Setting

Welcome to Marienburg, the greatest, largest, and freest city in the known world. No one's expected to remember much of this, except maybe some bits that are particularly relevant to your PC. Note that this contains broad stereotypes and cliches and should be an indication of what the ignorant *might* think about you, not how you *should* play your characters.

Brief History

Marienburg is situated in the flat and marshy delta of the great River Reik. Every important river in The Empire of Sigmar (The Empire) drains into the Reik and thus Marienburg grew hugely wealthy as the gateway to The Empire. It also became the largest city in The Empire.

Over the years it has been ruled by Norscan invaders, Bretonnia, and The Empire. About eighty years ago, Marienburg seceded from The Empire. Weak leadership allowed the province of Westerland (now The Wasteland) to throw of the shackles of a corrupt Imperial government and declare itself free. This was done virtually without bloodshed. The wealthiest of Marienburg's merchant families were able to use their influence, and financial hold over many Imperial nobles to make sure that the Marienburg secession was largely unopposed.

The Empire now covets The Wasteland and will do anything to get it back. Bretonnia, rivals and neighbours of The Empire will do anything to stop Marienburg returning to the Imperial fold and has its own ambition to once again rule the great city state.

The Land

Marienburg is surrounded by a huge marshy delta many miles across. The Grootscher Marsh is a place of great danger and many terrifying stories. If you approach the city by land (and very few do) then it must be done across the great, elevated wooden road. As well as ghouls, blood sucking leeches, ratmen, strange mist daemons, and cutthroats, Grootscher is famous for the Fen Loonies. The Loonies are said to have once been normal Wastelanders and Marienburgers whose minds have been turned by the Chaos moon (Morrslieb) and woe betide any who fall into their unfathomable clutches.

Marienburg itself is the city of a thousand islands (think Venice but cold and misty) separated by narrow and murky canals. It is slowly sinking into the mud of the River Reik. Generally, the islands are in two groups, the north islands and the south islands, between them flows the main channel of the Reik. The two groups of islands are joined by the Hoogbrug. This bridge is high enough to let most ships pass beneath it. For new, especially high ships, the swingbridge, just south of this is used. This strange and marvellous dwarfen construction is a tower that actually rotates with part of the bridge, to create a passageway for even the tallest ships. The city is surrounded by a formation of earthworks and stone walls, as protection from the Grootscher Marsh.

As the buildings of this ancient city gradually (and not so gradually) sink below the water, the old ground level is sealed and perhaps a new level is built on top. After many centuries a huge underground complex of caves and cellars (many flooded, no doubt) has evolved. It is rumoured that dank passageways link them all together and strange rat-creatures inhabit the depths. Others say that rats don't like the water and the only occupants of the cellars are smugglers and their illegal goods.

The central district where all the movers and shakers move and shake is Paleisbuurt, on the north islands. You may have taken lodgings in Kruiersmuur, the district to the far south east of the city. It's not smart, but it’s not really a slum, not like the neighbouring Doodkanaal district. Kruiersmuur houses many working class Wastelanders and also has foreign ghettoes for the Bretonnian (wijnzak), Miraglianese (Nord Miragliano), and Remean (Remasweg) nations and also the small folk from The Moot (Kleinmoot) and the Dwarfs (Dwergsbezit).

What you *might* know about Marienburg

It's the richest city in the world

It's the freest city in the world

It's the largest city in the world

It is ruled by a democratic council made from a conglomeration of the ten greatest trading corporations, known as The 'Change or the Marienburg Import-Export Exchange.

Way back, the site of Marienburg was an ancient Elven citadel.

Money talks

The Empire of Sigmar would love to reconquer Marienburg

Bretonnia would love to reconquer Marienburg

Every nationality in the world is represented on the streets of Marienburg.

The Seaweed Man comes at night and drags people into the water, strangles and eats them. People go missing all the time. It is probably because of the Seaweed Man.

The Elves

The Sea Elves have returned to the Old World (about 400 years ago); no one seems to know why. They have been given a section of Marienburg to govern for themselves; no one seems to know why. They built the original settlement on the site of Marienburg so it might only be fair that they get to come back.

