A5 Bretonnia Uk Redux4b
A5 Bretonnia Uk Redux4b
A5 Bretonnia Uk Redux4b
a WFRP Sourcebook
http://malpy.free.fr/bretonnie/index-uk.html
Dark
Period-
Fantasy
Swashbuckling
This amateur sourcebook is free and freely distributable.
It doesn't aim at being compatible with WFB or the WFRP2
range from GW.
To view this document on screen in the best conditions,
Acrobat Reader version 7 or later is recommended.
Prologue
'Fair maiden,' quoth Sir Ambrut, 'fear ye not, for a
wondrous strong knight is cometh for to carry thee away.'
'Oh sir knight,' came the damsel's cry, full waxing and laden
with great dole, 'unchain me now, and bring me from this
place, where the crude and unchilvarous Sir Meliadans hath
imprisonned me!'
And Sir Ambrut did leap from his steed and leap upon
the swaths of leaf which clothed the tower; but woe to Sir
Ambrut, for the wicked Sir Meliadans was hidden at the
gates, and came a-walloping at Sir Ambrut, his lance levelled
and keen...
2
Armand the slave-dealer yawned and put the book
down, stirring a cloud of flies. He could guess now how it
would end, and could trouble himself with it no more. Let
knights and lords worry about deeds of glory and romance.
There were other things on his mind...
3
Index
Prologue 2
Index 4
Editorial 6
I. Grandeur & Decadence 8
I.1. Timeline of the Kingdom of Bretonnia 10
10
I.2. Foundation of Modern Bretonnia 14
I.3. Régence 20
I.4. The Cult of Shallya 23
I.5. The Chaos Cults 25
II. Cities & Provinces of Bretonnia 28
II.1. Map of Bretonnia 29
II.2. Descriptions of the Main Cities
of Bretonnia 30
II.3. Le Massif Orcal 46
II.4. Provincial Map of Bretonnia 48
II.5. Description of the Provinces of Bretonnia 49
III. Noblesse & Government 57
III.1. Oisillon 58
III.2. Summary of Leading Personalities of Bretonnia 63
III.3. The State Council (GM only) 67
III.4. The Blois Family 77
III.5. De Semblancy Family 82
III.6. La Chambre Noire (GM only) 86
III.7. The Modern Army of Bretonnia 87
IV. Appendix – Living in Bretonnia 92
IV.1. The Cult of Saints in Bretonnia 93
IV.2. The main Bretonnian Saints 95
IV.3. Wyrd Doings: Wizards in Bretonnia 96
IV.4. Magic over the Counter? 100
IV.5. Bretonnian Money 102
Glossary 104
IV.6. Bretonnian Calendar 106
IV.7. Bretonnian Forenames 108
4
5
Editorial
This supplement is based on the description of
Bretonnia given in the original WFRP Rulebook (WFRP1, 1987)
p273-276. It doesn’t deal with Arthurian knights as the current
edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle or the new edition of
WFRP (WFRP2, 2005). It is an updated version of Bretonnia-
Project’s “The Corrupt Kingdom of Bretonnia” (Bretonnia-
Sourcebook, 2003), which focuses on the most fundamental
aspects of the Bretonnian background : history, places, leading
personalities and customs.
Bretonnia is a country where the mark of Chaos is less
visible than in the Empire, where mutants & cultists are
uncommon, but where the society as a whole makes up by
being profoundly corrupt and decadent ! As a consequence, in a
typical Bretonnian game, the PCs fight (or serve) injustice and
corruption rather than Chaos.
Bretonnia is a dark swashbuckling setting in a fantasy
version of Ancient Regime France; it is well suited for both
WFRP comedies and WFRP tragedies in a different style from
the Empire. As my jaded friend Armand would say : “Les
Impériaux ont la finesse de l’ours”.
7
I. Grandeur & Decadence
8
Bretonnia was founded over 1500 years ago, when Gilles
Le Breton initiated the series of dynastic conquests that led to
the unification of the many small feudal states lying west of the
Grey Mountains and north of the river Brienne. At that time
Bretonnia was a troublesome backwater compared to The
Empire. Soon, however, the Bretonnian Kings came to rival the
power of the Emperor, and her cities became the model for
modernity and fashion. Since the accession of the current
King's grandfather, Charles 1 (Charles L'Énorme or Charles the
Enormous), the Bretonnian Kingdom has degenerated
considerably. The once proud cities and prosperous ports have
fallen into ruin, a national apathy has set in that has given rise
to widespread corruption, inefficiency and decay. The
aristocracy looks to its own pleasures while the unruly mob
starves amidst the Worst squalor in the Old World.
9
I.1. Timeline of the 977 Gilles le Breton of
Kingdom of Gisoreux begins 70 years of
dynastic conquests that lead
Bretonnia
to unification of Bretonnia
under the reign of his
grandson king Guillaume
Barbenoire.
-1589 Phoenix King
Caradryel recalls the High Elf 1125 King Louis IV Lefranc
armies from the Old World. is defeated several times by
Remaining Elf colonies see the elves in Loren Forest.
their departure as a betrayal. Pact of Salignac ends the
conflict and concludes an
-1560 Dwarf-Elf war, alliance of sorts between
terrible battle of Three Bretonnians and Elves.
Towers at the gate of Tor
Alessi (now the port of 1301 Marriage of
L'Anguille). Dwarves are Enguerrand le Fier
finally victorious. (Enguerrand the proud),
King of Bretonnia and Irène
-1501 Athel-Loren the Wood of Navarre. With the
Elf capital is founded. acquisition of Navarre, the
Bretonnian kingdom reaches
Around -1000 its current borders.
