Kriegstor

The Town

War's Gate. This is another name for Kriegstor. The village faces no greater challenge than being the last on the road before the wilderness couldn’t be any wilder. From outside its walls come threats of all sorts and from all directions. A somewhat steady population of roughly 160 people is tucked away between the Blood river and the Worlds Edge Mountains to the east. The type of people that calls this village home are hardy folk from all sorts of creeds that have ended up in the furthest place they could run to.

Life in Kriegstor is relatively straight forward, as anything else wouldn’t be sensible for survival. Everybody that is able is trained in case the village comes under attack. When they are not fighting against being wiped off the map however most of the populace can be found making lives for themselves harvesting and putting to use what simple resources the borderlands provides them. Kriegstor maintains a nearby mining and quarry camp, as well as a number of simple fields and pastures. The forest to the south provides its lumber and the Blood River is put to use by those who own small fishing vessels.

The village is restricted by its walls, part stone and part reinforced mudbrick, and often with sharpened logs set against it for further defence. Its inhabitants have to build upwards instead of needing to construct wider and wider rings of walls to accommodate expansion. Not that this bothers many townsfolk, but it adds to Kriegstor’s cramped appearance.

The village rises towards its central keep, built in ages past it is home to whoever runs Kriegstor as well as housing a portion of its resources. Once a mighty borderland keep, now it is a fraction of what it was as most of it was torn down to build the surrounding stone walls and the rest is in disrepair. Structures closer to the middle of the village have short wooden bridges connecting them making traversal between important buildings far more convenient. This is because all of the ground floor walls are solid stone throughout the village, without windows and doors that would serve as weak points in the case of an attack. Entrances are built on the first floor with defensible staircases wrapping around the outside. Cellars and basements are also a common feature in the village, providing more use of that space it has. Thatched roofs sit on top of most buildings, unless slate is used for security or safety.

Story

Founding

Situated in the south-eastern tip of the Border Princes, Kriegstor or "Wars Gate" lives up to the name. Founded by a mysterious figure known only as "The Mayor" but run by proxy through the well respected White Wizard and merchant, Waldemar, this ever changing land is no stranger to mystery, danger, excitement and Opportunity.

During "The Mayor's" reign, many warbands called Kriegstor their home. Taking up arms against mostly greenskins that roamed the far reaches of the untamed land. After a time the region was broken in and Kreigstor began to prosper and spread out into several hamlets. These were: The woods of Holzfallen, the rolling green fields of Eirnetweiler, and the mountainous reaches of Ritterfelsen.

The New Mayor

The region grew and prospered until The Plague in 2019IC hit, forcing many from the hamlets to retreat to the town of Kriegstor itself, cutting supply lines. Tensions between "The Mayor" and the now cramped people reached new heights when a rebellion led by the dwarf Khadi Coalshoulder began to rumble. As the Plague began to slow, Khadi led the people to overthrow "The Mayor" who fled in the night. Taking the title for himself Khadi led the town as its new Mayor.

His first act, to ban the illicit spiked berry bushes from the town and to bring hope (and coin) back to the region. Khadi would also return an old local tradition, the autumn festival known as The Throng to Welcome Winter.

In the years that followed, as the plague slowed, Kriegstor went through many changes. The Boars of Albion found their home in Holzfallen, Ritterfelsen and it's mine peppered mountains became an extension of Kriegstors eastern farmland and Eirntweiler, under the control of the young lord Johaan Castillier, saw a lush vineyard spring up, bringing much joy.

The year of 2021IC rolled around and so did the now annual Throng to Welcome Winter, which had started to become something that would draw many from the Border Princes. Bernhardt Stoll, a Priest of Taal and family man, challenged Mayor Khadi for his position which became the main focus of the festival, but things were stirring in the darker parts of the Wars Gate. A banshee haunted the makeshift graveyard but thankfully was sealed away, A cult of worship sprang up but was seemingly put down by the House of Teaching and some brave warriors led by the Sigmarite Lättmjölk, The Bretonian Knight Sir William and the Middenheim Lord Willhelm von Roche, little did they know the cult would rise again.

