"As long as the fire of the Great Temple lasts, Middenheim and Middenland will never fall."
- —Boris Todbringer, Elector Count and Grand Duke of Middenland and Middenheim[1a]
Middenland, officially the Grand Duchies of Middenland and Middenheim, is a founding Electoral Province of the Empire that lies in the north-central region of that realm. Towering above the gloomy canopies of the Drakwald Forest is a sheer-sided pinnacle of white rock atop which sits the fortress city-state of Middenheim, capital of Middenland and the sacred City of the White Wolf. The White Wolf is the holy symbol of Ulric, the Imperial god of war, winter and wolves.[2a]
Ulric is the patron warrior god of the northern Empire, the Cult of Ulric being centred on the region. The impressive Temple of Ulric is a wonder of the city that attracts pilgrims from many realms. A powerful army, clothed in the city-state's colours of blue and white, garrisons the nigh-impregnable walls and tirelessly patrols the roads leading to the Ulricsberg, the fortress that lies on the high hill at the city's heart.[2a]
Geography[]
"I've heard the backwoods nobles near Laurelorn have strange dealings with the Elves. First Arkee... What’s-his name, and now this! It’s treason I tell ya!"
- —Delberz merchant.[1a]
The frozen forests of Middenland
Founded by the ancient tribe of Men called the Teutogens, perhaps the fiercest tribe in Sigmar's original tribal confederacy that formed the Empire, the Grand Duchy of Middenland and Middenheim, commonly referred to simply as "Middenland," is the powerhouse of the northern Empire. Through its military and economic power, it dominates its neighbouring Electoral Provinces to the east and north, Hochland, Ostland, and Nordland. Its influence in the Empire rivals that of Reikland and Talabecland, and its great city of Middenheim considers itself the equal of Nuln or Altdorf. Middenland has provided many emperors for the realm in the past and looks to do so in the future. When regional crises threaten the Empire, Middenland is considered by themselves as the true voice of the north.[1a]
Middenland comprises a vast swath of territory stretching from the River Reik and the Great Northern Road of the Wasteland in the west and southwest, and Hochland and the Middle Mountains to the east. South beyond the Talabec River is Talabecland, Middenland’s sometime rival for leadership of the Cult of Ulric. To the north are her ally Nordland and the Laurelorn Forest, home of the mysterious and occasionally hostile Wood Elves. That the Elves are hostile because of Middenland’s longstanding claims to the Laurelorn is immaterial, since these claims were inherited from the Drakwald Emperors of long ago. The Drakwald itself is a vast, ancient forest running from the edge of the Wasteland to the far end of Hochland.[1a]
While Mankind has made settlements there, some deep within it, the forest holds many secrets, and it does not give them up graciously. Dragons terrorised the ancient tribes and early Empire from there, until an Emperor killed the last of their kind. Still, foolhardy treasure hunters brave the depths of the Drakwald to seek the riches of a lost dragon’s lair, or perhaps their eggs, which are said to remain fertile forever and only need great heat to hatch.[1a]
Map of Middenland by MadAlfred (unofficial).
Deep under the forest eaves also lurk Beastmen, descendants of raiders from long ago, who breed and wait, occasionally attacking the lone farm or small group of travellers, until the time comes for Chaos to claim the north. The nobles and burghers of the province occasionally mount expeditions to root them out, but survivors always flee deeper into the forests, to wait again and regrow their numbers. In the far west of the province are the Midden Moors, a vast, infertile tract of hills and wetlands that are the source of several tributaries of the Reik. The vast pools of its interiors are said to be still as glass, even when the wind blows—so still they perfectly reflect the night skies. Nobles and the wealthy sometimes come here on fishing expeditions, for the trout are reputed to be the sweetest in the Empire. But the moors are reputed to be haunted, too. Strange lights are seen in its mists at night, and the Ghosts of Drakwald soldiers killed long ago are said to haunt its farther reaches.[1a]
At the far southeast are the Howling Hills, where the winds among the badlands keen like spirits of the dead. The castle of Middenstag guards the Delberz-Hergig Road from the outlaws who hide among hills and canyons. To the north, near Middenheim, the ground sinks into a swampy morass called the “Schadensumpf.” Little of worth is found here, though some small villages make a good living harvesting bog iron. The Schadensumpf also provides refuge for criminals fleeing the Graf’s justice. Of note is the vast population of black cranes that migrate each autumn from the Schadensumpf to the warm climes of Tilea, before returning in late spring. The crests of the birds have become quite fashionable in hats, leading the Graf last year to impose a tax on each bird taken. This, in turn, has lead to a rise in poaching and smuggling.[1a]
Eastern Middenland during the 23rd century IC.
