Happy New Year! (very long)

[Robin Low]

I thought it was way past time something was posted here, so along with a New Year's greeting I thought I'd share something I wrote years ago, but which is now probably obsolete. The following was the start of a sourcebook proposal for Ostland I hoped to send to Hogshead, but never did. Hopefully, there are bits and pieces in it that might be of use. Towards the end, there are two sets of notes outlining a campaign, which I hope could be run by a sufficiently inspired GM.

And after the Humans discovered Faust-Schlag and had begun the building of a mighty city-fortress and temple, Ulric left them for a time to speak to his brother Taal and tell him how pleased he was. As a huge silver-white wolf, the God of Winter smelled the air cold wind rushing down from the bitter peaks of the Middle Mountains and caught the scent of his wild brother.

The White Wolf ran up the valleys and the craggy peaks, climbing ever higher, until at last he saw his brother Taal in the form of a great bear atop the highest of the peaks. Sitting beside the mighty bear, Ulric tried to see what was keeping his brother staring out to the East. It was clear that his brother was troubled. After a time, when Taal still did not speak but only looked to the East, the wolf asked the bear, "What ails you, my brother?"

For a while longer Taal still did not speak, but continued to stare. Then, slowly, he turned to Ulric and said, "This land, brother, this land. It worries me."

"But surely, " spoke the wolf now also looking into the East, "it is a fine, wild land, with crags above and forests below and wild seas beyond where you may speak with your son, my nephew. What can be wrong with it?"

Again Taal was silent for a while, but wolves are patient. In time, Taal spoke again. "Yes, you are right brother, it is a fine land indeed and I love the place. But I worry for the years which are yet to come."

Then the bear turned to face the wolf. "I see vile winds blowing from the far North, sweeping all before them. In time, and after much pain and loss, we and our people will prevail against those winds and drive them back, but I will lose the fine forest below and it will become a place of darkness and shadow. I will be forced to creep around the edges like some mangy starving dog. No offence brother."

"None taken ", growled the wolf. "It would be a terrible loss, I agree, but there are so many other wild places, would it be so bad?"

Taal looked grimly at his brother. "There is more. In time, the men who will rule this land will turn to another god whom we have yet to meet. You and I will respect this man-God, may even become his friends, but I see a time when your followers and his followers become enemies. Then those winds I spoke of will howl again, drowning out even your cries of rage. This will bode ill for all the land and we will lose far more than one forest."

Now it was time for the great white wolf to be silent and gaze to the East. This time Taal waited, for bears are patient too. In time, Ulric spoke, simply and briefly.

"Then this god that is to come and myself must find a middle path, together. There can be no other way"

And Taal smiled. " You are wise and I am proud to be your brother." Together, the bear and the wolf turned, starred into the East and waited.

The above was intended as an opening bit of flavour text to highlight the future conflict between the followers of Sigmar and the followers of Ulric and the events of Empire in Flames. At the end of the sourcebook there would have been a post-Empire in Flames bit of flavour text with Taal and Ulric on the same peak, but this time with Sigmar, his hammer restored to him. At the conclusion, Sigmar would throw the hammer, destined to land on some remote part of the Empire, possibly the Forest of Shadows itself.


Introduction
The Grand Principality of Ostland: the wildest and most remote corner of the Empire's lands. Bordered by sea and mountain and an unfriendly neighbour, dominated by a dark and unexplored forest and threatened by goblins and beastmen from within it's own borders, it can a be a grim place to visit. But despite that, it has wealth, and there are plenty of opportunities for enterprising souls, whether hunters or merchants, soldiers or scholars, explorers or thieves.

Ostland is an important province: for the northern Empire it is the gateway to Kislev and the lands of the East. It is the major source of furs and warm, quality clothing, and its herbal remedies are in demand far outside the borders of the Empire. Its southern lands are particularly fertile and valuable, nourished by the mighty River Talabec. It is partly because of this value that the territorial dispute between Ostland and its neighbour, Talabecland, will one day bring the Empire to civil war.

There are mysteries here too. From the goblin lairs in the Forest of Shadows to the halls of the Grand Prince's castle in Wolfenburg, and from the bandit camps of the Middle Mountains to the oak-panelled rooms of the Furrier's Guild, everyone has a secret scheme to improve their lot. Adventurous types might become part of these schemes. Or perhaps they will just get in the way.

Using this Book
Ostland: Province of Shadows is a sourcebook for GMs. The material is intended for the GMs use only, although she may allow players to read portions of it at her discretion. We suggest that players be limited to The Reiklander's Guide to Ostland below, or better still use it as a guide to what players should be told about the province. There are many opportunities for adventure in Ostland, whether the GM wishes to run exploration-based games, political / social intrigues or simply give the Player Characters the chance to fight some villainous beasts and make some money for themselves.

