TEXT: Design and Writing : Steve Darlington, Steven Lewis, Craig Oxbrow and Rick Wolf
  Additional Material : Paul Adler, Alexander J Bateman, Joe Coltman,
  Michael Congreve David Graffam, Jude Hornburg and Johannes Wiegernick
  Development and Editing : Steve Darlington
  Proofreading : Karl-Henrik Malquist and Tim Nutting
  WFRP Logo : Darius Hinks
  Interior Art : Jon Shai
  Cartography : Andreas Blicher, David Graffam and Andrew Law
  Internet Support and Publication : Paul Adler
  The following is a production by fans of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd edition roleplaying game.  It is 
  not part of the official game line.  Our esteemed thanks and respect go to all those who have worked on all the 
  editions of WFRP, in all capacities, and everyone who has ever contributed to the Warhammer world, who gave 
  us inspiration to expand upon it. This project began in 2009 when Black Industries/Green Ronin ceased production 
  of the WFRP 2nd Edition line. However, extreme life circumstances of the head designer and devloper caused the 
  project to be stillborn despite much of the material being finished. A half-measure version exists on the internet 
  as an attempt to fill the gap. This is the full version, or as close as we could get it, from everything submitted in 
  2009-2010, released in XX of XXXX. 
  Apologies for the delay. 
  This project was part of a two-fold project, the sister book being a guide to Tilea, called Spears  of the Maiden. 
  That book and this can be found online here: http://www.liberfanatica.net/Tilea-Estalia.html
  11
  Swords of the South
  A Guide to Estalia
  Design and Writing: Steve Darlington, Steve Dee, Steven Lewis,
  Craig Oxbrow and Rick Wolf
  Additional Material: Paul Adler, Alexander J Bateman, Claudio Cáceres, 
  Joe Coltman, Michael Congreve, David Graffam, Jude Hornburg, 
  Frank Cord Lohmann, Michael-Forest Meservy, 
  Elizabeth Verbraak, Johannes Wiegernick and Gareth Willcock
  Translation: Wim van Gruisen
  Development and Editing: Steve Darlington, Steve Dee
  Line Editor: Andrea Maurizio Medici
  Editing: Andrea Maurizio Medici, Rangdo
  Proofreading: Llanwyre Laish, Karl-Henrik Malquist, Andrea Maurizio Medici,
  Tim Nutting, Jason Painter and Steven Saunders
  Art Director & Layout: Pieter Dewulf
  Publisher: Jude Hornborg
  WFRP Logo: Darius Hinks
  Interior Art: Jon Shai & free art
  Mosaic Map: Andrew Law
  The following is a production by fans of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd edition roleplaying game.  It is 
  not part of the official game line.  Our esteemed thanks and respect go to all those who have worked on all the 
  editions of WFRP, in all capacities, and everyone who has ever contributed to the Warhammer world, who gave us 
  inspiration to expand upon it.  
  This project began in 2009 when Black Industries/Green Ronin ceased production of the WFRP 2nd Edition line. 
  However, extreme life circumstances of the head designer and developer caused the project to be stillborn despite 
  much of the material being finished. A half-measure version exists on the internet as an attempt to fill the gap. 
  This is the full version, or as close as we could get it, from everything submitted in 2009-2010, released in Novem-
  ber of 2015. Apologies for the delay.
  This project was part of a two-fold project, the sister book being a guide to Tilea, called Spears of the Maiden. 
  That book and this can be found online here: http://www.liberfanatica.net/Tilea-Estalia.html
  1
  
  2
  Legal Stuff
  This is a free product shared on the internet. It is not to be sold.
  WFRP 2nd Ed by Chris Pramas and TS Luikhart
  Original WFRP Design by Jim Bambra, Graeme Davis, Phil Gallagher, Richard Halliwell and 
  Rick Priestly
  WFRP 2nd ed published by Fantasy Flight Games
  WFRP 2nd ed first published by Black Industries, an imprint of BL Publishing 
  Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay logo, WFRP, Chaos, 
  Tzeentch, Warhammer, and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia, characters, 
  vehicles, locations, units, artefacts, illustrations and images from the Warhammer world are 
  either , TM and/or  Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2009, variably registered in 
  the UK and other countries around the world. Used without permission. No challenge to their 
  status is intended. All Rights Reserved to their respective owners.
  www.fantasyflightgames.com
  www.blackindustries.com
  www.greenronin.com
  www.liberfanatica.net
  www.tinstargames.weebly.com
  2
  Legal Stuff
  This is a free product shared on the internet. It is not to be sold.
  WFRP 2nd Ed by Chris Pramas and TS Luikhart
  Original WFRP Design by Jim Bambra, Graeme Davis, Phil Gallagher, Richard Halliwell and Rick Priestly
  WFRP 2nd ed published by Fantasy Flight Games
  WFRP 2nd ed first published by Black Industries, an imprint of BL Publishing 
  Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay logo, WFRP, Chaos, Tzeentch, Warhammer, 
  and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia, characters, vehicles, locations, units, artefacts, illustrations 
  and images from the Warhammer world are either ®, TM and/or © Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2009, 
  variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. Used without permission. No challenge to 
  their status is intended. All Rights Reserved to their respective owners.
  www.fantasyflightgames.com
  www.blackindustries.com
  www.greenronin.com
  www.liberfanatica.net
  www.tinstargames.weebly.com
  
  3
  Table of Contents
  Table of Contents
  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Chapter 1: The Land and its Peoples .. . . 7
   
  Principal Geography . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
   
  The Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
   
  The Mountains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   
  Forests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   
  Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
   
  Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
   
   
  Bilbali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   
   
  Magritta . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .  10
   
  Estalian Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
   
  Estalian People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 
   
  Famous Estalians . . . . . .  . . . . 13
   
   
  Non Humans in Estalia . . . . . .  13 
  The Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14
   
  An Estalian Lexicon . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
   
  Estalian Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
   
   
  Estalian Superstition . . . . . . . . 17
   
  Racism in Estalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
   
  Material Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   
   
  Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19
   
  Food and Drink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
   
  Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
   
  Music, Art and Science . . . . . . . . . . . 21
   
  The Abaskos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Chapter IV : The Law of Estalia. . . . . .39
   
  Laws of City and State . . . . . . . . . . .  39 
  Laws of the Princes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
  Types of Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
  Laws of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . .  42
  Chapter V : The Countless Kingdoms. .45
  Badayoz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
  Bilbali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
  Cabria   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
  Cantonia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
  Carrona  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
  Estrema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
  La Isla Atalaya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
  La Isla de Sangre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
  Lysboa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
  Magritta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
  Mendora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
  La Mesa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
  Navarre  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
  Oretano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
  Tarrocco  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
  Zarguz  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
  Zatifa  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
  The Lustrian Colonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
  The Irrana Kingdoms  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
  Aragones . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
  Correleone . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
  Raganos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
  Tsurge Leones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
  Chapter VI : The Cities . . . . . . . . . .  69
   
  Bilbali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
  The Shape of The City . . . . . . . . . .  71
  Important Locations . . . . . . . . . . . .  71
  The Timbre Tormenta . . . . . . . . .71
  Rueda del Morta . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
  The Shipyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
  El Septicalle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
  Playa Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
  Bilbali Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
  El Lustriador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
  The Bloody Lawn . . . . . . . . . . . .  73
  Galleria Del Arte  . . . . . . . . . . . .. 75
  El Palazio Splendido . . . . . . . . . . .76
  The House of the Scorpion . . . . . . 76
  Chapter II : The History of Estalia . .   24 
  The Rise and Fall of Tylos . . . . . . . .24
  The Promised Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
   
  War and Strife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
   
  Unification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26
   
  Time of Woes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
   
  The Arabyan Invasion and the Crusades 27
   
  By Fire and Sword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
   
  Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  29
   
  Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30
  Chapter III : Politics of Estalia . . . . .  32
   
  The Nobility   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
  The Arts of War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
   
  Conflicts with Other-Nations . . . . . .  36
   
  Heraldry . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
  Mercenaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
  
  4
  Table of Contents
  Magritta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
  Politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
  Twinpeaks . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .  78
   
  Portos, Plazas and Pathways . . . . . . . 78
  Plaza Mercado . . . . . . . . . . . .79
  The Luccinnian Wall . . . . . . .79
  City Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
  Atrazanas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
  Barrio Santa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
  Adavejo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  81
  La Rena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
  Artesano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
  Barrio Renga . . . . . . . . . . . . .  82
  Puento Torre . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 82
  Alcazar and the Plaza Militares . . 82
  The Eyrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  83
  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmida . . .  84
  The Maiden Mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
  The Organisation of the Temple . . . . . .. . . 87
  The Holy Inquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
  Movements and Extremes of Faith . . . . . . . .94
  The Religious Year: Fiestas and Celebrations 96
  The Major Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
  Other Cults and Gods in Estalia . . . . . . . . . 99
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles .  102
  Spells List  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
  Blessings of the Shieldmaidens. . . . . . . . . . .111
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers . . .  112
  Racial Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
  Estalian Careers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
  New Talents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
  Narrative Naval Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
  The Art of Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary . .  . . .  128
   
  Appendix : The Gift of Song . . . . . .  134
  
  5
  The Lyre of the South
  The greatest poet the Old World has ever known and will likely ever see is 
  the Estalian-born Jacopo Tarradasch. His plays are performed in every city 
  and town on the continent and his  sonnets used to woo ladies for centuries. 
  We have taken our chapter heading quotes from some of his more famous 
  works, so you, the new scholar, can begin to appreciate his great works. Lies 
  about his oft-alleged Tilean heritage have been obviously omitted.
  
  6
  Introduction
  The people of the Empire like to think they are the light of the Old World, their nation a bastion of 
  learning between faith-bound Bretonnia and superstition-wracked Kislev. They think their city of Altdorf 
  the very definition of cosmopolitan, a place so vast and so all-consuming that to but look out any window is 
  to see all the Known World.
  But if the citizens of Altdorf have never seen Estalia then they know nothing of the world, have seen nothing 
  like true beauty, have felt nothing like true love.
  The people of Estalia view their cold northern Empire neighbour as a land of shopkeepers and 
  mathematicians, where the streets and houses are boxed and measured by laws and rules and the men and 
  women likewise by morals and formalities and too many clothes; where the beer is warm and the women 
  cold, instead of the right way around. As the popular Estalian joke goes “How might you tell a northerner 
  from a Dwarf? Well, one is dour, miserly and rag-bearded, and the other is a Dwarf.”
  The Estalians have no need to be dour - at least at first glance. Their land is bountiful with good food and 
  wine. The sun shines brightly, the windswept hills dotted with windmills have a bare and serene beauty, its 
  harbours glitter by the sunlit sea, the festivals are many and the music constant. Treasure fleets return often 
  resplendent with jewels and gold and exotic wonders of faraway lands. The land is so rocky that hardly any 
  Skaven burrow beneath and the threat of Chaos is cold and distant threat barely brought to mind.
  But all is not wine and roses in Estalia. Its men and women are hot blooded; swift to anger, slow to forget and 
  always ready to duel to the death. Swords are never far from hands and revenge is tasted far more often than 
  justice. Vendettas are not forgotten and heretics are burned. The law is arbitrary and limited, and banditos 
  roam the land, while faith runs deep and dark and the Inquisition knows no bounds. Estalia is truly not one 
  kingdom but hundreds and as those kingdoms battle, borders shift and loyalties shift faster. A man’s life can 
  turn on a knifeblade, a city’s fortune on a roll of the dice, a nation’s supremacy on the whim of lady’s fancy.
  There are also dangers from without. Spies from Araby seek to recover their lost conquest. Dark elves raid 
  harbours and ships at sea. Vampires stalk the barren hills and the city streets. Chimerae, manticores and 
  wyverns stalk the mountains, as do orc and goblin tribes.
  But the Estalians would have it no other way. Life is an adventure, a wild and unpredictable game of dice 
  not a slow and boring chess match; an epic ballad of love and war, not a funeral dirge. Strike the chord and 
  spill the wine and drive your courage to the sticking place, for life is to be lived while we have blood to live 
  it. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die but today we live in Estalia, and the rest of the world, - to 
  their great sadness - do not.
  A Brief Disclaimer
  The law and culture of Estalia have very narrow definitions of the role of women and the nature of gender 
  and sexuality. The authors in no way endorse or encourage these ideas. Anyone trying to tell any gender what 
  to do or where they belong should be strung up by their cojones.
  
  7
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  “To him that travels, all lands are one
  Except the land that calls him son”
   
  All’s Fell That’s Drachonfells, Act 5, Scene 6
  Far to the south of the cold and benighted Empire of Sigmar lies another land, a land of wide open plains warmed 
  by a gentle sun, bordered by perfect blue seas.  This great southern peninsular has been spared the worst ravages of 
  the Skaven, and knows little of Chaos. Here, magic is relatively safe, threats are distant and religious division is 
  unknown under the overarching protection of the Maiden Myrmidia.  Culture and scholarship bloom, and art, music 
  and the pursuit of pleasure dominate over all.  But without threats, the Kingdoms of Estalia have never needed to 
  unite against an outside force and so remain forever fractured.  Here, the enemy lies within, and the business of 
  politics, war and even love is settled with knives in the darkness or blades at dawn. So every citizen must be a master 
  swordsman if he hopes to live until his hair turns grey.  Beware then, the people of the south, for they are quick to 
  anger, slow to forget and their hands never leave their sword hilts - save only to drink their sweet lemon wine, or to 
  kiss the hand of a passing beauty.
  Principal Geography
  The Estalian Kingdoms – and at any given moment, none can be 
  sure just how many nations this may entail – are spread across the 
  great south-western outcrop of the Old World.  To its north east, 
  it is bordered by Bretonnia, to its south east by the city states 
  of the Tileans.  To the north, south and west it is bordered only 
  by the wild seas of the Great Western Ocean and the Southern 
  Sea.  The oceans have defined Estalian geography as much as its 
  history, with the harsh sea winds stripping its coasts bare of life, 
  but also blowing warm air north from the 
  deserts of Araby.  As such, the peninsular enjoys a warm temper-
  ate climate, arguably the most hospitable of anywhere in the Old 
  World.  The exceptions are the hot, dry weeks in the middle of 
  summer when the Estalians seek respite from the wind and sun 
  for much of the day.
  Under the brisk winds and hot sun, the land of Estalia has become 
  dry.  Its coasts are primarily sharp cliffs with rocky hinterlands, 
  and its interior is filed with tall mountains, bald hills and stony 
  bluffs.  In other places, the hills fall back to huge empty plains, 
  both manmade and natural.  Once, parts of Estalia were as forest-
  ed as the Empire, but the huge demand for ships led to massive 
  felling, creating even more plains and plateaus across the land.  In 
  some cases, this has even given way to desert-like areas, where 
  only thin sagebrush survives in the sand.  Although not true 
  deserts like the deadly Arabyan sands to the south, an Empire 
  visitor would find these desolate areas terrifyingly inhospitable.
  In this rocky landscape, the soil is frequently poor and the 
  fields do not grow the type of crops familiar to the northern-
  ers.  The plains hold giant fields of wheat and other grains, 
  while the bare hillsides grow small bushes of olives, onion 
  vines and brassica.  In the cooler north, orchards are common, 
  and the oranges and lemons of Estalia are famous across the 
  Old World.  
  The plains also hold herds of slender cattle and teams of tall, 
  strong horses and hardy hill donkeys.  Estalian horses are said 
  to have Arabyan blood, making them the swiftest in the Old 
  World. Couronnians would disagree, of course.
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  
  8
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  The Borders
  Although the sea places a firm limit on Estalian ambition 
  in three directions, its eastern borders are less clearly 
  defined.  Most Bretonnians take their border with the 
  peninsular at the south branch of the Brienne River (the 
  Seux-Brienne to the Bretons, La Trenza to the Estalians) 
  but in the hills both the river and the border become 
  poorly defined.  A Bretonnian Lord of Carcassonne would 
  not be surprised to find his domain included a few villages 
  filled with Estalians, and Breton villagers are used to 
  meeting with Estalian authorities.  Neither side feels the 
  need to enforce their borders and have let the situation 
  continue, for the most amicably, as long as the peasants 
  respect all authority that comes their way.  
  The south-eastern border is even more indistinct.  Across 
  the Abasko Mountains lies the city state of Tobaro.  Near 
  it lie several smaller city-states as well as other towns and 
  villages which pledge allegiance to these urban epicentres.  
  These are most definitely – and defiantly – independent 
  settlements under Tilean control and any Estalian force 
  foolish enough to forget that would taste the full force of 
  their eastern cousins’ wrath.  
  However, the mountains are deep and wild and refuse all 
  delineation.  Both sides claim their control extends to the 
  other side of the mountain range, and the petty kingdoms 
  high in those peaks are constantly waging tiny wars over 
  national sovereignty and border protection.  These feuds 
  are fuelled by racial pride and many have existed for 
  centuries - while others may have begun merely days ago 
  when one shepherd moved his herd of sheep a few yards in 
  the wrong direction. Centuries ago, a magnanimous prince 
  of Tobaro said that any house that could see the Tilean Sea 
  would be counted as Tilean but this only caused Estalian 
  owners to erect large eastern walls and Tilean houses to ac-
  quire enormous steeples or powerful spyglasses.  At times, 
  the larger cities and states are drawn into these conflicts, 
  causing the body count to skyrocket, but these are rare and 
  short-lived.  The narrow and deadly peaks and the lurking 
  greenskin tribes between them have so far prevented pro-
  tracted war, but the peaks are always claiming fresh lives.
  Within the Estalian Kingdoms, borders are equally as fluid 
  and poorly defined.  There are over a dozen major king-
  doms and more than a score of city-states on the peninsular 
  and often times the border markers are little more than a 
  line in the sand or a sign on a tree.  Only a guide with 
  expert knowledge can be sure which nation he finds 
  himself in at any given time.  Little wonder that travellers 
  from the law-filled Empire sometimes refer to Estalia as 
  the Land of Confusion.
  The Mountains
  Although Estalia is most famous for its sweeping plains, 
  it is its mountains that have most directed its history and 
  politics. Sprawling across its centre from east to west 
  are the mighty Irrana Mountains. This range divides the 
  land between north and south, and this division marks the 
  national character.  Regardless of their kingdom allegiance, 
  northerners will unite against the richer, more decadent 
  southerners, while southerners scorn the wilder, more 
  frivolous northerners – and both will heap scorn upon those 
  primitive, rustic folk foolish enough to live in the middle.
  There are few passes through the Irrana Mountains and their 
  deep valleys hide countless dangers from bandits, rebels and 
  monsters.  Fierce greenskin tribes stake out their territories, 
  and hordes of undead lurk in the dark caves.  Deeper still 
  are small skaven tunnel-empires, locked in deadly struggles 
  with small, isolated dwarven karaks.  Here too are remnants 
  of the Abasko people, the ancient residents of the penin-
  sular.  They worship strange gods and use even stranger 
  magics.  The mountains also hide tiny kingdoms and even 
  tinier villages, both of which may also display cultures and 
  beliefs that are alien and unknown to the rest of the land.
  Travel through the mountains is so slow and so dangerous 
  that north-south travel is typically done instead by going 
  around, either by boat or along the coastal roads.  It is joked 
  that it is quicker and safer to go from Magritta to Bilbali 
  via Lustria than through the mountains – yet still the roads 
  are not empty, as there is always the hope of gaining some 
  time or some financial advantage.
  The other major mountain range is the Abasko, running 
  north-south along the eastern border.  As the name suggests, 
  these are an even greater haven for the Abasko people.  
  Their villages exist in the gaps where the Estalians and 
  Tileans cannot or will not go, on the narrow ledges of the 
  most isolated peaks or in the most lonesome valleys, using 
  their strange stilt-walking art of Salto del Pastor to get 
  around.  They have lived in these places, in the same way, 
  for thousands of years, since before the coming of the 
  Estalii, before even the fall of Tylos (see Chapter Two).
  
  9
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  The closer islands benefit from much greater protection, 
  but are likewise more easily beset by pirates and Tilean 
  interests, and trade with these hot southern ports is always 
  a game of cat and mouse, as each port changes hands and 
  allegiances as often as the wind changes direction.
  The largest island in the Southern Sea is La Isla Atalaya.  It 
  is an Estalian nation state, built on the ruins of an ancient 
  Elven citadel.  Although fiercely anti-Tilean, it opens its 
  harbours to any ship of neutral colours, and as such is a 
  hotbed of intrigue known as the City of Whispers.
  The elves of Ulthuan have of course taken note of the 
  Estalian excursions across the oceans which they know so 
  well and in many cases, over which they believe they have 
  sole dominion.  Even the most generous elf considers the 
  Estalians dangerously naïve upstarts, travelling in places 
  beyond their understanding and ability.  Most importantly, 
  they fear that the Estalians risk becoming unwitting allies 
  or enslaved forces of their enemies, the dark elves of Nag-
  garoth.  This they cannot allow, so on top of all the other 
  dangers of the oceans, the elves been known to attack human 
  vessels on sight.  To hamper travel, they are also reclaiming 
  their ancient naval citadels, adding further to the chaos of 
  the southern islands, and making it harder for Estalians to 
  discern or care the difference between High and Dark elves.
  They are of course correct that their Dark Elf cousins seek 
  any route to gaining further mastery over the ocean and 
  vengeance against the High Elves. On the sea, the pitch 
  black slave arks of the Druchii are unmistakable, and their 
  witchblade raiders known and feared for the way they prey 
  on coastal towns, leaving only the old and frail behind. 
  Estalians consider most elves their enemies, but the Black 
  Raiders are hated with zeal and hunted to extinction.
  The Forests
  Once covered in forest, now only two large woods remain 
  in the peninsular.  In the north-west lies the massive Pina 
  Wood.  Like the mountains nearby it is difficult to navigate 
  and even more difficult to survive; trade routes divert around 
  it and no nation claims dominion over it.  This is because the 
  wood remains an outpost of the Wood Elves, like the forest 
  of Athel Loren to the north.  Unlike their northern brothers, 
  however, the elves of Pina Wood have withdrawn almost 
  entirely from the world and offer no counsel or parley with 
  the humans that surround them.  All that the average Estalian 
  knows is that those who go into Pina Wood come out 
  forever changed – if they come out at all.
  To the east lies Sombra Wood, the wood of shadows.  Here 
  there are few, if any, elves to be found.  This wood is the 
  domain of the undead.  Estalia has long battled the walking 
  dead and their dark masters, the vampires.  The largest col-
  lection of their enemy currently lies waiting in the Sombra, 
  using the dark forest to hide its numbers and prevent a great 
  army from destroying them.  At the head of this growing 
  force sits a conclave of vampire lords commanding great 
  depths of necromantic power.  Soon enough they will make 
  their move; Estalia’s vampire wars are not yet ended.
  The Sea
  More than any other people of the Old World, the Estalians 
  have conquered the seas.  Their lands, therefore, do not end at 
  the ocean’s edge, and they claim conquest of several islands 
  to the south and west, as well as several colonies in Lustria, 
  Naggaroth and on the Vampire Coast.  Many of these areas 
  are also home to Tilean claims and conquests, sometimes very 
  close by.  Indeed, the Tileans claim that all of Lustria belongs 
  to them (and this was once proclaimed holy writ by the 
  Ultima Aquila) because it was first discovered by the Tilean 
  Marco Colombo.  The Estalians scoff at this, pointing out 
  that first rarely means greatest, and the forays and 
  settlements of such Estalian heroes as Lustros, Avarro and 
  Aguerro more than entitles them to the entirety of the 
  continent.
  For the most part, however, this issues are purely theoretical, 
  as neither nation has a navy of sufficient size, speed or power 
  to defend their colonies, and most Estalian kings and queens 
  only care about their distant dominions to the extent that 
  they continue to provide gold, jewels or other treasures (see 
  Material Culture, below).  
  
  10
  The Cities
  The mountains and plains of the interior are scattered with 
  large towns and towering fortresses, but the only cities of any 
  real size or import lie along Estalia’s great coastline. A city 
  without a port, it is said, is like a house without a door. 
  Seasider Estalians typically mock their land-locked 
  neighbours as being backward and uncultured–even if those 
  they mock live but a mile from the coast.
  Estalia’s two most famous and by far largest cities are Bilbali 
  and Magritta. These twin jewels both claim to be the 
  unofficial (and at times, official) capitals of the peninsula, 
  and the kings and queens of these cities are known 
  throughout the Old World for their power, wealth and 
  influence. Likewise any sailor worth his salt from 
  Marienburg or Erengrad knows a girl in Bilbali or Magritta.
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  Farewell and adieu to you girls of 
  Magritta
  Farewell and adieu to you Magritta girls
  I’m sorry for partin’ but the sea has my 
  heart an’ 
  There’s a girl in Tobaro with fine golden 
  curls
  Never love a sailor, my mama said to me
  Never love a sailor, for they only love the 
  sea
  Mama I’m sad to tell you, I loved a boy 
  from Bilbali
  And now I’m sad to tell you of the gift 
  he’s left me
  Two entries in ‘The Marienburger 
  Omnibus of Sea Shanties and Nautical 
  Verse’
  Bilbali 
  Bilbali is the slightly smaller and poorer of the two 
  cities, and has the slightly weaker military and naval 
  forces; however, Bilbali more than makes up with this 
  with its opulence and pageantry. It is sometimes called 
  the City of Braggarts, for every Bilbalin will tell 
  anyone within earshot of his city’s glorious 
  pre-eminence over all other cities in the world. 
  Bilbali is also famous for its fantastic and frequent 
  celebrations, and sailors are always happy to stay a few 
  days in town for they almost guaranteed a grand party 
  of some kind. Although Bilbali is cut off from 
  Southern trade due to its northern location, it has 
  its own Lustria colonies and trades frequently with 
  Bretonnia and The Empire. 
  Indeed, so often do northerners come to Bilbali that the 
  city is also dubbed the Gateway to Estalia.
  Magritta
  Larger and more fortified than its northern cousin, Mag-
  ritta has to some a darker demeanour.  But while Bilbali’s 
  towers are far from the sea, Magritta’s mighty walls and 
  great spires ascend straight up from the very edge of the 
  perfectly calm Bay of Quietude to the great Temple of 
  Myrmidia and Duke’s Palace perched on the mighty hills 
  above. The glistening white pearl in the oyster of the bay is 
  almost blinding to look upon, but a blade’s edge glimmers 
  also.  Within this city of faith and fortune, all power is held 
  by merchant tyrants and the fury of the Inquisition–and 
  neither is keen to share its power. It is a city riven–and 
  often blood-soaked–by its devotion to two masters, and 
  each day brings more pilgrims and more traders to add fuel 
  to the fire, and that fire spreads out across the seas thanks to 
  Magritta’s enormous Armada of explorers and 
  pirate-killers. Yet unlike the rambunctious ways of 
  northern Bilbali, Magritta remains a city of gentlemen and 
  scholars, of manners and etiquette, of high culture and 
  exquisite art–not to mention more ale-houses than perhaps 
  any other port in the world.
  Estalian Relations
  “Chaos? What is that? One of your northern 
  superstitions?”
   
                                       -Duke Pedro of Lysboa
  It is difficult to characterise the Estalian view of other 
  nations as their exposure to them is so varied. An inlander 
  might have no idea of the existence of other nations, while 
  a citizen of Magritta might converse with Norscans and 
  Kislevites on a daily basis. Trade agreements can also have 
  a vast effect on exposure to foreign nations: two towns may 
  be separated by only a few miles but due to their trading 
  agreements one may know Bretons well, the other Empire 
  folk, and never the twain shall meet. The same goes for the 
  multifarious kingdoms, with each having their own policies 
  regarding and opinions of the rest of the Old World.
  One thing all Estalians agree upon, however, is that their 
  kingdoms are by far the greatest in the world.
  
  11
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  In general, Estalians see little difference between the 
  folk of Bretonnia and those of the Empire. Both come 
  from cold, wet, northern lands, where they insist on 
  wearing ridiculous armour and fighting with ridicu-
  lously heavy weapons. They are also famously po-faced 
  and dull, and given to always predicting the end of the 
  world. Of the two, the Bretons are slightly preferable, 
  because they understand chivalry, make good wine 
  and have the good sense to worship a woman, even if 
  the Lady is not a patch on the Maiden Myrmidia. The 
  Bretons have also proved strong allies of the northern 
  states in dealing with past incursions of Iron Orcs and 
  the Skaven.
  The southern Bretons usually return this respect, 
  viewing the Estalians as something like their younger 
  brothers. They feel the southern sun and lack of deadly 
  enemies at all sides have made the Estalians soft and 
  inattentive of the proper business of war. One day, 
  perhaps, the Estalians will need to grow up, but for now 
  the Bretons are happy to let them enjoy their 
  innocence.
  Men of the Empire are less patient, seeing the Estalians 
  as foolishly naïve or frustratingly frivolous. Just as 
  Kislevites resent the safety they provide the Empire, 
  Empire warriors believe that the Estalian joie de vivre 
  is only possible because of the Empire’s efforts and 
  sacrifices. Estalians are lampooned on the stage as being 
  extremely soft-living, mindless, fat, slovenly and cow-
  ardly, preferring to lie about drunk or reading poetry 
  instead of fighting. This lampooning stops however if 
  they ever serve with Estalian mercenaries, who shore 
  up their homeland’s reputation with an unexpected 
  courage, even when lacking strong Imperial armour. 
  Empire folk are also surprised at how quickly an 
  Estalian can go from languishing with wine, woman and 
  song to charging into battle and back again. Then the 
  northern soldiers wonder whether the hot sun makes all 
  Estalians into madmen who must do everything to the 
  extreme.
  Estalians are quick to defend themselves against slurs, 
  but they are forgiving of the northerner folk. To live 
  in such a cold, wet, strife-ridden, Chaos-marked place 
  makes them deserving of pity more than scorn. The 
  Estalians however spare no wrath when it comes to 
  their nearest neighbours, the Tileans. These two nations 
  share a common ancestry, a border and many national 
  characteristics, but most importantly they share an 
  enmity for the other that edges on the pathological.
  There is no real cause or event behind the enmity 
  between Tileans and Estalians.
  There is a great religious divide between the nations (see Faith, 
  below) but that is more a result of the antagonism than a cause. 
  Tileans and Estalians fight for the same reasons brothers fight: 
  they are so similar, and live in such close proximity, that they 
  seek every chance they can to find differences and faults in 
  their counterpart. Estalians will accuse Tileans of such things 
  as being thieves, cowards, shirkers, weaklings, fops, hypocrites, 
  betrayers, bastards, homosexuals, necromancers, dog-lovers and 
  women-beaters, and the Tilean litany in return will be much the 
  same. The most iconic insult however stems from the Tilean’s 
  devotion to finance and trade. Although Estalians equally pursue 
  trade supremacy, Tileans are seen as gold-hording bankers, who 
  will backstab anyone to increase their coffers. The stereotyped 
  Tilean captain sits in his cabin, effetely stroking his piles of gold 
  and paying off spies and traitors, instead of standing bravely at the 
  prow in the fury of the storm. A ‘Tilean promise’ is something 
  worth less than nothing, a ‘Tilean oath’ is something that lasts no 
  time at all, and a ‘Tilean bargain’ is being paid to take a dive.
  Tileans, in return, characterize Estalians as being too 
  foolish, stubborn or romantic to know a good deal or a 
  wise peace when they see one, preferring ever to fight or get 
  drunk than to actually accomplish anything. On the theatre 
  stages of Tilea, Estalians are sozzled berserkers, always 
  tilting at windmills or charging into trouble.
  For Estalians, the nadir of Tilean society and the confirma-
  tion of all their prejudices is Sartosa, the isle of pirates. The 
  pirates’ greed and lack of honour, in the Estalians’ eyes, 
  as well as their open worship of Ranald and Manann, mark 
  them as criminals and heretics: in other words, archetypical 
  Tileans. But for all the bluster, many an outlawed or exiled 
  Estalian has made his or her home there, far from the grasp 
  of the Inquisition.
  The last and most unique Estalian relationship is with the 
  land of Araby to the south. No other nation in the Old 
  World has anything like the ties Estalia has with this alien 
  land, and although their past history has involved terrible 
  wars and religious genocide (on both sides), their relation-
  ship has evolved into a truce of mutual respect. As long as 
  each party keeps its distance and never rattles its sabre, trade 
  flows fast between the two nations, both of goods and ideas. 
  Arabyan magic fills the courts of Estalian kings and Estal-
  ian steel is sold on the streets of Copher and Al-Haikk.
  
  12
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  The Estalian People
  “A Tilean seeks revenge in the morning; an 
  Estalian will kill you right away.”
   
  - Empire sailor’s proverb
  Sigmar’s Empire is forever divided because it was 
  formed from so many warring tribes. The Estalians have 
  no such excuse.
  Long before the time of Sigmar, the Reman Empire 
  spread out across the southern parts of the Old World 
  from the remnants of their capital, Tylos. The people of 
  the east took the name Tylosans, while the people who 
  journeyed west named themselves the Estali. At that 
  time, the Abasko tribes lived in the mountains to the 
  west, but these tribes were soon driven out or subsumed 
  into the expanding Estali. Soon, the new tribe occupied 
  the entire peninsula (apart from the remaining 
  strongholds of the Elves). Almost immediately, they 
  fragmented into hundreds of tiny nations, and the 
  fighting has been going on ever since.
  Lacking tribal identities, each Estali nation created its 
  own, and soon enough, membership of and loyalty to 
  these nations became the most important aspect of 
  Estalian life. So it is that through the ages, the Estalians 
  still champion loyalty and allegiance, and fight 
  passionately to defend their nationhood.
  Mass slaughter of their own tribesmen grew distasteful 
  over time, however, so rules were set up for duelling and 
  settling warfare through adjudication. Soon, borders 
  and kings could change without the decimation of the 
  populace, and Estalians learnt to accept such things. 
  Despite their pride, once the fighting was done, they 
  rarely sought revenge. For most Estalians, to lose to 
  the better man is no shame–as long as you showed the 
  courage to fight.
  With no deadly winters, and freed from the enemies 
  that beset other nations, life in Estalia is not quite as 
  cheap or short as it is in the north. As such, men came 
  to care greatly about what stories were told about them 
  as they grew old. Reputation and honour became sacred, 
  and these too would be defended passionately. To this 
  day, being accused of ill-doing in love, trade or war is an 
  outrageous thing for an Estalian of any rank and demands 
  a quick and violent answer: especially if it is true!
  Outsider’s Views
  “They dance more than Elves, fight 
  more than Dwarfs, drink more than 
  Kislevites and eat more than Halflings. 
  That don’t leave them no time for 
  working, I reckon.”
   
  Dagmar Weissner, Averlander 
  Innkeeper
  “The food, the wine, the women… mer-
  ciful Shallya, my years as ambassador 
  there were the best of my life. I curse the 
  day the Emperor called me back to this 
  sodding Reikland.”
   
  Lord Georg Grossman, 
  Imperial Ambassador to the Court of 
  Bilbali (retired)
  “They’re just like Tileans but have big-
  ger moustaches, don’t they? No? Is it the 
  Tileans who have the moustaches? Which 
  ones have the stupid hats?”
   
  Jurgen Hanse, Marienburg 
  Merchant
  “Everything they do is heresy and deg-
  radation, and their cities stink of whores 
  and criminals. If the orcs ever head 
  south, we should leave the Damned to 
  their fate.”
   
  Sir Henri de Monminot, Breton-
  nian Knight
  “Pig-eyed, donkey-loving, egg-sucking 
  sons of drunkards and whores! I kill any 
  of them that dare to come in here, I tell 
  you that for nothing!”
   
  Enzo Marcoclio, 
  Tilean Mercenary
  “They know how to hold a grudge. So 
  that’s a start.”
   
  Gurni Goldfindersson, Dwarfen 
  Shieldbreaker
  
  13
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  Passion defines everything in Estalia. The people are not 
  idiotic or suicidal, but they prefer action over thought 
  and boldness over caution. Estalians never do anything 
  by halves. They love with all their hearts promise all 
  their strength and never eat or drink without filling 
  themselves to bursting. To the Estalian, prudence and 
  parsimony are signs of poverty, cowardice, disloyalty 
  or weakness of conviction. He who holds back must be 
  hedging his bets; he who saves his strength in a battle is 
  keeping it to run away. Which is not to say the Estalians 
  do not think of the future: they are always thinking of 
  the future, which is why they must give their all today, 
  at this moment. Better to die and have songs sung about 
  your victory than to live with failure or dishonour.
  Famous Estalians
  The Empire’s histories have, for the most part, ignored 
  the accomplishments of Estalians, with only Tilean 
  explorers such as Pirazzo and Marco Colombo gaining a 
  mention in their works. Anyone mistaking these 
  individuals for Estalians will be ferociously corrected, 
  and the following names will likely then be discussed at 
  length:
  Vespucé Lustros – although most historians will, if 
  pushed, agree that Lustria is most likely named for the 
  gold it possesses in seeming endless quantities (lustros 
  being the Estalian word for gold), there is some evidence 
  that the name instead came from this eponymous 
  Estalian navigator. His now half-mythical voyages led to 
  the mapping of the entire southern continent, before he 
  was lost somewhere north of Naggaroth.
  Generale Henri Aguerro – Aguerro is also famed for his 
  explorations into the Lustrian continent, but more for 
  his conquests of the daemonic inhabitants than his 
  skilful sailing. Nicknamed “El Lobo Hambre”–the 
  starving wolf–Aguerro’s thirst for conquest and slaugh-
  ter is seemingly endless, and even to war-jaded Estalians, 
  borders on the obscene. Yet his conquests have done 
  more than anything else to ensure the gold and precious 
  stones flow back east.
  “Black Scarlet” – A “black woman” is one who kills 
  her husband, and a “scarlet woman” is a prostitute, so 
  this notorious pirate queen took both names to show her 
  disdain for men and their world. Although reported dead 
  many times, she always seems to be seen again.
  Miguel Molino – A poet and a (poor) historian, Moli-
  no’s works chronicled not just the past but the glorious 
  times in which he lived. This history of the last century 
  has become required reading in the scholams of the 
  peninsula, and has done much to enshrine the believe 
  that Estalia is experiencing a great golden age which sets it 
  apart from the benighted world around it.
  Jacopo Tarradasch – Empire folk and Tileans believe the 
  greatest playwright of the Old World was born in Tilea 
  but Estalians know he was born in a village just inside their 
  borders, and spent most of his formative years in Magritta, 
  a belief they can prove by the fact that Estalia is mentioned 
  three times more than Tilea in his collected works. Thus 
  they claim him as their native son: Magrittan festivals 
  celebrate “The Lyre,” as he is known, and his works are 
  performed constantly across the nation. Some Empire 
  travellers have heard translations of his work claimed as 
  originals by one Willhelm Pikewaver, a travelling player 
  from Marienburg, but any Estalian will reveal the truth of 
  this plagiarism.
  Non-Humans in Estalia
  As there are so few forests in the Estalian lands, and because 
  Elven mariners consider these southerners a threat, there are 
  few Elves seen on the Estalian mainland. And as Elven 
  attacks at sea become more common, those Elves that are 
  seen are more and more likely to be regarded as 
  untrustworthy, if not enemy spies. However, there is as yet 
  no war and the ports trade with Elven vessels when the coin 
  is good (and it usually is). Meanwhile, the Pina Wood and 
  other smaller forests are home to Wood Elves, but they 
  share their cousins’ dim view of humans and keep to 
  themselves far more than the Elves of the Empire.
  Far from their empire in the World’s Edge Mountains 
  Dwarfs are also rare in Estalia but are not unknown nor
   unwelcome. Indeed, Dwarfs are feted: Estalians feel 
  honoured to see a Dwarf so far from home, in a place 
  known for Elves, and tend to admire Dwarves greatly. They 
  see Dwarfs as having many of their own virtues: they enjoy 
  fine (if, to their tongues, sour) beer, they love their women 
  well, they take oaths, grudges and matters of the blood
   seriously, and they are always ready to fight. There are 
  even a few famous tavern toasts to Dwarfs (“Longest 
  beard drinks the deepest!” being the shortest) which most 
  drinkers know and will cheer when any Dwarf enters the 
  bar. And although the hills are not right for building karaks 
  (which is also why there are fewer Skaven), the veins of 
  iron and cuts of slate so common in that terrain means 
  dwarven expertise is valued highly and paid handsomely.
  The problem is, Dwarfs do not typically like Estalians. The 
  southerners are too long-spoken, too frivolous and far too 
  jolly for dwarven tastes–and far too interested in frivolities 
  like fashion and style. They are much more at home in 
  grimmer, northward parts like the Empire and Kislev.
  
