Middenheim, City of the White Wolf
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Middenheim has stood for over 2000 years, a place constructed with the help of Dwarfs, and made to endure. The city hold about 13 000 souls but this number increases significally during the Middenheim Festival. The City proper is built on 500 ft tall mountain and is further defended by its 25 ft high walls.
Early on in its life, the city sought wizards (and dwarfs) to aid it, both in defence and construction. With general public acceptance of their role, Wizards and Alchemists flocked to the city, and the tradition continues to this day.
In time, the fortress became a city as the traffic increased between Altdorf and Salzenmund, and between Talabheim and Marienburg. All the while the Cult of Ulric grew, and Middenheim now boasts the foremost temple of Ulric in the Old World.
Middenheim is the most northern of The Empire's cities and its second largest, with its 25 feet high walls, it is perched on top of 500-foot of sheer-sided rock, a bastion against the northern realms and the roaming Chaos and Goblinoid bands of the DrakWald Forest.
Entrance is gained in one of two ways: the main bulk of traffic reaches the city gates along one of the four stone viaducts that slope gently up from the surrounding land. These viaducts are each one mile in length and 60 feet in width, with plenty of room to let carts pass side by side. However, arguments are common, (especially on windy days), between cart drivers who feel safer travelling in the centre of the road - a 3-foot high stone wall does little to inspire confidence. The second, even more awesome, means of entering the city is to use one of two chair-lifts. These provide a rapid, if somewhat breezy, way for pedestrians to enter the city.
It is also rumoured that the rock on which Middenheim stands is honeycombed by the mines and tunnels of the early Dwarven settlers.
Middenheim was founded nearly two and- a-half thousand years ago by the leader of the Teutogen tribe. The mighty pinnacle on which it stands is known as the Fauschlag (meaning FistStrike) because legend tells that UIric cut the top off the ancient rock with one blow of his fist. And Middenheim is very much Ulric's City. Home to the largest Temple of the Cult in the entire Old World, it draws pilgrims from far and wide.
The City's wealth is based mainly on trade and tribute - it is, after all, a City State, and both its ruler, Graf Boris, and the High Priest Ar-Ulric are Imperial Electors. It is also said that the Dwarfs mined a fair bit of gold from the Fauschlag when they helped build the City, but most of it has found its way into the Graf's treasury.
Middenheim has stood for over 2000 years, a place constructed with the help of Dwarfs, and made to endure. The city hold about 13 000 souls but this number increases significally during the Middenheim Festival. The City proper is built on 500 ft tall mountain and is further defended by its 25 ft high walls.
Early on in its life, the city sought wizards (and dwarfs) to aid it, both in defence and construction. With general public acceptance of their role, Wizards and Alchemists flocked to the city, and the tradition continues to this day.
In time, the fortress became a city as the traffic increased between Altdorf and Salzenmund, and between Talabheim and Marienburg. All the while the Cult of Ulric grew, and Middenheim now boasts the foremost temple of Ulric in the Old World.
Middenheim is the most northern of The Empire's cities and its second largest, with its 25 feet high walls, it is perched on top of 500-foot of sheer-sided rock, a bastion against the northern realms and the roaming Chaos and Goblinoid bands of the DrakWald Forest.
Entrance is gained in one of two ways: the main bulk of traffic reaches the city gates along one of the four stone viaducts that slope gently up from the surrounding land. These viaducts are each one mile in length and 60 feet in width, with plenty of room to let carts pass side by side. However, arguments are common, (especially on windy days), between cart drivers who feel safer travelling in the centre of the road - a 3-foot high stone wall does little to inspire confidence. The second, even more awesome, means of entering the city is to use one of two chair-lifts. These provide a rapid, if somewhat breezy, way for pedestrians to enter the city.
It is also rumoured that the rock on which Middenheim stands is honeycombed by the mines and tunnels of the early Dwarven settlers.
