Imperial Lands, the Sacrum Romanum Imperium today

The German Lands of the Sacrum Romanum Imperium stretch from the Alps, north to great plains that lead down to both the Baltic and North Seas. The lands begin as cold stepped plateaus, become great river valleys, dotted by farms and overlooked by wild forested peaks, before they run into misty lowland moors, lashed by winds and storms form the sea. To the west of the Empire lies the Kingdom of France, rich and powerful, though mired in civil strife and foreign wars. To the north and east, the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania are emerging as new powers in their own right. To the south and east, past the Emperor's possessions in the Kingdom of Hungary, lies a greater threat still, the Turk and the inexorable spread of Islam.

The Imperial lands have their origins in the conquests of Charles the Great, Charlemagne. Over 700 years ago, he conquered all of Christian Europe. With this, he won the Pope's recognition as the heir to the vacant Roman title and the stature of the secular defender of the faith. The origins of his empire lay in the old Frankish kingdoms, the remnants of those which brought about Rome's fall. His Grandfather, Charles Martel, "the Hammer", turned back the forces of Islam at Europe's southern border and took by force the crown from the moribund and weak Merovingian house. Charlemagne too, with Christendom subdued and united, campaigned tirelessly against the Moslems. However, upon his death, Charlemagne's empire fragmented, divided between three warring sons.

One son retained the imperial dignity and the old Germanic lands first taken by Charles Martel. In the next centuries, Christendom marched slowly east and north, first with missionaries, then followed by crusaders and finally colonists. The original heartland of the Empire had been the rich valley of the Rhine, then colonisation extended past the Elbe, then further past the Oder and into the Baltic, spearheaded by the Teutonic Order. In time, these new lands became stable and settled, even the formerly pagan territories of Lithuania and Hungary eventually Christianised, leaving the rich German heartland surrounded by Christian states.

The Empire bears little resemblance to the solid order of ancient Rome. Rather, the great lords are heirs to freedom loving Germanic chieftains and their kingship is an elected one. Many concessions have always had to be made by any who would assume the title "King of the Romans" and the right to journey to Rome and be crowned Emperor by the Pope. A long history of struggle, alliances and payoffs between Emperors, their great lords and the Papacy has left the lands of the Empire a patchwork of scattered possessions. The greatest lords, the seven Electors, are all but kings themselves (one of the Electors is actually King of Bohemia) and they can use their power to both elect and even depose Emperors to build their personal "empires".

Brotherhood of the Red Hand

During the Hundred Years War, the rebel Welsh Prince, Owain of the Red hand, formed a mercenary company of his countrymen to fight. Turning the feared Welsh Longbowmen against both conquerors and kinsmen. After numerous successful battles, the mercenary Captain traveled to Spain, where the English, fearful the famous captain was about to return home to lead a rebellion, had him assassinated. His followers did not disperse but instead elected a new Captain and offered their services to German lords so as to be free of the presence of the perfidious English.

Skills

Melee arms, Military arts, Ranged arms, Maneuvering, +1 LP

Secret Masteries

Clothyard Arrows (Ranged Arms (Bows) Mastery) The veteran bowman is recognised as a leader of men, a Rhingyll (Sergeant). The distinctive heavy arrows of the Welsh Longbowmen do heavy damage to their targets inflicting an extra 1d5 damage.

Hail of Arrows (Ranged Arms (Bows) Grand Mastery) The longbowman takes up a senior role in the company and the title, Llywodraeth (Commander). The longbowmen are justly famous for their ability to darken the sky with massed arrow volleys. Heavy armour may be proof against a single arrow but against numerous arrows, hitting all at once, the weak points in a the armoured suit provide chinks letting arrows hit home. Even the newly emerging massed Pikes and Halberds has cause to fear massed arrow fire and master archers are much sought after. The longbowman firing a Hail of arrows attacks three times at half accuracy (as normal) but does not suffer any further penalty for range, cover or if the target is moving. Additionally, the targets PL is reduced to one quarter (rounded down) when bodkin arrows are used.

Plattner of Nurnberg

Description:
Nurnburg, as well as being symbolically the Imperial capital and a major centre of trade, lies in a rich mining region and it's guilds were famed as the best armourers in the Empire. In reality a network of specialist guilds, the Nurnberg guild crafts the finest swords, axes and most famously armour to be found anywhere in Europe. Princes from far afield will have Nurnberg plate custom built and imported at great cost and many famous new armouries are formed with a Master Plattner from Nurnberg as their head. It will take a guildsmen many years to create his masterpiece and become a Master. In the time before that, he will have to travel the dangerous roads to other towns as a Journeyman in order to widen his skills in the craft. With the introduction of new technologies and techniques into warfare, a skilled guildsman will often be in demand to outfit, equip and train a nobles forces.

