The Duchy of Bavaria
The Duchy of Bavaria is an important buffer state between the rich farmlands of the Merovingian Kingdoms and the fierce mounted nomads to the east. As such, it is supported by the rulers of Osterike, Westerike, Lombarike, and the Eternal City. Originally inhabited by Gallic tribesmen, this region became an important part of the Empire mainly due to the rich salt deposits that had been mined since before even the Gauls had been there. In the centuries after, the region provided a route for merchants making their way overland by the Spice Road to the East, the caravans protected by imperial soldiers guarding against raids from the barbarians dwelling in the tangled woodlands north of the River Istiras. When these barbarian hordes finally crossed in force, pushed from their own homelands by invaders from both the north and east, the imperial provinces fell, and the region saw itself overrun by great barbarian brigand princes. In later years, these same barbarians were subjugated by Dagobert I, the last great Merovingian King, after which time the region was ruled by a Frankish aristocracy. It was in this crucible of unrest and clashing peoples-Gallic Boii, savage Gairmian tribesmen, Merovingian warlords, proud Imperials, and servants of merchant-princes from the Far East-that the duchy was founded.
The Duchy is a large one, spanning 20-30 leagues from east to west and 30-40 leagues north to south. The current ruler is Grimoald, a member of the Agilolfing Dynasty and the only surviving son of the late great Duke Theodo following a brief but vicious struggle for power. Most of the power is concentrated in the towns, with roads well patrolled and important locations of salt production protected. Within these towns, the Light of Amon holds sway. The countryside is a different matter, dotted with farmsteads and settlements where the people still hold to the old gods. Some of these far-flung areas pay tribute to the Chaos Gods, offering sacrifices in the dark of night out of fear, ignorance, or perhaps delusion. Beastmen skulk in the forests, and the taint of chaos that brought down the Empire is feared everywhere.
Not all of the countryside is steeped in ruin and decay, however. A fair number of demihuman inhabitants dwell amongst the people. Halflings live side-by-side humans in many communities. Although the halflings are not known to be a particularly devout folk, they are law-abiding subject of the Duke and they bear no love for the corruption of Chaos. A fair number of gnomes dwell in the region of the Knobby Hills, pressed up against the White Mountains to the south. The gnomes are not subjects of the Duke, but they are on friendly terms and may at times be seen visiting some of the towns for supplies and novelties. Elves dwell in the Black Forest as well as in the Forest of Boiiheim to the northeast. Although the elves remain aloof from humankind in general, they are strongly arrayed against the forces of chaos and corruption. It is also known that there is a small dwarven settlement, home of the famous dwarf brewer Bugman, in the Iron Hills.
Culture
The Bavarians are a proud people, focused on their legacy of warfare and heroism, their devotion to the Light, and their traditional festivals of food, beer, and dancing. Noble households are typically welcoming of strangers, particularly those with tales to tell. The poor may be given lodging and some food for the night before being sent on their way. Wealthier visitors are welcome at feasts and banquets. Nobles dress in dyed wool tunics and high-waisted gowns embroidered with colorful patterns, though the wealthier among them are arrayed in silk, with thick furs in the winter.
The serfs who work the lands of the noble families are part of the Fellowship of Amon, but peasant villages that have not been assimilated may still follow their old tribal and pagan traditions. One thing they all share, however, is a love of food and drink, along with festivals that involve dancing and singing. Libations are poured to the gods of revelry-sometimes to the disapproval of the stricter priests of Amon, sometimes with their complicity (a venal sin at worst). Serfs are usually distinguished by their coarse woolen garments and hoods. The peasants of the uplands, however, particularly shepherds who must defend their flocks, often wear leathern trousers held up with straps, loose blouses with thick woolen vests, and high boots. The women for their part wear the traditional dirndl-a close-fitting bodice with a low neckline, with a blouse worn underneath, and a high-waisted skirt and apron. The attire is similar to that worn by the halfling and gnomish folk of Bavaria, but whether these have taken their cue from the human costumes, or whether the peasants have taken their cue from the smaller folk, is up for speculation.