Certainly, their presence here is an excellent deterrent against Imperial and Bretonnian aggression. They would never dare invade while the Elves are in Marienburg. But what do the elves get out of it?

Do the Sea Elves have any sort of connection or communication with the mysterious Wood Elves of Athel Loren and Laurelorn?

The People

Marienburg has huge and varied immigrant populations. There are communities from every nation and race of the Old World, and at least some representatives of the more exotic peoples of Nippon, Cathay, Ind, and Araby. Although the majority are still Wastelanders, most likely Marienburgers born and bred, you could come from any nation, with a good enough excuse.

For each nation I've put the rough analogue to the real world nationality. This should help with deciding on names and stuff, coz european languages translate into Old World languages precisely.

Wastelanders (Holland)

The old Imperial province of Westerland is pretty well described as a wasteland outside of Marienburg. The flat damp country is inhospitable and supports few villages. The story that the area was the site of ancient cataclysmic battles between the Dwarfs and Elves is easy to understand. Most Wastelanders are Marienburgers.

Marienburgers

You are the lucky one; born into the freest, and richest city in the world. The other nations come here because of the freedoms to make good money. As long as that is all they want then you can all get along, they are not taking your money, they are sharing their money, as every Marienburger knows 'Money makes money makes money'. If they try to take your freedoms away, then they'll have another thing coming. Marienburgers don't make the best soldiers in the world, but they hire the best (Tilean) mercenaries.

Imperials (Germany, Austria, Czech, Hungary...)

Well, Marienburg seceded from the great and holy empire but that was nearly a hundred years ago. You can't hold it against them forever. When the time comes and the dark forces pour out of the north again, then they will be in trouble. Then they will ask for your help once more, and then they won't be too keen to leave the defences of The Empire again. Marienburgers and Imperials are like brothers who have fallen out, you will be friends again, for sure. Even your languages sound the same.

Mootlanders

Halflings in WFRP confrom to just about every cliche in the book. They are especially renowned for their peaceful ways and excellent cuisine.

Bretonnians (France)

Bretonnia is the nation of devout faith in the good lady of mercy, the home of Shallya. It is populated by the wealthiest nobles and the most sophisticated bourgeois. You have the greatest cuisine, the best wines and Brandy, the hardiest fighters, the most far reaching and far-sighted diplomats. You have the most fertile fields and imaginations, the best looking chateaux and women, the sweetest sounding troubadours and surnames. Why then is your country in such a mess? You don't know, but it might be the fault of the Imperialist Sigmarites, or the money grubbing Marienburgers.

Kislevites (Russia)

In the inhospitable northeast is the land of Kislev. The land is exposed to the merciless forces of winter, and the obscene and merciless forces of darkness. Kislev is great, despite meagre resources it stands alone between the Old World and the unspeakable invaders from the north. People think you're uncultured, a barbarian. They think you're unsubtle and taciturn. They think you're a vodka swilling drunkard. They might be right.

Erengraders

Erengrad is the most advanced Kislevite city. The influence of Marienberg is largely the cause. They have brought prosperity and some security to your precarious seaside haven, with its fledgling industries and economy. Many Kislevites from all over your country come to Erengrad if they can. Many Erengraders come to Marienburg, where they told you the streets were paved with gold. The streets are actually paved with the sweat of hard working Kislevites just trying to earn a living.

Norscans (Scandinavia)

You or your family are from the coastal region of Norsca. Somehow, down here the wind blows less chill, the tides are less steep, the rains warmer and the sun brighter.
It is also safer here. Strange things happened back in Norsca, things no one really likes to talk about anymore. You know you can't trust the Marienburgers and the other foreigners, but things are getting to a state when you can't trust your fellow Norscans. You might just try and keep your head down and earn a living wage.

Estalians (Spain)

Hmmm... Don't know too much about these.

Tileans (Italy)

There is a long tradition of Tilean settlement in Marienburg. They make up probably the largest immigrant population. There are so many that they have split into distinct groups based on their area of origin in Tilea. The Miraglianese are deadly rivals of the Remeans.

