Wissenburg
Population: 9000 (Town)
Ruling noble: Grand Countess Emmanuelle von Liebewitz, Elector of Nuln and Wissenland
Main sources of wealth: Trade, market town, ferry
Government: Town Council
Notable NPCs: Count Stefan von WindischGrätz (steward), Ernst Schmidt (tavern keeper), Thomas Löffler (master brewer), Eusebius Alber (weaponsmith), Ottilia Hering (herbalist), Lector Konstatin Schwarzenberg (Wissenland Lector/ high priest of Sigmar), Erwin Harrach (innkeeper), Salvatore Luciano (restaurateur, godfather of Luciano family), Janna Böhme (wizard guildmaster), Petra Winneburg (tavern keeper), Adolphus Ziegler (shopkeeper), Albrecht Carstens (crime lord of the Fluss Strasse gang, snotball aficionado), Gustav Schröer (tavern master), Otto Münsterberg (casino manager), Monika Suttner (boarding house owner), Johann Fischer (river patrol captain), Juliane Schuschnigg (innkeeper), Benoît Dumeaux (restaurateur)
Inn or Tavern: Broken Forge, Mitre Inn, Little Remas, Court Jester, Harbourmaster’s Home, Red House Casino, Grand Wissenburg Hostelry, King of Oisillon, Hospice of the Dove
Wissenburg is the provincial capital of Wissenland and its largest town. Its prominence is overshadowed by the largely independent citystate of Nuln, which is where Grand Countess Emmanuelle von Liebewitz prefers to hold court for much of the year. Wissenburg is 55 miles from Nuln, 134 miles (by way of the Upper Reik and Nuln-Übersreik Road) from Dunkelberg in Reikland and 37 miles from Pfeildorf.
Wissenburg’s primary economic drivers are trade and the government bureaucracy. Its position on the Upper Reik – about two days journey upriver from Nuln) – places Wissenburg in the ideal location where it can control the movement of ore mined from both Dwarf and Human facilities to the Stadtstaat.
The town council is the main body that governs Wissenburg. Its members include the aldermen of Wissenburg’s five districts, one of the Grand Countess’ provincial Privy Council, a priestly representative for the town’s religious community and the elder of the Dwarf community of Stonecarver Town (Khazid Agruli). The town council meets each month at the aptly named Council Hall, a large threestoried building on Marktplatz.
Schloss Liebewitz is the current residence of Count Stefan von Windisch-Grätz, steward and former favourite of the Grand Countess. The fact that he gained such an important political position while being tossed from her bed points to Count Stefan’s considerable skills as a diplomat and political operative. It is also said that Count Stefan is one of the few men who understands that Grand Countess Emmanuelle is not the reckless party girl that most believe her to be. He knows that her superficial image is one carefully crafted by the Grand Countess to lull her adversaries into a false sense of superiority while she manipulates them through her charms.
The Broken Forge is one of the many lowceilinged, dim-lit taverns in the Schmidtwerk. A former blacksmith who was able to save enough to get out of the family business, Ernst Schmidt is the large, friendly owner of the establishment with an ear for gossip and a nose for trouble. Not much goes on in this part of Wissenburg of which Ernst is unaware. The food at the tavern is not very good, though the normal clientele of smiths don’t seem overly concerned so long as the weak beer and rotgut are flowing. Ernst gets his beer at a cut rate from Löffler’s.
Löffler’s Brewery is the largest operation in Wissenburg supplying quality and weak beer to many of the taverns and inns throughout the town. The brewery sits on a spring from which Master Brewer Thomas Löffler draws water for the variety of beer he produces: “Morning Light” (pilsner), “Afternoon Sun” (lager), and “Twilight’s Grace” (bitter). He also distils cherry schnapps, which he calls “Summer Delight.” The brewery has been in the Löffler family for generations, with the first charter being awarded to Götz Löffler in 2243 I.C.
The family-owned Alber’s Smithy is one of the best places where one can purchase quality weapons as well as blades made to specific order. Eusebius is the master weaponsmith of the establishment, training both his sons – Hartwig and Leberecht – in the craft. What is not known is that some of Eusebius best customers are freelance assassins and bounty hunters who have learned of his reputation with bladed weaponry from word of mouth. Orders are clandestinely placed with partial payments paid in advance by agents of these clients in the dark of the night. The need for secrecy is paramount as Eusebius doesn’t want to call attention to this aspect of his business.
Hering’s Apothecary is the place for those looking for herbal remedies, love charms and healing draughts. Ottilia Hering is the latest of the long-line of healing women who have owned the apothecary and is currently training her niece, Beatrix, in the healing arts. Ottilia also sells the base ingredients to manufacture poisons to her special clientele. New customers must have letters of introduction from one of her regulars before Ottilia will conduct such business with strangers.