Skills: Commerce, Craftsman, Melee Arms, Military Arts, Perception.

Secret Masteries:

Masterpiece (Craftsman (Smithing) Mastery) In order to be accounted a full Master in the guilds, the Plattner must demonstrate their proficiency by the creation of an exceptional example of their craft. The Plattner is then acclaimed a full Master. The item will be an individualised chestplate that prevents against critical hits in that area.

Guildmaster (Craftsman (Smithing) Grandmastery) The Plattner is now recognised as one of the Guildmasters and a leader in the affairs of their craft, not just in Nurnberg but throughout the Empire. The Guildmaster is will be given sanctuary in any armourer guildhall, a comfortable income from guild dues and letters of credit as well as a fine townhouse in Nurnberg.

Miklos the Hungarian

Miklos is the son of the Archbishop of Kalocsa-Bacs. As a man of the church his father was not permitted a legal heir and instead followed the usual practice of providing for a worthwhile position for his son when he came of age. Hungary was and is less well cultivated than more western parts of Europe and Miklos was accustomed to ride, fight and hunt in the wild hinterlands as soon as he could sit straight in the saddle. His father and his entourage would fare widely afield with other nobles in order to bring down dangerous game, boars were much prized, for sport.

One such night a foolhardy Miklos strayed too far from the campfire whilst his elders drank and was confronted by a great black wolf while armed only with his hunting knife. The young Miklos was brave as well as foolhardy an managed to face down the wolf, stabbing it in the chest as it attacked. Though grievously wounded, the wolf bore down the young man and he would have been killed had not some of his father's servants come to investigate the commotion.

This event was to seal his reputation amongst his peers and be a source of enduring pride for his father. Denied a noble birthright and obviously unsuited to a cloistered life in a rich monastery, Miklos' father turned to a cunning guild master who organised the construction of many projects for the Royal house. The involvement of the House of Luxemburg in the affairs of Hungary had seen much new wealth and expansion and it was the Archbishop's hope that his son would live prosperously and earn royal favor and patronage through building on behalf of the Crown.

It was not to be, Miklos succumbed to consumption in his teens and was bedridden for many months, with recurring bouts leading to frequent setbacks in hi apprenticeship. Frustrated, young Miklos pleaded to his father the Archbishop to be allowed to take up the crosses of a crusading Knight and mindful of his sons' bravery, the Archbishiop assented. So is was that Miklos was gifted his father's ring, a priceless heirloom of their family and sent forth to join the Teutonic Knights as a novice. Though his illegitimate birth denied him any hope of high office according to the Order's strict rule, Miklos found his place in the cavalry much to his taste and trained hard, quickly earning the accolades of his superior knights.

On one of his journey's home to visit his father, Miklos was approached by the soft spoken Mathias, a prominent Dominican and fast friend of his father. Mathias begged a favour, the matter was urgent, though he would not say why. All he desired was for young Miklos to accept an offer of work as a guard from Stefano de Medici, should it be offered. Beyond that there was no explanation, not even an indication that Stefano had made contact with Mathias. Mathias was not the type to speak lightly of any matter so Miklos agreed to his request. When Stefano's servant came with the offer, the man was surprised to find the young Teutonic knight already prepared to leave for Stefano's house.

Life in the 15th Century

Everyone comes from somewhere and your background and experiences as you grow up in the various regions of the Holy Roman Empire or elsewhere leave an indelible mark. Even more important than the region from which you hail is your place in the "Great chain of being" and everyone knows their place, from the lowliest serf to God's anointed, Emperor-elect and King of the Romans. Pay careful heed to the limits that the Social System can place on your plans in life. Knowing your place in the world and where you come from, you then had best find a guild which matched your inclinations and which will permit you membership.

The common language in the Holy Roman Empire is simply German. The language of Christendom is Latin and the language of intellectuals is also Latin. Latin is the most appropriate language for reading and writing and theoretically would also allow you to converse with any Churchman anywhere. However, unbeknownst to most of the faithful, many a priest has been consecrated while wholly incapable of saying even the mass correctly, let alone being fully conversant in Latin!