Middenheim was founded nearly two and- a-half thousand years ago by the leader of the Teutogen tribe. The mighty pinnacle on which it stands is known as the Fauschlag (meaning FistStrike) because legend tells that UIric cut the top off the ancient rock with one blow of his fist. And Middenheim is very much Ulric's City. Home to the largest Temple of the Cult in the entire Old World, it draws pilgrims from far and wide.
The City's wealth is based mainly on trade and tribute - it is, after all, a City State, and both its ruler, Graf Boris, and the High Priest Ar-Ulric are Imperial Electors. It is also said that the Dwarfs mined a fair bit of gold from the Fauschlag when they helped build the City, but most of it has found its way into the Graf's treasury.
People and Places
The second largest city in The Empire (after the Imperial Capital of Altdorf), Middenheim covers an area of just over two square mile. It is divided into eleven districts, but most of these will fall into one of three categories: the rich, the middle classes, and the poor. The exceptions are the 'special' areas: the Palace, the Great Park, and the Freiburg.
The Palast district is where the nobility live - relatives to Graf Boris Todbringer, or favoured local families , or just hangers on.
The "Rich" encompass lesser nobility, successful merchants and artisans, and most Guild masters. These groups tend to live in the northern and central areas of the City. They are easily identified on the streets, since they always travel with a large entourage (friends, lackeys, bodyguards), and are often preceded by a burly crier who bids all those of lesser status to make way.
The middle classes are made up of lesser merchants and craftsmen, high-ranking clerics, and the bulk of the City's large population of Wizards, Alchemists and other Academics. These types are, broadly speaking, to be found in one of three areas: Westor-Sudgarten near the West Gate; Ulricsmund around the Temple of UIric; and Osttor near the East Gate.
The poor form the bulk of the population, ranging from unskilled labourers and market stall-holders to the very dregs of society - criminals of all sorts, cut-throats, beggars, and other vermin. The 'respectable' types live mainly in the Southgate area and are usually the first to rise - being up and about before dawn. Ostwald and the Old Quarter are where the villains rule, but these characters rarely venture forth until after sunset. But even in broad daylight, the honest man does not venture into these areas without an armed escort!
The Great Park in the centre of the City is just about the only place where all three classes can be seen together. The Freiburg has an atmosphere all its own - home to many students and academics, it is the hub of the City's cultural life and the source of much of its liberalism.
The second largest city in The Empire (after the Imperial Capital of Altdorf), Middenheim covers an area of just over two square mile. It is divided into eleven districts, but most of these will fall into one of three categories: the rich, the middle classes, and the poor. The exceptions are the 'special' areas: the Palace, the Great Park, and the Freiburg.
The Palast district is where the nobility live - relatives to Graf Boris Todbringer, or favoured local families , or just hangers on.
The "Rich" encompass lesser nobility, successful merchants and artisans, and most Guild masters. These groups tend to live in the northern and central areas of the City. They are easily identified on the streets, since they always travel with a large entourage (friends, lackeys, bodyguards), and are often preceded by a burly crier who bids all those of lesser status to make way.
The middle classes are made up of lesser merchants and craftsmen, high-ranking clerics, and the bulk of the City's large population of Wizards, Alchemists and other Academics. These types are, broadly speaking, to be found in one of three areas: Westor-Sudgarten near the West Gate; Ulricsmund around the Temple of UIric; and Osttor near the East Gate.
The poor form the bulk of the population, ranging from unskilled labourers and market stall-holders to the very dregs of society - criminals of all sorts, cut-throats, beggars, and other vermin. The 'respectable' types live mainly in the Southgate area and are usually the first to rise - being up and about before dawn. Ostwald and the Old Quarter are where the villains rule, but these characters rarely venture forth until after sunset. But even in broad daylight, the honest man does not venture into these areas without an armed escort!
The Great Park in the centre of the City is just about the only place where all three classes can be seen together. The Freiburg has an atmosphere all its own - home to many students and academics, it is the hub of the City's cultural life and the source of much of its liberalism.
A Day in the Life of the City.
