - Religion

31

Xavier's cult have developed significantly different creeds. Most importantly, the Quenelles branch (the Pious Order of Our Lord of Repentance) is one of the only religious organisations dedicated to a non-military deity in Bretonnia that accepts soldiers who have taken human life; the Bordeleaux branch (the Merciful Brotherhood of the Seventh Knife Wound) is highly disdainful of this practice, seeing its counterparts as dangerous and uncouth heretics. Others regard Francois-Xavier as an emblem of salvation and repentance, and as a charitable saint liable to stick up for the causes of the poor, especially when they need support against or from the aristocracy.

Shrines As might be expected, the two branches of FrancoisXavier's cult possess their own networks of shrines, monasteries and temples based on their respective centres. Luckily they are sufficiently distant to prevent any regular unrest. Neither branch of the cult is especially large, although they are both popular. Unusually, they enjoy the support of both commoners and nobles, each group finding some aspect of the saint that appeals to them. The Quenelles order in particular depends upon the financial aid of rich nobles in that city who have supported the cult ever since the crusades; several notable families actually have members in order's ranks.

Relics According to the two texts of St Francois-Xavier's life, there are no relics extant of his life. What became of the saint's body after his death in Brionne is unknown, and due to paucity of precise detail it is impossible even to know exactly where and when other events took place, making the identification of relics impossible. However, there are persistent rumours that the knife used to inflict the fatal wounds on Francois-Xavier still survives, and bookish monks have readd vague reports of a journal kept by the saint being held somewhere.

Sainte Julienne "A fair maiden there was, full golden and pure; her tresses were long and her skin like ivory. Julienne was her name, and she was the youngest daughter of the Duc d’Elmet, who had sent his beautiful and wise daughter to become a nun at the abbey of MerceauxDescloux. There she amazed her tutors with her kindness, sagacity and devotion; all saw that the blessings of Shallya lay heavy on her soul. But there was one man, a cruel and wicked son of the Comte de la Soucerie, who had yearned and lusted after the virginal Julienne for many a year, and he felt his black heart tear when she left home to take up her life in the cloister. This scoundrel followed her to the city, where he used all his guile to enter the abbey and capture the faithful Julienne alone. He importuned her again and again, forcing his unrequited love upon the maiden; but she refused his advances and made great dole. Julienne ran from his unsanctified clutches and screamed for help; but none BRETONNIA–PROJECT

were near to heed her cries, and as she ran through the flower-laden gardens of the abbey, the bloodthirsty suitor caught her up again. Fearful lest her mournful wails unveil his dreadful schemes, the warlike Comte drew his sword and sliced off Julienne’s golden head with one blow. Woe to Julienne the fair, slain for the lustful whim of man! Woe for her chaste, virginal blood lending its still richer life to the verdant soil of Merceaux-Descloux! But all was not in vain, for in dying unsullied by the wrathful, impassioned world of man Julienne gained favour in the eternal kingdom of the blessed and sat by the right hand of her lady Shallya. In time another beautiful sister, likewise virginal and pure of heart, came to MerceauxDescloux, and as she prayed one day in the cloister Julienne appeared to her in a vision, standing over the place where she had been slain and pointing to the ground. This sister ran to the spot which the vision had indicated, and with her bare hands dug into the ground; soon water rose into the hole, spouting out from the earth. These holy waters, enriched by the blood of saintly Julienne, still lend their strength to those in need today." From the Life of Sainte Julienne by Anne la Forte, 1977 IC.

Cult Ste Julienne's cult does not extend beyond the abbey and baths which bear her name at the abbey of MerceauxDescloux, in the small town which shares the abbey's name. The abbey and baths have a good reputation, and attract many old, infirm and rich patrons who dislike the crowds and size of the more famous Couronne baths. Hopeful pilgrims come from all over the kingdom and beyond having heard tell of the baths’ properties. All who come go away convinced that the waters of Ste Julienne at Merceaux-Descloux have done them some good, whilst a few genuinely do find an apparently miraculous cure at the baths. There is a collection of crutches and decayed medicines left by those who, having been cured at the baths, have left them there to lend hope to others. Visitors to the baths regard them as a well-kept secret which they do not want to be spoilt by a flood of visitors.

Shrine The abbey of Merceaux-Descloux is relatively small but well-off, mainly thanks to the generous donations left by visitors to the baths. It is, as religious establishments go, as comfortable as possible; 'cells' feature four-poster beds and private lavatories. Those clerics used to more austere accommodation frown upon such luxury, but they do acknowledge the good work done by the nuns who live in the abbey, and the outstanding collection of books housed in the abbey library.

Attendants Some twenty nuns actually live in MerceauxDescloux. Most of these are mere initiates; in fact, the abbey has a reputation as a good place for 'nice' young noblewomen to go, normally to spend a year or two doing charitable works in luxurious, congenial surroundings without any contact with untoward ruffians. Some choose to stay on afterwards and become fully-fledged clerics of Book IV - Religion

32

Shallya. The abbess, Laure Chichou, is a small, wrinkled old specimen with a tongue like a whiplash for men and commoners, although she is kind and indulgent with real patients and well-behaved nuns. She is a third level priestess of Shallya; there is also a second level priest, and two first level priests. Some other, regular initiate sisters are granted some special position, too. Aside from the nuns, there is a physician, with an apprentice and a servant; a pharmacist; and over a dozen other servants working in the abbey and the attached baths. Six watchmen are paid to provide protection.

Relics The skull of Ste Julienne is preserved by MerceauxDescloux, and is placed in a chapel beside the baths where pilgrims can pray to its healing qualities. Many have ascribed their miraculous cures to praying before this skull. Popular legend states that the waters of Merceaux-Descloux will run dry if the skull is removed. In the abbey's shrine, there is also a vial containing a powdery red substance, which is thought to be the blood of Ste Julienne. It is paraded through the abbey on her saint's day, and a great many pilgrims congregate to observe this occasion. At the climax of the ceremony, the blood turns to liquid, as Ste Julienne manifests her powers for all to see. If the blood fails to turn to liquid, it is said the following year will bring great misfortune for the kingdom.

Saint Antoine de la Peste "When the searing blade that leaves no scar Leaves you unmanned and stricken, Speak heartfelt prayers be heard both near and far, And let the name of St Antoine be spoken." Popular rhyme to ward off plague.

Cult Very little is known about the origins of St Antoine de la Peste. According to legend he was a priest of Shallya in Bordeleaux, perhaps in the 4th century, who valiantly devoted his energies to helping those afflicted by a virulent outbreak of plague. He worked tirelessly soothing the sick and attempting to ward off the onset of disease, and it amazed everyone that for many months Antoine seemed to be immune to the pestilence around him. However, even as the plague at last began to abate, Antoine was struck down, and was himself the very last victim of the outbreak; according to legend, he died smiling because the city bells were tolling to mark the end of the plague. Since then, Antoine de la Peste has become the centre an almost national cult, which includes a number of hospital dedications in large towns. There is also 'L'Entreprise de St Antoine de la Peste' which raises funds from well-meaning nobles and merchants to alleviate the suffering of those afflicted by illness and misfortune; however, although l'Entreprise does distribute a substantial amount of money to needy cases, what it gives out is only a tiny fraction of what the upper classes might be able to pay, and to receive any aid the poor must go BRETONNIA–PROJECT

through a complex and highly degrading examination in which they compete with each other to offer the tale of greatest woe to the rich ladies and gentlemen in charge of l'Entreprise.

Shrines Nearly every large city and town in Bretonnia has a shrine, temple or hospital dedicated to St Antoine de la Peste. Despite his origins in Bordeleaux, he is not noticeably more popular in that city than anywhere else. St Antoine de la Peste's shrines and temples generally have no special function under normal circumstances except as a refuge for the sick; during outbreaks of plague, however, they are thronged by people saying prayers for salvation and seeking some sort of help from the priests. In fact, they become so crowded that it is even more dangerous to enter the shrines and temples than to remain on the streets. L'Entreprise de St Antoine de la Peste has its headquarters in Guisoreux, but there are independent branches in most substantial settlements. They usually operate in the local shrine or temple to St Antoine de la Peste.

Relics The remains and effects of St Antoine de la Peste are scattered all over Bretonnia. The temple to him in Bordeleaux claims to have one of his hands and the cloth which was used to mop his brow just before death; this cloth, though pitifully worn after so many years, is believed to have the power to provide miraculous cures, and is occasionally used to try and save high-profile invalids. Temples in Parravon and Brionne both possess skulls of Saint Antoine de la Peste, and the habit he wore when tending the sick is in the hands of a small temple in the town of Tinchebray, south-west of Couronne. Though this is a comparatively minor town (now boasting a far from minor pilgrim attraction), the habit is most likely genuine, for a local legend, preserved in many ancient manuscripts, tells of how it was brought to Tinchebray from a temple in Navarre by a thief who was 'directed by the blessed will of Saint Antoine de la Peste' to remove the habit from a large, wealthy abbey in Navarre and bring it back to his home town. The abbey, situated some fifteen leagues east of Brionne, would be very interested in trying to reclaim one of its greatest treasures.

Sainte Herminette la Maigre "Que Shallya protège notre petite Herminette! [May Shallya protect our little Herminette!]" Chant of the Guisoreux mob at the execution of Ste Herminette la Maigre

Cult Ste Herminette was the daughter of typical slumdwelling parents in Guisoreux, born around the year 2460 IC. She came from the very worst area of the city, the Mendigots, where life was cheap and squalor complete. However, in spite of her background, Herminette Book IV - Religion

33

displayed a determination and a kindness far beyond anything her neighbours had ever known. She stood out in the slums like a beacon in the night, and by some small miracle lived to the age of seven without succumbing to disease, famine or violence. At that age Herminette was fortunate enough, when one day begging for alms from strangers near the city walls, to meet with one of the doughty mistresses from the Convent Ste Josephine. This nun noticed the gentle, pious aura which seemed to emanate from Herminette, and after offering to give her a few pennies if Herminette would say what she would do with the money, the girl said 'I would take it home so that my mother can feed my little brothers and sisters.' This was enough to bring the nun to a decision, and a few days later Herminette began her education at the Convent Ste Josephine. Although she proved an outstanding pupil in all ways (much to the chagrin of better-born students), Herminette always remained passionately devoted to helping her family and friends in the slums outside the city walls, and begged the convent's mistress to let her spend evenings and afternoons off attempting to do good in the slums. To the approval of her teachers, Herminette chose to accept the orders of Shallya and become a nun after finishing her education. But when she felt the time had come for her to leave the Convent at the age of seventeen, Herminette returned to the Mendigots, where she hoped to use her learning to help the area's inhabitants drag themselves out of poverty. Herminette set up an unofficial hostel based on the surreptitious contributions of a few rich friends from the convent, and there she did her best to care for and educate the locals. However, although the hostel won Herminette everlasting gratitude amongst the paupers of Mendigots and nearby districts, it became apparent to her that no changes would be made until she took some decisive action to attract the city authorities' attention. To this end, Herminette organised a grand - and peaceful demonstration to take place outside the main gate of Guisoreux in the summer of 2481, when she herself was just 21 years old. On the appointed day, the crowds converged; tens of thousands of people, more than had ever been seen at one gathering before in the city. In spite of the size of the demonstration, it remained peaceful and relatively subdued, with a single nun standing at its head. Herminette cried up to the assembled watchmen atop the gate, asking them to fetch someone with authority for her to speak with. The watchmen did get someone with authority, but not for a conversation with Herminette: the commander of the watch, at that time Jerome Bernieres, was summoned to defuse the situation, which the city's leadership saw as a potential revolution. Bernieres took one look at the assembled crowd, and then quickly took drastic steps to scatter the 'mob' before they could smash down the gates and lay waste the city. All the troops and watchmen in Guisoreux were brought to bear on the impending riot, and in an orgy of blood and violence (still recalled as the Massacre of Ste Herminette by the commoners; officially it is named the Mendigots Rising) the military scattered the poor men, women and children. The death toll was terrible, and many families in the Faubourgs still bear a grudge against the authorities thanks to this event. Ste Herminette BRETONNIA–PROJECT

herself, however, was injured and captured by the soldiers, who took her back into the city. There, she found herself turned into a scapegoat for the massacre, accused of stirring revolutionary sentiment with intent to commit treason. Throughout her show trial Herminette remained stoic and calm, defiant and logical in the face of her accusers' savagery. But there was never any hope of her salvation; the city's leaders knew that they had to show some sort of reaction to the 'riot' in order to deter future unrest, and they had decided to make the upstart girl pay for her wickedness. Herminette was hanged just over a month after the Mendigots Rising; beheading was seen as too good for her. Although her execution took place firmly within the city walls in order to stop too many paupers from venting their fury, a small number got into the city somehow and chanted and booed at the hanging. Ironically, Herminette's death was the cause of a second, far more violent revolt in Mendigots when her supporters got word of her death and rallied to show their outrage. After a destructive fire and yet more deaths, the watch once more quelled the trouble and a tense quiet descended on the Faubourgs. But even in death Herminette's name remains a source of difficulty for the watch. Although officially she has been more or less forgotten, the impoverished inhabitants of the Faubourgs have taken to venerating the young, pious and devoted Herminette (known as la Maigre for her small size and physical frailty) as a saint of Shallya. She is prayed to by those of the proletariat who wish for hope and aid, especially in the face of oppression from the upper classes.

Shrines There are several discreet shrines to Ste Herminette la Maigre stowed away in the poorer areas of the Faubourgs, where people can go to seek help or at least a temporary shelter. Because of Herminette's reputation, these are sacrosanct even to the rough and ready slum-dwellers. Unofficially, the Priory of Shallya beyond the city walls in Louffiat is linked with the memory of Ste Herminette. A rebellious and charitable printer has covertly produced a pamphlet passing on details of Herminette's life and work, copies of which can be obtained from the priory and shrines of Shallya in poorer areas. The watch would certainly prosecute anyone caught in possession of such a publication; in fact, anyone and anything associated with Ste Herminette is liable to be dealt with severely by a watch still mindful of the past.

Relics As a condemned criminal, Herminette was to meet with an ignominious fate in death. Normally, the bodies of those executed on the scaffold are sold to the physicians' guild or to the university. Fortunately for Herminette, her ardent supporters secured possession of her corpse and spirited it out of the walls into the Mendigots. Its current resting place is a closely guarded secret; only true devotees are told that it is buried in the gardens of the Priory of Shallya.

Book IV - Religion

34

Saint Jacques, Saint Jacques le Menteur "Have faith, my children! Trust me, I’m a priest!" Said to have been spoken by Saint Jacques before curing pilgrims.

Cult According to the ' official'history of Saint Jacques, he was a fine, upstanding, noble boy in around the 9th century who was given by his father to a monastery as a demonstration of piety. In this Navarrese monastery, now named after this very saint, Jacques spent his life calmly and assiduously praying and performing his duties as part of the monastic community. One day, however, he experienced a vision of Shallya in the monastery' s shrine, and in this dream Shallya clasped his hands in hers and told him to offer her power to the world. Shortly after, St Jacques discovered that he had the ability to cure people of dangerous illnesses merely by laying his hands on them. It is said that hundreds - maybe thousands - of people came to him with ailments of some sort, and went away cured. His fame spread far and wide, with stricken souls coming from all parts of the kingdom. An old tradition recounts how each pilgrim placed a rock on top of a great cairn alongside the monastery, with those who received miraculous cures placing the bigger stones. This cairn is now the mountain le Mont des Peregrins; a huge, rocky peak towering over the monastery and the surrounding landscape. And that, according to Shallyans, was that. Jacques lived a long and pure life offering his godly powers to the needs of the community and eventually passed away peacefully in his sleep. However, unbeknownst to the authorities, there is a whole other aspect to St Jacques ' le Menteur' , as he is known to those that pray to him in his aspect as one of the few saints of Ranald, god of thieves BRETONNIA–PROJECT

and trickery. They claim that Jacques did have a vision at an early age, but that it was not of Shallya but of Ranald. Like the Shallyan version of the story, it is stated that Ranald took Jacques'hands in his and pressed them to the saint' s lips. Then the god told him that he would be the best liar the world had ever known. Worshippers of Ranald then delight in telling of St Jacques le Menteur' s many daring and amusing escapades, which he committed during a long leave of absence from the dull monastery in Navarre. He wandered through the kingdom, not only deriving pleasure from his adventures, but also using his quite obscene lies (which everyone believed) to help those oppressed by unkind rulers. Thieves, beggars and suchlike know many of these stories, which are secretly passed round wherever such miscreants gather. The Ranald version of St Jacques'life tells how, after many years, the saint did finally return to the Shallyan monastery in Navarre, where he used his slick tongue to explain away his years of absence (according to one version of the tale, he said he' d become a hermit in the woods; another, more fanciful variant suggests that he was captured by slavers and taken round the world three times). Although he did become a member of the community again, to all appearances pursuing the genuine monastic life, Jacques instead continued to thumb his nose at the authorities and the gullibility of common folk. He put it about that he could cure illness with a touch of his hand, and by cunningly suggesting that his touch had indeed made people feel better, Jacques created a thriving pilgrim trade. This racket still continues, for the tale of St Jacques ‘le Menteur’ is a favourite among pilgrims as well as rogues. Many rogues disguise themselves as pilgrims with some sort of unsightly, painful ailment and travel to St Jacques'old monastery in Navarre, where they hope that something of the old master' s power will rub off on them. They carry on his work by ' miraculously' shrugging off their feigned disease and perpetuating Jacques'great deception. In many cities with organised cults of Ranald, such as Brionne, a visit of this sort is commonly prescribed for those who transgress the cult strictures in some way, functioning as a trial for the god. Only if the pilgrimage arouses no suspicion is the trial completed.

Shrines St Jacques the miraculous Shallyan healer is very popular in Navarre, with a great many shrines and temples dedicated in his name. Others are found throughout the kingdom, though they get progressively rarer the further north one goes. Peasants and nobles alike have great faith in his curative powers, which they feel just might reach out to them through prayer at an appropriately dedicated shrine. With illness being common at all levels of society, St Jacques is commonly addressed by those touched by disease of some sort. Naturally, because the cult of Ranald is technically illegal in Bretonnia, there are very few shrines or temples openly dedicated to St Jacques in his aspect of le Menteur. Only in the largest cities is there any chance of finding a shrine or temple dedicated to Ranald, and if there is such a place it will certainly be Book IV - Religion

35

very cunningly concealed, and located in the very roughest of neighbourhoods. Some such shrines and temples are dedicated to St Jacques le Menteur; there is rumoured to be a temple of this sort somewhere in Brionne. On the other hand, Ranald worshippers claim that if they themselves pretend to be devoted to the Shallyan 'goody-goody' version of the saint and worship at his Shallyan shrines and temples, Ranald is just as impressed as if they did so in his own temples (after all, they are in a way carrying on Jacques' own grand deception).

Relics The body of St Jacques is kept at the monastery where he died, which is now called St Jacques on account of the fame his relics have brought (long ago, the monastery was called La Maison Haute de Notre Dame Sainte). The bones are kept in a beautiful reliquary adorned with gold and ivory decoration. A great many pilgrims come here every day, making the monastery very rich and popular indeed; it is one of the greatest pilgrim centres in Bretonnia. St Jacques' houses over 80 brethren plus a great many lay brothers and sisters to do the more menial tasks. A small number of these are devotees of Ranald who live the life of deception in honour of St Jacques and his trickster deity. They don't reveal themselves to anyone else, for to do so would be to break the vow of deception, although to be quite honest the real reason none have ever spoken out is simply that none have ever been sure enough that they're talking to friends. Only the best consider taking on such a life, often as the culmination of a successful career elsewhere. Over the years, the monastery has grown considerably and now includes a number of hostels for accommodating pilgrims. There are also many craftsmen in nearby villages who sell souvenirs to pilgrims, and bandits hide in the scrubland around St Jacques preying on unwary pilgrims. But if any pilgrim of Ranald speaks to them in the thieves' tongue or shows an example of thieves' cant, they can expect a warm welcome and a trouble free journey; rogues have to look after their own.

Saintly Cults of Verena

Saint Antoine "Let not your heart be stricken or deceived by the machinations of evil, my disciple; for I shall be at your side, and my power will be yours to draw on." Catechism taught to adepts of St Antoine, said to have been spoken by the Saint himself

Cult Unlike other saintly cults, the cult of St Antoine does not actively seek publicity. There are very few shrines or temples dedicated to him, and although many people will have heard of St Antoine and what he is famous for, not many will be able to tell you much more. And few would want to. The heart of St Antoine's cult is the order of St Antoine. This organisation is dedicated to hunting down and prosecuting witches and other supernatural horrors. St Antoine himself spent his life doing this, travelling all over the kingdom and winning a formidable reputation for erudition and faith. Upon his death, late in the 17th century, King Bernard III le Pieux (who had taken a keen personal interest in Antoine's work) sponsored his canonisation and saw to the fulfilment of his last request: that a religious order be set up to carry on his struggle and protect Bretonnia. This order is not very large, and has shrunk slightly in recent decades, but is still widespread, well organised and highly devoted. Only sincere priests are inducted into the order's ranks (some laymen even take orders just to lend their talents to the order of St Antoine) and it remains as effective as ever. Outside the order and those few who know its true role, St Antoine is occasionally called upon by those who feel threatened by witchcraft, but only rarely.

Shrines There are few regular shrines and temples dedicated to St Antoine, but small properties are held by the order all over the country. These provide accommodation and resources for adepts of the order as they travel (usually incognito) around the kingdom watching for signs of witchcraft. Larger, but very nondescript and wellprotected abbeys are located in the main cities, where members of the order report back and are trained. The largest of these are located in Guisoreux, Couronne and Brionne. Although the order was for centuries based in Couronne, the decision was taken recently to relocate headquarters to Guisoreux, mainly to be nearer the centre of power (secretly, the head of the order suspect corruption in the highest quarters and in the outsized capital city, although he would never dare confess such fears). The Conventicle de St Antoine in the Vaudois area of Guisoreux now houses the order's leadership; it is where the master of the order, Gilbert Jardine, presides. He reports directly to the Cardinal of Verena, and enjoys an unprecedented level of freedom of action.

Attendants The members of the order of St Antoine are a varied lot. All are determined and courageous, for few would choose to devote their lives to the struggle against BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book IV - Religion

36

witchcraft otherwise. Only a very small number of promising young novices are selected to begin training at an early age; most members join later in life. Any priest from any cult is considered for acceptance if he volunteers, as is almost any layman with valuable knowledge or skills. It is said that repentant necromancers, cultists and witches are secretly accepted. Many applicants are found wanting and turned away; those who are accepted must go through the formality of accepting minor orders of Verena (which has no game effect; it is really only a way of granting the goddess's blessing on those about to do the dirty work. Characters currently of chaotic or evil alignment may not, however, join the order) and then usually go through a rigorous course of training. They leave this with unrivalled knowledge of witchcraft and other branches of occult lore.

Relics The body of St Antoine has been carefully and precisely broken up into hundreds of pieces, some of which have been lost over the years. Every member of the order is given a tiny reliquary containing a piece of St Antoine's body just after completing his training; they are expected to wear this at all times, partly as a sign to fellow members of the order, and partly to provide protection against the forces of darkness which the adept must face.

Saint Bernard "Bernard est mort? Quelle tristesse touche le coeur du royaume! [Bernard is dead? What sorrow touches the heart of the kingdom!]" Attributed to Louis le Jeune after the battle of Garrouge, 1246 IC

Cult There are many versions of Saint Bernard's Life, but all agree on the main course of events. Bernard was an unusually diplomatic and intelligent priest of Verena who served King Louis le Vieux (1193-1246 IC) very well for many years. After the King's death, the throne was left to his son - aged just 16 - who was faced with a rebellion among the nobility, led by the late Louis' brother, Favier des Marches. Favier was a strong but cruel warrior, who was able to cajole many lords into his service and soon marched on Louis le Jeune's small camp at Garrouge. The young king was at a loss over what to do, with hardly any knights and men-at-arms in his army. It looked like the line of correct succession was about to be broken, and Louis considered submitting humbly to Favier in return for mercy. But Bernard counselled against such cowardice, and immediately took the fastest horse in the royal stables. He galloped around the nearby castles and towns, using stirring oratory (and dire threats, but historians don't like to note such details) to rally a surprisingly large force to the young king's banner in just a few days. It was still dwarfed by Favier's host, but Louis felt able to put up a show of resistance. However, both he and Bernard BRETONNIA–PROJECT

recognised that bloodshed was not the best road to a settled kingdom, and so Bernard left the royal camp to try and come to some agreement with the enemy forces. He entered Favier's camp, which was by now set up ready for battle opposite that of the king, and asked to speak with the commander. Favier sneered at the faithful old priest, whom he knew had served his hated brother for years and now wished for him to give up his claim to the throne. He and his closest advisers listened to Bernard's impassioned speech, and though Favier was temporarily swayed and his advisers began to counsel against battle, he refused to heed the priest's words. When Bernard tried desperately to repeat his plea, Favier became enraged and ordered him to be executed. In spite of his advisers' best efforts to the contrary, Favier had Bernard hung, drawn and quartered that very night before he could change his mind. It is said that knowledge of what Favier had done weakened the resolve of his army, and that some men even deserted to the young king in light of this event. Thus, the next day, Louis' much smaller force was able to decisively defeat that of his wicked uncle, and Favier himself was slaughtered ignominiously by a group of footmen; his body was hacked to pieces in vengeance for what was done to Bernard. Louis le Jeune, who was to be one of the greatest and longest reigning kings Bretonnia ever knew, founded the cult of St Bernard, which has been associated with the crown and royal justice ever since. His sacrifice is held up as a divinely-approved example of service to the monarch. Many subsequent legends tell how priests and sometimes kings received visions of St Bernard instructing them on the best course to take, always at a critical turning point in the royal dynasty's history. As a result of this connection, St Bernard's cult has grown very popular, and used to enjoy substantial royal patronage. The level of support has declined considerably in recent decades, and the cult is now struggling to maintain all its properties as well as they have been for centuries.

Shrines There are a great many shrines and temples to St Bernard scattered all over the kingdom, with a preponderance in the north. Because of their symbolic association with royal and central control, new shrines built in outlying areas are often dedicated to St Bernard. By far the largest and most important temple of St Bernard is in the small town of St-Bernard-en-Flandres, not far from the site of the battle of Garrouge. The huge temple located in this town is a pilgrimage centre of national standing. Over the centuries, successive kings of Bretonnia have lavished untold gifts on this house in recognition of St Bernard's place in their history; these are jealously guarded by the shabbier clerics working there today, remnants of a lost golden age. It is an established custom for each new king of Bretonnia to come here and pray before the body of St Bernard on the return trip from his coronation in Couronne.

Relics St Bernard's body is kept at St-Bernard-en-Flandres in the great temple, housed in a reliquary of unrivalled splendour and beauty, though beginning to grow Book IV - Religion

37

tarnished. Visions of shining crowns and thrones (and occasionally something more prophetic) are sometimes granted to those who pray to these relics, although it is now impossible to remove them from their reliquary without destroying it. Other relics of St Bernard - such as pieces of the scaffold from which he was hanged and artefacts from his priestly life - are in the possession of a few other large temples and relic collections; the king and several major nobles are known to possess relics of St Bernard, many of which have such ancient pedigrees and are most likely genuine. NOTE : St-Bernard-en-Flandres appears in the BretonniaProject scenario ‘The Letter of De Ribeyrac’ . However, the description of the temple of St-Bernard given there is somewhat different. Simply choose the version you prefer.

Ste Joan “Ut feminae possint scire [So that women may know]” Motto of the College of Ste Joan

Cult There is no cult of Ste Joan as such; rather, her name and story have been adopted by the college that bears her name in the Guisonne university, situated in Guisoreux. She lived around the 12th century and was abbess of a Verenan monastery near the capital. Famously, she took in many female students and taught them things that had always before then been limited to men. However, she owes her sainthood and fame to subsequent martyrdom at the hands of Burhrak the Bald, an Orc chieftain. Her legend remained relatively obscure until it provided a crucial spark of inspiration to a rich noblewoman. In 2484 IC, the fabulously rich (and equally eccentric) Duchess Martine Courlommiers used her fortune and political clout to establish the very first university college entirely for women, named after Ste Joan. Her actions would normally have been totally unacceptable, but the sheer size of the bequest she offered to the university (which depended on the setting up of the College de Ste Joan) forced the Chancellor into allowing her scheme to go ahead. Since then, the College de Ste Joan has had to fight tooth and nail to survive and flourish in the face of intense opposition from the reactionary university colleges. However, it faced up to all the disapproval and minor sanctions imposed on it and the college is going strong today. Forward-thinking nobles, merchants and wealthy professionals send their daughters there to receive a thorough academic education. Many subsequently go on to become teachers or even professionals in their own right. It is rumoured that the Chambre Noire recruits its female operatives from the intelligent members of the College de Ste Joan. Nobles and ‘proper’ ladies are somewhat intimidated by students of Ste Joan, and there is still considerable friction with regular colleges of the university.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Shrine Unlike most other colleges in the Guisonne university, that of Ste Joan boasts its own shrine to Verena. This is mainly because, when the college was first opened, the university authorities wouldn’ t let the female students enter the Grande Chapelle to worship with men; it just wasn’ t thought dignified. Although women have since won the right to pray in the chapel with their male companions, they still traditionally take their evening prayers in college as a mark of respect for the struggle for equality of their forebears.

Relics Duchess Martine bought the reliquiae of Ste Joan as her interest in the saint grew; when the college was created, she granted these relics to it as well. The bones are still kept in the altar of the college shrine, where they form the centre of college worship.

Saint Gregorius the Silent "Oportet me dicere plus? [Need I say more?]" Gregorius the Silent at the close of his speech to the assembled royal court and Verenan clergy, c.1400 IC

Cult Gregorius was renowned as a judge and scholar in the late 14th century. After an illustrious education at the Grande Chapelle in Guisoreux, he came to dominate the life of the great temple to Verena and was eventually elected to the prestigious post of Cardinal of Verena. The climactic moment of Gregorius'life came when, around the year 1395 IC, he came into possession of an extremely unusual manuscript, written in a tongue none could decipher, referred to as the Voinier Book. Its edges were blackened by fire and its age-stained pages bespattered with what seemed to be blood. Gregorius set himself the task of discovering the secrets contained in this mysterious volume, and spent the next five years poring over it. At last, his attendants heard a crash from the old cleric' s study, and entered to be momentarily dazzled by a blinding white light; for a second, they later claimed, it was as though a second, shining figure stood beside Gregorius, whispering into his ear. But the vision just as soon vanished, and all that was left was the gaunt and pale Gregorius, triumphantly pronouncing that he had decoded the secrets of the Voinier Book. The Cardinal then ordered that a council be summoned, with the king, his chief councillors and all the other clergy of Verena to attend. When this gathering had assembled, Gregorius stood before them…and found that what had been revealed to him could simply not be put into words. He spoke of the wonder, the truth and the power of his newfound knowledge, of how it could mean the dawning of a new era for the world. However, try as he might, Gregorius simply could not describe his experience, and ended up delivering the now famous words ' Oportet me dicere plus?' After that fateful day, Gregorius never spoke again; his mind and spirit had simply been elevated to such a level that the doings of men no longer mattered. He Book IV - Religion

38

ceased eating, and spent all his time reading the Voinier Book and praying in silence. Gregorius died after a month and a half of this punishing routine, and although he had certainly become decidedly odd in his last days, he nevertheless kept an air of otherworldly sanctity that none had ever sensed in a mortal before. The story of St Gregorius is widely known, and he is often used as an example of an inspired cleric being shown a divine truth beyond sinful men. For this reason, he has come to be associated with truth and clarity; it is believed that those who pray at his shrine receive guidance on the correct course to take under duress.