The Tempelplatz is the large square located near the foot of the bluff where Schloss Liebewitz sits. Many of Wissenburg’s larger temples surround the square. Holy day festivities generally take place in Tempelplatz and many townsfolk gather to participate or observe. Obviously, such gatherings attract pickpockets and others of their ilk.
The Church of Sigmar in Wissenburg is the largest in the Grand County outside the Grand Cathedral in Nuln. Its octagonal walls are brightly painted and heavily adorned with stone hammers along its white tiled roof. The intent of the white roof is to give the area radiance when the sun is high in the sky. The effect is as if the light of Sigmar is shining on those who have come to the church to pray.
Lector House – the residence of current Wissenland Lector, Konstatin Schwarzenberg – stands next to the Sigmarite temple. The large, three-storied house is built in the Reikland style and is generally empty except for the household staff. Lector Konstatin spends most of his time in Nuln either at the Court if the Grand Countess or with the Arch Lector.
Across Tempelplatz from the Church of Sigmar stands the Temple to Ulric. The large edifice is built in the Tilean style with tall colonnades and a frieze dominated by an ornate depiction of the God of Winter surrounded by his troop of shield maidens. A closer inspection of the bas relief figures reveals a feral quality to the features of the maidens. According to very old legends, Ulric would sometimes deploy his shield maidens to flush out prey whenever he joined his brother Taal in the Wild Hunt during Geheimnisnacht.
The Temple to Verena and Temple to Shallya are also located near the Church of Sigmar. The Verenans maintain a library adjacent to the temple. The temple to Shallya doubles as a hospital for the less fortunate.
The Mitre Inn is located near the Temple of Verena and is a popular gathering spot for the priests, initiates, clerks, and others who work in the various temples on the square. Many visiting priests stay at the inn. Accommodation is at the higher end of the scale with prices to match. The Mitre Inn is also known for the assortment of entertainment that appears in the common room every Festag. Singers, musicians, actors and raconteurs must first audition for the Harrach family before they are scheduled to perform. This house rule ensures a higher quality of entertainment.
The Harrach family owns Mitre Inn, passing it from generation to generation. Erwin Harrach is the current proprietor and maintains the reputation of the inn for excellent food. The weak beer typically served is average at best, but the Harrach family maintains an excellent wine cellar, chiefly stocking some of the better varietals produced by the wineries along the River Söll.
Little Remas is a restaurant run by the Luciano family who emigrated to the Empire from their native Remas several generations ago. Salvatore Luciano is the head chef and family patriarch. He prepares all the dishes in the Remean style, using a variety of sauces and spices. The wine served at Little Remas is imported from the region around Remas. Despite all this, prices at the restaurant tend to be reasonable.
Little known in Wissenburg is that Salvatore is also the godfather of the extended Luciano family. Over the generations, the Lucianos have been muscling in on the territory of the Fluss Strasse gang, taking over the Stevedores Guild and carving out a large portion of the smuggling operations in the town. The success of the Lucianos can be partially attributed to Karl Lansky, a former member of the Fluss Strasse gang who offered his services to Salvatore for a position of power and has been instrumental in expanding their operations to Pfeildorf [Pfeildorf: Freistadt of Sudenland, page 13]. War has occasionally broken out between the rival gangs, though at this point an uneasy truce remains in place.
The aptly named Marktplatz is the large square in the Reikufer district where Wissenburg’s popular market takes place every Marktag, Backertag, and Festag. Local farmers bring their produce and fishermen display the catch of the day. In addition, there are baked goods on sale as well as the products of local craftsmen. The market is also a good place to catch up on the latest news, gossip, rumours, and slander circulating in town.
A number of guards are also hired by the Town Council to limit the activities of pickpockets and petty thieves. Stocks are located near the river where captured thieves spend the day as targets for those with rotten fruit and vegetables to dispose.
The three-storied, yellow cream coloured Council Hall dominates the Marktplatz, located in the centre of Wissenburg’s riverfront, slightly downriver of the confluence where the River Dottern empties into the Upper Reik. Many of the councilmen have offices in the Council Hall and meet once a month to discuss the town’s business.
The Hall of Courts is a two-storied, greencoloured building located next to the Council Hall where the wheels of Wissenburg justice slowly turn, particularly for those without the means to pay for a speedy trial. In addition to housing the courtrooms, the Hall of Courts includes a Watch Barrack on the ground floor as well as holding (and leaky) cells in the cellar where those awaiting trial or execution are held.
Surrounding the Marktplatz are other important city buildings such as the Conservatory, Opera House, the newly built Temple to Panasia, and various affluent Guildhouses. The town council believes that the goddess will find their effort pleasing and perhaps bless the talents of their local symphony. The council is also discussing plans to erect a similar structure to Phaestos, God of Crafts and Smiths, in the Schmidtwerk district.