Arrival of the primitive
Bretonni tribes from the east, 1342-1347 Arabian invasion
settling all lands north and of the south of Bretonnia.
west of the Loren Forest. Brionne falls. Roland de
Chinon pushes the Arabian
Around 0 troops back to Estalia.
Bretonni tribes battle against
orcs and goblins. 1500 Bretonnian knights
take an active part in the
632-1960 Norse raids take crusades against Araby and
place along the coast of the the sultan Daryus-e-Quabir
Sea of Claws. (also known as Jaffar).
10
1597 Marienburg seized by 2320 Brionne starts to be
Bretonnian army under Duc called the city of thieves.
de L'Anguille. Occupation
last five years. 2402 Discovery of Lustria.
11
2486 King Charles the First
badly ill must pass on the
power to his son Charles II
de la Dure. Charles II
represses all protests in
Guisoreux in the bloodiest
manner.
Note :
in Bretonnia years are
usually recorded with
reference to the year of reign
of the current King rather
than using the Imperial
Calendar (IC).
Example : 2512 IC is
referred to as the fourth
year in the reign of Charles
III de la Tête d'Or.
13
I.2. Foundation of Modern Bretonnia
The Gods of the South
Sometime before the rise of Gilles le Breton, as the great
cities became a more significant part of Bretonni culture, and
links to the southern Old World became stronger, worship of a
new pantheon of Gods began to spread amongst them. The
cults of Morr, Verena, Shallya, Myrmidia (and along with them
the less publicly acceptable cults of Khaine and Ranald) seem
to have first come to prominence in the city states of the south,
but these sophisticated new deities, whose worship was
intimately bound up with new technological and cultural
developments, soon spread along trade routes to the Bretonni.
These new cults were aggressively championed by well-
organised missionaries, who often found ways to absorb and
incorporate existing religious practice into worship of the new
pantheon. The cult of Shallya became very swiftly established
in Couronne, following a series of miraculous healings at its
sacred springs (once sacred to the Lady of the Lake) which
were claimed as acts of Shallya by charismatic missionaries.
The new pantheon were very much urban deities, and a slow
but inexorable process of religious change began whereby the
other cults were pushed to the rural margins of society, though
Manann remained important in the great ports. The cult of
Taal (and to a lesser extent the cult of Rhya) regrouped and
retained its strength in the farming communities. The cult of
Ulric remained the most important cult amongst the Norse of
Armorique, who strongly resisted the incursions of these soft
southern deities. The cult hardest hit by the success of the new
pantheon was the Old Faith, whose followers were reduced to a
small number of villages in the most isolated areas of the land.
The greatest challenge to the dominance of the new gods
was to come from the cult of the Lady of the Lake. By the time
the southern pantheon was beginning its advance, the cult of
the Lady had risen to pre-eminence amongst the Bretonni, in
particular, the cult had become closely associated both with the
authority of kings, and the conduct of war. The Lady was the
patron of the developing knightly class, and the source of a
developing code of chivalry. In addition, the cult had
successfully "modernised" its conception of the Lady, who was
now portrayed as upholding both virtue and chastity. The scene
was set for a direct confrontation with the cults of Verena,
Myrmidia, and Shallya, all of whom claimed authority over the
areas of life the cult of the Lady had previously claimed for its
own. In the long term, the southern deities clearly had the
resources to ensure their ascendancy: they were better
organised and brought with them access to learning and
technology that was manifestly superior to that of the Bretonni.
The battle for supremacy was, however, set to be a slow one of
gradual change, and in many places all the cults coexisted
peacefully. One man was to change this however, and make the
ascendancy of the southern cults swift and inevitable: Gilles le
Breton.
Gilles le Breton and the Politicisation of the Cults
Gilles le Breton was the ruler of a petty kingdom
centered on the city of Guisoreux. An extraordinarily capable
military leader, he dreamed of establishing himself as king of
all the Bretonni. To claim such authority, however, he realised
he would need some means of legitimising himself. He needed
divine approval. All kings were traditionally declared beloved
by the Lady of the Lake, (indeed, despite his ultimately
catastrophic role in the history of the cult, it seems Gilles
himself had participated in such a ritual), but Gilles would
need greater authority than this. He would need to be
decisively declared King of all Bretonni by divine right. The cult
of the Lady of the Lake had no single recognised high priest
who could make such a declaration and make it stick, but the
new cults of the south did. Political necessity drove him to a
drastic choice. Gilles conquered his kingdom, but then turned
to the gods of the south to legitimise his claim to kingship. The
high priests of the cults of Morr, Verena, and Myrmidia, seizing
the opportunity, declared him the chosen of the gods. The high
priest of Shallya, Leyeur, was harder to convince. The cult
effectively ruled Couronne and its environs as a kingdom of
their own, and were loath to swear fealty to Gilles. It was only
after Gilles had conquered most of his kingdom and stood with
his army before the gates of Couronne that Leyeur bowed to the
inevitable. The new King of Bretonnia was declared ruler by
divine right. The unholy alliance of king and priests that was to
dominate the entire history of the kingdom began with
Chlotharius, high priest of Verena placing the crown on Gilles'
head. Gilles' line was assured of the support of the cults in
asserting their claim to absolute rule of Bretonnia. The cults,
favoured by the new king, would spread unhindered
throughout the entire kingdom, achieving complete pre-
eminience over their rivals.
The coronation of Gilles was to have a disastrous effect
on the fortunes of the cult of the Lady of the Lake. There is
considerable evidence (though often suppressed by the
southern cults) that Gilles had been a devoted follower of the
Lady for most of his life, and probably never meant to
repudiate the cult by claiming the support of the southern
deities. The "Chanson de Gilles" in particular shows Gilles to be
a champion of the Lady, accomplishing mighty deeds in her
name (it should be noted, however, that the "Chanson", and the
troubadour tradition that produced it, are associated with
those noble families who have remained devoted to the Lady).