For such a small area the Grand Duchy encompasses many diverse terrains. To the west of the province the ground is level and carpeted with dense forest. In the east, the woodlands give way to the bare slopes and sheer peaks of the Middle Mountains. The Drakwald forest has been cleared from around the base of the Fauschlag rock, but it still stretches over a massive swathe of land bordered by the Talabec, the Reik, and the Middle Mountains. It's a dark and brooding mixed deciduous forest, with coniferous stretches on higher ground. The forest interior is said to conceal light and airy glades full of lornalim trees. Elves from the Laurelorn forest are said to have small enclaves deep within the Drakwald, though when they are called upon to verify these rumours the Elves dismiss them. Much of the soil of the surrounding region is a deep, soft loam. It soaks up water during the colder months of the year and slowly dries during the summer. There are many areas of wetland and marsh around the province, but few rivers. Those that do flow from the Middle Mountains cut deep ruts through the soft soil. Their waters are dark, peaty, and only barely potable.[3b]
Roads[]
The heraldry of the Imperial army of Middenland led by Graf Boris Todbringer as depicted in Total War: Warhammer.[4]
Despite the untamed wilderness of the Drakwald the roads running from the Fauschlag are mostly in fine condition. Work gangs, often seconded from the Middenland Mining Company, make sure that the highways are kept level and paved with cobbles. The Old Forest Road begins at the southern viaduct, running through the baronies of Immelscheid and Holzbek before continuing to Hergig, and then further south to Talabheim and Wurtbad. The Great North Road runs from the western viaduct, curving through the Drakwald in a long arc until it reaches Marienburg. The Salzenmund road is also a major route, though less travelled. It is the Salzenmund Road that connects Middenheim to Nordland. The eastern viaduct runs into the foothills of the Middle Mountains, connecting to the Duchy of Sohk and the Kärzburdger Estates. The roads around Middenheim are relatively safe for travellers. Road Warden patrols are frequent and well equipped, and it is not uncommon to meet bands of campaigning knights and their retinues from the city. There are also a number of wellappointed coaching inns, especially on the Old Forest Road and Great North Road.[3c]
Old Fortification[]
There are several ruined forts and castles around Middenheim. Most of these are vestiges of barely remembered wars. Solzheimschloss stands as a grim reminder of the 1812 IC conflict with Middenheim, and once marked the extent of the lands the Graf could control under threat from his enemies there. The nearby nameless ruined castle is older still, one of the many smaller border forts that were built in the early years of the Wars of the Three Emperors. The burned-out remains of Palace Fahndorf to the south also date from this time.[3c]
Middle Mountains[]
The Middle Mountains are a steep and desolate range of mountains that border on several of the Empire’s northern provinces. Whilst they are not rich in minerals, there is still enough iron and silver ore to support a number of mining operations. The mountains are also home to a variety of different Greenskin tribes, Stone Trolls, and other monstrosities. The Middle Mountains are significant to the Dwarfs. There are a number of lost holds amongst the mountain peaks, and some say the Nordberg, the highest peak amongst the mountain range, was the site of a heroic sacrifice performed by the Dwarf god Grimnir.[3c]
Elven Remnants[]
The largely unexplored Lonely Tower and Two Fingers ruins are thought to be Elven constructions built before the War of the Beard. Both of these mysterious ancient sites can only be found by undertaking difficult journeys through the trackless Drakwald. Despite constant rumours to the contrary, Eonir envoys say that they keep no permanent, or even temporary, dwellings in the Drakwald around Middenheim. Still, each year more Eonir are encountered wandering the roads of the Grand Duchy, or visiting Middenheim for a period. When the question is raised as to why the Elves are so restless these days, vague responses are sometimes given along the lines of shifting intensities in the winds of magic being of interest to the Queen of Laurelorn, and that Elves feel the Humans of Nordland encroach on their territories and wish to see this problem dealt with diplomatically rather than through violence.[3c]
Ancient Earthworks and Barrows[]