  14
  They also know that the adulation of an acquaintance is 
  nothing like the respect of a comrade, and that Estalian 
  law is harshest to outsiders. Still, enough Dwarfs can 
  withstand living among Estalians for small communities 
  to appear in the all the large towns.
  As in Tilea, Halflings enjoy a more celebrated status in 
  the south than in the Empire. They are far less likely 
  to be servants and many princes field whole regiments 
  or orders of the little folk. Lumpin Crook’s Fighting 
  Cocks, the famous Empire regiment, often journeys 
  south to fill its numbers with veteran Estalian Halflings. 
  Halflings, with their love of all the gustatory arts, as 
  both purveyors and consumers, rejoice in the palettes 
  and ingredients open to them in the south. Halflings also 
  love the emphasis on art and theatre, but because they 
  so often end up as entertainers or hospitality workers 
  they do find that, outside the army, this is how they are 
  stereotyped. Halflings are seen as jesters, on and off the 
  stage–loved and adored for being so comical, but not 
  respected–after all, they are not true Estalians.
  With word of the lovely climate and conditions reaching 
  many Halflings in the Empire, the last century has seen 
  an ever-growing migration south. As this happens, the 
  new arrivals tell tales of the Empire, where a Halfling is 
  an Imperial Elector, and Halfling judges make laws for 
  Halfling guildsmen, and the Quinsberry Lodge supports 
  every Halfling worker. The revolution is a long way 
  from beginning but there is something in the wind of 
  Estalian Halflings wanting to be more than just mascots 
  and tokens, but will Halflings shirk their beloved com-
  fort to take a stand, and can they ever be taken seriously 
  in a land where joie de vivre is the highest virtue?
  The Estalians have little knowledge of the Skaven. 
  They do not live in denial like the Empire; rather their 
  rocky nation seems to resist extensive tunnelling and the 
  Ratmen are considered more of a Tilean problem. Only 
  Tileans would make so many business deals they would 
  end up dealing with such beasts. Mutants are almost 
  entirely unknown as well. Chaos and its tainting 
  influence do not seem to take root in the blessed hills, 
  although giant beasts like minotaurs and dragon-ogres are 
  not unknown in the terrifying peaks of the mountains, 
  and collections of Beastmen lurk in the caves 
  beneath–the ones not occupied by goblins, that is.
  Vampires are more known in Estalia than perhaps anyone 
  outside the blighted land of Sylvania. The horror of the 
  War of Blood (see Chapter Two) has left the Estalians 
  terrified of the vampires that may yet live among them. 
  Vampire hunters are not shunned, and common sense de-
  fences such as garlic and daemonsbane plants are ubiquitous. 
  Looking glasses are loved by ladies and men for more than 
  just adjusting ones hairs–although that is also  extremely 
  important.
  The Language
  Estalians speak Estalian, a language derived from the ancient 
  language which the Empire scholars know as Classical.  
  Both the Tilean and Estalian tongues resemble the 
  Classical language and each other, although each has their 
  own idiosyncrasies due to the passage of time and the 
  demands of culture. To the Empire ear, Tilean and Estalian 
  are nigh-identical, and both travellers and scholars often 
  get them confused.  Although the Estalians and Tileans 
  will deny it furiously, the languages are similar enough 
  for a speaker of one to understand a speaker of the other, 
  and there are few scholars who, after mastering one, do not 
  master the other.
  Estalian is not a difficult language to learn, but there are 
  a few impediments. One thing visitors often have trouble 
  with is that Estalian relies a lot on intonation. Questions 
  are expressed not through a change of words, as in Reikspiel, 
  but simply changing the tone of voice–a tone which may 
  not be obvious to the visitor. Where an Empire person may 
  say, “Are there orcs in the mountains?” an Estalian would 
  simply say, “Orcs in the mountains?”
  Another aspect of Estalian which northerners find confus-
  ing is that qualifiers such as adjectives and adverbs always 
  come after the thing they are modifying.  While Empire 
  folk will refer to a beautiful woman or dark magic, 
  Estalians would phrase such things as the woman who is 
  beautiful, and the magic that is dark.  Both of these are 
  fairly easy to role-play, and can add a lot of atmosphere 
  to Estalian games. This is also the key difference between 
  Tilean and Estalian: Tileans always put their adjectives first, 
  and a careless spy may make just such a mistake with his 
  grammar.
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  
  15
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  An Estalian Lexicon
  aficionado – one who enjoys or appreciates something with great passion, fervour and scholarship, be that 
  thing wine, women, song, battle, the toreo or anything else. A high compliment.
  ajenores – literally ‘foreigners’.  Commonly used to mean enemies
  bario – village or local area
  barista – minor bureaucrat, taxman or some other annoying official
  belleza – young lady, typically a romantic interest
  bruja – someone who associates with vampires, hence also any traitor
  bueno dios – good morning!
  bueno pasaje – good bye! (literally ‘travel well’)
  caballero – once this meant a member of the knightly orders, but nowadays it means a lower-ranked 
  nobleman or titled landowner. Over centuries of breeding a caballero may one day rise to be hidalgo.
  calla – street
  campeo – champion. Often used ironically to mean an idiot, fool, or dead man, in the sense of one who takes 
  on impossible causes guaranteed to fail or get him killed. Typical examples are defying a prince or the 
  Inquisition. 
  castillo – castle. Torre (tower) is often used interchangeably, not least because most Estalian castles are tall 
  and narrow watch-houses, as opposed to the sprawling manses of the north.
  castro – a very old man, hence also a traveller who has seen much or a warrior who has fought many battles
  caza blanca – the ‘white hunt’, politics and spying, the game of thrones, for the fairer skin of the wealthy. 
  Also sometimes to hunt vampires, for their skin is the whitest of all.
  colorado – literally ‘painted’, meaning one who paints his skin brown to fake having travelled far or marched 
  long. Hence used for anyone trying to claim he is something he is not.
  Costranova, El – the New World, Lustria, etc.
  culo – an idiot or fool
  cujo – crazy. When referring to a warrior, to be bloodthirsty or frenzied
  custodes – officials, typically of church or state. The employers of baristas.
  diestro – literally ‘skilled’, one trained in the blade. Not necessarily one of the Diestro career
  dominar – ruler of a town or small province, the employer of custodes
  luchador – pit-fighter, brawler
  
  16
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  An Estalian Lexicon
  guitarra –  a stringed instrument not unlike a Bretonnian lute, but far louder.  Played by guitarristas.
  hidalgo – a nobleman
  maestro – a great swordsman and/or lover and/or artist
  mesizo – literally ‘mixed’. Used to describe the convoluted, confusing and strife-riddled nature of 
  Estalian history, politics, religion, and, indeed, anything else. Typically said with a shrug, as if that explains 
  everything
  niño – young boy, or a warrior who has yet to see battle or find a woman. El niños are famously annoying.
  Perplejores, El – ‘the mysteries’, the magical arts. Often shortened to el perples.
  protégés – town guard, usually distinct from the vigilares
  pueblo – people, usually the common people
  puerta – gate or doorway, but also used to mean prison
  puerto – bridge or port
  puta – a prostitute
  puto – a whoremonger, a terrible insult
  rodelero – a cattle-man who rides a horse, rounding up his cows; hence, also a bounty hunter. Although, 
  assassin is a better translation as most bounties are paid for the head, not the man.
  solidaro – soldier
  taverna – inn
  vencor de molino – literally, defeater of windmills. A braggart or coward who wins by taking on something 
  that can’t fight back, or arranges for that outcome (such as charging a man to a duel when he is due to ship 
  out). Based on a madman they say haunts La Mesa.
  viajero – literally ‘traveller’ but almost always used to mean warrior or a tough customer (the opposite of a 
  nino)
  vigilares – soldiers of the prince or kingdom charged with keeping the law between the cities, something akin 
  to the Empire’s roadwardens
  
  17
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  Estalian Religion
  Unlike the Empire, Estalians are united in their worship 
  of Myrmidia, their national goddess. However, they 
  also recognise other deities that the Empire knows 
  well, namely Morr, Verena and Shallya. These gods are 
  seen not as separate entities but as part of Myrmidia’s 
  extended family, and worshipping them is included in 
  worshipping her.  Some priests specialise in the worship 
  of Myrmidia’s father, mother or sister, but they remain 
  part of the Myrmidian priesthood. They consider the 
  Empire very strange in their insistence on splitting gods 
  up into individual cults and individual aspects, when, in 
  truth, all great aspects are enshrined in the Maiden 
  Myrmidia herself.  She is no mere warrior god in 
  Estalia–she embodies knowledge, strength, purity, 
  courage, passion, wisdom and much more.
  As it is more centralised, religion is also more organized 
  and formal in Estalia than in the Empire. The cult and 
  its traditions are integral to everyone’s life, and hardly a 
  single person will be found missing the weekly mass at 
  their central duomo. All houses feature statues or sym-
  bols of the goddess, and there are very few among the 
  secular population who do not wear her symbol around 
  their neck, or carry her Battle Beads in their pocket, each 
  bead recalling one of her great Battles, each with its own 
  lesson for the faithful. Some may follow one of her 
  family and be bedecked accordingly; others place special 
  affection on one of Myrmidia’s many Shieldmaidens 
  and the virtue embodied by her, gaining faith and power 
  from their particular devotion.  Young boys and girls 
  alike often take a God, Shieldmaiden, or Venerated 
  Soul as their patron when they reach the age of ten, in a 
  ceremony not unlike dooming in the Empire.
  With much of the law changeable and the secular power 
  scattered across the countless small kingdoms, final 
  authority (at least in the south) is rooted in the church. 
  Their word is law and their decrees almost always 
  supported by the secular powers. Nowhere is this more 
  obvious than in the actions of the Inquisition. This 
  separate and secretive cult body is empowered to do 
  whatever it takes to detect Chaos, dark magic, heresy, 
  sedition, vampires and foreigners dwelling among all the 
  people of the Estalian Kingdoms. Those foreigners who 
  test the power of these black-robed priests are not long 
  for this world. Mostly they work in secret, but men and 
  women burn on their fires regularly, and they claim the 
  continued safety of the land is proof enough that their 
  actions are justified and their crusade successful–and, as 
  with the rest of their actions–no-one has the power to 
  dare question this.
  Myrmidian priests have a unified look to them: simple 
  dark brown robes and small round hats. Many are also 
  accompanied by their signature bird, either in life or in the 
  form of a pin or brooch: an eagle or hawk for Myrmidian 
  purists, a vulture for those who worship her father more 
  prominently, an owl for those who serve her mother and 
  a dove or pigeon for followers of her sister. This is so 
  common that many priests are talented falconers and large 
  temples typically feature rookeries or the like for the 
  sacred birds. In the north, Myrmidian priests are derided as 
  “bird lovers” or “feather-brains”.
  Estalian Superstition
  Although the Myrmidian faith is omnipresent in the 
  peninsula, superstition persists. Sailors and soldiers are 
  especially superstitious, and there are few in the entire 
  nation who are not one or the other, or close to one of 
  them. The fear of vampires and the undead has also led 
  to many superstitions to guard against them. A classic 
  example of this is finger-pricking. This is a simple act 
  where a sword blade or hairpin is used to prove that the 
  blood in ones thumb or finger is flowing and red, not slow 
  and yellow as in a zombie or black as in a vampire. Hedge 
  wizards and witches often begin their rituals with prick-
  ings of themselves and their audience, and duels, oaths 
  and ventures are often begun the same way; the original 
  meaning of this security device long forgotten.
  Another tradition which many have forgotten began as 
  vampire protection is the wearing of scarves and necker-
  chiefs; in much of the nation it is considered both 
  impolite and bad luck to expose one’s neck in public.  
  Estalians also typically make the sign of Myrmidia–a 
  clenched fist touched to the chest–when they pass a 
  graveyard, gibbet or crossroads, as restless souls may be 
  lurking. The more superstitious do it whenever they meet 
  a stranger or foreigner–just in case.
  Sometimes, pricking goes further: soldiers and warriors 
  often draw their own blood when swearing oaths or 
  preparing for battle. These cuts are made on the hands, 
  arms, chest or face. Some go so far as to cause actual 
  scarification as the ultimate symbol of devotion or 
  courage. Tattooing, a more elegant form of scarification 
  is also popular, in many varieties and styles. A tattoo of an 
  anchor ensures the bearer can never be lost at sea, a tattoo 
  of a drawn blade indicates a search for vengeance and a 
  tattoo of a vulture asks Father Morr to bear you painlessly 
  into death. The more faithful or ostentatious tattoo more 
  overt and elaborate symbols of their god, or their chosen 
  Shieldmaiden (see Chapter Seven).
  
  18
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  Estalians have many horror stories involving the forests 
  and trees.  Since most of their nation is free of such 
  things, the forest has an alien and frightening quality, 
  and those forests they do have are also home to dark 
  forces. However, the legends have become somewhat 
  more extemporaneous. It is considered bad luck to sleep 
  alone in the shade of a tree. Likewise, others consider 
  sleeping on grass to be bad luck, and need cold stone or 
  a proper straw bed to be safe. Fires should never be lit 
  within sight of the forest that provided the wood, or the 
  trees may try to take back their own. Many sailors and 
  soldiers distrust wooden weapons, believing that only 
  steel or sharpened stone may be relied upon in battle.
  One of the most persistent superstitions of Estalia is the 
  beast known simply as the Black Dog.  Others call him 
  the Dog of Misery or Misfortune, and with good reason. 
  It is said that any who see the dog will suffer a great ac-
  cident or injury by the end of the day. The dog is usually 
  only glimpsed at a distance, and descriptions of his breed 
  vary, but he is always a hunting dog. Some say he is the 
  size of a horse, others tell of him being small enough 
  to hide in city alleys, but he is always black and short-
  nosed, and wearing an expression of ineffable sadness. 
  Interestingly, in Kislev lore, there is a legendary figure 
  called Misfortune who is described as a black shadow 
  who causes things to be stolen or go missing. Some have 
  likened him to Ranald, the Empire’s God of Thieves.
  Thanks to their suffering at the hands of black-faced 
  Arabyans, the Estalians often consider dark skin to be 
  the sign of an enemy.  However, pale white skin is also 
  associated with the horror of the vampire kings and 
  queens and their undead servants (not to mention the 
  foolish men of the north), so that colour is also shunned. 
  A rosy glow or warm tan is considered the premium 
  colour of health and trustworthiness: in order to get 
  exactly the right tan, rich Estalians often go to a 
  specially-built ‘solarium’ as part of their public baths. 
  Poorer ones buy a make-up which is supposed to make 
  pale skin look healthier and dark skin brighter, but often 
  just makes them look orange. The ghostly white face 
  powders used by northern women are considered 
  hideous, and the plastered theatre clowns of the Empire 
  look like terrifying monsters to Estalian folk.
  Racism in Estalia
  As the preferences for skin colour mentioned above would 
  indicate, there is much racial division in Estalia, and from it 
  stems a strong cultural emphasis on appearance. Those with 
  too dark skin will be considered to be of Arabyan blood or 
  sunburned peasant stock, those of too light or pallid skin 
  may be considered of vampiric heritage (or a sluggard or a 
  coward, shirking work or battle). Hairy, unkempt types are 
  typically mountain folk, known for their primitive ways 
  and dark sorcery.  Being of impure blood is not just 
  something that draws negative stigma and low social status; 
  it can indeed bring down the hand of the law against you, 
  and may even catch the attention of the Inquisition. In 
  some kingdoms it is a crime in itself to be of impure blood 
  (although a difficult one to prove) so everyone strives 
  to remove any doubt of their true Estalian ancestry and 
  look. This is is one reason why fashion is so important: he 
  who looks his best is simply less likely to be considered a 
  criminal or a heretic. It is almost the reverse of Bretonnian 
  sumptuary laws where only those of certain ranks may dress 
  with flair; in Estalia a poor man with a good tailor can rise 
  above a noble with an unfashionable ruff.
  Material Culture
  “Drink, for tomorrow we die–or the rum may run 
  out. Either is terrible.”
   
  Capitan Iglesia, of the Mercato
  Dress
  Two of the crops that grow extremely well on the Estalian 
  plains are cotton and flax, and as a result, cloth is something 
  the Estalians have in abundance. They also have access to 
  dyes that people of the Empire could not imagine: bright 
  yellows and oranges from Araby spice, blood reds from 
  their own roses and of course the new, incredible indigos 
  from Lustria. As a result, Estalians–even some peasants!–
  wear the most outlandish, extensive and colourful costumes 
  in the Old World. A northern stranger could easily mistake 
  a common Estalian labourer for an entertainer or a 
  merchant.
  
  19
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  Any opportunity to add more material is seized upon 
  and used to the utmost: men wear long capes with wide 
  collars and have oversized lapels and folds on their dou-
  blets and pantaloons. Shoes are long-tipped and scarves 
  are long-tasselled. Women wear skirts supported by 
  enormous farthingales or enlarged with countless ruffles 
  or waves. Ruffles also appear on sleeves and necklines, 
  which are typically straight and high or complimented 
  with a scarf. Among the wealthy, ruffs are preferred and 
  they too are enormous.  Wealthy women also have access 
  to petticoats, corsets, undersleeves and other garments 
  which would boggle the mind of a northern burgher. 
  Although a typical Estalian peasant will wear a white or 
  brown smock and a wide-brimmed hat while working 
  in the fields to protect himself from the heat, the same 
  peasant at a fiesta or even any special occasion will be 
  wear not only far finer clothes than his Empire coun-
  terpart, but probably also many more items and layers. 
  Should any of this threaten to droop or sag too much, 
  the surfeit of Estalian cattle, sheep and goats makes 
  leather and catgut elastic as equally common as cloth.
  Of all items of costume, however, there are two that are 
  indispensable and indisputably Estalian. The first is the 
  cape. With warm days but cold nights the standard, and 
  cool sea breezes whipping through sun-drenched streets, 
  the Estalians need a garment that can accommodate 
  temperature swings and the cape does this nicely. It also 
  allows dramatic flourishes, the display of extraordinary 
  stitchwork and embroidery, keeps off the rain squalls 
  and most importantly, hides one’s intent where needed. 
  Whole dances, plays, systems of etiquette and of course, 
  sword styles revolve around the cape. 
  The other indispensable item is of course the hat. Some 
  rest during the day to avoid its harsh rays, but those who 
  cannot protect themselves with a broad-brimmed hat. 
  You can tell much about a man–or a lady–by the hat he 
  or she wears. Nobles at the city courts compete for the 
  most elaborate and extravagant hats, bearing the widest 
  brims, the shiniest buckles and the longest feathers, 
  while soldiers and sailors often never remove theirs for 
  fear of terrible bad luck that must follow. Young boys 
  often get a man’s hat when they get their sword, and 
  treat both just as seriously. Women are less keen on hats, 
  for only a poor woman needs to go out in the sun often, 
  but at special events they put men’s hats to shame.
  Priests of Myrmidia wear small hats in Estalia, if any. 
  They are also easily spotted for being clean-shaven–as 
  with their small hats this shows their rejection of 
  common pleasures. Moustaches, beards, sideburns and all 
  other varieties of facial hair are a lynchpin of Estalian 
  fashion and culture.  Like his hat, the cut of a man’s 
  facial hair can tell his colleagues, his opponent or his 
  paramour everything about him, such as his wealth, his 
  status, his birthplace or his occupation. Having a fine and 
  well-dressed beard or moustache is a matter of great pride 
  and personal esteem. Estalia even has merchants who devote 
  themselves solely to the art of dressing hairs, men who are 
  nothing like the brutal barber-surgeons of the north lands.
  Women, meanwhile, wear their hair long and unbound, 
  shunning the tight pigtails or wound buns of the north. 
  Kohl from Araby is favoured to highlight the eyes, and 
  various other powders are preferred to make the skin 
  glow. Although superstition typically demands the neck 
  be covered with a ribbon or thin scarf, the warm climate 
  encourages bare shoulders and short sleeves, not to mention 
  skirts which rise near the knee, a sight rather shocking to 
  many Empire nobles.
  That is the traditional way of Estalian dress, but a colder 
  wind has begun blowing lately. Inspired or perhaps intimi-
  dated by the ever-watchful Inquisition, some Estalians have 
  begun to dress differently, in solid black, to demonstrate 
  their sobriety and prudence. Men’s ruffs remain white, but 
  become small, tucked in to high collars and serving mainly 
  to ensure the wearer’s face does not look too vampirically 
  pale against his doublet. Meanwhile, pious women cover 
  their faces with veils (matillas) draped over tall head-dress-
  es (peinetas). Sobriety and piety do not preclude subtle 
  displays of wealth, of course, and these black ensembles are 
  frequently of expensive Cathayan silk or intricately woven 
  lace. The most expensive are not black at all but deep purple. 
  Some authorities have introduced sumptuary laws, 
  proscribing certain clothes to certain classes of people. 
  Foreigners, in particular, need to be careful not to dare 
  too much, lest they attract the attention of the proteges, 
  vigilares, or worse, the Inquisition itself.
  The Colour Purple
  Prior to the discovery of the amazing indigo 
  plant, purple dye could only be manufactured 
  from certain obscure mushrooms grown in 
  goblin-infested caves, or from the gizzards of the 
  giant sand-clam. 
  Thus until recently (and still very much the case 
  in the Empire), only the fabulously wealthy or 
  highly titled could afford to wear the colour, 
  and it was a clear sign of great power. With 
  ships returning from Lustria stocked with the 
  new purple flower, however, visitors to Estalia 
  will be shocked and confused to see the colour 
  everywhere. It is particularly popular with young 
  women, always keen to have the newest fashions 
  and styles–and thus also no longer impressed by 
  the traditional overtures of uncultured soldiers or 
  untraveled sailors. 
  This increasing class of more demanding women 
  have been nicknamed “Indigo Girls” for their 
  ubiquitous fashion choice.
  
  20
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  Food and Drink
  Compared to the Empire, Estalian cuisine is full of 
  variety and complexity. Estalians often eat several differ-
  ent meats or vegetables in one dish.  Estalians also favour 
  “flat” foods: they shun soups, stews and pies for dishes 
  served on plates where every part of the dinner is visible 
  and accessible at once, or is even scattered over many 
  plates. Eating out of deep bowls is considered something 
  for Tileans or northern folk, for poor cooks who need to 
  hide their ingredients.
  They do however use bowls for sauces and wine, into 
  which they dunk bread or their thin sausages (which, 
  to Empire folk, are suspiciously lacking in blood or 
  offal). Wine is the drink of choice with Estalian meals, 
  although it is unlike any other wines in the Old World. 
  The Estalians add fruit juices and the new-found sucre 
  to the wines and then let them ferment, thus creating 
  extremely sweet brandies and punches. The strongest 
  of these is known as “port” because it is so favoured by 
  sailors returning from sea. The sweetness of these wines 
  causes many travellers (and indeed native Estalians) to 
  drink to excess without realising it. Harder spirits with 
  the typical kick northerners are used to include ozo, 
  birra and the mysterious mesquila. Made from a plant 
  found solely in the New World, a bottle of mesquila can 
  cost as much as a small house, but the nobles who can 
  afford it swear it has magical properties. A few secret 
  clubs now exist to try to control access to this enigma.
  The New World has of course had a gigantic effect on 
  Estalian cuisine over the last millennium. New fruits, 
  vegetables and game birds are brought over every year 
  and the wealthiest nobles take pride in serving foods that 
  no-one in the Old World have ever seen or tasted before. 
  Nothing has had quite so much as an effect, however, as 
  sucre, the sticky grey syrup made from Lustrian trees. 
  This “black gold” as it is known to merchant sailors has 
  added something heretofore unknown to the diets of any 
  Old Worlder: sweetness. Combined with the discovery 
  of the bitter but intriguing coco bean, the Estalians 
  have invented the concept of dessert. The syrup is added 
  to everything, though and sucre-filled dishes are eaten 
  throughout the day. The greatest new craze is melting 
  sucre and coco into a very thick sauce into which is 
  dunked sweetened bread. Others are mixing creams and 
  jellies with this sauce to make even more delicious 
  concoctions. So far, only nobles and wealthy merchants 
  can afford these luxuries often, but every person in a big 
  port has tasted some kind of sweet and is keen for more.
  Domestic Estalian food also has plenty to startle the 
  foreigner. Their dry hills provide olives, legumes and 
  nuts and vast quantities of citrus fruits and sweet melons, 
  as well as spices and herbs that will not grow in the cold 
  north. From Araby come even more spices, both the exotic 
  such as saffron and turmeric, and vast quantities of the more 
  familiar black pepper and rock salt. As a result, even the 
  peasant food of the south is full of enough spice to make a 
  proud Ulrican’s eyes water, and a Tilean turn up his nose at 
  so much excess. In typical fashion, however, the Estalians 
  take huge amounts of pride in how ridiculously spicy, sour 
  or sweet their foods are, and seek out such sensations with 
  the same passion they seek wine, women and song.
  Architecture
  Estalia’s hills are full of stone, from hard granite to dusty 
  chalk to sharp slate. As such, Estalian houses are almost 
  universally made of stone. Stone holds the day’s heat into 
  the cold night and the night’s cool into the day, making 
  it perfect for the climate. Houses also have an open design 
  to catch warming sun or cooling breezes, and often have 
  rooms without a ceiling. Poorer houses that cannot afford 
  to wall in such areas simply have tables, chairs and even beds 
  outside, something foreigners find most strange.
  More shocking though is for their Breton neighbours to see 
  peasants living in stone houses. In Bretonnia, it is forbid-
  den for any peasant to build with stone, under punishment 
  of death. More than one passing knight has mistaken a 
  common taverna for a nobleman’s house because of its 
  construction, and more than one have executed the owners 
  for their crime.
  City buildings are similarly made of stone and so often 
  tower three or four storeys where their Empire 
  counterparts only manage two. Trademen have their 
  workshops on the ground floor and sleep in the space above, 
  although in summer especially a lot of life is led outdoors, 
  in the streets and public squares: Estalian streets are rarely 
  empty and usually noisy. Wealthy houses are built around 
  a courtyard and have windows facing inwards rather than 
  outside. This windowlessness would give their exteriors a 
  fortress-like appearance if wealthy townsmen did not use 
  these facades to demonstrate their wealth with expensive 
  ‘trampantojo’ murals and sculptures boasting of their 
  business successes or charitable and religious efforts.
  
  21
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  Music, Art and Science
  Although the Tileans might disagree, there is no nation 
  in the Old World where the artistic pursuits are as 
  championed as they are in Estalia. Unlike the Empire, 
  however, they tend to shun theatrical productions and 
  travelling circuses for more intimate art forms. Poets are 
  particularly prized, with the new broadsheets allowing 
  them to publish their works across whole towns or even 
  principalities. Balladeers and guitarristas are equally 
  famed, and anyone with musical skill will find himself 
  welcomed with open arms in any village in the land. 
  They can also be guaranteed free food and board if they 
  play in the plaza or taverna. As wanderers and libertines, 
  they are looked on suspiciously by the Inquisition, but 
  the black-robed moral watchmen have not dared to move 
  against the guitarristas in any numbers yet. Music and 
  poetry are considered the premium foods of love, 
  and beaus will slave over creating their own works or 
  pay highly for professionals to create or perform for 
  them. Of course, it is not just love that must have its 
  songs–there are songs for duels, births, deaths, weddings, 
  funerals, wars, festivals, crimes and punishments. Most 
  everything in Estalia, it seems, has musical accompani-
  ment.
  Painting and sketching are the two other great art forms 
  of choice in the kingdoms. Again, thanks to the dyes 
  and oils available from Lustria and Araby, new palettes 
  and styles are being explored and Estalian paintings are 
  famous for their vividness and often blinding use of 
  colour. Meanwhile, sketchers pursue more and more 
  naturalistic works, which is where the art coincides with 
  science. This, and the need for more and more accurate 
  navigation has allowed this fledgling field to achieve 
  a prominence far beyond what it has in the Empire. 
  Although the eldritch manipulations of Gold Magic is 
  still mistrusted, the art of studying nature and examining 
  mathematics is believed to be beneficial even when it 
  doesn’t automatically lead to faster boats or bigger guns. 
  Medicine, alchemy and optics march on towards new 
  marvels and discoveries every day, albeit all the time 
  under the watchful eyes and tight reins of an increasingly 
  suspicious Inquisition, ever-ready to annihilate anything 
  that even hints of heresy. And with good reason–even 
  the casual observer has noticed how many scientists have 
  given way to temptation and started worshipping false 
  gods or studying forbidden rites, and gives thanks that 
  the Inquisition is there to protect them.
  El Toreo
  Perhaps nothing is so emblematic of the 
  poetic and courageous spirit of the Estalians 
  as this, their national sport. The Estalians 
  play many sports, and all of them are full of 
  grandeur, pageantry and blood, but none has 
  all three to the level of the toreo. A wild and 
  ferocious bull is led into a ring, whereupon 
  lone men with swords attempt to enrage it to 
  a killing frenzy by poking it with darts and 
  small spears, then distract it with flashes of 
  their capes. The aim is for the torero to come 
  as close as possible to being torn to pieces 
  by the frenzied bull without actually being 
  injured. The bulls are not stupid, however, 
  and quickly learn to ignore the cape and gore 
  the human poking them. Just as this happens, 
  the torero slides under the horns and stabs the 
  bull in the neck, killing it. Again, the torero 
  must judge risk, for to get to the throat he 
  must risk being torn apart; a less risky stroke 
  hits the lungs or just the loose flesh of the 
  shoulders and the bull needs more strokes to 
  kill. The crowd is the sole judge of a torero’s 
  performance: if they believe he has taken 
  great risks, they will applaud and perhaps 
  throw flowers, if they found him cowardly 
  or dull, they will boo and perhaps throw 
  stones. The audience believes they deserve 
  the best possible show because they also take 
  a risk– all too often the enraged bull charges 
  into the stands, seeking easier prey.
  There are countless variations of the toreo. 
  Sometimes, the human is on horseback and 
  uses a lance, making his strikes stronger but 
  adding the difficulty of controlling the horse. 
  In some places, this sport uses more men 
  against the giant bulls known as los diablos. 
  In the mountains, horrible Chaos minotaurs 
  are sometimes used, in what is believed to be 
  the original form of the sport. Dwarfs, who 
  understand what it is to prove their worth by 
  taking insane risks, are said to be great fans 
  of the activity, and a few have even become 
  great toreros. The greatest toreros become 
  celebrities in their home nation and may even 
  tour the kingdoms or dine with their king or 
  queen. Certainly after proving himself in the 
  ring, triumphant torero has no lack of female 
  admirers.
  
  22
  Chapter I: The Land And Its Peoples
  The Abaskos
  The Estalian Kingdoms are populated by the descendants of the Estalii, the first tribe to populate the area after the fall of 
  the Reman Empire. In the Irrana and Abasko mountains and the deeper forests there remains a society descended from an even 
  older people: the Abaskos. Separate from the Estalians, they have their own language, laws, customs and faith, a fact which 
  often bring them into conflict with the nations of which they now find themselves members.
  The Abaskos tend to be shorter and hairier than the Estalians, although that may be simply a measure to survive the winter 
  cold in the high mountains. They are keenly adapted to this terrain, and can navigate and traverse the most vertiginous peaks 
  with an accuracy and speed that Estalians find mind-boggling and possibly supernatural.  Superstitious or religious Estalians 
  often suspect the Abaskos of being witches or the harbourers of vampires. This is more than just a disdain for their more 
  subsistence-based culture: Abaskos religion centres around plant worship, similar to some of the ancient nature cults of the 
  Empire. Each Abasko village contains a sacred sapling, and Abasko priests claim to commune with plants for wisdom and 
  guidance. There are even stories of blood sacrifices being made to the sacred trees, but this is probably just a myth.
  Most Estalian princes have never had a reason to eradicate or bring to heel the Abasko villages in their nations. However, 
  the Inquisition takes a dim view of the heresy of the mountain men, and more than once have directed the secular authorities 
  to support them in their pogroms into the mountains. The Abaskos are good at hiding however, and are not too proud to 
  disguise either themselves or their religion until the priests leave again or the soldiers get tired of trying to manoeuvre in the 
  peaks. More subtle priests of the Maiden have declared the trees sacred to Myrmidia, and included their worship into their 
  rituals.
  
  23
  A Strange Turn
  A Strange Turn
  Sir Gilbert urged his mount into the dreary looking village. The roads here were terrible, and 
  he had a hard time believing this was the route to Bilbali. The pedlars he had passed had been 
  quite emphatic that this was the right road, however, but then again, they had been emphatic 
  that the sun was indeed shining very brightly that day, and that their wine was made from the 
  Myrmidia’s own vineyards. There was nothing they had not been emphatic about, he mused.
  At last he reached what looked like an inn. Crude emblems were painted on the door. Typical 
  peasant superstition, thought Gilbert, of the kind he had seen throughout the Old World. 
  The knight banged his gauntleted fist on the door. For a moment, no-one answered, and Sir 
  Gilbert sighed, deeply and with a great weariness of soul. He raised his hand to knock again 
  when the door burst inward. Already swinging, his metal fist collided with a red and bulbous 
  nose, knocking its owner back into the taverna, sprawling on the ground. In a moment, the 
  man was up again, his cape swirling around him and his hat snatched before it had finished 
  spinning. Laughter echoed behind him in the full bar.
  “I am Sir Gilbert de Arnaud, Knight–“ was as far as he got before the flushed Estalian poked 
  a steeled finger into his breastplate. “Silence, outlander! I do not care who you are! You have 
  dared to accost the most exalted personage of Diego Eduardo della Condorro de Magnifico, 
  and I demand restitution!”
  The speech was fast and garbled equally by alcohol and the enormous whiskers which seemed 
  to swallow the man’s mouth, but by the stance of the man, Sir Gilbert understood that the 
  man wished to duel. Normally he would only duel at the behest of a king or a maiden, but 
  after a day’s hard riding through the hot sun, he was in no mood to brook this peasant’s 
  insolence. Blood would be welcome, and the thin blades of Estalian men were no match for 
  his knightly ways. With one motion, he drew his steel, dismounted, and made the sign of the 
  Lady–without ever taking his eyes off his enemy.
  His opponent returned the fierce gaze, and his hands shot behind his head, loosing leather 
  straps and bringing forth what must be, Sir Gilbert thought, a sword so massive no man 
  could lift it. Then the gaudily dressed drunkard threw back his cloak with a flourish, produc-
  ing not a sword but some kind of minstrel’s instrument, akin to a gigantic lute. His enemy 
  strummed a powerful chord and produced an insult so fast and florid Sir Gilbert lost all sense 
  of its meaning, but the expansive gestures indicated it was something to do with the size of 
  his manhood, and the enormous wave of laughter from the taverna confirmed that he was be-
  ing mocked most ingloriously by this lowly peasant. Confused, enraged and insulted beyond 
  belief, Sir Gilbert raised his sword above his head, determined to end this farce in a moment. 
  But the battle cry died on his lips as the Estalian darted forward within his reach and he sud-
  denly felt cold steel find a gap in his armour and nestle against his most precious possessions. 
  The knight froze, helpless and confused.
  “Welcome to Estalia, mi amigo” the minstrel whispered in his ear. Then he pulled the 
  knight into a close embrace and kissed him firm on the lips like a long lost friend. Inside the 
  inn the laughter turned into riotous applause.
  