The passage of years follows the Julian Calendar passed down from our Roman forebears. There are 365 days in a year, divided into twelve months and grouped into weeks of seven days each.

Since it is unthinkable to follow any other way than that of the Roman Catholic Church, the holy day is of course every Sunday. Most toil in the fields according to the passage of the sun in the sky, awake at dawn, breakfast work until midday, eat, then work until the gathering dusk, eat once more then sleep. Some of the greatest and wealthiest towns have sponsored skilled craftsmen to create wondrous mechanical clocks in their town squares, these clocks keep track of twelve hours before the meridian and then the twelve hours hence. However, for the minority that follow some other path in life than working the land, there is the standard of "hours" based on the routine of prayers in monasteries. There were eight of these “hours,” or "offices," during the day:

M a t i n s : M i d n i g h t

Latins: 3 AM

Prime: 6AM

Terce: 9 AM

Sexts: N o o n

Nones: 3 P M

Ve s p e r s : 6PM

Compline: 9 PM

Despite minor and inconsequential regional variations, there is one standard for the coin of the realm:
12 Pfennig (pf)= 1 Groschen or Schilling (g),
20 Groschen = 1 Florin (fl).

The standard coin for those who aspire to a greater station in life is the silver Groschen or Schilling (g), copper Pfennigs are really just shortchange for peasants to deal in and the golden "Florins", or "Guilden" or "Guilders" are what the great lords and merchants will tend to trade with.

Dominicanus

Black Friars (Dominicans)

The order of Friar Preachers was founded by St Dominic in the 13th Century as a new kind of religious order, not bound to secluded monasteries but traveling and living amongst the people and surviving by their donations or though earning their keep as teachers. In keeping with a famous rebuke made by St Dominic to Papal Legates, Dominicans will never ride, reject all finery and try to project an example of Christian simplicity. Instead of the stable life of the cloister, brethren would be found making their way across the country lanes of Europe, singing psalms to keep up their spirits, in danger of attack by thieves or heretics, on their way to the frontiers of Christendom and beyond. Additionally, as their reputation as teachers and theologians grew, they came increasingly to be found in the new towns of Europe and in the disputations of their universities. Because of their traditions of scholarship and the contributions of members of their order, most notably St Thomas Aquinas and Albertus Magnus, to spreading new forms of experimental science and Aristotelian thought, they were often at the centre of the great debates of their time. While St Thomas introduced a new Aristotelian form of theological thought that came to supplant the previous Augustinian Orthodoxy, a seismic shift in Christian theology, the famed but more arcane writings of Albertus Magnus, the teacher of the "Angelic Doctor", delved into the mysteries of experimental science, Astrology and even Alchemy.

However, the order had originally been conceived as having a mission to persuade heretics to recant for their errors and rejoin the church. St Dominic may have held to the belief that this could be accomplished gently, though he did burn many heretical books, but many of the leaders in the order did not share these scruples and the great Cathar heresy of the Albigensians ended violently through a Crusade by the French King. With their commitment to Church teachings and formidable intellectual abilities, the Black Friars are often known by another name, "Domini Canis" (Hounds of God) as they pursue heretics and carry out the works of the inquisition or hold other senior Church offices carrying out Papal policy or enforcing religious truces. Despite becoming important to enforcing church orthodoxy, the majority of black friars still pursue either the mendicant or teaching lives and others make different contributions to Christianity, several renowned German mystics of the last Century were Dominican, notably Meister Eckhart and St Catherine of Sienna.

Friar Mendicant

Description:

The common face of the Dominicans to the world is the Friar. He or she (there is a secondary order of Nuns) may either be found journeying though the countryside spreading teaching and spreading the faith, on official church business or teaching at a major school or university. They are famed for their learning, simplicity and powers of argument.

Skills: Theology, Persuasion, Linguistics, Athletics, Perception or Lore or Science.

Secret Masteries:

Veritas (Theology (Philosophy) Mastery) The schooling the Friar has received, combined with their keen intellect and spiritual development allows them to easily discern the untruths and deceptions in even the subtlest arguments or apprehend when the natural laws are being violated by arcane workings +1 PDL to Theology tests to resist the lies of heretics or pagans or to resist their magic (when the variants allow a Dominion (resistance) roll.

Dsiputatio (Theology (Philosophy) Grand Mastery) Black Friars have an important role in promoting orthodoxy and exposing error. The long experience of the Friar fulfilling this charge in a range of settings hones him or her to to a formidable debater. They gain +2 PDL to Persuasion (Influence roles) in any formal debate over doctrine or theology.