The Grand Duchy is notable for a paucity of ancient sites connected to Human habitation in the time before Sigmar. Teutogens claim that this is due to the fact that no Humans settled in the area prior to the arrival of Artur. However, scholars find this claim dubious, as there is no real reason why ancient Human tribes would not have lived in the area. Nevertheless, there are few ancient druidic sites or Ogham stone constructions in the Grand Duchy. The Howling Stones are among these rare sites, erected to the north of Middenheim. This large stone circle can be found in a circular clearing of the Drakwald, not far from a stagnant stream. The stones are unusual in that they are not standing, but laid lengthways from the centre of the circle, splayed out like the numerals on a clock face. Legends say that on certain moonlit nights screaming and wailing emanates from the stones. Much of the land around the province is a stagnant, sucking bog. Even where the Drakwald has invaded the wetlands the soil remains soft and a number of great lakes, cold and deep, are visible about the Fauschlag from between the trees. Scholars at the Collegium Theologica reckon that the Drakwald didn’t always grow so vigorously here, noting archaeological clues to suggest that a number of rough stone forts and partially sunken dwellings were once scattered about the landscape. Few of these buildings remain, and even the best preserved of them is in ruins, but they are constructed from great slabs of slate, too big and heavy to have been placed by Human hands.[3e]
Lands around Middenheim[]
Several small duchies and baronies make up the Grand Duchy of Middenheim, the lands surrounding the Fauschlag. They are not wealthy lands, though three major roads provide great opportunities for commerce, and narrow waterways that rise from the boggy ground of the Grand Duchy provide access to the Empire’s network of great rivers. Middenheim is a city state, but the ambit of Graf Boris is not limited to the Fauschlag. Middenheim’s Graf governs the internal affairs of the city as well as the wider duchy, and he also manages the affairs of the neighbouring province of Nordland. The Grand Duchy of Middenheim is ruled by the Graf either directly or through the cooperation of closely aligned aristocratic landholders. The lands directly around the Fauschlag are all owned by the Todbringers themselves, but management of these estates is delegated out to a number of minor noble households. Many of these nobles live within the Grafsmund district of the city.[3a]
These aristocrats hold their lands under varying degrees of tenure, but the Todbringers could easily reclaim them if Graf Boris so wished. Many members of the Graf ’s court are from these minor noble families, though some of Middenheim’s more important people come from noble estates further afield. For example, the von Genscher family have a long-standing tradition of military service, and hold a small castle near Schoninghagen over the border in Middenland. The Kärzburdgers are former Grafs who still maintain a small estate in the Middle Mountains. Smaller provincial areas are attached to the lands about the Fauschlag. These are large noble estates ruled by powerful bloodlines. Whilst these landowners are independent, in that their holdings are granted through charters the Graf of Middenheim could not easily revoke, they have nevertheless pledged fealty to the Todbringers. These houses send goods and coin as tribute to Middenheim, and their citizens are subject to levies during times of war.[3a]
Economy[]
A map of the Grand Duchy of Middenheim, including roads, villages and trade-centres.
The economy of Middenland focuses heavily on timber and agriculture. Loggers have cut back the Drakwald around the base of the Fauschlag and around the larger towns of the Grand Duchy. The acidic soils of the Drakwald forest floors are not conducive to easy horticulture, yet the Grand Duchy manages to feed itself and set aside some surplus grain most years. There is little dairy farming in the province — herds make too tempting a target for Beastmen and Greenskin raids — but hunting expeditions into the Drakwald are carried out throughout the year, and meat from deer and boar is often for sale from Altmarkt stalls. There are very few independent farmers in the region; farmers tend to serve a particular noble estate. Most of the farmers have no autonomy and live all their lives on the farm, leaving only to head to the city for market days. Despite this humble existence most farmers see benefits to life in the Grand Duchy. Middenheim affords them a degree of protection that Stirland’s farmers would envy, and the city is a source of distraction and entertainment.[3b]
Timber Trade[]
A map of the Grand Duchy of Middenheim, including roads, villages and trade-centres. This version displays more locations closer to the Middle Mountains, including the villages of Lindenheim, Hovelhof and Hohenfahrt.