Places and characters are described as they are before the events which take place in The Enemy Within campaign: Prince Hergard has not yet embarked on his ill-fated mission into the Grey Mountains and it is at least a year before the Empire faces chaos and disaster. The material in this book can be used before The Enemy Within begins, but a careful GM could use it during that campaign, perhaps to shed some light on the causes of the war that is to come. In particular, a GM who has not finished running The Power Behind the Throne may use material from here to bridge the gap between that scenario and The Empire in Flames - in particular it could be used to foreshadow the climactic events of that closing chapter of The Enemy Within. Furthermore, there is no reason why much of the material cannot be used after The Enemy Within has been concluded. Some parts can even be adapted and transported for use in other parts of the Empire if the GM wishes.

Chapter 1, Wolfenburg.
This looks at the capital city of Wolfenburg, its trade and guilds, interesting places to stay, visit and spend money, and outlines the politics and secret goings-on within the corridors of power. It also covers the area surrounding the city.

Chapter 2, The Middle Mountains.
Describes these mountains and the characters and locations hidden within them which may form the basis of adventures, including bandit encampments, giants and logging operations. The northern town of Shattenheim and its mines are described.

Chapter 3, Raukov and the Northern Moors.
The most northern town of the Empire and its outlying communities are described. The coastal Fimir and the problems they cause and Baron Raukov's ongoing battles with the Beastmen of the Forest of Shadows. Rules on hunting and trapping.

Chapter 4, Urskov and Taal's Way.
Describes the eastern town of Urskov and its Kislev neighbours, Taal's Way (the southern road), farms and villages. Taal and his wife Ryha, Goddess of the Old Faith and the Festival of the Divine Union.

Chapter 5, The Forest of Shadows.
Describes the forest and its nature. Examines the various goblin tribes that exist in the forests, the Beastmen and Chaos followers. The Vale of Toads and the Splendid House of Chroma (haunts of Nurgle and Tzeentch). Altdorf Archaeology Department's excavation of the Great Road.

Chapter 7, The Red Bull of Ostland.
A scenario.

Additionally, there are appendices covering new plants and fungi for herbalists and alchemists and new beasts to be found in the Forest of Shadows.


The Reiklander's Guide to Ostland
GM Note: the following information is the sort of stuff which the Player Characters might know generally or discover through research and talking to knowledgeable Non-player Characters. You could let the players read this or merely use it as a guide as to what general information to give them. It would not be unreasonable to let players who have characters from Ostland to read this whole section, but don't let them start looking at the rest of the book.

The Grand Principality of Ostland is the most northern of the lands of the Empire and one of the most isolated, being bounded by both the Middle Mountains in the West and the unbridgeable River Talabec in the South. Often unkindly dismissed as a place of poor weather, dense forest and limited interest to the traveller, Ostland in reality has much to offer. It is the point of contact between the Empire and Kislev, a place where two great cultures meet and merge. Good hunting is to be found there, especially in the North where there are many deer, otters and beavers. And, of course, the locals are always happy to see new faces come to visit them and their land bearing news of other parts, especially if they have money to spend or interesting goods to trade as well.

Geography
Ostland is a land oppressed by its own landscape. To the West lie the grim and forbidding Middle Mountains, the largest range in the Empire, most of which are within the boundary of Ostland, though it would be hard for the powers that be to lay claim to their cragged, conifer-laden slopes. The southern border is the northern bank of the River Talabec, too broad South of its confluence with the River Urskoy to be bridged into Talabecland, Ostland's most important neighbour. In the south-west, the River FNORD forms the border between Ostland and the Barony of Hochland. The icy Sea of Claws forms the northern border and to the East, the border between Ostland and Kislev runs from the city of Erengrad to the point where the River Urskoy meets the Talabec.

Like most of the Empire, Ostland is heavily forested. Sadly, the Forest of Shadows that dominates the heart of Ostland has proved totally resistant to civilisation, and it remains amongst the most untamed and wildest portions of the Empire. Nevertheless, the Forest of Shadows is ringed by cleared and mostly cultivated land, and in the North and North-east, the forest thins, giving way to fen and moorland suited to the rearing of livestock before encountering the northern coast.

The Forest of Shadows
Mostly coniferous, the Forest of Shadows is quite unlike any other in the Empire. Where most conifers normally grow tall and true, the trees in this forest are gnarled and twisted, with thick, curling branches laden with dripping beards of moss and lichen. Densely-growing and with branches crowding-out much of the sun, after venturing within the traveller quickly understands why the forest was so named. It is sometimes referred to as the Forest of Silence - the trees are so tightly packed that sound travels barely any distance at all before being absorbed into the wood and spongy moss. And yet it is a silence of hushed excitement, as though a breath is being held in anticipation of some momentous event.