  24
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  “History is written in blood, and so 
  Estalians have more of it, and more woe”
  Twelfth Wight, Act 4, Scene 1
  The Estalians claim that they are descendants from the first Human civilisation in the Old World, which flourished 
  in a time when the Elder races of Elf and Dwarf where still friends. It is a foolish man that suggests otherwise to an 
  Estalian, for it is a slight against his and the family’s honour.
  The Rise and Fall of Tylos
  The history of the people of the Kingdoms of Estalia begins 
  almost four and a half thousand years ago, when the Belthani, 
  a peaceful people that worshipped the earth, where forced to 
  move northwards away from growing oppression by other 
  tribes in ancient Khemri. The Belthani migrated into the 
  lands of the 
  Old World, which had, at that time, been largely tamed by 
  the Elves and Dwarfs.
  In the southern Old World, one tribe of Belthani caught the 
  interest of the Elves in the region who decided to help ad-
  vance the Belthani's level of technology and understanding of 
  the world. The tribe, with the help of the Elves, turned their 
  fledgling settlement into the first Human city in the Old 
  World, somewhere in what is now northern Tilea. 
  However, shortly after the city was established, the Elves 
  became embroiled in a devastating war against the Dwarfs. 
  Forced to turn towards their own defences, the Elves left the 
  Humans to manage for themselves.  Soon afterward a 
  wandering Dwarf clan established contact with the city. Even 
  though they could clearly see an Elven influence, the Dwarfs 
  started a trading partnership with the city and eventually 
  settled there.
  Over the next two hundred years the city expanded greatly 
  thanks to the help of the Dwarfs, and work began on a great 
  temple to Tylos, the God of the city and its peoples. Legend 
  says that the Goddess Myrmidia–the god of Civilisation, Art 
  and Beauty–decried the temple, seeing it as a terrible waste of 
  effort and resources, for its conceived size was far beyond the 
  resources of the city to create, and even appeared in the city 
  to express her opinion. She called the tower proof of Tylos’ 
  vanity and warned that doom would follow its construction, 
  but neither the gods nor the people would hear her. Thus she 
  abandoned Tylos and took matters into her own hands.
  Shortly before the temple’s completion, a young Priestess of 
  Myrmidia received a vision that showed the city’s destruc-
  tion. She convinced a number of families to leave and head 
  west, where a promised land awaited them. Not long after 
  their departure, upon completion of the great temple, the city 
  was destroyed by a terrible catastrophe, as fire fell from the 
  sky and burned the city to ashes. The followers of Myrmid-
  ia’s prophet knew then the Goddess had saved them, and 
  raised her above all others in their faith.
  The Promised Land
  Those that chose to leave the City of Tylos before its 
  destruction were led by the Priestess of Myrmidia towards 
  the setting sun, in search of the Gods that had once walked 
  amongst mankind. They travelled west, making the perilous 
  crossing over the Abasko Mountain range and into the lands 
  now known as the Estalian Kingdoms. Estalian religion and 
  folklore have several tales of this time, and perhaps the most 
  well-known concerns a Prince of Tylos that discovered a rich 
  vein of silver in the mountains and attempted to settle the 
  people there. While the settlement lasted for several years, it 
  was constantly plagued by attacks from a monstrous Mino-
  taur. The young Prince left the safety of the village to lead 
  the Minotaur away from his people, deeper into the maze 
  of what is the Abasko Mountains. This ancient myth could 
  explain the origin of the toreo, the sport where a torero teases 
  a bull with a red cloak, before putting it to death.
  Having safely completed the perilous mountain crossing, the 
  refugees discovered a rich and fertile land. Since the Elves 
  had already left this part of the Old World, beaten back by 
  the Dwarfs to defend other colonies further to the north, 
  the Estalians chose to settle within the Elf ruins they found. 
  Around -1600 IC, they established the city of Magritta in the 
  remains of the ancient Elven city of Astar. Amongst the ruins 
  they found a casket made of gold. On its lid a golden eagle 
  wreathed in flames. The refugees took this as a sign that they 
  had in fact reached their promised land and chose the site as 
  their home.
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  
  25
  They named the site after the prophetess who had first had 
  the vision of escape: magra means “thin”, and the journey had 
  worn the young girl to nothing but skin and bone. Legends 
  say she did not eat for her entire journey, as she was carried 
  on by the will of Myrmidia herself. Histories of the time 
  also record that the girl did not die, but upon the finding of 
  the chest, was gathered up in Myrmidia’s arms, and became 
  her first Shieldmaiden. For her devotion to her faith, she was 
  renamed Debera, or Duty, and made the patron maiden of the 
  city.
  Around this new city, clearly blessed by the Goddess her-
  self, the settlers began to consolidate into a new nation. 
  Within 200 years most of the peninsula was ruled from the 
  city of Magritta. Those few tribes that resisted were pushed 
  northwards or into the wilderness or mountains. It seemed as 
  though no army could stand against those chosen by the God-
  dess Myrmidia. Such was the prestige of these new settlers 
  that every modern noble from the Estalian Kingdoms claims 
  to be a descendant from the original refugees from Tylos, 
  rather than the few smaller nations they absorbed upon their 
  arrival.
  War and Strife
  The new kingdom’s stability did not last. In approximately 
  -1300 IC the land was split into two after General Lucius 
  Verenas led his Reman Legions to conquer the lands south of 
  the Irrana Mountains. The city of Magritta was besieged for 
  a whole year before it fell and was sacked by the legions; its 
  treasures stolen and taken back to the capital of the Reman 
  Empire, Remas.  While the south became a Province of Re-
  mas, the northern lands fell into turmoil. Without leadership 
  from Magritta the rulers in the north were unable to unite 
  under a strong leader and reclaim the south. In the next two 
  centuries Reman control extended further north, even into the 
  lands of what would become Bretonnia. These northern lands 
  where seen as frontier lands by the Remans, infested with 
  pagan tribes that still worshipped the earth.
  During this time many Reman traders travelled into the 
  lands between the Grey Mountains and the World’s Edge 
  Mountains, in order to trade with the new tribes that where 
  arriving from the east. They took with them Priests so that 
  they could start to civilise the savage tribes they encountered, 
  a fact that many Imperial scholars of today largely dispute. 
  However, the expansion of the Reman Empire was not to last. 
  The Nehekharan Empire now controlled most of the modern 
  lands of the Border Princes and was mounting expeditions 
  into the future lands of Sigmar’s Empire. This meant that 
  Remas needed to keep most of its forces in the east of its 
  Empire. The downfall of Remas did not however come due to 
  an invasion from Nehekhara, but from the dead. In -1157 IC, 
  the dead began to rise from the earth all across the southern 
  Old World. At the same time, the great Nehekhara Empire 
  crumbled and the Reman Empire began to tear itself apart. 
  Thousands of people fled the cities–homes to the largest 
  burial sites–to escape the Undead menace.
  With the Reman Empire tearing itself apart, the Bretonni 
  people, a tribe that had not long ago moved into the northern 
  lands beyond the Grey Mountains, took advantage of the 
  situation and migrated south into what is now modern day 
  Bretonnia. The Reman colonies and the more primitive tribes 
  within the lands where displaced, forced to move further 
  south, either back to their original homelands or into the 
  Irrana Mountains to be slaughtered by the Orcs that now 
  resided there.
  In the wake of the Reman retreat several small kingdoms 
  established themselves within what would become the 
  Estalian peninsula, situated away from the previous major 
  settlements. The magic that had originally animated the 
  Undead declined, but there remained a fear of cities and any 
  neighbouring people that could harbour the undead. Thus each 
  nation became hostile and isolationist, seeing all outsiders 
  as a threat. Meanwhile, thanks to the natural barriers of the 
  mountains, most of the peninsula was safe from the Greenskin 
  and Undead tides. With no common cause to unite them, 
  the kingdoms remained fragmented and scattered, fighting 
  amongst themselves.
  The Origin of the Estalian name
  The original name can be translated as 
  ‘Stranger from the East’ which in the 
  Classical Tongue is Estalienus (Est = East 
  and Alienus = Stranger), now known 
  more simply as Estalians.
   Stephan Wellech, Professor at the 
  University of Altdorf 
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  
  26
  Unification
  Then a miracle occurred which would unite Estalia and make 
  it strong once more. In Magritta, a child was born that was 
  Myrmidia made flesh, although this was not known to the 
  church at the time. She was born to common folk and given 
  the name Macaria Medina. For reasons unknown she was 
  abandoned by her parents and instead raised by her aunt and 
  uncle on a farm. At a young age she was sold into an arranged 
  marriage with a Tilean trader, and taken to land she did not 
  know. In Tilea she was treated with contempt and abused 
  by her husband, her body sold to the highest bidder. This 
  suffering turned Macaria from a peaceful shy girl into a force 
  against injustice. When she was unwilling to accept such 
  treatment any longer she rose up, took a ceremonial spear 
  from her husband’s collection and thrust it into his abdomen. 
  Escaping into the countryside, she became an outlaw. Her 
  charismatic nature and dedication to righting the wrongs of 
  the world led others quickly to her cause.
  She returned home to the nation of her birth, where she was 
  welcomed with open arms. However, she soon saw similar 
  injustices she had suffered happening on the streets of the 
  town of her birth. She spoke out against this, demanding 
  that the church act to stop such crimes. However the church 
  was powerless to act while all the resources of Magritta 
  went to protecting it from her enemies. The young maiden 
  resolved then to unify the land once again. She revealed her 
  holy nature and took her true name of the Goddess. Taking 
  up her bandit army that had followed her exploits and the 
  newly faithful who had realised her true divinity, the Maiden 
  Myrmidia waged war outwards from Magritta to re-conquer 
  Estalia.
  The war lasted six years, and although there was great loss of 
  life, this is seen as a glorious liberation for Estalia. 
  Myrmidia’s generals overturned corrupt, tyrannical princes, 
  destroyed the vestiges of the Remans and the undead, 
  re-established trade between the kingdoms and brought light 
  and learning to the terrified peoples. Many cities eagerly 
  welcomed her armies and joined her forces immediately they 
  arrived. Her battles too, expressed her beliefs and teachings, 
  celebrating mercy, justice and wisdom, and spreading her faith 
  all the while. These battles and their lessons from the Book 
  of War, Myrmidia’s holiest of books.
  The task was not finished with the unification of Estalia, 
  however. Next the now enormous army of the west turned to 
  conquer the Tileans to the east. Myrmidia believed that the 
  Tileans also clung too hard to their divisive and isolationist 
  ways, leading them into oppression and suffering. The army 
  that crossed the Abasko Mountains was the largest military 
  advance in the history of humanity, complete with elephants 
  from Araby and vast war machines of Myrmidian science. 
  In the face of this, and Myrmidia’s strategic genius, the 
  conquest of Tilea took only another six years. Soon, every 
  mile from Lysboa to Strigos, from the Grey Mountains to 
  the coast of Araby, was united under Myrmidia’s banner. The 
  empire of her faith was larger and stronger than Sigmar’s, and 
  certainly more united in its fervent adoration for its beautiful 
  warrior queen.
  But the victory was terribly short-lived. In triumph, Myr-
  midia returned to the city of Magritta to be crowned Queen 
  in her golden Temple. On the day of her coronation she was 
  struck down by a poisoned dart while in deep prayer before 
  the High Altar. The assassin was found to be a mad 
  Tilean, and the Estalian faithful demanded that the Tileans be 
  subjugated for the insult. The proud Tileans argued they had 
  been framed, that the spy was an outside agent sent to foment 
  discord. Whatever the case, they would never agree to being 
  slaves to foreign rulers without Myrmidia as queen. Indeed, 
  the rulers of the Tilean city-states argued they had sworn 
  all their oaths to Bellona Myrmidia and no-one else, so they 
  were now null and void. Soon enough, many Estalian princes 
  said the same. The great new nation that took a dozen years 
  to build tore itself apart in what seemed like moments, and 
  its people were filled with anguish for the loss of what their 
  uncrowned Queen had achieved.
  While she lay dying, Myrmidia demanded she be laid on 
  a bower and sent across the Great Western Ocean. As she 
  reached the horizon her body and spirit are taken up into 
  the heavens to once again join the Gods, as she predicted in 
  her last words. The holy texts also say that when the time is 
  right, the goddess will return to unite Estalia once again.
  The Time of Woes
  With the collapse of the nation and the reestablishment of the 
  old Kingdoms, Estalia returned to an age of darkness. From 
  the beginning of the first century (under the Calenda della 
  Verena, or CV, established from the death of Myrmidia) the 
  Estalian Kingdoms along the coast where raided by Lord 
  Settra and his Undead fleet numerous times over numerous 
  centuries, decimating Estalia’s sea trade. There were also 
  other enemies at sea. Many legends of this time say that the 
  people of Estalia were punished by the Gods for not protect-
  ing Myrmidia’s new nation. The dark kindred of the Elves 
  that once helped Mankind came in the night to steal away 
  their people, to the degree that entire villages disappeared 
  overnight.
  While the Kingdoms along the coastline suffered in the first 
  half of the millennium, the second half brought a new menace 
  from within. Greenskins poured unchecked across the lands 
  of Estalia, raiding at will and killing all that they met. From 
  these havens they spread out, destroying everything in their 
  path. 
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  
  27
  During this dark time only the cities of Magritta and Bilbali 
  seemed to be safe havens against the raiders–and even they 
  were not untouched. When the sea raiders had enough slaves 
  and turned away, yet another menace arrived that was interest-
  ed in both worldly goods and slaves. Arriving from the north 
  in crude vessels called Dragonships came the Norse Raiders. 
  So bold was their nature that in one raid they attacked the 
  northern city of Bilbali, and stole the great golden bell that 
  had rung in the harbour tower for the past five hundred years, 
  placed there by Myrmidia herself. Today it sits in the Kislev 
  town of Erengrad, much to the chagrin of the Bilbalins.
  The second millennium saw an influx of refugees from the 
  lands of the Empire, escaping the Skaven menace that was 
  trying to enslave them, but they brought the Black Plague 
  with them. While the Estalian people helped the refugees as 
  much as they could, hundreds began to die from starvation 
  and plague. Fearful that, unless military aid was sent north 
  to the Empire, the number of refugees would swamp what 
  resources the Estalian Kingdoms could give, a small force of 
  men marched to help those still fighting in the Empire against 
  the Skaven, a fight that would last a decade. To this day, there 
  are Wissenlanders and Averlanders who remember their debt 
  to their southern saviours.
  Over the next few centuries the Kingdoms of Estalia finally 
  began to prosper. A steady devotion to improving their naval 
  forces and seaside fortresses had at last led to their coasts 
  being safe once more. This then allowed the nations’ armies 
  to get the orc raiders under some kind of control. It also per-
  mitted the Estalians to begin to travel the seas again and trade 
  with their neighbours. After their successful employment 
  in the north, many of the lords continued to hire out their 
  forces–armies and navies–to the nobles of the Empire, to help 
  rebuild the county and fight in the numerous civil wars that 
  raged there throughout this time. The various knightly orders 
  of the Maiden used these exchanges to expand into the north, 
  and fill their numbers with new members and new fighting 
  techniques.
   
  The Arabyan Invasion and the Crusades
  With many of the fighting men of the Estalian Kingdoms 
  away in the Empire, the Skaven saw a chance for revenge. 
  They convinced the Sultan Jaffar of Araby that the King-
  doms of Estalia would be a future threat to his rule and that if 
  he was to strike first, his rule would never falter. In 1369 CV 
  (1448 IC) the Sultan’s forces landed in the south of the Es-
  talian peninsula and quickly laid siege to the city of Magritta, 
  while enslaving the local rural population. The various 
  Estalian Kingdoms where slow to react to the invasion, and so 
  one by one the Kingdoms began to fall again. The 
  Sultan’s forces marched north, enslaving the people and 
  tearing down what they saw as heretical temples. Too weak to 
  field an effective force against the Sultan’s army the northern 
  Kingdoms rallied to Bilbali, the largest remaining kingdom, 
  and began a guerrilla style war against the ever encroaching 
  enemy which lasted eight long years. With the Sultan’s 
  forces slowed, but still marching north, hope was only 
  restored when a Bretonnian army (who were fearful that their 
  lands would next be under attack) and a smaller Imperial force 
  arrived as rescuers.
  Over the following decade the lands of the Estalian 
  Kingdoms were reclaimed by the larger force from the north 
  and east and resistance fighters from within Estalia. However 
  as the Sultan’s forces withdrew they put many towns to the 
  torch and captured the people, sending them back to the lands 
  of Araby as spoils of war. The armies of the Old World
   became incensed at the treatment of the Estalians and took 
  oaths that the Arabyans would feel their wrath. They began 
  to put to death any Arabyan they encountered, until the 
  Sultan realised that he could not defend against such hate and 
  would have to withdraw completely. He commanded his 
  forces to leave, but one rebellious sheikh, named Emir Wazar 
  or “Emir the Cruel”, refused to move his troops from the 
  city of Magritta. A contingent of Knights was despatched 
  to lay siege–a siege which would last for another long eight 
  years. The majority of the armies of the Old World 
  continued their blood hunt, waiting in and around Magritta as 
  a fleet was prepared to sail the forces to Araby. 
  Some Bretonnian Knights had little patience to wait and 
  instead began the long march south through the wild lands 
  of the Border Princes and Badlands, leading to other Wars of 
  Errantry, as the Bretonnians call them.
  So focussed were the foreigners on crossing the ocean that the 
  liberated Estalians called them “cruçados”–an Estalian word 
  meaning those who travel as passengers on a boat. The Bretons 
  thought the word meant liberators, and took at as their own, 
  labelling themselves the Crusaders.
   
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  
  28
  In 1392 CV (1471 IC) the crusading armies of the Old World 
  finally defeated Sultan Jaffar in the Battle of El Haikk in 
  Araby. The majority of Bretonnians, having fulfilled their 
  oaths, turned for home, but others felt that the Arabyans 
  needed further lessons and the Crusade continued. Over a 
  period of 600 years numerous new Crusades are launched 
  from the Old World against Araby, in the pursuit of revenge, 
  treasure or new lands. Most of the Crusaders departed from 
  the harbours of Estalia and Tilea, bringing much wealth to 
  the lands and the opening of new trade routes. The Estalians 
  became even more proficient at ship building and sailing, and 
  began a race with Tilea to conquer the world by sea. Over 
  the next five centuries, the countryside of Estalia was almost 
  entirely denuded of forest to build their new navies, which 
  would soon have far farther to travel than Araby.
  In 1413 CV (1492 IC), a Tilean sailor called Marco Colombo 
  discovered Lustria, the new world across the Great Western 
  Ocean. Within a decade, every nation in the Old World heard 
  the rumours of vast cities made from gold and jewels hidden 
  in those foreign jungles, and rushed to join the race across 
  the sea. Neither Estalia nor Tilea could match the military 
  strength of their neighbours but only they had sufficient 
  navigation and ship-building skills to ensure safe passage. 
  Both nations grew extremely rich from selling their services. 
  Eventually, the other nations could not sustain their military 
  excursions and Lustria was, for the most part, abandoned to 
  the southerners again. A kind of cold war developed between 
  the few Estalian and Tilean settlements that managed to 
  survive in the jungle, which became a war of commerce back 
  home.
  Meanwhile, Estalia was being re-built in its newfound 
  freedom and wealth. The Temple of Myrmidia, keen to 
  re-establish itself after the Arabyan pogroms (and perhaps 
  influenced by the Arabyan’s worship of a single God), began 
  to push the notion that Myrmidia was Queen of the Gods and 
  that all other Gods should be worshipped beneath her. Over 
  the six hundred year period of the Crusades, the Temple of 
  Myrmidia led the rebuilding of many of the temples 
  throughout the land, often converting them to temples 
  dedicated to the Goddess, with side chapels for the other 
  faiths. 
  This new movement also helped the Cult deal with the 
  influences brought back by the south-bound crusaders, as their 
  foreign gods did not need to be denied as non-existent, but 
  simply recognised as beneath the greatest Goddess of them 
  all.
  Although the Crusades took place over six hundred years, 
  there were several quiet moments within this period when no 
  Crusade was being launched or prepared. It was during one of 
  these quiet periods, in the year 1750 IC, that the foul Vampire 
  Nourgul the Necrarch launched an attack from his stronghold 
  in Sombra Wood, a war later known as the War of Blood. Al-
  though Estalia was and is no stranger to the Vampire menace, 
  Nourgul’s armies were vast and his sorcery terrible. With no 
  Crusader forces currently stationed in the land and much of 
  their own soldiers fighting the snake-men across the sea, the 
  Kingdoms once again struggled to remain free. The Vampire 
  was only stopped after he successfully entered the Temple of 
  Myrmidia in Magritta to claim the holy book, the Tome of 
  Wisdom. The Undead forces crumbled to the ground for no 
  apparent reason and the Vampire’s ashes were found next to 
  the ancient Tome. What the foul Vampire had in mind for 
  the Tome of Wisdom is still a mystery, but from this 
  moment on, faith in the Goddess and the safety of the King-
  doms became united in the mind of the Estalian people.
  By Fire and Sword
  Towards the end of the second millennium many religions 
  blamed the use of sorcery for the evils of the Old World. 
  The people of the Estalian Kingdoms were no different, 
  having witnessed the foul sorcery performed by Arabyan 
  Wizards and the raising of the dead by Vampires (which 
  continued to decimate the lands of the north). Since the Cult 
  of Myrmidia was now by far the most powerful of all the 
  southern cults, having slowly converted the other faiths to 
  aspects of the Goddess, the people looked to the priests for 
  salvation.
  The leaders of the Cult took advantage of these fears to unite 
  the Kingdoms of Estalia under the leadership of La Aquila 
  Ultima, the head of the Cult of Myrmidia, who effectively 
  became the leader of all the different Kingdoms. In order to 
  protect the lands from all threats of Arabyan sorcery, 
  necromancy and other deviance, the Temple established 
  its own military, uniting its various Templar orders into a 
  centrally controlled force, answerable only to the Aquila 
  Ultima. Soon this was augmented with a more subtle policing 
  force dedicated to finding the more hidden threats to the 
  Kingdoms. Called the Inquisition, it was tasked in hunting 
  down those tainted by necromancy and Chaos and putting to 
  the sword any that would stand against the Temple’s views. 
  The Vampire Wars and the Great War against Chaos in the 
  north gave the Temple of Myrmidia plenty of opportunities 
  to quell any fears or doubts that the people had about the new 
  order.
  A Crusader Saying:
  Araby is easy to find: you come to 
  where the men speak Estalian and 
  continue until they speak something 
  else.
  Sir Gottfried, Baron of Wissenland
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  
  29
  The Conquered
  Technically speaking, the Estalian Kingdoms have been conquered from outside at least 
  twice: by the Remans and by the Arabyans. They’ve also suffered almost total conquest 
  under the threat of Settra the Lich King and then the vampire Nourgul. This leads 
  many Empire scholars and warriors to label Estalia as a helpless nation, and thus her 
  soldiers and sailors as cowards and weaklings, from a country of lovers and poets, not 
  fighters. It is however only Estalia’s divisive nature that makes it so vulnerable to 
  outside attacks, and those mercenaries who serve in the Empire quickly repair that 
  reputation when they demonstrate just how fierce and deadly they can be.
  Empire and Tilean rulers also enjoy highlighting the fact that the Temple controls the 
  nation, making the individual Kings merely puppets or lapdogs in effect. This they also 
  take as a sign of Estalian weakness, with even their kings lacking absolute power. 
  Indeed, King Carlos IV of Magritta is mockingly dubbed “the puppet king” by 
  outsiders. The kings of Estalia have no rejoinder to this insult, because they indeed do 
  chafe under the control of the Inquisition. They take solace, however, in the great many 
  faults of their neighbours that they lack–the poor food, the lack of culture and the 
  terrible manners, to name but a few.
  The Present
  As magic has gained legitimacy in the Empire and Tilea, the Cult of Myrmidia has recently–and grudgingly–begun to allow the 
  practice of Magic once more. However those that do follow this path are very closely monitored and many have been known to 
  disappear into the night never to be seen again. The growth of the Sciences is a way to regulate this 
  practice–although outside the great cities the old village witches have no time for that nonsense. While the Cult of Myrmidia 
  controls the various Kingdoms throughout the land to some degree, the Kings and Princes of the land still make war upon each 
  other, using the slightest dishonour to avenge a half-forgotten grievance made centuries ago. 
  The land flourishes from trade routes, including to the New World, with much of its gold finding its way to the coffers of the 
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  
  30
  A Timeline of the Kingdoms of Estalia
  The Kingdoms of Estalia start their calendar from the 
  unification of the lands of Tilea and Estalia by the Goddess 
  Myrmidia, whom they believe once walked amongst them in 
  the flesh. The calendar is called the Verenan Calendar 
  (il Caldenda della Verena; or CV) and its start date is that 
  of when Myrmidia was to be crowned Queen. To convert to 
  Imperial dates, add 79 years.
  CV -1700
  The ancestors of the nobility of the Kingdoms of Estalia 
  leave the City of Tylos, following a Priestess of Myrmidia 
  who has foreseen Tylos’s destruction.
  CV -1400
  A primitive Estalian nation is ruled from the city of Magrit-
  ta; those tribes that resist are pushed north or into the Abasko 
  Mountains.
  CV -1300
  The southern lands of Estalia become a Province of the 
  Reman Empire.
  CV -1072
  The dead rise up across the known world; thousands flee the 
  cities away from the Undead menace.
  CV -1000
  The Bretonni tribe enter the frontier lands of the Reman Em-
  pire, driving away both the locals and Reman colonies. The 
  Estalian peninsula splits into several Kingdoms.
  CV -150
  Under increasing pressure from the Bretonni and Greenskin 
  tribes, the Estalians finally reclaim the cities of old. Four 
  kingdoms arise as the most powerful: Tigarre, Obregon, 
  Cantonia and Astarios.
  CV 0 (IC 79)
  The lands of Tilea and Estalia are united into one nation by 
  Macaria Medina, now seen as the Goddess Myrmidia in the 
  flesh. On the day of her coronation in Magritta, she is assas-
  sinated by an unknown assailant and the nation breaks apart 
  again into several individual Kingdoms.
  CV 100 - 451
  The Undead Lord Settra and the Dark Elves of Naggaroth 
  raid the coastlines of the Southern Old World for slaves; 
  numerous towns and villages disappear.
  CV 745
  The golden bell of Bilbali is stolen by Norse Raiders.
  CV 1037
  Refuges from the Empire come to the Estalian Kingdoms 
  to escape from enslavement by the Skaven; however in their 
  escape they bring the Black Plague with them.
  CV 1050-1350
  Estalian mercenaries fight in the civil wars of the Empire, 
  bringing much wealth to their Dons.
  CV 1369
  The Kingdoms of Estalia are invaded by Arabyan forces led 
  by Sultan Jaffar, once they are defeated and pushed out of the 
  Old World by a combined army from several Old World 
  nations; many set out on a Crusade to liberate those Estalians 
  taken as slaves to Araby.
  CV 1390
  The city of Magritta is finally free from Arabyan control as 
  the last sheikh, Emir the Cruel, is defeated by the Knights of 
  the Blazing Sun and their allies.
  CV 1672
  The Vampire Nourgul the Necrarch launches an attack on the 
  southern Kingdoms of Estalia, in what is known as the War 
  of Blood.
  CV 1914
  Religious pressures bring bloody repression of sorcery in the 
  Old World. The Cult of Myrmidia begins to increase its in-
  fluence as the people come to her for salvation after the wars 
  against Araby and the Undead.
  CV 2222
  The Great War against Chaos in the north allows the Temple 
  of Myrmidia to expand its control over other faiths.
  CV 2429
  Queen Juana del Roja crowned in Bilbali. The celebrations 
  last an entire year.
  CV 2442
  The young and handsome King Carlos IV takes the throne in 
  Magritta, and announces he is looking for a bride–even one 
  from outside Estalia. Nobles from around the Old World 
  flock to the city.
  CV 2443 (IC 2522)
  Current Day
  Chapter II: The History of Estalia
  
  31
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  “Love is all the fire of Myrmidia – and as strong,
  For like the maiden, it lingers not so long”
   
  Orcthello, Act 2, Scene 2
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  Estalia is a collection of independent kingdoms, duchies and 
  principalities. There is no central authority to which each 
  owes its allegiance. Each is governed by its own absolute 
  ruler. Within their own kingdom, every ruler is sovereign 
  and, at first glance at least, the structure appears feudal: each 
  king, queen, duke or duchess is drawn from that state’s own 
  aristocracy and all are assisted in their rule by the nobility of 
  that domain.
  Unlike Tilea, full scale open warfare between these various 
  states is unusual, although bloodshed in border disputes is 
  relatively frequent. Instead, the Estalian kingdoms rely 
  heavily on the subtler—but equally dangerous—arts of 
  diplomacy (and espionage) to form political alliances. 
  Estalians take sworn oaths 
  extremely seriously in both their personal and political 
  lives. An oath of allegiance between monarchs is regarded as 
  permanently binding. As a consequence, such oaths are rarely 
  given, and when they are, are carefully worded so that the 
  exact consequences are fully known. Such oaths bind only the 
  ruler who gives them, however. When a new ruler ascends to 
  the throne there is often a period of frantic negotiation and 
  diplomacy as old allegiances and commitments have to be 
  renewed. 
  Potentially more binding relationships between the various 
  noble houses are often secured through marriage. These bonds 
  allow junior noble houses (including the rulers of less pow-
  erful states) to assure themselves of the patronage of a more 
  powerful family. As a result, the most powerful noble houses 
  can build up a web of sponsorship and patronage that extends 
  over most of the peninsula. Estalians are passionate people, 
  however, and political expediency is not always matched by 
  their 
  emotions. Powerful alliances can be swept away by an illicit 
  affair. Estalian noble fathers are always particularly 
  protective of their daughters’ honour and often, it is said, 
  more for their own ends than out of love. Conversely, 
  sometimes politics have forced the 
  aristocracy apart when their passions would have brought 
  them together. The Tragic Ballad of Arturo and Frederica, 
  for instance, tells the story of two noble lovers compelled to 
  divorce when their families’ oaths of allegiance forced them 
  into conflict.
  When armies do take to the field to dispute between the 
  various Estalian kingdoms, they tend to engage in feints 
  and sallies, intended to force tactical advantages, rather 
  than engage the enemy. This is seen as in keeping with the 
  prevailing doctrine of Myrmidian tactics. The two great 
  exceptions to this, are conflicts with the infidel and work 
  as mercenaries in foreign lands. For Estalians the former 
  can mean anything from the Iron Orcs that inhabit parts of 
  the north of the land, to the Arabyans across the sea to the 
  south, to the Bretonnians who fail to honour Myrmidia. 
  As regards the latter, Estalian mercenary regiments can be 
  seen in action in Tilea, the Border Princes and even on the 
  side of Arabyan princes in the internecine wars of that land. 
  On these occasions, faith in the goddess Myrmidia requires 
  the Estalians to show their true mettle and, when battle is 
  joined, it is in deadly earnest.
  The power of belief in Myrmidia is the greatest centralising 
  focus for the Estalian kingdoms. The Mother Temple of 
  Myrmidia exerts a greater influence 
  throughout the land than any other cult in any other land 
  in the Old World. All but the most fanatical Sigmarites in 
  the Empire would be shocked, were the degree of power and 
  influence wielded by their cult the same as that of 
  Myrmidians in Estalia. Virtually all 
  religious worship, of all permitted gods, is filtered through 
  the Temple of Myrmidia.
  Given the effective monopoly on religious expression that 
  it has, it is hardly surprising that every kingdom, no matter 
  how powerful, is to some extent beholden to the power of 
  the Temple. For those rulers deemed 
  insufficiently pious, the Myrmidia’s high pontiff, La 
  Aguila Ultima, can order excommunication from the faith 
  and even withdraw the holy power of the priests from the 
  entire kingdom. Even without resorting to such extreme 
  measures the Temple exerts huge influence, as many of a 
  ruler’s ablest and most enthusiastic ministers are also priests 
  of Estalia’s great cult. 
  Generally, the Temple favours a policy of binding the 
  Estalian kingdoms ever closer together and consolidating 
  power in Estalia’s most important and orthodox states.
  
  32
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  This, of course, often conflicts with the fiercely independent 
  and proud nature of many of the kingdoms’ nobility.
  Those gods and faiths disapproved of by the cult of Myr-
  midia are seen as heretical. These are investigated by—and 
  ruthlessly rooted out by—Myrmidia’s Holy Inquisition. 
  This institution was founded in the aftermath of the recon-
  quista—the Myrmidian crusade to free Estalia from the 
  Arabyans who had invaded and settled it. Its function was 
  initially to discover those whose faith had become corrupted 
  by the beliefs of the Arabyans and to ensure that those who 
  remained after the Arabyan caliphs had withdrawn from the 
  land had properly (re)converted to Myrmidia. Over time, 
  however, the Inquisition changed into the Temple’s greatest 
  weapon in enforcing its religious doctrine. Inevitably, it also 
  allows the Temple to exert political pressure on those whose 
  policies it disapproves of.
  Conflict between the Temple and the secular powers of the 
  land, found in the nobility of each mini-state, is therefore 
  inevitable. Although every Estalian nobleman and wom-
  an sees him or herself as a true child of the Temple, they 
  have their own desires, inclinations or designs for political 
  advantage that sometimes are not always approved of by the 
  Temple. In Magritta, for instance, the ruling merchant alli-
  ance desires as little control as possible over life in their city, 
  to better encourage the spending of money. As a result, trade 
  has boomed and the city grown rich. But the High Temple 
  of Myrmidia, based in the same city, strongly disapproves of 
  such a laissez faire attitude. In the end, a stalemate is normally 
  achieved. The Temple lacks the political and military might 
  to enforce all of its views on the nobility (not without losing 
  its political might in the wealthiest of cities) and must 
  content itself with merely restraining what it sees as the 
  worst excesses. The rulers of the various kingdoms take 
  whatever victories they can, and return to following the 
  faithful line. Cunning agents on both sides watch constantly 
  for a chance to shift the power more dramatically in their 
  favour.
  The Nobility
  Estalian society has no shortage of men and women who 
  claim–and exploit–noble status. In part, this is because the 
  substantial middle and merchant class of the Empire and 
  Tilea does not exist to the same extent in Estalia or rather 
  because it is swallowed by the swollen ranks of the minor 
  nobility: the hidalgos and caballeros. In part this is because 
  the reconquista movement led to the ennoblement of many 
  new families to rule newly recaptured lands. In addition, 
  the plethora of kingdoms and principalities, each of which 
  claims the right to recognise nobility with so-called letters of 
  nobility, makes it very easy for someone of means to fake a 
  noble genealogy and get it confirmed by a king in return for a 
  ‘service’ in money.
  Most important of the nobles of Estalia are the rulers of 
  Estalia’s various independent and semi-independent states, 
  their immediate families and a few other powerful families 
  within each state. Of these, the rulers of the most powerful 
  states in Estalia–Queen Juana and Prince-Consort Carlos of 
  Bilbali, and King Carlos IV of Magritta and his council–are 
  the most important. Their influence is felt throughout the 
  entire peninsula. Not only does the power and wealth of the 
  states they rule mean that the other kingdoms, duchies and 
  principalities that make up Estalia have felt the need to ally 
  themselves to one or both, but the rulers of many of the 
  states have noble titles within these larger, more powerful 
  states. The Duke of Tarrocco, for instance, is also the Prince 
  of Besalú (a principality now entirely within the dominion of 
  Magritta), holds a further three titles as a count and has five 
  titles as hidalgo of many small holdings dotted throughout 
  eastern Estalia. 
  “These are my lands. I rule here. Not 
  any priest. You can look for heresies 
  all you want, you’ll not find any who 
  aren’t true sons of Myrmidia in my 
  lands. But you cannot tell me what I 
  should do and who I can keep in my 
  court and who I cannot. I am lord 
  here as my father before me.”
   
  Duke Marsilio di Avilia, 
  one-time ruler of Zaraguz, to Father 
  General Mendoza of the Myrmidian 
  Temple
  “We are the nation that Holy 
  Myrmidia chose as her people. It is our 
  destiny to fulfil her plan: to be united 
  and to reconquer her empire. Only 
  through Her grace can we achieve 
  this. And only through Her temple are 
  we united. It is only right that Her 
  temple, ah…, guides our princes, when 
  they err.”
  Esteban Montoya, Priest of 
  Myrmidia, servant of the Inquisition 
  and torturer of Duke Marsilio
  
  33
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  This is why he dubs himself Emperor, although others with 
  similar lands and titles do not do the same.
  The Estalian nobility traditionally saw themselves as the 
  proud guardians of their lands and faith. The noble class 
  was originally concerned firstly with the art of warfare 
  and with the management of the land captured second. Any 
  other distraction was dishonourable in their minds, much as 
  the traditional Bretonnian noble scorns all concerns beyond 
  chivalry, horsemanship and the ruling of the peasantry. This 
  remains the case for the wide class of poor nobles, who find 
  themselves turning to mercenary work, banditry or 
  adventuring to make a living without resorting to peasant 
  occupations.
  After the fall of the last Arabyan caliphate, however, the im-
  portance of war as a noble pursuit began to decline for those 
  who could afford something more. Greed and venality saw to 
  it that many began to take an interest in the clearly profitable 
  trading ventures that Estalian seamen began to undertake. 
  The Estalian nobility now effectively dominate the merchant 
  interests of the country. Most do not do so directly, how-
  ever. For many of the older and more important families, 
  close involvement in trade of any sort is still seen as deeply 
  distasteful. In the inland kingdoms this is felt
   particularly strongly and, perhaps, explains why these 
  kingdoms have never challenged the power and wealth of the 
  ports of Bilbali and Magritta. Only in Magritta does the 
  nobility so openly flaunt its involvement in the highly 
  lucrative New World trade.
  Elsewhere, nobles rely on the hidalgo families that they are 
  connected to. These families of lesser nobility are often 
  sponsored by more powerful clans and–where these 
  relationships are close–marriage between the hidalgo and 
  older families are common. The lesser nobility bring the 
  wealth of their trading and commercial ventures, the older 
  families, rank and status. Other members of the nobility
   become simply patrons to the merchants or sailing masters 
  who run the actual venture. Oaths are sworn by both the 
  noble patron and venture’s master. The noble will provide the 
  money necessary to undertake the voyage and receives a 
  substantial share (typically at least 90%) of any profit in 
  return. Vast sums of money are potentially available when 
  voyages to the lands of Ind and Cathay return laden with 
  silks and spices or from the New World with gold, chocolate, 
  tobacco or sugar. Such voyages are fraught with dangers, 
  of course. Many ships that set out to make the trip do not 
  return, lost to the seas, and several ancient noble houses have 
  bankrupted themselves investing recklessly, forced to sell 
  their titles or marry into those who were more successful. 
  The return on just one successful trip is enough, however, to 
  justify such risks.
  The risk of mercantile investment does however make 
  Estalian nobility an even more fluid state, with families 
  rising and falling or buying and selling their title in just a 
  few generations.  Compared to the Empire–and especially 
  Bretonnia–Estalian nobility is more a state of mind than a 
  sacred birthright. It is therefore important to act noble once 
  one has attained (or hopes to attain) such a rank to show 
  respect to the title, so even the newest-ennobled merchants 
  will practise principles of noblesse oblige and act as patrons 
  to the arts. In some cases, behaviour alone may ennoble 
  someone: a twist of history or a grand and selfless act may 
  earn someone a noble nickname, such as Captain or Duke, and 
  the title will carry currency despite being entirely unofficial. 
  In Estalia, noble is as noble does.
  