Town-dwellers are a different breed, being mostly devoted followers of Amon. They are for the most part sober, hard-working, and devoted to charitable deeds. Their industrious nature appears in their working with the salt trade or in the manufacturing of iron and steel, on which the nobles heavily rely. But as with most other Bavarians, they are lovers of food and drink, even if their entertainments and stories are of the more edifying and religious sort.
History
The earliest recorded history of Bavaria dates to the subjugation of the Celtic tribes of the Raeti, the Uindelicoi, and the Noricans by the Empire in the early years of the Common Era. From these provinces, the Empire sought to create a bulwark against the encroachments of Theodikian raiders to the north, as well as building a land route for its lucrative silk and spice trade. Several fortresses were constructed to secure the area, which included the mountain provinces of Raetia and Noricum, and a series of border marches north of the Danu River. Beyond were the woodland lairs of savage tribesmen of Germania, the more civilized of which were taken into the Augustan army as auxiliaries or even special guards. During the turbulent centuries that followed, the provinces fell to invading Germanic tribesmen who were themselves being thrust aside by the fierce horse-mounted nomads of the eastern steppes. As imperial order collapsed, the area was variously populated by the Goths, the Alamani, the Rugii, the Thuringii, and the Lombards, who each in turn became the ruling caste over the rich arable land that continued to be worked by the original Celtic inhabitants, and administered by the imperial citizenry.
It was the Franks who first consolidated the area that came to be known as Baiuvaria, having offered their aid against the raiding Avar and Slavic tribes to the east. Bavaria constituted a defensible buffer zone against these encroaching tribesmen, with whom the Franks could also do business on occasion, taking advantage of the lucrative land route for the trade in silk and spices from the east. Eventually, as internal conflicts forced the Merovingian kings to turn their attention to matters closer to home, a war-leader, or dux, was appointed to the area. After a number of Frankish dukes had served in the area, Garibald, a member of the prominent Agilolfing family, was installed as duke, although the bards refer to him as a king. Garibald had married Waldrada, the widow of King Theudebald, but more importantly the daughter of the Lombard King Wacho. The close ties with the Lombards established by this alliance were further strengthened when Garibald had his daughter Theudelinda wed to the Lombard King Authari, thwarting the attempts of the Merovingian court to arrange a marriage between her and the Merovingian King Childebert II. The marriage so offended the Childebert, who was a bitter enemy of Authari, that the Merovingian king sent an army into Bavaria, driving Garibald out.
The war with the Franks came to an end when Childebert installed Tassilo I, naming him rex baiuvarii, King of the Bavarians. This was likely in recognition of the areas right to self-governance, for Frankish overlordship was despised by the inhabitants. Subsequent leaders of Bavaria, however, were all called dux. Still, by the time of Tassilo's great-grandson Theodo I, the Duchy of Bavaria had largely become independent. Tassilo also formally recognized the Order of Rangers and established their oath to protect the inhabitants from humanoid invaders.
Demography and Population
The inhabitants of Bavaria are predominantly human, with a fair number of halflings dwelling side-by-side their taller neighbors. The recent arrival of emissaries from the Great Seat of Amon in the Eternal City has resulted in the rejuvenation of urban life, but there are many settlements in the countryside that have not been so domesticated. The nature of these human settlements can vary dramtically, with rugged herdsmen dwelling in the upland areas and farmers working in the valleys. Just as varied are those settlements surrounding the old salt and metal mines. The more remote areas are home to a variety of demihumans who conduct their own affairs but trade freely with the humans and halflings. Most numerous are the gnomes who dwell in the rocky hills that girdle the White Mountains, while scattered bands of elves can be found in the forests and meadows.