However, even if unintended, Gilles' actions essentially cut the
cult's link to kingship, ensuring the decline of its political
influence. The cult that once secured the authority of all the
kings of the Bretonni no longer secured the authority of the
sole remaining king. The cult was never officially abandoned,
but most of the knights of the realm swiftly changed their
allegiance to the cult of Myrmidia, leaving only a handful of
stubborn traditionalists remaining as the Lady's followers.
Many of the Lady's aspects, holy sites, and rituals were taken
over by the cults of Shallya, Verena, and Myrmidia. Within a
couple of generations, the cult of the Lady of the Lake had all
but disappeared, and the cults of Shallya, Verena, and
Myrmidia were the most important cults in Bretonnia, as they
remain to this day. The relationship between the cults and the
monarch was regularised with the formation of the Holy
Council by Guillaume Barbenoire, Gilles' grandson. The council
was to advise the King and had authority over all religious
matters in the kingdom. By Guillaume's time the cults of Taal,
Ulric, and Manann had developed an organisational structure
similar to that of the southern pantheon, and there was an
uneasy peace between these major cults. Therefore the council
had seven members, the high priests of each of the cults of
Shallya, Verena, Myrmidia, Morr, Taal, Ulric, and Manann.
They were each given the title Cardinal, as a recognition of
their importance to the kingdom. The Council has ensured that
a king of le Breton's line has ruled Bretonnia for 1500 years,
bringing the kingdom unparalleled peace and stability. The
cost to the independence (and some say the very souls) of the
cults has, however, been high. Many aspects of the doctrine
and practice of the Bretonnian cults have been affected by the
centuries-long link to the monarchy. In the Empire it is often
said that all Bretonnian nobles are vain, and all Bretonnian
priests are corrupt...
I.3. Régence
Priests in Bretonnia
"The priests of Morr charge you an arm and a leg for a
simple funeral rite, and sit on their piles of gold like carrion
crows on corpses, the priests of Verena know a thousand ways
to deceive a man without ever telling a lie, the priests of
Myrmidia are more interested in fighting battles in the court
than on the field, and the priests of Shallya are neither humble
nor merciful. The only honest priests in the whole kingdom
must be those of Ranald, because they'll tell you to your face
they're going to rob you blind, spin you a pack of lies, and walk
away with their heads held high."
I.4. The Cult of Shallya
Of all the Bretonnian cults, it is the cult of Shallya that
has become the most corrupt. Paradoxically, it is also the cult
of Shallya that is best loved by the common people, and
perhaps is best able on occasion to rise above its corruption
and genuinely communicate something of its true ideals. The
cult has become thoroughly accepted by Bretonnians, both in
urban and rural areas, and dove pendants are very common
talismans, even amongst those who do not count themselves as
especially devout. Shallya tends to appeal to the downtrodden
of Bretonnia. Due to years of oppression, they turn to her to
heal their pain - so the Cult of Shallya, in contrast to the Cult of
Myrmidia, is seen as lower class. It is in the poorest areas of the
cities that the Shallyans are most active, running soup
kitchens, and ministering to the sick. The appeal of Shallya is
not entirely restricted to the lower classes however,
disillusioned or penitent aristocrats, nobles hating the
decadent lifestyle they were born into, those driven from power
or shamed may also find refuge in the Cult of Shallya. In
addition, the cult runs convents for noble women of ill repute
or those who do not wish to marry or do not have the dowry
(perhaps because their families will not provide it) - and this is
yet another noble connection. Finally, of course, there are those
from all walks of life whose natural temperament and
sympathies draw them to the worship of the goddess (this
includes some physicians). So the membership of the cult is an
awkward mixture between the poor and down-trodden, who
often lack the education and subtlety required for high office,
and the idealistic and (supposedly) repentant nobility, who are
well-educated but have never really known what life on the
streets is actually like. Unsurprisingly, most of the cult's
leadership is drawn from this latter body. This creates an
inherent tension within the cult, between its grassroots
members and the majority of the leadership who have very
different perspectives. In addition, as noted above, the
leadership of the cult tends to be made up of either idealists,
blind to the evils of the world, or the disillusioned, cynical, and
repentant, who are often then placed in positions where
temptation is all around them. Naturally, this is a recipe for
disaster. There are a large number of corrupt clergy within the
cult, surrounded and overseen by good people who would
rather believe the best of those around them. Abuse of power,
sex scandals, embezzling of funds, orgies and drunkenness
abound.
Guisoreux
Guisoreux is the largest and most important city in
Bretonnia and the second largest in the Old World after
Marienburg. Traditionally it has been seen as the capital of
Bretonnia, and although the king no longer resides there it is
still home to many important nobles and houses much of the
kingdom's government.
The city's governor is Victoire Breville, Vicomte de
Brossard. He is getting rather old and addled, but since he
doesn't offend anyone no-one wishes to replace him. Generally,
the intrigues of the city's big players go unnoticed by him and
there is constant maneuvering.
Guisoreux is sited in a strategically important position
in the Ois gap. However, it has not been attacked for over two
centuries now. The city is ringed by a set of high walls, which
are sufficient to keep out most querulous peasants but
probably not a well-appointed army. Also the expansion of the
city since their construction means that over half the
population lives outside the walls. Because of its position and
importance, Guisoreux boasts a substantial garrison of
mercenaries. In addition, many troops of the regular army are
stationed at Chateau Luneville, not far from the city; they
sometimes visit for a day or two to spend their pay in a suitably
reckless manner
Living in the largest and most important city in
Bretonnia, featuring the Guisonne University, many major
temples and dozens of other major sights, Guisoreux's citizens
have a justifiable sense of pride and self-importance, which
shines through the dirt and squalor in which they live.