In addition to the trees and numerous ragged and thorny bushes, there are many, many different varieties of fungus, puffballs and toadstools found growing within the forest. Sprouting bulbous from the ground or clinging plate-like to the trees, such fungi are often in demand by healers, magicians and other less wholesome characters. After hunters and woodsmen, it is herbalists and the like who are amongst the few more normal folk to be found within the fringes of the forest.

The trees themselves are hard and quite stubborn even in the face of the sharpest axe, and they grow particularly swiftly - this is why only a ring of land around the forest has been kept clear and why there are no Human settlements within the forest itself. The only significant attempt to tame the forest was about one hundred years ago when an attempt was made to build a road diagonally through the forest from Wolfenburg to the town of Raukov, thereby linking the capital with the North-east. Sadly, this project was a failure although to some extent the remains of the attempt can still be seen today.

Even though Humans have failed to inhabit the Forest of Shadows, there are many other creatures which make it their home. Numerous tribes of goblinoids and their wolves live within it, as do Beastmen and Chaos warriors, the descendants of those forces of Chaos which swept through the region from the Chaos Wastes during the Incursions 200 years ago. Still hiding in the depths, they are waiting for their day to come again, occasionally leaving their lairs to attack the unwary and the isolated. Periodically, Ostland troops enter the forest to hunt down such beasts, sometimes just to remind the creatures of the shadows that they are surrounded, but most often in response to raids on farms and some of the smaller villages. Baron Raukov who lives in the town of Raukov in the North-east makes a habit of the former.

The Middle Mountains
Although the Empire is bordered by the Grey Mountains and the World's Edge Mountains in the South-west and South-east respectively, the Middle Mountains are the only range within the Empire proper. It is this broad expanse of mighty peaks which separates Ostland from the rest of the Empire and they do so more powerfully than any political boundary. The lower slopes are heavily forested with conifers and above them the peaks rise steep and jagged. Humans and even the Dwarfs shun them, although raiders and bandits often hide out on the slopes in temporary camps and caves, where they are unlikely to be pursued too vigourously by the law. The Middle Mountains also have a poor reputation as a home to bands of Beastmen and goblinoids, ogres, trolls and giants.

Population
Even though Ostland is quite large it has a relatively small population of around 15,000. The bulk of these people live in the south of the province, in the city of Wolfenburg or one of the score or so of villages and similar number of farmsteads which lie scattered around the capital. Villages and farms are scattered all around the Forest of Shadows, but the only towns of significance are Raucov in the North-east, Urskov in the South-east near the Ursky-Talabec confluence, and Shattenheim in the North-west. Each of these towns has villages, smaller hamlets and farms surrounding them.

Economy
Ostland's money is made principally from agriculture: in the South mostly crops, but also livestock, with the reverse being true north of the Forest of Shadows. In particular the region surrounding the capital Wolfenburg and the southern reaches of the country benefit heavily from the rich sediments carried by the River Talabec, giving rise to excellent yields. Perhaps surprisingly, little of the economy is based on timber, largely due to the twisted nature of the trees in the Forest of Shadows, but there is some demand for the forest's wood for making smaller items that need to be hard and durable. However, the pines and other conifers growing on the sides of the Middle Mountains are more normal and some logging occurs on the lower eastern and northern slopes. In addition to these logging operations, there are a few mines in the mountains near Shattenheim, mostly for metals, but the pickings are poor, perhaps one reason why the Dwarfs have never been interested in the region.

In the north there are herds of deer, and otters and beavers live in the rivers that flow into the Sea of Claws. The cold weather in northern Ostland has meant that the animals there are heavily furred and thick of hide; their pelts and skins, as well as their meat make them a very valuable commodity and a boon to Ostland's economy and value in the eyes of the Empire. In fact Ostland has an excellent reputation for its furriers and tailors and shoemakers and this is the only real luxury industry the province has.

The mushrooms, toadstools and other bizarre plants gathered from the edges of the Forest of Shadows have allowed two small but significant industries to develop in Wolfenburg, and to a lesser degree in the other Ostland towns. These are, of course, alchemy and herbalism. Some carefully selected fungi are of benefit to both, and the skill of the local herbalists and alchemists is such that Ostland potions rarely result in poisonings, and are highly valued elsewhere in the Empire and beyond.