Bernhardt Stoll was able to overthrow Khadi Coalshoulder in a close victory and immediately rescinded the outlawing of spiked berry bushes and then decreed that each Hamlet would be run by a Seneschal, overseeing the people and acting in the mayor's name, trying to prevent such things again. The wife of Johann, Lady Sophie was given charge of Eirntweiler, Holtzfallen to Albrecht, a friend of Chief Fergus and Ritterfelsen fell under the charge of young Boris, a barkeep of the Red Hound.

2022IC

The region found relative peace, putting down bandits on the roads, orcs coming from the badlands and ghouls in the hills but supplies were starting to slow as the 2022IC Throng to Welcome Winter came and with it a rising power from within. The "impossible to break" seal on the graveyard was broken and the banshee was once again set loose on the town, a Druchii facechanger by the name of Juul Theros began terrorising the people and the cult thought destroyed was back in full force. No one seemed safe, tensions were at an all time high. A Dhar wizard named Peony took advantage of the unbound graveyard and was able to summon ghouls to attack the town but Kriegstor resisted and Peony fled only to be found later with her throat ripped out and a single note reading "This one failed me, I'll do it myself" an ominous way to end another festival, would Kriegstor survive another year?

The year that followed, Kriegstor had faced many perils and obstacles but also saw victories and new heroes rise through battle. The dark gods were thwarted when each of their powerful cauldrons were destroyed. Boris of Ritterfelsen was executed for political corruption and replaced by the Priest of Ursan, Lyagushka Reki. The Dark Gods retaliated for their destroyed cauldrons in the Battle of the Howling Hill. Arcanist Corym fell in a duel of blades with Sir William, Ihoss, the Majordomo at the time, barely survived a bomb blast to the face and death was all around, the end seemed certain for the defenders of Kriegstor. That was until the knight Sir William, led the final defence of the people and under rolling thunder and rain as he displayed inhuman speed and strength, leading many to question: Just who was this knight?

While Kriegstor was still licking its wounds Sir William, at a now monthly town meeting, confronted the mounting suspicions about him. "No, I'm not human and I mean this land no harm... so long as you fall in line" he declared definitely. While not the answer the people wanted they had little choice but to abide by the word of this "man".

2023IC

The Throng to Welcome Winter of 2023IC had come and the town was tense. The famous Witch Hunter, Hot English Mustard, challenged Bernhardt Stoll to the title of Mayor, supplies were coveted by all, and Sir William had confessed that he was in fact a vampiric Blood Dragon.

While the election of Mayor went off relatively smoothly, Hot English Mustard claiming victory and the title of Mayor, the festival wasn't without its excitement. Bernhardt, channelling the power of Taal, challenged Sir William to a fight to the death in the streets. Many watched as the vampire faced the god infused man, besting him in mortal combat, with his chance to claim victory the vampire refused to spill Bernhardt's blood, simply walking away. The Banshee that had been harassing the town had finally been captured by the visiting Scourge of Mousillon. In a surprising turn of events Sir William was forced to swear a binding oath to all the people of the Border Princes, never to slay an innocent and to make good on his claim "to defend the weak and bring peace to the Border Princes" and a necromancer that was plaguing the town was slain by the people but things were not all victorious... A new foe had come in the shadowed sewers of Kreigstor and would soon strike.

Under the steadfast hand of Mayor Hot English Mustard the region saw many changes. Sevion Sariourith was appointed as the new Majordomo and "The Boy' Johann Castillier was briefly made Sheriff, until he vanished north with his wife who had suddenly become ill. Leaving the hamlet of Eirntweiler under the charge of his warriors, The Castilliers Guard led by the Knight Commander Sir William and new sheriff Sir Rene. Krieg, the Priest of Ulric who replaced Albrecht as Seneschal of Holzfallen and The now Baron Wilhelm Von Rosche, despised the idea of a witch hunter as mayor, so in retaliation pulled back their support and the Middenheim 7th State Troops to annex the entire northern third of the lands of Kriegstor, vowing to still protect the region in the north but wanting nothing further to do with towns dealings, since then Kriegstor and the northern barony existed in relative quiet.