Lands of the Empire

Despite the wide prevalence of "German" as a cultural language here, I am not making any claim that those regions are part of either a "Greater Germany" or dominated by German culture. It is simply convenient for the game to have a lingua franca and for that reason alone I have added the German language to every background I could think of the slimmest pretext, often only that characters will have interacted with German speaking nobles or served in German speaking armies. The list of languages gives your starting character the a set of options, from which one must be chosen and others may be useful.

Bavaria

When the Germanic kingdoms coalesced after the earlier migrations of tribes, the kingdom that emerged in Bavaria formed out of peoples who, unlike the newcomers of the neighboring lands, had a long tribal histories and great traditions. The Bavarian people take great pride in their culture, history and contribution to the Empire and are noted for their independence and superior attitude. The Bavarians enjoy the additional distinction as the finest brewers and greatest consumers of beer in Europe.

+1 Talent Statecraft, Stewardship

Bohemia

Languages: German, Czech

Bohemia is one of the lands nominally controlled by Sigismund, however Bohemian outrage at the burning at the stake of the religious leader Jan Hus sparked the defenestration of officials and open rebellion. The teachings of the Martyr Hus have sparked two major religious factions the the moderate Utraquists (who wished to regain the right to receive communion in both forms) and the fanatic Taborites (who formed a new Utopian community on Mt Tabor)

Abilities: +1 Talent Military arts, Theology

Hanseatic League

Languages: German

The Hanseatic league is a federation of free cities, centered on the Imperial free city of Lubeck, that maintains a near monopoly on trade in the Baltic and is famed for it's lead in shipbuilding technology. In addition to it's German member cities and the Hansa towns set up by colonists around the Baltic, the league maintains enclaves or Kontors by treaty in a number of important European centers including London, Bruges (in the Low countries) and Bergen (Norway). The league wields considerable political and economic clout and often exerts this both in Imperial affairs and abroad. It has recently been plagued by the depredations of pirates in the Baltic and the North sea, including the infamous Victual Brothers, reportedly sponsored by their rivals Sweden. However their agents in trade and war, work tirelessly to expand their interests.

Kingdom of Hungary

Languages: German, Hungarian

The Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund currently holds the crown of Hungary. While often hampered by the will of his nobles or rebels elsewhere in the Empire, in Hungary he is supreme and able to both freely enact his policies and draw on the lands soldiers for his campaigns. The majority of the Hungarian people are descendents of the Magyar horsemen, related to the horde of Atilla, who raided Christian Europe before their ruler converted in 1000 AD. A significant minority are Germanic Saxon settlers. A large proportion of the soldiery of this land are light horsemen and horse archers. With the advances of the Turk, Hungary is now one of the frontiers of Christendom in the east. St Margaret is the Patron Saint of Hungary.

Abilities: +1 Talent Animal Handling, Ranged Arms

Low Countries

Languages: German, Flemish, French

The Low Countries have usually been under the sway of either the Empire or the Crown of France. However, the rising prosperity of the Flemish town communes, and some military successes by their militias, has led to some independence for their citizens form their current feudal overlords.

Abilities: +1 Talent Commerce, Melee arms.

Ordenstratte

Languages: German, Baltic

The lands held by the Teutonic Order were Christianised by a crusade in the last two centuries. The Order holds all the conquered lands as their fief granted by Papal Bull. However, their position as the bulwark of Catholicism in Eastern Europe has been undermined by the conversion of the Duchy of Lithuania to Christianity and the alliance of this new power with the Kingdom of Poland. Together they inflicted a great defeat on the Teutonic Order at the battle of Tannenburg when the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund was prevented by his German nobles from coming to the Knights aid.

Abilities: +1 Talent Melee arms, Theology

Rhineland

Languages: German

The lands on either side of the mighty Rhine river are the richest and most productive in the Empire. The people are noted for their love of festivity and outgoing nature.

Abilities: +1 Talent Farming, Performance

Saxony

Languages: German

Saxony is the heartland of Germanic politics and identity and has long been important to the affairs of the Empire. Saxony is presently an Imperial Electorate. Saxons have been at the forefront of expansion north, east and south, this growth has seen Saxon lands now form the new core of an expanded and Germanic empire.

Abilities: +1 Talent Statecraft, Melee Arms.