  34
  Hidalgos and Caballeros
  Those claiming these two titles comprise the vast bulk of the Estalian nobility. The 
  titles might be translated roughly as ‘gentleman’ or ‘esquire’, respectively. In many 
  countries, such as the Empire, they would not be considered strictly part of the 
  nobility. Traditionally, they have been the lowest levels of the ruling class, 
  managing the country’s lands and acting as horse masters and warriors for the major 
  noble families. More recently, they have formed the basis of Estalia’s major 
  merchant class either on their own behalf or as proxies for the nobles to whom they 
  themselves owe fealty. This is because, given the opportunities for great wealth that 
  trade brings, they have chosen to invest in merchant schemes themselves or because 
  those who already have mercantile interests have swiftly bought their way into the 
  minor nobility and gentry. Others have diversified into business opportunities 
  that only their noble status allows them, but which more established nobles would 
  disdain, such as tax farming.
  Their status as nobles, and the privileges it brings, is strongly marked in Estalian 
  society and these markers are theoretically enforced in a number of ways. 
  Sumptuary laws, designed distinguish those of noble birth from those that are not, 
  are common,  and many Estalian states and cities only officially allow those of 
  noble heritage to carry swords. But both rules are more often broken and enforced. 
  Sell-swords, rogues and villains commonly claim the status of caballero even when 
  they are not. Likewise a man with the right tailor will be treated as a noble, and in 
  many cases will get away with it–better that than allowing a real noble with bad 
  fashion drag the standard down.
  Many hidalgo and caballero families are newcomers to the nobility. All, however, 
  go to great lengths to seek to prove that they are descended from an ancient line of 
  Estalian blood. That they have what is called, ‘purity of blood’ (limpieza de 
  sangre). This causes particular problems, of course, for those of base blood or those 
  who converted after the fall of the Arabyan caliphates in order to continue to live 
  in Estalia (conversos). Many create extensive but entirely fictitious family trees to 
  show descent–legitimate or otherwise–from some important historical personage in 
  order to try and bolster their claim to nobility. Many an adventurer can find work 
  on treasure hunts or wild goose chases to prove or disprove an obscure element of 
  family history, or be sent to kill those with contradicting claims.
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  
  35
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  Juan Mastromo Barea, Hidalgo and merchant
  The Barea family are some of the most successful of the families that have recently 
  made their way into the Estalian nobility. Over time, they have tried their hand at a 
  variety of different trades and businesses. Six generations ago the family had a small 
  tanning business. Since then they have been moneylenders, traders, merchants, tax 
  collectors and ship owners before finally buying their way into the nobility. Juan 
  Mastromo Barea, the family’s current ruthless head, has successfully invested in a 
  number of New World trading schemes bringing yet greater wealth to the family 
  coffers. He has invested in a plantation farm on one of the islands close to the coast 
  of Lustria and his second son, Javier, has travelled out to manage it. Here he hopes 
  to grow vast crops of sugar cane–one of the most lucrative of all trades, particular-
  ly now sugar dainties have become popular as a sign of conspicuous consumption 
  for the very rich throughout the Old World. Unfortunately, the islands’ unoffi-
  cial name of the Plague Islands has proven accurate and most of the workers have 
  died. Barea has recently begun investigating other sources of workers. Greenskins 
  have proven utterly impossible to tame sufficiently to work on the plantation. He 
  is currently attempting to negotiate with the Duke of Magritta to buy condemned 
  prisoners, but so far the Magrittans have decided to keep them to work as galley 
  rowers. He is open to any other ideas–however illegal, strange or taboo–that might 
  increase his profit.
  As well as trading interests, much of the aristocracy uses its 
  influence to control the important civic posts in the towns 
  and cities (where their sales flow). In the major cities, such 
  as Magritta or Bayona, the capital of the kingdom of Cabria, 
  huge sums are spent in bribes by the major nobles to ensure 
  that members of their families become chief constable, city 
  clerk or magistrate. In the far south, posts on the Municipal 
  Water Board are some of the most important, given their 
  power to divert the city’s primary water supply. See Chapter 
  Four for more on these civic roles.
  Where a greater distance is required between the holder of 
  the office and the noble house, allied hidalgo and caballero 
  families are used to influence such bodies. Sometimes the 
  disputes over which family, or which family’s proxies, gain 
  a particular post become so bitter that they result in blood-
  shed on the streets with citizens loyal to one particular noble 
  house rioting with those who support another contender. 
  Twenty-three years ago, the dispute as to who was to become 
  the next Clerk to the Under-Magistrate of the town of Ordi-
  no threatened to provoke a major war when one candidate was 
  supported by the rulers of Badajoza whilst his opponent was 
  supported by the King of Bilbali. Both rulers sent forces of 
  soldiers loyal to them to encourage the citizenry of the town 
  to support the correct man for the post.
  Only the convenient death of the elderly Clerk to the Town 
  Council—allowing both candidates to take a post—during a 
  pitched battled stopped the conflict spreading and the town 
  being razed to the ground.
  All the Estalian nobility take great pride in patronage of 
  the arts. The poorest hidalgo running the meanest scrubland 
  farm will still keep a musician to play for him and his family 
  and have a painted devotional icon to worship before. Those 
  who are most successful spend great sums on hiring the very 
  greatest artists that they can, building new squares in their city 
  or erecting monuments to their ancestors, their houses are full 
  of music and objets d’art, perhaps of elven or Lustrian origin. 
  Many travelling minstrels and artists find their way to Estalia, 
  confident of a good reception for their art, as every noble 
  will happily pay for the latest Bretonnian quadrille or Tilean 
  quickstep to be played and danced in his home, and fine tales 
  from other lands told to entertain his household. Some claim 
  that this makes guitarristas and minstrels into the best spies 
  and couriers, but to say such in their presence is grounds for 
  an immediate duel for the slight on their honour, a duel which 
  the guitarrista will often win...
  
  36
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  The Arts of War
  Warfare is still regarded as an important part of the noble’s 
  role. Rulers are still expected to lead their forces into battle 
  and it is a matter of pride that they are always present during 
  any important conflict to encourage their men. Much of the 
  practical business of soldiery is now given over to 
  professional soldiers, however. This is partly due to the 
  influence of the cult of Myrmidia, which regards sound 
  tactical sense as more important than high birth, and partly 
  down to the demand for mercenaries created by the Estalian 
  kingdoms’ neighbours, the Tilean City States.
  Estalians have been at the forefront of using new tactics in 
  battle. They have recently pioneered the use of mounted 
  pistols in battle, known as herreruelos, and combining 
  pikemen with crossbowmen or pistoliers in single formations 
  known as tercios. Other innovations include drilling hand-
  gunners and pistoliers in large blocks to produce a rolling 
  bank of fire, called the caracole. The fearsome output of the 
  caracole can rival even that of the furious organ gun. Estalia 
  does not yet have the mass production and engineering 
  scholarship to produce the ubiquity of such things as the 
  organ gun or hellstorm battery in their military formations. 
  Even pistols and rifles are in shorter supply in the 
  south–they have the steel and the powder but not the 
  nation-wide industry. On the other hand, individual nobles 
  encourage their patronised artists to master the places where 
  art, mathematics and alchemy intersect with warfare, so 
  you are more likely to see unique items on the battlefield, 
  things unheard of not just in the Empire but the next Estalian 
  Kingdom as well. It is said that the lords of Los Cabos have 
  a working sea-copter they can bring to naval battles, and the 
  armies of the mountain citadel of Pajenas are joined by men 
  in amazing flying suits armed with bombs to drop.
  More traditional fighting arts tend to be kept alive by the 
  maestranza—the elite bodyguard of the ruler of an Estalian 
  kingdom. Generally comprised of the best, or best connected, 
  warriors in the country, these individuals are not only trained 
  in the use of all the latest innovations but also in the martial 
  traditions of their particular kingdom. These traditions often 
  reflect the particular idiosyncrasies not only of the particu-
  lar kingdom, but also its ruling house. The Maestranza of 
  Badajoz, for instance, are noted for their skills in fighting 
  from horseback, trick riding and the fact that their horses are 
  trained to do ceremonial dances to pipe music, something that 
  was once notably exploited by the army of Magritta during 
  battle. In the northern kingdoms, they train their armies 
  around lance charges like their Bretonnian neighbours. 
  One more thing that is practically unique in Old World mar-
  tial arts is the Estalian use of criminals as soldiers. Crimes are 
  often published with debts, and debts can be worked off in 
  public service in the dominar’s armies. 
  These hombres villanos as they are known do sometimes 
  escape and return to their lives of bandits now with greater 
  weaponry, but others realize that the regular meals of the 
  barracks are better than life on the run. The villanos are 
  easily spotted by their shabby appearance and even shabbier 
  discipline but what they lack in training they more than make 
  up for in their violent experience and murderous glee. Like 
  everything in Estalia, it is a regional taste: some rulers swear 
  by them, others disdain them. But few would ever rule out 
  hiring them for that one special job, and everyone knows the 
  legend of Los Siete Sucio, the seven ragged criminals who 
  saved the kingdoms from the Dark Elf invasion.
  Conflicts with Other Nations
  Relations between the Estalian kingdoms and most other 
  Old World nations are based mainly on trade, but trade and 
  war are two sides of the same coin. Only Bretonnia and Tilea 
  border Estalia and Estalians have frequently strained rela-
  tions with both. The greatest tension is, of course, between 
  neighbouring Estalian kingdoms, but, quite unlike the Tilean 
  cities, Estalian states retain a degree of unanimity in the face 
  of foreigners. This is largely a legacy of their past; however 
  dreadful other Estalians might be they are still more 
  understandable than other cultures. Two rival Estalian nations 
  may have had their forces fighting each other for generations, 
  but the two will come together in a moment, with great 
  camaraderie and brotherhood, if there are foreigners to be 
  slaughtered.
  Otherwise, Estalia’s connection to the rest of the world is 
  by the sea. Estalia seamen regularly cross the Tilean Sea and 
  Black Gulf to Tilea, the Border Princes and Barak Varr, the 
  Middle Sea up to Bretonnia and Marienburg, the Southern 
  Ocean to Araby and sometimes onto the Southlands and the 
  New Coast. More recently, the profits of journeys to the 
  New World and Lustria or Ind and Cathay have 
  tempted them to make ever longer voyages, despite the 
  dangers involved. The Elves of Ulthuan have done their best 
  to discourage such lengthy trading missions, hoping to keep 
  their ancient stranglehold on such trade, through a mixture 
  of intimidation, economic sanctions and the outright sinking 
  of ships or capturing of cargo. None of these tactics has been 
  very successful.
  Closer sea voyages can sometimes seem almost as risky since 
  the Southern Ocean and Tilean Sea are thick with pirates. 
  Not only does the Pirate Princedom of Sartosa harbour a 
  nest of desperate buccaneers, but the rocky islands that lie 
  along Estalia’s eastern coast and south of the city of Tobaro 
  give them further shelter. As most are uninhabited or only 
  by a few scattered fishing communities, and many have rocky 
  shores with hidden reefs, these make perfect hideaways for 
  those who wish avoid the attention of the Estalian kingdoms 
  or Tilean City States.
  
  37
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  But even more feared are the Arabyan Emirates and Cali-
  phates that provide bases for corsairs, notably Lashiek and 
  Arjijil. Whilst Stromfels-worshipping pirates of Sartosa 
  might force captives to walk the plank, the corsairs would 
  not waste anyone they capture. Instead they are taken back to 
  their home ports where, if they are lucky, they might be 
  ransomed. Otherwise, they are sold as slaves. Many an 
  Estalian sailor’s greatest fear is that they will end up chained 
  to an oar in an Arabyan galley or working deep in a mine 
  until they die of exhaustion.
  In an attempt to combat these piratical activities, many of 
  the Estalian kingdoms employ ships to seek out and destroy 
  pirates and hire privateers to do the same. Most notably 
  Bilbali and Magritta are determined hunters of pirates and 
  ruthlessly sink any hostile ship that they find. Taxes paid 
  for the galleys and galleons employed in this task are the one 
  sort that all Estalian merchants happily pay for; whilst Tilean 
  Cities also suffer from the deprivations of pirates, Estalians 
  always accuse them of paying bribes to go after Estalian col-
  ours. Without doubt, because of the way Estalian merchant 
  voyages are funded, the activities of pirates hit them hardest; 
  one ship lost might be a devastating blow to the Estalian who 
  owned or funded it, but likely be barely noticed by the great 
  Tilean merchant concerns.
  In general, Estalian dealings with both Tileans and Arabyans 
  are professional, if not friendly. To the Estalians, whilst they 
  are trading partners and sometime allies, the Tileans are 
  insufferably arrogant in their assertions that they are the 
  oldest civilisation in the Old World, when Estalians
   reasonably realise that they were truly the first land settled 
  by humans. The fact that Tileans maintain that theirs was 
  Myrmidia’s homeland is more evidence of their ludicrously 
  boastful and possibly deceitful natures.  Their failure to 
  properly worship the goddess in the Estalian manner is, for 
  the truly devout, deeply worrying.
  Tobarans are, exceptionally, well liked in most of Estalia, 
  perhaps because their city is located on the Estalian peninsula. 
  Tobaran dockyards have often been pressed into service for 
  the benefit of Magritta’s damaged pirate hunting warships 
  when unable to limp back to their home port, for instance. 
  The Princes of Mendora have, on the other hand, tradition-
  ally claimed the city as part of their dominion. The fact that 
  the Abasko Mountains form a barrier between their two 
  lands and that Tobaro was an independent Tilean state before 
  the creation of the current Principality of Mendora tends to 
  undermine the strength of the claim–but not much. Outside 
  Mendora, any Tilean travelling in Estalia will often claim 
  (if he can bear the stain on his pride) to be Tobaran, as many 
  Estalians know that Tobarans are the best of a bad bunch.
  By contrast, Miragliano, as a traditional enemy of Tobaro, 
  often clashes with Estalian ships in Southern Sea. The 
  Miraglianese embody the stereotypical attributes of Tileans 
  in Estalian eyes: the city’s association with disease and 
  Ratmen just confirms any prejudices. 
  The relationship with Remas is almost entirely defined by 
  the competing claims of Estalia and Tilea to be the home 
  of the Myrmidian religion. Although the Magrittan temple 
  is theoretically superior to all others, the Reman temple 
  maintains that it should be the seen as the senior body and the 
  Aquila Ultima (or Ultima Aquila, as the Tileans 
  ridiculously phrase it) resides there. Every Estalian feels 
  the need to assert the opposite and the argument frequently 
  leads to high tempers and bloodshed. That said, as one of the 
  homes of the Myrmidian faith, there is a good deal of contact 
  between the city of Remas and the Estalian Kingdoms. 
  The Holy Temple of Myrmidia in Remas is one of the 
  pilgrimages regularly undertaken by Estalians (third only in 
  popularity to the High Temple in Magritta and the Catedral 
  of Santa Gabriela in Bilbali) and many Estalian priests study 
  for a year in Remas in a vain attempt to heal the rift between 
  the Estalian and Tilean wings of the cult. Typically they 
  return with an even greater hatred for Tileans than their 
  fellows at home
  Luccini, the last of the major trade rivals for Estalia in Tilea, 
  is somewhat forgiven for its foreign ways for its assistance in 
  the fight against the Sartosan pirates. Living as close as they 
  do to Sartosa, the deprivations of the pirate city are keenly 
  felt by Luccinians and they have often combined with 
  Estalian pirate hunters to track down buccaneers who have 
  proved particularly troublesome. Some Luccinian sailors are 
  almost brave enough to be called Estalian.
  The Arabyans have never been fully forgiven for the
   invasion of Estalia and the scar on Estalian honour that that 
  caused. But, like the Tileans, they are useful trading partners. 
  In the case of the Arabyans, the relationship goes further, 
  however, for many of the Estalian states have repeatedly 
  sought to directly influence the politics of the Emirates and 
  Caliphates. Often a desire to see an Emir or a Caliph who 
  is more sympathetic to their interests has led to an Estalian 
  Kingdom offering aid to a pretender to a throne or refuge 
  to a deposed ruler. Fifty years ago, for instance, the King of 
  Lysboa, Hernando XI, marched at the head of a large force 
  deep into the Arabyan desert in support of the claim of the 
  Emir of Martek to lands claimed by the city of Al-Haikk. 
  They met at the Battle of the Three Kings. Lysboa has never 
  fully recovered from the disaster and the loss of its king to 
  the Sultan of Al-Haikk. At the moment, the one-time Caliph 
  of Martek, Jemul Al Bathani resides in Magritta, a guest of 
  the Duke, surrounded by his few remaining loyal Janissary 
  guards.
  
  38
  Chapter III: Politics of Estalia
  Heraldry
  Heraldry in Estalia is a serious matter. Only members of the 
  nobility are allowed to bear coats of arms–but as mentioned, 
  the nobility is porous and defined more in the act than the 
  actuality. Each of the ruling Estalian princes has appointed a 
  King of Arms, rey de armas in Estalian, to oversee that the 
  restriction to nobles is being upheld–but humans cannot be 
  everywhere and are open to bribes. In theory, a newcomer 
  to the aristocracy must have their coat of arms approved by 
  the rey de armas. In the larger kingdoms, the rey de armas is 
  typically a hereditary position, while the actual heraldic work 
  is left to assistants known as heraldos. Artists and tailors can 
  gain wealth and fame working as heraldos, with some becom-
  ing known for their particular style or forte.
  As elsewhere, one inherits the arms of one’s father. In Estalia, 
  however, women are accorded more importance than in other 
  parts of the Old World, and for this reason Estalian nobles 
  display their maternal as well as paternal ancestry. This often 
  results in a massively complex coat of arms. Commonly, a 
  coat of arms is thus divided into four fields: (i) in the top 
  left field one carries his or her own arms (that is, the same as 
  one’s father’s); (ii) in the top right field the arms of one’s 
  mother; (iii) in the bottom left field the arms of one’s 
  father’s mother; and (iv) in the bottom right field the arms 
  of one’s mother’s father. Other equally complex 
  arrangements also exist.
  For the recently appointed hidalgos and caballeros this can be 
  a big problem, as their parents and grandparents were not all 
  nobles and, hence, did not bear arms. Technically, the relevant 
  fields of the coat of arms should then be left black. Few new 
  nobles are, of course, content with such a blatant display of 
  their humble background. It has become good business for 
  dubious historians and outright charlatans to provide new 
  nobles with fanciful documentation of the superior 
  achievements and coat of arms for their grandparents.
  A special honour can be bestowed by a device known as an 
  escutcheon by a king. This is a small shield at the centre of 
  the larger shield signifying some great service to the 
  monarch. These are much craved by the ambitious who 
  desperately want to advance in the hierarchy. So much so 
  that new nobles will pay handsomely for adventurers to 
  perform such deeds as long as they ensure the credit comes to 
  the noble. Adventurers on this secret task are referred to as 
  “Agents of Shield”.
  Mercenaries
  Estalian princes pride themselves on their armies and their 
  vigilares (see the next chapter) and typically keep them in 
  good stead no matter the likelihood of war. As such, most 
  princes realize the costs of doing so can be defrayed by hiring 
  their armies out to other nations, both within Estalia and 
  without. So it is that in the Empire and further north, the 
  average citizen most commonly meets Estalians who are 
  travelling mercenaries (or the other wanderers, the diestros 
  who seek to make their legends and gain extra training). 
  Estalian mercenary bands have fought in battles across the 
  entire time and geographical span of the Old World, many 
  passing into history, if not legend. Here are a few names an 
  Empire historian would know, although to an Estalian, if 
  they are not of his kingdom he may not know of them, or 
  care.
  Braganza’s Besiegers – famous for besieging the Tilean city 
  of Miragliano when the siege lasted over five years and even 
  the rats died out and men had to eat each other.
  Voland’s Venators – these expert hunters trained in the 
  jungles of Lustria to become unrivalled at commando tactics.
  Bronzino’s Galloper Guns – Generalissimo Bronzino taught 
  his men to race horses at top speed while still firing with 
  something near accuracy–which requires both hands leaving 
  none for the reins. The Generalissimo is dead now but the 
  unit persists, always seeking new members who are willing to 
  risk the high death rate of the training.
  Birdmen of Catrazza – Another unit still extant, they train 
  for mountain combat where their glide-costumes allow them 
  to swoop like birds upon their enemies.
  Al Muktar’s Desert Dogs – Founded by Arabyan villanos, 
  the Desert Dogs have since added some Estalians to their 
  numbers but remain their fierce disdain for the nation that is 
  not their true home. Yet they will fight with ferocity if the 
  price is right.
  Ricco’s Republican Guard – The Republican Guard is as 
  long gone as the Republic which birthed it–if it even existed 
  (historians disagree). Centuries later this strange company 
  of men swears to its ancient laws and fights for its ancient 
  honour, and vet their members with extreme rituals.
  The Alcatani Fellowship – This semi-secret order of cadets 
  and soldiers is not really a mercenary company, but a frater-
  nal order, linking warriors across kingdoms and even across 
  the Old World. Like the Knights of Magritta (see Shades 
  of Empire) they aren’t always clear about their mission but 
  if convinced to lend their services they can gather wherever 
  they are needed, with sufficient time.
  
  39
  Chapter IV: The Law of Estalia
  “The law layeth pon the land, why,
  Like the rested rustic, and–I warrant
  Has as many fleas.”
   
  As You Pike It, Act 1, Scene 6
  Compared to their northern cousins in the Empire, the Estalian people have a far simpler view of law and order. 
  Their laws can still be harsh and strict, often extremely so, but to the Estalians, the law is akin to the weather. The 
  hot winds of summer can strip a field bare and chafe a man’s skin to the bone, but there is nothing that can be done 
  about it–except getting out of the worst of it. The law of Estalia is equally cruel and arbitrary but something to 
  be endured, not questioned; avoided but not argued. The Estalians find the very idea of lawyers and judges, as they 
  appear in the Empire, to be frivolous–a sure sign of soft living and inveterate cowardice.
  Chapter IV: The Law of Estalia
  Laws of City and State
  At the lowest level, the laws of Estalia are determined by the 
  city governors, or dominars. In larger cities, many dominari 
  create special positions for keepers of the law, captains of 
  the watch or chiefs of security, but this is entirely up to each 
  ruler, and even then, these captains remain completely
   subservient to the dominar and must execute whatever laws 
  their dominar chooses to enact.
  The position of dominar is not elected. Officially, dominari 
  are appointed by the prince or king of the state, but most 
  rulers are content to allow the title to be passed down 
  through family, or however else tradition may dictate. In 
  many cases, of course, the dominar of the largest town is also 
  the ruler of the state. Here again the prince may rule his city 
  unassisted, or may appoint a dominar to handle civic matters 
  while he rules the entire land. In the case of the twin colossi 
  of Bilbali and Magritta, the fortune of the city eclipses all 
  other concerns, and thus the rulers of those states concern 
  themselves almost entirely with urban issues.
  The princes and princesses of Estalia–the rulers of its many 
  nations–are determined by blood and marriage. Estalians 
  typically come from large families, and to avoid rivalry, 
  most princes award the title of dominar in each of their 
  cities to their brothers, sisters, cousins and nephews, who in 
  turn create positions for their relatives. Thus the power of a 
  dominar is not measured in the size or wealth of his city, but 
  how closely related he is to the prince of the state. Of course, 
  it is not unheard of for a prince to give his nearest brother 
  power over the tiniest village or most remote tower as a way 
  of weakening a rival, punishing old insults or simply putting a 
  pain in the royal backside as far away as possible. 
  Likewise, a very distant relative may be put in charge of a 
  powerful city to ensure that the city remains respectful, 
  because the brother’s wife’s cousin ruling it is always 
  striving to ingratiate himself further with his prince.
  In theory, the ruling dominar can make anything legal or 
  illegal, but it is impractical for them to constantly 
  re-establish such a list with each new ascension to the 
  throne. As a result, most towns and cities have a town 
  charter. This document establishes the basic restrictions 
  under which the citizens must operate, detailing such things 
  as taxes, tolls, curfews and rules of decorum and public 
  behaviour. When the dominar wishes to change the charter, 
  he simply issues a proclamation to that effect and posts it 
  by the town gates or at the town hall (or yunta). Said rules 
  take effect immediately, and changes can happen extremely 
  rapidly. There is a famous folk tale of Carlos the pedlar 
  who entered Diamanterra with five pesos for a drink and 
  five pesos to pay the toll to leave the city. As he enjoyed 
  his wine, however, the dominar increased the toll to ten 
  pesos, leaving him stuck in the city. As the tale lengthens, 
  every time the pedlar procures his fee to leave, the toll rises 
  again, and he ends up spending his entire life in the town, a 
  perpetual victim of the fickle nature of Estalian law.
  Although Estalians have no true lawyers, there are plenty 
  of ways to affect the laws that the dominar chooses to 
  make. The common business of the wealthiest and more 
  prominent families of any town is to petition and influence 
  the dominar and the various subordinate officials he has in-
  stalled to ensure that the laws favour their family and their 
  businesses to the utmost. Particularly successful families 
  may even acquire positions under the dominar, positions 
  they can then pass on to their children. Those who engage 
  in these constant intrigues spend most of their days at the 
  town hall, so are said to be playing the “game of yunta”. 
  
  40
  Chapter IV: The Law of Estalia
  To men of the Empire, those who play this game resemble 
  lawyers, especially in how fiercely and underhandedly they 
  scrap for victory. The difference is they have neither the 
  mandate nor any interest in serving the common man, nor any 
  sense of justice. The game of yunta is for nobles, not 
  criminals.
  The laws of the charter and the dominar are enforced by the 
  men of the city guard–the proteges. These men are typically 
  chosen for their extreme attention to detail, and their shame-
  less glee at enforcing those details as brutally as possible. 
  Although they are typically strict in interpretation of the 
  law, the proteges are also famous for their arbitrary and 
  whimsical nature in is enforcement. Another folk song tells 
  of two identical twins, one of whom is found guilty of having 
  his nose too long and condemned to die in prison, while the 
  other is treated to free wine and food by the friendly 
  guardsmen who swear to always be his brother.
  Bribery is also rife amongst the proteges as they would 
  always rather be drinking and whoring than policing. 
  However, since the most common punishment for breaking 
  the law is a fine, most dominars or jefes de proteges (captains 
  of the guard) demand that their guardsmen bring in a 
  minimum amount of money each day, ensuring that at least 
  some of the fines and/or bribes levied make it to the city’s 
  coffers, instead of the proteges’ purse.
  If the fine cannot be paid, there are plenty of alternatives for 
  paying off the debt. The proteges always need someone to do 
  unpleasant or unwelcome jobs around the watchhouse, from 
  scrubbing the floors to carrying their bags to even serving 
  in their numbers. Many a career in public service begins 
  with a fine that cannot be paid. In some cases, criminals with 
  great fines to pay (or great imprisonments to work off) can 
  be indentured to their city’s legalities for life, or be forced 
  into its armed forces. See Chapter Three for more on these 
  hombres villanos.
  Sentences that are not fines are typically imprisonment, 
  hanging or more brutal procedures, all carried out as swiftly 
  as possible by the guards who apprehend the criminal–often 
  on the very spot where the arrest is made. Like their Empire 
  cousins, the Estalians enjoy a good public show, however, and 
  no town square lacks a set of stocks or manacles for hosting 
  public punishments. These can range from the purely 
  humiliating such as throwing fruit, right up to a hundred and 
  fifty lashes with the cat o’ nine tails, not to mention other, 
  more creative pursuits involving torture, branding and 
  scarification. Some of this is done with a simple whip or 
  red-hot poker but science is blooming in Estalia and there 
  are tortures such as being forced to grasp a hot or electrified 
  copper ball, drinking from a scalding kettle, the 
  scorpion-mail-shirt and the ever popular weasel-codpiece.
  Similar creativity abounds in execution methods. There are 
  intricate new devices of increasing weights, rising blades or 
  wild animals. But the old ways never go out of style. 
  Crucifixion is used, and skeleton-adorned crosses are a 
  common sight on lonely hilltops, and every crossroads in 
  the peninsula has a gallows and noose at the ready, and which 
  sees frequent use. As another song says, the swordsmith, the 
  bartender and the hangman are the three who will never want 
  for work.
  Mother Verena’s Wisdom
  The Goddess Verena (sometimes 
  known as Vereşa) is known in 
  Estalia, but she has a different 
  nature in the south than the one her 
  Empire faithful know. She is the 
  Maiden Myrmidia’s mother, and as 
  such not as powerful as the Maiden 
  herself. She is usually in charge of 
  knowledge more than law or justice; 
  Myrmidia of course is the 
  determiner of all that is right, just 
  and honourable. But Verena 
  remembers the laws that are about 
  records and duties that are more 
  civic than personal. A soldier 
  seeking his due pension would 
  invoke Verena that the records 
  remember him and the dominars 
  keep their word. A noble wishing 
  to trade on a shared heritage of long 
  ago will ask Verena’s eyes to scan 
  her book to remember promises 
  past.
  
  41
  Chapter IV: The Law of Estalia
  Laws of the Princes
  Above the individual dominars sits the king, queen, prince or 
  princess (or in one obscure case, Emperor) of the land. This 
  august individual may also make her own laws and hand them 
  down to the dominars. The laws of the princes apply to the 
  entire kingdom: the cities and the farms and all wildernesses 
  between. These laws are enforced by the Prince’s Guards or 
  vigilares. The proteges are expected to enforce the rules of 
  the land above those of their city, however as the dominar is 
  close and the prince is typically far away, this is a rule more 
  often breached than observed. Indeed, it is not unheard of for 
  pitched battles in the streets to occur between the vigilares 
  and the proteges, each trying to follow their particular orders.
  In the main, though, the vigilares patrol the countryside be-
  tween the towns. Their targets are bandits, rebels and lawless 
  mountain men who prey upon travellers. Unlike the Empire, 
  however, Estalia is not a particularly wild place. Towns are 
  large and the mild climate and dry soil means the surrounding 
  farms extend far from the walls. There is little dark forest or 
  wild hills between settlements, nor Greenskins or 
  Beastmen to hide in them. As such, Estalia needs no 
  Roadwardens and outside of the deep mountain passes (or 
  a full-scale war between nations), vigilares spend less time 
  maintaining the security of the roads than challenging the 
  limits of their jurisdiction by pursuing criminals over the 
  border and proving that they are far more skilled than the 
  vigilares of their neighbouring prince. Deadly duels of 
  honour and pride are a regular feature at borderside tavernas, 
  and an Estalian guard is ten times as likely to be killed by a 
  fellow Estalian than any outsider or monstrous opponent.
  Borders in Estalia are as important as they are numerous. 
  The laws of the prince only extend as far as his particular 
  nation. Just as a criminal may avoid being punished for 
  breaking a city law by fleeing its walls, fleeing the nation will 
  remove one from the consequences of ones deeds therein–or 
  at least in theory. The other reason that vigilares frequent 
  border tavernas is they will often find the border-runners 
  they are seeking, relaxing in theoretical safety. The graver the 
  crime, the higher the bounty the dominar, prince or family 
  will place on the criminal’s head, and parties both official and 
  unofficial will cross more than one border to acquire these 
  or simply take revenge. Thus when vigilares aren’t fighting 
  over pride, they are fighting over the fate of some criminal. 
  For the nation where the criminal has sought refuge, this is a 
  deeply personal issue of pride and sovereignty; for the nation 
  he has run from, this is a deeply personal issue of honour and 
  justice. Swords are drawn fast, and blood flows quick and 
  deep–and more than one rogue has escaped the noose in the 
  battles over jurisdiction.
  Women
  Women are sacred in Estalian culture, and have special 
  protections under the law. Striking a woman is a crime 
  punishable by imprisonment at the very least, although it may 
  be ameliorated by circumstance. To strike your own wife is 
  less a crime, to do it at home likewise. To strike an unmarried 
  woman in the street is considered akin to rape, and is repaid 
  by savage corporal punishment, in full public view. Even 
  after the scars from the whips heal, anyone convicted of such 
  a crime is shunned by society. The Estalians have no time 
  for a man who feels the need to strike, imprison, steal from 
  or even insult a woman. They feel that the ways of nations 
  like the Empire and Bretonnia, where women are often little 
  more than property, are incredibly barbaric, not to mention 
  indicative of the poorly skilled lovers who live there. The act 
  of rape (something often never even reported in the Empire) 
  is punishable by nothing short of public hanging, and any 
  diestro worth his salt will gleefully ride down and murder a 
  fleeing rapist, though it take weeks to track him down in the 
  mountains. Where death is not the sentence, extreme crimes 
  like this usually lend themselves to brandings, so that no 
  matter where the criminal runs his sins will be borne before 
  him.
  ”A man may be my brother, in flesh, 
  in spirit, in arms, in all the ways that 
  matter–but if he touches my woman, 
  I kill him where he stands. And that is 
  all there is of law.”
   
  Garetto Guillano, Diestro of 
  Septa Sorista
  “The only law that matters is the 
  Maiden’s, for it is Her will made 
  fact. And in truth, it needs no terce 
  or codex, for it is inscribed upon our 
  hearts.”
   
  La Aquila Ultima, to King 
  Carlos IV of Magritta
  “Now we are past that hilltop, we are 
  across the border! Nobody can touch 
  us anymore! We’re free men! Free!”
   
  Iorgo Juna, last words
   
  
  42
  Chapter IV: The Law of Estalia
  Of course, there are plenty of unscrupulous, vindictive, nefar-
  ious and criminal Estalian women, many of whom are aware 
  that the laws of the land ensure they will never be brought to 
  justice or indeed any account for their viperous behaviour. As 
  the song says, there is no blade so sharp as a woman’s tongue, 
  no pain so deep as a woman’s cruelty, no battle so lost as to 
  fight a woman’s will, and the men of the Empire consider 
  Estalian women to be distastefully impudent and distressing-
  ly overbearing.
  Types of Laws
  Unless they are a merchant, or a frequent traveller dealing 
  with tolls, an Estalian will most often come into contact with 
  the law in its capacity of controlling public behaviour and 
  debauchery. For both mercantile and religious reasons (see 
  below), most towns have strict laws on when, where and how 
  alcohol may be sold and consumed. Similar restrictions apply 
  to gambling, fighting, duelling, loitering and even singing and 
  dancing. The enthused Tilean visitor will find it strange that 
  his hot-blooded hosts suddenly cease their fiestas and return 
  home to their beds at a seemingly arbitrary toll of the bell, 
  but to the Estalian, sleep, prayer and duty to one’s home are 
  things to be pursued with equal passion as wine, women and 
  song. Of course, plenty have their own view on how many 
  hours to spend on these matters, and the proteges make 
  nightly fortunes from those who linger late upon the streets.
  Sumptuary laws are becoming more commonplace, although 
  they lack the dramatic divide between rich and poor seen 
  among the Bretons. In general, these are used to simply 
  emphasise wealth and influence, with those most connected to 
  the dominar convincing him to outlaw certain cuts or colours 
  for those not in his favour. Strangers passing through towns 
  may be told that nobody but those of a certain family may 
  wear red, or that all cloaks must be less than four feet long, 
  lest they hide evil intent (an accusation that those citizens 
  above reproach may ignore). In the larger cities, seamstresses 
  and cloth-merchants make a fine living working by the city 
  gates, as new arrivals may find themselves desperate for new 
  attire to avoid an outrageous fine. Of course, many Estalians 
  are so proud of their fashion they would rather take the 
  fine, or even duel with the guards than remove or alter the 
  offending item.
  Perhaps the most important laws in Estalia are the ones 
  involving duelling. Duelling is entirely legal, as long as a few 
  small conditions are met. The duel must have at least two 
  witnesses, who will swear that the duel was clearly chal-
  lenged, and neither man was murdered unawares. Said wit-
  nesses are supposed to be unaligned with the men in question, 
  or for one to be aligned with each combatant, to ensure the 
  witnessing is fair and unbiased. Typically, those who swear to 
  the duel will also act as the duellists’ seconds, if the duel does 
  not take place immediately.
  A duel begins with one man challenging another for a 
  perceived insult or grudge. At such a time, any stakes on the 
  outcome are declared as well, and any conditions on the duel 
  itself. It is possible to refuse or alter a challenge, but it must 
  be done immediately. Any man who swears to a duel and 
  then rescinds from it or fails to send a second in his place is 
  considered to have lost any item or argument at stake, as well 
  as all his honour. Like a criminal, such a coward would be 
  shunned from society and tavernas, and probably forced to 
  leave town. To refuse a duel at the time it is offered is far less 
  socially devastating, but can also be a sign of 
  cowardice or weakness, and few proud diestros can bear such 
  a mark on their character. Although most duels are fought 
  to first blood or until one opponent cries merce! deaths both 
  accidental and declared are common. Duelling is therefore 
  an effective way for the wealthy or the skilled to legally 
  murder their rivals. Any hidalgo or ricos playing the game of 
  yunta will always travel with a highly skilled (and expensive) 
  swordsman to act as his second, ensuring he walks away from 
  his duels mostly victorious and always unharmed. Many 
  warriors and adventures turn to these roles for coin, and it is 
  not uncommon for two great friends from the battlefield to 
  end up, when the wars end and the pesos are few, trying to kill 
  each other at the whim of rich owners playing political games 
  with hired blood.
  Again, pity the Estalian, for he is most often slain by his 
  brother and his countryman, and not by the orc, the Beastmen 
  or the foreigner.
  Laws of the Church
  Although there is much overlap across principalities, there 
  is no unified principle of Estalian law, as it comes from the 
  princes. There is however another body whose will can and 
  does proscribe the law across the entire collection of 
  kingdoms: the black-cloaked, eagle-eyed Myrmidian church.
  The church’s power is not infinite, but it is entrenched and its 
  edicts are inviolate. Rare is a prince so powerful he can afford 
  to contradict his bishops and cardinals nor is any prince so 
  secure that he does not fear the cloaked hand of the 
  Inquisition whispering to his subjects or neighbours. An 
  inquisitor would need a great deal of power to declare a 
  prince a heretic (and thus forfeit of any right to rule), but it 
  is not unheard of. Therefore, whether due to true faith or real 
  fear, the laws of the church are the laws of all the princes, all 
  the dominars and all the peoples of Estalia.
  The deep and intricate canon of church law is however mostly 
  directed at its own priesthood. Where it interacts with the 
  common man is in its determination of what is heretical and 
  what is merely sinful. 
  