As the sun rises, the streets and squares gradually fill up. The air is soon full of every kind of stench and aroma - from freshly baked bread to uncured leather, from the perfumes of the rich to the body odours of the poor.
Throughout the day, all but the minor streets and alleys are teeming with people. Anyone in a hurry is going to get very frustrated - unless they have a horse and a very good excuse for riding people down! It is impossible to walk the streets without being subjected to a constant jostling, so beware the pickpocket!
The crowds thin as the afternoon wears on - but different areas come to life in the evening. Footpads and thieves come out with the setting of the sun, while the wealthier classes like to spend their evenings taking advantage of the City's numerous, excellent hostelries, clubs, and restaurants.
The streets can be very dark indeed at night. The nobility and the rich surround their homes with lanterns and torches, and if they venture out after dark are invariably surrounded by lanterncarrying flunkies. Others must carry their own illumination, although for many City-dwellers, it's a case of the darker the better.
DWARFS
As has already been mentioned, Middenheim is popular with Dwarven travellers. These can often be seen in family groups wandering the city, seeking out buildings constructed by their ancestors and so on. In addition, many Dwarfs (about 600) work full-time in the city as engineers, builders and other skilled artisans. Dwarfs have a long and honourable involvement with the , city, and this is reflected in the respect they are generally accorded. The other races are less at home: Halflings are the next most common race, numbering around 300, and generally work (as always) in the catering trade, although the area of the city known as the Kleinmoot is home to a considerable number of Halfling artisans.
GOVERNMENT
Middenheim is ruled by Graf Boris Todbringer, Imperial Elector. The rule of Graf Boris does not end at the city walls; Middenheim is a City State, and controls a tract of land over a radius of some 30 miles from the city. The Todbringer line has surrounded itself with advisors. These advisors come into contact with the city's inhabitants, both directly and indirectly, and thus the people's feelings and viewpoints are passed to the Graf.
These advisers consist of: his immediate family and members of court, the three Law Lords, three Middenheim Marshalls, various Commissions and heads of various Guilds.
RELIGION
As might be expected, the main cult in Middenheim is that of Ulric. The High Priest of the city's temple to Ulric is a powerful individual indeed, being an Imperial Elector as well as the overall head of the cult. Despite the integral role the cult plays in city politics, the average citizen is not overly concerned with religion. Of other cults, the most noteworthy are those of Sigmar, Verena Shallya and Morr. The sizable dwarven community also has their own temple to Grugni.
CRIMINALITY
Middenheim is one of the few cities known not to host a thieves' guild, which is a strange an rare occurence. Instead, criminal activities are being run by two crimelords with each holding their territories which seem concentrated on the Altquatrier and the Southgate-Ostwald district.
On top of that, previous Ulrician Witch Hunter reports make notion of the following cults having had - or being active in the city: The Cult of The Purple Hand (Tzeentch), The Jade Sceptre (Slaanesh) and, to a lesser degree, The Cult of the Foetid Maw (Nurgle). The most notorious of these reports, by Witch Hunter Haldred Feuerschtafel makes mention of viscious inter-cult infighting leading to the demise of the Cult of The Red Crown (another Tzeentch - based cult).
SNOTBALL
a City craze and some people come to the City just to follow this ancient sport. Unfortunately, Snotball matches do attract many Football Hooligans and violent confrontations between fans of rival teams are not uncommon. In brief, the game is played between two teams of 11 players, on a pitch roughly 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. There is a set of goals at each end of the pitch. The aim of the game is to get a Snoting (which is contorted by very tough leather thongs into a roughly spherical shape) into the opposition's goal by any means the players can come up with (kicking, throwing, punching, nutting). Just about the only rule is that no part of an attacker's anatomy may be in contact with the Snoting as it crosses the goal-line. Players wear extremely thick, brighdy coloured leather jerkins, leather trousers with plenty of shinpadding, tough leather boots, and a mailcoif over the head. For ease of identification, they also wear numbers on their backs.