Foreign Relations
The Duchy is ruled by the Agilolfings, a great Frankish family founded by Agilulf, one of the legendary sons of Arius. The family has strong ties to both the Merovingian and Longobardic royal houses, due to a marriage between Duke Gariwald and Waldrada, daughter of Wacho, King of the Longobards, and widow of Theudebald, King of the Franks. Fiercely loyal to their Merovingian suzerains, the Agilolfings have opposed the rise of other prominent Frankish families, especially the descendants of Arnulf of Metz who have increasingly become the powers behind the Frankish crown. Duke Theodo had cleverly resisted the attempts of Karl the Bastard, Hammer of the Franks and great-grandson of Arnulf, to meddle in Bavarian affairs, but it is yet to be seen if his son will be as clever. Theodo's support of Leodbrand, King of the Longobards, established the basis of what could be a strong alliance. But the death of Theodo's eldest son Theudebert, whom the Longobard king had loved as a brother, together with the exile of Theudbert's son Hugibert, threatens the relationship.
Mythology & Lore
The Church of Amon is the official religion of the Bavarians, although paganism abounds in the countryside. Church doctrine holds that Amon created all things, pulling the very fabric of existence as an idea from the heart of the Void. But also from the Void sprang the Chaos Gods, paradoxically given shape by thought. Where Amon thought of strength, there sprang violence and destruction. Where he thought of growth, there sprang sickness and decay. Where he thought of pleasure, there sprang lust and hedonism and gluttony. Where he thought of evolution, there sprang shapelessness and instability. From these grew the Chaos Cults-the Blood Lord, the Plague Lord, the Lord of Pleasure, and the Lord of Change.
Divine Origins
The light of Amon was brought to Bavaria by Saint Severin, whose ministry took him along the length of the River Danu. His ministry focused on feeding the hungry, tending the sick, and freeing those who had been taken in raids by the pagan warlords of the area. It is said that Severin himself could have become a great ecclesiastical lord, but his humility led him to found places of spiritual refuge rather than temporal power. For a long time, those who followed in his footsteps maintained their distance from worldly concerns. But with Frankish overlordship of Bavaria came more secular-minded ecclesiasts. Churches and monasteries became seats of secular power, awarded to loyal followers of Frankish lords and used to promote obedience to Frankish law. More recent religious leaders, however, sent from the Eternal City itself, have attempted to restore devotion to the Light-with a concerted effort both to convert the peasants of the countryside and remind the manorial lords of their religious obligations.
The process is a long and arduous one, however, as appears in the recent case of Emmeram, brought to spread the Light of Amon among the people of Bavaria but whose virtue was somehow corrupted. Emmeram had been a guest for three years in the ducal court, where he is said to have lived chastely and blamelessly. When Duke Theodo's daughter Uta became pregnant, she pointed the finger at Emmeram as the father. Emmeram attempted to flee but was waylaid by the Duke's son, Uta's twin brother Landbeorht, strung up to an ancient oak and disembowled as an offering to the pagan gods. The strict Bavarians were shocked by Emmeram's trespass, and many of them reverted to the worship of their pagan gods.
The work of conversion therefore began anew with the arrival of Ruprecht, a scion of the Merovingian dynasty who became the Abbot of Saalburg, having been granted the nearly abandoned city by Theodo himself in an effort to heal the breach with the Church of Amon. Ruprecht, originally mistrusted for his Frankish connections, eventually won over the nobles of Bavaria. He was succeeded by Vitalis, who continues the work of conversion today.
Cosmological Views
The world is at the center of Creation, which includes the Nine Hells within the bowels of the earth, the Mountains of Purgation that surmount it, and the Seven Heavens of Amon to which they ascend. Beyond lies the Outer Darkness where dwell the Gods of Chaos who look to undo the fabric of the world itself. Some theologians claim that the Outer Darkness is really an Inner Void, accessible through the lowest of the Hells as it opens onto the Three Primal Glooms and thence into the Void that is at the heart of creation. But those who are devoted to the Light have never sought to travel to these places, and thus this more extensive cosmology is purely theoretical.