Much of the trade and commerce takes place in Wolfenburg, with goods from the other major towns travelling down the roads that surround the Forest of Shadows. Not all the produce of the province goes through Wolfenburg, however: Shattenheim can trade directly with the Barony of Nordland via its capital Salzenmund, and Raukov and Urskov do good business with the town and villages across the border in Kislev. However, most of the goods entering Ostland from the Empire passes through Wolfenburg, making it the most important trading centre, and meaning that its citizens get first pick of the best items.

Politics
Ostland is governed by the 63 year-old Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck, who has been in power for 40 years now, residing in the capital Wolfenburg. His named heir is his only son Prince Hergard, a young man well known for his dislike of Dwarfs. The Grand Prince's cousin, Valmir von Raukov lives at his ancestral home of Raukov in the North-east where he spends his time dealing with Beastmen from the Forest of Shadows. The two men support one another, but they meet infrequently.

The Grand Prince's Sigmarian faith automatically places him at odds with most of his neighbours. Whilst the relationships between Ostland and the States of Middenhiem and Talabheim land have been mostly cordial, if strained at times, the Grand Principality of Ostland and the Grand Duchy of Talabecland are only close in geographical terms. Which is, of course, where the problem lies.

Grand Duke Gustav von Krieglitz would very much like to possess southern Ostland, principally on the grounds that the land, nourished by the River Talabec, is so fertile. His argument is that the boundary between the two provinces is the edge of the Forest of Shadows, rather than the river Talabec. The argument is based vaguely on two very old maps, one of dubious accuracy, the other of dubious provenance, which show the River Talabec flowing directly against the edge of the Forest of Shadows. The Grand Duke of Talabecland argues that the river has meandered south over the centuries, whereas the Grand Prince of Ostland argues that the honest and hardworking people of southern Ostland have spent the centuries cutting back the Forest of Shadows away from the river to create farmland. Despite the activities of cartographers and historians working for both sides the dispute remains unresolved and very public. The opinions of the other electors on who is right and who is wrong tends to be based on religion rather than the weight of the evidence.

There is one other minor dispute between the two provinces and that is the League of Ostermark, which is adjacent to Talabecland. This non-Electoral province is under the authority of Talabecland, but there is a vague argument from Ostland that there is clear affiliation between itself and Ostermark (their names) and the League should in fact be under the jurisdiction of Ostland. However, despite maintaining a good relationship with Ostermark, Ostland has not, yet, pushed this claim to the attention of the Emperor.

Religion
The name of the capital of Ostland, Wolfenburg, and the province's proximity to Middenheim and Talabecland might suggest that Ostland and it's leaders were strongly Ulrican in faith. This is not the case: Grand Prince Hals von Tassenick, Elector of Ostland, is strongly pro-Sigmar. This in principal extends to the rest of the province, though, as is usually the case, many of the people go their own way, especially as one travels further from the capital. Historically the region followed another of the gods altogether: Taal, god of nature and the wild places. And today many Ostlanders, even in the capital and the towns still follow Taal. His worship is strongest along the river named for him, the Talabec, where there are numerous shrines along its banks. Once Taal was worshipped in the Forest of Shadows, though following the Incursions of Chaos 200 years ago, he departed the place (at least according to Taal's followers - those of other faiths suggest, very, very quietly, that Chaos drove the god from it). It should come as no surprise that those who live along the northern coast of Ostland also worship Taal's son, Manann, the God of the Seas, where he is also seen as god of the winds and weather.

Despite the pro-Sigmarian stance of the Grand Prince of Ostland, Hals von Tassenick has never made any overt attempts to discourage the worship of Taal or Manann, perhaps feeling that to do so would cause those followers to look to Taal's brother, Ulric, and the Ulrican Talabeclanders for support, which is the last thing he wants. The people for their part have considerable respect for Sigmar and he is strongly followed in Wolfenburg and the outlying region. This respect for the Empire's founder extends even to those who follow Taal.

The Old Faith is not absent from Ostland, either. Taal's wife, Ryha, the Mother Goddess, has not been forgotten by the followers of Taal and she is worshipped alongside her husband almost equally, though mostly in the rural regions and the east of the province.

Travel
Most people visiting Ostland come via Talabheim, whether by road or by water. By boat, coach or on foot, travellers entering Talabheim can take the road into Hochland which leads to the River FNORD and then going by boat to Wolfenburg or crossing the bridge at Hergig. Alternatively, they can simply get a boat which will sail off the Talabec and then up the River FNORD. Ultimately it's a question of how fast you want to go and how much you can afford. Those heading into the east of the province, perhaps to Urskov, can sail up the River Talabec, most boats being happy to drop people on the northern or southern bank if they ask.