Many smaller Tilean settlements have been overrun by rat creatures, recently and have caused even more Tileans (especially Miraglianese, ie those from the villages around Miragliano) to migrate. Warfare between rival gangs of Tileans seems to spring up on the streets every few years, but that sort of ethnic friction is not unknown between other groups of immigrants, also.

Religion

There are a number of gods, you probably believe in all of them. You might not believe in some of the wackier ones, or the dwarf ones, or the halfling ones, although they sound reasonable enough, even if you don't worship them. You've heard something about the dark gods, though this might be just to scare children, or it might be true. If it's true, it's a scary prospect. Life is hard enough, and the gods are hard enough to please without having dark gods up against you as well.

You will probably worship all the human gods you know in some small way. For example, before making a river journey, a small prayer or sacrifice or donation to the river god will be a good idea. Before a financial transaction a tip to Handrich would do. Before cleaning your teeth, a few words to Shallya might help. Some people can be really superstitious about things like that, some people don't really seem to care that much at all.

You might have one god you admire and revere above all the others. If you are especially religious then this is most likely. You may even be fanatical about it and strive to further their cause whenever you can.

Shallya

Shallya is the goddess of mercy, healing, motherhood, nursing, all that good sort of stuff. Although her influence is all over, she doesn't (as is the nature of this sort of deity), have that much political power. Everyone knows she's necessary and you'd have to be a special type to have something bad to say about her. Having said that, some of her clerics have been known to be less devout and more self-serving than perhaps they could be.

Sigmar

Sigmar is the patron deity of The Empire. As such he doesn't have a large following in Marienburg, but some expats will worship him, especially those who are homesick and would prefer the authoritarian and controlling powers of The Empire, over the profit motivated laissez faire of Marienburg.

Ulric

Ulric is the great god of winter and wolves. He once dominated the entire northern Old World. Sigmar rivals him in much of the Empire, but if you come from one of the Ulrican areas, especially Middenheim, then you might revere him above all others.

Verena

Verena is the goddess of knowledge, judgement, and learning. Academics would obviously favour her. But people from all walks of life might find themselves especially attracted to the calculating and formal brand of worship of Verena. The Verenans provide many services, especially regarding the law, in the Empire, and Marienburg law runs on Verenan principles, too.

Handrich

Handrich, (or Haendryk in Marienburg) is the god of commerce and trade. He is the unofficial patron of The Wasteland, though elsewhere is not so powerful. Most traders, merchants, etc, might have a small shrine to him and pray to him whenever they make a deal, but he was always a minor god and the Imperials consider that the fuss Marienburgers make over him is quite extreme.

Myrmydia

The goddess of soldiery and battles. If you want to stay safe in war, or if you earn your keep by the sharpness of your blade you will want to pray to Mymidia to keep you safe and bring you puissance and fortitude.

Old Faith

Hippy nutters.

Taal

The father god. Head of the pantheon, god of beasts and the wild. The more sophisticated citizens of Marienburg and Altdorf would not generally care to be reminded of their bucolic past and so Taal is rarely referred to among the city dwellers. He is acknowledged as head of the pantheon, of course, and has importance in that role.

Rhya

The wife of Taal, goddess of plants and nature, Rhya is crucial to agriculture. As such she is marginalised in Marienburg, as there is so little agriculture around the city, and relatively little in the Wasteland generally. Her role in childbirth is still respected, of course.

Morr

The god of death. Nobody wants to be reminded of this guy, but he will bring the PC eventually on their final journey to the realm of shadows sooner or later, if they are lucky. Nobody wants to meet Morr, but the alternative, (the dark gods or necromancy) is far worse.

Ranald

God of thieves or the God of protection of the poor, depending on your point of view. Also god of tricksters, and cat burglars, gambling etc. All the other gods (except maybe Shallya) look down on Ranald and in many parts his worship is banned altogether. In the bigger cities his worship is generally tolerated and in Marienburg it can be quite open, in less respectable places.