Although there is still a lingering sense of respect for the king's
law, the citizens have never balked at showing their
disapproval of royal or noble actions, and there is a certain
arrogance and stubbornness at all levels. Riots, complaints and
protests are regular events.
Naturally, being so huge and important, Guisoreux
attracts a great deal of trade in almost all products, and is a
manufacturing and commercial centre of major importance.
There are trade connections with nearly every city in the Old
World (and quite a few beyond) and almost anything can be
bought or sold in the city if you're patient - and desperate -
enough
Parravon
"The city itself is quite unusual. It rests within a
narrow valley, and is built along the river with its back to the
breathtaking chalk cliffs. The narrowness of the valley has
twisted Parravon into an unusual shape, and the city is long
and narrow following along the river, with only three or four
major thorough fares running lengthwise along the city. The
houses are narrow with multiple floors and the streets are
narrow cobblestone affairs, encroached upon by the cramped
houses. Some of the houses are built into the cliffs. The
northernmost part of the town is where the docks are located,
and as one heads south upstream the quality of the housing
improves, until one arrives at the southernmost portion
where the nobility live in their large and spacious estates
surrounded by their famous Parravonian gardens. Near the
top of the cliff lies the palace of the Duc de Parravon, Armand
de Coquerone, a wealthy and influential noble who controls
much of the area."
The smallest and quietest of Bretonnia's cities, Parravon
is a byword for sleepy provinciality. Its nobles are barely seen
at court, its inhabitants are for the most part inward-looking,
reclusive, and completely lacking in wanderlust. The city itself
is beautiful, full of character, and reknowned for its gardens,
but few outsiders ever come here for long. In some ways,
however, these popular stereotypes are very wide of the mark.
The city's strategic position close to Axe-bite pass makes it a
key entry point to the kingdom from the Empire. There is a
small but significant Imperial immigrant community here, and
the city has a high military presence. Parravon's status as a
backwater has also made it a focal point for all sorts of
malcontents anxious to operate away from the eyes of the
authorities and its developing print trade has a disturbingly
radical edge to it.
Moussillon
I had travelled a good part of the day under a grey and
menacing sky, following a narrow band of ochre coloured
ground that an old hermit monk had pointed out to me as
being the road to Moussillon.
"That's where you have to go to cross the river lad,
there is no other way...unless you go back many leagues" The
man, whose skin was as wrinkled as that of a dried up apple,
had told me. Smiling as if the obligation to pass through the
town was something that amused him and that he enjoyed
like a good joke, he had left giggling loudly through his
toothless jaw. Thus I was following the road shown to me by
this hermit, whose strange behaviour, I had attributed to the
massive consumption of self-distilled alcohol, which heavily
impregnated his breath.
After more than four hours travel, the wind had fallen
to leave way to humidity and cold as the road approached a
miasma infected swamp; I tried to catch a glimpse of the
town's walls and towers in the distance, but in vain, the
horizon lost itself in a grey and vaporous haze. The only thing
around was a deserted and muddy moor, spattered only by
occasionnal water holes and patches of furze. A bit further
where the land was a bit more settled, I discerned a twisted
and tortured copse of trees.
My cart was now rolling on a much larger earth track,
which had been reinforced using much sand and loose stone.
The land at the sides of the road remained muddy however,
and it took much effort to pull my cart out after the horse had
dragged me off-course. The haze had changed into a thick and
acrid smelling smoke which made it impossible to see more
than ten meters away. At the back of the wag, the
DAGOLBACH pots and pans tinkled like many dissonant
carillon bells, indifferent to the snoring of Gautielbe, my road
companion. The din was absorbed by the moor, thereby
betraying the total flatness of the region. For the time being,
the light of the tempest-lamp hooked at the front of the
carriage was the only thing that helped me avoid going down
in the ditch again. Having to push with all my weight knee
deep in turf to free the cart from the swamps hold, was not a
prospect which I particularly relished. I scrutinized the
landscape in search of a sheltered place. Darkness was
starting to fall and I needed to find somewhere to spend the
night, if I didn't want to die frozen in these putrid swamps.
"Yes, come and see the new marvels from the Empire !
They don't wear ! They don't burn ! They don't even get dirty !
Yes, it's the pots, it's the pans, it's the cauldrons DA-GOL-
BACH. Admire the difference, touch them, ask for them, buy
them..."
I smiled, thinking of the coaxing sales patter I would
serve on the market square to dazed strollers the next
morning, and also thinking of the good bed which I would no
doubt find in an inn just behind the city walls, which had
suddenly appeared a few meters in front of my cart.
- Taken from 'My travels and tribulations' by Arbacesse
Belgarate, travelling merchant -
Quenelles
Quenelles is a large city, famously dominated by its
noble classes, where the conflict between the ruling classes and
the poor is more evident than anywhere else in Bretonnia.
The governor of Quenelles is Edmond-Antoine Noblat
de la Renardiere, a minor member of the royal family. He is
closely allied to the cruel Calixte Tremaine, Viscomte de
Quenelles, leading local landowner and a major power in the
city. Though new, De la Renardiere is noted for his bluster and
cruelty, and likes to provoke discord in the council he is meant
to lead, merely for the fun of a good quarrel. This council
comprises the richest citizens and clerics 'of respectable
station' (i.e. of noble birth) in the city.
Quenelles' walls have long been in a poor state of repair,
and would provide almost no protection in the event of attack;
they have also been outgrown by the city's swelling population.