The Wardens then challenged and won land in the northern barony, claiming old Eisenfeld as their own, the mines of Ritterfelsen were caved in to stop a growing threat of "rat like creatures" and even a bomb was defused that threatened to destroy the entire town. As the monthly town meetings grew and grew with visitors from all over, it was hard to keep track of who was coming and going...

Kriegstor was almost beginning to prosper until the foe that kept to the shadows since the festival struck. While Sir William, the Blood Dragon and now "Protector of the Border Princes" had left on a pilgrimage to his homeland of Bretonnia in search of a cure, a spy that regularly attended recent town meetings attempted and failed an assassination of the Master of Ceremonies and original town steward, Waldemar. Shouting "FOR CLAN FRACTUS" the would-be assassin was slain but not before the remaining spies slipped out of town, speeding toward Ritterfelsen getting word to a horde of Skaven that had spent months tunnelling in secret through the mountains, the Grey Seer Qretch Vermintongue who led the clan, sprung his trap.

Though the north was won by the Baron and his men, Imiril, while battered but still fighting strong, insisted Sir William make haste to lend his blade in defending of the town. The battle raged across the farmlands and homesteads, wave after wave of rats pushed back the stalwart defenders. Tragically the mighty Hot English Mustard was slain by the forces of Clan Fractus, leaving only his hat behind in a mass of blood and bodies and even with the Blood Dragon joining the fray all hope seemed lost. Defeat was certain for the people of the Wars Gate, until the Skaven did what Skaven do best and in the grips of victory turned on one another, fighting over who would claim the spoils, causing utter chaos amongst their ranks and causing most to flee in confusion. Kriegstor had gotten lucky...

2024IC

In the aftermath, Ritterfelsen was declared a wasteland. Now littered with clans of rats and druchii none would venture without considerable weaponry and numbers. In accordance with the last will of Hot English Mustard, Chief Fergus was appointed the role of Mayor but was told by the people he would only hold it until the 2024IC festival. When another election would be held. Refugees of Ritterfelsen began funnelling into the town and slowly unrest built as the supplies were reported to be dwindling and martial law was declared by the returned, grief stricken Johann who had lost his wife to her illness. Unrest led to a peasant revolt that was swiftly and violently put down by the city guards, some of the knights and gunners Captain of the 7th State troopers and former Captain of the Town Guard, Frederick. As a result of the utter bloodbath of the peasant revolt the position of Seneschal was dissolved at the firm suggestion of Sir William and for the first time in many years, the lands of Kriegstor were once again made up of small pockets of land run and governed by the people that inhabit them, only reporting directly to the mayor and his council.

As the 2024IC Throng to Welcome Winter approached, several are running for the title of Mayor, Sir René the Pious, Bardmaster Alvanri of The Conservatoire of Performance and Chief Fergus who would defend his title. The vampire Knight Sir William desperately still searches for a cure, as the oath bound ground shrinks beneath his feet and a dark cloud once again spreads from the wastes of Ritterfelsen, as ghosts gather at the site of the death of the legendary Witch Hunter and previous Mayor...

OOC Information

Chapter Information
Chapter	Swordcraft Ballarat
Facebook	Swordcraft Ballarat

Weekly Battle Game Information
Weekly Game Day	Monday at 6:00pm
Location	White Flat Oval, 12 Hickman St, Ballarat Central VIC 3350

Quest Information
Event Time	April School Holidays
Location	Phoenix Park, 5623 Geelong-Ballan Rd, Ballan VIC 3342

See Also

• Home
• The Principality of Sudenburg