Shrine Upon his death, St Gregorius left a secret but highly detailed plan for the reconstruction of the High Temple of Verena in Guisoreux, put into effect even as he lay dying. These designs were astounding in their scope and grandeur, bettering anything seen prior to that time in the Old World (they turned Bretonnian architecture in a whole new direction, beginning the earliest phase of gothic churches). In fact, Gregorius' plan was so ambitious that it was not actually completed until 2291 IC - over 800 years after the Saint's death! The High Temple is Gregorius' only shrine. Apparently, the trusted disciple to whom Gregorius entrusted his secret design for the High Temple explained, after Gregorius' canonisation, that the Cardinal wanted no shrines other than the High Temple.

Relics The body of St Gregorius is kept in a sealed casket within the altar at the High Temple of Verena, where it is a popular object of veneration. The lectern at which the saint read the Voinier Book is also in the temple's possession, and has been inspected by many scholars seeking some clue as to the Voinier Book and the strange turning point in Gregorius' life. It is a tradition dating back to the time of Gregorius himself that no wizard is allowed to inspect the lectern lest (they say) he try and taint it with magical powers. One or two more rebellious magicians believe there is something far more sinister behind this restriction and the whole tale surrounding Gregorius and the Voinier Book. They ask what was the nature of this text, and wonder at the true identity of the being observed whispering into the saint's ear. As 'evidence' for their concerns, they point to the occasional instances of men and women going insane after praying in the temple; always their madness drags in and harms hundreds of other souls, as if some force chose to afflict only those who might hurt as many others as possible. All wizards feel uneasy about the High Temple, and those few who have entered claim to have felt a tangible sense of dread and despair creeping over them. Efforts to find the elusive Voinier Book have all proven futile; in one famous case some 50 years ago, the Cardinal of Verena permitted the casket containing Gregorius' body to be opened. Nothing was inside save the saint's bones. Nevertheless, scholars, wizards and clerics still discuss the Voinier Book, and current opinion is that Gregorius' disciple must have stowed it somewhere in the High Temple. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Saint Benehold "Dona nobis aliquid ex sapientia tua, sanctus Beneholdus! [Give us something from your wisdom, saint Benehold!] " Traditional chant of monks of St Benehold

Cult The cult of St Benehold is among the oldest and most respected in the Old World. It extends not only over Bretonnia but also over Estalia and Tilea as well, and even into the southern regions of the Empire and into Albion and the Border Princes. St Benehold is thought to have lived some time around the 3rd century IC in central Tilea, where he founded a monastery out in the wilds so as to better pursue learning and prayer. Soon like-minded individuals flocked to join him, and even before his death nearly a hundred more monasteries had been founded. Since then, the 'Rule' of St Benehold has been at the heart of nearly every abbey and monastery dedicated to Verena, and is the foundation for the rules followed by many monasteries of other cults. It lays down precisely the way in which a life of pious seclusion and contemplation is to be led, and is for the most part the work of Benehold himself. Monks and scholars seek avidly for the oldest possible copy of the 'Rule' so they can live the purest life they can; the holy grail of this quest would be to find the manuscript written by Benehold himself. In centuries past, the monks of St Benehold's various monasteries were almost indisputably the best scholars in Bretonnia and the Old World. However, the rise of universities has provided serious competition for them; now, most of St Benehold's monasteries are eclipsed by the new universities in academic terms, and jealously hoard their precious manuscript libraries, preventing any university man from entering. Nevertheless, some houses, such as those of the small order of Vauban, can still claim to equal the universities' academic prowess.

Shrines The huge majority of St Benehold's shrines are located in abbeys and smaller monasteries; nearly every Verenan monastery is dedicated to St Benehold. However, there is still considerable diversity within these monasteries; there are several competing orders with slightly varying slants on the 'Rule'. Perhaps the most powerful monastic order in Bretonnia is that of Chartry, whose followers are known as the 'black friars' after the plain black cassocks they wear. The order of Chartry is extremely wealthy and powerful, owning large quantities of land and property all over the kingdom. All the monasteries of this order were founded by monks from Chartry (the largest monastery in Bretonnia, situated in eastern Lyonnais) at some point in its 2000 year history; not surprisingly, it now boasts hundreds of dependent monasteries in Bretonnia and a few in other lands. All obey (though not always willingly) the abbot of Chartry, who is one of the most powerful figures within the cult of Verena. The post is currently held by Godefroi de Sept-Forges; even though he is totally blind and aged over ninety, he still has far more control over his faculties than most men a third of his age, Book IV - Religion

39

and can recite the 'Rule' from memory. He exchanges regular letters with, amongst others, the Cardinal of Verena, the Duc de Lyonnais and maintains a permanent envoy at the Oisillon Palace. Aside from the order of Chartry (which has become rather political and worldly for some monks' liking), there are several smaller groups. These include the order of Redanne (an all-women order based in Armorique; now fallen from grace, it has become very lax in its application of the 'Rule'), the order of Vauban (a tiny order situated in l'Anguille, well-known for its scholastic excellence; its abbey provides the nearest thing l'Anguille has to a university), the order of Faral (which broke away from the order of Chartry after a long and difficult legal and theological dispute; it now sticks rigidly to the 'Rule' and actively seeks the oldest and best possible version of the text) and the order of Quercy (all of whose monks must maintain constant silence).

Relics Strangely enough, despite the proliferation of St Benehold's cult all over the Old World, there is not so much confusion over his relics as there is with many other saints. Benehold's body is kept whole and intact at the great abbey of Monte Arrizzio in Tilea, which was one of the very first daughter-houses to be established by Benehold, and is the oldest monastery in the Old World. There are no other claimants to parts of Benehold's body, but many other items associated with him exist. Amongst them are a pair of spectacles (kept at Chartry), several styli (held at l'Anguille, Brionne and a few other places) and a pair of sandals (near Guisoreux). Pieces of rock from his original monastery, known as Cazzionotto, are also revered as relics in many houses.

Saintly Cults of Ulric Saint Leu "Attends ! We have heard tell of the glories of the blade-wielders in this land, of how in the dark times they were beset by evils unnamed and unnameable. There arose Leu, the wolf-friend, the storm-chaser, sword in hand, leading his battle-learned men to victory. Here begins the tale of Leu, the bravest of warriors, the most generous of lords; let none cast ill-repute on his blessed memory, lest the mighty hand of Ulric squeeze the life from his heart." From the Old Bretonnian translation of the 'Saga of Leu', made from the original Norscan version written by settlers in Armorique.

Cult Saint Leu is known and revered under different names and in different ways all over the northern Old World, especially in Norsca, Albion, the Empire and Kislev. He crops up many times in legends and fables, usually relocated either in some mythical never-never-land or into the teller's locality. His name simply means 'wolf', which to some minds makes his reality doubtful. Dozens of sagas and histories of him have been written, and it was BRETONNIA–PROJECT

knowledge of these legends among Norscan raiders and settlers which brought St Leu's cult to Bretonnia. According to the version of his life most widely accepted in Bretonnia, Leu was the chief of a small tribe (which Bretonnians claim lived in Armorique) that came under attack from Orc raiders after a particularly cold and hungry winter. St Leu led the men of the tribe in a desperate defence of their homeland, trying to protect their wives and children from the green-skinned attackers. They put up a ferocious fight, with Leu in particular distinguishing himself by slaying countless Orcs, including the raiders' leader. However, at last the humans found themselves surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered. It looked like the end had come. Then, Leu raised his horn to his lips and blew long and loud. For a second the Orcs halted in their advance, wavering at this unexpected sight. But just as they were about to close in, the horn's mournful lament was answered by howls and barks from the nearby woods; hundreds of wolves had congregated there, and fell upon the Orcs. With the courage of Leu and his surviving warriors renewed, they and the wolves completely defeated the Orcs. Ulric had clearly shown his favour for a strong warrior; better things lay in store for him than to be slaughtered ignominiously by a band of Orcs. After this episode, Leu rose to become a great chieftain. His wisdom, strength and insight into battle were uncanny, and he came to dominate the lands around his home. Under his patronage, the cult of Ulric was expanded greatly, winning further favour for him from the god of war. On one famous occasion, Leu was attending a gathering of tribal leaders in northern Bretonnia. The fellow chieftains were envious of Leu's power and success, and whispered that, far from being blessed by Ulric, he had gained his power from a pact with evil gods. So, fearful lest Leu's growing strength engulf them, they resolved to kill the great chief as he slept in his bed. That night, as the gang of masked murderers approached Leu's tent and slaughtered the guards, Ulric once again manifested his protection for Leu. A pack of baying wolves suddenly surrounded the assassins, who quailed and fell to the ground; Leu awoke the following morning to find them still lying their, weeping in fear like children. All the assembled chiefs submitted to his rule and paid homage to Ulric. The end of St Leu's long life reportedly came when he died of wounds suffered while fighting off a sea-serpent with his bare hands. All of these tales are retold again and again in taverns and villages along the north coast of Bretonnia, and thanks to printing have found a large and appreciative audience all over the kingdom; however, few have actually taken to worshipping Ulric. St Leu is invoked by warriors who want Ulric's strength and aid in battle; they look on Leu as an example of the ideal warrior, strong and fearless, who won the god of battle's aid and favour through his exploits.

Shrines Shrines and temples to Ulric (found almost exclusively in the north and east of Bretonnia) are not numerous in Bretonnia; the cult is not large or wealthy, Book IV - Religion

40

and has to compete fiercely with that of Myrmidia. However, those of Norscan or Imperial heritage still hold to Ulric. Because of his widespread fame, shrines and temples to St Leu can be found in both main areas of Ulrican worship.

Relics St Leu's body has vanished completely; nowhere has any records of ever possessing its body. Believers say this is because Leu never died at all, but still sleeps in an enchanted cave somewhere, ready to emerge and help fellow Ulricans when all seems lost. This cave is said to be located near the coastal town of St Leu near l’Anguille, which has become the unofficial centre of his legend in Bretonnia. Not put off by the lack of a body, artefacts associated with St Leu are held by a few shrines and temples of Ulric in Bretonnia and elsewhere. In northern Bretonnia, there is one temple which claims to have the saint's horn; another in the foothills of the Grey Mountains says it has his axe.

Saintly Cults of Taal Saint Gudule "Praises be to father Gudule, friend to the stag, the bear, the hawk, the forest, the marsh, the mountain, the wind and the rain! Son of great Taal, we give our thanks and our blood to Gudule!" Traditional chant spoken on St Gudule's day in rural areas.

Cult Saint Gudule, like other saints of Taal, is very poorly known as a historical figure. All information about him and his life has been passed down as oral legend and hearsay from one generation to the next, and has become rather divorced from the original facts in the process. This is a common fate for saints of Taal, because they rarely had any connection with the towns and rich monasteries where chroniclers lived and wrote. Although this lack of concrete data doesn't bother the rural peasants who venerate him, it makes other clerics and scholars distrustful of Gudule's legend and cult. It is thought that Gudule lived in Lyonnais long before the time of Gilles le Breton, perhaps even before the time of Sigmar, where he became renowned for his strength, wisdom and affinity with Taal and the natural world. He never set foot in a town, nor passed a night beneath a roof; he rarely even spoke with men, and some versions of his story say that he never actually died at all, but simply became a spirit of the woods, at one with his divine master and the wilderness that was his domain. Some story-tellers still tell tales of weary travellers meeting with a hulking, horned, fur-clad figure who tests the wanderer's kindness and devotion to lord Taal before helping them to safety. More lurid stories tell of those who fail to live up to Gudule's tests, and are hunted down by him and a horde of frothing woodland beasts. BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Gudule's cult is widespread and popular in central and northern Lyonnais, but only in rural areas distant from towns and cities. He is venerated as a protector and guardian of the forest and the animals that dwell in it, as an agent of Taal on earth. A common custom is for peasants to leave gifts of food and drink on their doorsteps for Gudule and his woodland companions on St Gudule's day, which marks the spring equinox. Unusually, this practice is still current in some towns and cities, though its origins significance have long been forgotten; now it is regarded as an opportunity for beggars and the poor to scrounge food from their betters, who leave it as a 'gift to the spirits'; the name of Taal is only remembered by the pious and old-fashioned. Similarly, St Gudule's day is taken to mark the spring equinox all over Bretonnia not through the popularity of his cult but because King Charles I l'Enorme decided that it was only right to adopt this peasant tradition of giving thanks to the lord of boar, venison and other delicious beasts served to the royal court.

Shrines Many villages in Lyonnais boast shrines dedicated to St Gudule, and there are many half-forgotten shrines in outlying areas of woodland. A few larger villages have temples of Taal dedicated to St Gudule. All shrines and temples of Taal are rare in urban areas, but the temple of Taal in Quenelles is dedicated to Gudule, as is that of Parravon.

Relics A great many shrines and temples of St Gudule claim to have relics of the saint; most of these are probably fake, although they are treated with far more respect than many more verifiable relics located in cities. One relic, however, the thumb-bone of St Gudule kept at the temple of Taal in the Lyonnais town of Chateauneuf-sur-Avret, has so many well-attested reports of miracles attached to it that it is probably genuine. On one occasion, in 2508 IC, a thief tried to make off with the bone in the middle of the night; as soon as he touched the reliquary, animal cries and howls were heard emanating from the woods just outside the town. By the time the thief attempted to leave the temple, a massive crowd of beasts of all shapes and sizes stood in the street outside making such a racket that half the town was woken up, and the local watch soon apprehended the terrified thief.

Saintly Cults of Manann Saint Brenvard “Call me Brenvard. Years ago, the desire took me to go across the waves, to seek what lies beyond the sunset; and the glory of Manann shone from the blue waters and drew me like a sparkling gem. Thus I found myself compelled to have a ship built and a fine company of seamen composed. Great things Manann held in store for us…” The beginning of the ‘Chanson de Saint Brenvard’ Book IV - Religion

41

Cult The exact details of St Brenvard are very vague indeed; all that can be said is that he (may have) lived many years before the time of Gilles le Breton and before regular records began to be kept. Nevertheless, this has not impeded the imagination of dozens of wily sea-dogs and devotees of Manann over the years, and a wealth of stories and traditions have built up around St Brenvard. Although these stories vary considerably concerning the saint’ s early life, all agree that he was a cleric of Manann living on the north coast of Bretonnia (l’ Anguille makes a strong claim to be his home) and received a vision of Manann. In this vision, the god commanded him to go on a great voyage into the ocean to the west, so as to spread the god’ s glory amongst men and encourage them to take to his realm of the sea. Brenvard duly had a small but doughty ship constructed and gathered a crew of brave clerics and seamen. At last they set sail, guided by Brenvard’ s unerring navigational skills and uncanny knowledge of the seas' treacherous ways. On this fantastic voyage, Brenvard and his companions encountered many wonderful things: an island inhabited by men with four hands and no feet; a sea monster so huge the saint landed on its back and made camp before realising his mistake; an eery, creaking hulk that prowled the waves collecting the souls of all men who died at sea (Brenvard' s name is invoked by nearly all seamen, regardless of religious affiliation, if they ever see this apparition...and sightings are not unheard of). The voyage’ s conclusion, however, is still the part of the tale that arouses most awe and controversy: it is claimed that St Brenvard reached the ‘Island of the Blessed’ far across the sea, a land of luxury untouched by man and overflowing in natural bounty. After giving thanks to Manann for leading him to this discovery, Brenvard returned to his homeland and spread word of his great discovery and his amazing journey; thanks to this, the cult of Manann made considerable progress in the north of the kingdom. Today, St Brenvard’ s cult is undergoing something of a renaissance as interest in the New World over the western ocean grows: his legend is avidly researched and pursued by explorers and academics, in the hope of finding some sort of proof that can cement Bretonnian territorial claims. ‘Landlubbers’ tend not to take most of his other legends very seriously, but there are many who, with more experience of the ocean, know to pay more heed to the mysteries of the deep. St Brenvard’ s hard core of worshippers is still amongst the shipping and fishing communities of the north coast; they see Brenvard as the supreme sailor and navigator. Those who pray to him hope to be guided safely home by the saint’ s supreme navigational powers. Fishermen in particular have adopted him as their own, for a later legend states that he once prayed for a fishing boat that had vanished in a thick fog, and that the little boat soon came home safely.

Shrines Because worshippers of Manann tend to be more practical than others, they have little time for big temples and long, complex rituals. That said, they also know to BRETONNIA–PROJECT

pay respect to any power that might lend them some sort of help. Thus, shrines and temples to St Brenvard, like most of those to Manann in Bretonnia, tend to be very impressive but dour, quiet and sombre; they contain many monuments and memorials to sailors lost at sea. Nearly every coastal town and village features a shrine or temple to Manann, many of which are dedicated to St Brenvard. The largest temples to St Brenvard are found in the biggest coastal cities of the north coast: l’ Anguille, Flerrion, Candort and Honblanc. That situated in l’ Anguille is the largest and most important because of that city’ s wealth and large seagoing population.

Relics As befits a saint of Manann, it is said that Brenvard’ s body was committed to the keeping of the sea, so that he could take care of those who lost their lives in Manann’ s watery kingdom. Thus, many personal, private offerings to Brenvard are actually thrown into the sea. There are some relics associated with St Brenvard kept on land; these consist mostly of pieces of the ship in which he made his fantastic voyage. They are highly respected and venerated, even for relics, and there is a story that when once one of these relics was stolen from the temple in Flerrion half the town was wiped out in a great storm; the thief’ s body was found on the beach after the waves receded the following morning, the undamaged relic clutched in his hands. Security measures have improved significantly since that time. At some time in the past, one of the pieces of Brenvard’ s ship was burned and the ashes carefully kept; these ashes were split into hundreds of tiny portions and mixed into clay amulets, shaped like a man in a sailing boat. Although the design has been much copied since then, original amulets containing some of the venerated ashes are believed to be truly potent charms for those taking to the high seas: it is said that anyone who carries such an amulet will never be shipwrecked. Book IV - Religion

42

%RRN9 2 2





*XLVRUHX[OD%HOOH BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Q)2

By Mark Saunders Credits : Parnell Hayes, Rory Naismith, Steve Cooke

On a hill by the side of the road to Marienburg and the Empire, a little to the north of the sprawling Faubourgs stands a permanent gallows called Montfaucon. This is a scaffold-like structure of stone and iron from which hang the remains of convicted criminals as a warning to passers by. It is a grim reminder to visitors to the city once known as the jewel in the Bretonnian crown that the authority of the King is imposed here. The more reflective may realise that the very existence of Montfaucon is an admission that that authority has to be imposed…

An overview of the city Guisoreux is the capital city of Bretonnia and by far the largest town in the Kingdom, however it is no longer the real seat of Bretonnian power since the court moved 35 leagues (100 miles) away to Oisillon à bit more than ten years ago. Officially the number of inhabitants is recorded as around eighteen thousand though in reality it is possible that it is closer to one hundred thousand, which makes it one of the most populated cities in the Old World. There has been a settlement on the Ois here since ancient times. The oldest records (dating back to Gilles le Breton) name the city Gisoreux. The more modern Bretonnian spelling however is Guisoreux. Scholars believe the change in spelling reflects a change in pronunciation. Traditionally the city is "Guisoreux-la-belle", not only the greatest, but the most beautiful of the cities of Bretonnia. Now the appellation seems a rather sick joke, and few but rather stuffy nobles and academics use it without being conscious of a heavy sense of irony. Guisoreux is well-placed to guard the strategically important 75 mile gap between the Pale Sisters and the Grey Mountains, the gateway into Bretonnia for its traditional rival: The Empire. There are three main roads out of Guisoreux: north 75 leagues (220 miles) to Marienburg, south 130 leagues (400 miles) to Parravon (with the road East to Altdorf and the Empire branching off at Jouinard), and west. To the west, the road divides in two, travelling North-West to Oisillon (then crossing the Arden forest to Couronne 75 leagues (225 miles) away, BRETONNIA–PROJECT

and on to L’Anguille), and South-West along the Grismarie to Moussillon (67 leagues (200 miles)), though few take that road any more… Half way between Guisoreux and Moussillon stands a bridge across the Grismarie, and a road leads south to the main towns of the centre and south-west. The city itself bridges the river Ois (a tributary of the Grismarie). An island in the middle of the river houses the most prominent buildings in the city and a bridge to the central island from each bank of the Ois links the two halves of Guisoreux. Beneath the streets, decaying catacombs house the dead and worse, whilst the city above crumbles and spreads like fungus beyond its poorly maintained but massive walls. The north and south of the city are filled with ancient, overcrowded houses and narrow, pestilent, filthy streets. Beyond the ancient walls that ring it, massive shantytowns have sprung up like waste piled at the side of a house. Once, parts of the city held the opulent townhouses of nobles from across the country. Now, with the court no longer in Guisoreux, the nobles rarely visit and some of their houses and compounds have become refuse-filled squats. The population of the city is strongly divided between the rich and the poor, with only a small middle class. The poor live in conditions rarely seen outside of Bretonnia and are preyed upon by a large and violent criminal class, whilst the rich live in opulent decadence. The rich abuse the poor without regard and the poor despise the rich. Fortunately for them, the rich are the ones who pay the wages of the watch and are thus largely protected from the anger of the lower classes. The city is a hotbed of dissent and radicalism, and a potential tinderbox of revolution. The touch of Chaos is not absent from the city. Among the rich chaos cults dedicated to the Lord of Pleasure flourish. At night drug crazed orgies of sin occur in the catacombs as the nobility fornicate in worship of Slaanesh. Among the disaffected poor Tzeentch is paid homage to in false hope of change for the better and occasionally, when pestilence strikes, prayers to Nurgle are said in hope of deliverance from suffering. Tzeentch also has his servants amongst the more well-to-do. Radicals at the university have some Book V - Guisoreux

2

links to cults, and there is more than one noble whose love of intrigue has drawn them into broad sympathy with the Lord of Change, even if unwittingly. However, it should not be thought that unrest in the city comes only from the machinations of Chaos. Crushing poverty and squalor breed discontent with the nobility without any need of chaos agitators. Heretical Verenan groups calling for true justice for the oppressed have some influence in the University (where a degree of free-thinking and theological speculation is allowed). Rogue Shallyan clerics tell those who come to their soup kitchens that it is those who say that Shallya endorses such a social system who are the true heretics. The cult of Ranald the protector is alive and well in the city. The court may declare that most dissent is the work of foreign agitators, but this is far from being the case. Having said all this, the population is largely pious in respect of the official gods and goddesses of Bretonnia (worship of Shallya is particularly strong). Indeed, it is likely the stabilising effect of this popular devotion that prevents complete social breakdown. Guisoreux was once the greatest of Bretonnian cities, but has been declining for almost a century. Its recent history shows the signs of this decline: uprisings, corruption and misrule. Occasional bouts of xenophobia (often directed by the nobility who use Sigmarites and foreign agitators as scapegoats for popular discontent) have also marked the last few decades. The royal court is no longer to be found within the city, and many nobles have abandoned their mansions within the city to reside in Oisillon. Most still maintain their houses in Guisoreux (it helps to have somewhere to stay if you have to visit the Cathedral for a ceremony of some kind), but by and large it is only the more minor nobles who actually live in the city any more. The tale of decline should not be overplayed, however. The nobility are abandoning the city in droves, and have been for decades. The bourgeoisie, however, are continuing to find it a congenial home. For many nouveau riche merchants there is nothing more satisfying than living in a house that was previously the ancestral home of the Comte de Lauverne (or wherever). Guisoreux is still an important trading and financial centre, home to many significant merchant houses and financiers. The presence of such wealthy and relatively well-to-do citizens in the city reassures many that the situation is still relatively stable. For PCs staying in inns with clean beds, with money to ensure they can buy themselves meals in pleasant surroundings, and even wash if they should feel they need to, Guisoreux will not feel like a city in terminal decline, but more like the bustling and vibrant economic centre it is. Its faubourgs are easily forgotten once you are in the city proper, and the tensions in the city only come to a head at comparatively rare moments of crisis. It is only when the mob walk the streets that the city feels dangerous, and the scent of revolution is on the air (the adventure "The Beast of Guisoreux" is designed to allow the PCs to experience one such moment). Guisoreux is a bustling cosmopolitan place. It recently became home to the first printed newspaper in Bretonnia (probably in the Old World), La Gazette, which airs many radical, anti-establishment views. It is now a common sight to see public figures pestered for comment by university students earning a little cash by acting as BRETONNIA–PROJECT

reporters. Two years ago an old wooden bridge crossing the Ois, downstream from the central island was demolished in preparation for the building of a replacement stone one. Halfway through the construction of the new bridge the money allocated for its creation unexpectedly ran out and the bridge has been left half built (forcing those who wish to cross the river to travel via the Ile de Guisoreux or by boat). This debacle has become known as the ' Pont-Neuf'affair, and has lingered long in the memory, largely thanks to the ridicule heaped on the Governor throughout the affair by La Gazette. D"2O*2

Finding your way round Guisoreux The city has a number of famous districts within the walls (and just outside them), but beyond this, the shantytowns and suburbs sprawl. These dwellings house almost half of the city’s population (uncounted in official records, and occasionally referred to as "the unnumbered"), and range from substantial town houses, inns and shops, to makeshift shacks. No maps of these areas exist, and non-natives must stick to main roads unless they wish to find themselves lost in some back alley as darkness falls.

The Ile de Guisoreux This is the name by which the island in the centre of the Ois is known. Upon the island are situated the PalaisRoyal, the Convent Ste-Josephine de Shallya. The rest of the Ile is made up almost exclusively of the residences of lesser nobles, wealthy merchants, and senior clerics. Many of the greater nobles, who spend most of the year at the court at Oisillon also maintain a dwelling on the Ile. The streets here are broad and paved, and occasionally open out into small squares with trees and fountains, with benches and sometimes (expensive) bars. The buildings are ostentatious and high-walled, often boasting elaborately carved stonework. Most buildings have courtyards, but few have gardens, as the space on the Ile Book V - Guisoreux

3

is limited. Those residences by the riverside frequently have private quays. The great road that crosses the Ile, the Rue de la Cité, is always busy with the through traffic of wagons, coaches, horsemen, and crowds on foot. However, apart from this, the Cité is reasonably quiet, there is a large watch presence here, and any "undesirable" types will be moved on. However, by night, all manner of rendezvous occur in hidden courtyards and alleys. The houses are built closely together, and it is not unknown to see lovers eloping over the rooftops. The two bridges, which join the south and north of the city to the island, are constantly guarded. Places of Note

The Palais-Royal Once home to the Royal Court and epicentre of power in Bretonnia, this building now houses the ageing governor of the city. The Palais still hosts balls and other events, and if the King is ever required to stay in Guisoreux it is, of course, his place of residence within the city. Very little of real significance occurs here anymore. The Palace is built with fine stonework, though slightly less showily than contemporary tastes would require. In Bretonnian terms it is in fact positively dowdy (another reason for constructing a new palace). It has a large courtyard at the front, and extensive private gardens behind, hidden from prying eyes by ten foot walls. The gates are guarded day and night by Musketeer cadets, who will admit no one who is not known to them or bearing letters of authority.

The Convent Ste-Josephine de Shallya The Convent is one of the oldest religious institutions in the city, an enclosed order of nuns, devoted to Shallya, who have withdrawn from a world of violence and hatred to contemplate the mysteries of the love and mercy of Shallya. Always a preserve of daughters of aristocratic families, in more recent times, the Convent has developed another role for itself, as a finishing school for noble ladies. The Convent is very highly regarded, and many of the daughters of nobility in the city attend. Unknown to the populace at large, however, the current School Mistress, Ursuline de Veyron, a young woman of aristocratic birth, is more than she seems. Although she started her life as a Shallyan nun, her contemplations of the mysteries of love led her in a rather different direction. She is now secretly a devotee of Slaanesh, and is always on the lookout for promising young girls who she can lure into worship of the chaos god. Parties dedicated to Slaanesh are secretly organized at the Convent by the Purple Hour cult, and a number of innocent young girls are usually initiated into the worship of the god at each one. Most of the girls (and the nuns, including the Mother Superior) are unaware of this side to the Convent, but reports have reached senior figures in the cult of Shallya. As yet nothing has been done about it, largely because any exposure of the cult’s activities would have a disastrous effect on the reputation of the Convent.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The Headquarters of the King’s Musketeers The Musketeers have their regimental headquarters in a splendid mansion on the Ile. The regiment’s administration is based here, and the Colonel lives in the upper floor. Cadets report here for training, but must find their own billets within the city. Cadets still practice swordplay in the yard, but musketry practice usually takes place outside the city walls, following a number of unfortunate incidents involving passers-by.

The House of Master Berant This is the most famous fencing school in Bretonnia, and one of the most famous in the Old World. François Berant is a master fencer of international repute. He has taught kings and princes, travelled the length of the Old World seeking out masters from whom to learn. Here on the Ile he has made his home in a modest mansion away from the main thoroughfares. And here he takes on students who can afford his prodigious fees. He employs a number of assistants to teach new students the more basic techniques, while he himself teaches the more advanced students. Genuine royalty receive one on one tuition from Berant exclusively, and for the king he travels to Oisillon, but any other students will be taught by him only when they are already passable fencers. Berant is indisputably one of the finest swordsmen in the world, but had quite humble beginnings (which he is now at pains to conceal). Perhaps because of this, he is a complete snob. He is a stickler for etiquette, and acts every inch the epitome of a Bretonnian noble, looking down at anyone who does not dress, speak and act with the greatest possible grace. Berant does not deign to acknowledge other fencing schools, though he does recognise the skill of Carpentras (though he tends to look down on him as "a Gascogne farmer’s boy").

The North Bank: Nordpont and Deuxportes The Nordpont and Deuxportes districts are where many of the city’s merchant families maintain their offices. Deuxportes is largely an artisans quarter, with many shops selling fine goods. Nordpont is the commercial heart of the city (even if the market at the Place de Breton may attract more visitors), and both are known unofficially as "The Kingdom of Rolland", where Henri Rolland holds his court. The skyline of the district is, however, dominated by the Sully Cathedral to the Book V - Guisoreux

4

North and the Grand Chatelet to the South, a reminder that the real power in the city is wielded by the King and the Cardinal.