Within Ostland itself there are four principal roads: Taal's Way, running west to east along the banks of the Talabec from Wolfenburg to Urskov; the Mountains Road, south to north, Wolfenburg to Shattenheim, at the foot of the Middle Mountains; the Great Northern Road which stretches from Middenheim into Kislev; the Border Road from Urskov to Raukov, the least travelled of the four. An attempt was made to construct what was to be called the Great Road, cutting through the Forest of Shadows from Wolfenburg to Raukov and creating a quicker route to Kislev and boosting trade, but this project suffered bad luck and disaster and made little headway before being abandoned.

Climate
Like much of the northern Empire, Ostland is a cold and chilly place. In the Winter months the winds howl down from the Middle Mountains, and the treeless moorland in the north of the country is exposed to bitter, icy winds blowing in off the Sea of Claws. The far South, with the capital Wolfenburg and much of the population, is slightly warmer, being protected from the worst of the wind by the Forest of Shadows, but it is still a very chilly place in the Winter. The snow often comes as blizzards in the North, cutting off the remote communities around Raukov and Urskov, and blanketing the canopy of the Forest of Shadows, but often turning to cold, miserable rain or sleet by the time it reaches the Wolfenburg region. However, come summer the south of Ostland can be quite warm and pleasant, even the cooler North having clear skies and tolerable temperatures.

The Middle Mountains in winter are treacherous and icy, their peaks and valleys heavy with snow. In summer it can still be quite chill, but the clear skies mean that in direct sunlight a traveller can feel very hot indeed. The Forest of Shadows, however, presents an anomaly in that even in the depths of Winter it rarely becomes unbearable, and in Summer it can become quite hot, and is continually damp and slightly humid, which is presumably what allows such a diverse range of fungi to grow there all year round. Nobody knows what causes this, but a few wizards and clerics mutter darkly about certain Chaotic forces.

Other Races
Ostland is a land of Men. The Dwarfs have never much liked the place, hating the densest and gloomiest forest in the Old World and finding little to value in the poor mines of the Middle Mountains. Similarly, even the Elves cannot find anything to like about the Forest of Shadows. And the general coldness of the place certainly doesn't suit the comfort-loving Halflings. It would be a falsehood to suggest that none of these races can be found in Ostland, they are, especially in Wolfenburg (where there is even a small handful of Gnomes), but not in vastly significant numbers.

The Humans are not alone, however. The goblinoids and Beastmen of the Middle Mountains and The Forest of Shadows are enough of a threat to require the soldiery of Ostland to periodically make forays into their hiding places. And in the fens and coasts of the North there are a few Fimir settlements, which results in the periodic abductions and attacks on the most remote villages.

Flora and Fauna
The deer, beavers and otters of the North and the grotesque fungi of the Forest of Shadows have already been mentioned, but there are plenty of other creatures to be found living in Ostland. Putting aside goblin-trained wolves in the forest, more normal wolf packs can be found running in the Middle Mountains and northern Ostland. Bears are also seen in the mountains. Seals swim in the Sea of Claws and come to lie on the shores away from Human habitation, and whales can occasionally be seen in the cold waters. The northern moorland is also home to rabbits, wild fowl and foxes. Eagles and other birds of prey are seen soaring above the mountains and moors, watching for their next meal. In spring the moorlands are filled with birdsong.

In the south, much of the non-forested area had been given over to arable farming, root crops in the main, with some pasture land for cattle, but with copses and spinneys consisting in the main of broad-leaves trees and shrubs. The northern moorland is covered mostly with hardy shrubs and heather of a variety of hues, which the shaggy long-horned cattle chew upon. Nearer the coast, the fens and estuaries give rise to long grasses and reeds, very useful for thatching and cattle feed in the winter. A number of rare and vividly coloured orchids can also be found growing in the North, much prized by the alchemist and herbalists of Wolfenburg. In the Forest of Shadows there are, besides the fungi, many curious varieties of moss, lichen and other herbs.

The History of Ostland
NB to reviewer: need information from either you or Games Workshop to know what I can and can't do.
Key events are likely to include: the Legend of Osta's Taming of the Red Bull and the first Human tribe to settle the region, formal founding of Ostland; first diplomatic meetings and alliance with Kislev; influx of those fleeing during the Black Plague of 1111 (cold weather kept it at bay in Ostland); the suffering of Ostland during the Incursions of Chaos and the loss of the Forest of Shadows.


Things to See and Do in Ostland
GM Note: the following are places, events or general rumours which those in other parts of the Empire could well have heard of in regard to Ostland, and are handy hooks to get the players interested in taking their characters there. Remember these count as hearsay and gossip and don't necessarily have to be accurate interpretations of the truth!