The city watch is unusually large and detested by the people for
its corruption and wanton brutality. It is employed mainly to
protect the nobles' quarter, situated in hills to the north and
named Beaumont. Watch patrols in the dark, filthy streets of
the city often turn into running battles with the populace. Local
nobles visit the town accompanied with large retinues of
bodyguards ready to take law into their own hands if necessary.
Squalor and struggle characterise the existence of the
bulk of Quenelles' citizens. They are kept poor by extortionate
taxes and crime, with stealing and violence of all sorts
(including, technically illegal, organised pit fights) being
common. The rich inhabitants of Quenelles are said to be
especially ribald and decadent, even by Bretonnian standards.
There are very few citizens that could be called middle-class.
Wizards (universally called witches), agitators, printers and
followers of Ranald are hounded by the city's rulers who see
them as a seditious threat to their position. Any attempt to
fight against the authorities - there are many riots and
rebellious groups in Quenelles - is hampered by lack of
organisation and the corruption of so many desperate citizens
ready to sell their companions out to the watch. Some Tileans
live in Quenelles, bringing trade and culture; they range from
aristocrats, artists and wizards, all patronised by the rich, down
to dangerous cultists and common thieves.
For all its troubles, Quenelles is an important producer
of textiles (especially tapestries) and woodwork, amongst other
things; however, work is often hampered by crime and unrest
in the city. All luxury items and much of the food and money
entering the city goes straight to the high towers of the nobles
of Beaumont, causing yet more resentment and forcing the
bulk of the population into a state of poverty and reliance on a
barter economy. Anyone flashing cash or finery around in
Quenelles will not last long.
L'Anguille
The Kingdom's major northern port and the home of the
Royal Navy, the staunch city of l'Anguille is built on the site of
the ancient Elven Old World colony of Tor Alessi, of which
nothing now remains except for its famous lighthouse of black
stone.
Though overshadowed by its close neighbour and
longtime rival Marienburg, L'Anguille remains a vibrant port,
where goods from Norsca, Albion and even the New World are
traded. The L'Anguillois have a strong reputation as
entrepreneurs and as fine sailors, skills that lend themselves as
easily to service in the navy or life as a legitimate merchant
captain as they do to being a privateer or smuggler, and the
city's favourite sons tend to cross these boundaries rather
easily. Woe betide anyone, however, who suggests that they are
pirates or thieves. The L'Anguillois pride themselves on being a
cut above the sort of scum you'd find in Brionne.
L'Anguille is largest city north of Guisoreux, slightly
exceeding Couronne in size. The current governor is Seigneur
Xavier Gevaudan, a weak and vacillating member of the Blois
family, who is manipulated by the cunning Henri Loiseau, Duc
de l'Anguille. The governor's actions are hampered by the
efforts of Bernard Granvelle, Comte de Perrac, who commands
the support of many guilds and important merchants in the city
and is opposed to Loiseau.
Bordeleaux
Bordeleaux is the second port of Bretonnia and the
capital of Gascogne. Increased wealth and culture have come to
the city in recent years, mainly on the back of the burgeoning
wine trade. Many now consider it on a par with Guisoreux in
terms of sophistication. Bordeleaux's affluence is not evenly
spread however, and there are a great many poor living in
shantytowns, stealing and even killing just for a bottle of wine
to drown their sorrows.
Jules Blois, Duc de Gascogne, is the royal governor of
Bordeleaux. His main interests are wine and high living; he is a
popular figurehead in the city, but the real decision-makers are
his wife Blanche de la Rose Amboise and their son Hubert de la
Motte, Marquis de Frejus (who usually resides in the Oisillon
Palace). By tradition, the governor's hand has not lain heavy on
Bordeleaux, and the city's guild council, dominated by the wine
merchants, tackles most day to day matters; the noble rulers
divide their time between their lavish mansions in the Place
Royale and their equally extravagant chateaux in the Morceaux
valley.
Situated in less-threatened southern waters, Bordeleaux
is not home to such a large part of the navy as l'Anguille, and
the only modern warships are stationed at the military port of
Rochefort, situated at the Navarrese border. In practice the
city's mercenary garrison spends as much time patrolling the
streets alongside the watch as manning the walls, and the
troops' pay is mainly spent on wine and women. The great
merchant houses, such as La Primante, employ their own
mercenary forces partly of native Bretonnians to protect ships
and land-bound possessions.
Having a good time is the main aim of the rich; work is seen as
just a distasteful preliminary. The lower classes aspire to this
happy state, but most can only stretch to drowning their
sorrows in the occasional night of revelry in the notorious
waterside Quartier Bleu, den of lechery and debauchery of all
kinds. Cynical observers claim the comparative rarity of major
riots in the city is linked to the volume of alcohol consumed in
Bordeleaux. Literature, scholarship and art are well patronised
in the acclaimed university of Bordeleaux, and all citizens take
pride in this cultural refinement. As a major port, Bordeleaux
has a large foreign community, though this has rarely been a
cause of trouble; most visitors enjoy the cheap wine too much
to be a nuisance.
Wine is the greatest export of Bordeleaux, dominating
its life and trade. It is exported far and wide, mainly by sea
routes. Furniture, jewellery, luxury foods and grain from
Gascogne, fish and hand-crafted goods are also produced.
There are strong links between Bordeleaux and the New World;
most products of the Bretonnian colonies (including chocolate,
coffee and tobacco) arrive in the city's port and are highly
valued as luxuries all over the Old World.
Brionne
Brionne, the city of thieves ? "Come on ! The poor have
vice in their blood, I'll obviously admit to that. But isn't it the
same everywhere else, isn't it inevitable ? Thanks to the gods
and governor De Jolensac order reigns, what more could we
ask for ? I sincerely believe Brionne suffers from a bad
reputation that it doesn't deserve. I can only suggest that the
role played by our city in the defense of the Kingdom against
the Bilbalian ambitions needs to be better understood."