The Sully Cathedral This famous temple of Shallya dominates religious life in the city. The Cathedral is built in a high gothic style, with twin towers at the front. It is a site of pilgrimage, containing the relics of St Jean of Guisoreux, and a constant stream of pilgrims from all over the Old World wander through its doors. The poor or diseased who turn up here, however, are directed to the Priory in Louffiat, and care is taken to ensure that noble pilgrims do not have to mingle with the riff-raff. The Cathedral is also regarded as in some senses the "Royal Cathedral" and is the location for many important ceremonies of national importance like recently the King' s marriage. Within the cult, of course, the Cathedral comes second in importance to the great Cathedral in Couronne, but the national importance of the Sully Cathedral gives it a rival status. The senior cleric here is Bishop Alphonse Gerascoine, a protégé of the Cardinal.

Hotel de Ville and Administratorum The imposing Hotel de Ville building houses the bureaucrats of the city' s civil administration, who work in a plethora of commissions and departments incomprehensible to those outside the system. Its magnificent building lends it an apparent significance that far outweighs its actual importance. Occupying the entire block behind it, and accessed through either of the rather plain buildings on either side of the Hotel de Ville is the Administratorum. This is the administrative hub of the government of the kingdom. Scribes and bureaucrats work endlessly in chamber after chamber. The Administratorum contains the offices of the Royal exchequer, as well as records used by the Chambre Noire amongst others. Obviously security is important here, and a special detachment of the City Garrison troops guard the building. Documents are not allowed to leave the building unless they are sealed with the signet of the Administratorum, showing that a senior bureaucrat has authorised their removal. Originals are never removed.

The Royal Military Academy and Gunnery School This large building, with an imposing parade-ground at its front, is where cadet within the Bretonnian army train before receiving their commissions. The only exception to this is the King’ s Musketeers, who train their own cadets. Unsurprisingly, this creates a certain level of tension between Musketeer Cadets and Academy Cadets. Duels between the two are not unusual. Cadets receive their commissions into various regiments at the end of their training, and although they may request a certain posting, while at the Academy no cadet has a regiment. In reality, of course, commissions in fashionable regiments are routinely bought by nobles, and a cadet’ s career is often already mapped out even for him before he arrives at the Academy. The Gunnery School is a reasonably recent development, and trains Naval as well as Army BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Officers. Students at the Gunnery School are often older than Academy Cadets, some are University graduates, and some already hold commissions. They therefore tend to keep themselves aloof from the Cadets.

The Royal Post Office {Les postes royales} The Royal Post is a recent establishment, intended to improve the reliability of communication throughout the kingdom. The Post employs riders (for urgent messages) and coaches (for the more routine communications). Post horses are kept at coaching inns along the main roads throughout the kingdom, to allow Post riders to change horses regularly. The coaches take a locked chest full of official documents to the provincial capitals at the end of every week. Occasionally bureaucrats travel by Post Coach. When there are spare places members of the public can pay for them.

The Hall of Commerce This is the guildhall for the Artisans and Merchant’ s guilds, with its Switzer mercenary guards always on duty at the gates. Although it is viewed by outsiders (and, it is rumoured by Rolland himself) as "King Henri’ s throneroom", in fact the main chamber is only rarely used and debates there are rarely significant. The real economic decisions occur in the small member’ s chambers where merchants hold private discussions and strike deals with each other. The Hall is also in effect a bank for guild members. Gold and other valuables are stored within its heavily guarded vaults, and the guild brokers deals whereby members in need of money can receive loans at reasonable rates. The guild also acts as a guarantor for the extension of credit to members. The bar is a great place for picking up gossip about the merchant classes.

The Guild Chambers The city’ s most significant professional guilds (most importantly the guild of Lawyers and the guild of Physicians, Surgeons and Apothecaries) are based here. They tend to work primarily to protect the interests of their members by registering practitioners who are genuine University graduates. The building, which is quite large, not only contains the offices of the guilds, but also incorporates the Court of Civil Law.

The Baths {Les étuves} The baths were created several hundred years ago by a group of Shallyan laymen and have since become quite an institution within the city. The bath-house is also a barbers, and the whole establishment is a very male environment. Curiously, it is a place where men of all walks of life (with some exceptions) meet, so the second son of a duke with a commission in the Musketeers may be relaxing in a tub next to an actor whose parents were rat-catchers. Men come to the baths to relax and feel clean and refreshed, but also to chat and swap tall stories. The baths are therefore a great place for hearing rumours.

Book V - Guisoreux

5

The Grand Chatelet The city’ s final line of defence in the event of an attack, this fortress is the base of the city garrison, guarding the bridges over the river. All those crossing over must pass beneath its walls, under the gaze of the foreigners who now man its battlements.

The Hole in the Wall A much-celebrated inn situated on the wall in Deuxportes district. The Hole in the Wall is actually built through a hole in the wall, and has doors in both Deuxportes and Louffiat, a fact that its patrons often make use of. Its cellars are in Louffiat, and by exploiting a loophole in the city’ s taxation system it is able to stock wines without officially bringing them into the city, thus undercutting other taverns. The watch and city garrison turn a blind eye to both of these practices, thanks to a healthy bribe paid to each of them. The proprietor is Bertrand Lapuisse, a Navarrese, and the inn is popular with his countrymen.

of any district. There are a number of shops, most of them being rather expensive. The streets tend to meander, but are fairly broad. La Jongleur district is famous for its street entertainers, who often travel from all over Bretonnia to ply their trade here. The watch are quite lenient towards them as long as they are both reasonably talented and reasonably clean. The area is quite busy by day, and tends to attract the "better class" of citizen. At night it is more likely to be the runken sons of these noble citizens and students from the university who wander around its streets. The area is patrolled regularly by the watch.

The Cathedral-Academy of St Epiclesius, Temple of Myrmidia The Cathedral-Academy is one of the most significant sites of the cult of Myrmidia in Bretonnia, the resting place of the body of St Epiclesius, legendary PriestGeneral of the Crusades, who served three successive Kings of Bretonnia. It is a pilgrimage site for devotees of Myrmidia from all over the Old World, acting not simply as a place of worship but also as an independent military academy. Warrior-priests accept students who are devoted to the service of the goddess and experienced soldiers in their own right. The teaching is highly regarded, and focuses on training in strategy and tactical thinking. One who has studied here is entitled to style themselves "Academician". The building itself is large and impressive in a peculiar Bretanno-Tilean style, the original building having been repaired and enlarged by Tilean stonemasons. The mixture of Gothic and Tilean architecture lends the Temple a solid yet slightly exotic air. The temple is popular with members of the city garrison and military academy (many of whom aspire to one day studying here). There is a degree of rivalry between the Royal Military Academy and the CathedralAcademy, which occasionally results in duels. The high priest is Daniel Talbot, a man of fifty who still routinely defeats initiates in swordplay. Talbot is officially the High Master of the Academy, and acts as an advisor to the King on military matters. His influence within both court and the cult is, however, limited by the personal antipathy between himself and the Marshal of Bretonnia, François de Semblancy. As a result, he is only rarely at the Oisillon Palace, and is looked on with disfavour by the current Cardinal of Myrmidia Claude de Vendome, a strong supporter of the De Semblancy faction.

The North Bank: District of la Jongleur La Jongleur is an area of middle class residences, but is most well-known as the social centre of the city. It contains the highest concentration of bars and hostelries BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Theatre Royal The Theatre is a circular building of tiered seating surrounding a central stage area where plays are performed by travelling theatre companies, or the resident company: "the Viscomte' s men", headed by actor/playwright Wil Robespierre. The Theatre is open to the air, but shielded by an extended Protection from Rain spell. At night the stage is illuminated by torches within glass globes set on posts at the corners. The seats are quite pricey (1-5 Francs), but many can afford to stand at the edge of the stage as "groundlings" (10 Pistoles).

The Concert Hall and College de Musique The Concert Hall is a large building with a vaulted roof, looking vaguely like a temple. It is sponsored by the Viscomte and the Cardinal, and holds regular (monthly) performances of famous and occasionally original pieces. The Guisoreux orchestra, who are trained in the attached college, perform most pieces, and are occasionally joined by musicians from the university, and the Cathedral choir. More irregularly, the College' s Operatic Company will perform for a season of about a month. Tilean Opera is very in vogue at present.

L’Harlequin This bar/cabaret is owned and run by a silver-haired man known only as "Master Octarno", whose origins are a subject of much speculation. He is a gifted singer and has travelled widely in the Southern Old World, apparently being court minstrel to the Doge of Miragliano for over a decade at some point. He himself appears to revel in the mystery, and loves to spin tales about his past to patrons of the bar. The bar itself is richly furnished in dark wood and green velvet throughout. Prices here are high, but the Book V - Guisoreux

6

cabaret is indisputably worth it. The best musicians in the city play here, and often travelling Minstrels will make unannounced appearances. Admission is to members only, and membership costs 50 Francs a year.

The Cavaliers Paramour {Au cavalier galant} This is the place to be seen in Guisoreux. This cabaret/restaurant is run by Maria Delicieux, a stunningly beautiful blonde who men would (and in fact have) fight a duel over. The restaurant is favoured by those of a romantic disposition, and tables are placed at a discrete distance apart. The cabaret, which is performed in a separate bar, is frequently risqué, and features a wide variety of acts. Admission is 4 Francs for non-members, or a year' s membership costs 70 Francs. Existing members may bring a guest.

The Cat and Ribbon {Le chat au ruban} This is a restaurant/hostelry near the centre of La Jongleur. It is owned and run by Anne de Rennoy, a young woman who inherited the establishment from an uncle when she was studying at the university. She immediately dropped her studies to take it over, and through a combination of charm and determination, is able to run the place efficiently and well. The hostelry itself is fairly average quality, with 6 single, 10 double, and 10 large rooms. Anne has a staff of four to run the hostelry. The restaurant, which is entered from the downstairs bar of the hostelry, or through the "back door", is excellent, and a popular place for pre-show meals.

The Velvet mask {Le masque de velours} This is the city' s most expensive brothel, luxurious and discrete. Regular patrons are known by pseudonyms, are sometimes masked (hence the name) and frequently use one of the many back entrances to the building, some of which are streets away, connected by concealed passageways. The brothel’ s accounts book, giving the actual identities of patrons (not to mention the frequencies of their visits and any unusual preferences) would be worth a considerable amount to the right people, but Veronique Lasousse, the madam, has resisted any offers to divulge its contents.

The North Bank: Delamœn and Blanchemaille Delamœn, (or Delamœnia as its more well-to-do residents call it), and Blanchemaille are the areas of the city where the mansions of the nobility and very wealthy are maintained. (Or at least those who are not of sufficient status to merit a mansion on the Ile). Many prefer the mansions here to those on the Ile, despite the lower prestige value, because they are typically less cramped. Some of the mansions have gardens, and the district has wide tree-lined avenues, with houses and gardens protected by walls or railings. Many of the mansions are now empty, or run by a skeleton staff, as their residents have moved to Oisillon. The watch patrols here are quite frequent and will not hesitate to move on "undesirables". Notwithstanding this, break-ins to uninhabited houses are BRETONNIA–PROJECT

not uncommon, and the whole atmosphere of the district is of slow decay. By day the district is usually populated only by servants in differing liveries running to and fro, carriages and riders passing through, and some of the residents (always accompanied by bodyguards) out for a walk. By night it is usually quiet, most residents travelling into La Jongleur for a night out or staying in their own homes. The Blanchemaille riverside is a popular place for promenades, and boatmen hire their services to those wishing to cross the river or travel La Jongleur by boat (far quicker and often more pleasant than travelling by coach or on foot).

The Star of Bretonnia {L'étoile} Situated in Delamoen, this is one of the City’s finest hostelries, and is luxurious and expensive. The rooms are all richly furnished and the service is impeccable. There are 10 single and 10 double rooms. The Star is owned and run by Jeanette Magres, a middle aged widow whose respectability is unquestioned. She has a staff of 8. The bar is open to non-residents.

Good King Louis {Le bon Roy Louis } This is the most prestigious hostelry in Guisoreux, on the Blanchemaille riverside. It is notoriously expensive, and is reputed to refurnish its rooms each season. Guests here have suites of rooms, and two servants placed at their disposal. The grand ballroom is often used for official functions. Le bon Roy Louis has six suites of rooms, and a staff of sixteen. The proprietor is Gilles de Viroche, a fourth son of a minor member of the gentry.

Cardinal Dumourieux’s palace The Cardinal’s palace is easily the most imposing residence in Blanchemaille district, purchased when its previous owner became bankrupt, and extended and rebuilt by the Cardinal to reflect the importance of his office. It is in the South West corner of the district, overlooked by the Louisian wall, and has gardens extending down to the riverside walk. The Cardinal himself only lives here when his responsibilities in the Administratorum require his presence in the city, spending the rest of his time at the Royal Court or in Couronne. The Palace complex also contains the barracks for the Cardinal’s Guards, a unit formed to protect the Cardinal in his capacity as Prime Minister (as Shallyan teaching deplores the use of violence even in self defence, the Cardinal could not officially condone the use of bodyguards for himself in his religious capacity).

The College Ste Laure of Verena The College is one of the larger buildings in Delamoen district. It is a school run by the temple of Verena for the education of the daughters of the nobility, and attracts students from all over the kingdom. It was founded during the regency of queen Louise la Magnifique, and tends to be traditional and rather backwards-looking. There is a good deal of attention paid to "the accomplishments that befit a lady of noble birth", specifically, etiquette, music, languages, and family Book V - Guisoreux

7

history. Serious academic study is not encouraged except for those with a real aptitude for it. The college aims at forming girls into charming, educated, and, most importantly, marriageable young ladies. It does not seek to turn them into scholars (unlike Ste Joan college in the University, whose graduates the teachers here regard with a certain degree of horror – how many nobles would want a wife demonstrably cleverer than themselves?). Some rivalry exists with the University, but the College’ s true rival is the Convent Ste Josephine de Shallya.

The South Bank: Port and Sudpont districts The south bank is regarded as the less desireable half of the city. For this reason immigrants (both foreigners and those from the provinces, Navarre or Gascogne) often find residences here. By the time they are well-established enough to afford a place on the north bank, most have been thoroughly assimilated. It is invariably busy, with goods and people moving from the docks at its Western end, over the bridge to the north bank and the roads to Bordeleaux and Oisillon or through the Place de Breton, and on to the Porte de l’ Est and thence to Marienburg, Parravon, or Altdorf. The Port district to the west contains some housing and workshops, but mainly warehouses and bars. It is also where Le marché de gros is found, the city’s bulk goods market, which is always full with buyers from various merchant houses, hostelries, and artisans. Sudpont district is dominated at its western end by the various colleges of the Guisonne University and associated buildings: a number of scriptoriums, printers, and booksellers, and the residences of students and scholars. The area has quite a buzz, by day full of students and scholars travelling from one lecture to the next, and by night full of (frequently drunken) students out for a night on the town. As it gets nearer to Le Quartier Viaud, Sudpont becomes less focused on the University, with housing in apartment blocks. Most of the inhabitants are labourers, craftsmen or traders of some kind, and there are BRETONNIA–PROJECT

many workshops and yards, making the district even more noisy.

The Guisonne University Formed nearly seven hundred years ago, at the same time as the founding of the university of Nuln, the university is famous throughout the Old World for its legal and ecclesiastical scholars, the Faculty de Sorbet. The original university buildings were part of a large Verenan library-monastery complex, but the university now has no direct links to the cult of Verena. The university is seen by the authorities as a potential hotbed of political revolutionaries, radicals, anarchists and idealists (a potential it occasionally realises, though often in unexpected places). They therefore attempt to impose some sort of control over who may teach at the university, and the Viscomte, as the King’s representative, convenes the staff disciplinary committee (which has the authority to pass erring staff over to either the secular or ecclesiastical law courts to face charges of heresy or sedition, whichever is more appropriate). The university is divided into several colleges, which are self-contained buildings. The largest colleges are Cardinal college, specialising in Theology, Louisienne college, specialising in Law, and Fontaine college, specialising in Medicine. Ste Joan college, which accepts women only, should also be mentioned. There is considerable rivalry between colleges. Each college accommodates its own students, and has its own scholars and library. Occasionally it is necessary for students to utilise the facilities of another college, a process that is inevitably problematic and subject to long delays. There are two buildings that are intercollegiate: the Great Hall, and the Chapel. The Great Hall is used for lectures by visiting and occasionally resident scholars. The Chapel, the only university building untouched from its days as a monastery, is a shrine to Verena in her aspect as goddess of Learning, it is used for compulsory morning and evening worship each day (a hang-over from monastic tradition).

Boatmen’s guild The Boatmen’s guild can be found in a backstreet in the Port district. The guild was formed largely as a response to the activities of the Wagoneer's guild. Boatmen are generally independent souls, not given to staying in any one place for too long, but the Wagoneers were threatening to build a monopoly over transportation of goods from Guisoreux. The Boatmen's guild is therefore very unlike any other guild. It exists simply to secure cargoes for its members, though it isn't bothered who those members are, possession of a boat makes you a member. The guild is run by Simon Belmain, a retired Boatman who can be found either in the Hall of Commerce attempting to win cargoes, in the guild office, or in one of the alehouses by the river.

Oratory to Manann In a quieter part of Port district is this small building. It has no priest – Manann is not a major deity in a city so far from the sea – but it is visited infrequently by sailors Book V - Guisoreux

8

and boatmen, who offer prayers or offerings. Many of those who make their living through the sea make an offering here occasionally, generally before setting out on a risky voyage. The building is maintained on an ad hoc basis, a group of Guisoreux-based boatmen and their wives keep it clean, and if it is ever in need of major repair the crew of ships in port at the time generally pull the money together from somewhere to do it.

Crypte de la chimique et épices This shop in the Port district is a wholesaler of all manner of ingredients, mainly for food. The shop’s main customers are hostelries and restaurants, especially chefs seeking unusual spices, however, the shop also stocks spell ingredients for wizards and alchemists, though this aspect of its stock is not highly advertised. This makes its stock (and potential customers) of interest to a number of people within the city. Cardinal Dumourieux has his agents keep track of customers (especially those purchasing ingredients for particularly dangerous spells) as a way of keeping an eye on magic-users within the city. The proprietor, Jenna Dimples, is a halfling and former alchemist’s apprentice. She is unaware of the Cardinal’s interest in the shop, but has been known to alert witch hunters if she receives enquiries about ingredients needed for dark or necromantic magic. She is always on the lookout for unusual stock, however, and might be interested in buying ingredients from adventurers.

The Mercenary’s guild This barracks-like building in Sudpont comprises accommodation, common room, and practice yard for independent professional warriors in Guisoreux. The guild is quite informal, and was formed twenty years ago, largely for self-protection, during the conflict between Quissac and Montallier merchant houses. During what amounted to a private war on the streets of Guisoreux many citizens became accidental casualties, and mercenaries as a class were frequently held to blame, occasionally being mobbed by street gangs. Merchants and Nobles wanting to hire Bodyguards frequently call first upon the guild. Any unemployed fighter may take lodging here for 5 pistoles per night. Accommodation is in Spartan dormitories with bunkbeds. There are no meals provided.

The Fencing School of Master Carpentras Renaud Carpentras is a gruff Gascogne, a fencing master of the old school, who hold that Bretonnian fencing is the finest in the Old World and that in consequence there is nothing to be learnt from the socalled masters of Tilea and Estalia. Carpentras learnt his skills from De Gris, a famous Bretonnian master, and he in his turn learnt from another, so Carpentras stands at the end of a long tradition of Bretonnian fencing. Carpentras has nothing but contempt for Berant, who he regards as pretentious, and who he suspects of betraying secrets of Bretonnian fencing to foreigners. He also has contempt for those like Master Jandau whose schools he sees as little more than assassin’s guilds. His students are fiercely

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

loyal to him, and duels between students of Carpentras and Berant are common.

Bookends {Le café littéraire} This is one of the finest quality hostelries in Sudpont, with sixteen rooms and a fair sized stable. The proprietor is Richard Duchamps, an ex-lawyer and graduate of the university. The bar is very popular with scholars, wizards, and the occasional student, who come here to enjoy a relaxed drink and chat.

The Gowned Monkey {Le singe savant} This Sudpont cabaret and bar is very popular with students. The sign depicts a monkey standing at a lectern wearing the gown, hood and mortar board of a scholar of Cardinal college. The cabaret acts are famous for their satire (often verging on the slanderous) of the university authorities.

The Quill and Book {Le livre et la plume} This is a scriptorium and booksellers, situated in a backstreet in Sudpont, and run by a Marienburger called Adolphus Schwartz. Adolphus has a small stock of set books from various College courses. He can copy out all or part of these books for students for a moderate charge. Adolphus also has contacts in Marienburg from whom he can attempt to order other books. What is less well known about Adolphus is that he is also one of the most talented forgers in Guisoreux. He supplements his income with productions of passes and letters of authority for various clients.

Wagoneers guild The guild building is in Sudpont, between the bridge and the Place de Breton. It is quite plain, but has a large courtyard and stables. The guild is an association of wagoneers operating out of Guisoreux, and on good terms with the wagoneers guilds in Marienburg, Parravon and Couronne, and can usually arrange for guildsmen to have loads to carry both to and from these cities. There is some rivalry with the Boatmen’s guild, as both must compete for the lucrative orders of the merchant families.

The South Bank: Vaudois district Vaudois district is a small area south of Port district and adjacent to the University. Most visitors would simply think of it as part of Sudpont, its streets being much in keeping with those of the neighbouring district, but citizens of Guisoreux know what marks this place out as different. A few centuries ago the whole district was striken by the plague, killing almost all the inhabitants. Ever since, citizens have claimed that the area is haunted. The reputation of the district is such that many refuse to enter its streets. A native of the city will swear that the streets of Vaudois feel intangibly different (before making the sign of the door and getting out of the district as soon as they can). The streets of Vaudois district are always empty after dark, and even thieves tend to think twice before attempting to burgle a house here. On the other Book V - Guisoreux

9

hand, some welcome the notoriety that comes from dwelling within Vaudois.

Hautetour The Hautetour has a grim reputation (only partly due to superstitious citizens) as a haunted building, and one now inhabited by wizards bent on meddling with forces beyond the pale. The tower is four stories high, and quite impressive-looking, visible from the Ile. It was originally part of the city’s fortifications, though for mysterious reasons is now a good hundred yards from the city wall (historians maintain that this is because when the Carolingian wall replaced the earlier wall of King Louis, the course of the wall was changed, leaving only the tower as a reminder of where the wall had been, but the citizens prefer the more poetic tale that inhuman forces moved the tower to its current position). It is now the home of Guillaume l'Enchanteur, a third level Wizard, holder of a Permis de Magique, who styles himself as the most powerful Mage in Guisoreux. Guillaume has assembled a group of four other mages, two Alchemists, one other Wizard, and an illusionist. The five of them run an unofficial college of Wizardry, and take on ten apprentices a year. Guillaume dreams of having the status of a University College one day, and conducts himself as if it were already true, something resented by University officials. Few knock on the door of the tower by choice except for foolhardy souls seeking to become apprentices, and citizens superstitiously avoid even standing in its shadow.

La Boite de Pandora This shop is tucked away in a back-alley in Vaudois, and is rarely stumbled across by accident. Customers usually come here because they have been recommended to try it after searching for something everywhere else in the city. The shop is part junk-shop, part exotic eastern bazaar. Books, boxes, bird-cages, and a hundred and one other items are found stacked in apparently random piles throughout the shop’s seemingly endless sequence of rooms. Almost anything can be bought here, and any items should be considered one step more available here. The shop is owned by Lisette Tanguay, a quiet, attractive woman in her twenties with a mysterious and rather shady past. The shop feels like (and in some respects is) the private collection of a compulsive buyer of curios and obscure items. Lisette is well-known amongst traders, merchants, and sailors in the city, and seems to make enough to live on by word of mouth recommendations.

Picpus Clinic A well-appointed but discretely secure building in a quiet corner of Vaudois district, the Clinic is an asylum, used by the nobility and merchant classes to shelter relatives who are insane. Here they can be looked after in comfortable surroundings, away from public scrutiny. Few relatives visit inmates once they have been left in the care of the Clinic, and only the family or legal guardian BRETONNIA–PROJECT

have the authority to have an inmate released. Many of the inmates are placed here to be conveniently forgotten, and not all may have been insane when they were first sent here (though a year or two locked away in Picpus is likely to change that). The clinic is run by Dr Claude Desmoines, who is interested in researching cures for insanity. The cures he attempts are many and ingenious, but none have thus far been very successful.

The Conventicle St Antoine A nondescript building in Vaudois district, the Conventicle is the headquarters of the Order of St Antoine, Verenan clerics who have dedicated themselves to working as witch-hunters. The Conventicle is where their training for this ministry occurs, where they are schooled in the signs of witchcraft, means of conducting exorcisms, and the subtle science of weighing evidence and the statements of witnesses. The order eschews rabble-rousing and torture, and prefers to conduct its business in secret, so that the learned can make sound judgements unswayed by emotional distractions. The conventicle contains dormitories where postulants and members of the order returned from the field may sleep. It also contains very secure cells, guarded night and day by members of the order. Those awaiting trial are kept here. Few outside of the cult of Verena know of the existence of the order, and fewer still know the location of the Conventicle. The head of the order, Father Gilbert Jardine, reports directly to the Cardinal of Verena.

The South Bank: Le quartier Viaud Le quartier Viaud is generally agreed to be the oldest part of the city, and is largely made up of middle-class housing. It contains the Place de Breton, site of the famous Guisoreux market, which attracts peddlers from all over Bretonnia, as well as having many permanent stall-holders. The Place is traditionally seen as the centre of the city, and has a massive equestrian statue of Gilles le Breton, the city’s most famous son.

The Temple of Morr This is a solidly-built low building of a dark stone in Le Quartier Viaud maintained by seven clerics under the watchful eye of Cardinal Cicere Marsallas, the mute High priest. The main entrance to the catacombs is situated here. Unlike temples to Morr in the Empire, the temple has several images inside, representations of various martyrs and saints. The faithful often come to offer their intercessions for the departed to those who have places of honour in Morr's kingdom. Although the various high temples of other cults have Saint’s relics on display the cult does not, simply displaying images of the deceased. The Temple is essentially a shrine to all the saints, as all are in Morr’s care now, even if some go from his kingdom to serve other gods. Grave robbing has become a significant problem in Guisoreux, and in response to this the Viscomte has established the "Black watch", a group of watchmen whose task it is to patrol the graves by night. The Black watch are based in quarters at the rear of the Temple. In Book V - Guisoreux

10

addition, and less well publicised, the Temple frequently houses templars of Morr of the Raven Knights, recuperating from missions in the field.

The High Temple of Verena This imposing building dominates the skyline of Le Quartier Viaud. The Temple’s four towers give spectacular views across the city, and were reputedly built to rival in height the spire of the Sully Cathedral. The Temple is a beautiful building, and many visitors stand lost for words in the Court de Justice in front of the main entrance, simply admiring the glorious architecture. As well as its beauty, the Temple famously contains the shrine of St Gregorius the Silent, priest of Verena, scholar and judge. Those faced with an intractable problem and needing wisdom often come to touch the saint’s reliquary and offer a prayer for guidance. The great library of the Temple, containing many rare and unique volumes is open to students at the University or scholars who make a donation to the Temple funds. The Courts of Ecclesiastical Law, where cases against clergy (of any cult) are heard, are also attached to the High Temple. The Temple is the seat of the Cardinal of Verena, Gibaud de Rennes, who also acts as its High Priest. In practice, however, the Temple is run by the Precentor, Pierre Joplais, as the Cardinal has weightier matters to attend to. Unknown to the general populace, the Order of St Antoine bring suspected witches to the Temple court to face careful examination from their superiors. Such investigations occur at night and are never publicised, to prevent disturbance from the mob. It is possible that the semi-mythical "Iron Brand", if it exists, is guarded in the Temple vaults.

does not seek to reach out to the ignorant masses, but to the literate and educated. He does seek, however, to challenge complacent and incompetent authority figures, especially the faculty of the university, and the governor. He employs students to act as reporters, and has been known to reward any citizen who comes to him with a good story. None of this would, however, be possible without the financial backing of Lucien de Pasquier, the Marquis of Ferande. De Pasquier is a long-time rival of the governor, and sees Chabot’s Gazette as a means of discrediting Brossard. He exercises little direct editorial control over the paper, but encourages criticism of Brossard.

The South Bank: Le quartier Berbare Berbare district is one of the poorer districts in the city, with many guesthouses, and for this reason tends to be home for the city’s immigrant population before they are assimilated into the melting pot that is Guisoreux. The residences in this district vary enormously in size and design, and the occupants are likewise varied. The whole district has a slightly bohemian air, and the various inns and restaurants of the area offer a variety of national cuisines. Tileans, Estalians, Wastelanders, Gascognes, Norse and Imperials, all can be found living within a stonesthrow of each other. There is a significant Navarrese presence in Berbare, and a (suprisingly) stable gypsy community. The Monalesco family arrived in the city about ten years ago, and have become a permanent fixture, most well-known for their abilities as street entertainers. It is rumoured, however, that many citizens go to "Grandmother" to have their fortune told. The Monalesco family has also carved out a niche for itself in the city’s underworld, their reputation as thieves and swindlers is not entirely due to prejudice. Despite the volatile mix of its inhabitants Berbare is a reasonably peaceful district, and fights here are rare.

The shrine of Sigmar

The Office of the Guisoreux Gazette The Gazette is a new development, and is really the brainchild of Antoine Chabot, a devotee of the new printing technology. Chabot is rather a maverick, a scholar (but one who did not finish his studies at the university) and a would-be inventor and engineer, who is entirely gripped by the idea of giving information direct to the masses by means of a printed paper. He is perhaps best described as a super-demagogue, whose cause is the dissemination of news and informed discussion to the educated people of the city. Antoine is no democrat, he BRETONNIA–PROJECT

This small building off one of the streets of Berbare is maintained by Bernhard Mann, a cleric of Sigmar sent here by the Grand Theogonist to care for those of Sigmar's folk who lived in the city. He periodically suffers racist abuse at the hands of Bretonnians as opinion turns against the Empire, and the shrine is regularly defaced. Such occasions give the Brotherhood of the Hammer an excuse to flex its muscles, but Bernhard has little real contact with them or influence over them. Few visit the shrine, and some of the immigrants who do do so under cover of darkness.

The Homely House This hostelry is run by six Halflings. It has 6 Single and 10 Double rooms, and the ground floor is a restaurant catering for both residents and non-residents. Pip Rosycheeks, the proprietor and cook is also a cleric of Esmeralda (and unofficial spiritual leader of the halfling community in the city), and her cooking is renowned.