Alexa Pelsmantel's Fur Storehouse
They say winter's going to harsh this year and you'll need to wrap up warm. You know of course that the best quality furs come from Ostland, but do you know how much the merchants around here mark-up the prices? Too much, that's how much! But, then, you go to Wolfenburg (that's Ostland's capital) yourself and you can get the best furs as cheap as dirt! Even after the trip there you still have money left! The best place to go, so I was told, is Alexa Permantel's Fur Storehouse. They've shelves and racks full of fur everything. But watch out for Alexa: she's always got an eye out for young men! Ha! If you're lucky you might get what you want for free! *wink*

Bandit Trouble
The number of attacks by bandits from the Middle Mountains has been increasing badly of late. There's a mine up in the north that's supposed to have struck a seam of rock rich with gemstones. People are saying that the mine owners are secretly sending the gems down to Wolfenburg hidden in other goods, so the bandits are hitting anything and everything in the hope of striking lucky. The demand for guards has increased enormously and the pay's better than usual too. Mind you, with all these attacks and extra guards the bandits have been taking losses and are doing some recruiting of their own as well, so there's as many villains as honest men heading that way.

Georg's Miraculous Potions
Poor little Alphonse across the street there has been getting sicker and sicker. Doctor Wendle says he has maybe a year, maybe less before the inevitable. His mother's in a terrible state (No, not Middenheim! Bloody Sigmarites!). Wendle says the only thing he can suggest is that a colleague of his in Ostland take a look at the lad, but his mother can't just stop work to cart him all the way there! And Wendle's too busy to take him and this Doctor Georg character isn't going to hurry down here just for one sick child! So it looks like poor little Alphonse has had it. Poor, poor little Alphonse. And he used to sing so wonderfully before he took sick. Not bringing a tear to your eye am I?

Festival of Taal
The Festival of Taal? Oh, I went to it once, years ago. Fantastic it was. Up in the far east of Ostland, place called Usky? Uskiv? Something like that anyway. There was all sorts of dancing and singing and lots of eating and drinking which was good. Everyone dressed up as animals, like bears or wolves or wore antlers on their head (I wore one of them - thought the horns symbolised me quite well... if you know what I mean!). Lots of the women wore nothing but flowers in their hair and lots of ivy wound round themselves! Plenty of games too and jumping in the Talabec (bloody freezing that was; me antlers nearly fell of it was so cold). Mind you the Sigmarites didn't like it. Tried to stop it claiming it was immoral and degrading, but everyone laughed at them and chucked them in the river too! Me, I thought it was wonderful. Met this pretty local wench who was dead impressed by me antlers... if you know what I mean!

The Red Bull of Ostland

Overview


Legend tells of a tribal chieftain called Oster, a contemporary of Sigmar, who single-handedly slew a monstrous scarlet bull that had been terrorising his people. The tale has become a bedtime story for children throughout the Empire, and Oster has long been adopted as a minor saint by the cult of Sigmar. To this day, the symbol of the Grand Principality of Ostland is a red bull's head.

This story is true in the generalities if not the specifics, although only a handful know all the facts. Oster may date from well before Sigmar; the Sigmarite claim on him may just be propaganda. The Red Bull of Ostland was no mere gigantic bull, but one of the demonic steeds of Khorne, a Juggernaut, a monster even among its own kind. Oster killed the Bull with one of its own horns. However, he killed it deep in the Forest of Shadows in a 'temple' of Khorne, the blood and energy of which has sustained the creature's demonic spirit throughout the centuries (Oster died of his wounds after emerging from the forest and wasn't able to describe where he killed the beast). Now, after two and a half thousand years (or more) the Bull has been disturbed (see below) and it's slowly waking up. Its dreams of blood and slaughter affect those Ostlanders sensitive to them, bringing madness and bloodshed, and attracting Beastmen and Minotaurs to its resting-place where they prepare for worship and the rebirth of the Juggernaut.

Meanwhile, the rulers of Ostland have a grand scheme to enhance their province's wealth. They plan to construct a great road diagonally through the Forest of Shadows, from the capital Wolfenburg to the north-east of the Ostland. The intention is to create a new, faster trading route to Kislev, bypassing Middenheim.

One of the outriders surveying the forest in preparation and a Talabecland agent out to disrupt to scheme encounter one another near the site of the Red Bull's 'death' - their fight, their hate and rage for each other's nation and faith and the spilling of blood causes the Bull to start to dream and begin to wake. These two people, a Sigmarite and Ulrican are warped by the power of Khorne into a composite entity, a powerful Chaos champion. However, the originals can separate from the champion as individuals, leaving the champion weakened, but still strong. Leaving the champion to watch over the Red Bull, the Sigmarite outrider goes to watch the local god's representatives (the cult of Sigmar in Wolfenburg), whilst the Ulrican Talabeclander agent goes to use his people's agents to disrupt any response Ostland makes to its coming hardships.