- Elias-Henry de Grapencourt, noble of Brionne -
For most people, Brionne has become synonymous
with crime, the cult of Ranald, and treacherous dealings. Those
from the north of Bretonnia are ever distrustful of the
Navarrese, and that goes double for the inhabitants of Brionne.
It is a major port, but few merchant houses risk sailing rich
cargoes towards it. It is reputed that hardly any of the produce
sold in Brionne's markets can be traced back to its point of
origin without at least one less than legitimate change of
hands. In fact, however, the city is nowhere near as lawless as
its reputation makes out. It is true that the cult of Ranald is
tolerated here in a way that is unheard of in other Bretonnian
cities, but worship is still not completely open. It is true that
the port is full of pirates, but most of these are chartered to
privateer on Estalian shipping. It is true that the governor,
Pierre de Jolensac originally a petty baron from Armorique, is
thoroughly corrupt, but his ability to work hand in glove with
the Cartel des Poings, the local thieves' guild, ensures that a
certain rough justice prevails. As long as you pay your dues to
one of the local crime lords, the streets of Brionne are
considerably safer than those of Guisoreux, where the mob and
the gangs answer to no-one.
Couronne
Couronne is primarily known for its great cathedral of
Shallya and its spas. It is also an important market town for the
agricultural produces of the Valley du Sannez.
Godefroi de Guinard, Duc de Couronne, is governor of
Couronne, an old and crotchety fellow. He owes his power to
Cardinal Dumourieux, who renewed the Duc's family's
declining position and installed him as governor; Guinard
resents his need to obey the Cardinal and his brother Henri-
Philippe, and from time to time makes motions towards revolt.
But so far he has not summoned up the courage to do so.
The governor is only responsible for civil affairs in
Couronne; unusually, the city has a military governor with
freedom of action who can even override the civilian governor's
decisions during wartime. Gustave Beauregard, Seigneur
d'Oche, was granted these special powers by the King
Charles II De la Dure who recognised in him one of the most
capable military Engineers in the Old World. Under him,
Couronne has been developed into an important stronghold
and military centre. The city's fortifications have been
modernised, and the royal Manufacture was built, which
produces cannons and firearms. Some citizens are trained in
the use of artillery, and a large number of regular troops are
quartered in the forts surrounding the city.
Life in Couronne is generally pleasant: the city is clean
and comfortable, with a temperate climate. Food is plentiful
and most of the people are content. However, the presence of
pilgrims and soldiers sometimes leads to friction.
The spas and their visitors are an important source of
source of activity in Couronne: all those who come need a place
to stay and things to eat, providing much employment for the
city's inhabitants. The high-quality agricultural products of the
region are brought to Couronne, whence they are taken to
Guisoreux or Marienburg; much of the grain needed to feed the
populations of these large cities comes from the Valley du
Sannez, which is also noted for its cheeses. The presence of the
Manufacture and the army is profitable, too, though all military
business is carefully watched and controlled by military
governor Beauregard.
L’Armorique
L'Armorique has a unique culture, slightly different
from the rest of Bretonnia. In part, this is because of its
location. Cut off from the heartland of the kingdom by the
Arden Forest (and now also by the desolated area around
Moussillon), the region has always been a bit of a backwater,
and cultural changes take longer to penetrate here. With
Moussillon gone, and L'Anguille increasingly steering its own
course (the city is peripheral to the province and tends to look
east rather than west), L'Armorique lacks any major urban
settlements, giving it a highly provincial, antiquated, feel.
Historically, this region was a centre of Norse
settlement, and many of its strange and archaic customs can be
traced back to Norse origins. The southern cults have never
established themselves here to the degree they did elsewhere,
and in the more isolated rural areas of the province worship of
the Lady (and, less commonly, the Old Faith) is quite
prevalent. In the coastal towns and surrounding fishing villages
it is the northern cults of Ulric, Manann, and Taal that are most
influential. Gradually, however, merchants are starting to have
influence here as the cash-strapped nobility turn to them, even
in some instances allowing them to marry into their families to
avoid financial ruin.
La Gascogne
The small rural province of Gascogne is often spoken of
as the most beautiful province of Bretonnia. Artists have for
generations represented it as a rural idyll: in Gascogne the sun
always shines on vineyards and golden cornfields. Beautiful
people lounge by lazy rivers, drinking wine, and eating bread
and cheese.
Gascogne is the cultural soul of Bretonnia, beloved of
musicians, poets, and painters. Its nobility, especially the
powerful Amboise, are reknowned as patrons of the arts.
Moreover, most inhabitants fancy themselves as artists of some
description, but although the province has produced some true
geniuses, its inhabitants are also responsible for a great
proportion of the kingdom's doggerel verse, sickly sentimental
paintings, and unemployed travelling singers...
Although the artistic visions of peasants frolicking in the
fields are rather far of the mark particularly in the poorer
eastern regions, the province is one of the more pleasant parts
of the kingdom, with even the peasantry living half-way decent
lives.
Le Bourgon
Le Bourgon is generally seen as a bit of a backwater.
Nestled between the Grey Mountains, Massif Orcal, and the
Loren Forest, few have any reason to stray far from the
Grismerie Valley. The province's proximity to wilderness areas
and areas of orc dominance, (not to mention the Axe Bite Pass
leading to the Empire) has found it being the site of many
battles, and some say you cannot travel more than a league in
Bourgon without walking over a battlefield. Le Bourgon is not
worth anything much itself, having few great resources of any
significance, but for centuries orc tribes have had to travel
through it to reach the rich pickings of Breton.