Wissenburg also has its own sanctioned guild for wizards, which is quite small and currently run by Janna Böhme, a wizard from Altdorf. The doors of this institution were opened in 2488 I.C. as a result of Grand Count Konrad von Liebewitz’s effort to increase the town’s prestige. Unfortunately, the guildhouse pales in comparison to its more magnificent counterpart in Nuln.
The Wissenburg Wizards’ Guild is chartered to issue official licenses to accomplished wizards. Still, the quality of the few students it accepts is quite limited since the more promising from the province are referred to Altdorf or Nuln as specified in the Imperial Edict of the 2328 Sorcery Act which amended the laws governing the Colour Colleges of Altdorf and its affiliates.
Janna Böhme is known more for her administration skills and ability to evaluate talent than her sorcerous prowess. Janna readily accepted this appointment after the previous Guildmaster was caught embezzling guild funds in order to support his Ranald’s Delight habit. Janna was anxious to get away from the political manoeuvrings of her “compatriots” that is part and parcel of the wizardry scene in the Imperial capital. Janna was also concerned that such ambition would eventually lead to a losing confrontation with the powerful Church of Sigmar and its witch-hunters.
The Court Jester tavern is run by Petra Winneburg and her family. The food is prepared by Petra’s daughter, Emilie, and is quite good. The ale and weak beer served at the tavern is average, at best. Still, the location of the Court Jester on the square is what makes it a favourite destination for those attending the market as well as those who work at the Council Hall.
Petra inherited the Court Jester when her former husband, Leif, disappeared one night with his mistress over a year ago. At least, that’s the word on the street. In actuality, the disappearance of Leif and his mistress has more to do with their various body parts being scattered around the outskirts of Wissenburg. Petra caught the two asleep together in her room and murdered them. She then brought her two adult sons – Frederick and Kurt – into the crime by having them chop up the bodies and, over the course of several nights, bury bits here and there. The faces of the two victims were carefully removed and buried separately from the skulls to eliminate the chance of identification if uncovered.
Adolphus Ziegler opened Ziegler’s Emporium in 2504 with the intent of becoming wealthy in the booming trade with the Border Princes and Tilea of artefacts, curios, and rare exotic items. In fact, many of the items Ziegler collects for sale have their origins in Araby and the Southlands, from where it is rumoured that they are part of treasures looted by unscrupulous Old World explorers and adventurers.
Though Ziegler has not yet realised his dreams of wealth, he is pleased with his inventory of oddities. Ziegler is grooming his daughter, Dagmar, to take over the family business as he has been feeling his age of late. About a month ago, Ziegler received shipment of several foottall ebony bipedal frog figures from the area surrounding the Leopoldheim Penal Colony in the Southlands [Apocrypha Too: Charts of Darkness, pages 18-20]. He recently noticed that each morning these statuettes seem to be in a different place than he remembers leaving them the night before.
The Harbourmaster’s Home is one of the dimlylit dives found along the Upper Reik riverfront and the centre of Albrecht “Big Man” Carstens’ criminal empire (Fluss Strasse gang), currently under siege from the Luciano family. Losing influence has left the previously gregarious Albrecht is a near-constant foul humour, particularly after several assassination attempts failed to put an end to him. Albrecht is rarely seen in public these days, with the possible exception of the snotball matches where he believes his presence boosts the Reikufer’s “River Pirates” team. The Fluss Strasse crime lord is usually accompanied with four bodyguards.
Gustav Schröer is the tavern master of the Harbourmaster’s Home and one of Albrecht’s trusted lieutenants as well as chief enforcer. Gustav is known for his dour personality and unsmiling face, though there are rumours that he is in high spirits whenever he is breaking the arm or hand bones of those foolishly behind in their payments (whether for loans or protection). The sadistic Gustav brews and sells a good tasting dark bitter he sardonically calls “Mórr’s Bitter.”
The ferry from Dottrahof docks at a wharf in the Altmarsch. Those seeking to cross the River Dottern can signal the ferryman, Hannes Alder, by ringing the bell.
The Red House Casino is a gambling hall that has been chartered to the Kuefstein family, another ally of the von Liebewitzes. Located near the border with the Dotternufer district, the Red House attracts the wealthy merchants and nobility of Wissenburg. The casino is run by Otto Münsterberg, a rather large, muscular man with a knack of spotting cheaters and collecting debts from recalcitrant losers. Recently, Otto has been approached by the Luciano family for a cut of the action. So far, the on-going “discussion” is still in the talking phase with threats of escalation from both sides.