The Sons of Theodo
Theodo, Duke of Bavaria, left an uncertain legacy. His four sons were instrumental in his later years in establishing a coherent government for Bavaria, but with the death of Theodo himself, they quickly fell to quarreling. The eldest, Theudbert, was Theodo's choice as his successor, while the others, Theobald, Tassilo, and Grimoald, were to be his supports. But after Theodo's death, a quarrel arose between Theudbert and Theobald. Theudbert pledged his support to the Frankish King, on behalf of his wife Regintrude, a princess of the blood. Theobald, by contrast, has stood on the side of independence, largely at the urging of his wife, Piltrude. With his younger brother Tassilo, Theobald sought to displace Theudbert. They met at a crossing of the River Danu, where Theudbert was forced back to the river itself. Theobald as killed in the fighting, but Theudbert himself was drowned and lost in the river crossing.
Tassilo appeared to be the victor, but on his return to his stronghold at Passau, he was struck by a sudden illness and died. Grimoald, the youngest of the brothers, who had remained neutral throughout the war, lost no time in marrying Piltrude, the widow of his brother Theobald, to secure his hold on the throne. He quickly took control of Tassilo's stronghold at Passau, seizing Tassilo's daughter Swanachild, a marriageable young woman and a potential tool in securing power. In the meantime, Theudbert's widow Regintrude entered the Order of the Sisters of the Light, while his son Hugbert fled to the Lombards, where some say he waits his chance to return and seize the dukedom.
Founding Date
550 CY
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Decorated/Honored
Demonym
Bavarian
Leader
Deities
Grimoald I
Fourth and youngest son of Theodo, late Duke of Bavaria, Grimoald originally co-ruled the duchy with his older brothers Theodbert, Theobald, and Tassilo. Within a year of Theodo's death, the quarreling between the brothers erupted into open war, and by CY 719 all the older brothers were dead. Grimoald quickly consolidated his hold on the duchy by compelling Theodbert's widow Regintrude to join the Sisterhood of the Light, marrying Theobald's widow Pilitrude, taking Tassilo's daughter Swanachild as his ward, and driving his nephew Hugbert into exile amongst the Longobards.
There are those who say that Grimoald's ruthless bid for power exceeds his abilities and that the real power behind the Duchy is Pilitrude. It is certainly true that Grimoald himself is not known for his intelligence or his will, and he has inherited his father's abject deference to clerical authority. Like his father, he has been an enthusiastic patron of the Church, eager to welcome the emissaries of the Eternal City into the Duchy. But unlike his father, he has neither the mind nor the fortitude for true religious zeal. More than anything else, he loves hunting, feasting, and the fine life, and would happily leave religious matters to the servants of the Church. Ironically, however, his own life and indeed the source of his security flies violates the deepest principles of the Light of Amon. For the widow of his brother is, by law, his sister, and the union is an unnatural and unholy.
Rangers of Bavaria
The Order of Rangers in Bavaria dates back hundreds of years to the time before the fierce Theodikian tribesmen swept across the Danu River. The order is rooted in the original Keltic people who were friendly with the elves. During the time of the Empire, the tribal confederations of the Rhaetii and the Norii had already developed an order of rangers who worked in concert with the elves to keep watch on the encroaching humanoids and giants of the mountains. When these confederations were absorbed into the empire, the Order of Rangers remained as freely federated scouts. As imperial authority in the region began to crumble, however, primitive Theodikian clans fleeing from the Hunnic hordes settled in the area. These people intermarried with the native Keltic populations, eventually forming the core of the Baiuvarian people who inhabit the region today. For a time, the Order of Rangers was forgotten, its memory kept alive only in those few families with traditions of ranger service.
The Order remained secret until the Goblin Wars at the time of Garibald I, a scion of the Frankish House of Agilulf who arrived with an army pledging to rid the land of the menace. Garibald's war would have been fruitless without the aid of the Rangers, who were instrumental in rescuing his son from the goblin hordes that overwhelmed and killed Garibald himself. In CY 591, the Order was officially recognized as a force in the duchy provided its members swore an oath of loyalty to the House of Agilulf. They were led in a series of wars against humanoid tribes by Duke Tassilo I, and their oath has been binding ever since.
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