Centuries of warfare, with little to show for it, have
shaped the character of Bourgon. The lords of Bourgon tend to
be grim, taciturn, conservative, and brooding on long-forgotten
rivalries and stains on the family honour. Where the
conservatism of L'Armorique comes across as a quixotic
attachment to the values of the past, the conservatism of Le
Bourgon is a dusty, dry thing, a reluctance to try anything new
born of a deep pessimism about the future. The peasants are
similarly affected, being for the most part suspicious of
strangers, and set in their ways.
Le Lyonnais
Le Lyonnais is a place of glittering spectacle and
grinding oppression. Ruled with an iron fist by the powerful De
Semblancy clan for centuries, the province has been shaped to
further their ambitions.
Lyonnais is famous for its great festivals and
tournaments, for the victories of its soldiers, for the exquisite
artistry of its craftsmen. It is infamous for the costliness of
these pursuits on its people. The serfs of Lyonnais are often
worked to death. The gulf between noble and peasant is wider
in Lyonnais that perhaps anywhere else in Bretonnia.
The bourgeoisie here are few and little respected, those
few who rise to prominence as craftsmen or merchants do so
only by showing unquestioning loyalty to the De Semblancy.
The location of Lyonnais, close to the Tilean border, has
meant that the culture and politics of the Southern Old World
has considerable influence here. The fashions of Lyonnais are
frequently influenced by Tilea, and the Ducs of Lyonnais are
often significant players in the politics and warfare of Estalia,
Tilea, and the Border Princes, where their interests can at
times conflict with those of the King.
La Navarre
If Lyonnais is a highly independent province of
Bretonnia, its neighbour, La Navarre, often seems like it is
another country altogether. Largely this is a matter of culture
and history, but race and geography also play their part. The
Navarrese look distinctly different from Bretonnians, with jet
black hair and often swarthier complexions. La Navarre itself is
also different from the rest of the Kingdom; there are few of the
green meadows and lazy rivers that characterise the rest of the
realm. Instead, Navarre is a sparse, hilly province, getting
increasingly wilder as it reaches the foothills of the Irranas.
La Navarre was, in fact, not part of Gilles le Breton's
realm, and was added to the Kingdom of Bretonnia almost
three centuries later through dynastic alliance. Over a
millennia later, although there is no real question of secession,
Navarrese and Bretonnians still tend to regard each other as
foreigners. This tendency is increased by the fact that the
Navarrese have their own language, Languedoc, which is
distantly related to Estalian, though most do speak Bretonnian.
The Navarrese have a strong sense of identity and pride in their
land, which they have defended many times against the
Estalians (for whom they have an abiding hatred). Not
withstanding this, as most Bretonnians take pleasure in
pointing out, the Navarrese are remarkably similar to the
Estalians in culture, temperament, and appearance. The
culture of the Southern Old World is omnipresent here, with
devotion to the Southern cults fiercely devout especially to Ste-
Leonidas, the Myrmidian patron saint of Navarre. There are
few followers of the Northern pantheon. The cult of the Lady is
notable by its absence from these lands. The Navarrese are a
passionate people, swift to friendship or enmity; generous,
hospitable and loyal to family and friends, but merciless to
enemies, and capable of nurturing vendettas for generations.
Tancred Blois
Tancred, who is currently just seventeen years old, has
shown great intelligence and, unusually for his family, a
genuine sense of piety and responsibility. Charles III has much
love for his youngest brother, and it is rumoured that he wishes
him to go into the church, where he will no longer be a threat to
the succession. Other whisperings, though, claim that Tancred
is secretly being taught by Guglielmo Andronico, a Tilean
master scholar attendant on the King and, it is said, a powerful
sorcerer. Tancred, too, has developed a love of old, worm-eaten
books that, to the less-than studious minds of the Bretonnian
nobility, is decidedly unhealthy. If this is true, King Charles
may find himself faced by something far more serious than
mere bluster and ambition from his youngest brother in the
years to come.
III.5. De Semblancy Family
The Tremaine
A few of the De Semblancy's supporters are even more
secretive and old fashioned, and when not vociferously defying
their enemies at court spend most of their time within
apparently darkened, heavily-barred rooms. Principally
centring on those from the Tremaine estates - known as the site
of vast megalithic monuments dating back to long before the
founding of the kingdom - these nobles are too close to
François de Semblancy for comfort, and though he does not
espouse their mysterious activities, he does favour them
because of the almost uncanny good fortune their members
seem to enjoy. Their most prominent representative is Calixte
Tremaine, Vicomte de Quenelles; a very old friend of François
de Semblancy and his companion through fire, flood and
countless depraved adventures. Tremaine's tastes are even
more 'specialised' than those of François, running to torture,
mutilation and animals; he enjoys the nickname of 'l'Extreme',
although most believe this derives from his frequent
overindulgence in drink.
Claude de Vendome
Unconnected with these depraved goings on is Claude
de Vendome, Cardinal of Myrmidia, based in Quenelles. Like so
many other high-level clerics, he is of aristocratic stock, and
has a tendency to get involved in politics. Claude is known as
'Le Gros' for his enormous size, which is a result of the
celebrated pastry cuisine of Quenelles. Although most of his life
is taken up with eating and reading (often at the same time), he
is quietly astute and notices far more than he is given credit for.
The Cardinal, however, is also very lazy and suspicious,
greeting most happenings with a smile and a knowing grunt. As
with almost all De Semblancy faction members, he finds it hard
even to contemplate defecting.