  43
  Chapter IV: The Law of Estalia
  The former is generally of the most import to the church, 
  and commands the most support from civil authorities. 
  However by maintaining interest and control over the 
  legalities of the latter, the church ensures its power and 
  influence is felt at every level of society.
  The most common heretical crime is the worship of false 
  gods. This is considered a crime against the Maiden regardless 
  of whether the god is an innocent peasant superstition or a 
  terrible Ruinous Powers of Chaos, although in the case of 
  the latter the church will pursue the crime with its utmost 
  terrifying zeal. The Inquisition focuses most of its energies 
  on rooting out hidden and powerful cults, in the courts, the 
  cities and the larger towns, so although arcane peasant faiths 
  are still a crime, they typically go unpunished. Likewise 
  those who worship Myrmidia in any divergent or proscribed 
  fashions are more often than not outside the interest of the 
  Inquisition, as long as their political power is small. Unlike 
  to the proteges, peccadillos are of little interest to the 
  Inquisition.
  It is far more worrying, to their eyes, that people would 
  step away from faith as a whole than worship incorrectly. 
  Thus it is that the Inquisition takes a role in monitoring and 
  prescribing the state of Estalian morality. Laws of curfew, 
  zoning, dress and public merriment are backed up by the 
  assertion that, in excess, the wonders of wine and song can 
  lead men away from proper deference to the Maiden and her 
  mother church. Far more dangerous, however, are the wiles 
  of women.
  The church has, in the last few decades, been particularly 
  vocal about the dangers of the seductive pleasures of the 
  flesh, and has worked tirelessly to limit and restrict the 
  access the common man has to them. Prostitution is outlawed 
  across the peninsula, and the church encourages the proteges 
  of every city to be vigilant in enforcing this. So virulent has 
  the church’s crusade been against “professional” women that 
  at times it even overrules Estalian gallantry, and men can now 
  humiliate or strike prostitutes without great fear of conse-
  quence.
  The church has gone further too, outlawing acts or perfor-
  mances that could be considered lascivious or enticing to-
  wards sexual thoughts. This includes several types of dancing, 
  many festival rituals and any taverna where the waitresses 
  bare too much of their shoulders, calves or bellies. Just as 
  with the fines of the proteges, it is often up to the whims 
  of the town priests as to which venues and activities are 
  appropriate, and which are deplorably sinful. In one town, the 
  single addition of castanets to a dance routine may make it 
  the gateway to damnation, in another guardsmen may measure 
  every dancer’s skirt (and any splits in it) to ensure it meets 
  the strict demands of local church law.
  Such laws can quickly extend to the entire population, 
  producing more restrictive versions of sumptuary laws, 
  designed to ensure that even a passing woman on the street 
  cannot turn a man’s thoughts to lust with her rising hemline 
  or unbound hair.
  This pogrom against the expression of the female form has 
  caused a lot of strife and even bloodshed. Church conclaves 
  have been called to evaluate every event on the program at the 
  local taverna, and more than one innocent young mountain 
  girl dancing the fiesta rondo just as her mother and grand-
  mother taught her has been burnt for her wanton behaviour. 
  At the same time bishops in Bilbali pay handsomely for the 
  proteges to ignore certain whore-houses where holy men 
  “take confession” on a regular basis.
  Further confusion lies in the fact that Myrmidia is most 
  certainly a goddess of art and artists. Until recently the 
  church has had little against the presentment of the naked 
  female form in their icons, paintings and stained glass 
  windows. As such, the church is forced to allow such 
  processes to continue, and the larger cities are now filled with 
  “art clubs” where young men–passionate about their artistic 
  training–may paint and sketch the various models provided 
  by the establishment. Science too, is holy to Myrmidia, 
  and the study of the anatomical form is extremely popular 
  in Magritta and Bilbali, with even illiterate sailors keen to 
  attend lectures and hands-on demonstrations. 
  The Old World’s Greatest Lovers
  It is well known across the Old World 
  that the laws of Estalia forbid both taking 
  a woman by any force at all, and 
  acquiring one with coin. This implies to 
  the world that the men of Estalia can only 
  bring a woman to their beds by wooing 
  them with words, songs and heroic deeds, 
  and has cemented their reputation as the 
  paramours par excellence of the 
  continent–although many a Tilean would 
  disagree. Due to this reputation, many 
  Estalians take pride in their laws, and 
  mock, degrade and even shun those who 
  break them. To be called a 
  whoremonger–a puto or a pachero–is to 
  imply a man lacks the ability to woo, and 
  is a terrible insult, one demanding either 
  apology or a swift lesson with steel.
  
  44
  Chapter IV: The Law of Estalia
  Those running schools and galleries, both legitimate and 
  otherwise, will regularly find themselves scrutinised by the 
  black robed priests to ensure their work remains entirely 
  holy, and the ability to impersonate an artist or physician is 
  now a highly prized one in the underside of Estalian cities.
  The punishment for breaking the church’s laws almost never 
  involves fines. Women are imprisoned, branded and 
  sometimes tortured; the men seduced by or profiting from 
  them are beaten, maimed or executed. Still, there is much 
  money to be made, and the salacious industries have only 
  thrived since being driven underground.
  It is not just the anatomical sciences which are scrutinized 
  by the Inquisition. The church is adamant that every aspect 
  of this popular new study meet their moral standards and 
  not lead men away from their faith. Students of physics and 
  chemistry are examined almost as closely as the doctors and 
  dancers of the realm, lest they proclaim some heresy. More 
  than one brave explorer of the unknown has had his tongue 
  cut out or been imprisoned for life because his conclusions 
  were too distant from the word of the Goddess, or because 
  his interrogator just didn’t understand them. More than one 
  scientist has pondered the fact that they might as well trade 
  in flesh, as they would be under the exact same level of 
  scrutiny and risk, but make ten times the coin.
  The Inquisition makes no apology or compensation for any 
  inconveniences it may cause. It is in the business of saving 
  souls; scientific progress and artistic merit–and indeed a few 
  human lives–are minor considerations in the face of such a 
  holy mission.
  Laws of the Abasko
  The Abasko people have their own laws, 
  separate from Estalian law, although rare-
  ly in conflict. Nor do the Abasko find 
  any frequent reason to object to coming 
  under the laws of the peninsula, although 
  they do find the long litanies of finable 
  offences a sign of flatlander insanity. The 
  Abasko do have heretical faiths, however: 
  they trace their origins back before the 
  coming of the Estalii tribes, and their 
  worship of ancient trees is definitely 
  an insult to the Maiden. However, few 
  clergymen would wish to declare outright 
  war against the cunning mountain folk, 
  so for the moment the church turns a 
  blind eye, and in return the wiser Abasko 
  don’t mention their forest shrines when 
  the Blackrobes are visiting. Rumour has 
  it however, that the Aquila Hembre of 
  Bilbali is looking for an excuse to begin 
  a pogrom to cleanse this blasphemy once 
  and for all.
  
  45
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  “I would not beard your grace as to suggest
  My maiden strides more glory-clad to battle
  Than your Sigmar. But when war’s weary work
  Is done, e’en gods turn to country matters.”
   
  Troll’s Slayer’s Lost, Act 3, Scene 3
  Welcome to the Estalian Kingdoms. Many have tried to forge them into one country. None have succeeded.
  Each of the following entries covers a separate kingdom, with its own rulers, laws, traditions and even currency–
  some with their own dialect as well. They all have their own specialities and benefit from trade with other nations 
  in Estalia and often beyond, but most of them could survive in isolation. Bilbali, Magritta, Estrema and Badajoz 
  trade daily with a number of other kingdoms, and all benefit from diplomatic connections with their rivals, but 
  their fierce navies can fend off attacks from belligerent neighbours. Zatifa entertains students from all over the 
  peninsula, and La Mesa stands or falls on its grain trade, but each has its own small armies and other sources of food 
  and income. Even tiny Lysboa has a navy and sufficient farmland to scrape by in the hardest of years. Carrona and 
  La Isla Atalaya are essentially too small and isolated to exist for a sustained period without trade, but these are the 
  exceptions rather than the rule.
  And yet, each of them is recognisably part of Estalia as a whole. Connections and ties go back millennia, for good 
  or ill. Borders have been drawn and redrawn with warfare and diplomacy, and one family might have cousins in a 
  dozen kingdoms. They may not need each other, but as a whole they do depend on one another.
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  
  46
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  
  47
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Badajoz
  Quick Data
  Official Name: Most Royal Kingdom Of Badajoz
  Ruler: Philippe IV de Los Cabos
  Government: Prince’s court, supported by Hidalgo 
  landowners
  Capital: Los Cabos
  Free Towns: Nerja
  Major exports: Shipbuilding, salt and pickled fish, shellfish, 
  pearls, angora, wool, leather
  Heraldry: Three ships with white sails in a red field under a 
  golden half sun.
  The Land And Its People
  The southwestern edge of the Estalian peninsula is hot, dusty 
  and inhospitable. Most of the people of Badajoz cling to 
  the coast, where the fishing fleets and oyster nets support 
  the principality's tenuous economy. In the centuries since 
  the first Crusades many of its harbour forts have fallen into 
  disuse, and fishing, shipbuilding and trade with neighbouring 
  kingdoms keep the subjects of the Throne of Pearls well fed. 
  Goatherds and drovers work in the reddish Miramar Hills 
  and the dusty plains encircling them, coming to town to trade 
  meat and wools for fresh and dried fish.
  Seat of power for the kingdom is Los Cabos, a city renowned 
  for its mariners since Reman times and a strategic point that 
  every invading army and navy has fought over for just as 
  long. Legend has it that Myrmidia herself founded the city, 
  the first ship launched from the bay being carved by the 
  maiden goddess herself from a single Encina Oak tree.
  The great explorer Vespuce Lustros was a son of Los Cabos. 
  The explorer’s second voyage set out from the city aboard 
  Badajozian ships. To this day the Lustrian Treasure Fleet uses 
  the bay as a winter berth, helping to defend the coast from 
  Sangria pirates and Araby corsairs drawn by the wealth 
  flowing through the city. The Pearl of the Western Seas 
  attracts many adventurous spirits as it revels in its richest 
  years since the first Crusade.
  This success has also reinvigorated Nerja, the chartered free 
  town to the northeast of Los Cabos known for its salt and 
  pickled fish, and San Pedro del Sur, a market town in the 
  foothills of the Miramars and a place of pilgrimage due to its 
  healing spring, known as the Tears of the Little Sister.
  Adventure Hooks
  I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In
  The Treasure Fleet is due to return in days, augurs and carrier 
  pigeons confirming that it has left La Isla Atalaya. The city 
  is in a rush to make ready for a grand festival welcoming the 
  conquering heroes’ home. And, naturally, pirates and pirate 
  hunters alike wait to make the first move. In the midst of 
  all this, the captain of the harbour watch is found murdered. 
  Suspicion falls on agents of the Sangria pirates, and the city 
  swings from hysteria to paranoia. Who killed the captain and 
  to what cause?
  A Chill In The Water
  All along the Costa del Sur there have been strange reports 
  of fishermen and shipwrights disappearing by night. Then 
  one of them manages to stumble into a dockside taverna, 
  clutching his side and ranting of men with the heads of trout 
  attacking with tridents and nets. Is any of this true? And if 
  so, what do the sea folk want with men? And what does the 
  Kraken have to do with it?
  “The Throne of Pearls, city of wonders! 
  You can keep Magritta, it’s got too 
  many hills anyway.”
   
  Cristóbal Villalobos, shipwright
  “Behold the Asustar, the greatest pearl 
  ever found, centre of the crown jewels, 
  to be worn whence our most noble prince 
  takes a wife.”
   
  Condesa Violeta Della Sur Della 
  Shallya, social climber
  “The Maiden General herself was the 
  first to sail from this bay, sirs. We de-
  fend this land with no less ferocity.”
   
  Dolorada Della Charybdim, 
  pirate hunter
  “They build good boats, I grant them 
  that.”
   
  Marco Colombo, Tilean explorer 
  
  48
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Bilbali
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Most Blessed Kingdom Of Bilbali
  Ruler: Queen Juana della Roja
  Government: Feudal with a privy council
  Capital: Bilbali
  Free Towns: Barboza, Borgas
  Major exports: Salt fish, grain, boatbuilding, timber, wine, 
  iron ore
  Heraldry: A golden lion rampant on a fiery red field
  The Land And Its People
  The kingdom of Bilbali is temperate and coastal, known for 
  its fishing and extensive vineyards. Under Queen Juana's 
  rule, the people appear industrious, since farmers’ markets in 
  Bilbali bring large dividends. The divide between town and 
  country is sharp, with the citizens of Bilbali seen as almost a 
  separate people, eating the produce of the country and giving 
  little back but coin. Long ago, when the ancient state of 
  Tigarre fell to pieces, its lords settled in the north and some 
  of those outside the city use the ancient name of Tigarre of 
  their kingdom, to better distinguish themselves from the city 
  folk.
  Much of the inner kingdom was once forest, but the needs 
  of war have seen most trees felled for boatbuilding and sale 
  as well as to make way for fields and vines, a situation that 
  slowly starves the land of the moisture it needs to grow the 
  vines. Forested estates preserved for hunting are targets for 
  poachers as game runs scarce. In the heartlands the overbur-
  dened fields give way to dusty plains and hungry peasants talk 
  of revolt. Pina Wood so far remains untouched for fear of 
  reprisals from those that dwell within, and there are whispers 
  of shadowy figures taking revenge against merchants who 
  profit from the fallen forests. Meanwhile more boats are 
  always needed.
  The other free towns marking the borders of the kingdom, 
  Barboza and Borgas, are bustling centres of trade with the 
  kingdom's neighbours. Their dominars are keenly aware of 
  their provincial status, and occupy themselves with trade, 
  diplomacy and civic protection. While “the big city” is 
  famed for its fencers, Barboza is respected as home to the 
  best musketeers on the north coast, with years of practice in 
  fending off pirates and invaders.
  For details on the city itself, see Chapter Six.
  Adventure Hooks
  Pleno Verano Murders
  The Pleno Verano festival, celebrated in the villages along 
  the River Tarmos, is a time to show off the summer crop and 
  to try the previous year’s wine. Vintners and wine merchants 
  travel many leagues to secure new varieties and flavours for 
  their wealthy customers. When a rare grape vine is stolen, 
  every trader is at each other’s throats, and every dirty trick 
  will be pulled to settle the score and acquire the rare ingredi-
  ent for their own vats.
  Watchers In The Woods
  Travellers continue to be frightened off the road south by 
  shadowy figures hiding in the woods, striking at the convoys 
  of wine merchants and taxmen. Although pretending to be 
  the mysterious wood elves, they are in fact simply clever 
  bandits making the most of an old legend. However, when 
  the characters are sent to deliver justice, the real legends make 
  their appearance, causing time, space and identities to shift as 
  the fey and the real collide.
  “The lion lives on an empty plain.”
  Common saying in the Ferot Hills
  “Most of the children always go to the 
  big city. The smart ones come back.”
  Juan del Valjuan, Feroti vintner
  “If anything, the Bilbalin peasant is even 
  surlier than the Bilbalin citizen. This is 
  because the citizen is always busy and the 
  peasant never wants to be.”
  Agathe de Soeurs Pâles, Bretonnian wine 
  merchant
  “The Queen is wise and fair. Wise 
  enough not to go to war with the Mag-
  rittes, fair enough to keep us armed just 
  in case.”
  Tancredo Del Tarmos, bargee
  
  49
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Cabria
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Holy Kingdom of Cabria
  Ruler: King Alonso II, aka Alonso de Gordo
  Government: Feudal
  Capital: Diamanterra
  Free Towns: San Luis
  Major exports: Salt fish, grain, stone, coal, beef and 
  leather
  Heraldry: Halved, red sun on a yellow field left, white hel-
  met on a black field right
  The Land And Its People
  The north western corner of the Estalian peninsula is home to 
  the Kingdom of Cabria, where warm winds from the Great 
  Western Ocean provide rich and fertile farming and grazing 
  on the low Céfiro Hills and the surrounding plains, while 
  also forcing large, hard waves across the northern Costa 
  Tiburon.
  The coast is lined with Crusader forts looking out onto the 
  waters, and a few looking east towards the border with 
  Bilbali. Today many of them serve as lighthouses, their 
  watchfires guiding ships around the edge of the peninsula.
  The crashing surf and riptides combine with unseen reefs to 
  make for a difficult sailing, and the coast is an ideal base for 
  wreckers. Organised gangs build pyres to lure trading ships 
  onto the rocks, with accomplices on the shore ready to kill 
  any survivors before dragging the cargo into their caves.
  As a response to this threat to legal business, San Luis is the 
  base of the Coast Guard, a division of the Watch dedicated to 
  foiling the wreckers. This doughty troop of fighters works 
  to protect lighthouses from saboteurs and rides out by night 
  to battle the murderous crews.
  “It’s a blessed land, is Cabria. Warm 
  breezes, rich farming, long glistening 
  beaches...”
   
  Palmira de Pasa, innkeeper
  “Long nights gazing out at the sea, the 
  chill air warmed only by the watchfires. 
  Lovely coast, but by the Maiden it makes 
  a man lonely. And then there are the 
  Sirens...”
   
  Guil De Tierra Portuaria, 
  lighthouse keeper
  “The wreckers are nothing but mur-
  derous dogs. If I had my way I’d shove 
  them into their own fires.”
   
  Chuy Barbanegra, first mate of 
  the merchantman Santa Sahaguno
  Adventure Hooks
  Cattle Call
  One of the largest hidalgo farmers on the east coast of the 
  Holy Kingdom has been troubled by cattle thieves of late. 
  Investigations reveal that the cattle aren’t being stolen but 
  simply killed in secret, as the first step in a Bilbalin attempt 
  to expand their borders by starving out their neighbours. Pre-
  senting such an accusation against such a powerful neighbour 
  will require incontrovertible proof, however–something that 
  might be very hard to acquire.
  The Wrecking Crew
  Travelling aboard a trading ship, the characters see a watch-
  fire guiding the vessel suddenly go out. Trapped without 
  a harbour, someone has to set off in a rowboat to find out 
  what has happened. Was it a wrecker fire just extinguished 
  by the Coast Guard, or was it a real beacon extinguished by 
  wreckers? Or is there a third party in the game, lurking in 
  the tunnels beneath the cliffs, hungry for blood?
  
  50
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Cantonia
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Most August Kingdom Of Cantonia
  Ruler: King Maximiano Del Sabio Del Justiciar, Maximiano 
  XVII
  Government: Feudal, with a supporting Senate
  Capital: Vizcaya
  Free Towns: Azuara, Graus, Guanair
  Major exports: lumber, stone, grain, angora
  Heraldry: Black diagonal stripe on white, with a red and 
  yellow check border.
  The Land And Its People
  Cantonia is as ancient as Astarios, Campanola or Perrochez. 
  Unlike those near-legendary kingdoms, it remains 
  recognisably the same. Cantonia has struck its own path, 
  ignoring the other Estalian Kingdoms as much as possible, 
  and turned inwards. In effect, it has closed its borders to the 
  advance of time.
  King Maximiano claims to be a descent from a Reman 
  regional governor, and most of Cantonia’s ruling families 
  trace their ancestry back millennia to the original Senate 
  that broke away from the ailing Empire. Since then, proud 
  tradition has ossified into arcane ritual and the ruling elite 
  are eccentric and often badly inbred, while the people are still 
  treated much as they would have been under Reman 
  governance.
  During the Crusades the ruling Senate declared themselves 
  neutral and allowed the rampaging Arabyan and Bretonnian 
  armies free passage through their lands, while they protected 
  their cities with equal violence against both sides. This view 
  of outsiders remains largely unchanged millennia later. While 
  Vizcaya is a working port and Azuara is a thoroughfare for 
  those heading into the Irranas, the citizens outside of the 
  trading quarters look down on visitors with open disdain.
  Other traditions have also festered, growing past the point 
  of logic with each successive generation. The ancient laws are 
  harsh enough, but more have been added over the
   millennia, and punishments and executions are many and 
  inventive. Suspicion of magic fostered during the fall of 
  Remas and compounded by the magical battles of the early 
  Crusades means that spellcasting of any kind is illegal, 
  punishable by drowning while sewn into a sack with two 
  hungry dogs. 
  Adventure Hooks
  Tried And Tested
  Travelling through Vizcaya, the characters’ ship is held up in 
  customs. The first mate has refused to pay a fine for singing 
  on a Verenes, and the characters disembark to assist him. 
  This results in them breaking several more ancient laws that 
  demand a trial by ordeal. Can they find a way around this, or 
  will the executioner earn a new pair of boots in the morning?
  The Glory That Was
  Mercenaries from throughout the Irrana region swarm to-
  wards Azuara, as it seems that an army is forming. The daily 
  rate is good and the promised spoils would be enough to live 
  high on the hog for over a year. The only nagging question 
  is what this army is for, but there are plenty willing to let 
  that go unanswered. Have Maximiano and his Senate finally 
  decided to bring the old laws to the feuding Irrana Kingdoms 
  by conquest?
  Dwarfs are forbidden to enter Vizcaya with weapons or 
  armour on penalty of having their beards set on fire, as a 
  result of a Dwarf having killed a Senator who refused to 
  pay a mercenary contract four hundred and nineteen years 
  ago. There are laws governing the colours you can wear, on 
  which days of the week you can sing in public, and how many 
  fingers should be removed from a thief depending on the 
  value of goods stolen. And these are just some of the better 
  known examples—it is possible to break myriad age-old laws 
  without realising it, and if the courts want to find a way to 
  punish you, there is bound to be precedent somewhere.
  But even a land as unyielding as Cantonia cannot remain 
  unchanged forever, and its ruling Senate sees the Estalian 
  Kingdoms change around it, developing in strength due to 
  stability, trade, and the wealth of the Lustrian colonies, and 
  there are some in the Senate who find this attractive. 
  Particularly if a stronger, unified Estalia were to bow to the 
  wisdom of their ancient ways.
  “For three thousand years have we kept this vigil, the light 
  of knowledge in dark ages of warfare and madness. Now 
  all of the Kingdoms stand ready to receive our teachings 
  once more.”
   
  Leocadio Del Sabio Del Senado, Senator
  “The ships come in, bearing their pestilent mongrel crews 
  carrying little of use or value. Were it my choice, we 
  would raze the port and have done with them all.”
   
  Adriánus Del Justiciar Del Equidad, warehouse 
  owner
  “The King and the Senate know best—they have ruled 
  fair for thirty centuries, so they must know what they’re 
  doing.”
   
  Baudelio, dockworker
  
  51
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Carrona
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Kingdom Of Carrona
  Ruler: King Álvaro del Cazador
  Government: Feudal, supported by hidalgo landowners and 
  the priests of Morr
  Capital: Reas
  Free Towns: Cebreros, Siernos, Llaqueno
  Major exports: stone, coal, earthenware, wine, angora, wool, 
  prophecies
  Heraldry: Lightning over a grey gate between two red moun-
  tains, on a black field.
  The Land And Its People
  A narrow valley winding between the western spurs of the 
  Irrana mountains, Carrona is a small kingdom that has often 
  served as a buffer against invasions from the north-east and 
  the Iron Orcs of the Mountains themselves. Warm air from 
  La Mesa clashes with the cold mountain winds, creating a 
  stormy climate, so much so that the banner of the kingdom 
  depicts lightning over a gate between two mountains.
  The strategic importance of the pass led the Black Guard of 
  Morr to build a high watchtower monastery in the 
  Irrana after the Araby invasion, although some joke that the 
  thunder attracted them as well. The brooding Torre Oscura 
  looks down over the citadel and the domed monastery, home 
  to Augurs and Oracles of Morr. This has made it a place of 
  pilgrimage for many seeking knowledge of the future and 
  of Death’s great plan, consulted by lone travellers as well as 
  generals and royals of allied lands. A small industry of
   soothsayers and palmists circles the central market of Reas, 
  tapping in to the overwhelming demand for foreknowledge 
  and, most often, reassurance. 
  Adventure Hooks
  Some Might Call That A Bad Sign 
  Resting in Reas as they pass through the Irranas, one of the 
  characters goes to see a fortune teller. As she assures him 
  that the split in his life line is a good sign, a young Augur of 
  Morr bursts into the tent and contradicts the palmist’s entire 
  spiel, accurately predicts an odd event that happens an hour 
  later—and that the adventurers have to travel to Monteñas 
  tomorrow and prevent a Daemon being summoned, or 
  everyone in the kingdom will die within a week. Before she 
  can tell the characters any more, she is dragged away by the 
  city watch for prognosticating without a licence, and the 
  temple’s authorities pull her back to seclusion, claiming it is 
  for her own safety.
  Riders In Black
  In Cebreros to help trade spices, the characters see five of 
  the Black Guard ride by, guarding a boy in his early teens. 
  Everyone around seems baffled, not having heard that the 
  knights were even in the area, much less any reason for them 
  to have captured or decided to protect a local youth. When 
  the boy escapes his dowdy guardians and joins the characters, 
  the tight-lipped Black Guard will stop at nothing to get him 
  back, as will the vampire queen who considers the boy her 
  son.
  “The land is hard, but it is home to us.”
   
  Mateo Del Eamba, shepherd
  “You cannot cheat death.”
   
  Caridad della Caza, Oracle of 
  Morr
  “Long days and nights of hard riding, 
  and then they could hardly be said to 
  have made us welcome. An entire 
  kingdom of grim-faced old miseries. 
  Ghastly.”
   
  Gilles De Parravon, Bretonnian 
  Knight of the Fifth Crusade
  “A good country for storms.”
   
  Lady Magritte von Wittgenstein, 
  Imperial noblewoman and scientific 
  prodigy
  
  52
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Estrema
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Grand Principality of Estrema
  Ruler: Princess Rafaela the Most Wise
  Government: Feudal
  Capital: Muros
  Free Towns: Verin
  Major exports: Livestock, salt meat, leather goods, timber, 
  fruit
  Heraldry: Quartered: gold arm holding a scimitar on red 
  field top left, black and white diamonds top right, white rose 
  on black field bottom left, black dagger on red field bottom 
  right
  The Land And Its People
  Between the Piña Woods and the Miramar Hills lies 
  Estrema, the western plain. The soil is hard to till and so 
  the former march kingdom is home to more drovers than 
  farmers. The business of raising cattle has taken some time 
  to recover from a protracted civil war between supporters of 
  Principessa Rafaela and her half-brother, Rafael the 
  Unforgiving, which ended with his fortress being burned to 
  the ground and his supporters fleeing.
  The Jinettes grew from the herdsmen into a class of 
  professional warrior, fighting rebels and hunting brigands 
  with their long spears as well as bringing down rogue cattle 
  with their shorter javelins. Young Jinettes test their skills 
  against bulls, riding and even running against them, enclosing 
  the narrow streets of the otherwise-peaceful market town of 
  Juego Idota and letting the herd loose. Estrema versions of 
  the toreo are also unlike any else in Estalia.
  As the kingdom falls more under the control of the royal 
  house and the Principessa’s supporting Dons, the plains host 
  ever more drovers and herds of cattle, pushing goatherds 
  and shepherds further north and west, and the kingdom now 
  increasingly encroaches on the Elf-haunted Piña Wood.
  Adventure Hooks
  The Magnificent Bunch
  Jinettes serving one of Rafaela’s supporters threaten a 
  Miramar village of shepherds and farmers whose Don 
  supported Rafael, seeking to seize the village’s land for their 
  cattle. The village folk beseech the characters to protect 
  their tiny village, but if they do so, they will make an enemy 
  forever of Rafaela. A diplomatic retreat might be the better 
  option, but the people have lived here for generations and are 
  too proud to depart.
  Kurnoss’ Labyrinth
  A clearing in Piña Wood near the castle of a hidalgo is the 
  site of an ancient Reman maze, said to be a scene of Old 
  Faith worship even to this day. When the hidalgo’s step-
  daughter disappears, a servant reports seeing her exploring the 
  labyrinth, and her writing slate is filled with strange spiral 
  drawings and depictions of a humanoid figure with curved 
  horns. The priests say she must be burned as a witch once 
  found, for she has become a child of the wood. Only solving 
  the Labyrinth will reveal the answer.
  “This is a hard land. It breeds hard 
  people, people who give nothing away. 
  Harder with every season, it seems.”
   
  Maribel Della Baquero, farmer
  “Principessa Rafaela is most wise. We 
  are not the sort to question her. Her own 
  bastard brother was not fit to do that, so 
  who are we?”
   
  Don Bolivar Del Rio Oscuro Del 
  Pasto Blanco, hidalgo and cattle owner
  “Who cares who won the war, so long 
  as I can run the bulls?”
   
  López, Jinette
  “Too much blood on the ground, too 
  many people thirsty for more. And now 
  we step into the woods, and do you think 
  we will be welcomed?”
   
  Friar Sacerdote Verdú, Priest
  
  53
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  La Isla Atalaya
  Quick Data
  Official Name: La Isla Atalaya
  Ruler: Mayor Hebao Andrejo of Puerto Del Atalaya
  Government: Trade guild
  Capital: Puerto Del Atalaya
  Free Towns: None
  Major exports: Salt and pickled fish, oysters and shellfish, 
  pearls, shipbuilding and repairs
  Heraldry: Three silver fish leaping out of blue water on a 
  white field
  The Land And Its People
  A small rocky outcrop surrounded by white beaches, La Isla 
  Atalaya was home to an Elven outpost for millennia before 
  the coming of men. The original fortress still guards the har-
  bour of Puerto Del Atalaya, its winding corridors blending 
  with the caves rising through the rock to the lookout posts 
  at the summit. The remaining stone is notoriously hard to 
  work, and the port is largely unchanged, a relic of a bygone 
  age still in use because of its strategic position.
  Abandoned during the War of the Beard, it was re-colonised 
  by Sea Elves centuries later and remains in use to this day. 
  Currently it is home to a cosmopolitan trading port, visited 
  by fleets sailing to and from Lustria and Araby as well as the 
  Estalian kingdoms and other lands of the Old World. Most 
  notably, the Sea Elves remain here in large numbers, and 
  would certainly dispute that the land belongs to any Estalian 
  king. Those of other nations also enjoy the essentially neutral 
  status of the island.
  The Isla is governed by expediency and mercantile agreement, 
  and the colony exists only because the trade winds demand 
  it. Although there is no central authority, this is not a wild 
  place. Every traveller is keen to preserve the quiet independ-
  ence of the island, where men of any flag can talk and trade in 
  peace. As such, diplomacy and espionage seem as common as 
  trade in the tavernas and hostelries ringing the harbour in the 
  shadow of the fortress.
  Adventure Hooks
  Curse Of The Red Pearl
  A pearl diver runs into town, carrying a blood red pearl the 
  size of a man’s eye. He claims that there are dozens of them 
  offshore—a location that soon proves to be near a 
  centuries-lost entrance into the tunnels under the ancient 
  Elven fortress, a cave network none have seen since the Age 
  of Wonders. What secrets did the High Elves leave behind, 
  and what will the Sea Elves do to ensure they remain secret? 
  And why are the waters rising so fast?
  Careless Whispers
  When an Arabyan kills a Tilean in a bar brawl, the Tilean’s 
  powerful relatives demand that his Magrittan associates 
  enact law and order on their island. Keen for the deal to go 
  through, troops from the mainland arrive and start hunting 
  down the criminal. The Arabyans reject this weight-throwing 
  entirely and draw battle lines. Nobody wants to see the peace 
  of the Isla destroyed—or do they?
  “They call it the City of Whispers. And 
  not because of the way the wind whistles 
  through the arrow slits in the old fort.”
   
  David del Héctor de Los Cabos, 
  captain of the Lustrian Treasure Fleet
  “This has been our safe harbour long 
  down the centuries. Now we are glad to 
  welcome the other races as they travel 
  across the great blue ocean. Well, most 
  of us are, at least.”
   
  Ilandirl Pearlfisher, captain of 
  the Sea Elf vessel White Wake
  “I love it here. Always people coming 
  and going, new sails on the horizon, a 
  new catch of oysters and someone new to 
  impress with me pearls.”
   
  Chimo Del Perla, pearl diver
  “They come and they go and they leave 
  behind nothing but funny-looking coins. 
  Look at this one, who’s this supposed to 
  be, got his beard pointing two ways? Ah 
  well, don’t suppose it matters long’s it’s 
  silver.”
   
  Alba Della Crescencia, sailmaker
  
  54
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Never Trust A Monkey
  The monkey’s tail flicked across the dusty tiles, leaving a trail behind like a snake. It 
  chattered madly, one eye rolling around to view the rabble that filled the taverna. It hopped 
  twice in place, as if dancing a jig. Then with a mad leap it flew onto the game table and 
  began to dance in earnest. Screeching and whooping it ran around in a circle, stamping up 
  and down on the cards, scattering bets, knocking over cups of blood-orange wine. Finally, 
  it circled round into the middle and whooped as it chased its own tail, spinning around and 
  around like a pinwheel, hopping back and forth between feet before at last collecting both 
  of them in its front paws and collapsing into a puddle of fur. Then with a whoop it jumped 
  up again and tossed off its fez and pointed to it, screeching again. The eyepatched elf in the 
  corner laughed and clapped his hands and threw in the first coin. Most knew the game but 
  the tables of La Isla Atalaya were always full of travellers and newcomers and they had never 
  even known a monkey before, let alone a dancing one. When the silver finished falling, 
  the eyepatched Elf stepped forward and scooped up the fez, bowing his head up and down in 
  thanks. The monkey, knowing what was next, galloped up his master’s arm and was 
  rewarded with an olive. It chattered with glee as the busker replaced its fez and swept away to 
  find new marks.
  With a foetid belch, Alonzo slid his chair back flush with the table and pointed a stubby 
  finger at the elf opposite him. Astaran stared down at the cards he’d been dealt and back at 
  Alonzo. “I’m out this round” he said, waving his hands above his cards like a 
  conjurer. Alonzo smirked, a flicker of drool running from his pudgy lips and angled his 
  finger around the table at the next player, a tall Norscan who kept moving his cards back and 
  forth in his hand as if that would make them transform into better ones. A bid was made, 
  and the wagering continued, Alonzo keeping time with his finger turning like a ticking 
  clock. When he came to bet, he licked his fingers like he always did, and thumbed his 
  cards like the edge of a knife. He licked his lips with greed and called the bet. Another line 
  of drool slipped over his lips, as if he could taste his winnings already. Alonzo rubbed his 
  thumb across his chin, smearing grease into the drool, and when he pulled his hand back, 
  noticed the blackness. By then it was too late—his tongue had already tripled in size and 
  gorged his throat with black sludge. Two more players hit the floor second later, their hands 
  swollen into hideous mitts, the poison working its way greedily up their arms. The 
  Norscan, giant that he was, managed to draw his sword and cross to the monkey trainer, 
  but he had no strength left to bring his weapon down. He did however provide the perfect 
  distraction for Astaran to slide his blade through the monkey-trainer’s throat from behind. 
  The blade stuck out like a bizarre second tongue as the body went limp beneath it. Blood 
  soaked the stones. The puddle quickly swallowed the monkey’s corpse, the poison that it had 
  carried on its feet to the cards now burning its limbs away to a horrid grey dust.
  Parasco took the blade from his elven master as always and began to polish it fastidiously 
  with his silken kerchief. “However did you know not to touch the cards, oh maestro?” 
  Parasco asked without looking up. Astaran smiled with only a hint of grimness. “It is as the 
  old saying of the islands goes, Parasco. Never trust a monkey.”
  
  55
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  La Isla de Sangre
  Quick Data
  Official Name: La Isla de Sangre
  Ruler: Jacobo Ladrón, Governor of Puerto Sangria 
  Government: Civil court
  Capital: Puerto Sangria
  Free Towns: : Puerto de Sol
  Major exports: Boatbuilding, salt fish, piracy
  Heraldry: A red ship against a silver backdrop
  The Land And Its People
  Guarding the Estalian coast is La Isla de Sangre, first occu-
  pied during the expansion of the Reman Empire over a 
  millennium ago. Following the fall of the Empire, La Isla 
  was an independent fishing port until the Arabyan conquest. 
  Puerto Sangria was held by a warrior sheikh until Crusaders 
  sailing from Badajoz took the port by force—but in truth 
  neither he nor the Crusaders were the main power in the 
  Island of Blood.
  The Silver Cliffs became the roost of Malok during the 
  Crusades. The mighty dragon left the mountains of Araby 
  following a convoy of ships and taking his fill every night. 
  He claimed to have settled in the region because the sea air 
  agreed with him. Malok made his nest here for over five 
  centuries until an armada of twenty pirate crews besieged the 
  Silver Cliffs with full cannon, destroying a number of caves 
  and a watchtower, and Malok has not been seen since.
  Today, La Isla’s most famous wildlife is a large cliffside 
  colony of Razorbills who defend their nests fiercely against 
  all invaders, including gulls and egg-hunting locals. These also 
  attract scholars who can often be seen sketching the birds in 
  flight.
  The port is still thriving, with explorers and traders heading 
  to Lustria taking over from the dwindling but still active 
  Pirates of de Sangre, known for their red dragon flags and 
  figureheads. Scholars and fortune hunters rub shoulders with 
  street urchins and thieves in the shadow of the line of disused 
  pirate watchtowers. And everyone, everywhere, watches the 
  cliffs, wondering if Malok will awaken today.
  Adventure Hooks
  Something Shiny In The Silver Cliffs
  Centuries have passed since the dragon Malok was driven 
  from the island, and in all that time no-one has found his 
  hoard. The Cliffs are treacherous, honeycombed with caves 
  home to territorial Razorbills and worse, and with hidden 
  gaps and weak spots, but somewhere inside is a king’s ransom 
  of unseen treasures. Finding it is one thing. Getting out of 
  town with it alive is something else entirely.
  Why Is The Rum Gone?
  A fight spills out of a pirate taverna over the apparent 
  poisoning of one ship’s captain. But members of sev-
  en different pirate crews were in The King’s Skull at 
  the time and they all have their motives, so the whole 
  of Puerto Sangria could soon live up to its name rather 
  too well unless the culprit is found. Travelling out-
  siders with no crew of their own are press-ganged into 
  solving the mystery satisfactorily, and doing so might 
  just earn the solvers a seat at the Pirates’ Council
  “This is a golden land of opportu-
  nity and adventure. Savvy?”
   
  Governor Jacobo Ladrón
  “A useful waystation for a jour-
  ney to the southern New World. 
  Try to keep your men on board as 
  much as possible, however.”
   
  Vespuce Lustros, Captain 
  of the Santa Furia
  “Watch the Razorbills. If they 
  ever leave all together, it means we 
  have to slay the dragon.”
   
  Catalina Del Tramoto, 
  scholar
  “Bloody pirates!”
   