Switzerland

Languages: German

Abilities: +1 Talent Farming, Military arts

The confederation of Swiss Cantons remains nominally a part of the Holy Roman Empire. However, in all respects they are effectively independent despite numerous attempts by their neighbours to assert control or take lands from them. It is their well disciplined militia, raised from the free men in every community that has achieved this feat. They from large units armed with Pikes and Halberds and are the most sought after mercenaries in Europe.

Sacrum Romanum Imperium Map

This map is a modified version of an image sourced here: http://www.freeworldmaps.net

Distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 license

Knights League of the Bayerischer Wald

Description:
Once the minor nobility enjoyed significant privileges and a comfortable income, even if they were unfortunate enough to not have the status of "Imperial Knight" and were instead under a feudal overlord. Those times are long gone, either the estates of the Imperial Knights, historically fixed, are now too small to provide a livable income or the overlord has trampled over custom and privileges and significantly squeezed the manorial holdings. Even aside from the fact that only the eldest (or eldest legitimate) son can inherit, there is now little money or prospect for any to escape into other occupations. Even if they had the means, the minor nobility are fiercely jealous of their status over their richer cousins in the town trades and most will never surrender their heritage.

With so much war and strife and violence alongside the exploitation of new lands and mines in the East, many of lesser noble station has sought to put their skills and good breeding to use offering their services from place to place in the Forest (The Bayerischer Wald in the South West, The Böhmerwald in the North East) a heavily wooded mountain range separating Bohemia from the Empire proper. They grandiosely style themselves a league of knights. At times they group together in a network of small hinterland manors, living off hunting and sharing beer and tales, at other times they join the endeavors of various lords as knights, at other times of course (and this is their most frequent vocation) they provide "protection", levy "tolls" or outright prey upon travelers, merchants and villages. They are both well connected; having a myriad of different relationships to the nobility via their members; and totally at home in their environment. Additionally, they ply their work at the borderland between "Germanic" lands in the Empires heartland and the Czech territory of Bohemia. The opportunity to slip between areas of very different language, culture and overlord-ship is further enhanced by the potential to play off Germanic colonists and the Czech population. More recently the Bohemian rebellion and the Emperor-elects crusade has further opened up ways for the "Knights" of the Bayerischer Wald to make some profit, either fighting in the crusade, raiding further under cover of the chaos or protecting merchants moving through the area.

Skills: Stealth, Melee or Ranged arms, Maneuvering, Fieldcraft, Perception.

Secret Masteries

Forest Knight (Fieldcraft (Tracking) Mastery) Though perhaps not considered respectable company in the great courts of the land, members of the League have good blood and the right background. Procuring the right patents, or even having the knighting done properly is a simple matter given their connections. The character is Knighted as a full brother in the Knights League of the Bayerischer Wald. All the holdings of their brothers will be open to them if a place to lie low is required and there is an impressive network of manors and keeps in Bavaria, Saxony, Austria and even beyond, that will allow a friend of one of their relatives to lie low for a day or two and the family there will mislead a characters pursuers as to their whereabouts.

Lord of the land (Fieldcraft (Tracking) Grand Mastery) A footloose life is alright for the young and adventurous but, with a bit of experience and wealth under their belt, a member of the Knights League of the Bayerischer Wald can finally choose a place to take over or rebuild their own keep to protect the surrounding lands and act as a base for their activities. The local peasants and merchant traffic will provide a good income and a two score of those with some skill at arms and a bit of equipment will join the Knight as his followers.

Vagabonds

From the perspective of the peasantry, much of the nobility are probably nothing more than the heads of the biggest gang in town, using force to deprive them of the fruits of their hard labour and offering only nominal "protection" in return. Grasping churchmen or greedy merchants are probably viewed in the same way by most of the people. Vagabonds are those more readily labeled as outlaws, pirates or brigands by those in the more "respectable" social strata. It's a land where the hinterlands are infested by Raubritter (Robber knights) who exacted tolls using a stronghold as a base. Ships and crews are chartered as "Privateers" by one royal house to prey on the merchants of another. The rivers are so choked with toll points set up by the local lord barring passage with chains that merchants preferred the slower overland routes. Soldiers and even knights spent a good proportion of their time as bandits between more legitimate activities and "honest" guildsmen dealt with rural competition by force. All of these are "robbery" or "organised crime" by today's standards, some groups will be out and out thugs and the enemies of all (probably selling even their own mothers) but many others will be always jumping back and forth over a faint line that shifts depending on who you ask.