The PCs are initially drawn to Ostland in anticipation of the work the road scheme will offer (guarding the workers against forest beasts, engineering/construction work, scouting the proposed route through the forest, for example). On the way, they meet an old Estalian priest of Morr who is drawn to Ostland by prophetic dreams from his god and a need to put right his relationship with his estranged son (a son who was once, yes you guessed it, a matador). Together, they encounter abnormal and bloody acts of meaningless violence (rape, self-mutilation, torture, and serial killing) and share dreams of something huge and monstrous lurking in the trees and shadows. This shadowy beast attacks them in their dreams, as it seems to be doing to others around them, and when they die or are grievously injured the PCs suffer some small loss of Will Power or Cool or whatever. The implication is that when a dreamer's mind is sufficiently damaged, he will become a blood-crazed monster himself. Running away from Ostland seems ineffective. The priest of Morr can help them fight back in their dreams, but if they want to avoid inevitable madness they'll have to deal with the source of the dreams.

Glimpses of a red-horned beast (some, especially women, see a scarlet unicorn, a far more seductive image) in their nightmares and the prevalence of the emblem of Ostland, prompts the PCs think and/or ask about the legend of Oster and this leads them to the cult of Sigmar, which regards Oster as a saint. The PCs interest at this time of crisis prompt the cult to keep tabs on their movement - they are kept under surveillance by the former outrider who has offered the cult his services as a way of keeping close to it. When followers of Taal and the PCs finally meet one another (see below), the Sigmarites see it as a potential opportunity to acquire the relic bones of Oster, hidden for centuries by those who follow an older, even wilder Taal. They will keep a tail on the PCs and may approach any PCs who are obviously pro-Sigmar for their aid.

In their nightmares the PCs begin to encounter one another and fight together as a team (part of the priest of Morr's training). They also start to see others and then meet them in real life, or they may seek others out. Among these are followers of the Taal and the Old Faith, who seem to be holding their own against the nightmare beast. When they meet one another it's realised that to fight what appears to be a legend, then a legend (or at least its knowledge) is needed. The PCs are encouraged to seek out and ancient priest if Taal who knows the true legend of Oster.

The trail to this priest takes the PCs to Ostermark, which is technically under the jurisdiction of Talabecland. The PCs are hassled by the Talabecland agent of the Red Bull and her fellow agents (who are unaware she now answers to the Red Bull. The priest of Taal is unimpressed by the PCs, but sets them a series of small challenges bringing them close to nature (hunting without weapons, swimming the river Talabec naked, stuff like that), before sending them to the Middle Mountains in search of a hunter/hunter-knight of Taal (Templars. I was fed up of seeing boring interpretations of templars. Templars of Taal are often loners, like bears, and not pack animals like Templars of Ulric and his wolves. They are also far closer to the wild and nature like Taal, not so easily domesticated). In the mountains the PCs meet giants and wild men who turn into bears before bringing the templar back to Ostermark.

Back with the priest the PCs face one last challenge. The priest is old and the templar is to be his replacement - with the templar beside him he asks the PCs to kill him, arguing he is old and useless and the way needs to be made for the young. Any PCs who make the move to fulfil his wish are stopped by the templar: they've failed. Yes, the priest explains, we are animals, but we are also human. Nature can be harsh, but it is not needlessly cruel. Those PCs who fail this test, don't get to see the resting-place of Oster (and the Sigmarites may attempt to recruit them whilst they're waiting for their fellows).

The PCs deemed worthy are brought to cave and sent in. Inside, they are magically separated. Each has to get past two gigantic guardian bears (by any means they choose) and then brought together again to enter the resting-place of Oster as a group. They speak with Oster's ghost and get to play out the roles of his warriors in a vision of the original battle with the Red Bull.


Notes for The Red Bull of Ostland

At some point in the murky past before the foundation of the Empire there was a man named Oster or Osta. He was the leader of a large tribe or the unifying force for several tribes who lived/moved into the region which would eventually become known as Ostland. Although he is no where near as significant as Sigmar, various legends and myths still surround Osta. The most notable of these legends is one regarding Oster's taming/slaying of a gigantic blood red bull which terrorised the land. The versions vary, and are sometimes even attributed to Sigmar, but the legend is fairly clear that Osta brought the depredations of the bull to a close.


The story is based on fact: Osta did indeed curb the assaults of a massive bull-like creature. However, this was no bull, not even a giant one, but was in fact a Jugganaut, one of the steeds of Khorne. Osta slew the beast single-handed in the depths of what became the Forest of Shadows, taking one of the massive horns of the beast as a trophy.