  Guillermo Villalobos, Black 
  Lion of the Costa Tiburon, pirate 
  hunter
  
  56
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Lysboa
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Kingdom Of Lysboa and Ancient 
  Obregon
  Ruler: King Valerio De Ramiro, Shield Of The People
  Government: Royal council
  Capital: Jaraiz
  Free Towns: : Puerto Graltar
  Major exports: Timber, boatbuilding, salt fish, grain, wine, 
  fruit
  Heraldry: Halved: red hand holding a dagger on a yellow 
  field, three red roses on a green field
  The Land And Its People
  Sandwiched between Estrema and Badajoz is the tiny 
  Kingdom of Lysboa. Even counting the scattered islands off 
  the coast, held since the Crusades and mostly little more than 
  storm harbours or grazing land for goats, it is the smallest 
  of the mainland kingdoms of the peninsula. However, due to 
  its position its ships form a substantial part of the Lustrian 
  Treasure Fleet that sets out annually. Its ships are small but 
  swift, built to thread through reefs and chains of islands. As 
  its colonies strengthen, King Valerio and his council plumb 
  the proceeds of its treasures into shipbuilding and imports, 
  and quietly into armaments. Sometimes, it is the smallest 
  blade that strikes the most terrible blow.
  Lysboa contains some of the oldest family names in the pen-
  insula, some claiming to have ruled unbroken since before the 
  crowning of Myrmidia. They are too provincial; however, to 
  turn this heritage into political power over other kingdoms, 
  but it informs much of Lysboan pride and fashion. Even their 
  wines seem older than any others.
  Adventure Hooks
  Missing The Boat
  The new flagship of the Lysboan Fleet, the Myrmidia 
  Bendecida, stood proud in the docks of Puerto Graltar until 
  tonight. Now it is burning, and the city is in uproar. Enemy 
  agents, servants of the Ruinous Powers, vampires and 
  Daemons are all blamed, but who is truly responsible? And 
  can someone “borrow” a replacement from Badajoz before 
  the tide turns and millions of financed pesos are lost forever?
  Scion Sigh Again
  A Lysboan hidalgo with no heir discovers his 
  grandfather had a liaison with a peasant girl and there may 
  be a child.  The characters are hired to find the last scion 
  of the family line, but nearby landowners keen for a larger 
  piece of the smallest pie would rather see that the characters 
  do not succeed.  Of course, even if they manage to find 
  her, the young scion may have no interest in noble titles, 
  preferring the simple life of a Jinette. Can they convince 
  her otherwise long enough to get back and get paid?
  “Yes, we have strong neighbours on 
  all sides except the sea. Therefore, 
  we must expand our reach across the 
  waves and to the lands beyond.”
   
  Don Baudelio Del Amyrmidia 
  D’Eligio, royal councillor
  “My ancestors fought in the Cru-
  sades to keep Lysboa free, we’re not 
  about to let the Bilbalins or Cabos 
  take over.”
   
  Ana Della Piña, orchard 
  overseer
  “Bloody Cabosis coming up here 
  with their two-mast sloops, thinking 
  they impress anybody...”
   
  Ruy Del Siete Dedos, Ship-
  wright
  “The broken coast makes for decent 
  navigators and better climbers.”
   
  Vespuce Lustros, Captain of 
  the Santa Furia
  
  57
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Magritta
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Most Blessed Kingdom Of Magritta
  Ruler: Carlos IV of the House of Torrosa
  Government: Feudal
  Capital: Magritta or Torrosa, depending on who you listen to
  Free Towns: : Jávea
  Major exports: Shipbuilding, salt and pickled fish, linen and 
  silk, spices, wine
  Heraldry: Gold falcon gripping a silver fish in its claws on a 
  blue field
  The Land And Its People
  Magritta is a kingdom divided. Its capital city, which now 
  bears the name of the kingdom itself, is essentially a free 
  town ruled by a council of mercantile hidalgos, while the 
  King holds court in a palace on the hills to the north of 
  Torrosa, miles from the recognised capital. And as further 
  division, it is the seat of power for the Temple of Myrmidia 
  through the Kingdoms of Estalia.
  The current King, Carlos IV, is more interested than most 
  in seeing Magritta united again, due in no small part to the 
  wealth of the Lustrian Treasure Fleet and the merchantmen in 
  “the bastard port”. However, he has some doubts as to how 
  to proceed. To this end, he is at work on raising and 
  equipping an army. Meanwhile, he has also sent his nephew, 
  second in line to the throne, to meet with several eligible 
  daughters of leading figures within the Consulado who might 
  consider changing their title to “Duque”.
  His court and other noble families keep to their estates, 
  occupying themselves with hunts, dances, and other diver-
  sions. Those less at ease with their virtual exile prefer gossip, 
  petty intrigues and social one-upmanship, each hoping to be 
  Carlos’ favourite the moment Magritta is united back under 
  the king. And of course, rumours of the practice of dark arts 
  and propitiation of gods other than Lady Myrmidia spread 
  whenever the wealthy entertain themselves behind closed 
  doors. Some rumours are no doubt part of the gossip. Some 
  almost certainly are not.
  Meanwhile, the Temple and its Inquisition spreads through 
  the kingdom of Magritta, and beyond to its neighbours, 
  giving the kingdom a more spiritual feel than its neighbours. 
  Beyond the bases of the duelling power structures, the Most 
  Blessed Kingdom is home to small fishing towns and fertile 
  farmland in a crescent surrounding the great Bay of Quietude, 
  each watched over carefully by dutiful priests. It is perhaps 
  the quietest life in all of Estalia.
  For details of the city, see Chapter Six.
  Adventure Hooks
  On The Block
  Ships heading to Magritta from the west find themselves 
  assailed by rather more pirates than is usual for this time of 
  year. Is it a coincidence that the damaged ships are best able 
  to make harbour in Torrosa? Or that this follows the king’s 
  nephew being rebuffed by the daughter of a leading merchant 
  who uses that route? Mother Temple does not want a war be-
  tween the King and the hidalgos—not yet, anyway—and will 
  look to delicate agents to find evidence of the truth before 
  hostilities escalate.
  Bring Me My Spear, O Clouds Unfold
  Rumours spread of a new prophet of Myrmidia in the 
  country, gathering followers and speaking out against the 
  methods of Inquisition. The Consulado and the court 
  in exile each suspect the other of trying to weaken the 
  Temple and doubtless gearing up to blame their rivals. 
  And all the while, the stories grow, suggesting that the 
  prophet is a virgin orphan girl with golden hair—and the 
  fiery halo of Myrmidia herself walking the world again.
  “Ah, Magritta, a beautiful and 
  powerful city with something 
  vaguely resembling a country 
  attached.”
   
  Jaime Del Aprendiz, 
  Consulado
  “Magritta is the kingdom. Soon, 
  the people of Magritta will see that. 
  All of them.”
   
  Luciana Della Bucha, agent 
  of King Carlos IV
  “King or Counsellor, all answer to 
  Her commands.”
   
  Friar Anastas, Inquisitor of 
  Myrmidia
  “If you’re going to take over 
  someone’s house and live in it, you 
  should probably not let him and 
  his family leave in peace. Sooner or 
  later, he’ll call the Watch. Or come 
  back himself and slit your throat 
  while you sleep in his bed.”
   
  Gil, burglar
  
  58
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Mendora
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The United Kingdom of Mendora and 
  Alhabra
  Ruler: King Ector del Cuerno
  Government: Feudal
  Capital: Almagora
  Free Towns: : Chelvén, Solsona
  Major exports: angora, wool and woollen goods, pickled fish
  Heraldry: Vertical halved, three gold lions on a blue field 
  left, red and black diagonal striping right
  The Land And Its People
  Mendora, the southernmost of the Estalian kingdoms, claims 
  a stretch of coast from Alamagora to Sitges, former capital 
  of Alhabra. Beyond that are dusty plains and encroaching 
  deserts in the shadow of the Abasko Mountains. During the 
  Crusades, the Arabyans held the land from the outset, with 
  both sides building forts and digging in for years on end. The 
  fortified city of Solsona still controls the Tobaro Road and 
  River Eboro leading to the Tramoto Pass and the border with 
  Tilea.
  The only fertile and hospitable land in the region lies south 
  of the River Riaza, where low hills provide grazing for sheep 
  and goats. The drovers have mastered a technique known as 
  Salto del Pastor, polevaulting from rock to rock and sliding 
  down their poles to keep up with the mountain goats in the 
  Abasko foothills. It also proves useful against the bandits and 
  goblinoid ruffians lingering in the hills, especially as the ban-
  doleros have grown ever bolder and more organised in recent 
  years. There are stories of entire villages bullied into serving 
  the bandits’ increasingly unreasonable demands.
  The central desert is home now only to animals, outlaws and 
  ghosts, lurking in ruins of Crusade forts and farms abandoned 
  to the encroaching sands. Trading caravans keep to the Cuer-
  no road in the shadows of the hills, because the great lizards 
  of the desert cannot burrow underneath them. They know to 
  avoid the ruins, despite tales of lost Templar treasures— and 
  only the most foolish follow legends of an ancient Reman 
  city buried in the sands, undisturbed for over two thousand 
  years.
  Adventure Hooks
  The Thickness Of Blood
  A priest returning from his training in Magritta hires some 
  travelling adventurers to escort him safely home. Expecting 
  a hero’s welcome when he returns to his extremely remote 
  desert village, he suspects foul play when his family all but 
  ignores him. The truth is that they are desperate to hide 
  their ancient Arabyan heritage, something the now-fanatical 
  member of the Inquisition must report to his superiors for 
  possible extermination. If the adventurers discover the truth, 
  can they convince a son to leave his home for good, or will 
  he be forced to choose between his god and his family?
  The Lost City
  A caravan disappeared two months ago, but now a survivor 
  has been found, raving about finding a city of white stone 
  and untouched palaces filled with jewels. Most dismiss 
  this as sunstroke boiling his brain, but there are enough 
  foolhardy souls willing to investigate. And too few voic-
  es asking why an entire Reman city would be abandoned 
  with riches for the taking and food still on the tables...
  “We are the forgotten people of 
  Estalia, too far from the western 
  ocean for the riches of Lustria, too 
  hot for the Inquisitors to trouble 
  us. And I like it well enough that 
  way.”
   
  Maribel Del Revelo, 
  Roadwarden
  “I have all you need in life—
  strong hands and a stout stick.”
   
  Elian Amarre, master of 
  Salto del Pastor
  “We demand bread, drink and 
  gold, or we shoot your sheep and 
  eat your women!”
   
  Tercero, Bandolero
  “Too many have died in these 
  lands. Morr’s bastard brother has 
  made a home here, I think.”
   
  Lorenzo Del Viajero, 
  caravan master
  
  59
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  La Mesa
  Quick Data
  Official Name: La Mesa Grande et Verde
  Ruler: Prince Santos de Patricio del Molena
  Government: Feudal
  Capital: Molena
  Free Towns: : None
  Major exports: Grain, fruit, wine, honey, cotton, beef and 
  leather
  Heraldry: Quartered red, black and white check, yellow and 
  white
  The Land And Its People
  La Mesa is the heartland and breadbasket of the Estalian 
  Kingdoms. Farms owned by hidalgo Dons and their subjects 
  stretch for miles. The wind off the Irranas, warmed by the 
  sun to a pleasant breeze, drives the great windmills which 
  grind the corn.
  Mesa folk by and large show a relaxed attitude to life, 
  enjoying lengthy siestas in the heat of the day and large 
  meals in the cool of the evening. The largest population of 
  Halflings in the peninsula can be found here, which should 
  indicate the pace and focus of life here quite well.
  One notable exception to this is the notorious Hidalgo 
  knight Don Lupe del Alfredo de Molena de l’Altamente 
  Inverosímil, known for raising peasant armies against
   invading forces of goblins, orcs and giants who sometimes 
  prove to exist. Most people view his antics with polite de-
  tachment, apart from the Windmill Owners’ Guild who have 
  lost a large amount of money due to his attacks on “ogres”.
  Adventure Hooks
  A Plague On Both Your Houses
  The summer crop of apples looks very promising, and the 
  farmers are ready to put on quite a show at the market fair, 
  when tragedy strikes. Insects descend on the orchards around 
  Molena, seemingly from nowhere, devouring the season’s 
  hard-grown produce. How could this have happened? Did 
  someone send them here on purpose? And why? Surely the 
  competition for best batch of apples isn’t that fierce, is it?
  My Destiny Calls And I Go
  A wealthy farm owner’s son has run off to join Don In-
  verosímil’s latest damn fool idealistic crusade, this time 
  heading for the lower southern Irranas in pursuit of “the 
  ferocious Night Goblins”. His family would like him 
  returned safe and well, the father adding that “Don l’Alta-
  mente Inverosímil falling off a mountain would be an added 
  bonus”. It would be callous to kill a harmless old knight, 
  but when his insanity leads them further and further into 
  endless caverns and the supplies run low, treachery breeds
  “The rain in Estalia falls mainly on 
  my head.”
   
  Traditional song 
  (polite version)
  “Oh yes, very nice here. Great or-
  chards and vineyards. Humans are a 
  bit too excitable sometimes, though.”
   
  Paquita Manzanas, Halfling 
  windmill repairwoman
  “Fear no further, good maiden, for 
  I shall save you from this ruinous 
  fiend!”
   
  Don Lupe del Alfredo de 
  Molena de l’Altamente Inverosímil, 
  shortly before being sued for 
  criminal damage to a mill
  “I began work on a play about the 
  life and adventures of Don Inverosí-
  mil, but I had trouble with the fund-
  ing. Apparently the same backers who 
  funded my play about the vampire 
  princess saving the Empire couldn’t 
  believe it.”
   
  Detlef Sierck, Imperial 
  playwright
  
  60
  The Valley of Windmills
  While La Mesa is known for its windmills, the infamous Valley is far away, deep in 
  the Abasko Mountains, bordering upon Oretano. Centuries ago, the visionary (and 
  possibly insane) King Don Jurno Esparo erected these massive structures on the tops 
  of narrow peaks to feed his village below on fresh bread. That explanation is the one 
  he gave to history, but it doesn’t explain why the towers were so immensely tall, or 
  why the village and the mills were abandoned within a generation. Now these rickety 
  spires stand alone and empty, but still creaking and turning in the wind. Strange 
  lights occasionally burn atop them, glowing green in the distance, and shadows of 
  ratmen are sometimes seen silhouetted against those lamps. As yet, nobody has dared 
  answer the riddle of the Valley— or at least, nobody who has dared has returned alive.
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  
  61
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Navarre
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Thrice-Blessed Kingdom Of Navarre
  Ruler: King Evaristo Del Espadachín
  Government: Feudal, supported by a federation of guilds
  Capital: Alquézaro
  Free Towns: : None
  Major exports: Wine and grapes, apples, honey, salt and dried 
  fish, horse breeding
  Heraldry: Halved—a yellow wolf on a blue field upper, three 
  white circles on a red field lower
  The Land And Its People
  Circling the western coast of the Golfo di Bidouze, Navarre 
  sits between Bilbali and Bretonnia, and some would argue that 
  it only exists apart from the former because of its ties to the 
  latter—and vice versa. Its capital Alquézaro is a major hub 
  of trade with the Bretonnians, who first forged links with 
  the kingdom during the Second Crusade, travelling directly 
  here from Brionne when Cantonia closed its borders and 
  making their northern base there when Bilbali’s rulers swore 
  to fight on alone. Many of its smaller ports retain a distinctly 
  Bretonnian look to their defences to this day, and shrines to 
  the Lady can be found in many harbours.
  Navarre’s long coast has long been a centre of horse breeding, 
  so that tall grey Navarrese chargers are prized by jousting 
  Bretonnian knights for their speed and courage. This further 
  strengthens ties between the nations, and is not unknown for 
  the son of a hidalgo to travel to Brionne or Bordeleaux to 
  prove his worth in the summer tournaments. King Evaristo 
  himself earned his reputation as a swordsman in the lists, and 
  his second son, Infante Valentín, is known to joust under 
  assumed names, having to change his guise and arms every 
  time he is discovered so that his opponents will not concede 
  immediately.
  Adventure Hooks
  A Plague On Both Your Houses
  The bimonthly horse market in the fields surrounding 
  Alquézaro attracts breeders, riders from many of the sur-
  rounding kingdoms, Bretonnian knights and agents of noble 
  families. It is the reason that haggling over political deals is 
  sometimes known as “horse trading” in the Estalian courts. 
  So when the stallion expected to fetch the highest price of 
  the market is stolen, the list of suspects is about as long as 
  the list of groups attending. The anxious breeders want their 
  prize returned, drawing the characters into the confusing 
  world of the stud trade, coats being dyed as a disguise and the 
  importance of looking horses in the mouth.
  Bad Apples
  Harvesting a crop needs workers, and poor travellers ap-
  preciate the pay and the perks of picking apples for a few 
  weeks of the year. However, this can attract those looking 
  for a free ride, and so many penniless strangers all work-
  ing together under the summer sun mean that tempers can 
  easily shorten. Add the ready availability of fresh wine, 
  and you see why the orchardeers keep a few guards around 
  just in case. So when two young men of poor means both 
  take a shine to the grove owner’s daughter, their fellow 
  labourers would do well to keep them apart and act as 
  go-betweens, the better to avoid bloodshed. Can the charac-
  “They say the first time a child sees 
  a Navarrese stallion, they wonder 
  if it might be a unicorn that gave 
  its horn away. And that the Bless-
  ed Maiden rode a white Navarre 
  charger into battle with the armies 
  of night. I don’t know about that, 
  but I do know that the Queen of 
  Bilbali’s carriage is drawn by four 
  white Navarrese, and that they like 
  apples.”
   
  Donna Natalia De La 
  Carreras, hidalgo horse breeder
  “We are near as damn it a prov-
  ince of two countries. No wonder 
  the king practices with his sword 
  every day, we’re a wine dispute away 
  from being the setting for a private 
  war.”
   
  Melchor, scribe
   “The Navarrese are fine hosts to a 
  vagabond such as myself, the finest 
  and wisest of a cultured and pas-
  sionate people. I was honoured to 
  ride against the heir to their throne 
  myself. Their horses are powerful, 
  their swords swift, their wine sweet, 
  their daughters most amiable... 
  but their peasants are ridiculously 
  spoilt.”
   
  Sir Édouard De Colville, 
  Bretonnian knight errant
  
  62
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Oretano
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Grande Mountain Passage Of The 
  Oretano
  Ruler: Queen Piedad Della Pacifica
  Government: Feudal through regional governors
  Capital: Sitges
  Free Towns: : Fantasporto
  Major exports: : Stone, iron ore, silver
  Heraldry: Halved vertically, black and yellow diamonds left, 
  red arm holding a hammer on a white field right
  The Land And Its People
  Oretano was founded during the Crusades as a stronghold in 
  the Abasko Mountains. It now encompasses the mountainous 
  kingdom from which it takes its name, and the former trader 
  kingdom of Tigarre. Tigarre was sacked by the Bretonnians 
  after the Seventh Crusade fell into debt with their 
  shipbuilders, servants of the Doge of Pavona. The Doge 
  considered Tigarre an annoying rival, and suggested an easy 
  way the Bretonnians could pay their debt.
  The spine of the Abasko Mountains changed hands repeatedly 
  over the decades that followed, until the Arabyans departed 
  Fools Point leaving a region pockmarked with iron and silver 
  mines and isolated castles built to defend its shifting borders. 
  Today, some of the fortresses remain in use—high towers 
  observing Tilea on one side and the other Estalian Kingdoms 
  on the other—while Oretano’s main source of trade is found 
  deep in the mines and quarries. Sitges marble is much in 
  demand, as is Fantasporto silver. Merchants come to haggle 
  the price in the markets of Sitges, the one low-lying city 
  of the Kingdom, but for many of their wares it is a seller’s 
  market, and for the rest the governors ensure that the visitors 
  enjoy their stay. Thus, Sitges has become known for its 
  summer festival of arts and entertainments, where musicians 
  compete with fireworks to make the most noise and theatre 
  troupes try to match their spectacle.
  Adventure Hooks
  Rocky Mountains High
  If someone wishes to avoid the Tramoto Pass or Fools Point, 
  the Abasko Mountains of Oretano provide the only way 
  of travelling from southern Estalia to southern Tilea, but it 
  makes for hard travelling and should not be attempted with-
  out guides and guards to hand. Both are well paid for their 
  troubles—perhaps too well for the average traveller’s liking. 
  A crafty merchant has spotted a chance for discount guides 
  to make a killing, and will hire the first bunch of adventur-
  ers he can to get his business up and running. But the proud 
  guides of the mountains won’t enjoy the new competition at 
  all—and there are reasons the guides are well paid in the first 
  place.
  Silence is Silver
  During the Sitges summer festival, competition for vari-
  ous commodities sometimes turns to violence, but a silver 
  merchant being stabbed to death by a blade stolen in the 
  middle of a sword-swallowing act is a first. It provides 
  a good dozen suspects, and the sword-swallower will be 
  unable to name the assassin until his throat heals. Of 
  course, he may not live long enough for that to happen...
  “Had they known about the silver, 
  they wouldn’t have been so quick to 
  kill Tigarre.”
   
  Don Macario Amanecer, 
  regional governor
  “Stone goes out, wine comes in. 
  Anyone would think the lowlanders 
  didn’t have ground to stand on, 
  much less a way to put a roof over 
  their heads, but I’m not complain-
  ing.”
   
  Cebrián Choque, quarryman
  “Sitges always puts on a good 
  show.”
   
  Adela Calurosa, fire-eater
  “I suppose we should be relieved that 
  so few of their mines cave in.”
   
  Snorri Longshield, Dwarf 
  engineer
  
  63
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Tarrocco
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Ancient Empire of Tarrocco and 
  Astarios
  Ruler: Emperor Federico III of the house of Tarro
  Government: Feudal regency
  Capital: Ubrique
  Free Towns: : Belmoz
  Major exports: : Salt fish, spices, linen, silk
  Heraldry: Bisected black and white fields with a hawk ram-
  pant in the upper right corner
  The Land And Its People
  Tarrocco skirts the southern coast of Estalia, a long line of 
  open harbours and soft beaches. It was the first to be 
  conquered by the Arabyans and the last to be retaken by the 
  Crusaders, won by treaty rather than invasion. To this day 
  there is a significant Araby populace. The closeness of 
  Inquisitorial Magritta has seen more of the Arabyans move 
  away over the years, but the minarets of their temples can 
  still be seen in the skyline of Belmoz and they can be heard 
  hawking their wares almost every day in the markets of 
  Ubrique.
  The nine-year-old Emperor Federico follows the advice of 
  his mother Queen Angélica, descended from the royal family 
  of the ancient (and purportedly elf-blooded) kingdom of 
  Astarios. She counsels diplomacy with the Arabyans, having 
  lost a husband and two brothers to conflict with a sheikh and 
  unwilling to see her son follow them into the Maiden’s arms, 
  while also doing her best to maintain good relations with 
  Mother Temple and her agents.
  Adventure Hooks
  Blood Royal
  With a child for an Emperor and his foreign mother hold-
  ing the reins of power, Tarrocco is an open invitation for 
  pretenders to the throne. The latest claims to be a cousin of 
  Federico the Second newly returned from fighting Arab 
  Assassins to the south of Khemri. The adventurers are among 
  those caught up in his campaign as it gains momentum along 
  the Alboran Road and soon approaches open conflict with 
  the young king’s knights. Proof of the pretender's claim—or 
  lack of it—might force the issue into slaughter or surrender.
  Monkey's Business
  While bartering for linen in the Araby quarter of Belmoz, 
  the characters see a hue-and-cry pursuing... a monkey in a fez. 
  With uncanny intelligence, it eludes all pursuit, even appar-
  ently opening doors and picking locks. Is it simply a thief of 
  shiny objects, does it work for a sorcerer of some kind, or are 
  the stories of a kingdom of monkeys hidden in the South-
  land jungles true, with this one being a spy on a vital mission?
  “Perhaps some day we won’t have to 
  keep one eye on the coast as well as the 
  other on the road, all the while glanc-
  ing back at Magritta.”
   
  Milagros Della Roja, 
  Alboran Vigilar
  “Our child king and his Astari moth-
  er will see us all under the boots of 
  the Inquisition afore the year is out!”
   
  Juan de Tobaro, Doomsayer
  “The Emperor’s great. He’s the best 
  at conkers in the whole country!”
   
  Hujo, street urchin
  “Pretty coastline and very helpful 
  people, all told.”
   
  Ahmed the Red, Araby spice 
  merchant
  
  64
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Zaraguz
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The City State of Zaraguz 
  Ruler: Patriarch Heliodoro
  Government: Effectively feudal
  Capital: Zaraguz
  Free Towns: none
  Major exports: timber, stone, iron ore, coal
  Heraldry: A black tower on a red field
  The Land And Its People
  The city of Zaraguz was once the northernmost outpost of 
  the Kingdom of Tigarre. Its duque declared it independent 
  when the Seventh Crusade destroyed Tigarre to settle a debt 
  over shipbuilding. Zaraguz managed to remain apart from the 
  ruined kingdom as later Crusades rebuilt, redrew, dissolved 
  and refunded it. And it remains independent to this day.
  A fortified city straddling the River Eboro and on the edge 
  of the dark Sombra Wood in the shadow of the towering 
  Abaskos and Irranas, Zaraguz is well positioned to exist apart 
  from its neighbours, as it has for centuries. A system of 
  Patriarchs chosen by and from the most powerful families in 
  the city ensures that its economy continues to run smoothly 
  and that it maintains healthy trade with the kingdoms that it 
  sits apart from. Even so, Zaraguz’s neighbours see most its 
  people as aloof, insular and most likely insane.
  Adventure Hooks
  Dead in the Water
  Loggers floating timber down the river to Gualcazar find a 
  body face down at a bend in the flow—a body wearing the 
  livery of one of the ruling families. The characters hear of 
  this as the lumbermen discuss what to do with it. The plot 
  thickens when somebody recognises the dead man as a person 
  who went missing centuries before. It seems dark magic may 
  be at work in Sombra Wood.
  Never a story of more woe
  The Patriarch’s daughter runs off with the son of a visiting 
  diplomat. He offers a reward for her safe return. The heir 
  to the current ruling family joining another country could 
  call the city state’s viability into question, and so even the 
  patriarch’s rivals would like her returned, although they less 
  particular as to whether she comes back alive, as long as she 
  remains unwed.
  “They say we are mad. I say can they 
  meet with their king, or even see him 
  every week? Here, we have no king, 
  our Patriarch is no more than a vil-
  lage headman.”
   
  Leocadio Del Eboro, logging 
  impresario
  “If we wanted, we could conquer 
  Zatifa in a season. If we wanted.”
   
  Prudencio Del Roldán, soldier
  “We have all we need, and more. Let 
  the kings and queens come to us, shall 
  we?”
   
  Sofronio De Lasombra, 
  charcoal burner
  “Would anyone notice if the shadows 
  of the woods swallowed them whole? 
  Not for a month, at least.”
   
  Don Lucio Del Mateo, Mayor 
  Sombra Wood
  Unlike the Empire, most of Estalia is 
  empty plains, not dark, dangerous forest. 
  Pina Wood and Sombra Wood are the two 
  exceptions. While Pina is rumoured to hold 
  the bright-eyed fey, red eyed vampires lurk 
  in the darkness of the Sombra. After the 
  defeat of the Necrarch prince Nourgul, no 
  kingdom had the strength to kill his undead 
  forces back to their roots in the shadows of 
  Sombra—it was a task left to the next 
  generation, or the Temple. While the 
  Inquisitors and the acolytes of Morr do 
  their best to detect the Lahmian vampires 
  that lurk in polite society, the Necrarch 
  stronghold of Sombra has not been left 
  empty, and the Necrarchs work best when 
  left alone to plot and scheme. Whoever 
  holds Nourgul’s tower now has had a long 
  time to study his master’s lore, raise 
  another army and correct the prince’s 
  mistakes. All he needs now is the right 
  moment to strike.
  
  65
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Zatifa
  Quick Data
  Official Name: The Holy Kingdom of Zatifa
  Ruler: King Ernesto Puente Eboro
  Government: Senate
  Capital: Gualcazar
  Free Towns: : none
  Major exports: : Bookbinding, printing, glassware, wine, sugar 
  and honey
  Heraldry: A purple field with an open white book in the 
  upper left quadrant, a golden hand on the right half
  The Land And Its People
  Zatifa is a small kingdom north of the Mendora plains, 
  which carried on almost entirely unmolested throughout 
  the Crusades and the years since. However, some centuries 
  ago, heir to the throne Prince Ildefonso was orphaned in a 
  border war and essentially raised by his tutor, becoming a 
  uniquely learned young man. The Scholar Prince ordered that 
  Zatifa become a seat of learning, and set about building the 
  renowned University of Gualcazar.
  Today, in the midst of a peaceful, largely rural kingdom with 
  lush vineyards and large apiaries, Gualcazar is rivalled on the 
  Southern Sea only by the Pavona Collegio in Tilea, drawing 
  scholarly children from the finest and noblest families in the 
  Kingdoms, and attracting brilliant minds to teach, research 
  and invigilate there. Centuries of genius have contributed to 
  the reputation, architecture and landmarks of the city and the 
  kingdom as a whole, and clever students from all backgrounds 
  are drawn to the idyllic riverside Puente Eboro campuses. It 
  is possible to see the heir to the throne of Lysboa or Cabria 
  debating Classical theatre with the daughter of a Tarroccan 
  merchant.
  Unfortunately, even guarantees of safety cannot entirely en-
  sure that the rich and powerful, or the poor but brilliant, are 
  entirely safe. Some say that the politics of the Peninsula for 
  the next generation are played out in the Puente Eboro.
  Worse yet, as any seat of learning will, it also attracts those 
  who seek knowledge for darker purposes. Vampires dwell 
  in the hidden underground libraries, and a group of students 
  and tutors dedicate their nights to hunting down the unholy 
  Necrarchs who seek to usurp the city of learning.
  Adventure Hooks
  The Puente Eboro Four
  A group of clever students have been recruited by agents of 
  a rival kingdom to spy on the heir to their own land. While 
  they have little to report, the scandal of revealing this could 
  damage the University’s reputation, and helping to conceal 
  it could lead to the spies going on to positions of power. The 
  Dons of the University would like a third option...
  Gualcazar by Night
  A college town with vampires lurking underneath trying to 
  take over the world is really bound to see conflict. Throw 
  in rich and powerful people as targets for the undead, and an-
  cient lore hidden in the massive college libraries, and trouble 
  is sure to follow. Thankfully, the mortals have an edge when 
  one of their number is discovered to be an heir to the power 
  of the Andanti, an ancient Estalian line of vampire hunters.
  “This is the greatest scholarly city 
  in the Old World. Despite what 
  those Pavona dogs think. We’ll see 
  who wins the boat race next year!”
   
  Jacinto De Silvio, rower
  “Knowledge creates and draws in 
  secrets, mysteries, things that we 
  should research and consider before 
  taking action.”
   
  Guillermo del Arboleda, 
  tutor of the Physical Sciences
  “There are vampires. We should 
  kill them.”
   
  Melisende De Matorral De 
  Niro, student of Classical Linguis-
  tics and vampire hunter
  “The Known World is definitely 
  doomed.”
   
  Enrique Miguel Ezquerra 
  de Molena, Invigilator in history 
  and classical studies
  
  66
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  The Lustrian Colonies
   “A filthy, barbarous land full of lunatics and 
  monsters. It’s worse than Tilea on a festival 
  day.”
   
  Vespuce Lustros, Captain of the Santa 
  Furia
  The great experiment in Estalian colonisation, the Lustrian 
  Treasure Fleets contain ships under a number of flags. Most 
  hail from Magritta, Badajoz and Lysboa, allies in southern 
  expansion, while Bilbali, Cabria and Navarre more often send 
  their own northwards on a separate route. The Estalian Main 
  is the Kingdoms in miniature, with ports ruled by represent-
  atives of individual kingdoms and reflecting their characters 
  and antipathies. You are more likely to meet local tribesmen, 
  Tilean mercenaries, Bretonnian treasure-hunters or even 
  Norse hirelings on the Magrittan island of Santa Myrmidia 
  than Bilbalins, who cluster in their own port of Puerto Regal 
  on the next island along.
  Braver explorers and more desperate merchants press onwards 
  into the small Estalian harbours that abut the lush jungles 
  of mainland Lustria, seeking its fabled golden cities. Lustria 
  is an inhospitable land, covered in a dense, steaming jungle, 
  inhabited by creatures ranging from tiny insects to enormous 
  thunder reptiles and under the constant watch of an ancient 
  race of lizard folk who are as mysterious and deadly and as 
  jealous of their territory as the Ulthuan Elves. But there are 
  treasures worth claiming in this deadly land, and those bold 
  enough to seek it.
  Puerto Aqui is the largest foothold Estalia has managed to 
  gain on Lustria, and serves as the de facto centre of gov-
  ernment on that side of the ocean, or at least that's what 
  it tells the other colonies. With an extensive harbour and 
  even shipwrights, it currently struggles to maintain a tight 
  stranglehold on the trade routes back to Estalia. As Puerto 
  Aqui is the only place large ships, especially the galleons of 
  the Treasure Fleets, can properly dock it is the prime place to 
  load and unload cargo. Naturally hampered by the high cliffs 
  that surround the harbour on three sides, Puerto Aqui is kept 
  relatively small and heavily reliant upon supplies from the 
  homeland. Yet the view is always fantastic, the drink flows 
  freely, and as long as one pays the bribes the time until your 
  vessel is loaded with sugars, rare woods, and spice, can be 
  spent quite pleasantly. Many adventurous visitors to Lustrian 
  shores can easily pick up work if they have talent with even 
  elementary cartography or orientation, as decent maps of the 
  Lustrian interior are avidly sought.
  Of course, there are those that find the steep prices and 
  aggressive control Puerto Aqui exerts to be too irritating 
  to deal with. The other primary colony the Estalians have 
  established is further to the south, and runs a much more 
  freewheeling port. Officially called Costa Grande, named 
  in a drunken fit of boasting by its founder, it has become 
  affectionately known as El Aguilito, the Little Eagle, in fond 
  memory of home. Run by an oligarchy of sinister merchants, 
  privateers and pirates, El Aguilito promises a freedom from 
  the strictures and hefty taxes imposed by Puerto Aqui. Al-
  though the Little Eagle cannot compete with the facilities of-
  fered by its big brother, those who run the show know never 
  to ask questions and to always trade with whoever docks. It is 
  almost definite the Lustrian creatures that were taken home 
  and then managed to escape were loaded at El Aguilito. Two 
  particularly potent rums are also exported from here, as well 
  as illicit items "liberated" from the other inhabitants of these 
  lands, be they lizard, rat, elf, human, or... other.
  Puerto Aqui often attempts to organise some small amount 
  of control over El Aguilito by sending raiding ships to 
  damage their harbour "by accidental docking" or sending 
  word of the most offensive individuals back home to try to 
  ensure their arrest should they set foot in Estalia. El Aguilito 
  responds in kind by tipping off the disreputable individuals 
  as to important shipping leaving from the large ports, sending 
  spies to spread discord, or sending word to Estalia of corrup-
  tion and abuse of authority in order to weaken Puerto Aqui's 
  home support.
  However much the two ports may jostle for control, both 
  are glad that the control of the Church and Her Inquisition 
  is a good deal less. That does not mean that there isn’t a 
  presence in Lustria, however. Founded by missionaries who 
  seek to spread the word of the Maiden to distant shores, Las 
  Vargas is a small and dour colony, thoroughly opposed to the 
  wanton excesses they see in the other two. But what really 
  sets quiet little Las Vargas apart is that they actively wish to 
  engage the Lizardmen, believing that they have Myrmidia in 
  their hearts, and just need to know her words. While oth-
  ers see the Lizardmen as an unknowable, ever-watchful and 
  wrathful presence in the shadows, Las Vargas sends mission-
  aries out to contact them. It is no surprise that no missionary 
  has returned with a claim of having met a Lizardmen. Many, 
  of course, do not return at all.
  
  67
  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  The faithful of Las Vargas are not the only ones that seek 
  the Lizardmen. For it is said that the primitive Lizardmen 
  make all things out of pure gold, treating it like clay or paper 
  to make their tools and books with scant regard of its true 
  worth. Indeed, a man who could brave the dangers of the 
  Lustrian jungle and retrieve even a single piece of jewellery 
  from these savages could return to Estalian shores to find 
  himself owning his home town. Those who know better warn 
  of the stealth and poisoned darts of the smaller Lizardmen, 
  the strength and fury of the larger ones with their glass axes 
  somehow stronger than Dwarfen steel. And that's not to 
  mention the hordes of poisonous insects, the lizards the size 
  of lions that shoot razor-sharp spines from their backs, and 
  yet bigger ones that could tear an Araby elephant in half. Yet 
  the lure of unimaginable wealth waiting to be retrieved from 
  vine-covered Temple-City ruins calls to many adventurous, 
  and avaricious, hearts.
  One threat exists. Rumours persist of vampires and ratmen 
  seen deep in the jungle. Beneath volcanos they say black 
  lizards dwell made out fire itself. There are tales of jaguar 
  gods and jaguar women. And on a mist-shrouded island on the 
  great river Amaxon there lives the Koka-Kalim, in a village 
  on stilts, half on land, half on water. They are a tribe of 
  mighty warrior women who protect their lands from the 
  encroachment of any male, led by the fierce Rigg the 
  Avenger. They are said to be immortal, and given mighty 
  strength and berzerker rage by the ingestion of a curious 
  dark and bubbling potion they call Ke-ku-kol-ah. If the drug 
  is what makes them so fierce, it is invaluable and dozens of 
  Estalians have come and tried to barter for samples, or steal 
  it, but so far with no luck. Both the two Estalian ports have 
  tried to simulate the potion using the Ke-ku berries, and sell 
  their concoctions at a huge mark-up claiming the beverage 
  is genuine and potent. Each port claims that theirs is the 
  superior product, but few outside observers agree that there is 
  much difference
  And there are stranger stories still, of giant frogs that walk 
  like men that lizard tribes worship as gods descended from 
  the heavens. These, surely, are the ravings of madmen 
  suffering from too much sun.
  The Irrana Kingdoms
  “They say that every man in Estalia styles him-
  self a king of his own tiny kingdom. That is 
  only a slight exaggeration of the truth.”
   
  Bertoldo Cicinello di Viadaza, consul to 
  the Tilean court
  The Irrana Mountains are home to a number of kingdoms, 
  principalities, free cities and other lands. Some have recog-
  nisable borders, marked out by valleys and peaks within the 
  range, while others expand, contract and disappear with each 
  year’s run of bloodshed.
  Some perhaps only exist in the minds of their rulers. Five of 
  the more static are listed below, but there are always more.
  Aragones
  Official Name: The Kingdom Of Aragones
  Ruler: King Sergio IV
  Government: Feudal
  Capital: Pajena
  Free Towns: Rufferto
  Major exports: Stone, coal, angora, leather
  Aragones formed around Pajena, a fortress town in a low pass 
  which was isolated enough to survive the Crusades untouched 
  while much of the land around was laid waste. Since then it 
  has expanded slightly, while always concentrating on holding 
  defensible positions. It is a small kingdom full of suspicious 
  people, ever watchful for attacks by its Irrana neighbours and 
  the untrustworthy Cantonians.
  Correleone
  Official Name: The Most Grand Kingdom Of Correleone
  Ruler: King Alejandro de Pachino
  Government: Feudal, supported by patrons from the leading 
  families
  Capital: Serpicio
  Free Towns: None
  Major exports: Wine and grapes, stone, coal, gunpowder
  Formerly a province of the destroyed kingdom of Tigarre, 
  Correleone is a petty kingdom with some valuable and 
  dangerous exports. Conflicts over these resources have 
  earned the land a reputation for violence and skulduggery. 
  The throne has changed hands a dozen times in the last two 
  decades, with each king before Alejandro’s father meeting a 
  violent end. The first to succeed to the throne without taking 
  it by force, most fear that the young king will not last long. 
  However, several likely rivals to the throne were assassinated 
  within hours of his ascension, so he might endure despite 
  their concerns.
  