Middenheim derives a great deal of its wealth from harvesting and selling timber taken from the Drakwald. Seasoned lumberjacks bring logs to the city, which are processed in the lumber yards in the mercantile district. Planks are then transported down the Old Forest Road to Dunfurt. Here they are loaded on to barges that take the wood down the river Taub to be distributed throughout the Empire. Elves are often consulted on how to carry out logging. It is commonly presumed that they find Human processes to be destructive and wasteful, so the fact that they can be consulted on best practice is acknowledged by loggers in the area. The Drakwald is so vast and vigorous in its regeneration that logging can be carried out at the current rate without destroying the forest. Elves still find the logging industry distasteful, and fear that even sustainable practices may anger forest spirits. This causes some friction between Human loggers and their Elven advisors, but nothing that slows down business. The Elves draw a hard line in any proposals to harvest from lornalim groves that grow deep within the Drakwald. So far no logger has violated this trust, and the groves are deep within the wood and difficult to access.[3b]
Sub-Provinces[]
The area around Middenheim is divided into duchies, baronies, and marches. The rulers of these lands have all pledged fealty to Graf Boris, one way or another. Some of them are hereditary lords with a degree of independence, whereas others are simply landlords acting on behalf of the Todbringers. Private wars and border disputes between the lords of Middenheim are rare, but not unknown. Because so many of the local aristocrats merely act as wardens of Todbringer lands, they are distanced from the need to prove themselves in competitive disputes. Grievances, when they do occur, are taken before the Graf. However, lesser lords are keen to earn Hereditary Office, and one way for a petty lord to demonstrate their worth is to show that they are better at managing their estates than their neighbours. So whilst armed conflicts are unusual, conspiracies to cause trouble for rival lords abound.
Notable Sub-Provinces[]
- Karzburdger Estate
- Duchy of Sohk
- Duchy of Thugenheim
- March of Linz
- March of Norderingen
Inhabitants[]
"Don't worry lad, it’s not you. Middenheimers are always rude like that. It makes them feel good. I think they need more greens in their diet."
- —Mootlander trader[1a]
The hot-headed and stubborn people of the Middenland have little tolerance for much of anything.
Middenlanders[]
Middenlanders are the descendants of the warlike Teutogen tribe of Men. Fierce and unrelenting in their ways, they quickly carved out a kingdom from the harsh lands of the Howling Hills, driving the native Jutone tribe into the fog-shrouded depths of the Wasteland. When Sigmar came to them, he found a tribe with an unbending will, and strong sense of honour. Though other tribes had joined under his banner, the Teutogens refused to submit to the future God. Eventually Sigmar was forced to kill their tribal chieftain, Artur, in single combat to prove his strength and worth to the Teutogen peoples.[1a]
Like all Northerners, Middenlanders are famed for their stubborn ways. This, their Teutogen blood and their “firebrand” tempers has given them a reputation as uncontrollable traditionalists. They hate change of all types, and defend what they see as “tradition” at all cost. They are the last to admit that they are wrong, and the first to challenge an unworthy leader. Whilst those of southern Middenland are less strident than their Drakwald cousins, even they are considered coarse, arrogant, and controlling by the rest of the Empire. At their best, Middenlanders are staunch defenders of pride, property and traditions. Should an unjust tax be levied, Middenlanders will march in protest, torches flaming and pitchforks raised. They can sometimes rally behind a single person’s case, particularly those of destitute war widows, orphans and put upon guild members.[1a]
This has caused Middenland politics to have a crude, rabble-rousing element that does not exist so much in other provinces. At their worst, Middenlanders are a fractious, intolerant group of individuals. Not only are they quick to mock those they see as foppish, dandified folk, they are also exceedingly suspicious of foreign influence upon their province. They refuse to use the occasional Bretonnian, Tilean, or Estalian words that have been absorbed into Reikspiel. Ordering a Bretonnian brandy in a Middenland Tavern will cause a yawning silence as all the folk look round at the fool who has just signed his own death warrant.[1a]
Middenlanders are divided along what were once boundaries of ancient Teutogen Clans, but have now been divided into geographical prejudices. At one time the Drakwald region had a distinct identity from the rest of Middenland, producing a line of notoriously corrupt Emperors. With the collapse of their dynasty and the devastation of the Great Plague of 1111 IC, the power of the Drakwald was decimated. It ceased to exist as a separate entity when the Emperor Mandred gave it to Middenheim, creating the province as it stands today. Its people are still known as mean-spirited and grasping but seem to be softening over time and incorporated into the Middenlander people.[1a]
Middenland Dwarf[]