Book V - Guisoreux

11

has a certain rustic charm about it). It is reasonably quiet during the day, as its inhabitants usually work as casual labourers in the centre of the city. The houses are in reasonably good condition, but quite crowded together, creating many narrow alleyways and enclosed courts. At night, the district can be rougher, as the labourers wander back home via the local alehouse to spend their pay. The faubourgs are not only frequented by those who live there, many of those who live within the city walls regularly visit the faubourgs, and not only to sample the fleshpots of Le Dedale. Wine is not taxed outside the city walls, therefore people who don' t have much money go and drink in the taverns in the faubourgs, and there are many situated by the gates to take advantage of this trade. The wine is usually locally-produced, from vineyards not far from the city. While it tastes all right, it doesn' t age well. For some people, however, the cheap wine is a vital source of drink since the city doesn’ t have limitless supplies of clean water.

The Priory of Shallya {Le prioré de Shallya} Beyond the Walls: The Faubourgs The suburbs and slums extend far beyond the city walls, almost to the village of Sarcelles-en-Bretonneux in the north. Collectively they are known as the Faubourgs, though there are identifiable districts within them, the most notorious of which being Le Dédale: the maze, on the south bank. This is largely made up of slum dwellings, and is only rarely patrolled by the watch, and then in daylight and in large numbers. The streets are populated with beggars, street urchins, bawds and whores. By night only the bawds and the whores remain on the streets, and these in the areas nearer the edges of the district. It is the centre of much of the city’ s underworld activity, and home to the Thieves Guild, or Halegrin. All residents of the maze are suspicious of strangers and prefer not to pry to closely into anyone' s business. To the North of the river the worst area is Mendigots or "Beggars" district, which is a slum in even worse condition than the Maze. In some areas of Mendigots district it is impossible to discern streets, as rubble and filth fill the roads, and overflowing cesspits add to the stench. There are areas near the centre of Mendigots that the Watch have never entered. The district is populated by beggars, street urchins, the maimed, workless and homeless. It is a hotbed of insurrection, where agitators are common, and it is from Mendigots that the infamous "Guisoreux Mob" emerges to riot and loot in the streets of the city. However, the faubourgs are not simply havens of criminals (though this is certainly the perception of the upper classes). Many upright citizens live in the faubourgs, especially in Louffiat. The Louffiat district is situated just outside the city walls at the northern edge of the city. The main Oisillon and Bordeleaux road leads through here, and it is the sight of the starving children of Louffiat (by no means the hardest done-by in Guisoreux) that nobles shut out behind drawn curtains as they rattle past in their coaches on the way to the court. It has long been a lower class residential area, and is a little more well-established and less deprived than the Faubourgs of the South Bank, or Mendigots to the east (indeed it now BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The Priory is a modestly-built complex buried in the middle of the houses of Louffiat. It has a moderately large garden, forming an unexpected open area in the midst of the winding streets. The Priory was established a couple of centuries ago as a place for the cult to take care of the sick and suffering where the noble visitors to the Cathedral did not have to see them. Over the decades it has become a place where the Cult places "difficult" clergy, who refuse to toe the line. Many radical Shallyans have been sent here to be immersed in serving the needs of others (and hopefully to forget any crazy political ideas they may have picked up). It is a complex of low, plan stone buildings within a low garden wall. The Chapel building is the largest building, and incorporates the quarters of the priests and priestesses in its East wing. The other buildings include an orphanage for street children, and an infirmary. The garden in the centre has flowerbeds and a small orchard of apple trees. It is tended by the children of the orphanage, supervised by the blind Brother Paulus. The Prioress is Theresa Rapheloni, a middle-aged matronly Bretonnian of Tilean ancestry. The Priory has many supplicants from the poor of Guisoreux, but few other visitors. Even the Physicians guild maintain only the slightest of contacts (in general they are only interested in procuring the bodies of those about to die of an interesting ailment).

The Dove {La colombe} The Dove is an average quality hostelry and alehouse, the best in the Louffiat district. It is owned and run by a woman called Pitié, who was a foundling raised at the orphanage. She is a devout follower of Shallya, and says grace before every meal. The Dove has a staff of three, eight single, and eight double rooms. Pitié will only give a double room to those she is sure are married.

René' s (Chez René} René' s is an unsavoury-looking inn in the Maze run by a large balding ex-Wrestler called (surprisingly enough) René. Fights are common here, and as a rule René only Book V - Guisoreux

12

intervenes if swords are drawn. He keeps a large club and a loaded blunderbuss under the bar. The inn is a wellknown contact place for the Halegrin, who often meet in a back room.

The Temple of Ranald The Temple is in the cellar of a run-down shop called "Pierre the Pawnbroker' s" in the Maze. It is used by many members of the Halegrin, as well as those within the faubourgs who wish to pray for better fortune. Pierre appears to be an older man, who walks with a cane. He is a fence for the Halegrin, who value his "eye" for valuables. Few know that he is in fact in his thirties, and a level four cleric of Ranald. No one knows that he is also "The Ghost", the infamous cat burglar who has for years plagued the nobles and merchants of Guisoreux. Pierre uses money given to the Temple (as well as that from his own escapades) to distribute to those particularly badly off in the faubourgs (especially families of those imprisoned in the Fort-de-Justice or elsewhere). He sees this as part of his service of Ranald the Protector, after all, money offers the best protection of all. These actions have earned him the love and respect of the poor of Guisoreux, and he has little fear of the temple ever being discovered by the authorities. He has some contact with the Indigents of Louffiat, but they maintain their own shrine, and only approach him in cases of emergency.

The Fort-de-Justice This massive stone fortress, situated on the south bank just outside the city' s east wall, was originally the counterpart of the Grand Chatelet on the north bank, intended to act as a defensive position against attack from the south and east. Now, however, although it continues to house half of the City Garrison troops, its main role is as a huge prison housing some of the most famous prisoners of the kingdom. The prisoners here are generally political ones, the common criminals are housed elsewhere. The fortress is seen as a symbol of the oppression of the poor and is hated by the peasantry. In the Fort, it is rumoured, are cells from which no one has ever come out. The stories of the sadistic torturers of the Fort are legendary. While none of this can be proven, it remains a fact that only three men have ever successfully escaped from confinement here.

The Catacombs Beneath the town vast catacombs house the city' s dead. The catacombs are ancient, their origins lost in the mists of time, but since anyone can remember they have been watched over by the cult of Morr. They are BRETONNIA–PROJECT

accessible from entrances in the temple and a number of shrines throughout the city, where funeral services are held. In the well tended parts priests and acolytes of Morr pace the tunnels and tend to the crypts. What is less well known, however, is the fact that the true extent of the catacomb network is largely unknown. Beyond the most used areas, tunnels wind their way for miles. The catacombs watched over by the cult of Morr comprise only a small area of a maze of interconnected passageways and chambers constructed for a multitude of purposes by a multitude of different tunnelers. The most obvious of these underground networks being of course the city’ s sewer system. It intersects with the older catacombs at many points, though in theory any direct connections between the city’ s graves and its sewer system have long been sealed up. Nearly every house in Guisoreux has a cellar, though in practice the less privileged households of the city tend to place less value on the correct storage of classic vintages; more often than not they are used to provide cramped and cheap accommodation, often for students (in fact, it is from this common use of subterranean rooms that students have acquired their nickname to the public: ’les taupes’ – ‘the moles’ ) who appreciate being able to hide their indulgences from the gaze of decent society. Fairly common too are underground passages which run between blocks of houses, entered from cellars or semisecret entrances (sometimes through fountains, innocuous side doors, trapdoors in alleyways and even, if you don' t mind the smell, a privy). Rich merchants pay to have a private tunnel put in from their house, ostensibly to go to worship or save themselves from the hazards and exertions of open air travel; in reality, they feel the need for an emergency escape route from the mob. It is no secret that such access points to the catacombs exist which are not guarded by the cult, but everyone prefers to believe that the network of passages is less well-used and less extensive than is in fact the case. After all, no-one likes to think that the trapdoor in their cellar might be all that separates them from gangs of Grave-robbers or worse. The majority of people are familiar with only a small number of tunnels used for regular journeys; it is good sense not to divulge the secrets of the tunnels to all and sundry. Robberies and rapes frequently take place in the darkened tunnels, and a fair number of people have simply gone into one tunnel and never come out the other end. Rumours abound of pale-faced gangs of cut-throats, apparently calling themselves ’les fossoyeurs’ (‘the gravediggers’ ) who work exclusively in the tunnels, digging their own secret passages to break into other, normally safe routes. But those who have looked into the many darker corners of Guisoreux' s hidden labyrinth hear of far more exotic and dangerous things than a few footpads lurking in burrows. Few citizens would know that there are actually no less than six rivers and streams that flow into the Ois in Guisoreux; four to the north of the Ois, two to the south. The names of only three are remembered: the Erc and the Guif to the north, and the Chandet to the south. All have long been sealed off and channelled into the sewage system, but a few scavengers still make a living ferreting in them for trinkets. Whole streets have simply collapsed into the ground in some areas, as the combined effects of Book V - Guisoreux

13

poor drainage, flooding and excessive tunnelling take their toll and those who survive quickly rebuild on top. These streets - and their skeletal inhabitants - can be found by those who search hard enough, still recognisable as homes and businesses. For centuries these tunnels have been used as meeting places for those who seek to escape the prying eyes of the King’s authority. Clandestine affairs, secret business deals, treacherous plots, drug-crazed orgies, all have taken place in the catacombs. Thieves, students, rakes, and lovers routinely use the passages nearer the surface to pass the Louisian wall at night for their various purposes. Stories of escaped prisoners who still wander the catacombs seeking a way out are legion. Elsewhere, where light never challenges the dark and slithering things feast on unguarded bodies, chaos and evil make their home.

have strong links to some of the agitators in the city, though tend to advocate a more subtle opposition to the authorities than the wholesale slaughter advocated by many. There is a degree of mutual respect between them and the Halegrin, and an established enmity with the Chien Noires. The Indigents are particularly concerned to protect the sisters at the Priory from attacks by the Black Dogs, a situation that is inherently embarrassing for the Prioress. Finally, the Monalesco gypsy family have established themselves within Berbare, earning the grudging respect of the Halegrin. They generally confine themselves to theft and charlatanry, though they also organise a modest amount of smuggling. Like the Halegrin, they eschew violent crime, though are more than ready to defend themselves against aggressors.

The Underworld Criminal activity in Guisoreux is dominated by two main groups: The Halegrin, or Thieves Guild, who operate out of the Maze, and the Chiens Noires, or Black Dogs, who dominate the North Bank of the city, though have their power base in Mendigots. The Halegrin are a traditional "gentlemen’s organisation" who enforce "Thieves law" in all areas of the city that they can. This essentially entails non-interference in any operation by guild members, protection of guild members, and a tithe of 20% of the profits to be paid to the guild. They seek to control burglaries and organised theft (petty theft doesn’t really concern them), racketeering, smuggling, counterfeiting, drugs, and prostitution. They do not condone excessive violence, and will actively seek to eliminate known cut-throats and murderers. They have a nominal allegiance to the cult of Ranald, though in most cases this is mere lip service. The Halegrin are led by a slim innocuous looking man known only as "L’ Arabe" . The guild has a finger in most pies, but is facing a serious threat from the Chiens Noires. The Black Dogs are a gang (though verging on the size of a small army) who draw their members from the poorest of the poor. They are involved in smuggling, and are notorious for their racketeering. Many members of the Black Dogs also act as footpads throughout the whole North Bank. They have none of the scruples of the Halegrin and no religious affiliation (though some may worship Khaine). They are led by Jaq "the Knife", who dreams of forcing the Halegrin out of the south of the city and effectively ruling the streets. Jaq is not committed to any of the pseudo-revolutionary groups based in Mendigots, but is in broad sympathy with them. A few more more minor groups should also be mentioned. The Mendigots or beggars themselves are a force to be reckoned with, forming a beggar's guild, they call themselves the Argotes, from the Argot that they speak, and are lead by the Grand Coesre. The Argotes act mainly to protect each other from the more violent residents of the district, but are also an efficient spy network, selling information to the Chiens Noires and the Halegrin. The "Indigents", or "poor men" are cultists of Ranald the protector, based in Louffiat. These cultists BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Secret Societies There are a number of secret societies that meet in Guisoreux, most famously within the catacombs, but there are other places. Some of these societies have an affiliation to Chaos, but others have no such "cultic" aspect. Most of these groups are either anarchist or orgiastic in nature. It is important to bear in mind in both cases that although there may be a broad similarity between such groups and cults of Slaanesh and Tzeentch in the vast majority of cases there is no direct connection. Scions of noble and merchant houses with lots of money and few responsibilities are likely to indulge in drinking, sex and drug-taking, because they can, and they are likely to do it in secret so their parents will not cut off their allowance. Similarly, in a despotic monarchy there are many people who for a variety of motives will plot to bring it down. No secret machinations of the chaos gods are necessary to explain these groups. Players with experience of chaos cultists in the Empire, however, will probably jump to conclusions. This mismatch between expectation and reality makes for good play, and should not be discouraged. Le club de l’enfer (The Hell club) is a dangerous anarchist organisation centred in Guisoreux, though with agents throughout Bretonnia. The members tend to be upper of middle class, and they are lead by an aristocrat called Charles du Breuil, who for personal reasons has become implacably opposed to the Bretonnian monarchy. The group meet wearing KKK style black robes, often in the catacombs, plotting the downfall of the King. Book V - Guisoreux

14

Ultimately they seek to end Le Breton’s line, and perhaps the entire monarchical system, and they have several schemes afoot to bring them closer to this goal. What (if anything) they would seek to raise up in the place of the monarchy is unclear (and in all probability different members of the group would have different ideas, ranging from anarchy to dictatorship). The group’s symbol is the black sun. The brotherhood of the hammer is an anarchist group loosely associated with the small and persecuted Sigmarite community in the city. In fact, it has very little connection with the cult or any recognisable Sigmarite teachings. The group is comprised of young men of Imperial, Wastelander, or Border Princes origin. They consider themselves "spiritual" or "true" Unberogens, brothers of Sigmar. Although originally formed as a vigilante group to protect Imperial immigrant communities, they now simply get together as a gang and pick fights with Bretonnians (ie most of the inhabitants of the city). This anti-social but relatively harmless approach has changed in recent years due to the influence of Anders Doort, a Wastelander who has effectively become the leader of the brotherhood. Anders claims to be an agent of the Emperor, and has led the group in missions designed to destabilise Royal authority within the city and the Kingdom as a whole. Unbeknown to the brotherhood, Anders is actually an agent of Cardinal Dumourieux, who is using the group for his own ends.

The "Pushers of the wheel" are a large rag-tag group formed from the very dregs of Guisoreux’s poor. It is the "Pushers" who form the core of the feared "Guisoreux mob". The members of this group are the disaffected and desperate, and tend to fall in behind whoever the demagogue of the day might be. The "Pushers" is simply the latest in a series of such groups that have arisen when a gifted agitator has started stirring up feelings in the faubourgs. Usually such groups build themselves up to the point when they rampage through the city, looting and destroying. When the watch and city garrison crush the mob, and the agitator is executed, the survivors retreat back to Mendigots to lick their wounds and wait for the next time. The "Pushers" are centred around Brother Hugh of Couronne, a gifted demagogue who used to be a priest of Verena. He believes that Verena’s justice can BRETONNIA–PROJECT

only come if the people rise up and seize it for themselves.

Princes, paupers and prelates Who to know (and pretend not to know) in Guisoreux

Blaize, Duc de Guisoreux The King’s Uncle is Duc de Guisoreux, and rules over the Duchy of Guisoreux (ie the lands east of Guisoreux, not the city itself). Since the end of the regency, he has retired into virtual obscurity on his estate, and is rarely seen either at court in Oisillon, or in Guisoreux, though he maintains a mansion on the Ile. It is rumoured that he is on bad terms with his nephew the King, which could explain his low profile. He is still a relatively vigorous man of fifty, but has no heir, so when he dies his lands will revert to the royal domain. Despite his infrequent appearances he remains well loved by the people, who see him as a fair ruler.

Victoire Breville, Viscomte Governor of the city

de

Brossard,

The city is still officially the capital, and therefore ruled directly by the King. However, being too busy hunting, fishing and partying hard to actually do much of this boring ruling business, he has a governor to do the menial job of performing his ceremonial duties. Brossard was appointed to rule Guisoreux by Charles III in the year of his accession to the throne. Being a scion of a minor branch of the Blois family with a complete lack of ambition he was seen as a safe pair of hands for this onerous duty. However, like many other royal governors, the aged Brossard is ill-suited for the position. The Viscomte's wits have begun to wander and he is publicly derided by those about him (though not within his somewhat poor hearing) and through him it is the king that is being criticised. His position seems quite secure nonetheless, an important fact being that the governorship of Guisoreux is seen as something of a poisoned chalice at court. For one thing it requires you to live in Guisoreux (and the whole point of moving the court was to avoid ever having to smell the place ever again), and for another, the city is all but ungovernable. Theoretically the governor exercises absolute authority in the City, however, as a Viscomte, he has little personal power relative to the City's other powerful residents.

Henri Armagnac Dumourieux, Prime Minister, Cardinal of Shallya The Cardinal is one of the most powerful inhabitants of the city. He has official duties at the Administratorum which keep him tied to the city, though he is often at court, close to the centre of power. However, he is also convinced that Guisoreux, and its volatile population, is key to the control of Bretonnia as a whole. It is here that subversive ideas originate and subversive people congregate. One who would rule must keep a careful eye on Guisoreux. The Cardinal is also Dean of Cardinal College at the University. As a Cardinal, he is outside Book V - Guisoreux

15

Royal authority (at least in theory), although his devotion to the King and his personal integrity are unquestioned (at least in public).

Daniel Talbot, Archbishop of Myrmidia A devoted follower of Myrmidia since his youth, Talbot is a man of fifty who still routinely defeats initiates in swordplay. Talbot is officially the High Master of the Cathedral-Academy, and acts as an advisor to the King on military matters. His influence is, however, limited by the personal antipathy between himself and the Marshal of Bretonnia, François de Semblancy. His refusal to support the De Semblancy, the cult’ s traditional political allies, has made him many enemies within the cult (including the Cardinal). As a result, he is only rarely at the Oisillon Palace.

Dr Guillotine The ingenious Dr Guillotine is a rather eccentric professor of Medicine at Cardinal college. A notoriously abstract thinker, he has been known to refer to patients as "impaired machines" to their faces, and sees his work purely in terms of maximising the efficient functioning of the human machine. Dr Guillotine’ s fondness for mechanics has led to his most famous creation: the "guillotine", which he maintains is the most efficient way of permanently ending the functional capacity of the human machine, and certainly far more dignified than all those messy axes, which are frankly barbaric. The governor has been making a great deal of use the newly invented guillotine to quell dissent among the poor, and the king himself viewed the first demonstration of its efficiency.

Gibaud De Rennes, Cardinal of Verena The Cardinal is Chancellor of the University, and Supreme Justice of the Courts Ecclesiastical, in theory holding the authority to prosecute any cleric (of any cult) in the country. He is in his fifties, an aristocratic-looking man, who dresses in the simple robes of a Verenan scholar-priest, though always of the finest material and tailoring. He cultivates the image of a rather otherworldly scholar, always far more interested in the minutiae of the past than in the here and now. In fact, he is a shrewd reader of the political scene. He is very wary of Dumourieux and his political ambitions, but is at pains to avoid any direct confrontation. De Rennes reveres Verena in her aspect as "The Eternal Light of Justice", following an obscure theological tradition that sees Verena as the guarantor of stability and well-being in society. In essence, De Rennes is actually worshipping Alluminas, and his concerns are primarily to preserve the status quo and avoid disruption and change in the social system. He is conservative by natural inclination and conviction, and very concerned to maintain the position of the King against those who might threaten it. Despite his conservatism, he is willing to take drastic action if necessary, as long as he judges that the disruption caused by his actions will be less than that he seeks to prevent.

Cicere Marsallas, Cardinal of Morr The Cardinal is a devout and austere man of advanced (though unguessable) age. Formerly a monk in a contemplative order attached to the Cult, Marsallas is mute, communicating when necessary by writing on a small slate in chalk. Of undoubted holiness, Marsallas is far removed from political concerns, and resents the occasions when he has to travel to Oisillon. He should not be thought of as blind to political machinations within the cult, however. He is very aware of the various clerics seeking to replace him, and is very willing to intervene in any cases where he suspects a cleric of heterodox practices. Marsallas takes his responsibilities as watchman of the Kingdom’ s dead very seriously, and is swift to act on any rumours of necromancy or undead activity.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Henry Rolland Henry Rolland, who represents the Artisans and Merchants Guilds, holds much of the power amongst the small middle-class. However, he is not personally the most powerful of Guisoreux’ s merchant princes, and there are several members of the Merchant’ s guild more powerful and rich than he is. Rolland holds on to his position largely through force of personality (he has a tendency to play up the trappings of power, making himself appear more important than he really is), and through the support of House Montallier. He is not particularly capable, and tends to simply act as a puppet of François Montallier. In area where Montallier has no interest, Rolland’ s own petty and vindictive nature tends to guide his actions. In any decision where he has freedom of action he is notoriously susceptible to both bribes and flattery, but has a long memory, and will often act against anyone who has slighted him in the past.

Sire Jerome Dubras, Garrison Commander Jerome is the commander of the City Garrison, a veteran soldier from a lesser noble family. He worked his way through the ranks, eventually being knighted at the age of 30. He has fought in more battles than he cares to remember, and few of them have been clean fights against another army, most have been suppressing peasants. In campaigns like these, Jerome learnt to fight dirty. He is a tough fighter, respected by his men, and feared by the general populace. He is quite grim and taciturn, a look Book V - Guisoreux

16

enhanced by his scars and the patch he wears over his right eye. He neither takes nor leaves captives, looking on the city as a battlefield. As far as he is concerned, if his men have to be sent in, anyone wandering the streets is a fair target.

Luc Seigny, Watch Commander Luc is a straight-forward, no-nonsense man from a lower-class background who has worked his way up through the ranks. His post is not one coveted by many, and he is quietly efficient, meaning that he is fairly secure. He has taken advantage of this by using what opportunities come his way to embezzle funds for himself. He refuses to take bribes, as he realises that this would give someone a hold over him, and this has falsely given him the reputation of being incorruptible. He is fawningly deferential to nobles in their presence, but often ridicules them behind their backs.

François Montallier François is indisputably the richest man in Guisoreux. House Montallier has trading links with almost every country in the known world, and dominates the Merchant' s guild. The family mansion is one of the largest in Blanchemaille district, previously the ancestral home of a duke. François is the proud patriarch of the House, expecting deference from all, and always lending money to bankrupt nobles (in return for certain considerations: "one good turn deserves another" as François says). He is rumoured to be involved in smuggling operations in Guisoreux, having links with the Halegrin, and, even more notoriously, to be involved in grave robbery. Naturally, nothing has been proved, François keeps the best lawyers in Guisoreux on an annual retainer. House Montallier is also renowned for its long-standing enmity towards house Quissac.

Simon Quissac Simon is the head of House Quissac, the second largest merchant family in Guisoreux. He was the second son, and wasn' t expected to inherit, being sent out on trading ventures as a young man, even travelling as far as New Coast. However, his elder brother Richard was assassinated in the same attack that killed his father Jean. No one was prosecuted for the murders, but it was widely known that the perpetrators were House Montallier. The two Houses have been in conflict for centuries. House Quissac was originally the more powerful, but following the Merchant Wars of Guisoreux it has been eclipsed by House Montallier. Although open warfare has not broken out for several decades, assassination and sabotage is still relatively common on both sides. Simon is a fairly easy going man, and quite friendly, but he is determined to avenge the deaths of his father and brother.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The Military and Guisoreux’s defence Guisoreux has always been strategically important due to its position guarding the Guisoreux gap. It is therefore the base for a number of military units, as well as being home to various prestigious guards units. Off-duty soldiers are a common sight in Guisoreux, as (in the more well-to-do areas) are off-duty guardsmen and military officers. Many of these units have long-standing rivalries, and duels are not uncommon. Such duels of honour between members of rival regiments are officially condemned by senior officers but unofficially encouraged. Guisoreux used to be a fortress city, but nowadays the walls are not well maintained. Threats are now more likely to come from the volatile population rather than an invader. Although it is quite rare for the army to become involved in police actions, the City Garrison are regularly used to reinforce the city watch. The army is however used to being called in whenever the Guisoreux mob is rallied by some rabble rouser and a major riot is in the offing. On such occasions the army is given free reign, and usually put down the disturbances with considerable brutality. Good citizens are sometimes left wondering whether they and their property would have been safer in the hands of the mob. The Viscomte regards a few innocent bystanders killed and/or raped and some minor housebreaking to be a small price to pay for the restoration of order.

The City Garrison The garrison is made up of professional mercenary troops from a variety of backgrounds. The bulk of the garrison are Tilean mercenary companies, and Imperial Landsknechts, though there are a sprinkling of Estalians too. They answer to the Governor, and are always commanded by a minor member of the nobility. The post is not much coveted, and generally goes to a second or third son trying to make a career in the military. The garrison primarily patrol the walls, though they also patrol the main streets, and have legal status as watchmen. They are distrusted and feared by the local populace, in part because of their foreign origins, but also because of their role in providing "muscle" for the watch.

The Standing Army The Royal army of Bretonnia is based in the Chateau of Lunéville 5 leagues away from the city. The troops are Bretonnians, and are professionals, trained to a high standard. In time of war these troops form specialised units or command militia infantry. The army is located in several fortresses throughout Bretonnia, but the core unit, the Royal Dragoons, are stationed here. The army is under the command of Count Bernard de Vennoy, Lord High Constable of Bretonnia, who outranks the Viscomte and is answerable only to the King. For this reason the army is only rarely used in police actions. The Dragoons are well known for their brutality, but this is generally seen as something to their credit, driving fear into the hearts of Bretonnia’ s enemies.

Book V - Guisoreux

17

The Governor’s guard

City Militia

The small guards unit is made up of Switzer mercenaries. They are usually employed to defend the Palais-Royal, though also function as a bodyguard for the Governor. There is a degree of tension between the Governor’s Guard and the Musketeer Cadets, who have overlapping responsibilities. Generally, however, the social class differences between the two preclude duels. Brawls between members of the Governor’s Guard and the City Garrison, however, are relatively common.

The City Militia are a very different body to the Watch, formed by concerned citizens who deplored the ineffectiveness of the watch. They are semi-professional and from a bourgeois background. They only patrol the middle-class residential districts and the dockyards and warehouses. Those who are scruffily dressed are far more likely to have a hard time from the militia. Well-dressed and well-spoken people (and in particular members of the armed forces (but not the City Garrison)) are likely to be treated better. Foreigners are more likely to be treated sympathetically by the militia than by the watch (in that the militia are less likely to assume they must be troublemakers and arrest or lynch them immediately).

The Musketeer Cadets The Cadets are an elite unit, who form the King's personal bodyguard, and before the move of the court to Oisillon were responsible for the defence of the PalaisRoyal. Their headquarters is still in Guisoreux, and they still have a nominal duty to defend the palace, though in practice this simply involves sending someone to stand on duty at the gates. The Cadets are exclusively drawn from the nobility, and are under the direct command of the King, whose life they are sworn to die defending. They have a long-standing rivalry with the Cardinal’s guard.

The Cardinal’s Guard The Cardinal's guard are an elite unit of troops who act as the Cardinal's personal bodyguard and also defend the Cathedral. For obvious reasons none are devout followers of Shallya, and most are simply professional soldiers. They are only 30 in number, and are under the Cardinal's direct command, acting only to defend the Cathedral and Cardinal's Palace, the contingent here also provide the Cardinal with a bodyguard for his trips to Oisillon. There is another contingent based in Couronne guarding the Palace and Cathedral there. They have a long-standing rivalry with the Musketeer Cadets.

City Watch The City Watch are charged with patrolling the City's streets and maintaining law and order. They are recruited from the local populace and lightly armed. The watch is roughly 800 strong, and patrols are of four to seven men. In the event of serious disturbances the watch are strengthened by units from the City garrison. The watch are based in the Watch Barracks building in Bassin district. The watch commander is under the authority of the garrison commander and the Viscomte. The watch are very deferential to anyone who looks wealthy, and generally obnoxious to everyone else. Most watchmen are from the lowest classes of society, and are notorious for their corruption and cruelty. The watch sergeants tend to be more reliable. The watch will intervene in any armed conflict or one involving more than two combatants or a member of the well to do classes. Duels are technically illegal, but unless a watch sergeant is present a patrol is unlikely to prevent anyone looking wealthy from duelling. Duels between members of military units are a different matter, the watch will be quite eager to arrest any of these self-styled "professionals".

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

The City Walls The original city walls, erected by King Louis VI le Bel some 900 years ago, have by now been largely replaced by the New Walls of Edouard I, built 400 years ago, which slightly extended them and strengthened them. Militarily, however, the walls are now largely redundant. The faubourgs have extended a considerable distance beyond them, so that almost half the city’s population would have to abandon their homes in the event of a siege, further crowding the population within the walls. Unless the faubourgs and their population were completely abandoned to the mercies of the enemy (a not unrealistic option, given the typical Bretonnian attitude to the lower classes) Guisoreux is no longer capable of withstanding a siege. The city gates are closed at eight each night until six the following morning. Once the gates are closed they will only be opened for. members of the watch, Templars, Royal Guard, Garrison troops, and those with written authority from the Viscomte, the Cardinal, or the King. The walls may have ceased to be a viable defensive system, but they still impede passage through the city for those who do not know where the gates are. The walls are generally in a reasonable state of repair, but there are places where the facing has worn away to such a degree that they can be scaled with relative ease. In addition, there are a number of inns and other buildings that straddle the walls, allowing patrons to leave on a different side to the one they entered. The city garrison are supposed to patrol the walls, but this duty is now largely symbolic, and often not undertaken at all. Garrison troops are more likely to be found standing guard at gatehouses than marching up and down battlements. The governor has requested funds from the royal treasury to repair the walls, but this is not considered a priority (certainly nothing to take precedence over a good palace ball) and the request has got lost somewhere in the royal administration. In any

case, everyone knows the primary military threat in Guisoreux is that its uncontrolled rabble will burn the place down, not that it will fall to some foreign invader !