To this day, a red bull's head is the emblem of Ostland.

Another, more recent (well a couple of hundred years ago at least), of Ostland's legends tells of the Great Road, or King FNORDS Folly. The eponymous king (or whatever he was) ordered the construction of a huge road through the Forest of Shadows from the south of Ostland to the north-east which the intention of creating a faster trading route between Kislev and the Empire (and incidentally bypassing the existing trade route which encouraged merchants to Middenheim). The road penetrated so far into the forest, but was beset by problems before the project collapsed. The precise nature of the difficulties has remained unclear: possibly labour disputes, but equally likely Chaos nasties, ghosts or the forest's own unique unpleasantness. (At the present stage, the Red Bull of Ostland is unlikely to have been the direct cause, although I may change my mind)

The Great Road is likely to be where the PCs come in. The archaeology department of Altdorf or wherever is in receipt of a grant to go and excavate the Great Road and to see if it can find out A) how far the road actually made it into the forest, and B) what might have been the cause of the projects abandonment.

PCs are likely to be hired because they are academics, rangers or capable of handling the inevitable nasties which lurk in the shadows. Initial stages of the campaign are likely to involve research, exploration, meeting the locals, a few fights and some careful digging with trowels (at least if we want our archaeologists to be enlightened modern types). Obviously, there's plenty of scope for Time Team gags here.

Meanwhile, the Red Bull of Ostland is slowly waking up. And it's dreaming. A few sensitive youngsters are having dreams too, dreams of a scarlet unicorn (I assume you remember that Osta pinched one of the Jugganaut's horns). Two youngster are particularly influenced. One, a young teenage girl (a virgin and yet to experience her first menstruation) and a teenage boy (also a virgin - there's a blood-related issue there too). How these two fit into the picture I'm not sure yet, but it's going to be unpleasant. The unicorn obviously has a phallic significance, and since this is a beast of Khorne it's also a symbol of violence - how the girl fits in I don't know yet (possibly it's going to take her into the area of the Old Faith, probably its darker, redder side), but the young boy is almost certainly going to start on a spree of violence against women. Others may well join him. Between the two of them, this could develop into a very nasty gender war inspired by Chaos.

No doubt more plot and sub-plots will arise. I hope so. If nothing else, some Chaos minotaurs are going to show up, foreshadowing the awakening of the Jugganaut. Amongst other things, the PCs will have to spend some time in the Forest of Shadows trying to kidnap a beastman shaman in order to interrogate it and get some ideas about what's going on.

Eventually, hopefully after a lot of other interesting shenanigans, the PCs are going to have to face the Jugganaut. Now, Osta may have taken the Bull on himself and won, but that was when men were men and hamsters were dinner - the PCs just ain't in his league. They will have to do some research, learn about the horn which Osta pinched, realise it might be used magically against the Bull, and do some more research to locate the damn think.

The horn is hidden in Ostermark, so they'll have to head there to get the horn. Of course, Ostermark is under the jurisdiction of Talabecland, and there's no love lost between it and Ostland - getting the Talabecland authorities to allow the PCs to take the horn won't be easy.

Eventually, the PCs come home with the horn, have some more adventures before twatting the Jugganaut. The horn itself is old and decaying, and may need magical restoration. Getting a priest of Taal to turn it into a Beast Slayer may be required.


Possible Interesting Things

A former Estalian bullfighter who heard of the Legend of Osta and the Red Bull and came north with his unwilling family to run the Red Bull Inn/Tavern. Clearly, he'll have to be drawn into the hunt for the Jugganaut. A tragic death methinks, but probably heroic.

[Etelka Herzen]

Happy newyear to all you fellow warpstoners and WFRP-players! I really like the work you have made Robin - perhaps a little more work could be put into it and it could be published in a warpstone special like the Fímir magazine?

[Wolf]

Some good stuff. Combine with bits of Tim Eccles's APW and anyone GMing in the NE of the Empire would have plenty of material.

Happy New Year to you too.

[Robin Low]

Happy newyear to all you fellow warpstoners and WFRP-players! I really like the work you have made Robin - perhaps a little more work could be put into it and it could be published in a warpstone special like the Fímir magazine?

Thanks, glad you like it. I doubt Warpstone will be doing any specials again, though, if only because WS probably works best when it has a variety of articles. Having said that, whenever I think about the Red Bull of Ostland, I still think it has some mileage in it as a scenario or campaign. There might be other bits in it that are worth developing - the passing reference to the Vale of Toads as a location important to Nurgle has some possibilities.

Regards

Robin

[KONRAD]

is this some form of post padding?