The common room of the Red House has a number of private booths where the wellconnected can make deals or conspire to do in a rival. In addition to local wines, the Red House serves (smuggled) cognac and liqueurs from Bretonnia and port wine from Estalia. The food served in the common room of the Red House is good, but pricey.
Suttner’s Boarding House is the lodging of choice for those who are temporarily staying in Wissenburg for a month or more. Monika Suttner is the proprietor of the boarding house and runs a clean establishment with help from her spinster daughters, Agnes and Gilda. The rooms are clean with bedding changed every other day. Suttner’s Boarding House includes a light breakfast and lunch in the boarding fee, but residents will have to go elsewhere for dinner.
Zenger House was once owned by the Zenger family who ran afoul of the von Liebewitz family in 2382 when the head of the family, Eugen, embezzled thousands of crowns from the rulers of Wissenland while he was the financier of their Wissenburg estates. The building was confiscated by the von Liebewitzes and put to use by the town. Given its location at the confluence of the two rivers, a twenty-foot light tower was added to the Zenger House in 2402 to replace the beacon that burnt down in the Reikufer district. At about the same time, the base of the Wissenland River Patrol was relocated to this site. Led by Captain Johann Fischer, the twenty-man strong, two-ship River Patrol covers the area from the borders with the Stadtstaat of Nuln to Pfeildorf.
The Grand Wissenburg Hostelry is a large inn near the edge of the Dotternufer close to the Altmarsch district where visiting dignitaries and wealthy visitors can find lodging. The inn is owned and run by Juliane Schuschnigg, a widow, and her son, Wolmar. The food is good at the Grand Hostelry, particularly Frau Schuschnigg’s berry pies. The drinks served come from Löffler’s Brewery. The inn is rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of Juliane’s husband, Luitpold, or it could be that Frau Schuschnigg is beginning to slip into a dementia. The widow is given to late night talks with her husband, generally just conversation, but sometimes arguments. At the moment, the ghostly “visitations” have not gotten to the point of hurting business.
The King of Oisillon is a restaurant specialising in Bretonnian cuisine as well as a bakery. The restaurant is owned and run by the Bretonnian expatriate, Benoît Dumeaux, and his extended family. The food is quite good, through heavy with creamy sauces, and served alongside some of the best Bretonnian wine found in this part of the Empire outside Nuln. What is not known is that Benoît is also a cat burglar, using his legitimate business to size up potential victims for his nocturnal activities. He has somehow convinced his wife that he is seeing his mistresses when he ventures out for the night.
A Temple to Taal and Rhya is located on the outskirts of Wissenburg along the Dottern River. The large circular structure is very old, having somehow escaped the attentions of the invading Orcs over eight centuries ago. Local legends have it that the temple has existed for over 2500 years, having been built in the same year Sigmar rose to become chief of the Unberogens.
The Hospice of the Dove is a hospice run by the Shallyans located outside the town walls on the road to Weningen, near the temple to Taal and Rhya. The hospice provides temporary housing for the destitute traveller, generally pilgrims on their way to or from one of the many holy shrines in Wissenland. Travellers of means may also stay if there is room, but are expected to contribute what they can to the hospice. The food served at the hospice is a vegetable soap with a piece of bread and small wedge of cheese. Weak beer donated by the Löffler Brewery is the only beverage served.
The Snotball Pitch is a relatively new construct, having been built outside the northwest side of town walls under the direction of Count Bruno Pfeifraucher in 2508. The bleachers around the snotball playing field can hold upwards of 1,000 spectators. Though the crowd tend to be wellbehaved during much of the snotball season, the more popular teams have attracted a hooligan element which seems more interested in getting drunk and starting fights than watching the snotball match.
Ruling noble: Grand Countess Emmanuelle von Liebewitz, Elector of Nuln and Wissenland
Main sources of wealth: Trade, market town, ferry
Government: Town Council
Notable NPCs: Count Stefan von WindischGrätz (steward), Ernst Schmidt (tavern keeper), Thomas Löffler (master brewer), Eusebius Alber (weaponsmith), Ottilia Hering (herbalist), Lector Konstatin Schwarzenberg (Wissenland Lector/ high priest of Sigmar), Erwin Harrach (innkeeper), Salvatore Luciano (restaurateur, godfather of Luciano family), Janna Böhme (wizard guildmaster), Petra Winneburg (tavern keeper), Adolphus Ziegler (shopkeeper), Albrecht Carstens (crime lord of the Fluss Strasse gang, snotball aficionado), Gustav Schröer (tavern master), Otto Münsterberg (casino manager), Monika Suttner (boarding house owner), Johann Fischer (river patrol captain), Juliane Schuschnigg (innkeeper), Benoît Dumeaux (restaurateur)
Inn or Tavern: Broken Forge, Mitre Inn, Little Remas, Court Jester, Harbourmaster’s Home, Red House Casino, Grand Wissenburg Hostelry, King of Oisillon, Hospice of the Dove
Wissenburg is the provincial capital of Wissenland and its largest town. Its prominence is overshadowed by the largely independent citystate of Nuln, which is where Grand Countess Emmanuelle von Liebewitz prefers to hold court for much of the year. Wissenburg is 55 miles from Nuln, 134 miles (by way of the Upper Reik and Nuln-Übersreik Road) from Dunkelberg in Reikland and 37 miles from Pfeildorf.