Book V - Guisoreux

18

D"2\2

2Q)22

A WFRP adventure by Mark Saunders

Setting the scene The PCs arrive in Guisoreux to find the whole city buzzing about just one thing: the beast. Guisoreux is being terrorised by a mysterious and gruesome murderer, known only as "La Bête" - the beast. The victims are always women, who are strangled with red silk scarves, and have their hearts cut out. The beast strikes every three days, and has claimed six victims so far. The first five were nobodies: prostitutes and beggarwomen. This meant that the lowlifes were terrified, but the upper classes didn' t really take notice. The sixth victim has changed this trend, however; she is Elise Croisy, a gentle-born medical student from the College de St Joan, killed the night before the PCs arrive in town. The whole city is now in uproar. The common people know that nothing has been done because nobody cares what happens to them, and see the entire incident as showing the injustice of society. Many women are now terrified to leave their homes at night. A rumour is circulating that the beast is some perverted aristocrat who gets his kicks out of strangling women. They point out, with some justification, that no common killer could afford six silk scarves. Agitators exacerbate the fear and resentment felt on the streets, creating a high level of tension throughout the city. PCs may see mobs throwing rotten fruit at nobles’ coaches, or the watch beating up an agitator. The gentry and rich merchant classes are demanding that something be done about the beast, and believe the incident serves to highlight how dangerous the city is becoming, and just how incompetent the watch is. They are now beginning to travel with bodyguards. The university authorities have imposed strict curfews on students (which are largely ignored). The prevailing belief amongst the upper classes is that the beast is one of the revolting masses, or perhaps a gang of them, and that the most effective solution to the problem is to send the city garrison in to remove undesirables from the city. Watch Commander Luc Seigney is at his wits’ end. He has doubled the size of night-time patrols in most districts of the city (much to the disgust of members of the watch, who aren’ t getting much sleep). He is coming under increasing pressure to resolve the situation or it will BRETONNIA–PROJECT

be taken out of his hands. Seigney knows that any use of the garrison troops would probably make the whole situation explosive – surely bringing open warfare to the streets of the city. The unfortunate Commander’ s troubles are compounded by the rumour that the watch is in some way behind the killings – which explains their inability to stop them. Major underworld figures, especially L’Arabe, are concerned that in the current climate the city garrison could be sent in to clear out The Maze and other disreputable areas. While the Chiens Noires welcomes the chance for a brawl with the Garrison troops generally, the idea of units of professional mercenaries systematically destroying large swathes of the faubourgs is not one relished by its inhabitants. Jaq is not quite prepared for a full-scale war with the powers that be. In addition to these concerns, the beast’ s reign of terror is discouraging the well-to-do from venturing out at night. Brothels and gambling dens are suffering, prostitutes are getting killed, and the wealthy are not leaving houses empty at night. In short, it’ s bad for business. Either Luc Seigney or L’Arabe could approach the PCs with an offer of a reward if they can stop the beast. Pick whichever patron the PCs are likely to respond to best. If the PCs are truly noble (or suckers for a good sob story) you could also have them be approached by Henri Croisy, Elise’ s father, mourning his daughter, and demanding justice.

The truth about the beast The beast is actually the product of a Khornate cult in Guisoreux. Cults of Khorne usually do not manage to stay secret for long, erupting in a frenzy of violence sooner or later, and this is what is about to happen eventually to this cult. The cultists call themselves “The Brothers of the Blood”, and are a group of six young men from Guisoreux’s upper and middle classes. Their leader is Stephen Montalier, eldest son of the merchant prince Francis. The six are all students at the University, and unlike their friends who engaged in sex, drug-taking, and wild partying, they took an oath to explore the most extreme experience of all: death. Stephen, a student of Dr Guillotine, had long been fascinated by public executions. He used to read last testimonies of murderers, talk to executioners, and dissect corpses. He came to believe that killing and being killed were profound spiritual experiences, and that powerful supernatural energies were released by it. As a medical student, he sought a biological basis for this, and believed that he would find it in the nature of blood. He was a gifted student, and Dr Guillotine allowed him access to restricted and heretical books in his study of blood. In these books, Stephen found the information he was seeking. There was power in the blood of the freshly killed, and secret Khornate rituals allowed the killer to unleash it. Shortly after, the brotherhood was formed. Their first victims were nameless beggars, caught, brought back to the laboratory, and ritually killed. The brotherhood found that drinking the blood gave them an indescribable rush. But Stephen was not content. The books he had read hinted at more intense experiences still. He needed more information than he could get from Guillotine. He arranged a trip to Book V - Guisoreux

19

Marienburg to study there for six months, and while there somehow unearthed the knowledge he needed. Stephen met with a Khornate cultist, and promised his soul to Khorne in return for a ritual that would give him the intense experience he craved. Stephen returned to Guisoreux 19 days ago. He initiated the other members of the brotherhood into the worship of Khorne, and explained the ritual he had been taught. They would kill a young girl every third day by ritually strangling her, cutting out her heart and bringing it to Stephen to eat, until all of them had killed. The cycle would then begin again, and they would kill every second night. Finally they would kill a girl every night. When Stephen eats the eighteenth heart, he will receive the gift he has been promised. Stephen killed the first girl himself, a whore at the Docks. He found that Khorne granted him strength in the killing, and an intense rush. The others have felt a similar sensation, and the brotherhood call the experience “the blooding”. Elise was killed by Roger de Noirforte, the youngest member of the brotherhood. He is a liberal arts student at Cardinal college, intending to take up law. He had been uncertain of the new direction in which Stephen was taking the group, and went out drinking with friends, including Elise, on the night he was to kill for the brotherhood. They were fooling around, singing and making a nuisance of themselves on the way back, and were chased by the watch. The group became separated, but Roger and Elise stayed together, dodging down the back alleys of La Jongleur. Roger felt the rush of the blooding coming on him and its effect, combined with the alcohol, was enough to seriously excite him. He raped Elise, but finding that the Blood God’ s influence was too strong, he took out his ritual scarf and strangled her, before cutting out her heart, wrapping it in her cloak and running back to the laboratory. None of the rest of the brotherhood are aware that the killing was so irregular, though they are shocked and impressed at Roger for taking things a stage further and increasing the intensity of the killing by picking someone he knew. Roger himself has been overcome by guilt. The cycle of killings has been completed once, and it is Stephen’ s turn to kill again now, two days after the last killing. The ritual murders are beginning to have a physical effect on him now as he begins to show signs of his corruption. Although he does not know it, the ritual will in time transform him into a Bloodletter. Stephen has already become uncannily strong and fast, his eyes have a red glint, and his skin is beginning to take on a strange texture. As a result, he is not leaving his rooms except at night to go down to the laboratory for the ritual.

was declared a heretic, excommunicated, and handed over to the secular authorities for trial as a traitor. However, before he could be executed, he was freed by the peasants who heard him speak at his trial. Brother Hugh is now an outlaw and a wanted man. His views have hardened in the light of his experiences, he calls for the establishment of true justice by overthrowing the nobility. He calls on the poor to unite and claim their destiny as the “sword of Verena”, sweeping away corruption and injustice. The moment has come for “the turning of the wheel”, when the oppressors will be trampled under the people’ s feet. Hugh is hidden somewhere in the Faubourgs, where he finds a ready audience for his views. News of his presence has, however, spread throughout the city. Some in the upper classes believe that Hugh is behind the murders; he arrived in the city at about the time they began, and he has made no secret of his approval of violent action to hasten the moment of the turning of the wheel.

Days 1&2: The game’s afoot… It is assumed that the PCs are contacted and begin investigations on day 1, the day after Elise was murdered.

The plot thickens…

The bodies

The last few weeks have also seen another new arrival in the city : Brother Hugh de Couronne. Brother Hugh is a gifted demagogue, a heretic and ex-priest of Verena. Appalled at the injustices done by the nobility, he called for observation of the spirit rather than the letter of the law, and questioned the doctrine of “absolute favour” that the Bretonnian cult holds to (this is the belief that a properly crowned King enjoys Verena’ s absolute favour as the supreme guarantor of justice in the Kingdom). He

The PCs will have no real leads initially. Obvious things to investigate are the bodies and the scenes of the crimes. The only body that remains unburied is Elise’s, and her family has possession of it. Examining it will require good roleplay – above all, a concern to respect her dignity throughout. Assuming the PC’s can examine the body, they will find that she has been strangled and had her heart cut out. A successful Int roll by a character with some medical

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book V - Guisoreux

20

knowledge (Heal Wounds skill) will confirm that she was strangled to death first, then had her heart cut out. The murderer was no surgeon, and the cuts are messy. The body has been washed, so little else can be discovered. Talking to either the watch or her parents also elicits the information that she was raped before being killed, and that her cloak (black with a butterfly broach fastening) was missing. The watch can take PCs to the scene of the crime, but little can be found there beyond bloodstains. The previous victims were nobodies, and little can be gained from attempting to trace them if the PCs try (though feel free to throw in details of the squalor and poverty in which these women lived if they do try to trace them). The watch can tell them, however, that none of the previous victims (the majority of whom were prostitutes) appear to have been raped. The scenes of the previous crimes varied and followed no discernible pattern (though feel free to show PCs five points at random in Berbare, Sudpont, Le quartier Viaud, and La Jongleur. A particularly vigorous interrogation of watch officers also reveals that some of the bodies showed signs of more expert heart-removal than others. The first in particular appeared to be done by a skilled surgeon. The watch attach no importance to either of these two facts. The scarves are very fine quality, and, if the PCs take the time to track them down, they can determine that they were probably sold by the exclusive tailors Besance & Roue, whose premises are in the Northpont district. The shop’s clientele is made up of the wealthiest nobles and merchant princes in Bretonnia. Louis Besance can confirm that they sell the blood-red scarves, and can reveal the prohibitive price at which they are sold, but cannot narrow down the list of potential customers much. He refuses to divulge who his customers are on principle (though he has exact records of who has bought what), but will tell his questioners that they have been bought by around twenty of the wealthiest families in the kingdom. (In fact, Louis can be more exact if he is leaned on heavily, but this will require authority from someone more exalted than a mere group of adventurers: there are only three households in Guisoreux who have bought the scarves, and only one who has bought more than five. House Montalier had bought three of the scarves about a year ago. A few weeks back (the day after Stephen returned from Marienburg) a servant put in an order for twenty.)

Elise The best leads the PCs have at present point them to the university and the Guild of Physicians, Surgeons, and Apothecaries. All they will have to go on is that Elise’s killing (although clearly following the same pattern) was different to the others, and that the killer (or killers, if they believe there may be more than one) might be a surgeon. Elise was a medical student at the College de St Joan. From talking to friends, PCs will be able to establish that she was a mediocre student, but popular, and like most students liked to party hard in the city at night. She had no known partner, but several close friends (one of whom is Roger de Noirforte – but don’t mention his name except in a list with others). On the night of her murder she was BRETONNIA–PROJECT

drinking out in La Jongleur with a group of six or seven others. On their way back to the university, rather the worse for wear, someone started throwing stones at windows on the way. By the time they crossed the path of a watch patrol they were having a shouting match with half the street. The watch pursued them, and they split up. Luc d’Orblienne was caught by the patrol, fined for disturbing the peace, and let go. The others got back without being caught. None of them saw anyone else until the next morning, when they heard that Elise was dead. Don’t make much of Roger at this point – if questioned he says the same as everyone else, but seems very distressed. If the PCs get suspicious, have another student imply that Roger may have had a crush on Elise. Following up on surgeons is difficult. If presented with appropriate authority, the Guild can provide the PCs with the names and addresses of all registered surgeons in the city (note however that none of the killers are on the list, as none of them have graduated). The university is less helpful. Each college has a separate Medical faculty, and students, all of whom are learning surgery as part of their studies. Direct inquisitive PCs towards Dr Guillotine, at Cardinal college. The doctor will show them the laboratories with pride (complete with dissection tables, pickled organs, and a smell like a slaughterhouse). He will even invite them to attend a dissection if they seem interested. He gets bodies of executed criminals from the governor, a deal negotiated thanks to the success of his new invention. Once the bodies are no longer needed, they are given over to the cult of Morr to be buried. At any one time there will be at least three or four bodies in various states of dismemberment within the laboratory. Should the PCs investigate, record keeping of bodies is not exact. The number of bodies handed over to Guillotine is not recorded, only the number of bodies handed over to the cult afterwards. Guillotine himself does none of the record keeping, leaving it to senior students, and is not particularly interested in where the bodies come from. In other words, once a body appears in the laboratory it is quite easy for it to disappear, handed over to the cult as a body used for scientific research. Dr Guillotine will proudly discuss his invention at length if asked. PCs should be disturbed, but not suspicious, about the laboratory and Dr Guillotine. The Doctor is fascinated by the human body, loves dissecting, and has a real enthusiasm for medicine and for efficiency in all things. However, he should come across as almost completely amoral. He has no thought of the human consequences of any of his actions; he sees advancing the study of medicine as an end in itself. There will be no leads pointing to Stephen as yet. If the PCs want to exhaustively work through a list of surgeons they are free to do so, but it will not help them much.

Hugh At this stage the PCs will have very little to go on. They are on the right track, though they do not know it, so it is time to confuse things a little. Feed the PCs rumours about Brother Hugh, including the detail that he arrived at about the same time as the murders began, and that he has been preaching about the murders and using them as a Book V - Guisoreux

21

cause for revolution. If they need a further incentive, suggest that he has been sheltered in the past by Jaq “the knife” (even if the players think the allusion to Jack the Ripper is a little forced they should be intrigued enough to investigate). Finding Hugh will not be easy, after all he is a wanted outlaw and the PCs are the sort of people who might be out for a reward. The best point of contact is through the Chiens Noires, who know where he is being hidden and can be persuaded to make an introduction. They are unwilling to do so if they think the PCs may be trying to betray Hugh to the authorities. The best approach is initially to offer money to establish that the Chiens Noires know where Hugh is, and then to convince them that Hugh is a possible suspect in the beast murders. As outlined above, the Chiens Noires have as much desire to see the whole affair wound up quickly as anyone else. Assuming the PCs do get to meet Hugh, they will first be invited to attend one of his meetings. Hugh directs people in a house in the shantytowns of Mendigot. This is a great chance for the players to hear an expose of the realities of life in Bretonnia, so make the best use of it. Hugh is a gifted speaker, and his description of the inequalities of society is illustrated by true stories of peasants flayed alive for stealing crusts of bread for starving families, judges bribed by nobles to overlook the indiscretions of their officials, and the collusion of the religious leaders with the corruption and injustice. Hugh also makes reference to the Beast murders in his speech – for him they are illustrative of the general corruption of society, where the poor die unlamented in their droves but if just one of the privileged elite dies the response is to lash out indiscriminately. One girl dies, and nothing; two, three die, and nothing. No-one cares. Why? Because they are poor, and because our rulers despise us. So four die and five die and still noone stirs, no-one says here is murder, here is foulness, here is something to be avenged. Why? Because secretly they would all like to be out cutting the hearts out of the poor every night. Why not? They take the food from our hands, the clothes from our backs, the roofs from our heads. They deny us justice, they work us into the ground so that they can dine in luxury. They have already taken our freedom, our life, our hope, why not rip out our hearts too? But touch one of them, kill one of their little whores, and suddenly they want to burn down the whole Faubourgs! Is this justice? Is this the land of the Most Just King? They call me a heretic, but I say you who take injustice and call it justice, you are the heretics! Following the meeting, the PCs may get a chance to talk to Hugh. He knows nothing of the murders apart from what is circulating amongst the population, but he agrees they are terrible crimes, and thinks the chances for real justice for the murdered women are non-existent. “Do you know their names? Has anyone even bothered to find that out? No, all that matters is that the sixth girl had wealthy parents.” It should be obvious after talking to Hugh that he is sincere. He may well be fanatical enough to kill for his cause, but he would not murder those he considers innocent in order to kick-start a revolution.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Days 3&4: The pace quickens The PCs should be feeling by now that they have chased a few leads but are getting nowhere fast. However, events are about to overtake them. Pick up the pace over the next two days, throwing one clue at them after another, only giving them time to start investigating before the next piece of the puzzle is revealed. The PCs should start to gain an idea of what is going on, and hopefully also start to feel that they are racing against time to stop further killings. On the night of day 2 another murder occurred, and this one was far from being a nobody. Stephen, accepting the “challenge” set by Roger, of killing a personal acquaintance, has murdered Helene Quissac.

Murder most foul Once more a murder has occurred that appears to break the pattern, yet is apparently following the same modus operandi as the others. Helene Quissac was walking through Nordpont with two bodyguards. Stephen had been following from a distance, but caught up, and began to hurl insults at her. Helene ordered one of the bodyguards to see him off. Stephen ran him through with his rapier, then leapt at the second bodyguard, ripping his throat out with his teeth. He then ran after the now terrified Helene, pulling her into an alley where he strangled her with a scarlet scarf, then tore her heart out with his claw and ate it there and then. Seized by a frenzy of bloodlust, he began to tear her body apart before he heard someone discover the corpses of the bodyguards, and fled. Assuming the PCs are working closely with either the watch or the Halegrin they will be alerted to the murder early enough to view the body before it is handed over to the family (either at the scene of the crime or at watch headquarters). Any PCs viewing the corpse should make a Cl test or vomit violently. Helene appears to have been strangled (presumably by a human) but then savaged by some sort of beast. Teeth and claw marks are obvious on her body, and her chest has been completely ripped open, her rib cage pulled apart, and her heart torn out. One of the bodyguards was killed by a skilled duellist (by a single thrust of a rapier – there are no other wounds) the other seems to have been thrown to the ground by something with strong enough to break ribs, and then to have had his throat ripped out. The PCs will by now be wondering what on earth they are up against – a man with a savage dog? A werewolf? And perhaps they will be suspicious that this is a copycat killing (after all, it breaks the sequence of a killing every third night). Should any of them make enquiries about the Quissac family, anyone can tell them that they are the second most powerful merchant family in Guisoreux, once the most powerful, but ousted by their ancient rivals the Montalier family.

Book V - Guisoreux

22

The guilty conscience

Investigations

Just as the PCs are puzzling over the latest murder, news will reach them of a suicide. A student in Cardinal college, Roger de Noirforte, has hung himself in his rooms. He was found this morning, and has left a suicide note that apparently links him to the murder of Elise Croisy. This should be enough to take them back to the University, even if they had made no previous connection with Roger. Roger was a popular figure in Cardinal college, known by everyone. A third son of a family of minor nobility, he was studying Liberal Arts in preparation for a career in law that would please his father. He was close to Elise Croisy, and one of the friends who went out drinking with her the night she was murdered. He was the only one of the group who was a member of Cardinal college. Some of his friends knew he was very attracted to Elise, but noone suspected he might have wished to kill her. Some of Roger’s fellow students know that Roger was a member of a secret society called “The Brothers of the Blood”. The society is very exclusive, with membership by invitation only, and its makeup is secret, though all members are assumed to be students in Cardinal college, and it is rumoured to have been founded by students in the faculty of medicine. Such secret societies are relatively common in the university. All have gruesome names (“The Alley-Stalkers” is another society) and exist to provide a forum for members to indulge in whatever disreputable desires they have. They are all officially discouraged by the university authorities, but never actually banned because it is believed that they provide a relatively safe environment for the sons of the rich and powerful to engage in a bit of whoring and drug-taking. Roger’s suicide note reads as follows: , NQRZ ZKDW ,·P GRLQJ , FDQ·W OLYH DQ\ PRUH ZLWK WKH JXLOW , WKLQN , ORYHG (OLVH , WKLQN , ZDQWHG KHU IRU VRPHWKLQJ PRUH WKDQ D IXFN DQG WKH UXVK RI WKH EORRGLQJ , QHYHU PHDQW WR NLOO KHU , QHYHU PHDQW WR JLYH LQ WR WKH YRLFH LQ P\ YHLQV , QHYHU WKRXJKW WKH EORRGLQJ ZRXOG EH VR SRZHUIXO :KHQ , IHOW WKH EOHVVLQJ , FRXOGQ·W VWRS , FDQ·W VWDQG ZKDW ,·P EHFRPLQJ 1RWKLQJ , FDQGRZLOOEULQJKHUEDFN,ZLVKLWKDGQ·W EHHQKHU 7HOOP\IDWKHU,·GKDYHPDGHDFUDSODZ\HU DQ\ZD\ 5RJHU By now, the PCs should be feeling that they are getting somewhere. They will realise that they are up against a group of killers, probably centred around the medical faculty of Cardinal college. They may investigate Dr Guillotine at this point if they haven’t before. If they have, they may return with some sharper questions. Over the next day or so, they will hopefully begin to identify Stephen Montalier as a key suspect.

Getting a list of Cardinal college medical students is fairly straightforward, but will not help the PCs unless they know what they’re looking for. None of the students will admit to being a member of a secret society or to knowing who might be a member. None of the cultists is stupid enough to give themselves away in an interview. The only thing that chasing down all the medical students will achieve is to show that one of them, Stephen Montalier, hasn’t been seen for about a week and no-one knows where he is. Asking Dr Guillotine about his students will reveal that he knows absolutely nothing about their personal lives, but is very enthusiastic about their research interests. The two senior students are Stephen Montalier, who is engaged in a study into the properties of blood, and Jean Vaselles, who is researching one of the Doctor’s favourite fields: amputation and death. Vaselles is conducting research on animals to determine how long a body can be kept alive when various limbs or organs are removed. The eventual purpose is to attempt to reattach these limbs or organs (perhaps with new ones) but Dr Guillotine finds this the least interesting area of the research. He hopes that the governor may release convicted criminals to him for tests on live humans. Should the PCs interview Jean they will find that he has been highly influenced by Guillotine. Research initially aimed at restoring lost limbs or organs has been diverted from this practical application into a pure research project with only a tenuous connection to any practical use. Montalier has been researching the properties of blood, and in particular the theory that blood contains the mystic energy of life. He has recently returned from spending time with a colleague of Dr Guillotine’s in Marienburg and seems to be on the verge of some sort of breakthrough in his research – perhaps he has discovered a way of releasing the mystic energy in blood. Dr Guillotine hasn’t seen Stephen since a brief meeting following his return from Marienburg. PCs will be able to determine that Stephen’s return from Marienburg coincides exactly with the beginning of the murders. Dr Guillotine will, if pressed, admit that he let Stephen have access to a text from the restricted section of the college library: the Liber Sanguinis printed in Nuln, of uncertain authorship. The book deals with the properties of blood, but also covers elements of Khornate theology and ritual. Guillotine understands that such a text should not be available to just anyone, but doesn’t see why a gifted student should not have access to all information in his field. Besides, he doesn’t see that the “blasphemous mumbo-jumbo” in the book can really do anyone any harm, and it may possibly contain some valid scientific insight in amongst the superstitious nonsense. If the PCs are contemplating doing anything rash, it should be stressed that Guillotine is a protege of the Viscomte, and in the absence of hard evidence of Guillotine’s direct involvement in Chaos, opposing him is likely to have unfavourable consequences. Should the PCs have realised that the lab is a perfect place for hiding bodies or body parts they may wish to search it and enquire about access to it. As might be expected, the lab has plenty of bloodstains and body parts,

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book V - Guisoreux

23

but the most interesting find is a bloodstained lady’s cloak (black, with a butterfly broach fastening) in a corner. The cloak is soaked in blood, as if it had been wrapped around a piece of meat. Dr Guillotine and his two senior students have keys to the lab, and may sign release papers for bodies. Before his trip to Marienburg, Stephen Montalier was doing this regularly. Painstaking comparison of paperwork between the lab and cult of Morr records and those of the city executioner will reveal that Stephen was signing release forms for more bodies than the lab had actually received (most PC groups will not have time for such an investigation however, unless they can spare an academic to spend an afternoon arguing a case for seeing the papers and then comparing the two). Direct questioning of Louis Besance about the Montalier family (particularly combined with hints that he is protecting someone about to be exposed as a cultist and a mass murderer, when he could be heroically aiding in his arrest) will lead to his revealing the information given above if the PCs have not already found this out. Finally, anyone can tell the PCs that the greatest enemies of House Quissac are House Montalier. Should they make enquiries, it can be confirmed that Stephen Montalier is a skilled fencer as well as a gifted medical student.

The witness There was a witness to the killing of Helene Quissac. If the PCs have somehow missed out on all of the above clues, this final encounter will hopefully give them the evidence they need to link Stephen Montalier to the killings. Petit Matt is a 5’ stevedore, the shortest stevedore at work on the docks, but built like a brick wall. On the night of day 2 he was “doing a job” for Jaq the Knife on the North Bank. He was to rough up a tradesman to encourage him to pay protection money. He saw Helene Quissac with her bodyguards being insulted by a well-dressed young man armed with a rapier. As he watched, Helene ordered one bodyguard to attack. The bodyguard was run through by the young man, who then licked the bodyguard’s blood from his fingers. The man suddenly changed, his skin seemed to become a dark red colour, his head grew elongated, and his jaws became very large. His left hand transformed into a claw. Matt will admit that he was scared stiff, and stayed rooted to the spot (i.e., failed his Cool test). The man then jumped onto the first guard and ripped his throat out, before chasing after the woman and dragging her off into an alley. Matt ran, staying in the nearest bar babbling incoherently about demons in the streets until he had drunk enough to get his courage back. Then he went on to BRETONNIA–PROJECT

the tradesman’s house, only to find that the man had hired a couple of mercenaries as bodyguards, who beat him up and handed him over to the watch. Matt started telling his story as soon as he sobered up, but no-one believed him until he said he was sure the woman he’d seen was Helene Quissac. Matt will give a description of Stephen (average height, well built, very well dressed, fair hair) but only if offered freedom and protection will he admit he recognised the man as Stephen Montalier.

The dream This encounter is really only necessary if the PCs haven’t identified the lab as the site where hearts are brought back to. The PCs are approached by one of the acolytes of Morr. Cicere Marsallas, the high priest, has had a dream that worries him greatly, and wishes to share it with the PCs. On the night of the murder of Helene Quissac Cicere was visited by the Lord of Dreams. He showed him the city, with a great skull suspended over it. As he watched, he realised that the skull was actually a cup shaped to look like a skull, and that it was slowly filling with blood. He saw faces rising to the surface of the blood: the faces of the women who have been killed (he recognised them because the Cult of Morr buried them). The cup was now almost full to the brim, and more faces appeared which he didn’t recognise, but by then the cup was overflowing, pouring blood onto the streets below. Wherever it touched a building it burst into flame. As Cicere is mute, he has had to communicate this to an acolyte by sign-language, and the acolyte will tell the PCs the dream in Cicere’s presence. Cicere is deeply worried that some dark force is behind the killings. If he thinks he can trust the PCs he will give them the pendant of St Bartholomew, a plain stone ring, rough-hewn. When a death is occurring that will take a spirit away from Morr’s realm the pendant begins to warm up. It gets warmer the nearer the bearer gets to the killer, and if it actually touches them, they will be burnt by it. The effect lasts for 6 hours following the killing. The pendant must be returned to the Temple within 10 days (if it isn’t, Morr’s blessing will be removed from it).

Day 5 – the final killing By the evening of Day 4, the PCs should know that a murder is probably due that night, that Stephen Montalier is one of the killers involved in what is probably a Khornate cult, and either know that the heart will be taken to the lab after the killing or have a pendant that will lead them to a killer. Discourage attempts to hassle House Montalier (bear in mind that the merchant house is one of the more powerful groups in the city, and even the Governor would think twice before attempting to pressure them). Stephen is hiding somewhere in one of House Montalier’s properties, but the PCs won’t be able to find him without tracking him. The PCs should hopefully realise that their best hope of finding the killers is to either stake out the lab (they can use Dr Guillotine’s key to gain access), or to wander the streets with the pendant waiting for the next killing to occur. In this case they will find Walter too late to prevent Book V - Guisoreux

24

the killing, and will chase him back to the lab (if they’ re getting really stuck you can allow them to follow the drops of blood from the heart). Either way, they should be present in the lab for a final showdown with the cultists. Here’ s an approximate timetable for the evening: 10.00 pm Jean Vaselles locks up the lab. 11.00 Walter escorts his sister Clemence back home from the theatre. Stephen and the three other cultists open up the lab and begin preparations. 11.15 Walter kills Clemence and cuts out her heart 11.20 Walter begins heading back towards the lab with Clemence’ s heart. 11.35 Walter arrives in the lab. He unwraps the heart, and presents it to Stephen. Stephen transforms and eats it, while the other cultists chant. 12.00 The ritual is over, the cultists tidy the lab, and Stephen locks up. The best plan for the PCs is to find somewhere to hide in the lab and attack the cultists when they are involved in the ritual and unprepared. (Hiding in a cupboard or something will probably work, but hiding under a bench will not, as the cultist’ s preparations mainly involve clearing a large space in the centre of the room and marking out the symbol of Khorne in blood on the floor). Alternatively, they may try to kill off the cultists in the lab and wait for Walter (this is the only way they are likely to get a live cultist to confess to the authorities). As soon as the cultists are attacked, Stephen will transform into his Bloodletter form and the PCs will have to make a fear test (this will happen after the first surprise round of combat). While Stephen is alive, none of the other cultists will surrender or flee, and they will do all they can to protect him. Should the PCs somehow fail to get to the lab, the killings will continue every other night for the next three killings, then every night for the last five. The killings will become progressively more shocking (and there will continue to be personal connections between the cultists and their victims). It is likely that before the end it will become obvious who the cultists are, forcing them to go into hiding somewhere in the bowels of Guisoreux, emerging only to kill. Eventually, Stephen will complete his transformation into a Bloodletter, and the cultists will emerge to wreak havok on the streets. They will all be killed, but only after inflicting slaughter on a grand scale. If the PCs choose to take out the cultists piecemeal – staking out the lab and eliminating one after every killing, this will accelerate the process (and you should make the PCs pay for taking the cowardly option by reducing EPs and giving them all guilty consciences).

them for mentioning their involvement. In fact, if Luc Seigney is their patron, he will warn them off saying anything about it in a friendly fashion. The fact is that Dr Guillotine has a powerful patron, and House Montalier are far too influential for this incident to really hurt them. So once the initial fuss has died down, anyone mentioning the incident is either spreading malicious gossip and slanders about a faithful servant of the crown (Guillotine), which may result in a not-so-friendly visit from the Watch; either that or they will be seen as acting against the interests of François Montalier, one of the most powerful individuals in the city. Montalier is likely to be more subtle in any action he takes, but probably more deadly. As well as having several agents in his household who could deal with problematic PCs, he bankrolls several important (but bankrupt) nobles, any of who could easily be persuaded to do something about the PCs (“I’ve just seen a wanted poster saying that I’ve been declared an outlaw in the domains of the Comte de Lanais – that’s ridiculous, I’ve never even been there” “Do you think the bounty hunters will stop to ask first?”).

Aftermath The aftermath to the adventure is a vital part of the PCs’ learning experience about Bretonnian society. The key issue is that the whole affair is a hot scandal for about two weeks – the University and House Montalier are seen to be tainted with Chaos, etc. However, absolutely nothing is done about it, and after two weeks, no-one even wants to talk about it. The PCs might have received a reward for their work if they were to approach the Watch or The Halegrin, but after two weeks no-one will thank BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book V - Guisoreux

25

NPCs Stephen Montalier Cultist (ex Physician’s student, ex Duellist) M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 53 45 5 5 11 60 3* 54 62 53 64 52 40 * When Stephen transforms he has an extra bite attack, and his left hand becomes a claw. He also causes fear in all non-cultists. ALIGNMENT: Chaotic (Khorne) APPEARANCE: Tall, blonde, handsome; always dressed in the height of fashion. Very proud of his (extremely expensive) rapier, which he wears everywhere. Since his descent into the worship of chaos began, Stephen has begun to change. His skin has become noticeably redder, and his hair is beginning to fall out. His teeth are becoming more prominent, and his eyes have a red glow. He has begun to feel intangibly menacing. SKILLS: Charm; Ride; Read/Write; Etiquette; Heraldry; Consume Alcohol; Dodge Blow; Secret Language: Classical; Specialist Weapon: Fencing sword, Garotte; Strike Mighty Blow; Strike to Injure; Strike to Stun; Silent Move: Urban; Concealment: Urban; Heal Wounds; Surgery, Theology. Other skills as GM deems appropriate. POSSESSIONS: Excellent quality clothes, Very Fine Rapier (worth around 200 GCs. The hilt is in silver, with intricate scrollwork, and the balance is perfect, giving the user an extra +5 I in combat).