Most of the Dwarfs who live within the Grand Duchy are descendants of those who fled the destruction of Karak Kazarak in the time before the coming of Sigmar. These Dwarfs are fairly acculturated to living alongside Humans, and whilst they still have the distinct personalities and gruff manners of other Dwarfs, they are notably more open-minded than their kin in the World's Edge Mountains. Their relaxed attitude does not win the Dwarfs of Middenheim much favour with their relatives. High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer has urged them to reclaim their lost hold and pledge its resources to the Karaz Ankor, the ancient everlasting realm of the Dwarfs. This is the cause of a little tension between local Dwarfs and those who visit from elsewhere. Local Dwarfs are ashamed that they have never organised an effective effort to retake their lost hold, but are also aware that anything less than an overwhelming military strike will surely fail. The Dwarfs of the World's Edge Mountains might be tempted to regard the attitude of local Dwarfs as cowardly, but given that they are so stretched in defending their own territories, they could not afford more than a token of assistance in reclaiming Karak Kazarak, so they do not press the issue, for now.[3d]
Middenland Greenskins[]
Several Greenskin tribes are found within the borders of the Grand Duchy. Most of these are nomadic or temporary — smaller offshoots of larger tribes that have been either wiped out by rivals or culled by Middenheim’s knights. However, there are two large tribes with lengthy histories that exist within the region. The Red Tusk Orcs are the current occupants of the lost hold of Karak Kazarak. A mountain Orc tribe with a number of Night Goblin allies who act as scouts and skirmishers, they are well dug in and even a concerted campaign involving all of Middenheim’s military might would struggle to winkle them out of their holes. A lone Giant has been spotted prowling the foothills of the Middle Mountains. Whilst it has not yet bothered anyone, news of its presence is causing some panic in Middenheim. Some argue that it ought to be killed for fear that it could go on to ally with the Red Tusk Orc tribe. Others wonder if it might be supplied with food and ale in return for assisting Middenheim against its enemies.[3d]
Middenland Beastmen[]
The Drakwald is infamous as a place where Beastmen congregate and organise. Around the Fauschlag the number of herds thin out, as only the most bellicose of Beastlords would openly provoke the Knights of Middenheim. Still there are herdstones and Chaos monoliths found within the borders of the Grand Duchy, erected deep within the forests where few Humans would ever set foot. The character of Beastmen in the area falls into two rough groups. The first are those who have been contacted by agents of the Red Crown. These Beastmen tend to either serve Tzeentch or honour Chaos as an undivided whole. They are happy to cooperate with Human agents of Chaos (though they aren’t particularly enamoured of taking orders from them) and their herds contain a number of Human mutants who act as go-betweens. The second group are wilder and more bloodthirsty. On the few occasions that Red Crown agents have tried to recruit these Beastmen, they have been lucky to escape with their lives. They congregate to the south of the province, and worship the Blood God Khorne. These Beastmen are drawn to the area by the malefic energies given off by the Tomb of Kazron Gorespite
Notable Settlements[]
- Middenheim - The capital of Middenland and the seat of power of Boris Todbringer.[1a]
- Carroburg - A large Imperial city that lies at the southern borders of Middenland. It was once the former seat of power of the Drakwald province.[1a]
- Drakenburg - A small village located deep in the Drakwald that was the home of Markus Wulfhart before being destroyed by a Bonegrinder Giant.
- Tubingen - A village a few miles north of Carroburg near the Ancient Library.
- Grey Hollow - A lonely valley with a small settlement of mutants.
- Hohenfahrt - This small village is within the domains of Middenheim and produces lumber.
- Grimmenhagen - Grimmenhagen is a walled town that has been sacked many times, only to be rebuilt and further fortified against Beastmen.
- Sternhauer Keep - This fort is the ancestral home of Grimmenhagen's ruler.
- Hovelhof - Hovelhof is a small village with an excellent view of the mountains.
- Lindenheim - A somewhat wealthy settlement, Lindenheim supports a strong community of trappers, hunters, and merchants.
- Middenstag - An intimidating castle, an elite group of Knights Panther maintains an outpost at Middenstag.
- Schattenlas - Schattenlas is a small fishing and ferryman community.
- Unterfraus - This settlement sits above an Iron mine in the Middle mountains.
- The Picket - The Picket is a series of fortifications around the infamous Brass Keep designed to stop any Chaos Warriors from escaping.
- Dunkelbild - Dunkelbild is a village that celebrates the holiday Water's Turn.
Notable Locations[]
- The Red Claw Temples - a temple contain a sub-sect of violent Ulrican berserkers.
- The Blue Company Grounds - The training grounds of the Blue Company White Wolves.
- Ancient Library - The Library exists to collect and study whatever material it can about the world's philosophical traditions and religions, and also the history and development of magic in the times before Teclis and the foundation of the Imperial Colleges.
- Turgitz Cauldron - Located deep within the Forest, the Cauldron is a vast depression in the Drakwald where Imperial armies often fight Beastmen.