Annette de Semblancy
One of the main braking influences on François de
Semblancy, and perhaps the only force preventing open
feuding between the Dumourieux and the De Semblancy, is
François's wife, Annette, sister of Charles III. She is a beautiful
courtesan, who is able to exert a certain level of control over
her husband's violent temper; it is said that Annette is the only
person he can bear to be in a room with when he is in a bad
mood. However, she is not so clever as she thinks she is, and
François secretly intercepts her letters to King Charles, using
them to keep tabs on her activities and occasionally gaining
vital information on the King's current thoughts and plans.
There is very little trust or love between the two, but for the
sake of tradition and appearances (which both of them value
very highly) they maintain an air of contentment and wedded
bliss.
St Sugre (Morr)
Soother of the passing away, protector against nightmares
St Antoine (Verena)
Patron of witch-hunters
St Benehold (Verena)
Patron of the conservation of knowledge and of Verenan
Monasteries
'And are you, or are you not, a witch?' That was the
question that the leader of the mob - one of the dirty, poverty-
stricken-academic looking sorts that seems to spring out of
every rabble to air its woes - put to the unfortunate man
besieged in the middle of the Place de la Paix, accused of
witchcraft.
That man was Simonin Lamadon, graduate of the
Altdorf school of magic, highly educated and with more power
in his little finger than all the mob's fists could muster.
Someone who knows how to handle himself when in dire
straits. He smiled as he told the rioters where to turn for the
truth. He didn't need to speak a second time; the crowds faces
turned to each other, muttered and soon dispersed. 'Read,' he
said to the dusty student and his companions with admirable
composure, 'the Guisoreux Gazette.' Simonin Lamadon is also,
I forgot to say, a personal friend.
Monsieur Lamadon's recent plight highlights the
dangers that plague wizards in our great city, and indeed
throughout the kingdom of Bretonnia. He and others like him
invest years of effort and immense amounts of money in
learning the 'art' as they like to call it. Simonin, as he told me
during a meeting at the Eighth Heaven tavern, spent fully nine
years in attaining full proficiency at magic. It was only two
years ago, after the untimely death of Monsieur Jacques
Fretrier-Ballisse, that he received his 'Permis de Magique' or,
as I've heard it called in the alleys and highways of Guisoreux,
the Cursed Coin. Now Simonin Lamadon can proudly call
himself, together with the other twenty-four holders of the
'Cursed Coins', one of the King's Sorcerers: the best wizards in
Bretonnia, under the King's protection and required to give
him help and advice whenever summoned.
I was lucky enough to actually hold, if only for a short
time, Simonin's small golden Permis de Magique. He keeps it
always about his neck, on a long silver chain. Silver, to
discourage the darker things that lurk in the dark beyond
dreams and occasionally challenge those who study the art.
The Permis was not an especially beautiful or dazzling
object; it was heavy, heavier even than gold ought to be. My
whole arm seemed to grow gradually more leaden the longer I
held it, and I could have sworn it took on a greater sheen as I
let go and the medallion swung back into Simonin's manicured
palm. Upon its surface was etched the royal arms, together
with an IX; this was the ninth of the twenty-five Permis de
Magique. So the story goes, these twenty-five were made from
the crown of the Duc de Brisolles, fabled magician-noble of the
13th century, who was defeated by St Marc in a contest of
supernatural skill.
Regardless of the history surrounding the Cursed Coins,
they certainly carry their weight today. Anyone hindering their
wearers can expect the full weight of King Charles's power to
come crushing down on them. A magician armed with a Permis
can go anywhere and do - almost - anything, and expect to get
away with it; such is the power that these objects command.
There's an indefinable something about the small gold piece,
barely two inches in diameter, which seems to reach out to all
who see it. Wizards, so Simonin tells me, see it like a furnace in
the darkness. Naturally, there are responsibilities, too.
Sometimes quite onerous responsibilities. There is always at
least one wizard at the Oisillon Palace providing advice and
occasional entertainment for the King and his minions. Also,
thanks to their education and power to see far more than meets
the eye, wizards are regularly ordered to act as ambassadors or
plenipotentiaries of the royal government. Simonin himself
spent two months in Miragliano last autumn on the King's
orders, negotiating a new treaty over the shipment of wine
glasses to Bordeleaux. A fellow bearer of the Permis de
Magique, who will go unnamed for fear of sullying his peace-
loving name, was recently ordered to accompany an armed
expedition in the Grey Mountains, and in times past up to a
dozen wizards have joined the King and his armies on the
march into Estalia and the Empire. Even the King's Sorcerers
fear blades and cannonballs; being the best is not always easy…
or safe.
But what of those who do not bear the Cursed Coins?
There are wizards all over Bretonnia, some honest, some
dishonest, and some just downright evil. The problem for the
rest of the people comes in telling them apart. It is all too
common for them to simplify the issue and cry 'witch!' at the
first hint of magic. Even the lords and ladies still fear black
magic, and see wizards as little more than a flashy and
expensive drawing-room entertainment. Progress is slow;
anyone who mutters, owns a broom or keeps a cat is liable to be
charged with witchcraft in some rural areas I've known. Those
who openly call themselves wizards can expect little more than
stern silence, curses and, if they tread on anyone's toes, the
stake.
Wizards in Bretonnia face an ambiguous present and an
uncertain future. On the one hand King Charles, his servants
and a rare few others see wizards for what they can be: a useful
part of society and government. That's why Simonin Lamadon
and the other twenty-four carry the Permis de Magique.
On the other hand, ancestral fear of witches and all
types of magic turns the public against them, uniting rich and
poor in ignorance and terror of that which they don't
understand. The law, too, is unkind to magicians. Summarising
all the reams of legal jargon and centuries of confused
legislation, one arrives at the following conclusion: magic is
allowed, witchcraft is not. Where the one ends and the other
begins is the big question.
- Xavier Rousseau, the Guisoreux Gazette -
IV.4. Magic over the Counter?