Walter de Moreil Cultist (ex Physician’s student, ex Duellist) M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 65 67 5 7 11 62 2 51 56 42 56 54 47 ALIGNMENT: Chaotic (Khorne) APPEARANCE: Whipcord-lean, tall and with jet black hair. Walter is quite vain, and also considers himself one of the greatest swordsmen in Bretonnia. He is very aggressive, always picking fights, an archetypal duellist. SKILLS: Charm; Ride; Read/Write; Etiquette; Consume Alcohol; Secret Language: Classical; Specialist Weapon: Fencing sword, Duelling pistol, Fist, Parrying Weapons; Strike Mighty Blow; Strike to Injure; Strike to Stun; Dodge Blow; Silent Move: Urban; Cure Disease; Heal Wounds; Surgery. POSSESSIONS: Excellent quality clothes, Rapier, Left hand dagger, pair of duelling pistols, powder & 10 shots.

Dr Guillotine University lecturer (Scholar, ex Physician) M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

3 32 30 3 3 8 46 1 59 52 71 68 64 43 ALIGNMENT: Neutral (nominally Verena, but in fact he has very little interest in religion) APPEARANCE: In his sixties, short and round, a very energetic man, with a shock of uncombed white hair protruding out around the sides of his head, balding, with tiny wire-rimmed glasses. Always wears his academic BRETONNIA–PROJECT

robes. Dr Guillotine is an enthusiastic and compelling lecturer, and increasingly called to attend court functions, demonstrating new inventions (his offer to give an anatomy lesson at court has yet to be taken up, however). SKILLS: Read/Write, Scroll Lore, Secret Language: Classical, Cure Disease, Heal Wounds, Manufacture Drugs, Prepare Poison, Surgery, History, Identify Plant, Linguistics, Magical Sense, Rune Lore, Engineering (selftaught, and focusing on medical mechanisms). Possessions: Academic robes, small library of medical textbooks, surgeon’s tools.

Hugh of Couronne Heretic and Rabble rouser (Demagogue, ex Priest of Verena (lvl 2)) M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 42 45 4 4 9 58 2 43 68 47 45 58 79 ALIGNMENT: Neutral (Verena) APPEARANCE: A surprisingly normal and undistinguished-looking man, in his thirties, with mousy hair, dressed in muddy and torn priest’s robes, with a sword hanging from his rope belt. It is hard not to like him, as he has an easy-going and unassuming manner. Hugh is transformed whenever he speaks, however, becoming compelling and emotive. His oratory is inspired and powerful; and he can make an impact on all levels of society. Hugh is equally relaxed and at home pleading his case in legal terminology before a judge as he is telling stories of injustice to beggars. SKILLS: Read/Write, Secret Language: Classical, Scroll Lore, Theology, Arcane Language: Magick, Cast Spells: Clerical 1 & 2, Meditate, Public Speaking, Identify Undead, Magic Sense, Blather, Charm, Story Telling, History, Law, Silent Move Urban, Concealment Urban. Spells: Gift of Tongues, Magic Alarm, Open, Zone of Silence, Cure Light Injury, Steal Mind, Strength of Combat, Aura of Protection, Zone of Steadfastness. MP: 20 POSSESSIONS: White Robes (now v. muddy & torn), sword medallion, book of holy texts, sword.

3 Cultists (Cannon Fodder) M WS BS S T W

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

4 43 42 4 4 9 41 2 40 30 40 40 30 40 ALIGNMENT: Chaotic (Khorne) APPEARANCE: All are men, in their late teens or early twenties, and all are well-dressed. SIGNIFICANT SKILLS: Ride; Read/Write; Specialist Weapon: Fencing Sword, Garotte; Silent Move: Urban; Strike to Stun; Consume Alcohol. POSSESSIONS: Rapier or sword. 2

22

Book V - Guisoreux

26

D"2Q)2 Q(2 2 2 2 2 ,-!22,%*-2

2"2

-!"2-2-%!"-2.-22 

2\--2-2"2H%2A%02 2 2I-2,2M--2Z",22

D"2\2$%%2!-42

0XUGHURIEDQNHU·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·V VWUHHWV" 7KH *D]HWWH GHFODUHV WKDW HQRXJK LV HQRXJK(OLVH&URLV\·VGHDWKPXVWEHWKHODVW,WLVWLPHWKDW RUGHUZDVUHVWRUHGWRWKLVFLW\:HXUJHRXUUHDGHUVWRFDOO RQ *RYHUQRU %URVVDUG WR VHQG WKH *DUULVRQ WURRSV LQ WR H[WHUPLQDWHWKHORZOLIHVDQGPXUGHULQJVFXPZKRWHUURULVH RXUFLW\:HDOONQRZZKHUHWKHVHSHRSOHOLYHDQGZHKDYH WXUQHG D EOLQG H\H IRU WRR ORQJ /HW·V VHH VRPH UHDO %UHWRQQLDQMXVWLFHLQWKLVFLW\ D"2R-,%2Q%2 

2Q)22

2I-2

IRUPHUO\WKHJXLOGRI7RZQ&ULHUV  7KH QREOH DQG KRQRXUDEOH JXLOG RI SULQWHUV RI *XLVRUHX[KDYHEHHQHVWDEOLVKHGLQ*XLVRUHX[IRURYHURQH FHQWXU\ $V ZHOO DV SULQWLQJ WKLV ILQH SXEOLFDWLRQ WKH BRETONNIA–PROJECT

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´7KH QDWLYHV HDW :RUPV KHUHµ ZDV WXUQHG LQWR D VPDOO ERRN ZLWK LOOXVWUDWLRQV ZKLFK VROG VHYHUDO KXQGUHG FRSLHV $Q HQWHUSULVH IURP ZKLFK KH QHWWHG D WLG\ SURILW DV SULQWLQJ VHUYLFHV ZHUH SURYLGHG IUHH RI FKDUJH E\ WKH H[FHOOHQW 0DVWHU *HUDUG &KDXYHWWH LQ UHFRJQLWLRQ RI KLV VSHFLDO UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK WKH *XLOG 7KH SULQWHUV *XLOG DOVR PDLQWDLQV FRQVWDQW UHODWLRQVKLSV ZLWK PDQ\ RWKHU DFWLYH JXLOGV LQ *XLVRUHX[ LQFOXGLQJ WKH (VWHHPHG *XLOG RI 3DSHUPDNHUV DQG 6XSSOLHUV DQGWKH$QFLHQW6PLWK·V*XLOG 7KH JXLOG RI SULQWHUV RI *XLVRUHX[ DOVR KDV OLQNV ZLWK PHUFKDQWV DQG JXLOGV RI RWKHU %UHWRQQLDQ FLWLHV ZLWK SHUPDQHQW UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV LQ 1DYDUUH /·$QJXLOOH &RXURQQH %RUGHOHDX[ 4XHQHOOHV DQG XQWLO D UHFHQW XQIRUWXQDWHDFFLGHQW3DYDUURQ )RU DOO HQTXLULHV SOHDVH FRQWDFW 0DVWHU *HUDUG &KDXYHWWHDWWKH6LJQRIWKH%RRNUXHGHOD7HWHG·2U7KH *XLOGRISULQWHUVRI*XLVRUHX[²QRIRQWLVWRRELJ 

 *XLVRUHX[*D]HWWH3XEOLF1RWLFHV  6LWXDWLRQ 9DFDQW ² $ EULJKW DQG LQTXLVLWLYH SHUVRQ LV UHTXLUHG WR JDWKHU LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW UHFHQW HYHQWV LQ DQG DURXQG WKH FLW\ ([SHULHQFH LQ GHDOLQJ ZLWK QRELOLW\ DQG FRPPRQHUVDOLNHLVHVVHQWLDO6RPHDVVLJQPHQWVPD\UHTXLUH RZQWUDQVSRUWDQGPHDQVRISURWHFWLRQDJDLQVWLQMXU\  &RPLQJ 6RRQ  D UHSRUW E\ 5DEL 'ROQ RQ KRZ &KDRV ZRUVKLSLVVWURQJHUWKDQHYHULQWKH,PSHULDOSURYLQFHV Book V - Guisoreux

27

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

]

C.2 %2+%%

9HUV %RUGHOHDX[

Trappes-la-vieille

I

9DXGRLV

%HUEDUH

6XGSRQW

0HQGLJRW

/H'pGDOH

I%* 2\-

/HTXDUWLHU 9LDXG

/D-RQJOHXU

Z"% NS2N"%%

P,!

St-Maclin

G%2 Q)

'HX[SRUWHV

/RXILDW

1RUGSRQW

I%C%

Q- Z"%

8QLYHUVLWp GH*XLVRQQH

%ODQFKHPDLOOH

'HODPRHQ

9HUV 2LVLOORQ

P,!

Porte de l’est

P 2S*

H

9HUV 3DUUDYRQ

Gibet de Montfaucon

9HUV 0DULHQERXUJ HW&RXURQQH

Q)%,%%

%RRN9, 2 2



0LVFHOODQHRXV 

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

M2Q2]!"22\-!2-2M**-2 

2"2B-*-2-2"2C2"2

2Q2\-2,2"2\---2 \-2I-%%2

Author : Erik GREEN

It was with some trepidation that I first made contact with a gypsy fellow at the bar of the common room in a coaching house relais. We were in the deep south of our good country at the point where a minor trading road crossed the border between Lyonnais and Navarre. His swarthy appearance and brightly coloured but threadbare clothes marked him out as the worst kind of rogue and when he spoke his bizarre foreign accent confirmed it. This small, dark, bearded man spoke grudgingly and guardedly from around the old pipe that seemed permanently clamped between his teeth and I had to lean close in to make out his peculiar utterances. I was accustomed to spending the night in such establishments as my duties often required me to travel the length and breadth of fair Bretonnia but this was the first time I had ever seen one of his type in such surroundings and I made so bold as to enquire of him his business. The old gypsy fellow, for I judged him to be over sixty, was suspicious and reluctant to explain himself but I eventually made it clear that I was a harmless and curious academic and that I was happy to buy his wine for as long as he would talk. I don’t know what I expected from my conversation with the man who turned out to be with a small family band of gypsy folk but I was certainly disappointed. The man showed no enthusiasm for anything other than talk of his horses of which he was inordinately proud and there were indeed several subjects which he either totally refused to talk about, such as his womenfolk, or else professed an almost total ignorance, such as his racial history. He was quick to take offence at any imagined slight and I had to be very sensitive to avoid him claming up completely, a skill that I have developed in my years of dealing with the Faculté Treasury Department. I eventually surmised that this particular band of which my sorry fellow was the leader were camped outside of the village by the coaching house and my man had come into the common room to negotiate a horse trade with the patron. This business being concluded he was more than happy to while away the rest of the evening drinking my wine – and he mentioned once in a telling remark that he was more at ease here in a room full BRETONNIA–PROJECT

of travellers than he would surely be in the village inn that was frequented by the local menfolk. Having consumed more wine than is my habit, and with no small concern over explaining the bill to the purser, I made to take my leave and retire upstairs. I believed that Tomas, as he had belatedly introduced himself, would consider the night’s meagre entertainment to be over but to my surprise he insisted that I accompany him back to his wagon to sample a brandy. I must admit that the initial curiosity which had driven me to seek out this fellow’s company had been replaced by a sad reluctance to know more about his travelling existence and a night time trip out to his flea ridden hovel on wheels seemed much less appealing than my warm bed just upstairs. Nevertheless he was surprisingly insistent and piqued my interest with a reference to how all gypsy folk regarded generosity as the most important characteristic a man or woman could possess. I followed the short fellow out of the coaching yard and along a dark lane thinking how strange it was that his brightly coloured clothes that seemed so garish in the candlelight earlier now seemed no brighter than the hedges we were walking past. We followed a stream through a small wood and came to a clearing that I assumed provided the villagers and now the gypsy camp with firewood. By the light of the moon I could see arranged in a neat circle a dozen or so of those small rickety looking wagons and in a corral nearby maybe twice as many horses. In the centre of the circle a fire was burning and as we stepped into the light it gave off I could see that the gypsy folk were arranged around it – some eating, some drinking, mothers tending to babies, older children tending to their younger. Tomas indicated me to sit between two men, dark, broad-shouldered and dressed as he was. I shook their hands that were strong and callused. “My sons,” Tomas said simply but there was a touch of the pride there that I had only noticed before when he was talking about his horses. I could understand him being proud of having such strong capable looking sons but they had certainly taken after their father when it came to conversation. They were two dangerous looking rogues who gave the impression that they would just as easily slip a knife into my ribs as they would clap me on the back and swear to be my lifelong friend. Tomas beckoned me to a wagon with another promise of brandy, he slipped inside and reappeared with an ancient looking bottle which he handed to me. Without waiting for me to take a drink he took me to another wagon where an elderly woman was sitting on the step. Next to her a small girl was playing with a kitten. Enjoying the kitten’s antics, the girl’s brilliant smile lit up her young face. Tomas spoke to the woman in a language which I didn’t recognise while I looked at her. Nut brown skin and small wrinkled hands were covered in what appeared to be an assortment of old cloth randomly stitched together. The whole ensemble was topped off by a huge felt hat from under which bright brown eyes regarded me with a casual curiosity. Tomas turned back to me and made to leave. Indicating that I should keep the brandy bottle, he said, “she may tell you something of what you want to know. She is Mother.” Book VI - Miscellaneous

2

I smiled as I sat on a step beside her and after briefly introducing myself I asked her what she knew of the origins of her people and their lifestyle. When she spoke it was in the carefully considered tones of a woman who was used to having her every word taken as law. “My mother’s people came from,” she looked confused for a while, struggling to remember an unfamiliar name, “what you call the lands of Border Princes, but that was never their homeland. They lived there for generations that we cannot count but always as strangers, so this life is nothing new to us. We do not know names and places and times as we do not write things on paper as you do. All we know of the past comes from the stories and songs – and for them who can say what is the truth and what is not ? Myself, I have studied some of your books once long ago – I believe that the land my ancestors called home is now in Kislev, as you call it.” I felt bold enough after sipping some more brandy to enquire about the reputation of witchcraft that was often mentioned when people spoke of gypsies. My tutor stared coldly at me for a moment before smiling and saying, “of course we are all witches! How else do you think we had survived in the Border Princes land ? In that land there are huge fierce men from the east who ride in bands and whose only pleasure is to kill and capture slaves. Monsters of men they are but even worse than them are the goblins, goblins who are without number, evil creatures that delight in the torment of our people. And there is worse than goblins in those lands as well, much worse. What is that keeps the Gitano people alive in a land where every living creature is their enemy and all of them are better organised and in bigger numbers ? Who do you think protects the Gitano people and allows their children to grow ? Is it the like of him ?” She gestured over at Tomas who was lounging on a step near his sons. I thought to myself that the men of the band that I had seen looked like sturdy men who could certainly hold their own when trouble called on the group but I refrained from speaking my mind. Taking my silence as agreement, she continued, “we are not liked, not trusted and we have many enemies. This makes our men strong, they have to be, there are too many people who would seek to take advantage of us and take away the small treasures we call our own.” At this point she patted the hand of the beautiful little girl who was sharing the step with her and I realised that she was no longer thinking about the Borderlands but that she regarded her band as being just as threatened here in Bretonnia. “Our men are quick to fight, some might think they like it, all of them see it as their duty. And they give no thought as to whether they win or lose, some would call that brave. But some of us have learnt that the best way to win a fight is to avoid it completely and we have learnt some tricks in desperate times that we have not forgotten since we have moved to your civilised land.” When I asked why her people left the land of the Border Princes, her reply was thus: “We are a cursed people. We accept life as it comes and we live it as best we can, taking our pleasure whenever and however we are able. But this is because we are running away, running from a cruel goddess who seeks to control all of our people and destroy those who do not submit to her will. This we will never do, because we believe that we are not like the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

cattle who will settle and feed and grow fat, but we are like the horses that once roamed in great free herds from sea to sea. Even though those days are gone – it is better for us to live a short life while running as horses than endure an eternity of slavery.” As she was speaking someone in the camp started to sing, a slow mournful song, in a language that I couldn’t make out. The song gradually came to its conclusion and after a brief pause another singer started up. This time the song was more lively, hopeful and the singer was accompanied by a rhythmic hand clapping that seemed to grow in intensity until several of the young men and women were on their feet and dancing around the fire. The men were stamping their feet and posturing like roosters – the women flashing their bright skirts and whirling so that their long hair flew about them – its dark silkiness shining in the firelight. I looked across the fire to where the old man Tomas was sitting perched on the step of his wagon. He still had his ever-present pipe in his mouth and for the first time since I’d met him he allowed me to see a hint of a smile. I passed a most enjoyable evening there and as the time wore on and the hypnotic music grew louder and more demanding, the level of brandy in the bottle sank lower and I found myself sadly neglecting my academic responsibilities. As Mother told me some of the old magical stories of her people’s travails in a distant land I regret to say that as I listened my eyes were irreversibly drawn to the dancing figures of the young women. How free and exotic they looked, how proud and yet at the same time tender and vulnerable. Just as I was becoming entranced by a pair of deep brown eyes seen smiling through a haze of woodsmoke and brandy, Mother signalled an end to her story telling. Two pairs of strong arms carefully but firmly lifted me from the step and directed me with all courtesy, ignoring my feeble protests, back to my room. I slept well that night having only one strange dream of horses running across an endless grassland sea, their riders all smiling carefree people with deep brown eyes. I awoke and breakfasted in a common room that seemed somehow cold and lifeless. I packed up and left the relais and for no reason I could tell, my horse just seemed to take me back to the little wood where the gypsies had made their camp although it was not on my way. I don’t know why I went there or what I expected to do but sadly when I reached the clearing it was empty and I was left with no choice but to turn my horse back on the long road to Guisoreux.

2

Book VI - Miscellaneous

3

R422M2C2B-*-2

By Lord Bain As the adventurers are riding down the road, they will see ahead a black horse laying in the middle of the track; no matter what the PC’s do at this point, the horse will not respond. As the PC’s move to within 50 yards, they will see a bundle of rags lying close to the horse. If any one moves any closer they will discover that the bundle has the form of a woman dressed in filthy rags. The woman will not respond to any thing the PCs do or say until they get within 5 yards. Once the PC’s come this close, the woman will stand up and throw off her cape. At this point it will become obvious that the hag is in fact a dirty looking man in his late twenties with long matted light brown hair. From under his filthy clothes the latter will draw a loaded crossbow and aim it at the foremost PC. He will then demand that all travellers in the party drop their weapons and throw their valuables onto the floor. If the PCs comply, the man will demand that, with the exception of the PC with the crossbow aimed at his head, the party mounts up and rides back the way they came. Once the party has gone out of view, the robber will have the hostage PC lay face down on the ground before going round collecting the valuables and any interesting-looking weapon. He will then gather up his cape, mount his horse and ride off, after giving the hostage PC a kick for good measure.

If the robber took something that the PCs really want back, or if they just don’t like being made to look like fools, then they can attempt to seek him out and try to get back their stuff, or their pride. If it is the robber that had to escape empty handed, he may well make another attempt at the group later for similar reasons. If the robber is captured or killed, the PCs can either dump him or hand him over to the next Road Warden Patrol they meet, in which case the PCs will be able to claim a bounty. If the robber is handed in to the authorities alive, it seems NAME: Robert A. Rieux AGE: 27 CAREER: Outlaw WANTED FOR : Robbery, Murder. BOUNTY (DEAD OR ALIVE): 100 Francs (GC) M WS BS S T W

4 46 48 4 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

7 41 2 29 26 35 37 31 25

SKILLS: Ride - Horse, Flee!, Lightning Reflexes, Concealment Rural, Silent Move Rural, Disarm, Set trap, Secret Language – Thief, Marksmanship. TRAPPINGS: Crossbow and 5 Bolts, Short Sword, Leather Jerkin and a Horse called Vitesse. unlikely that he'll escape being hanged. If he is killed or dies by the PCs fault, his friends or relatives may want revenge.

This plan hinges on the victim's doing as the robber says. If the PCs are not willing to go along with the situation, there are a number of things they can do. The first is to rush the would be robber as soon as he pulls out the crossbow. If this happens the robber will step back and fire at the lead PC (I'm afraid this is going to hurt !). Having fired the crossbow’s only bolt he will draw his shortsword and fight a retreat back to his horse. Once there, he will mount up and ride off. This is also what will happen if the PCs rush the robber at any time. If, when the robber orders the PCs to drop their weapons and valuables they refuse, he will shoot the lead PC and ride off as described above. The robber’s response to any other tactic will be to try and escape on his horse. Whatever the PCs do there will be only three possible outcomes from the encounter : 1. The robber will ride off with the party’s money and when the party returns to the encounter site they will find their friend waiting for them with bruised ribs. 2. The robber will escape empty handed on his horse. 3. The robber is either dead or captured.

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book VI - Miscellaneous

4

^22^%2

By Jonathan Tee Some of the locations in this article are taken from a map of Estalia by Alfred Nuñez. Marie de Martel was born in 2478, the youngest daughter of Henri de Martel, 2nd Baron de Martel, and Catherine de Semblancy, aunt of the present Duc de Lyonnais, François de Semblancy. In 2492 she was married to Prince Juan de la Cuena, of Viero, a small principality in the Irrana Mountains. Her dowry took the form of a trade agreement between the Duchy of Lyonnais and the Principality of Viero. For the next four years Marie de Martel had little to occupy her time apart from trying to produce the customary ‘heir and spare’ for the much older Prince Juan. In 2497 she gave birth to Ann-Marie de la Cuena. The hoped for male heir never arrived as in 2498 Prince Juan died in a hunting accident. The Privy Council appointed Don Carlos Pizariso, the head of Viero’s foremost noble family, regent until AnnMarie was old enough to marry into the Vieran nobility. Marie de Martel had other plans for her only daughter and arranged a secret deal with Queen Juana la Roja of Bilbali. If Don Carlos Pizariso were to be removed in favour of Marie de Martel she would agree to a marriage between Ann-Marie and the infant nephew of Queen Juana. The Queen agreed and in 2500 Don Carlos Pizariso stepped down as regent under diplomatic pressure from the Kingdom of Bilbali. Marie de Martel quickly moved to secure her position as regent, bringing in troops from her cousin’s Duchy of Lyonnais. Nobles close to the Pizariso faction were relieved of the burden of affairs of state, and their offices transferred to loyalist, Bretonnophile nobles. When concerned Bilbalian diplomats enquired after Ann-Marie’s betrothal arrangements they were met with silence. With tensions developing between Bretonnia and Bilbali over privateering, Queen Juana could not afford to let a Principality bordering her main ally, the Kingdom of Novareno, fall under Bretonnian domination. In 2502 a small contingent of Bilbalian Jinettes passed through the Kingdom of Novareno and began raiding isolated farms in the lowlands of Viero. The ‘Rough Wooing’ of Princess Ann-Marie had begun. Over the course of the next four years constant Bilbali raids sapped the morale of the people and the coffers of the Vieran government. Something had to be done, and so in 2506 Marie de Martel appealed to her cousin the Duc de Lyonnais for aid. Later that same year a large Bilbalian raiding party was ambushed and utterly destroyed by troops belonging to the Duchy of Lyonnais BRETONNIA–PROJECT

and the Bretonnian Order of the Hawk. Since this time there has been uneasy peace between Viero and Bilbali. Marie de Martel has managed to maintain her position with her cousin’s support, although there is much dissent in the Principality as a result of the heavy Bretonnian presence. Recent doctrinal differences between branches of the Cult of Myrmidia in Viero may yet lead to further trouble, perhaps even within the ranks of Marie’s supporters. However, the main threat remains Bilbali, and outright war between Bilbali and Viero is likely to draw in the Kingdom of Bretonnia. Marie de Martel – Noblewoman M WS BS S T W

4 25 31 3 3

I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel

6 41 1 35 52 66 65 65 45

AGE: 32 SKILLS: Acute Hearing; Charm; Etiquette; Evaluate; History; Public Speaking; Read/Write; Ride Horse; Secret Language- Classical; Speak Additional Language- Old Worlder Estalian, Tilean, Wastelander and Reikspiel dialects; Theology; TRAPPINGS: As Appropriate QUOTES: “There is simply no comparison between a woman who is armed and one who is not.” - Marie de Martel explains the arrival of Bretonnian troops in Viero to the Vieran Privy Council. “The Princess-Regent never lacks good excuses to break her word” - Francesco Elizondo, Bilbalian ambassador to the court of Carlos IX of Magritta. “Marie de Martel preaches only peace and good faith, though she is the enemy of both one and the other. Of course, had she honoured either of them she would have lost her state many times over.” Pandolfo Soderini, Second Chancellor of the Republic of Remas, in his controversial treatise ‘On Statescraft’. “So Marie de Martel lied, schemed and double-crossed to seize control of a petty principality in a remote part of Estalia? De Semblancy must be so proud; look how well his little cousin upholds the family traditions.” Attributed to Arnaud Alphonse Capucinet by the Oisillon Spectator, a populist pamphlet currently in circulation around Guisoreux. PERSONALITY AND MOTIVATIONS: Marie de Martel is, by Lyonnais standards, a decent woman, although her political enemies would not describe her as such. Unlike her cousin she has no liking for pointless cruelties, and she struggles to conceal her distaste for the affairs of his court. For the most part Marie de Martel is content to resolve difficult political issues through negotiation and conciliation. Nevertheless, the Princess Regent is prepared to show her claws when faced with a threat to her rule or her daughter’s succession. The recent burning for heresy of Verenan priests suspected of Bilbalian sympathies attests to Marie’s ruthlessness. When receiving diplomats the Princess Regent behaves in a witty and charming, almost flirtatious, manner. However, she can quickly become steely and cold when the occasion demands. Political commentators are divided over the matter of Marie de Martel’s underlying aims. Some believe she intends to extend Bretonnian, and particularly Lyonnais Book VI - Miscellaneous

5

influence into north eastern Estalia with the ultimate goal of transforming Viero into a Bretonnian province. Others believe she is more concerned with safeguarding her daughter’ s throne against those both inside and outside the Principality who covet it. SECRETS: Marie de Martel has more secrets than your average ruler. Her arrangements with the Directorate of Marienburg and the pirates of Sartosa would be enough to shock even the most jaded Vieran noble. Even the Duc de Lyonnais would be surprised by her ‘understanding’ with the Duke of Zaragoz, or her negotiations with a number of Norscan Jarls concerning the fate of the Kingdom of Novareno…

[-2*%2*-+2 ^!02 02\.222

D"2 

2 2 "2 )2 -2 -2 -2 "2 

2 

2

!-2 %-2 "+2 %-!2 ,-2 -"%%2 ,2 "2 2 $-!2

%*2

%.2

+*2 @-2  %+2 2 -2

2

"2

C!-2

)-2

2

"-2

,02

.2 $-!2 -2 

G--2 -*%2  

-2

2 \%,%2 "2 ,-2 +-2

2 "2 .%%2

2 [2 ,2 "2 .-2 

I-*2

2

D"2

2 .2



2



^2

2

$2



2

^%02

-"2

2 D"2

-2

"2

.-"2 "-2 *2 2 "2 ^!-2 *2 +%2 "2 %%2

)-2



2

I-*2

^'2

.$,%2

,%-!2

!.22"2%02

Z-

%*2-2"2"2!(2*%22

M2 -!2  %2

2 "2 .2 .-2

-2

*-*-2

2 -2 B%2 2 %-!2

"2

,02 ^!-2 *2 +%2 "2 "2

By Jonathan Tee

]+--2

2 2

-%$2 -2 +%2 *-*2 -2 "2 "-2 H%2 A%02 D"2



*-2 2 "!"2 2 ,2 !-2

"2 "2 %*.-2  -2

2

2

,%+2

2 *---2 -2 .$.-2 -2 .-/2

"2

"2

%-2

.+2 2 %%2 ,2 "2 .2

-2

%%2

2

.2 .!*$2 -2

%%022 O2 2 "2 *"2 -2 2 2 -2 2 "!"%-2 [2 "2 %-!2 ,-2 $--2

2 .%2 $02 M2 *-2

.2"2'2-."2"+2,%"22."2 2 "2 *-2 

2 -2 *---/2 .2 ,2 %+-2 "-2

-2*-2"2-2

2"2-2[-2

D"2 [-2 .,2 2 "2 *2 

02 2 T-!2 Z%2

GY/2 O-2 M*",%2 2 M+/2 "%2 -2 "2 .2 **%-!2 -2 "2 *02 M2 "2 .$2 2 ./2 WD"2 .2 2 

M2#%%2H*%2"-2 Z"./2+-*2

2U--02 02\.222

D"2 --%2 "-2 -2 "2 ^

2 H*%2

2 Q,%-2

-2 "2 +%2 ,2 2 2 -!2 **2 "2 02 D"2 O*2 2 U--2 2 2 $-!2 *2 "%.2 -2 !% %

2*+2

%%2%2*.,--/2-22**.-2

-2"2"-2,22-.,2

2.--2-,%2-*%-!2

"2 Z.2 2 Z,!/2 "2 \-2 2 ^%2 -2 "2 Z.2 2 Z%-/2 -!2 ,"2 

2 R2 ^#2

"2 T-!02 D"2 "-2 2 +2 *+/2 "2 +2 2 "-2 !,%-2 -2 



2 *2 "2 $-2 +2 "2*2

2"2$022 Z%2 2 %!"2 "2 2 .-!2 "2 -/2

-%$2 %2 2 "2 "2 Q,%-2 -*-2 ,2 .+2 ,02 ]2 -,%2 2 -#2 -2 -%2 -2 -,%2"22,2%

/2

2-.-%$22

22

-!2 -02 D"2 Z.2 2 Z%-2 -2 "2 %2 

2 ^2 

$-!2 %.2 "%

2 "2 R-2

2 -"2 /2 "2 2

2 "2 02 H-2 "2 %2 2 "2 R-2

2 --2 ,2 2 **%2 .!*2 %2 ,

2

"2

"2

Z.2

2

Z%-2

*.-%2^'2R-02 2 M--22Q2

2

-2

"2

2 .*"