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  Chapter V: The Countless Kingdoms
  Ragaños
  Official Name: Ragaños
  Ruler: Prince Mariano De Bava
  Government: Feudal
  Capital: Ragaños
  Free Towns: None
  Major exports: Stone
  Ragaños, once capital of a small kingdom, is an independent 
  city trapped between the high eastern mountains and the 
  haunted Sombra Woods. Rumour tells of deals struck with 
  the undead that lurk in the dark forests, ensuring that the 
  people are left in peace in exchange for a tithe of blood and 
  bodies. Certainly, few visitors come and go and those that 
  return tell of a city with gates barred and shutters locked well 
  in advance of nightfall, and the Sword of Myrmidia displayed 
  prominently on almost every door.
  Tsurge Leones 
  Official Name: The Fair And Benevolent Republic Of 
  Tsurge Leones
  Ruler: Aemiliano Del Brutto
  Government: Tyranny
  Capital: Durango
  Free Towns: Trinites, Nihilos
  Major exports: Wine, mercenaries, despair
  The desolate mountains and high plains of Tsurge Leones 
  have fallen into anarchy since the assassination of the last 
  rightful king decades ago, and this lawless land is prey to 
  bandoleros, human and otherwise. Durango, known as The 
  City Of Lost Souls, is home to the most brutal and feared 
  warlord, a former mercenary who indulges his every whim 
  freely. The people hope that the Brute will drink himself to 
  death sooner rather than later, for no-one remains with the 
  courage to challenge him. Even now, a bounty the people 
  cannot really pay is posted on his head, in hopes that it will 
  attract someone willing to take him on.
  
  69
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  “A city is like a woman, as I shall tell:
  they have their gates and high battlements, 
  and all are cursed and all know compliments,
  and some spear-guarded and some do trade withal, 
  and some are polished and others now fading walls 
  and some be-thronged with visitors all day, 
  and some are honest – or so tis what they say
  and all men who leave them, be he tight or soak
  in penury and misery, an’ with his willsprit broke”
   
  The Merry Wives of Wizards, Act 2, Scene 3
  Although composed of countless kingdoms, visitors and locals alike know Estalia first and foremost by her two 
  cities. These two pillars, one north, one south, hold forth all the wonders and majesty of the southern peninsular. 
  Their populations dwarf that of all other towns and cities, as do their power, influence and their great reach across 
  the land and sea, throughout the Worlds both Old and New. The wealth of the world comes to Estalia through her 
  twin capitals, and often goes no further—but this is no loss, for there are few in Estalia who have not at least once 
  journeyed to one of its urban centres to taste its wonders. So it is no disrespect to the multifaceted nation to say 
  that to know its capitals is to know the whole land, for on their streets you may see all Estalia, sometimes in just 
  one afternoon.
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  Bilbali
  “I wouldst rather be imprisoned in thine arms
  than walk a free man in any city ‘pon this 
  earth
  Save perhaps Bilbali, where I have good 
  standing at several houses”
   
  Two Gentlemen of Sartosa, Act 3, 
  Scene 3
  To the people of Bilbali, it is plain to see that they embody 
  all that is best and greatest of the Estalian Kingdoms, if not 
  the world. Their sailors and soldiers are said to be the 
  bravest in the world. Their ships are the finest in human 
  craftsmanship, forging across the vast oceans to the jungles 
  of Lustria and Ind. From their hills flows the ore that forges 
  the strongest blades in the Old World. Bilbali never fully 
  fell to the Arabyan conquistadors, nor to the vampire kings 
  or Breton raiders. Ferocious pride is the stock and trade of 
  its citizens, and perhaps it is justified, for the city is replete 
  with glory and the glorious. But their ferocity is fuel for 
  dark passions and lurking madness, and pride always comes 
  before the fall.
  “If the Estalii are the lion, then we are his 
  terrible roar.”
   
  Queen Juana della Roja
  “Their sailors are so good because if they 
  stay alive, they get to go home to that 
  beautiful city again. If the money lasted, I 
  can’t imagine anyone would ever leave.”
   
  Friar Begel, “My Travels in the 
  South”
  “To hear them talk, you think no other 
  Estalian ever held a blade nor dwarf ever 
  made one. Ridiculous, of course, but be 
  careful of scoffing too loudly—I got the 
  scar above my eye last time I made that 
  mistake.”
   
  Diederick Nieman, Captain of 
  the Ingrid
  “All eyes there watch outward, to the sea, 
  and upward, to the Queen. So no eyes see 
  me, and my brethren, as we move between 
  them. Sometimes, mortals make it too 
  easy.”
   
  El Djen-Djan, Vampire
  
  70
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  History
  Although not the first city to be founded on the peninsular 
  by the settlers from the west, it was one of the fastest to 
  grow. The hills on its coast and to its back provided natural 
  defences, while the wide river, thick forest and bountiful sea 
  provided plentiful resources. However, as the city grew, those 
  resources decreased. The rodents of the river still provided 
  fine furs, the woods provided strong trees for hulls and masts 
  and the mountains flowed forth iron, copper, slate and clay, 
  but after the first few centuries, there were no longer plains 
  and fields to grow crops or raise cattle in amounts sufficient 
  to feed the exploding city. It became clear that the future of 
  Bilbali would lie in trade and in conquest: at sea or by sword. 
  The principality expanded south, quickly extending into the 
  southern mountains and conquering the Abasko state therein. 
  The victory, however, was never complete, and to this day the 
  men of those peaks vie for more and more freedom for their 
  still-believed independent state. Expanding west the Bilbalins 
  met and destroyed the kingdoms of Pechonez and Campanola 
  and was only stopped in their conquest by the march east of 
  the Ironskin Orks. The battles to keep these nations pacified 
  raged for centuries, and to this day many northern towns spit 
  at the mention of Bilbalins, considering them the worst kind 
  of tyrants and aggressors.
  The bloodshed was finally slowed with the arrival of more 
  powerful ships and the discovery of the New World (1492 
  IC). The age of sail began and Bilbali took a central role. 
  While the southern Magrittans had fast access to the 
  countless trade routes with Tilea, Araby and the Southlands, 
  Bilbali was the sole port of call for northern trade, to the 
  burgeoning Bretonnia and Empire. When the Empire 
  collapsed into prolonged civil war a few centuries later, it was 
  only through trade with Bilbali that the northern states 
  maintained their forces and kept them armed. To this day, the 
  men of Marienburg sometimes call a sword a “Bilbi”. Lack-
  ing competition with their Tilean neighbours also allowed 
  Bilbalin fleets to be more successful with their 
  journeys across the Great Western Ocean, plundering Lustria 
  and Naggaroth alike for precious metals and exotic jewels.
  Bilbali’s economic strength and land area were further
   increased in the aftermath of the devastating Arabyan 
  conquest. The rest of Estalia fell under the Arabyan 
  onslaught, and paid dearly in throwing off the yoke of the 
  invaders. However, the march of elephants and camels never 
  quite pierced the mountains, and with access to military 
  support from the sea, Bilbali was able to shake off the 
  minimal occupying forces faster than any of the other states. 
  When the tide turned and the Breton Crusaders arrived, the 
  armies of Bilbali had suffered the least damage, and the 
  generals of Bilbali were at the forefront of the reclamation. 
  It was at this time that Bilbalins began anointing themselves 
  as the saviours of the land and thus the rightful rulers of all 
  the Kingdoms. This was never a very popular view in the 
  south. Or indeed anywhere outside of Bilbali.
  Queen Juana continues to make this claim, although not as 
  loudly as some of her ancestors. With the ascendant Mother 
  Temple and her Inquisition being based in Magritta, Bilbali is 
  for the first time in centuries taking orders from her southern 
  rival. The tight reigns of the Inquisition does much to stem 
  civil and external wars, while the elves seem to be doing more 
  and more to restrict trade across the western ocean. Bilbali 
  thus finds itself losing its traditional sources of power and 
  wealth. Much of their land is now a dustbowl from 
  deforestation (or other, darker events) and Bilbali has
   generally relied on its wealth to buy the food it needs. With 
  Magritta’s rise, Bilbali is making concessions and retreats 
  for the first time since the Crusades. No Bilbalin can easily 
  stomach such injuries to their pride, and blame for the 
  situation flies thick and fast. Revolution foments against the 
  rulers in every level of society, from the wealthiest nobles 
  to the lowest gutter-scum, while the Queen herself ponders 
  the consequences of war to establish her total absolute (and 
  divinely appointed) dominance over the entire peninsular.
  To be a Bilbalin is to never take a step backwards from a 
  challenge; to stand brash, unbowed and defiant; to roar loud 
  and let the world tremble at the sound of it. The Estalian 
  peninsular is not at all a stranger to civil strife and border 
  wars, but something much bigger and far more destructive 
  is stirring in the proud streets of this shining jewel. When it 
  wakes, the entire Old World will feel the shockwaves.
  Sayings of Bilbali
  “At sea or sword”—Who knows where. 
  Comes from the general fate of missing 
  or dead men, they have either gone to sea 
  (or died there) or joined the army (or died 
  fighting in its ranks).
  “Only lions roar”—bragging is rarely 
  without substance.
  “Like a Magrittan maiden”—that which 
  does not exist
  
  71
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  The Shape of the City
  Bilbali is a city somewhat divided, and not just by the 
  Suenos, the river which winds through it. The city proper 
  sits half a mile downstream from the great harbour. The long 
  gently arcing harbour edges around a wave-tossed bay, the 
  only break in the rocky, cliff-shadowed coastline that runs 
  away east and west. To the east of the boardwalks towers 
  the Acantilado Del Locos, its sheer grey face honeycombed 
  with countless cave-mouths that hide more than just bats and 
  razorbills.
  Between the port and the city snakes a thin corridor of 
  tavernas, bordellos and stores known as Pedlar’s Row. Those 
  who live and work here make it their sole mission to remove 
  every penny from an arriving sailor before he has a chance 
  to reach the shops and cafes of the main city. Fiery, criminal 
  and often violent competition exists between the proprietors 
  of Pedlar’s Row, with each trying to be the first and most 
  attractive sight to greet a tired sailor’s eyes. Many
  proprietors even leave their stalls or employ street-walkers to 
  capture attention, so that walking pedlar’s row is like running 
  a gauntlet of proffered merchandise and shouted services, and 
  only the fiercest or fastest arrive in town with their purse 
  intact.
  Those who make it beyond Pedlar’s Row will come into 
  the city through its northern gate, set in its thick sandstone 
  walls. The city has recently grown beyond these military 
  protections, but continues to use the warm orange walls 
  for ornament and sculpture. Indeed, the city is absolutely 
  bedecked with ornamental structures. Due to the abundance 
  of all kinds of metals and stones in the mountains, and even 
  more precious metals arriving by sea, Bilbali is overrun with 
  unusual architecture, some of it stunningly beautiful; others 
  simply stunningly odd. With each new military triumph or 
  trade bonanza, either a new building is erected to honour the 
  general or sponsor, or a park or square is established to hold 
  their statue. Thanks to the mild southern climate Bilbali 
  is also as famous for its verdant and numerous parks as the 
  elaborate pinnacles above them.
  The profusion of parks and squares makes the streets hard 
  to navigate, as the streets seem to spiral towards each land-
  mark. Despite its constant trade industry, the city is not one 
  suited to the rapid travel of carts and horses, or anyone in a 
  hurry. There is indeed only one bridge, in the southern end 
  of the city, when the banks finally come too close to allow 
  any more ships to dock. Although the city extends beyond 
  the so-called Ultimo Puente, or final bridge, many consider 
  anything south of it to be lesser than the rest of the city. The 
  river itself is as cherished as Bilbali’s parks as a site for 
  celebration and relaxation, and is always dotted with small 
  craft.
  Equally popular are the wide sandy beaches, or playas, on 
  either side. The visitor to Bilbali is forced to wonder which 
  came first: did the city have so many celebrations it created a 
  thousand places to hold them, or did they simply create their 
  seemingly endless series of holidays to fill their excess of 
  plazas de populi?
  As the city extends south towards the Ultimo Puente, the 
  roads slowly slope upwards, and the denizens also become 
  wealthier. Partly this is because of logistics: the wealthier 
  merchant can afford to travel further to the markets and 
  docks, but it also corresponds to proximity to the Palazio 
  Splendido and the towering Catedral of Santa Gabriela. In 
  the eyes of the Queen and Aquila Alta Hembre, Ultimo 
  Puente does indeed mark the end of all that matters. Down 
  the hill, these lords can survey, resplendent before them, all 
  that is greatest of Bilbali, greatest city in the known world. 
  And what lies behind is irrelevant.
  Important Locations
  The Timbre Tormenta
  In the centre of the harbour is a small circular island just big 
  enough to hold the Timbre Tormenta—the Bell of Storms. 
  This large brass bell atop a rickety copper stand is the sole 
  storm warning and navigation device in the harbour, and if it 
  failed on a stormy night, Bilbali’s fortunes could be 
  destroyed in a stroke. However, the difficulty of actually 
  landing on the rock prevents regular maintenance. 
  The precarious position also protects it from sabotage, al-
  though many sailors swear they have seen lights and shadows 
  underneath it, late at night. Even more strangely, nobody can 
  remember where the bell came from, or why it has strange 
  triangular glyphs cut into either side. The original bell, the 
  Timbre Luce, was placed there by Myrmidia herself, but was 
  stolen centuries later by Norse raiders. Many adventurous 
  types in Bilbali’s port taverns talk of manning an expedition 
  to retrieve it.
  Rueda Del Morta
  The Rueda Del Morta’s name is not just an affectation. This 
  rough sailor’s taverna does indeed possess a wheel of death: 
  a giant water wheel cuts through the pier, with room inside 
  for two men to stand, if they step fast enough to keep their 
  balance on the sea-slick steps. The sailors of Bilbali are famed 
  for their courage and inside the Rueda, they can prove it in 
  single, bloody combat.  The current reigning champion (and 
  special drawcard) of the Rueda is the so-called “Man-Dragon 
  of the Jucata”. 
  
  72
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  A gigantic humanoid lizard complete with claws that can tear 
  a man’s arms off and a scaly skin that seems to shed damage 
  as a duck sheds water, there are few who can last the required 
  three minutes in the wheel against him. The prize is immense 
  for those who do, however, and the anger of the regular 
  attendees grows with each Man-Dragon victory, so there is no 
  end to those willing to try, or plans on how they might find a 
  way to succeed.
  The Shipyards
  Bilbali’s harbour is small compared to the truly gigantic 
  ports of Marienberg and Erengrad in the north. The same 
  cannot be said of its shipyards. Bilbali has the resources, the 
  workforce and the technical skill to make what are arguably 
  the best transport, exploration and war ships in the Old 
  World. Certainly they are the strongest and best armed, 
  bristling with cannons of the finest Djurango iron, and cut 
  with sails of the strongest Barbozan canvas. Despite these 
  powerful ships, however, the sea remains incredibly deadly, 
  and the demand for new vessels never ends. The hammers of 
  the shipyards are never silent, the forges never cold and the 
  wagons of supplies arrive all day and night. Ensuring that the 
  work goes ahead at maximum pace is not easy, as the gigantic 
  ships and their surrounding scaffolding are often homes for 
  vermin, thieves and unnatural beasts, while the convoys to 
  and from the hills are regularly targeted by raiders, solitary 
  vampires and the occasional greenskin pack. Since most 
  shipbuilding is funded by merchant sailors it is not blessed 
  by protection from the state: there are few laws to protect its 
  workers, and fewer proteges or vigiles interested in enacting 
  them. There are also plenty of business rivals keen to sabo-
  tage certain projects, or protect their own. Adventurers can 
  find easy work at the yards, although more than a few have 
  fallen to their death between the half-completed decks, or 
  been prey to those thing which hunt within them.
  El Septicalle
  The area known as “the Seven Streets” is the old town of 
  Bilbali, encasing the seven streets that were the extent of the 
  original settlement. For most of the history of the city, this 
  has been a poor area but since the city has expanded beyond its 
  walls the poor now live there, and the newly rich clamour to 
  reinvigorate this ancient neighbourhood. This has led to some 
  of Bilbali’s wealthiest merchants living in hollowed-out 
  ruins that lack their own well or privy. But the connection to 
  ancient Bilbalin history is enough to sustain the new tenants, 
  as are the continuing rumours and legends of great treasures 
  and secrets left undiscovered from centuries past, now hiding 
  perhaps behind a single layer of plaster or wood.
  Playa Grande
  Playa Grande is the largest beach in the city, and throughout 
  the summer is full of people enjoying the sun, the sand and 
  of late, even the waters of the blue Suenos. The shore is also 
  crowded with pavilions and stalls for those who tire of the 
  sun, but few do: rich and poor, local and tourist alike enjoy 
  taking to the water wearing clothes so indecent they would 
  shock Countess Emmanuelle. The fashion standards of this 
  popular new pastime have led to the beach gaining another 
  purpose, too. It being almost impossible to secrete even the 
  smallest dagger in a bathing costume, a state of political 
  détente can exist on the Playa. In a city where politics is 
  soaked in blood, this provides a vital safe ground for 
  discussions, and more politics is discussed on any given sunny 
  day on the Playa than in a month at the palace, all under the 
  veil of joyous waterside frolics. Even the Queen herself has 
  been known to come down to the water’s edge in her sedan 
  chair, although it remains as yet unclear whether she enjoys 
  the activity or simply needs the political vantage point.
  The only people who do not swim are the staunch clerics 
  of Myrmidia. With Mother Temple decrying any form of 
  indecency, the priests take a dim view of the bathing fad. 
  As yet Aquila Hembre lacks sufficient power to outlaw the 
  practice, but his sermons are becoming increasingly critical 
  of the activity, and it would only take a few public incidents 
  of immorality to transform his rhetoric into proclamation. In 
  the meantime, the fortunes of many are made and lost on the 
  golden sand, and the common epithet of those who have been 
  soundly out-manoeuvred there is that they hate the Playa, not 
  the game.
  New Talent: Fire-Blooded
  Bilbalins are naturally arrogant and tactless, 
  but there are some among them who take this 
  to greater heights. This trait, known as being 
  “fire-blooded”, is always accompanied by thick, 
  blood-red hair. Queen Juana gets her nickname 
  “Della Roja” because she clearly possesses this 
  characteristic. The Fire-Blooded are enormously 
  fierce and cannot be argued with or persuaded 
  upon any manner but are also all too often known 
  to go mad. Characters with the Fire-Blooded 
  Talent may add +20% to their Willpower for all 
  Tests to resist all Charm or Intimidation at-
  tempts, but suffer -10% to any Willpower Tests 
  made to resist gaining a disorder due to an Insan-
  ity Point increase. Any Character born in Bilbali 
  may exchange one of their starting Talents for 
  Fire-Blooded.
  
  73
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  Bilbali Books
  Bilbali is like unto a steamtank of salesmanship but it deals 
  so primarily in its staples of wine, women, jewels and sucre 
  that the little things are often forgotten. Manuscripts, for 
  example, are not the common trade of the Bilbalin streets. 
  Yet sometimes they can be the most valuable things of all.
  Those who would seek such knowledge should come to 
  Bilbali Books, but they must bring great wit and courage, for 
  the shop is not designed to be friendly. Their collections of 
  books is wide-ranging but totally unorganized and sorting 
  through the roof-high piles and twisted shelves is a skill of 
  both physical and mental dexterity. What’s more, the 
  proprietor Don Bernando Negres, is a wild-eyed lunatic, 
  known to accuse his customers of being daemons sent to kill 
  him. More than once he has leapt unannounced upon people 
  entering his store, attempting to put them in a sack to send 
  back to Chaos Wastes. His assistant is no better: the gigantic 
  hairy fool with a mountain-man’s beard does little besides 
  chuckle to himself and claims to be part troll—and smells 
  bad enough for it to be true. Buying books there is always an 
  adventure, but if it is treasure maps or ancient diaries that are 
  sought, there is simply no equal, and the “quirky” staff do 
  help keep other treasure-hunters away.
  El Lustriador
  Caza Blanca means “the white hunt”. To a sailor, this means 
  whaling, searching for the white plume that indicates one of 
  the great mammals has surfaced. In the underworld of Bilbali, 
  the white hunt is a slang term for the assassination of royalty, 
  and by extension, the political machinations that are built on 
  and around the practice. As Queen Juana is the royal most 
  targeted for assassination in Estalia, if not the entire Old 
  World, the Caza Blanca is played constantly and ardently 
  in her city. The proteges do little to stop it, assuming they 
  could—all they can do is round up the usual suspects of 
  ne’er-do-wells, a group to which any assassin would never 
  belong. So the deaths continue, and Ricardo Arnaz, the 
  proprietor of El Lustriador, will be damned if he isn’t going 
  to make money from it.
  On the surface, El Lustriador appears to be a popular 
  taverna with a slightly seedy reputation; wealthy enough to 
  pay off the proteges so it can provide gambling and whores 
  and contraband whisky to those willing to pay the prices. The 
  real business takes place upstairs, where the rich and powerful 
  of the city don’t simply plan assassinations, but bet heavily 
  on their outcomes. Odds are given not just on whether the 
  target lives or dies come the morning, but also how far the 
  assassin gets within the palace, how he gains entry, the 
  method chosen for the killing, and how, if ever, he is 
  eventually stopped.
  It is considered cheating to arrange your own assassination, 
  but paying others to foil one you bet against is perfectly legal 
  by the group’s standards.
  When politics fails to provide such games to wager upon, 
  the gamblers rely on Ricardo to provide ne’er-do-wells and 
  treasure-hunters with grand and elusive goals to pursue. The 
  group particularly enjoy giving tasks to travelling adventur-
  ers, for such people are wildly unpredictable and touched by 
  some strange hand of Fate, making the gambling extremely 
  exciting.
  The Bloody Lawn
  Like every Estalian city, Bilbali is overburdened with 
  sword-fighting schools, each with their own techniques and 
  own grand masters at their head. It is thus no great surprise 
  that two of them should overlook one of the many lush parks 
  of the city. However, close neighbours make sharp rivals, and 
  the centuries have only further inflamed and indentured the 
  terrible rivalry that grips these two academies. The result is 
  the Placa Del Aventura is now known as the Bloody Lawn.
  To the north is the Escula Dellaluna, a school which 
  focuses on flashy strikes and misdirection. To the south is 
  the Collegio Classico, which believes in a regimented and 
  formal system drawn from battlefield drills. Each evening, 
  when classes finish, the students of both schools spill out 
  into the tavernas around the lawn to do what students do after 
  classes. Naturally this leads to boasting and grandstanding, 
  and soon enough there are blades drawn and blood spilled. A 
  brave son of Estalia dies about once or twice a month on the 
  Lawn, but nobody seems inclined to do anything to stop it. 
  Both schools are so entrenched in their rivalry they would 
  consider it the gravest dishonour to urge their students to-
  wards restraint, and the taverna owners know that every battle 
  brings a good crowd. Indeed, on a quiet night the baristas have 
  been known to throw veiled insults or orchestrate 
  “accidents” to ensure their clientele gets an exciting show.
  The Dellaluna is run by “Ramirez” Callodonnoso, a dwarf 
  who has changed his name and adopted a ridiculous accent in 
  order to prove his true allegiance to Bilbali rather than his 
  karak or dwarfen race. The insistence on wearing bright red 
  clothing and ostrich feathers in his hat is less understood. His 
  different build led him to develop all sorts of exotic fight-
  ing styles, including fighting “dirty”, and he teaches this 
  flexible approach to all his students. El Collegio Classico is 
  headed by Inigo Zurdo. Inigo studied swordplay obsessively 
  from the moment he could hold a blade and knows every 
  style and every manoeuvre ever performed in the peninsular. 
  That Ramirez occasionally defeats him with raw cunning cuts 
  Inigo to the core, and drives him back to evermore relent-
  less training and relentless drinking, dreaming of the next 
  encounter. 
  
  74
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  The White Hunt
  She moved in a way he had never seen before.
  Her fingers stroked the night breeze that was blowing through the taverna courtyard as if she were running them through 
  its hair. Her arms rose and fell in curves, begging for an embrace. As she turned, her split skirt frothed like foam around 
  her calves, concealing and revealing dimpled knees and smooth tanned thighs.
  He wondered how they’d gotten so brown and his mind spun with images of her searching for shellfish in the rockpools 
  on the beach by the city, her skirt hems tucked into her waistband. Or sprawling on the sand wearing even less…
  In a shadowed corner near the stage, Esteban suppressed a groan and wrenched his mind back to reality. Dancing girls were 
  not what he was here for.
  His master had returned from Araby under great secrecy. Salvadore dela Parseto had been compelled to break his exile due 
  to the present, disgraceful circumstances (in the privacy of his head, Esteban spat at the thought of Salvadore’s profligate 
  brother-in-law) but the dangers were been enormous.
  The large crowd filling the courtyard cheered as the dancing girl finished in a flurry of skirts and twirling limbs. 
  Esteban was momentarily distracted once more. He had very few vices—drink dulled the senses, food was to sustain rather 
  than to indulge in. But women… oh, the beautiful creatures. And it had been a long time since he’d seen Estalian women.
  Her smile was for him; he knew it. The way she looked through her lashes into the cheering crowd, sliding her eyes from 
  one to another before resting on him. How she shook her hair over her almost bare shoulders and tilted her head back to 
  bask in the adoration streaming from the crowd.
  The taverna-keeper strode past them onto the stage, announcing in his hearty voice the delicious food and wine laid out 
  on the tables at the back for all to enjoy. Laughing and chattering, with some more persistent men showering compli-
  ments on her, the throng left the dancing girl and moved towards their repast.
  “Esteban,” his master murmured. “We must go, if we are to make our rendezvous.”
  The bodyguard nodded. The pair kept the stage at their backs as they followed the gentle flow of the crowd. All that was 
  needed was to get to the small door leading to the walled orchard and his master would meet those who could help him in 
  his revolucíon…
  The scent of wild rose filled the air around him and his head automatically turned. The dancing girl was descending 
  from the stage, her skirt offering tantalising glimpses of what lay underneath as she did. There were still a fair number 
  of people milling about and she had to slide past him to wend her way through, pushing her body against his. Her hair 
  glowed and the green enamelled bird nestled there glistened in the torchlight. She smiled coyly through long dark lashes 
  and Esteban felt his face break into the self-assured smile that always charmed the young ladies.
  There was a wet sound and an intake of breath from his master.
  Esteban’s head snapped towards him as Salvadore began to sag, clutching his side. Both men’s gaze turned downwards. 
  The hilt of the dagger was beautifully engraved and if it hadn’t been protruding from the upper ribs of his master, Este-
  ban was sure he would have admired its craftsmanship. What filled his mind now was its frightening accuracy.
  Blood seeped through Salvadore’s fingers, leeching from his face and he raised his stricken eyes to his impotent protector.
  “Esteban…” he whispered, his legs giving out.
  “No!”
  Esteban seized hold of him and lowered him to the ground. Frantically looking around them, he saw nothing but the 
  crowd still moving steadily towards the banquet, only looks of curiosity being thrown towards the pair on the ground. 
  The dancing girl had vanished along with her damned scent.
  “Esteban…beware…”
  “Someone calls the proteges!” he screamed. A murmur rose, growing in agitation and alarm as babbling people knelt 
  down beside him and tried ineffectually to help. “Master-”
  “Esteban… beware…the green… green… eagle…”
  His master’s eyes rolled back and Esteban felt his spirit leave his body. The shouting of the crowd, the loud commands 
  of the arriving proteges all faded to nothing as he stared at the corpse in his arms. His eyes fell to the dagger, now tacky 
  with drying blood.
  Beneath the red smears, he could make out an eagle in green enamel.
  
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  Chapter VI: The Cities
  Ramirez, by comparison, drinks before he fights, to better 
  fire his more desperate and ferocious style.  Between warm 
  wine and hot blood, the death toll continues to skyrocket.
  Galleria Del Arté Y Maravilla Y Fenomonico
  Many of the great works of art produced in the city are dis-
  played in the city streets—or are part of them. The Gallery 
  of Art, Wonder and Phenomena holds the rest. This immense 
  gallery is across the square from the palace and is frequently 
  visited by the Queen, who is also an ardent patron of the arts, 
  even funding more than just portraits of herself or buildings 
  for her family. The Queen in fact encourages the exotic and 
  the avant-garde, both in subject matter and style, which means 
  that works that the Empire would consider distasteful, 
  illogical and even heretical can find pride of place. The lurid 
  works of Girardi del Vors hang here, including the early 
  sketches of his final, gore-soaked piece, A Grim Feast (see 
  the Tome of Corruption for more on this)—and the museum 
  would pay highly for the return of the final work.  There is 
  also Dari’s Jirafi Di Inferno, said to be painted from life
   during Dari’s voyage to the Chaos Wastes. Another key 
  piece is the haunting Generica. Although said to be “of 
  nothing at all”, those who regard the strange markings of 
  Generica for too long find themselves weeping uncontrolla-
  bly, scrabbling at the eyes to stop the tears, a testament to the 
  sheer emotional power of the work.
  The marvels and phenomena galleries include all manner of 
  mechanical devices, inventions and triumphs of science and 
  design, ranging from the latest in skin-pleasing upholstery 
  to the world’s oldest pickled ham. As the exciting world of 
  scientifica sweeps the nation, here you will also find sedan 
  chairs that travel on steam-powered legs, the automatic 
  chicken plucker and the flame-shooting Inferno Pistol. Nauti-
  cal technology is also here, including a demonstration of the 
  Twin-Timing experiment. This experiment is so far the 
  greatest step towards solving the immense problems of 
  navigation caused by the inability of clocks and compasses 
  to work in the wild and magically potent waters of the Great 
  Western Ocean. Twin brothers are linked using a magical 
  binding spell, then one is sent across the sea while the other 
  remains under observation at the Galleria. Each day, at a 
  certain time, the twin in Bilbali is injured mildly with a 
  knife, with the spell causing the one at sea also shows the 
  injury, allowing perfect time calculation on board the ship 
  in question. Of course, sometimes a simply knife cut is not 
  sufficient, and to be sure of success, the scientists have been 
  known to increase the stimulation—in the name of science, of 
  course.
  There are also collections of the strange and exotic, 
  collections which are dominated with artefacts from the New 
  World. 
  These include mummified and stuffed corpses of the bizarre 
  Lizardmen, and many of the holy relics, magical artefacts and 
  ancient texts of their culture.  Nobody can yet understand 
  the childish scribblings on them but examining wizards agree 
  that they possess some primitive magical power (astounding 
  for such a degenerate race). Living plants and animals are also 
  kept here, in glasshouses and terrariums. One room hosts an 
  aviary the size of a chapel, holding thousands of unique birds 
  with plumages in all the colours of the rainbow. Many of 
  these die due to the weather or inappropriate diet, but they 
  are then moved onto the cabinets of stuffed animals, of which 
  there are hundreds. Other birds have become transformed by 
  their new situation.  The numnum in particular has become 
  popular as a pet for nobles, shedding its once sleek wading 
  form to become fat and clumsy, and its name comes from 
  the Estalian word for jester (nummeno). Indeed, it has been 
  remarked that the numnum has not only forgotten how to fly 
  but has forgotten it has forgotten, leading to many of them to 
  be found leaping out of trees or from hacienda windows, only 
  to plummet ungracefully (and injuriously) to the ground. 
  More than one gardener at the palace has been seriously 
  injured by a plummeting numnum, but the Queen dotes on 
  them, and has shown herself willing to execute anyone who 
  harms her precious pets.
  The collection is extensive but extremely well catalogued 
  by dedicated civil servants and passionate academics. To date, 
  only one truly notable piece has gone missing: the captured 
  Lizardmen slave brought back by the explorer Conorado, 
  who used to stand proudly in the centre foyer.  Alas, his 
  captors mistook his calm demeanour for an acceptance of 
  his fate, and loosened his chains. They were repaid for their 
  kindness with the insult of his murderous escape. Both the 
  Queen and the museum would pay a king’s ransom to have 
  their special exhibit returned.
  to better fire his more desperate and ferocious style.  
  Between warm wine and hot blood, the death toll continues 
  to skyrocket.
  The Two Carlos
  Strangers to Estalian politics often slip up over the fact that it 
  has two Carlos in positions of power. The first is King Carlos 
  IV, ruler of Magritta (or not, depending on who you ask), a 
  long-bearded fellow of some age. The second is Prince Carlos, 
  husband and consort to Queen Juana, a young buck with no 
  beard and raven-black hair in a widow’s peak. Originally, the 
  Queen chose not to elevate the Prince to King lest people assume 
  he was ranked above her. However this situation leads foreign-
  ers to infer that her Prince Carlos is less important than the 
  southern King Carlos, so she is looking for some way out of 
  this. Naming herself Empress Juana would be ideal, and she is 
  looking for some fresh conquest to justify this. In the meantime, 
  a Bilbalin or Magrittan who has his Carlos confused by another 
  will respond with typical Estalian fury.
  
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  Chapter VI: The Cities
  El Palazio Splendido
  It is tradition for each new monarch of Bilbali to add a new 
  extension to the already large and elaborate palace. Thanks 
  to the surfeit of precious metals coming from the mountains 
  and across the sea, and the encouraging climate of local artists, 
  each new addition is more lavish, ornate and glided than the 
  last. This has created a building that both blinds the eyes with 
  its gleaming wealth and boggles the mind with its changing, 
  discordant designs.  Many a visiting noble (or late-night as-
  sassin) has found themselves at a loss at how to enter a given 
  wing or trapped in a corridor after a wrong turn. It is because 
  of this that the most of the day-to-day politics of the realm is 
  conducted on the playas or indeed, at the Temple del 
  Santiago across the calle. It is also one reason why most 
  official functions are hosted outside of the palace: in the 
  stunning water gardens behind, in the Campo Del Moro 
  square that sits in front of its grand entrance, or any of the 
  many parks around the upper city. The other reason for these 
  many outside occasions is of course the famously fabulous
   Estalian weather, which permits both day and night
   celebrations all year round. So much of courtly life happens 
  outdoors in Estalia that in less clement and more barbaric 
  nations, Queen Juana is dubbed the “Outdoor Queen”. 
  Queen Juana wears this moniker with pride however, for 
  other countries are not as blessed as Estalia, and must be 
  pitied for it.
  The House of the Scorpion
  Bilbali is a city of masques; nothing is what it seems. The 
  House of the Scorpion appears to be a swordfighting school 
  and gentlemen’s club for young caballeros. Behind this, 
  however, is a dedication not just to the art of the sword, but 
  something more visceral, more pure. At this house, they 
  worship the art of murder, and its master, the God Khaine.
  It is no great step for a man obsessed with mastering the art 
  of battle to become consumed with the art of delivering 
  death. Indeed, many of the House’s faithful see no distinction 
  at all. To them, the rest of the city’s bladesmen have some 
  strange mental impediment making them unable to see that 
  swordfighting and killing are the same thing, especially since 
  many Estalian schools have rather flexible rules regarding 
  honourable fighting.  Likewise, those loyal to the Scorpion 
  do not learn assassination techniques such as the use of 
  daggers or poison—they focus only on the sword. The 
  difference is the goals of their training, and the obedience of 
  their faith. So dedicated are the members of the House that 
  they will kill anyone they are ordered to, even their own 
  relatives, seeing the target as nothing more than a test and
   sacred rite. This perfectly suits the secret masters of the 
  House, who are High Elf mariners from the island of 
  Ulthuan. 
  The High Elves refuse to let the newcomers have any true 
  command of the oceans, and having a loyal army of killers in 
  Bilbali is a cornerstone in their plans to ensure this. Other 
  houses, with different names, exist across Estalia and Tilea, 
  but Bilbali’s is the largest, and by far the most dangerous.
  Magritta
  “In northern Kislev do we take our scene;
  Where women art warm as the weather cold
  As the very opposite of far Magritta”
   
  Teclis Androgynous, Act 1, Scene 1
  Estalian mariners call her “the shimmering pearl in a stone 
  shell”. The shell is the stony-beached bay secluded beyond 
  the twin headlands of Pilares di Mari, known as the Bay of 
  Quietude, for its sheltered waters are both deep and unnerv-
  ingly still. Even when winter storms rage in the southern 
  sea, there is barely a ripple of recognition in the bay. At its 
  centre sits the pearl: the city of Magritta. Due to the fierce 
  sun and cool waters, the city first embraces the observer as 
  a hazy vision of gleaming white architecture and terracotta 
  roofs. Closer still the gilded spires of the Grand Temple of 
  Myrmidia appear, dominating the city skyline. As ships draw 
  into harbour this vision is replaced with a more realistic scene 
  of the great port: gritty, bustling and loud.
  Centuries of trade have made Magrittans cosmopolitan, but 
  no less Estalian. In contrast to what they see as the uncultured 
  north, citizens are relaxed, friendly and welcoming to new 
  visitors and new ideas. Foreign traders coined the adage that 
  “Visiting Marienburg is prudent, Magritta a pleasure”, and 
  the thriving markets and tavernas are testament to this. Natu-
  rally, Magrittans cherish this reputation and will go to great 
  lengths to preserve it, mindful that it is coveted by a handful 
  of other maritime states. To this end Magritta employs diplo-
  macy across the seas and where necessary deploys the Armada, 
  her feared war fleet, to crush her foes.
  History
  The annals of the cult of Myrmidia record that a relic known 
  as the Aegis Solar or Sun Shield was discovered on what 
  became Mount Escudo. Here the first stone of Myrmidia’s 
  temple were laid.
  Whether the legend is true or not, Myrmidia could not have 
  chosen a better location to set a city. Poised on the high 
  mountain, it can see all attackers coming, and rain down 
  destruction upon them. In its sheltered bay and at the mouth 
  of the Turia River, Magritta thrived, trading the goods of the 
  Estalian interior with elsewhere and feeding its population 
  the fruits of the calm sea. 
  