Wissenburg’s primary economic drivers are trade and the government bureaucracy. Its position on the Upper Reik – about two days journey upriver from Nuln) – places Wissenburg in the ideal location where it can control the movement of ore mined from both Dwarf and Human facilities to the Stadtstaat.
The town council is the main body that governs Wissenburg. Its members include the aldermen of Wissenburg’s five districts, one of the Grand Countess’ provincial Privy Council, a priestly representative for the town’s religious community and the elder of the Dwarf community of Stonecarver Town (Khazid Agruli). The town council meets each month at the aptly named Council Hall, a large threestoried building on Marktplatz.
Schloss Liebewitz
The family castle of the von Liebewitz clan overlooks the rest of the town from the bluff to the west. The new castle was rebuilt upon the ruins of the old, which the rampaging Orcs destroyed when they overran the city over eight centuries ago. Parts of the castle, particularly the old cellars, are said to be haunted by those who died defending it.Schloss Liebewitz is the current residence of Count Stefan von Windisch-Grätz, steward and former favourite of the Grand Countess. The fact that he gained such an important political position while being tossed from her bed points to Count Stefan’s considerable skills as a diplomat and political operative. It is also said that Count Stefan is one of the few men who understands that Grand Countess Emmanuelle is not the reckless party girl that most believe her to be. He knows that her superficial image is one carefully crafted by the Grand Countess to lull her adversaries into a false sense of superiority while she manipulates them through her charms.
Schmidtwerk district
The working and poor class district of Schmidtwerk is the northernmost of Wissenburg’s districts along the Upper Reik and the one most prone to flooding before the construction of the Embankment. The problem now is that the flood waters used to be the only way that rubbish and other debris were swept from the filthy streets of the Schmidtwerk. On calm days, the air in the district is hazy from the smoke of forges of the smiths as well as odorous from the labours of leatherworkers and muckrakers.The Broken Forge is one of the many lowceilinged, dim-lit taverns in the Schmidtwerk. A former blacksmith who was able to save enough to get out of the family business, Ernst Schmidt is the large, friendly owner of the establishment with an ear for gossip and a nose for trouble. Not much goes on in this part of Wissenburg of which Ernst is unaware. The food at the tavern is not very good, though the normal clientele of smiths don’t seem overly concerned so long as the weak beer and rotgut are flowing. Ernst gets his beer at a cut rate from Löffler’s.
Löffler’s Brewery is the largest operation in Wissenburg supplying quality and weak beer to many of the taverns and inns throughout the town. The brewery sits on a spring from which Master Brewer Thomas Löffler draws water for the variety of beer he produces: “Morning Light” (pilsner), “Afternoon Sun” (lager), and “Twilight’s Grace” (bitter). He also distils cherry schnapps, which he calls “Summer Delight.” The brewery has been in the Löffler family for generations, with the first charter being awarded to Götz Löffler in 2243 I.C.
The family-owned Alber’s Smithy is one of the best places where one can purchase quality weapons as well as blades made to specific order. Eusebius is the master weaponsmith of the establishment, training both his sons – Hartwig and Leberecht – in the craft. What is not known is that some of Eusebius best customers are freelance assassins and bounty hunters who have learned of his reputation with bladed weaponry from word of mouth. Orders are clandestinely placed with partial payments paid in advance by agents of these clients in the dark of the night. The need for secrecy is paramount as Eusebius doesn’t want to call attention to this aspect of his business.
Hering’s Apothecary is the place for those looking for herbal remedies, love charms and healing draughts. Ottilia Hering is the latest of the long-line of healing women who have owned the apothecary and is currently training her niece, Beatrix, in the healing arts. Ottilia also sells the base ingredients to manufacture poisons to her special clientele. New customers must have letters of introduction from one of her regulars before Ottilia will conduct such business with strangers.
Tempelhof District
The Tempelhof district is one of the affluent districts of Wissenland and closest to Schloss Liebewitz. Many of the townhouses of the local nobility reside in Tempelhof, far from the flooding waters of the surrounding rivers (though these have been tamed by the building of the Embankment).The Tempelplatz is the large square located near the foot of the bluff where Schloss Liebewitz sits. Many of Wissenburg’s larger temples surround the square. Holy day festivities generally take place in Tempelplatz and many townsfolk gather to participate or observe. Obviously, such gatherings attract pickpockets and others of their ilk.