!2

0W2

.-!2

]+--2

2

2 "2 .2 *%2 -2 -%,%2 02

D"2 2 -2 ,2 "2 $2  

2

"2

%2

.,2

!/2

2 .$2 -2

R+/2

W[-2

"2

2

*-*-2 2 2 %2 -2 ..2 "2 2 "2 *2 

2

B%02

D"2

T-!2

-2

Q+-.-2



2

]+-2

-!%2!2R2C%2R!"-2I-*2^/2-2"2 -.2 

2 ,%2 N"%%/2 2 *-2 "2 *-2 %2

"2%222.2 H-2

-2

-!2.-!2"2%0W22

*-%2

**-!2

"2

.-2



2

^!-2 %.2 2 "2 ^2 2 ^%2 "2 ,-2 ,%2 2

-2 *"2 -2 .,2 #*/2 *%%2 2 2

.2 "-2 "2 .2

*2 2 %*-!2 2 !2 -2 -2

"2 [-2 02 D"2 ,+2

--*2 

2 -2 *"2

-+2 %2 ,2 I-*2 ^'2 *-2 "2 O*2 2 U--02 R+2 +-2 "2 O2 N.,%-*2 2 %2 ,2

-2

,2

*"2

2

*...-02

N.2

*2

2

!-2 2 *"2 2 "2 \---2 2 G.%2 *-/2 "2 "-!2 2 )-2 "2 B%02 H"2 -2 "2 ^-,!/2

B-!/2

%-*2 -2 -"-2

-!2 2 \%,%'2 2 +%/2

-2

"2

D%-2

Z2

N02

A"+2 "2 "/2 2 .2 I-*2 ^2 "2 -*2 !-2.-+2"2%22@-2

^*"%2

2\%,%0

2M%,-2

D"2Q)2Q(2

D"2Q)2Q(

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book VI - Miscellaneous

6

C%!2-2-2[2

]+2-2.--!2

[202I%+22

C*"

^-2

"2

^.2 -02

2

N2

2

^.-2

%2

-2

2

2

.2

2

-!2

,2



*.2 -2

2

2

2

*%%-!2

2

*%-2 2

2

-*-2 ,2 "2 *-2 

2

%-2



2

"

2 [02 D"2 -2 2

2 ^2 2 ^%2 -2 %*-!2 2

"-2 2 N-2 U-2 -2 "2 D.%2 

,%

Z%2

,-2

%.-2 "+2 ,-2 -+%+2 -2

-!2 -2 "2 I-*%2 

"2 *2 

"2 -2

2 [02 D"2 -2

2 ^.2 -2

%%2 "2 "*%2

/2 %2 2 -2 B%/2 "2 N02 U-2 2 2

*-2 -+-2 ,2 "2 *%!2 

2 ]+02 D"2 *%2 

^.2 -2 [2 "/2 -%2 "2 +-2  ^'2 -*2

!-*/2

"2

.2

2 ^2

2

"2

2 I-*2

,%".02

^%2

*-+-*2 "2 %*%2 R!"2 I2 

"2

2

R+2

,-2

,%2

2 "2 2 

2-2"2*%2"2*.22**2"2*-2

2N02

U-02 D"2 *-2 -222"+2,-2!-2,22

%*%2

+%-*02

C*"

/2 I2 

2 ^2 -2

2 P"2 A%%.2 2

2 ^.2 -2 -!2 ,"2 

"2 \-2 2 C*"

2

02 D"2 *-!!-2 -*%2 "2

O*2 2 ]+/2 2 *-2 

2 "2 2 .-/2 -2 Z-%2

2 [-.02 ].2 .%2 -2 

2 "2 %2

*%2 2 2 %2 -2 --*/2 -!2 2 P"2 A%%.'2 2 ".%2 -2 "2  "-2

*-2 "2 -2 -2

2"2Z%02[--22I,%/2R!"2I2

2

^2 2 2 .%2 2 *"-!2 .-/2 -2 "*"2 "2 -2 "2 P"2 A%%.2 /2 2 "2 "2 %+/2

!"-!2

+%2-2.-!2+02 D"2 O*2 2 ]+2 2 2 2 ,2 %2 -2 ,2 "2 .--2 

2 "2 *-'2 "&2 .2 ,2 ,-2

"%2 *"-!2 -2 "2 "!"%-2 

2 [02 D"2 *%2

2[-2"2"2"!2,2,!"2

%22#*02

2"*22*-*2"2"2*-*-2

2 "2 N-'2 "-02 D"2 ,%.$2 .2 2 "+2

-*2

2 2 %2 2 2 "2 ,2 

2 %%2 2 %!2 -2 %%2 *2 ]+2 %2 2 -!2

.%%2!2 

^-2 !"2 2 2 "2 D.%2  C*"

2

2 "2

0202I%+22



-2

M**-!2

-2

2

"2

2

+%%-2

2

-.,2

2



2

-2

M--22Q2 D"2Q)2Q(

-$-2

D%-2.*-22%2-+%+02 N Q2

2

-+--2

-2

"2

*2

,2

"2

I-*'2

*2

N-2

-2

\%2

G--2

Z(2

-2 "2 "2 2 *2 %%2 .!2 2 2 2 %2

2%

02]+"%/2"2[-2"2.2,2

%2*-*-2,2"2-2+%.-02D"2--2

2

M C*"

"2 -!%2 2 ,%+2 2 "+2 ,-2 *2 2 %2 -!02 N*2 \%,%2 C

2

2

"2

%.2

[-2

*-%2

*2

"+2

-!2

-*2 "2

"2

-02

-2 -+%+2-2"2-!2+%2-2-!-2

"2 -2 

2 "2-!%2-2,2"2-.2

2Q/2

*..-2 \%,%-2 -.02 P"2 +-*2 *.2 -2

.2

2"2D%-2.*-2-+%+2"/2"-222

"2 /2 2 2 2 "+2 +%2 "2 "2 2 -2 !-2

*2 -2

2"2\%,%-2!+-.-02

G-2 2 *-2 .-2 Z-%2 Z%2 2 [-.2 %!2"2 --!2

%%22

2

.-2 -%2 

2

2"2[-2!+-.-/2WD"2 "2

+%2

2 "2 *"-!2 



2

"*02

D"2

2 N02 U-2 +%2

"2 2 +%2 --2 2 %2 "2

%%2 2

2 "2 -2 -2 "2 .2 

2 "2 O$2 I02 D"2

Z%2 

.2 "2

2 ^.2 -2 \--2 2 "2 *-2 

2 [-2 ,"2 2 -2 "2 !+-.-2 

2

2 R2

R!"-2I-*2^2-2*"-!2"2,%".0W2 2 P02R-2D2

D"2Q)2Q(

2-2Q-2

02 02I%+22

G-2 -2  -

2 "2 .2 -2 

2 2 /2 "2

.2 B%-2 G--2 *--2 2 *.!-2 

2 -2 -"-2 B%/2 ,--!2 -2 %2 "-2 -2

$02

*2

H

*%%/2

2

"2

2

2

^2



"2 2

.2

2



*2

-$,%2

2

2 -2 *%2

%2

N%-"2 "2 2 -*+02 M2 %2 "2 -!2 +-*2

2

.-2

"-2

-2

*-

-2

*-2

-2

.-%2

,-2



2

-2

2

%2

*

%2

-+!-02 ]+"%2 "2 *.2 2 2 !2 -%2 **2

2 .,2 -2 Q(/2 "2 2

,-!2-,%2

2"2+*-2

[2

2

-

%2

2

%-%2 %2 

2

2"2G--2

,*.-!2

-2



2

"2

.2 .2

2 "2 !--02 ]%2 2 2

"2 -2 2 -2 %%2 *+2 -2 \--/2 "2 "2 *2 2 *-.-2 ,2 ,"2 "2 Z%2 

2 [-2 -2 "2

]+2+-*%2%.-022 C2 .2 ,2 2 2 %-2 "2 "2  $2 %*2 -2 "2 G--2 *2 

2

2 Q-02 G-/2 "2

^--2 I%2 "+2 -%%2 ,-2 "%2 2 "2 B%-2 2

G--2

".%+2

\%,%-2

/2

,-!2 *"2

-2

-2

2

)*-02

"2

--!2

D"2 "+2 %2

---*2

2

-%2

2

-2

-2

"2 "2

%*2 ,-2 ]+-2 -2 [02 N"%2

*"-!2 -2 -2 /2 2 %%-

.2 *2

.2

H%%-2 I%*2 -2 2 .2 "2 W2 %2 ,*.2 -*2 2 

NOTE: more info on the Verenan Estalian Inquisition is available in Xavier Sanchez Loro' s article which you can find at StS. Heretics, magicians, non-humans, Arabs beware, nobody can hide from the Estalian Inquisition !

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

-2 "2 -2 

2 "2 %-2 ,-2

"2G--2*"2-2"2T-!.2

2\--000W

Z02U,-2 D"2Q)2Q(

Book VI - Miscellaneous

7

]+2,-22]+--2

\%,%-2

.2

*2.2-2"2[-2

,2

\--0202P%%22

Z2

2[0202P%%22

2 ]+2 ,-2 2 2 2 "+2 .2 "2 2-2

.2-2"2]+--2-2

O%.2 ]+2  2

2Q02

.2 ]+-2 -!%2 **2 "2 O*2 2

2 *.%*2 -2 "2 *$/2 ,2 "2 O*"2 "2

2-2%%2-+%+.-02Z2,2-!2-2"2

A-!2 .2  %-!2

"2

[-2

[-2 "2

!+-.-2

**-/2

-.,2

"2 .-2 ]+--2



*%2-2"2%2

.2 "+2 ,-2 G2

2

*2

"2

2 ,2

]+2

M2



2

,2

2 *2

%--02

"2

]+-2

-!2 "!"2 "2 *%2 -2 "2 %2

Q2 2 "2 ,-2 2 +2 +2 "2 2

2

2 2 \%,%-2 .%2 ,%2 2

,2

"2 2

\---2

-%2



-"2

2

*-

*..-2

.*-2

"+2

.2

-2

$-%!2

-2

,-2

2 02 D"2

"+2

-2 "2

%

2

2

"2

[2

-2

2/2"-!2-"02 2

-2

"%2

,-2

-,%.-2 -2 "2 /2 %"!"2 -"-!2 "2 +2

\%,%2*%2-2"+2*.2222.2

,-2+-0

^%02Z---!2%!2-2-2"2*-2.-2 "22!2%2

P-*2P*"%2

"2 $2 

D"2Q)2Q(

M%2 "2

2^22

2"2I-*'222**2"2

2 .---!2 2 "-2 "2 I-*%02



*-2 !.2 %-!2 "2 [-2 ,2

2 %%2 2 -2 %2 !2 -2 %%2 +2 %%2 *-2

^*"-222\!,2

-2"2+-2

2

-2 2 "2 -2 

H%%-0202P%%22

.2 *2 "2 $-!.2

*-%2 -2 Z-%2 O.)2 2 %)2 "2 )2 -2 !2 --!2 -2 %+-!2 \--2 %-!2 "2 Q)^-,!2 ^*"-'2

Q%2

2 "2 ^.-2 --!2

2 ,2 "2 [-2 "02 D"2 \%,%-2 Z%2 

2 .*"-2

M2 -2 

2-+-02

G22"!"2"2"2\%,%-2*-2.2,2-222

02

!2

D"2

"2

"2

%2

%-2



2

2

"2

2

%2

2

^.2 2 -2 *!-2 N02 U-2 -2 @-2 S-2"2)2."2

^*"%2

2"2-'2*0

2M%,-2

D"2Q)2Q(

)-+22%*2"-2"2*--!222-2 2 "%2 *2 %2 )02 D"2 %2 *%.2 "2 "2 

2 .2 2 .2 

*%2

2 ".2 2 *.2 "2

G.%2 .*"-02 Z-%2 O.)2 .2 2 *-2

"2

.2

"/2

,2

!+-.-2

*

-*2 "2 "2 2 -%$%2 2 .$2 -2 *"-!2 2 "2 -2.02

B*2[-)2 D"2Q)2Q(

\.-2-2"2 P2 

2

2 Z"%-/2 +-*2 

2Z"%-2

2 Q*!-02  02 P%%22

2

P*2 P2 



2

"2

\.-2

2

!"2

[#-*^ 2 ,-!2 



2

O*"2

%02

,2

Q*!-2

"2

2

"2

2 2 -.2 "2 

!-.2

%%-!2

2

"2

%-2 02 D"2 ,.-2 2 *,2

2 %$2 -*2 -2 .2 2 ,2 "2

2"2^ D"2

O*"2

2 Z"%-2 *-%2 

E2

2H*%022

2

2

".,%2

,2

$-!2

"2

*--2

"2

2

+2

,-2

.2 +%%-!2 "2 "2 .2 2 2 "2 -!2 "2 ,.-2*%2-22"2-0

M.-2S-2 D"2Q)2Q(

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Book VI - Miscellaneous

8

2 R*%2*%2-,%2 

2P"22C*"

Z2

2 \%,%-2"22\--2

2"2

22

\--0202I%22

2[02 02I%22

D"2 %2 

2 G2

.!2

2

A%%.2 2 C*"

"2

"2

/2 *-2 

*2 2 ,2 2 ,-2 

%2

-2



2

P"2

2 "*%2 ^.-02 D"2 

*%%2%!2.-2!2,2"2-.2 Z-!!-'2

.2

2 "2 O*2 2 ]+/2 2

%%2

"2

2"2'N2

,%

2



2

2"2

--!2

^.-2022 D"2 N2 

2 "2 Z-!!-2 2 2 *%2

2 .2 2 "2  

2 

%2 2 -2 -%2 "2 *.,-2

2 ,"2 "2 ]+2 -2 [-2 "2 2

,%22-*+2"2-+%+.-022 D"2

[-2

Z"-*%%2

.-2 2 "2 %2  WD"2

+%2

.2



2

2

%2

"2

2

%%-!2

2 [2 %2 "2 

^.-2

--"02G222,"2"2

2

--/2 -2

!2

%2"*2-,%2

%%2

2

"2*.2-22"2\%,%-2.V2WD"2%%2222,2 2 *$--!/2 .$2 -2.$2,202A"+22"2 2%%2$22/2-2"-22

-2/22%%2

%2

[-'2"0W2 N*2 -2 "2 [-2 !+-.-2 -2 "2 *$2 "%2 ,2 )*2 -2 "2Z%2

"2

2^.2"2

2 D.%2 2 %%2 2 .-2 02 G2 2 "!"2 "2 N2 

2 "2 Z-!!-2 2 %-$2 2 "2 \%,%-2

Q+-.-2"*"22"2.2+%2"/2"2N02 U-22-2

2+-2-02

2\--22-222

2 2

%2 2 .--!02 A"%2 2 %%2 ,2 %+2 2 %-2 "2 -2 -2 

2 -,%2 ,"2 2 $%%2 -2"2

2

*$/2 2 .!/2 -2 %2  -22!- N-2 

2

*-02

2 %

2 .-!2 "2

2

2 %!"/2 "2 \%,%-2 !%%2 %2

-2 \--'2 .-2 ",2 -2 -2

2

2 -2 "2

"2 2 -*"02 D"2 .*"-2 +%2 "2 U-2 R-/2 -2 "2 Z2 2 +%2 .!2 -2 2 -.,2 

2

*$2 ,%-!2 2 2 ,2 *---2 P!2 -2 I2 2 %2 --2

2



2

02 D"2

2 %2 2 *$2 ,2 2

.2 "%%2 -2 '2 .2

%2 +02 N.2

-2 %2 2 "!"2 2 "+2 %2 "2 %+2 -2 "2

,%-!2 +-2 

%-02

2

D"2

\%,%-2

"2

2

+-%%2

2 "-2 "2 *2 .%2 ,!"2 .-!-%2 2

2

,2-2"202

Q+-2 2 S%-*2 %%2 -2 ,2 ,2 *-*-2 ,2

2

-2"22"22*-*--!2\--'2*%2 

-*02

\--2

Z---2

2

.%*.-2

2

2

2

*2

2

2

"2

"2

*$/2 -2 2 .2 "2 2 -

."2

*2



2

"2

.2 *2

*+2 -2 "2 $02

D"2C%2]+2%222"+2%%2"2"22

2

%222%02

D"2 \%,%-2 !+-.-2 "2 -"2 *-

"2 .2 %%2 ,2

2M%,-2

2"*$22

2 "2 \%,%-2 *$2 "*"2 *%.2 2 .-2 %+2

-2-,%2

2 ^*"%2



2

2

.2 -2

2"2*$2,222,%+2"2

"2 *2 ,

2

2 "2 Z2 2

H%%-02 G2 2 -%$%2 "2 "2 O*2 2 ]+2 %%2 %2

D"2Q)2Q(

"2 -%2 2 "2 %'2 "-2 2 --"/2 -2 "2

%2



2

\--2

"02

I2

P-*2P*"%2

A%%.2

D"2Q)2Q(2

2

)*-!2 2

"2

,%2

2 2 2 2

2 G-+2#*22"2N"%-2*.-2!-2%2"2%*%2*" Q)0202I%022

2

2 D"2 -2 2

%-!2 -2 Q)2 2 -+2 2 "2 2 

B)*"-!02 D"2 Z.-2 "2  B)*"-!222%2

2

2 N"%-2 Z.-2 "2 -2 "2 ^-,!2

2

2 *-*-2+2,%2,-2\--2-2\%,%2222.*282-2"2

2"2*-22

2

2%+2%022

D"2 %/2 !2 ,-2 N"%-2 -+2 -2 %*%2 Z"

2 !-2 2 *--2 %2 

2

2 %,2

2 "2

Z.-'2 !2 %--02 G-+2 "2 "2 -2 $2 %%2 ,2 .2 *+2 "-2 "2 \---2 ,-.-2 !-%%222$2-2"2%--/2"22-22"2#-!%2*%.02

2

2

Z.-2Z".-2M-!+-22%2Z*%%2!"222N"%%-2*-*-2+2"2"*2 2

2%+2%2%%2-,%2,2

2

2!2,-

%-2 !-2 "2 ,%*%2 U(.-2 "*"2 *2 -2 *2 ".2 -2 "2 2 

2

B*2[-)2 D"2Q)2Q(

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

2

-2"2

2 "2 #-!%02 G-2 -2 2 $2 "2 .2 *.-%2 %.-2 

2 *+%-2 -2 "2 "2 

-!.-')*2"2"2U(.-0W2 2

2"2%/2WD"2

22"2N"%-2,/2%%-!2".22,2

2 "2 D2 Q02 B+-2 

2

2

2

2

2

2

2 "2

.2 "2

Book VI - Miscellaneous

9

2

2

2

2

[-2-2\%,%-2 -"2

*2*%"2

2[2

[0202^022 2 E2

.--!2

\%,%-2

*2

,2 -2 [2 -2 2 .2 "2

2

.2[-2

*2

"2

*2 -*2

*02A"%2"2-+22%%/22

2

2 "!"2 "2 [-2 .2 $2 "+2 *%02 D"2

A2*%2-2\%,%2

%2 *%%2

H%%-0202^022

2

%-2 %%2 "2 %2 -2 *.2 

2

$-!2 %*2 2 2 "2 2 2 2 *%-2 

2 /2

2 "%02

D2 Z-%2 O.)2 -2 2[-.2!"2

2

--*2"2*$22W--2!!-W02 G2

2

"!"2

"2

D.%2



2

2

"2 H2 

2 "2

R$2 %2 2 $2 %2 -2 %-!2 "2 \%,%-/2 2 *%2 -*-2  -,%2

2

2 "*"2 2 ^.2

-+%+2

I*"2 N-!%2 2 ,-2  ,*.-!2

.2

*".-2 ^*"2



"2

2

^2

-*%2

"2

2 U--2 .*-2

2

2

2



2

^%'2

2

.2

2

%2

2

2 "2 Z-!!-2 "*2

2

"%2

"2

\%,%2

%%2

*22,$-!2-02A""2"2O*22

U--2 *-2  *-2

,%2

2I-*2^'2%2G--2Q02

.-2

*"2"2

"2

2 "2 "*2 *+%2 *"!/2 -2 2

-2 %-!2 "2 N2  -2

2

-2

+02 H"2

2

2 2 2 -2 .2 2

2 "2

.-2 2 ,2 -02 Z-%2 "2 2

2

"%2^'2!-*22%$%22*.22-2-022 2 ^*"%2

D"2Q)2Q(2

02 02^022

D"2 -2

"2

I

2

--!2 

2

2 M%

2

02 I"2 "2 2.+2

-2-2^02Q-,02G-*,2-2

2

.2

.2 %2

-!/2

%2 *!.02 D"2 *".-2 "2

2

-*$-.2

'G2

2

2



2

D"2

Q-,2

2"2-02

2N!.2D"%!2M-2\*$"2

.2"22

2!,%-2-!/22

2

WG-2 .2 --2 "2 'Q-,2 Q%'2 2 .%2 2 2 

2

.+2

*+2

*2

02

"2

D"2

2

2

--2

"2

2

Q,%-2

.2 "+2

+%+2*"22"*2.222-2%-!!2 2%!",%0W222 2 U"2P--,%2 D"2Q)2Q(2

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

2

2 "--!2 .--2 2 ,"2 \--2 -2 "2 %%2 "2 I-*%2  \%,%-2

2 [2

2

2 .2 .02 ]2 -%2 2 "2

-!2

"2

"*%2

2

N2



2

"2

Z-!!-2 -2 [/2 "2 2 ,%+2 2 ,2 ,"-2 "2

%2

"-!2

*2

-2

\%,%-2



2

*-2

2

--2

M2

%2

*2

2

.-"02

-2

-+-2

"2 

2

2 D"2

2

2

-2

\---2

!2 

[2

2

*$2

\--/2

,2

-2

\%,%-2

,2 "2

-2

2

,%+2

2

2

,2

%-!2

"2

.2

2

2 -"-2 B%02 D"2 *%2 \%,%-2

D"2 O*2 2 ]+2 2 %2 .,%-!2 2 %!2 .2

-2

"2

]+--2

2

,2

-"-!2 "2 2 T-!.2 2 "2 %%2 

Q%'2"-$22"2*$22 2

2"2T-!2-2*-0W2222

M22%%2,2/2\%,%2"2,-2,"+-!2-2

2

2 "2 F-+2 

!-2

2"%2"2!%2 2

.-!2"2.2.!"2-2"2$--2%02

.2*-+%2*+22"2+-*2

%2

2

"+2 -"-!2 2 .*"2 2 C%2 ]+/2 "2 "2 2

2

2 *%

2

\%,%2 02 M%%2 2 2%*.2"2-2

"2 2 

"2 2 2 )-2 2 "2 O$%-2 2 2 *$2

2 2 2 

2

T-!2 Z"%2 GGG2 *%2 2 -2 "2 T-!.2 

2

2

2 *".-/2 ,%+2 2 ,2

2 \--2 -2 "2

%%2 *--2 ,2 !-02 D"2 2 "2 R2 C%2 ^#2

2

2

Q,%-2-!2

*--2 %2 -2 "2 "-2 

)2 "-$2 \--2 %%2 *$%2 *.2 2 .-2

O--$-2 2 -2 "2

Q-2 R%%2 

2

.2 "2 2 *%-2

2 2 "2 ,-222"2\%,%-2!+-.-/2WD"2

2

.2)%2\-2R-*"2+-2T%2

B%*"2



U'M-!%%2 2 %2 "2 "2 \%,%-2 2 -2 -+%2

2 I.+2!,%-2-!2*+22 M%

Z-%2 O.)2 *-

2

2

2

2

2

]+--22"+2,!"2.222"02

2

2M%,-2

2

"2

--2



2

2 \%,%02 G2 2 -2 $--2 2 -2 ""2

"2 -"-2 O*"2  2 -2 %-2

2

"2

22*+-2*%-2

2 \--2 %%2 ,2 *-,-!2

2

*/2 %"!"2 "2 Z%2 

%!2 2 -2 "2 *%*02 2 M.-2S-2 D"2Q)2Q(2

.2 

2

2 ^.2 "2

2 D.%2 -2 ,%

%2

2 2 2 2 2 2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Book VI - Miscellaneous

10

M2D+%%2Q22"2I-*%2

2[2

\2S-"-2D2 2 2 2

The Principality of Viero is a small landlocked nation in the north-eastern corner of Estalia. Surrounded on two sides by the hostile Kingdom of Novareno it has nevertheless thrived as a centre of the iron trade. No more than twelve leagues from Bretonnia’ s southern borders, Viero has in recent years exerted an influence far greater than its size upon the affairs of that mighty kingdom.

most loyal to the ruling de la Cuena family, which is itself of Irranan descent.

Cities

Geography

The Principality has two main geographic regions. The Irrana Mountains occupy two thirds of the country and supply Viero with iron and other metals. The remaining third of the country is fertile lowland and much of it has been cleared for agriculture. Some areas of woodland remain of which the Royal Forest just east of Viero itself is the most notable.

Politics

Marie de Martel’ s reign as Regent has seen the outbreak of hostilities with Bilbali and Novareno as well as religious unrest due to her ‘Bretonnisation’ of the Myrmidian and Verenan cults. Her expulsion of the Inquisition has made her powerful enemies although it does mean that Viero is one of the few Estalian states to possess a community of magicians. The dissenting Myrmidians of the Swords of the Congregation has led opposition to the religious reforms and recent demonstrations have begun to concern the government. There have been some diplomatic triumphs for the Regency. Marie de Martel has forged a strong alliance with Bretonnia, founded on her blood ties with the Duc de Lyonnais, and this has enabled Viero to resist Bilbalian attacks. Her negotiation of rights of passage for Bretonnian troops with the normally neutral Duchy of Guaniar has enabled the Duc de Lyonnais to provide valuable military assistance. Perhaps most advantageous of all, Marie de Martel has secured financial backing from the Marienburg Directorate, keen to cause trouble for its trade rival Bilbali.

The People

The people of the lowlands are closely related to the Navarrese and Novarenan peoples. They are farmers, merchants and artisans for the most part and quite affluent by the standards of the region. The people of the mountains are of different stock. Their culture is fiercely Irranan, and there is little common ground between them and the lowlanders. Their clan affiliations play an important role in their lives and the local chieftain can count on their support in times of war. Although poorer than the lowlanders, it is the highland Vierans who are the BRETONNIA–PROJECT

Viero is often called the city of blacksmiths, and it is famed for the quality of its tools and blades. Guns have been manufactured here since Prince Juan de la Cuena, who had an unhealthy interest in cannons, encouraged foreign gunsmiths to settle in the city. With 2,500 heads of households at the last census it is not large by Estalian standards. The royal palace is actually a castle and sits on a hill in the centre of the city. Beneath it are temples and courts and below them the river. The river Cuena surrounds the castle on three sides and neatly separates the administrative district from the rest of the town. A single bridge connects the castle to the residential and commercial districts of Viero. Behind the main gate to the city lies the marketplace where can be found a variety of fine steel and iron goods. Merchants travel from as far afield as Magritta to purchase Vieran steel work, although the recent hostilities with Bilbali have curtailed trade somewhat. San Andreas, about five leagues south-east of Viero, is the principal highland settlement. In times past it has been the capital of the Principality. These days the town is mainly known for its iron. Iron ore is smelted in furnaces across the town, and the recently introduced blast furnaces beyond the town walls produce fine quality steel for the smiths and cutlers of Viero to the north. Caravans of iron merchants regularly travel the northern road to Viero and the route is perhaps the best policed in Estalia. I-2-2I+-22GZ22

Book VI - Miscellaneous

11

Alquézaro

BRETONNIA–PROJECT

HVWDOLHQV2

San Andrea

 ,UUDQD

Graus

0DJULWWD

*XDQLDU

/D*DYH

Abjectalie des fouls skaven

GHVROHHV

7LOpH

Passe de la Nuvolone

/D1HVWH

4XHQHOOHV Blaye-Leonine

0RQWDJQHV 

1DYDUUH

St-Jacques

/ DGRXH

/\RQQDLV

GH%UHWRQQLH2

5R\DXPH

/D%ULHQQH St-Sauveur

Lorda

'XFKHGH

Luz

/D1LYD

%ULRQQH

*$VFRJQH

%RUGHOHDX[

/H5RQFDO

Port-Boucaud

Rochefort

9LHUR

0RQWDJQHV

Azuara

1RYDUHQR

9L]FD\D

*ROIH

GH%LGRX]H

2FFLGHQWDO

*UDQG2FHDQ

WLJDUUH

%LOEDOL

5R\DXPHV

2

/LHXHV

Y+2C'22 Q(2Z"-*%2

By Rory Naismith

The Great and The Good: Leading Factions of Bretonnia Here, far from the glitz and glamour of the Oisillon Palace, it is easy for us to forget - or in some cases even know - who controls our lives and our kingdom. Few citizens can fail to recognise the illustrious name of our monarch, King Charles III de la Tete d' Or. But who has the ear of the King? Which lords and ministers decide on his policies and direct the state? It is time, citizens, for an appraisal of the situation of the great factions at the Oisillon Palace; of the men and women who lead our beloved kingdom. First and most powerful of all is the Chief Minister of His Royal Highness the King: Cardinal Henri Armagnac Dumourieux. The Cardinal is amongst the kindest of the big players at the Oisillon Palace; as a good cleric of Shallya, he has regular distributions of wine, bread and pamphlets made from the Chapelle de St Ortaire, all from his own pocket. Cynics may have something to say about his motives, but cynics'heads roll from the guillotine every day. The Cardinal and his faction of favour-hunters and dependants are in the ascendance just now; the King entrusts his most important business to the Cardinal, who virtually runs the kingdom for much of the time. Not to be outdone is the Duc de Lyonnais, François de Semblancy. Old fashioned to say the least, the Duc is master of the most conservative faction in the land. That is not to say it is any weaker; on the contrary, its love of tradition and proper noble rights makes them as strongwilled and proud as anyone. The Duc and his many companions have a centuries old reputation to uphold, and they don' t like upstarts challenging their dominance at all. To our benefit, De Semblancy and the Cardinal, at loggerheads in the court, vie equally for the hearts and minds of the good citizens of Guisoreux; the Duc' s agents, in the light of Dumourieux' s distribution of food, are arranging a free festival for all-comers at the end of the month. Although these two are the most important and competitive forces in the Palace, with the most resources to devote to courting our support, they are not without company. Prominent in the Palace but unfortunately too tight with their purse-strings to arouse this writer' s excitement is the Granvelle family. These nouveau-riches from l' Anguille have made a big impact on the nation' s finances and have a member on the State Council…but they are yet to do anything to gain the favour of the good people of Guisoreux. In this case the Duc de Lyonnais' hatred of these sea salt-smelling northerners can be fully justified. Also hailing from the chilly north are the Knights of the Holy Blood. Only in the most venerable archives of the university library can armour such as theirs be seen! Though too pressed for cash to be very generous, they BRETONNIA–PROJECT

manage to put on a good joust every now and again. The old and older sets from l' Anguille - the recently reinvigorated Loiseau and the reactionary de Cabourg have yet to make their mark on Guisoreux or, for that matter, on the court itself. The real fun-lovers in the Palace must be the southerners. Hubert de la Motte, a clever and charming young man from Bordeleaux, has won over the citizens of Guisoreux with the wine of his home city, which he sometimes gives out in impressive quantities (may all the gods bless him). Just as popular with the ladies at court is Alphonse Capucinet, all the way from Navarre. He may have an odd accent and a strange taste in coiffeurs, but for his generous donations to the temples and chapels of our fair city no-one can give censure. This is the situation as it stands, or at least as an outsider can best discern it; intrigue and backstabbing alter the balance of power every day. The Palace is filled with rich and ambitious gentry dying for the king' s attention - and the intelligent ones realise that one of the best ways to political power and to King Charles' s heart is through the hundred thousand screams of Guisoreux. I, Xavier Rousseau, shall keep the fair folk of Guisoreux informed of future developments.