As the sun rises, the streets and squares gradually fill up. The air is soon full of every kind of stench and aroma - from freshly baked bread to uncured leather, from the perfumes of the rich to the body odours of the poor.
Throughout the day, all but the minor streets and alleys are teeming with people. Anyone in a hurry is going to get very frustrated - unless they have a horse and a very good excuse for riding people down! It is impossible to walk the streets without being subjected to a constant jostling, so beware the pickpocket!
The crowds thin as the afternoon wears on - but different areas come to life in the evening. Footpads and thieves come out with the setting of the sun, while the wealthier classes like to spend their evenings taking advantage of the City's numerous, excellent hostelries, clubs, and restaurants.
The streets can be very dark indeed at night. The nobility and the rich surround their homes with lanterns and torches, and if they venture out after dark are invariably surrounded by lanterncarrying flunkies. Others must carry their own illumination, although for many City-dwellers, it's a case of the darker the better.
DWARFS
As has already been mentioned, Middenheim is popular with Dwarven travellers. These can often be seen in family groups wandering the city, seeking out buildings constructed by their ancestors and so on. In addition, many Dwarfs (about 600) work full-time in the city as engineers, builders and other skilled artisans. Dwarfs have a long and honourable involvement with the , city, and this is reflected in the respect they are generally accorded. The other races are less at home: Halflings are the next most common race, numbering around 300, and generally work (as always) in the catering trade, although the area of the city known as the Kleinmoot is home to a considerable number of Halfling artisans.
GOVERNMENT
Middenheim is ruled by Graf Boris Todbringer, Imperial Elector. The rule of Graf Boris does not end at the city walls; Middenheim is a City State, and controls a tract of land over a radius of some 30 miles from the city. The Todbringer line has surrounded itself with advisors. These advisors come into contact with the city's inhabitants, both directly and indirectly, and thus the people's feelings and viewpoints are passed to the Graf.
These advisers consist of: his immediate family and members of court, the three Law Lords, three Middenheim Marshalls, various Commissions and heads of various Guilds.
RELIGION
As might be expected, the main cult in Middenheim is that of Ulric. The High Priest of the city's temple to Ulric is a powerful individual indeed, being an Imperial Elector as well as the overall head of the cult. Despite the integral role the cult plays in city politics, the average citizen is not overly concerned with religion. Of other cults, the most noteworthy are those of Sigmar, Verena Shallya and Morr. The sizable dwarven community also has their own temple to Grugni.
CRIMINALITY
Middenheim is one of the few cities known not to host a thieves' guild, which is a strange an rare occurence. Instead, criminal activities are being run by two crimelords with each holding their territories which seem concentrated on the Altquatrier and the Southgate-Ostwald district.
On top of that, previous Ulrician Witch Hunter reports make notion of the following cults having had - or being active in the city: The Cult of The Purple Hand (Tzeentch), The Jade Sceptre (Slaanesh) and, to a lesser degree, The Cult of the Foetid Maw (Nurgle). The most notorious of these reports, by Witch Hunter Haldred Feuerschtafel makes mention of viscious inter-cult infighting leading to the demise of the Cult of The Red Crown (another Tzeentch - based cult).
SNOTBALL
a City craze and some people come to the City just to follow this ancient sport. Unfortunately, Snotball matches do attract many Football Hooligans and violent confrontations between fans of rival teams are not uncommon. In brief, the game is played between two teams of 11 players, on a pitch roughly 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. There is a set of goals at each end of the pitch. The aim of the game is to get a Snoting (which is contorted by very tough leather thongs into a roughly spherical shape) into the opposition's goal by any means the players can come up with (kicking, throwing, punching, nutting). Just about the only rule is that no part of an attacker's anatomy may be in contact with the Snoting as it crosses the goal-line. Players wear extremely thick, brighdy coloured leather jerkins, leather trousers with plenty of shinpadding, tough leather boots, and a mailcoif over the head. For ease of identification, they also wear numbers on their backs.