The Church of Sigmar in Wissenburg is the largest in the Grand County outside the Grand Cathedral in Nuln. Its octagonal walls are brightly painted and heavily adorned with stone hammers along its white tiled roof. The intent of the white roof is to give the area radiance when the sun is high in the sky. The effect is as if the light of Sigmar is shining on those who have come to the church to pray.
Lector House – the residence of current Wissenland Lector, Konstatin Schwarzenberg – stands next to the Sigmarite temple. The large, three-storied house is built in the Reikland style and is generally empty except for the household staff. Lector Konstatin spends most of his time in Nuln either at the Court if the Grand Countess or with the Arch Lector.
Across Tempelplatz from the Church of Sigmar stands the Temple to Ulric. The large edifice is built in the Tilean style with tall colonnades and a frieze dominated by an ornate depiction of the God of Winter surrounded by his troop of shield maidens. A closer inspection of the bas relief figures reveals a feral quality to the features of the maidens. According to very old legends, Ulric would sometimes deploy his shield maidens to flush out prey whenever he joined his brother Taal in the Wild Hunt during Geheimnisnacht.
The Temple to Verena and Temple to Shallya are also located near the Church of Sigmar. The Verenans maintain a library adjacent to the temple. The temple to Shallya doubles as a hospital for the less fortunate.
The Mitre Inn is located near the Temple of Verena and is a popular gathering spot for the priests, initiates, clerks, and others who work in the various temples on the square. Many visiting priests stay at the inn. Accommodation is at the higher end of the scale with prices to match. The Mitre Inn is also known for the assortment of entertainment that appears in the common room every Festag. Singers, musicians, actors and raconteurs must first audition for the Harrach family before they are scheduled to perform. This house rule ensures a higher quality of entertainment.
The Harrach family owns Mitre Inn, passing it from generation to generation. Erwin Harrach is the current proprietor and maintains the reputation of the inn for excellent food. The weak beer typically served is average at best, but the Harrach family maintains an excellent wine cellar, chiefly stocking some of the better varietals produced by the wineries along the River Söll.
Little Remas is a restaurant run by the Luciano family who emigrated to the Empire from their native Remas several generations ago. Salvatore Luciano is the head chef and family patriarch. He prepares all the dishes in the Remean style, using a variety of sauces and spices. The wine served at Little Remas is imported from the region around Remas. Despite all this, prices at the restaurant tend to be reasonable.
Little known in Wissenburg is that Salvatore is also the godfather of the extended Luciano family. Over the generations, the Lucianos have been muscling in on the territory of the Fluss Strasse gang, taking over the Stevedores Guild and carving out a large portion of the smuggling operations in the town. The success of the Lucianos can be partially attributed to Karl Lansky, a former member of the Fluss Strasse gang who offered his services to Salvatore for a position of power and has been instrumental in expanding their operations to Pfeildorf [Pfeildorf: Freistadt of Sudenland, page 13]. War has occasionally broken out between the rival gangs, though at this point an uneasy truce remains in place.
Reikufer district
The Reikufer district runs along most the west back of the Upper Reik and is the main port for Wissenburg as well as its civic centre. The poorest part of the district lies along the waterfront while the most prosperous part lies closer to the Tempelhof.The aptly named Marktplatz is the large square in the Reikufer district where Wissenburg’s popular market takes place every Marktag, Backertag, and Festag. Local farmers bring their produce and fishermen display the catch of the day. In addition, there are baked goods on sale as well as the products of local craftsmen. The market is also a good place to catch up on the latest news, gossip, rumours, and slander circulating in town.
A number of guards are also hired by the Town Council to limit the activities of pickpockets and petty thieves. Stocks are located near the river where captured thieves spend the day as targets for those with rotten fruit and vegetables to dispose.
The three-storied, yellow cream coloured Council Hall dominates the Marktplatz, located in the centre of Wissenburg’s riverfront, slightly downriver of the confluence where the River Dottern empties into the Upper Reik. Many of the councilmen have offices in the Council Hall and meet once a month to discuss the town’s business.
The Hall of Courts is a two-storied, greencoloured building located next to the Council Hall where the wheels of Wissenburg justice slowly turn, particularly for those without the means to pay for a speedy trial. In addition to housing the courtrooms, the Hall of Courts includes a Watch Barrack on the ground floor as well as holding (and leaky) cells in the cellar where those awaiting trial or execution are held.
Surrounding the Marktplatz are other important city buildings such as the Conservatory, Opera House, the newly built Temple to Panasia, and various affluent Guildhouses. The town council believes that the goddess will find their effort pleasing and perhaps bless the talents of their local symphony. The council is also discussing plans to erect a similar structure to Phaestos, God of Crafts and Smiths, in the Schmidtwerk district.