The Lords And Ladies Of Bretonnia No other land is as inundated with aristocrats as our fair Bretonnia. Their presence can be felt even here in Guisoreux; who has not seen their gilded carriages and sedan chairs pass through the streets, a path cleared by a mixture of awe, fear and bodyguards? Outside the city, it is they who control the lives of the people. Here, in the blessed, beautiful city of Guisoreux, their influence is, fortunately, not so directly felt; we citizens, with our exemptions won over the centuries, have earned the right to look on and accept the occasional favours - and sometimes the furies - of our ancestral elite. At the head of the whole system there lies the greatest lord of them all: King Charles III de la Tete d' Or. Even in our city, his word is life and death; just as it is - or at least should be - for everyone in the kingdom, duke or serf. Below him in the pecking order come the highest echelons of the aristocracy. The De Semblancy, the Capucinet, the Dumourieux, the Amboise family, the Granvelle family, and a few other well-known names; the ones that lie closest to the King and, by accident of birth or by ' fortuitous'acquisition, hold onto the largest tracts of land. Each of these leading factional heads sits on top of a whole mass of supporters, dependants and companions, collectively known as a ' clientage' , with their leader as ' patron' ; the members of each clientage go to make up the aristocracy of Bretonnia, all of the comtes, viscomtes, ducs and barons. Just as these ' clients'expect their leader to dangle baubles in front of them every so often (such as odd bits of land, a good word when looking for a position or an advantageous marriage), so the big players demand the loyalty and support of their underlings - from time to time they demand their wealth and even their lives, too. And, whatever the cost, woe to he who defies his lord.

Book VI - Miscellaneous

13

Some of these factions are more cohesive than others; the Duc de Lyonnais, François de Semblancy, for example, rules his large cadre of lesser nobles with an iron fist - just as his ancestors have done with these lesser nobles' ancestors for hundreds of years. Cardinal Dumourieux, however, cannot claim the same benefits of lineage as De Semblancy; he has welded his large but ramshackle faction together over the last few years, so that it now matches even De Semblancy' s following in size and prestige. Although he must be given credit for this achievement (no easy feat considering the somewhat fickle attitude possessed by many of our gentle folk), this writer can only wonder how much longer the whole house of cards can stay standing, especially in the face of De Semblancy' s constant intrigue. Much of this actually takes place in our own city, safely removed from the delicate environment of the Oisillon Palace. Outside a few favoured towns and cities which, like Guisoreux, have gained the freedom to decide their own future, just about everyone in the Kingdom lie directly or indirectly under the control of one of these major factions. Down through the lesser nobility and the local gentry, their demands and troubles reach all the way to the peasants toiling in the fields; onto them falls the ultimate responsibility of paying for the political games and luxurious lifestyles of our aristocrats. Virtually everybody with an ounce of power or an acre of land can count himself somewhere in the great ladder of clients and patrons that extends up to the major factions and, eventually, to the King himself. Is this good for the nation? Is it good that a pampered dandy or scheming machiavel can control the destiny of so many from the marbled halls of the Oisillon Palace? Every day complaints and mutilated fugitives come into the city from the provinces, visible proof of the injustice wrought on Bretonnia by its leaders. Perhaps it is only the armed troops or the distributions of food and drink that keep the whole city from boiling over in indignation; the rest of the land is too shackled by the gentry to react. But it is not for us to judge. However, seeing the debauchery and cruelty of so many nobles and the inebriated state our so-called gentry get into when they abandon their comfortable apartments in the Oisillon Palace or come up from the provinces, I count myself lucky to be able to take a step back and not imagine the fate of myself, Xavier Rousseau, and of my fellow citizens in their hands.

Wyrd Doings: Wizards in Bretonnia ’And are you, or are you not, a witch?’ That was the question that the leader of the mob - one of the dirty, poverty-stricken-academic looking sorts that seems to spring out of every rabble to air its woes - put to the unfortunate man besieged in the middle of the Place de la Paix, accused of witchcraft. That man was Simonin Lamadon, graduate of the Altdorf school of magic, highly educated and with more power in his little finger than all the mob' s fists could muster. Someone who knows how to handle himself when in dire straits. He smiled as he told the rioters where to BRETONNIA–PROJECT

turn for the truth. He didn' t need to speak a second time; the crowds faces turned to each other, muttered and soon dispersed. ' Read,'he said to the dusty student and his companions with admirable composure, ' the Guisoreux Gazette.' Simonin Lamadon is also, I forgot to say, a personal friend. Monsieur Lamadon' s recent plight highlights the dangers that plague wizards in our great city, and indeed throughout the kingdom of Bretonnia. He and others like him invest years of effort and immense amounts of money in learning the ' art'as they like to call it. Simonin, as he told me during a meeting at the Eighth Heaven tavern, spent fully nine years in attaining full proficiency at magic. It was only two years ago, after the untimely death of Monsieur Jacques Fretrier-Ballisse, that he received his ' Permis de Magique'or, as I' ve heard it called in the alleys and highways of Guisoreux, the Cursed Coin. Now Simonin Lamadon can proudly call himself, together with the other twenty-four holders of the ' Cursed Coins' , one of the King' s Sorcerers: the best wizards in Bretonnia, under the King' s protection and required to give him help and advice whenever summoned. I was lucky enough to actually hold, if only for a short time, Simonin' s small golden Permis de Magique. He keeps it always about his neck, on a long silver chain. Silver, to discourage the darker things that lurk in the dark beyond dreams and occasionally challenge those who study the art. The Permis was not an especially beautiful or dazzling object; it was heavy, heavier even than gold ought to be. My whole arm seemed to grow gradually more leaden the longer I held it, and I could have sworn it took on a greater sheen as I let go and the medallion swung back into Simonin' s manicured palm. Upon its surface was etched the royal arms, together with an IX; this was the ninth of the twenty-five Permets de Magique. So the story goes, these twenty-five were made from the crown of the Duc de Brisolles, fabled magician-noble of the 13th century, who was defeated by St Marc in a contest of supernatural skill. Regardless of the history surrounding the Cursed Coins, they certainly carry their weight today. Anyone hindering their wearers can expect the full weight of King Charles' s power to come crushing down on them. A magician armed with a Permis can go anywhere and do almost - anything, and expect to get away with it; such is the power that these objects command. There' s an indefinable something about the small gold piece, barely two inches in diameter, that seems to reach out to all who see it. Wizards, so Simonin tells me, see it like a furnace in the darkness. Naturally, there are responsibilities, too. Sometimes quite onerous responsibilities. There is always at least one wizard at the Oisillon Palace providing advice and occasional entertainment for the King and his minions. Also, thanks to their education and power to see far more than meets the eye, wizards are regularly ordered to act as ambassadors or plenipotentiaries of the royal government. Simonin himself spent two months in Miragliano last autumn on the King' s orders, negotiating a new treaty over the shipment of wine glasses to Bordeleaux. A fellow bearer of the Permis de Magique, who will go unnamed for fear of sullying his peace-loving Book VI - Miscellaneous

14

name, was recently ordered to accompany an armed expedition in the Grey Mountains, and in times past up to a dozen wizards have joined the King and his armies on the march into Estalia and the Empire. Even the King' s Sorcerers fear blades and cannonballs; being the best is not always easy…or safe. But what of those who do not bear the Cursed Coins? There are wizards all over Bretonnia, some honest, some dishonest, and some just downright evil. The problem for the rest of the people comes in telling them apart. It is all too common for them to simplify the issue and cry ' witch!'at the first hint of magic. Even the lords and ladies still fear black magic, and see wizards as little more than a flashy and expensive drawing-room entertainment. Progress is slow; anyone who mutters, owns a broom or keeps a cat is liable to be charged with witchcraft in some rural areas I' ve known. Those who openly call themselves wizards can expect little more than stern silence, curses and, if they tread on anyone' s toes, the stake. Wizards in Bretonnia face an ambiguous present and a tough future. On the one hand King Charles, his servants and a rare few others see wizards for what they can be: a useful part of society and government. That' s why Simonin Lamadon and the other twenty-four carry the Permets de Magique. On the other hand, ancestral fear of witches and all types of magic turns the public against them, uniting rich and poor in ignorance and terror of that which they don' t understand. The law, too, is unkind to magicians. Summarising all the reams of legal jargon and centuries of confused legislation, one arrives at the following conclusion: magic is allowed, witchcraft is not. Where the one ends and the other begins is the big question. Xavier Rousseau

Magic over the Counter? The ' Liber Ingens de Magicae Artibus Veris' (' The Bumper Book of True Magic' ) sounds grand enough, and it certainly looks the part: thick, spells written in Classical, bound in red leather, big pentagram on the cover, smell like a musty old loft (I would be curious to know how this is achieved in the short time since the book was printed). Any aspiring wizard would be proud of it, and would soon be able to do anything from summon a daemon to seduce the girl of his dreams. Looking about the streets of Guisoreux, it seems that many have already seized the opportunity promised on the inside cover by the book' s publisher to ' learn the secrets of the magical arts'and ' know the truth behind the tapestry of visible reality' . Simonin Lamadon, a more experienced wizard acquaintance, is not so impressed. He lifts up the hefty tome with a sigh, and rolls his eyes. This is not the first copy he' s seen. After I was sent my copy by a friendly bookseller, I asked him to take a look. According to Simonin, the only magical feat that anyone could possibly link to the ' Liber Ingens de Magicae Artibus Veris'is managing to hawk it for 35 Francs, sometimes more. In spite of the impressive turns of phrase - ' O lord of the heavens and of the infernal realms, attend to my plea'- and suitably eldritch diagrams (goats'heads, stars and naked bodies - mostly, predictably BRETONNIA–PROJECT

enough, female - feature highly), Simonin is convinced that no supernatural effect whatsoever could result from any amount of the chanting and candle-burning prescribed by this book. And let it be remembered that Simonin Lamadon is one of the King' s Sorcerer' s, armed with a Permis de Magique; there can' t be many in Bretonnia who know more about magic than him. I' ll take his word that the book is worthless. Unfortunately, it seems that a great many people, mostly ambitious, otherwise intelligent young men and women, have been taken in by the offers of power and adventure, and have eagerly parted with their 35 gold pieces. Cartloads of the work must have arrived in the city, and I' ve heard that pirated editions are already being secretly produced. Details of the original' s producer, however, remain scanty. All the information contained in the ' Liber Ingens'itself is the name of the printer' s city Parravon - and his initials, B.R. Parravon is, after Guisoreux, perhaps the secondgreatest printing centre in the Old World. Dozens of printers work there, churning out vast runs of texts on all manner of subjects. Most of these are exported, either through the nearby Axe Bite Pass into the Empire, or else back down the Grismerie to Guisoreux and the rest of Bretonnia. The city' s comparative freedom from prohibitive laws gives printers more liberty than they find elsewhere, and they have carved themselves a lucrative niche in the economy of the Old World. Yet none of my contacts in the city know any printer with the initials B.R. Nor can they tell me anything more about the origins of the ' Liber Ingens'save that it is being sent off in vast quantities both in caravans across the mountains and in barges up the river into rest of the kingdom. Indeed, it is in connection with the ' Liber Ingens'that Simonin Lamadon has recently been asked by His Majesty King Charles III to go on a diplomatic mission to Altdorf - just one of the duties that comes from bearing one of the Cursed Coins. Complaints have been emerging from the highest levels of the Imperial government; apparently the ambitious youngsters of Altdorf, Nuln and Middenheim are as enthralled by the tome as our own. The Imperial authorities, however, seem to be taking it all very seriously; they see the influx of copies of the ' Liber Ingens'as nothing short of a dangerous and subversive plot to warp the bright young things of their greatest cities. Stern letters have been sent, and (though Simonin is reluctant to divulge too many details) further action has been threatened unless something is done. Our own leadership has wisely taken the advice of Simonin and his fellow wizards, and is quite content to sit back and let the book' s purchasers learn their own mistake. Spending 35 Francs is quite enough punishment, they feel. Nevertheless, although it has not yet spread as much in provincial towns, the book may cause quite a stir when it does. How many peasants, or small-town judges, for that matter, would be able to tell the difference between a genuine grimoire and the pulpmagic printed in the ' Liber Ingens' ? Already the countryside is gripped by panics about witches; what reaction the antics of high-spirited wizards-in-waiting might provoke none can dare guess. Xavier Rousseau

Book VI - Miscellaneous

15

Colleges, Chancellors and Chardonnay: The Guisonne University, part I

A throng of dirty, drunken young men, with a few equally bedraggled young ladies mixed in amongst them, pours through the streets of Sudpont in the early morning, overturning market stalls and frightening the horses. Chants and whoops rise from the faceless mass, made gaudy by an occasional banner. One would almost have thought that civilised life had come to an end, that once again the downtrodden paupers from beyond the city walls had broken in. But no; the guards stand by, watching keenly lest any onlooker interfere with the raucous procession before its members reach their goal the river - and throw themselves into it. It’ s Prairial Week again, in the middle of Floreal. Parties have begun, and no tavern, street sign or beast of burden on the South Bank is safe from the threat of student pranks. The academic year is over; let the celebrations begin. The students are free for the summer. Last night’ s bacchanalian spectacle aside, this writer has much to say for the great and glorious Guisonne University, being himself a proud graduate. I too once cast myself into the murky, stinking waters of the Ois, survived, and went on to become the (moderately) rich and (slightly) respectable man that I am today. So much, and probably a lot more, could be said of each of last night’ s revellers; without being a graduate of one of the illustrious colleges of the Guisonne, entry to the higher clergy, royal service and the professions is nigh on impossible. Not only does Guisonne provide an education superior to anything else offered in the Old World, it is home to a body of men (and, nowadays, women) who will make up the kingdom’ s highest echelons in the not-toodistant future. Friends and contacts - the old boy network - are the lifeblood of the Bretonnian elite, and a good many of them will be made during one’ s time at the Guisonne. I have sung the praises of my beloved house of learning for long enough; it now behoves me to furnish the Gazette’ s readers with a few pertinent facts. The Guisonne university’ s history as an institution of learning goes back well over a thousand years, closely associated in the earliest period - around the 12th century IC - with the Grande Chapelle de Guisoreux, which was responsible for training priests of Verena. I will not bore you with details, but suffice it to say that over some 600 years this ecclesiastical school grew to be much more than just a local seminary, attracting students from all over the kingdom and beyond. Eventually laymen also began to take an interest, and tensions grew up over whether students had to be priests or not. A few cults other than the Verenan also got involved. The resultant confusion is part of the reason we have so many different colleges BRETONNIA–PROJECT

today, with such a long history of animosity. At length, King Guillaume III decided that enough was enough, his decision being prompted by a rather sordid affair involving the head of the Grande Chapelle (who still held theoretical authority) and some of his students, both boys and girls. In 1789 IC the Grande Chapelle was divested of its ancient powers and by a new charter the Guisonne university was set up. The name comes from an old form of the city’ s name used in all the old titles previously lavished on the colleges. The only remnant of the Grande Chapelle is the Chapelle itself, which is now the rather grand, if dilapidated, university chapel, situated next to the equally dilapidated Great Hall (once the refectory of the Grande Chapelle). Since the good King Guillaume couldn’ t bring himself to completely break with the old regime, services are still held twice a day and on St Bernard’ s day all students and masters are obliged to attend service. St Bernard’ s day being in Nivoise, the crush to get out of the cold and into the church has seen more than one unfortunate accident in the past. Today, the university proudly upholds its timehonoured traditions. There are dozens of strange customs and practices; the year-end leap into the Ois for one; the hatreds between various colleges and love-hated relationship with town people others. The colleges vigorously defend their ancient privileges, sometimes violently. The chancellor of the university, Cardinal Gibaud de Rennes, has a virtually impossible task to keep order amongst the squabbling scholars and intriguing deans, not to mention the countless treasonous and heretical ideas that proliferate in the minds of Guisonne academics. The fact that the current chancellor is the Cardinal of Verena does not, fortunately, imply any new subordination of the university to the cult; rather, De Rennes was once a very successful master at Cardinal College and was actually appointed chancellor before becoming Cardinal. And a damned good chancellor he’ s been so far, at least in the eyes of the colleges, for he is strictly conservative and winces at any thought of change. Still, close sources have intimated that this quiet, intellectual ascete can be quite determined when his mind is set on something. The much-vaunted Staff Disciplinary Committee (first set up by royal order in 2289 IC after a number of students were implicated in an assassination attempt) is poised somewhere between being an amateur dramatics society and a secret police force. The exact number of members of the committee is not known even by the committee itself, but effective leadership lies in the hands of a withered venerable gent known simply as ’ The Old Man’ . Long ago, so this writer has heard, he was dean of one of the grander colleges, but after selling private information to the government was sacked…and immediately recruited to head up the Disciplinary Committee. This body is jeered and loudly disregarded by the colleges and their staffs, but every once in a while it takes some unexpected, arbitrary and sometimes bloody action that serves only to antagonise the colleges yet further. The Guisonne cannot be described in one mere page, and like so many before me I have failed. Nevertheless, I shall take up my tale in a future article on the students and their colleges. X.R

Book VI - Miscellaneous

16

Colleges, Chancellors and Chardonnay: The Guisonne University, part II

As I promised, I return once more to tell you of the wonder that is student and college life in the great Guisonne university. The first thing that must be stated is that, contrary to what thick-browed innkeepers and stickin-the-mud lordlings might tell you, there is no ‘typical’ Guisonne student. There is still an element of the old ‘chardonnay and strawberries’ set to be found carousing the streets of Sudpont every night, but the new endowments and general tightening of standards that has taken place over the last century have brought new academic life to the old colleges. At Ste Joan college (founded 2484 IC by Duchess Martine Courlommiers) even women can now find a university-level education; as only the most forward-thinking of families would think of sending their daughters here, it is in fact far more academically-inclined than a number of more prestigious all-male colleges. There are thirteen colleges in the Guisonne university; others have been and gone over the centuries. The first was, of course, the Grande Chapelle itself, but the oldest surviving college is d’ Orsay (founded in 1288 IC). It has a reputation for being the most conservative and snobbish college of all, taking in only those noble sons who meet their high social standards. Academic life here is tepid to say the least; the masters are known for their girth rather than their literary output. However, it is the wealthiest college, dutifully endowed by many rich and successful alumni and charging a fortune for entry. D’ Orsay’ s buildings are the grandest and its students the most pampered in the university. The exclusive college library is rumoured to contain no less than twelve texts… At the opposite end of the scale to d’ Orsay are Cardinal college (founded 1532 IC) and the Faculty de Sorbet (founded 1302 IC). The former is the best theological school in the Old World. There is no question on that matter; it attracts the brightest, most committed members from all over the Old World. Officially, it is still a seminary of the cult of Verena; all members must take lesser orders (which in practise means nothing more than they have to attend services twice a week), and a fair number go on to become high-level priests. However, the college is also celebrated for the study of history and ancient languages, and even attracts members who become priests of other cults, most notably of Myrmidia, Morr and Shallya. Cardinal Dumourieux, a graduate of Cardinal college, is the official Master of the college. The Faculty de Sorbet is even more prestigious than Cardinal college. It only accepts graduates, and is picky even BRETONNIA–PROJECT

among them; it truly does take only the very best students. On the other hand, once chosen, no student of the Faculty ever has to pay a penny. It is also unique in boasting the presence of Yrlith Quirnall, the only Elf to have ever taken up teaching in a human land; he takes on those few patient and gifted enough to learn the complex Elven tongue and appreciate the Elven history and literature. Just where this institution, consulted on matters of law from as far away as Kislev, gets its considerable funding, is a mystery. Unkind students (probably bitter at being refused a place) say a former master did a deal with the dark gods, and that all who enter the Faculty have to sell their soul. Other important colleges include the Louisienne (founded by the Duc de Flandres, Louis le Noir, in 1511 IC), now regarded as equal (if not superior) to Cardinal college for law; it is patronised by many wealthy lawyers of Guisoreux and other big cities, who train up their most promising pupils here. Fontaine college (set up by Abbe Michel Fontaine, a Shallyan cleric and healer, in 1477 IC) is, like Cardinal college, still technically a religious institution, but in reality its links go no further than allowing its famous medical students to minister to the needy as part of their tuition in Shallyan hospitals. Grantum college (founded 1681 IC by an aristocratic philanthropist, Baron Lamont) is well-known for its ‘revolutionary’ and subversive nature; no year goes by without one or more students being taken to court. Many of Grantum’ s intake comes from the very lowest echelons of society, their tuition paid for by the generous Lamont fund. There is a great deal of antipathy between Grantum and Stratum (founded 1500 IC) colleges; Stratum is closely linked to the government, and is famously orthodox. As the colleges are situated very close to each other, brawls and shouting-matches are common. Maison Neuve (founded 1746 IC by a consortium of Guisoreux merchants) is a large but poor college; although it cannot afford to subsidise the education of its students, it does not charge so much as most others. The smallest college in the university is La Seconde Maison (founded 2296 IC) when a major disagreement amongst the masters of Maison Neuve led to some being sacked (or ‘sent down’ as the Guisonne saying goes). They set up their own college in outrage, which continues to thumb its nose at anyone who tries to interfere with it, purely on principle. Claron college (founded 1354 IC by a Verenan cardinal) is known as the ‘metaphysics college’ , for more than any other it has embraced the arts of mathematics and physical and natural science, deviating sharply from its religious beginnings (the college ‘went secular’ in 1789 IC in outrage at the misconduct of the master of the Grande Chapelle). Charles Hall (named after its founder, a cleric of Morr, in 1606 IC) is still little more than a seminary for the cult of Morr; its students are sombre and studious, rarely seen on the streets. Quite the opposite could be said of the poorest college, Quenelles (founded by the Comte de Quenelles in 1485 IC), whose students are said to be on good terms with local beggars. The Guisonne university is a world within a world; I cannot do it justice in words alone. It is a place to be experienced, not described. Take a Cardinal graduate’ s word for it. X.R

Book VI - Miscellaneous

17

Parravon: Yesterday’s City of Tomorrow

In the last few years, my home city of Parravon has been undergoing something of a renaissance. Not that I ever felt that it was anything less than a great and pleasant place to live; but since coming to Guisoreux one comes to concentrate on ‘great’ rather than ‘pleasant’ . A recent visit to Parravon has, after many years of uncertainty, swayed me strongly in favour of going back to my roots. There seems to be a certain something that seduces those born in Parravon into returning…or rather prevents them from ever truly leaving. Something just seems to drag us back, wherever we may go. Parravon’ s location near the Imperial border has, given the comparative peace with the Empire in recent years, seen burgeoning trade pass over the Grey Mountains to Altdorf and Nuln; ever-larger amounts, too, are in demand along the Grismarie at Guisoreux. For those merchants who may be reading, Parravon and its various industries mean big money; the city is richer than ever, with many booming trades. Apples (used to make a wonderful cider and a sweet, aromatic, highly intoxicating spirit called ‘Pommeraye’ ) are grown along the fertile banks of the Grismarie in the Vale of Parravon, which extends some 5 leagues beyond the city in either direction. Grain and several other kinds of fruit are cultivated, including vines which go to make the distinctive local red wine. The fat, fortunate farmers of the region scoff at the idea of a poor harvest. All the produce of the Vale goes into Parravon: partly for reasons of logistics, partly because there is an ancient antagonism towards those who live outside the Vale, in the rest of Bourgon. Not even I, a proud local boy, can tell why: they call us devils; we call them unclean and witless bumpkins: it’ s as simple as that. The city itself is famous for its good air and soil, and horticulture is a favourite pursuit of rich and poor alike; gardens surround the tall, narrow stone houses (a fixture of the Vale of Parravon, built from stone quarried from cliffs along the northern edge), and only in the very densest areas is space a problem. The cliffs above the city are terraced by yet more gardens, nestling amidst the crags and caverns. The Parc St Gudule is reputed to be one of the best gardens in the Old World, and was created in the 18th century IC by the famous ' Capacite'Doisneau: the greatest and most eccentric gardener ever to have lived. Citizens brag that Doisneau so excelled himself with the labyrinth, which is said to get a little bit taller and more bristley every time someone gets a bit too lost and does not emerge; and with the topiary animals which according to gossips come alive to prowl the shadowy BRETONNIA–PROJECT

groves at night, silent as rustling autumn leaves. The biggest growth in Parravon’ s trade has been in the new industry of printing. Although invented in the Empire, progress there is patchy; here, safely over the border, printers have been able to set up dozens of workshops. They do a brisk trade, dispatching barges and wagons full of the latest volumes over the Grey Mountains and down the Grismarie every day; Parravon is second only to Guisoreux in the scale of its printing trade, and the margin between them is small. The printers of the city constitute a significant power bloc, able to influence both leading merchants and the masses, and the lack of age-old guild formalities means that the printers are able to make up their rules as they go along. Also, the majority of them are not native to the city: many educated but poor men come from all over Bretonnia in search of work, and there are large numbers of Imperials in the city as well, mostly connected with the printing trade (Parravon can even boast a temple to Sigmar, recently consecrated, much to the chagrin of pious locals; it is the target of much ire). Many of them are political or religious exiles, thumbing their noses at enemies over the border in an ongoing war of pamphlets and posters. Their rivals across the mountains do not stand idle, and it is not unusual for murders and intrigue amongst the various printers to break out over some obscure religious or political quibble in the troubled Empire. The locals and the authorities oppose this foreign interference when it spills over onto their streets - quite understandably. As yet there is no formal guild organisation of printers, but there is the association of ‘Blackteeth’ : these are those responsible for working the presses, often young and relatively well-educated. Lucien Musset is the most prominent of the Blackteeth leaders; he was expelled from the Guisonne university under shady political circumstances, and through slick talking and a passion for challenging authority has risen to become foremost agitator amongst the Blackteeth, dominating the unofficial committee that organises their actions. The Blackteeths’ name derives from the slang term given to the printing blocks with ink applied to them (which often covers their hands and face), and they have been able to command important concessions from the print masters and even the city authorities through threats and protests. Much of this is down to their ability to churn out a great deal of propaganda to support their cause. Opponents of the Blackteeth, including the richest printers and merchants fear their rising influence, but the frequent lack of a decisive hand in the city’ s government makes firm action difficult. Until fairly recently, Parravon was ruled by the Bresson family, the Comtes de Parravon, who had been masters of the city since (so cherished tradition says) before the formation of the Empire; a popular story relates how the city resisted an attempt by Sigmar Heldenhammer to impose himself upon them, thanks to a flock of giant bats which flew, as if directed by some guiding intelligence, from the caves in the cliffs above the city and awoke the people at the critical moment. Other legends tell of the unusual foibles and fancies of the Bressons; one old favourite, only ever repeated in hushed tones to frighten children, tells how one Comte in the 10th century IC, Marcel Bresson ’ le Diable’ , made a pact with Book VI - Miscellaneous

18

the Dark Gods granting power to himself and good fortune to the city…in return for certain sacrifices and other eldritch conditions which even today have a hold on all natives of Parravon. Whether this fanciful tale is linked to recent rumours of some unseen horror stalking the night in Parravon is not my place to say, but visitors should not fear as no-one born outside the city has yet been targeted. Since the death of the last Comte (Marcel Bresson III ‘le Fou’ ) in 2468 IC, government of the city devolved to a city council led by the royal governor, presently Duc Armand de Coquerone. Coquerone is a relation of the Lefevre family (the Bresson' s long time rivals in Bourgon), brought up near Guisoreux and at the Oisillon Palace, who has been far more outgoing in political circles than most of his kinsmen. The extent of his connections with Rainier d' Argonne, Comte de Domme, head of the Lefevre clan, is a hotly debated topic at every tavern in the city. His wife, Adeline Coquerone, niece of Rainier d' Argonne, keeps a tight rein over the governor' s household and only emerges from her husband' s mansion in a covered coach on rare occasions at unusual hours: wits say she is afraid of what the people might do to the daughter of a leading Bourgon bumpkin landowner. Others, myself included, are becoming more and more perturbed by Duchesse Coquelone' s peculiar behaviour, especially as I have heard on the grapevine that she is ingratiating herself with aristocrats of the old Bresson line. The Governor must share his power with the city council whose most noteworthy members are Baron Robert de Boron, leading landowner in the Vale of Parravon with close links to the Bresson comital line; Mme Alienor Bertin, young but canny widow of the city’ s greatest merchant; Pere Jean-Pierre, dour and forthright high-priest of the city’ s impressive cathedral of Morr; and Andre le Bosse, master of a dozen languages, graduate of Cardinal college and head of the most important printing house in the city, ’ L’ Atelier du Bosse’ . The city’ s potentially sensitive position near the Imperial border means that there is a constant military presence, which is based in the Chateau Blanc: a large and well-defended fortress perched on the edge of the cliff overlooking the city and the nerve-centre of the Grey Mountain frontier. It is joined by tunnels to a chain of

smaller forts and outposts all along the northern edge of the Vale of Parravon: these and a series of castles and watch-towers between the Vale and the Grey Mountains are all directed from the Chateau Blanc. The Chateau’ s commander, Captain Frambaud Lande, is the closest thing to a resident general: he was appointed personally by the Marshal of Bretonnia, and still owes some allegiance to the Duc de Semblancy. Lande is a tough and fanatical commander, risen from the ranks through shouting and glowering at superiors. He treats his men with great brutality and constantly suspects an Imperial attack even though the mountain border has been quiet for over a century now. Malicious whisperers claim the bodies of his men are sometimes hurled from the towering Chateau Blanc onto the roofs of the city below. Lande and his men are first and foremost concerned with manning the fortresses of the Grey Mountain frontier and the Vale of Parravon, but are also responsible for policing the city. Much to his chagrin, Lande has little real political power in the city unless it comes under attack; this does not stop him quite openly venting his hatred of Imperials and other foreigners, who frequently find themselves led by burly soldiers up the long, winding staircase that leads through the cliffs to the dungeons of the Chateau Blanc. Not surprisingly, patrols of the troops into areas settled by Imperials often turn into running battles, but Lande reportedly encourages his men to stir up trouble so as to keep their combat skills up to scratch. Xavier Rousseau

Z-2P.,2U-2