For
two thousand years, the ancient and noble Pyhrennic Empire was the summit of
culture and learning among all the peoples of Men. There had been generations
of dialogue and commerce between emissaries of the Empire and with all free
peoples (der Alfenkinde or Elven kingdoms, and the Svartlekinde or Dwarvenholds).
Thirsty for knowledge and ever seeking mastery of all the created works
of The One, the Savants of Pyhren began to inquire into the ways of magic. They
had seen the mighty works of der Alfenkinde as well as the dark magics of the
fire-drakes to the east as well as from der Orkenkinde and der Güblinatid. The
Savants wanted to gain mastery as well as seek protection from Pyhren’s
enemies. They requested training by der Wissen among der Alfenkinde. But der
Alfenkinde refused their request, saying that what Men called “magic” was a
latent ability of der Alfenkinde and other free peoples. To practice “magic”
was to step outside the boundaries long established by The One. The Savants
refused the warnings of der Alfenkinde and practiced magic of every kind,
learning magic wherever they could find it. Eventually, the Savants sought
mastery of Pyrhen and all the continent of Nördheim itself. The leader of the
Savants, the Arch-Mage Vecna, brought a century of war and cataclysm to the
world, resulting in the utter collapse of civilization and the fall of the
Pyrhennic Empire to the barbarian hordes of der Orkenkinde and der Güblinatid.
Five
hundred years after the fall of the mighty Pyhrennic Empire to the invading
hordes of der Orkenkinde and der Güblinatid, the mighty champion of the
Magisterium, Badrolmïngen, restored the ancient rule that had been lost for
centuries but with greater ecclesiastical control by leading members of the
Magisterium. Badrolmïngen sought to prevent another cataclysm as it was known
by the faithful, and known by the paynims as “The Wrack of the Gods.” He
therefore sundered all ties with the free peoples, blaming them for the
calamities that befell the realm in earlier times. Craving the blessings of The
One, Emperor Badrolmïngen decreed forced conversions of all peoples and death
by the sword to all not beholding to the Magisterial Dogma. He baptized his
empire and water and blood, though some would say that blood ran much further
than water. His efforts also estranged the kingdoms of Men from all other free
peoples.
Before his death, Emperor Badrolmïngen faced a war greater than any that
he had yet waged: from the North dwelt a Power of such cunning malevolence that
the paynims feared one of their pagan gods had returned from of old to curse
the land for forsaking its eldritch rites. Badrolmïngen knew better, and soon
began a watchful vigilance that eventually led to full-scale war. The malignant
Power, known by the Nördmenn as the Liche-king of Angdûm, was of the undead—a
mage who had practiced unholy magics in order to prolong his days out of the
fear of death and eventually becoming neither living nor dead. More horrible
still, Badrolmïngen knew the real identity of the Liche-king: the Arche-Mage
Vecna. After a decade of bitter conflict, the Badrolmïngien Empire emerged
triumphant. But the cost was heavy: one fourth of the people died of supernatural
winters as well as unnatural and unholy pestilences conjured by Vecna; another
quarter of the population died in the interminable war. And ultimately,
Badrolmïngen and Vecna destroyed one another in the final conflict for the
future of Nordheim.
As a bulwark against incursions of der Orkenkinde and their worg mounts,
Badrolmïngen fortified a castle in the northernmost region of the eastern
portion of his empire, a territory known as Stürmhutte (Stormguard), now known
as the Barony of Stürmhutte. The castle was known as Wulfhilde as it was a
bulwark against hordes of worgs and der Orkenkinde.
Badrolmïngen wanted more than a military defense, however. He wanted to
convert the territory to the true worship of The One. He consulted with the
Magisterium and soon established a kirchen
under the protection of Castle Wulfhilde. Centuries later, the Magisterium
built an Abbey within the city that had developed around it. The Abbey
preserved a holy relic that hearkened to the days before Badrolmïngen had
founded Castle Wulfhilde.
Once, a horde of der Orkenkinde and worgs routed all the Allemani tribes
in the north of Stürmhutte. The Allemani made a final stand at the hill where
Castle Wulfhilde rests today. Before very long, the people knew that the
barbarian hordes would soon overrun them. But a chieftain of one group, Marhaus,
offered to stand with his thanes and warriors as a rearguard while the rest of
the Allemani could make their escape. The rest of the people knew that such a
move was a suicide. Marhaus was the chieftain of the first tribe among the
Allemani to convert to the religion of The One and received confirmation into
the Magisterium. The people admired his utter selflessness in what they knew
would only lead to his death.
Marhaus stood with his rearguard and defended the hilltop while the rest
of the Allemani tribes made their escape down the hilltop and along a valley
pass. The men, only one hundred and fifty, made a valiant last stand and slew
over a thousand der Orkenkinde and worgs. In the end, only Marhaus remained
standing, all of his men lay slain around him. His sword was broken during the
last worg raid. Brandishing a metal spike broken from an Orkenkinde shield,
Marhaus continued to fight the packs of worgs that encircled him. Thirty times
he struck down a worg that lunged for his throat, striking its skull through.
Thirty times, after slaying another worg, Marhaus cried in Allemani, “Die
Morgendämmerung wird sich durchsetzen!” or “The Dawn will yet prevail!” He
would have continued had not the Orkenkinde chief, Kruge, run him through from
behind.
Later, members of the Allemani returned to the scene of the battle.
Rumor had reached them through dreams and visions of fellow tribesmen of the
last stand of Marhaus. They recovered the body of Marhaus and cherished the
iron spike that he used in defense of his Allemani tribesmen. The
self-sacrifice of Marhaus persuaded many among the Allemani to convert to the
true worship of the One whereas before few would do so. Eventually, the
Magisterium maintained that the skull of Marhaus and the iron spike in his
final combat were holy relics. Pilgrimages visited Wulfhilde Abbey and the
faithful would seek blessings and protection from the holy relics at the Abbey.
The people named their city in their ancient dialect, Durthang, meaning “Iron
Spike.”
The people were outraged, then, when the
Magisterium moved the skull to another location, saying that the region needed
protection against the raids by der Orkenkinde.
-Done by the DM
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