Wissenburg also has its own sanctioned guild for wizards, which is quite small and currently run by Janna Böhme, a wizard from Altdorf. The doors of this institution were opened in 2488 I.C. as a result of Grand Count Konrad von Liebewitz’s effort to increase the town’s prestige. Unfortunately, the guildhouse pales in comparison to its more magnificent counterpart in Nuln.
The Wissenburg Wizards’ Guild is chartered to issue official licenses to accomplished wizards. Still, the quality of the few students it accepts is quite limited since the more promising from the province are referred to Altdorf or Nuln as specified in the Imperial Edict of the 2328 Sorcery Act which amended the laws governing the Colour Colleges of Altdorf and its affiliates.
Janna Böhme is known more for her administration skills and ability to evaluate talent than her sorcerous prowess. Janna readily accepted this appointment after the previous Guildmaster was caught embezzling guild funds in order to support his Ranald’s Delight habit. Janna was anxious to get away from the political manoeuvrings of her “compatriots” that is part and parcel of the wizardry scene in the Imperial capital. Janna was also concerned that such ambition would eventually lead to a losing confrontation with the powerful Church of Sigmar and its witch-hunters.
The Court Jester tavern is run by Petra Winneburg and her family. The food is prepared by Petra’s daughter, Emilie, and is quite good. The ale and weak beer served at the tavern is average, at best. Still, the location of the Court Jester on the square is what makes it a favourite destination for those attending the market as well as those who work at the Council Hall.
Petra inherited the Court Jester when her former husband, Leif, disappeared one night with his mistress over a year ago. At least, that’s the word on the street. In actuality, the disappearance of Leif and his mistress has more to do with their various body parts being scattered around the outskirts of Wissenburg. Petra caught the two asleep together in her room and murdered them. She then brought her two adult sons – Frederick and Kurt – into the crime by having them chop up the bodies and, over the course of several nights, bury bits here and there. The faces of the two victims were carefully removed and buried separately from the skulls to eliminate the chance of identification if uncovered.
Adolphus Ziegler opened Ziegler’s Emporium in 2504 with the intent of becoming wealthy in the booming trade with the Border Princes and Tilea of artefacts, curios, and rare exotic items. In fact, many of the items Ziegler collects for sale have their origins in Araby and the Southlands, from where it is rumoured that they are part of treasures looted by unscrupulous Old World explorers and adventurers.
Though Ziegler has not yet realised his dreams of wealth, he is pleased with his inventory of oddities. Ziegler is grooming his daughter, Dagmar, to take over the family business as he has been feeling his age of late. About a month ago, Ziegler received shipment of several foottall ebony bipedal frog figures from the area surrounding the Leopoldheim Penal Colony in the Southlands [Apocrypha Too: Charts of Darkness, pages 18-20]. He recently noticed that each morning these statuettes seem to be in a different place than he remembers leaving them the night before.
The Harbourmaster’s Home is one of the dimlylit dives found along the Upper Reik riverfront and the centre of Albrecht “Big Man” Carstens’ criminal empire (Fluss Strasse gang), currently under siege from the Luciano family. Losing influence has left the previously gregarious Albrecht is a near-constant foul humour, particularly after several assassination attempts failed to put an end to him. Albrecht is rarely seen in public these days, with the possible exception of the snotball matches where he believes his presence boosts the Reikufer’s “River Pirates” team. The Fluss Strasse crime lord is usually accompanied with four bodyguards.
Gustav Schröer is the tavern master of the Harbourmaster’s Home and one of Albrecht’s trusted lieutenants as well as chief enforcer. Gustav is known for his dour personality and unsmiling face, though there are rumours that he is in high spirits whenever he is breaking the arm or hand bones of those foolishly behind in their payments (whether for loans or protection). The sadistic Gustav brews and sells a good tasting dark bitter he sardonically calls “Mórr’s Bitter.”
Altmarsch district
The Altmarsch district is the site of the long drained swampland that once existed where the River Dottern empties into the Upper Reik. The Altmarsch no longer floods as it once did, thanks to the installation of the new sewers and culverts which channel much of the flood waters beneath the town.The ferry from Dottrahof docks at a wharf in the Altmarsch. Those seeking to cross the River Dottern can signal the ferryman, Hannes Alder, by ringing the bell.
The Red House Casino is a gambling hall that has been chartered to the Kuefstein family, another ally of the von Liebewitzes. Located near the border with the Dotternufer district, the Red House attracts the wealthy merchants and nobility of Wissenburg. The casino is run by Otto Münsterberg, a rather large, muscular man with a knack of spotting cheaters and collecting debts from recalcitrant losers. Recently, Otto has been approached by the Luciano family for a cut of the action. So far, the on-going “discussion” is still in the talking phase with threats of escalation from both sides.
The common room of the Red House has a number of private booths where the wellconnected can make deals or conspire to do in a rival. In addition to local wines, the Red House serves (smuggled) cognac and liqueurs from Bretonnia and port wine from Estalia. The food served in the common room of the Red House is good, but pricey.
Suttner’s Boarding House is the lodging of choice for those who are temporarily staying in Wissenburg for a month or more. Monika Suttner is the proprietor of the boarding house and runs a clean establishment with help from her spinster daughters, Agnes and Gilda. The rooms are clean with bedding changed every other day. Suttner’s Boarding House includes a light breakfast and lunch in the boarding fee, but residents will have to go elsewhere for dinner.
Zenger House was once owned by the Zenger family who ran afoul of the von Liebewitz family in 2382 when the head of the family, Eugen, embezzled thousands of crowns from the rulers of Wissenland while he was the financier of their Wissenburg estates. The building was confiscated by the von Liebewitzes and put to use by the town. Given its location at the confluence of the two rivers, a twenty-foot light tower was added to the Zenger House in 2402 to replace the beacon that burnt down in the Reikufer district. At about the same time, the base of the Wissenland River Patrol was relocated to this site. Led by Captain Johann Fischer, the twenty-man strong, two-ship River Patrol covers the area from the borders with the Stadtstaat of Nuln to Pfeildorf.
Dotternufer district
Located upriver from the rest of Wissenburg’s districts, the Dotternufer is where the most affluent of Wissenburg’s citizens reside. As a result, the streets of this district have more lamps and are more frequently patrolled by the Watch than in any part of Wissenburg.The Grand Wissenburg Hostelry is a large inn near the edge of the Dotternufer close to the Altmarsch district where visiting dignitaries and wealthy visitors can find lodging. The inn is owned and run by Juliane Schuschnigg, a widow, and her son, Wolmar. The food is good at the Grand Hostelry, particularly Frau Schuschnigg’s berry pies. The drinks served come from Löffler’s Brewery. The inn is rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of Juliane’s husband, Luitpold, or it could be that Frau Schuschnigg is beginning to slip into a dementia. The widow is given to late night talks with her husband, generally just conversation, but sometimes arguments. At the moment, the ghostly “visitations” have not gotten to the point of hurting business.
The King of Oisillon is a restaurant specialising in Bretonnian cuisine as well as a bakery. The restaurant is owned and run by the Bretonnian expatriate, Benoît Dumeaux, and his extended family. The food is quite good, through heavy with creamy sauces, and served alongside some of the best Bretonnian wine found in this part of the Empire outside Nuln. What is not known is that Benoît is also a cat burglar, using his legitimate business to size up potential victims for his nocturnal activities. He has somehow convinced his wife that he is seeing his mistresses when he ventures out for the night.
Outside Wissenburg
Gardens of Mórr are located outside the Dottern and the Reik Gates. Each cemetery has a shrine dedicated to the God of the Dead and the souls under his eternal care. Located on a rise in the flood plain, the Dottern Gardens are the older of the two cemeteries, within which is a large mausoleum for the von Meissen family, the former rulers of Wissenland. The mausoleum is a restoration as the original family crypt was destroyed by the Orcs in the early 18th century. The Reik Gardens is dominated by the von Liebewitz family crypt, which is no longer the final resting place of the family since the von Liebewitzes relocated to Nuln in 2429 I.C.A Temple to Taal and Rhya is located on the outskirts of Wissenburg along the Dottern River. The large circular structure is very old, having somehow escaped the attentions of the invading Orcs over eight centuries ago. Local legends have it that the temple has existed for over 2500 years, having been built in the same year Sigmar rose to become chief of the Unberogens.
The Hospice of the Dove is a hospice run by the Shallyans located outside the town walls on the road to Weningen, near the temple to Taal and Rhya. The hospice provides temporary housing for the destitute traveller, generally pilgrims on their way to or from one of the many holy shrines in Wissenland. Travellers of means may also stay if there is room, but are expected to contribute what they can to the hospice. The food served at the hospice is a vegetable soap with a piece of bread and small wedge of cheese. Weak beer donated by the Löffler Brewery is the only beverage served.
The Snotball Pitch is a relatively new construct, having been built outside the northwest side of town walls under the direction of Count Bruno Pfeifraucher in 2508. The bleachers around the snotball playing field can hold upwards of 1,000 spectators. Though the crowd tend to be wellbehaved during much of the snotball season, the more popular teams have attracted a hooligan element which seems more interested in getting drunk and starting fights than watching the snotball match.
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