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  Chapter VI: The Cities
  The bay made a perfect shipyards and Magritta’s navy grew 
  alongside its city—a navy used often to ensure Magritta’s 
  trade vessels reached their ports unharmed, for the sea lanes 
  of the Old World has always been hotly contested.
  As its caravels navigated the coasts of the southlands and 
  Araby, trade and the city flourished. This attracted envious 
  attention from the south where the Arabyan caliphs had also 
  been growing in power and ambition. Initially Magritta bore 
  the brunt of the Caliphs forces and to the dismay of the 
  hopelessly outnumbered defenders, the noble dynasty fled 
  north at the first signs of battle. Besieged for eight long 
  years, the city was then taken in inches, and, by some ac-
  counts, never broken as a handful of Templars refused to 
  yield the inner bastion of cells beneath the Temple. Outside, 
  however, the city was ruled by the sheik Emir Wazar, also 
  known as Emir the Cruel. To this day Magrittans spit at the 
  mention of the name of that hated invader.
  When the Arabyans were repelled, Magrittan merchant 
  captains made fortunes ferrying vengeful knights to Araby 
  on crusades. These captains went on to form the Consula-
  do, a powerful guild to protect and regulate their interests. 
  The returning monarchy was unable to ignore this shift in 
  power and Magritta endured three tense centuries of rule by 
  ‘Los Treces’ an informal triumvirate of King, Church and 
  Consulado. By the fourth century of this rule tensions had 
  broken out into open conflict between the Monarchy and the 
  Consulado culminating in 1751 with the Captain’s Revolt. 
  The ship-owners backed by their captains turned their cannon 
  on the Alcazar Palace practically levelling a quarter of the 
  city and forcing the Magrittan monarchs to retreat to their 
  hinterland haciendas and relinquish control to what they 
  dubbed a ‘rabble of merchant hidalgos’.
  Ultimately the lot of the average Magrittan did not change. 
  They traded a blue-blooded elite for a wealthy one but there 
  was peace and the Consulado ruled with a fiscal prudence lost 
  on the monarchs. The ‘rabble’ issued in the new era known 
  as Ouverto; a period of openness which saw patronage of arts 
  and innovation and an influx of foreigners. This policy was 
  ultimately checked by the rise of the Inquisition and the dis-
  covery of a Slaaneshi sect thriving in Myrmidia’s holy city. 
  The razing of La Rana by Inquisitors marked the beginning 
  of this policy, and the firm re-establishment of the temple’s 
  hand in the running of the city. The Inquisition gained favour 
  however by crushing corruption amongst the wealthy. They 
  also ensured that all the ships of the Consulado obeyed the 
  Rules of Sea Trade and were licensed to the city and its 
  powers. Those that did not were branded as pirates, and so 
  Magritta’s now-famous vendetta against these criminals began 
  in earnest.
  Today the city maintains a massive fleet of its own, 
  dedicated to protecting the city and its interests—mainly 
  through hunting down pirates wherever they can be found. 
  They also believe in enforcing their trade treaties with steel 
  and gunpowder. Should a Tilean or Araby ship of any decent 
  size tries to slip past the Bay of Quietude without making 
  port and paying due, they will almost certainly discover a 
  Magrittan war galley off their bow, directing them to correct 
  their mistake immediately. Again, failure to uphold 
  Magritta’s Rules is the same as piracy, and pirates are given 
  no quarter. Some traders are good enough sailors to avoid the 
  bigger, slower Estalian ships. Most don't push their luck.
  Meanwhile Magritta’s licensed merchant captains race the 
  Tilean rivals far afield. Each year they sail further into the 
  unknown, seeking greater and greater conquest and the trade 
  goods it provides. At present the most famous is Captain 
  Mercantez, a veteran of numerous bold expeditions. Word 
  has been recently received that he has reached Koto, a city in 
  the state of Nippon. This news has created a buzz in tavernas 
  across the city, especially as the last rumour was that he had 
  sailed over the edge of the world.
  “It is clear as to me now as my first day at the Convent. 
  When Giovanna first saw the Temple she fell to her 
  knees and wept. So you understand; from that moment, 
  Magritta’s primacy was assured.”
  Capitana Sofia, Shield-Maiden of the Eagle Legion
  “Gather round please! Behold the first and last bastion 
  of the civilised world! The priests claim that if the temple 
  were ever to fall, the lands of men will disappear under a 
  tide of darkness…”
  Inigio Raul, Old City Guide to band of 
  pilgrims
  “When upon I clasped eyes upon this work of the man-
  lings, this fortress of strength and skill I thought unto 
  myself: what next? Shall they grow beards and mine 
  gold?”
   
  Loremaster Margrim of Barak Varr in “
  Voyages in the Southern Sea”
  “Marienburg always wants to make sure she comes out 
  ahead in any trade, but in Magritta, they worship money 
  in a much more ecumenical fashion. And the whores are 
  exquisite. Just don’t go beyond the wall, boys.”
   
  Rurik the Rotten, Ship’s Bosun
  “The enemy can do the most damage inside your battle-
  ments—so it is here, even in Myrmidia’s great fortress, 
  that we must be the most vigilant.”
   
  Aquila Negra Tanja Torqueda, of the 
  Inquisition
  “Of all Estalia, this place is the most Tilean. It’s so 
  civilised I can almost stand to use the privies.”
  Tilean Bladesman Mario Hermanio, moments before 
  being killed
  
  78
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  Politics
  Though the official head of the City State remains the King 
  Carlos IV of Magritta anyone from the city or beyond can 
  testify that control of port itself lies in the hands of the men 
  who have driven its success: the Merchant-Captains.
  These figures are shipping magnates at the head of wealthy 
  merchant or noble families. They own their vessels outright 
  and have the ability to fund the trading expeditions that 
  bring riches back into port. A handful of the most powerful 
  of these oligarchs sit on the Consulado, a merchant's guild-
  cum-council, where they hold real political influence and tend 
  to municipal affairs. Currently three individuals stand apart 
  from their peers; Don Lorenzo De Calamarra of the ancient 
  shipbuilding dynasty, Don Balthazar Alfarez whose exclusive 
  Arabyan contacts pay handsomely and the ruthless Dona 
  Ximenesa Cadena who, it is claimed, poisoned her own father 
  to hasten her succession.
  However neither King nor Consulado can match the power 
  and popularity held by the Cult of Myrmidia. Put simply, 
  without the Temple there might be no Magritta. The Templa 
  Ultima intervenes rarely in the affairs of state or trade but 
  at such times when they choose to do so it invariably alters 
  the history of the City. Some liken Magritta to being a beast 
  with two heads, one of faith and one of trade. However pil-
  grims and scholars come bearing trade, and trade gold fill the 
  chests of Mother Temple; in Magritta, the two heads work 
  well together.
  The sole recent exception is the Inquisition's decision to 
  make prostitution illegal. So far the city has worn the loss of 
  income and found loopholes, but it chafes under the regu-
  lation. Should the Temple or the Consulado push the issue 
  further, the city might discover the danger of a two-headed 
  beast fighting itself.
  “Upon this land is my Temple. No blood 
  shall be spilt here.”
   
  Translation of the ancient 
  inscription on the Aegis Solar
  The Shape of the City
  Twin Peaks
  As it enters the Bay of Quietude the river Turia curves its 
  way between two promontories on which Magritta is built 
  upon. The low bulk on the western bank is the holy Mount 
  Escudo, atop which sits the Grand Temple and two thirds of 
  the cities’ districts, known as barrios, surround it.
  This is the ancient core of the city and its spiritual heart. 
  Spanning the river, the great bridge of Puerta Nagari 
  connects—almost a hundred feet above the river—high 
  Escudo with the eastern barrios which are in turn over-
  shadowed by the opposing peak of El Alcazar; the royalist 
  fortress once both the winter residence of the King and the 
  home of the Duke. Crumbling and overgrown, the Alcazar 
  has become a metaphor for the fate of the monarchy. The 
  fine bleached stone villas and orange groves that surround the 
  castle are also quiet now. The high nobility have completely 
  vanished from the city, only to be remembered in street 
  names and on the lips of storytellers in tavernas.
  Below the peaks the cities are a maze—literally—of high 
  walls and gated courtyards, joined by narrow “portos”. With 
  a long history of fending off invaders from without and 
  social climbers from within, the city's barrios and districts 
  were barred to outsiders with stone and wrought iron, and 
  this legacy remains even when the purpose of a city zone has 
  long changed. The narrow paths and circuitous routes this 
  has created make cart traffic impossible in most of the city, 
  and foot-traffic a slow crawl the long way around. Clever 
  urchins or street denizens can make a fair trade by selling 
  their services as guides, wall-hoppers or renting out tunnels or 
  crannies to those wishing to take the short-cut. In Magritta, 
  to do something “pass wall” means to take the most direct 
  and forceful route, and more than one love story deals with 
  paramours miles apart by road (and stature) but inches apart 
  but for a slender wall of ochre stone.
  All the roads and alleys wind down to the largest wall of all, 
  which separates the city like a dam from the surging tides 
  that crowd the enormous curved harbour. Magrittans who 
  have seen Marienburg consider it vulgar how that northern 
  city mixes docks and warehouses with all other business 
  and pleasure throughout its city streets. There is a place for 
  everything in Magritta—although, as always, there is some 
  traffic that runs pass wall.
  Portos, Plazas and Pathways
  The Harbour Wall
  Magritta’s longest thoroughfare, the Calle Del Mar, runs 
  for several leagues along the seafront heavily trafficked with 
  carts and mules. Running parallel to it is the harbour wall, 
  separating Atrazanas, the sprawling docklands, from the rest 
  of the city. The wall is barely 8 feet and contains numerous 
  hatches and side doors onto the other side but its role is 
  ensure bulk goods ferried to warehouses are taxed as they 
  arrive.
  To this end Consulado bailiffs patrol the parapet seeking to 
  thwart innumerable, and often ingenious, schemes to 
  circumvent the levy.
  
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  Chapter VI: The Cities
  They are overseen by the city’s proteges who idly train their 
  pistols on any potential troublemakers. Two main gates lead 
  into the Plaza Mercado; the Gate of Oils and the Gate of 
  Charcoals.
  Plaza Mercado
  The great market place is a vast paved square just within the 
  harbour wall and is flanked by two tall obelisks covered in 
  outlandish hieroglyphs that were brought back as trophies 
  from Araby. Rich in aroma, colour, race and tongues it is the 
  first port of call for all traders and visitors arriving by ship; a 
  bustle of peoples and wares from all over the Old World and 
  beyond. Each morning hundreds of stalls populate the square 
  but it is so large they rarely fill it. In the evenings as the tem-
  perature falls, the plaza becomes a forest of bobbing lights 
  as the lanterns of hundreds of food vendors’ stalls sway in 
  the sea breeze. Dusk brings a carnival atmosphere as acrobats, 
  musicians and jesters do their best to earn an excellente or 
  two by entertaining diners.
  Plaza Mercado also has a more grisly function. Just before 
  dawn condemned men endure the slow row boat journey from 
  incarceration in Torre des Moscas to the executioners block 
  set up in the square.
  The Luccinnian Wall
  Built by hard grey stone ferried down from the Iranna, 
  the stone cordon segregating Barrio Santa from the rest of 
  Magritta has stood for over two millennia. Despite extensive 
  damage during the Arabyan siege of the city it remains an 
  impressive fortification, riddled with old passages and rooms. 
  Its four grand towers have long since been abandoned but two 
  have been reclaimed and restored under their new occupants, 
  the college of Astronomy and the Guild of Fire-smiths.
  One particular section of the wall has a myriad of carved and 
  painted stone faces, said to be those of Myrmidia’s Shield-
  maidens, heroes and her temple’s greatest servants. Tradition-
  ally short prayers or offerings are pushed into the orifices of 
  the relevant figure in the hope they are answered with a boon. 
  However, time and cannon and rain have made it far from 
  easy to be sure who each figure is supposed to be.
  There are three gates leading through the wall into Barrio 
  Santa; Nagari Gate and Valor Gate lead from La Rana and 
  Artesano respectively. Both old and battle scarred, their huge 
  bronze doors emblazoned with the eagle seal of Myrmidia, 
  they were eternally sealed by the Aguila Ultima’s holy magic 
  during the Arabyan siege. Entry via side doors is guarded 
  day and night by a pair of solemn looking Templars of the 
  Righteous Shield. In contrast, the doors of the third Gate of 
  Champions leading from Plaza Mercado are wide open and 
  stuck fast. Every year on Maidensday teams of mighty bulls 
  are tethered to the each side but never succeed in gaining an 
  inch. This ritual over, the beasts are led up the steps of the 
  palm-lined Aguilata to the Plaza D’Armas where they are 
  sacrificed in the name of the Maiden.
  The View From There
  That morning he had seen the oyster.
  The Concha Del Mari, the Bahi De Serena, the Orstro 
  Del Oro, the Mari Magnifico—the Ocean Shell, the Bay 
  of Quietude, the Golden Oyster, the Glorious Sea—there 
  were a dozen more names for it, and none of them did 
  it justice. Brother Joppi had spent his entire life living 
  in the city, looking out from the white-marble towers of 
  the seminary, had seen the bay glistening and shining but 
  until now, until that morning, he had not known its true 
  beauty. They had left Atalaya just after Matins, long 
  before the dawn had broken and as they had come into the 
  harbour the sun was near its zenith. Its rays hit the centre 
  of that horse-shoe bay like a skystone from the Maiden 
  Above herself, scattering light like a bomba through a 
  stained-glass window. Arriving from the south, the deep 
  blue ocean behind, the full ring of the city curling around 
  them, the effect was nothing like it was seen from the 
  other side. The songs told of men who, upon seeing such 
  a sight, feel to their knees and wept at the glory of the 
  Maiden and the city that held Her highest. Joppi had been 
  born quiet and small—his mother had dubbed him Scorro, 
  the mouse—so he had neither the knees for dropping nor 
  the chest for great sobs. But all the silly-seeming songs 
  were suddenly proved true in that midday light, and his 
  heart had swollen so much at the sight, and the majesty 
  of the Maiden he felt, that he felt he might crack in two. 
  Unbidden, unnoticed, tears limned in his eyes and listed 
  down his cheeks, forming two pillars around his mouth, 
  now forced into a single round circle. In strange sym-
  metry, the tear lines were like the giant Pilares, the high 
  narrow cliffs that curved around that incredible bay, and 
  his moon-like mouth was like the bay itself; a perfect circle 
  of silent wonder.
  Sayings of Magritta
  “to the hairs before the hat” 
   preparation must be done if success 
  is to be achieved
  “like water for chocolate” 
   to get a great deal, as if selling 
  water for precious cocoa beans
  “like a Bilbalin scholar” 
   that which does not exist
  
  80
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  City Districts
  Atrazanas
  Stretching the length of the city’s southern half the docks 
  are Magritta’s lifeblood. Caravels and carracks, galleons 
  and barks, naos, junks and dhows, all manner of vessels are 
  moored amongst a seemingly endless bristle of wharves and 
  jetties. From dusk until dawn they are congested with sailors, 
  merchants, porters and travellers. After dusk, when the gates 
  to the of the harbour wall are sealed it quickly becomes 
  deserted save for drinking haunts such as La Sirena, The 
  Azana and The Sartosan’s Folly where brawls are 
  commonplace due to the potency of the rum sold there.
  At the eastern end of the docks are the great shipyards of 
  the Calamarra family. Their double dry dock is the only one 
  of its type in the nation (and possibly the Old World) and 
  due to their influence, contracts are inevitably awarded here 
  for Armada warships. However Casa Calamarra’s key trade 
  is in pickled fish and it owns more fishing ships than the 
  entire fleets of other coastal cities. Each day a small army of 
  stevedores load thousands of barrels bearing their distinctive 
  Octopus and Ship’s Wheel stamp for export. Don Lorenzo 
  recently invited the city’s finest inventors to build a powered 
  crane, offering a small fortune to the strongest and most 
  efficient device. At present there are no less than six 
  experimental cranes under construction and a team of 
  Rodeleros (see below) has been hired to discourage any 
  saboteurs.
  To the far west, on an outcrop just off shore is the dread 
  Torre des Moscas. Its once grey stone dirtied, legend has it 
  that the tower got its name when it was used to quarantine 
  plaque victims, and a swarm of flies hung over the tower 
  like a mist. Today the tower is used as a prison. The bodies 
  of executed pirates, picked to the bone by gulls, adorn the 
  darkened walls serving as a reminder of how Magritta treats 
  her enemies.
  Barrio Santa
  Myrmidian legend holds that it took over one hundred 
  years to build the Grand Temple on Mount Escudo. Thus 
  by the time it was finished a small town had already sprung 
  up around it and as the city and cult grew this came to house 
  a small and permanent religious community. Estalian mon-
  archs, grandees and generals paid handsomely to build tombs, 
  chapels and shrines here. Upon his death in 530 the Prince of 
  Luccinni even saw fit to leave his entire fortune to pay for a 
  great wall to protect the Temple. Such was the concentration 
  of shrines in the district it became known as Barrio Santa; the 
  holy district or district of saints. .
  Over the centuries successive Aquila Ultimas have gained 
  numerous concessions from the Consulado amounting to ulti-
  mate temporal power over the area. Strict Myrmidian Law is 
  enforced by Templars throughout the district; most notably, 
  the sale of alcohol is prohibited. Tradition runs high and 
  Barrio Santa is almost exclusively the domain of pilgrims, 
  novitiates, soldiers and resident clergy—and the occasional 
  pious merchant. The atmosphere is passive, the ancient stone 
  streets and spiritual ambience make for a heady presence.
  Scattered around the streets are Chapter Houses of the 
  numerous Knightly and Monastic Orders, as well as Colle-
  gia, Seminaries and other ecclesiastical buildings. The most 
  renown is the Myrmidian Military Academy. Tall, classical 
  columns surround a spacious sanded quadrangle. The ring of 
  clashing steel can often be heard from outside as students are 
  put through their paces in the training arena.
  Pilgrims reaching the centre of the district walk out onto 
  Plaza D’Armas from which point the Grand Temple of Myr-
  midia rises above the visitor in all its magnificent splendour. 
  One of the wonders of the Old World the Temple, replete 
  with gilded dome and its accompanying quartet of spear like 
  spires pointing to the heavens, is home to the Aguila Ultima 
  and a multitude of Myrmidian Orders.
  The five hundred and fifty five glistening marble steps—the 
  Escalera Purifica—that lead up from the Plaza to the Temple 
  are riven by a long crack. Supposedly where the statue of 
  Myrmidia fell upon and killed Emir the Cruel, molten gold 
  was poured in to fill the damage and there is nearly always 
  a throng of pilgrims gathered around, stroking the polished 
  surface to receive a blessing. Visitors enter the Temple via 
  the Hall of Warriors, one of four great naves branching off 
  the centre, where they are greeted by friezes telling the story 
  of the goddess. The central colossal domed roof, by far the 
  largest in the Old World is all the more extraordinary given 
  it was gilded almost a thousand years ago. At the centre of 
  this vast rotunda lies the Aegis Solar, the cults’ most holy 
  relic, known more commonly as the Sun Shield. A solid 
  gold disc some 8 feet in diameter it is adorned with a stylised 
  image of a blazing sun, archaic text etched around the rim.
  History records that Nourgul the Necrarch, at the head of his 
  army, reached the inner chapel of the Temple, only to then 
  vanish, his army crumbling to dust at the same moment. The 
  Temple teaches that the ancient vampire was destroyed when 
  he touched the Aegis Solar, or perhaps the pages of Bellona 
  Myrmidia, open on the lectern. But there is another story 
  that says that Nourgul was not destroyed but simply over-
  come, and he lies in waiting, buried beneath the Temple, for 
  his revenge.
  
  81
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  Adarvejo
  Home to the largest Arabyan community outside the cali-
  phates, Adarvejo comprises a sizable quarter behind the docks 
  where the Arabyan mode holds sway. The result is a confus-
  ing but colourful web of canopied streets and tented passages. 
  The residents, clad in exotic robes and turbans, 
  barter their goods in harsh tongues. Visitors would be forgiv-
  en for thinking they were in the heart of an Arabyan city. Of 
  course there are commodities for sale here not easily obtained 
  elsewhere; ivory, perfumes, spices and silks to name but a 
  few. Highly regarded is Kemal’s Curios, a certain antique 
  emporium whose proprietor is said to sell enchanted rope 
  from master sorcerers in Copher. However, so far, interested 
  buyers, having heard the tale, never seem to be able to find 
  their way back there. They say you can only find the store 
  when you aren’t looking for it.
  La Rana
  La Rana runs east of the river furthest from the waterfront. 
  This is a ramshackle barrio of seedy vigour and free-ranging 
  poultry and its winding alleys are home to merchants of 
  every kind of produce and of every stripe of morality. Built 
  on low lying land it tends to flood in high tide seasons and 
  the district is named after the amphibians that plaque cellars 
  and warehouses during such times. La Rana is famous for its 
  ‘cultural pursuits’, which take place in the small theatres 
  throughout the district, constantly entertaining merchants 
  and mariners alike. It’s the city’s worst kept secret that these 
  playhouses are in fact brothels. In addition many double as 
  fronts for smuggling operations run by the Zamora Cartel 
  which specialises in cosmetic and narcotic wares.
  Artesano
  A compact barrio north of the docks and immediately south 
  of Barrio Santa, the ancient alleys of Artesano are home to 
  a collection of emporiums and artisans linked to the nautical 
  trade, cartography and alchemy. Magritta is a good market 
  for outlandish ingredients and the exotic goods that end 
  their journey there attract interest from buyers from afar. 
  One street attracts more interest than most. L’Avenida 
  Des Tiradors runs against the Luccinnian Wall and is lined 
  with strange emporiums and workshops, many of them built 
  into the honeycomb of rooms and passages within the wall 
  itself. The alley has its fair share to charlatans but this is 
  the birthplace of the ‘Artes Mechanica’, which some call 
  science and the Inquisition watches askance. Their current 
  particular target is the Blackened Tower, home to the Guild 
  of Fire-Smiths. Clad in their Amianto armour and eerie 
  glazed-ceramic masks, their secretive existence has placed 
  them under suspicion. However as long as they continue to 
  engineer flame-ships and incendiary weapons for the Armada, 
  the Consulado ensure they escape persecution.
  'Mechanica' is a new trend that applies not only to devices 
  but also to learning and scholarship, seeking to apply to the 
  Maiden's natural world a set of laws like those of geometry 
  and alchemy. Again, the Inquisition watches fiercely, but 
  many of the Temple (particularly the Scholam) have both 
  the scholarship and spiritual interest to follow this trend. Of 
  particular appeal is using the new laws in the arts of sketching 
  and painting, and artists and painting schools are now found 
  on almost every plaza in Artesano. Of course, in some dens 
  the artist's models have been known to do more than just 
  pose, if the price is right, allowing the enterprising merchant 
  yet another way to avoid the ban on prostitution 
  (see Chapter Four).
  Perhaps Barrio Santa’s greatest treasure is not 
  any of art or architecture but the wealth of 
  knowledge stored in its great library. Attached 
  to the Scholam Ultima, where all the great Al-
  tas were trained, the library has been collecting 
  information for more than a thousand years, 
  and because of Myrmidia’s debt to her wis-
  dom-loving mother, this information includes 
  the secular and even, in some secret sections, 
  the profane. So vast is the library, however, 
  that there soon became no room to study 
  within it, leading the Temple to create the Old 
  World’s first borrowing library. Technically, 
  only cultists of the Temple are supposed to bor-
  row books, but library cards have been granted 
  to other individuals under special circumstanc-
  es. With the growth of Artes Mechanica, the 
  demand for books has been rising greatly, and 
  copies are often shared between friends and 
  acquaintances. This has inevitably led to books 
  being lost or misplaced, but this is not some-
  thing the temple takes lightly. Stealing a book 
  is after all a violation of canon law, and there 
  is a whole section of the Inquisition dedicated 
  to ensuring that the library collection remains 
  intact.
  
  82
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  Round the corner from the Guild of Navigators is the Terra 
  Termina. The taverna is filled with memorabilia from various 
  legendary voyages and since it is tradition for captains and 
  officers setting off on new expeditions to spend their last 
  night drinking here, the atmosphere is always one of nervous 
  excitement.
  Barrio Renga
  Although the Empire and Bretonnia have their tall galleys, 
  originally and still today they are known in Magritta as poor 
  sailors—“riosas”, river men, unsuited to the terrible forces 
  of the sea, and better for Bilbalins to deal with. The very first 
  mercenaries and sell-sails who came to Magritta were 
  Norsemen and Kislveites from Erengrad, and this barrio 
  draws its name from an Estalian mangling of that city’s name. 
  Rengado has come to mean “northerner” and through a porto 
  in Adravejo lies the small district where such folk stay when 
  visiting the town. Some have been “visiting” permanently 
  for generations, but will always be Rengado because of their 
  white skin and yellow hair. Empire folk are common now 
  here too, and you can get good blood sausage and Dwarfen 
  beer. Cross cultural mixes thrive, and there is even a Schola 
  Renga duelling style, which combines Estalian style with the 
  heavy blades and double-handed axes of the north.
  Puento Torre
  When the Consulado first began to establish themselves, 
  the powers of Magritta hit back by declaring all land on the 
  east bank of Turia to be property of the King, and all on the 
  west property of the Temple. The Consulado rebelled by 
  occupying the bridges, building vast houses and minor turrets 
  on there to defend themselves. Puento Torre is the largest 
  of these, although it is not anything that northerners would 
  still consider a bridge, for it runs almost half a mile along 
  the river and is thronged with more and more houses each 
  year, for proximity to the fast-flowing Turia ensures a cleaner 
  house and the envy of your neighbours. It gets so dark under 
  the enormous bridges that those who run the river barges—of 
  which there is a constant run, bringing all of Estalia's produce 
  to the docks to be shipped—are known as cuevos or cavemen. 
  Some of the underclass even live under the massive bridges, 
  eking out a life hiding from the sun, in hammocks hung from 
  the rivets, while the rising middle classes compete just as 
  furiously for space above.
  The truly wealthy, however—and the members of the Con-
  sulado—now live on the northern side of the two mountains, 
  particularly Mount Escudo. There they erect their own spires, 
  partly so they can keep one eye on the seas they command, 
  but mostly so they can rival the spires of the Temple, and 
  continue to play the game of one-upmanship against the other 
  head of the beast.
  As the rules of Mechanica allow for higher and higher towers 
  to stand, this gives the Inquisition yet another reason to 
  frown upon this new process—although others in the Temple 
  are considering utilising these new forms to build a tower so 
  grand it will end the battle once and for all.
  New Talent: Literary
  It is one thing to be a scholar. It is quite another 
  to be one in the greatest city of scholarship in the 
  entire world. The average Magrittan student has 
  access to more books than the most scholarly Alt-
  dorfer would see in a lifetime, as well as person-
  al stories from those who have seen every corner 
  of the world with their own eyes. The sheer 
  quality of such an education is thus above and 
  beyond all others, and characters with this talent 
  gain +10% to all Academic Knowledge skills. 
  Any Character raised in Magritta may exchange 
  one of their starting Talents for Literary.
  Alcazar and the Plaza Militares
  The Palace Alcazar remains empty, for those allied with King 
  Carlos would never see it claimed by another, and those against 
  him like to leave it as a reminder of how the city treats kings. 
  The palace has since fallen into silent ruin, claimed by plants 
  and birds, and with pieces of its grandeur appropriated for oth-
  er houses. So has that which surrounds it— the usual orbit of 
  a palace: immense military barracks and weapons stores, great 
  meeting rooms and magnificent guest halls, museums and court 
  houses, and the giant parade square that stood in the middle of 
  them all. Yet nothing lies unused in a city so big as Magritta. 
  The palace remains forbidden and still guarded but the poor-
  est of the city—those who work the docks, or in La Rana or 
  for the Temple—have made their home amongst the marble 
  stones. Long halls of broken mirrors and stripped gilding now 
  house hundreds of families, and the Plaza Militares holds the 
  tent-city Night Market, where those who have worked sunup 
  to sundown moving goods at the docks can spend their wages 
  on simpler produce.
  Here too you will find the Dwarfs of Magritta, for they find 
  the stone comforting, and have made their own tunnels under 
  the Plaza. Some wonder if those tunnels have encountered the 
  secret passageways rumoured to be under the palace, leading to 
  possibly long forgotten treasure vaults. So far neither man nor 
  dwarf has found such things, or if they have, they've kept it to 
  themselves.
  
  83
  Chapter VI: The Cities
  The Eyrie
  Just once, almost two hundred years ago, a drunk Estalian captain made the mistake of demanding an Elven ship follow the 
  Rules of the Sea, firing across their bow to get their attention. Since then, the Eyrie has existed. The small Elven 
  temple-cum-residence was constructed from marble atop the eastern Pilari de Mari, hence its nickname in the town below. The 
  place is never empty, and lights burn in its almond-shaped windows every night. Most of the time, the Elven envoys that are 
  resident deign to walk down and bring their issues before the Consulado on human turf, but always with the unspoken 
  assumption that they are under no obligation to make such a gesture. Once a year, they allow promising wizards to make the 
  climb to the Eyrie and petition for further scholarship. Almost all climb back down again empty handed.
  Rodelero duellists excel in the art of fighting with the sword and buckler. 
  This style of fighting originated in Magritta whose marines found the 
  smaller buckler suited the confined nature of fighting during boarding 
  actions. The Rodelero weapon of choice is the falchion or falcata; a one 
  handed, single-edged blade which widens to its point.
  The Rodelero Duelling School is situated an ancient villa just offshore. 
  The villa is known as La Casa De La Piedro Pez, after the gargoyle set 
  above the entrance depicting a falcon clutching a fish in its claws. Unlike 
  other schools the duellists live an austere existence preferring practice to 
  philandering and take a keen and active interest in the cities’ defence. As 
  talented swordsmen they often form a specialist unit in the armies of Esta-
  lia, and in Magritta they feature as an assault troop on Armada ships.
  With the falcon symbol replicated on their bandanas and sashes, a Rodele-
  ros’ attire reflects their maritime origins, causing the other well-heeled 
  schools to dismiss them as ‘well-dressed pirates’. In return, Rodeleros take 
  pleasure in challenging opponents to duel in ‘Mannan’s Maze’, an area 
  of treacherous wharves and rotting gangways which they know like better 
  than anyone else. Ultimately, one needs to be the better swordsman or a 
  competent swimmer.
  
  84
  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  “Trust the Maiden, when in doubt or fear
  Trust more, my son, in her shield and spear.”
   
  A Middenheimer Knight’s Scream, Act 1, Scene 3
  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  Many Old Worlders outside the Estalian Kingdoms think 
  that the only god worshipped by in Estalia is Myrmidia. There 
  is much truth in this. She is honoured universally within 
  the peninsula. To virtually all Estalians, it would be hard to 
  comprehend not worshipping the goddess who, they believe, 
  chose to be born as one of them and led them to their greatest 
  achievements. Myrmidia is, for the Estalians, far more than 
  just a goddess of warfare. She embodies all the virtues of 
  human endeavour and civilisation, from horticulture to the 
  arts. Myrmidian priests are to be found in all but the smallest 
  settlements, whilst priests of any other faith are rarely seen. 
  In much of Estalia, their presence would be remarkable and, in 
  many areas, unknown.
  But Estalia is not purely monotheistic. Other gods are known 
  and followed. The Temple of Myrmidia is properly known as 
  the Temple of Myrmidia y la Sagrada Família—Myrmidia and 
  the Divine Family. It honours not simply their patron goddess 
  but also her family: Morr, her father; Verena, her mother; 
  and Shallya, her sister. The priests of Myrmidia’s Temple are 
  expected to fulfil the same roles that priests of Morr, 
  Verena and Shallya would take in other parts of the Old 
  World. Some conduct funerary rites, some keep libraries, and 
  some tend to those who have become sick and infirm. Other 
  priests serve Myrmidia in ways that are akin to how other gods 
  are worshipped in the Empire: those who worship her aspect of 
  the Wanderer patrol the wilds like priests of Taal, those who 
  worship her the primacy of her last journey over the sea may 
  bless a ship exactly like a priest of Manaan. None of these see 
  themselves as any less the followers of Myrmidia because of 
  this, however. Her priests, and indeed almost all Estalians, see 
  these as simply being aspects of their worship of the main 
  goddess. They do not ignore Myrmidia’s family, to do so 
  would be sacrilegious, but, in the minds of Estalians, all other 
  gods are subsidiary to their patron goddess. This attitude, of 
  course, can come as something of a shock to priests of other 
  deities who visit the Estalian kingdoms who find devotions 
  made to their god almost entirely subsumed within the worship 
  of Myrmidia and their cults virtually non-existent.
  The temples of Myrmidia reflect the fact that not only the 
  single goddess is worshipped in them. Fashions and architec-
  tural styles have changed over the ages, but most of the tem-
  ples of Myrmidia y la Sagrada Família have separate shrines 
  for devotions to Morr, Verena and Shallya. Commonly, 
  there are side chapels to Verena and Shallya, while a Morrite 
  gateway opens to a staircase leading into the basement where 
  a chapel to Morr is found with crypts around it.
  The Maiden mastered all the arts of 
  war, for they came naturally to her. 
  None were fiercer, none braver, none 
  more desirous of fame and victory and 
  none more deserving in the heat of 
  battle.
  But at that time she knew nothing else. 
  So her mother spoke to her; from her 
  mother, she gained knowledge to act 
  wisely, so that her bravery would not 
  be squandered. Then her father spoke 
  to her; from her father, she learnt of 
  death, so that she knew the consequences 
  of her actions. Lastly, her sister spoke 
  with her; and with her sister she saw 
  mercy, to temper her fierceness and tend 
  for those who were wounded.
  And the Maiden was complete.
   
  Bellona Myrmidia, 
  ‘Before Mortality’
  
  85
  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  Other temples have different, more extravagant, ways of 
  showing their devotions to the different gods. Eagle 
  towers (Torre Aquila), where  Myrmidia’s blessed animal, 
  the Royal Eagle or Aquila Real, is kept, are common to 
  many of Myrmidia’s temples in the southern Old World. 
  Bilbali's great Temple del Santiago has a huge Eagle 
  Tower, smaller towers where ravens and owls (sacred to 
  Morr and Verena) live and an ornate dovecote for Shallya. 
  Other temples have similar towers for the sacred birds of 
  Myrmidia’s family, and priests dedicated to their care.
  The monks of Neustra Dama de Caratrazza de 
  Benamaquex, in the kingdom of Estrema, are particularly 
  famous for their devotion to the divine birds, their 
  monastery dominated by aviaries and a natural eyrie in the 
  cliff face that juts out over the smaller, and less 
  impressive, human habitation. The vulture here replaces 
  the raven as Morr’s sacred bird, as it often does in the 
  southern and arid parts of Estalia.
  This tendency amongst the Estalian priests has led to them 
  becoming known by the derogatory term ‘cadge priests’ 
  or ‘cadgers’, after the frames for birds to perch on that 
  falconers use to carry birds around. Tileans, intent on 
  demeaning them, are particularly fond of calling them this.
  New Career: Falconer
  Falconry is a popular sport amongst the nobility and 
  wealthy of the Old World. The actual task of breeding, 
  training and caring for them, however, is regarded by all 
  but a few as terribly tiresome. It requires great care and 
  patience to breed, raise and tame any bird, and getting 
  them to take a hood, follow a lure and return without a 
  tie requires far more effort than getting a hound to follow 
  a scent. Falconers are thus true craftsmen and look down 
  on other, more casual animal trainers, and typically find 
  their services high in demand by the high and mighty. For 
  the priesthood of Myrmidia in Estalia, caring for birds is 
  often part of their training, and those particularly adept at 
  it will sometimes devote themselves entirely to the task. 
  The birds are sometimes kept simply for devotional pur-
  poses but most priests of any substantial rank also partake 
  in hunting with the birds. Others wear them at official 
  events or use them in sacred rites; in all cases the precision 
  of the falconer is indispensable.
  ─Falconer Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  -
  +10%
  -
  -
  +15%
  +20%
  -
  +15%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  -
  +1
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Theology) or 
  Academic Knowledge (Genealogy/Heraldry), Animal Care, 
  Animal Training, Concealment, Outdoor Survival, Perception, 
  Scale Sheer Surface, Set Trap, Silent Move, Trade (Falconer)
  Talents: Acute Hearing, Excellent Vision, Rover
  Trappings: Bird of Prey (Eagle, Falcon, Merlin or Hawk) with 
  Hood, Leather Jerkin, Stout Leather Gauntlet, Lure on a Rope, 
  Cadge for carrying birds, Knife, Animal Trap, 
  Large Collection of Interesting Scars 
  Career Entries: Animal Trainer (Career Companion), Charcoal 
  Burner, Hunter, Initiate (Cult of Myrmidia only), Noble, 
  Priest (Cult of Myrmidia only), Servant, Woodsman
  Career Exits: Animal Trainer (Career Companion), 
  Entertainer, Hunter, Initiate (Cult of Myrmidia only), Stew-
  ard
  Falconers and the Cult of Myrmidia
  Estalian priests often learn to care for the 
  sacred birds of Myrmidia and her family 
  during their initiation. Many continue to care 
  for the birds as their priestly careers develop. 
  Not only is this seen as a devotional act in it-
  self but it is also a useful meditative task. The 
  behaviour of the birds is often scrutinised for 
  clues as to the nature of the gods themselves 
  and their current moods and desires. Unusual 
  activities by the birds are monitored by the 
  Bird Master of the temple where the birds are 
  kept, passing what information he or she can 
  divine from it on to the high priest.
  As a result, any characters who are Initiates 
  or priests of any rank within the cult of Myr-
  midia in Estalia may learn the skill Animal 
  Care for 100 xp. Additionally, they may also 
  learn to become Falconers, experts in the arts 
  of caring for birds, and birds of prey in par-
  ticular—it should be considered a career exit 
  for Myrmidian Initiates.
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  The Maiden Mother
  For Estalians their patron goddess is not only their chief 
  deity, she is their inspiration, their protector and their 
  constant comfort against the world’s travails. In the 
  north of the Old World, Myrmidia is often seen simply 
  as vengeful warrioress, skilled in tactics and the arts of 
  war. Estalians know there is much more to her than that. 
  Her knowledge of strategy is only a part of the skills and 
  talents she fosters. She is a goddess of civilisation and a 
  patron of handicrafts, science and endeavour. She is the 
  mother of the Estalian peoples and their constant queen.
  These attitudes are formed by the regularly retold wealth 
  of stories associated with the goddess. The most
   important of these form the basis of the priests’ sermons 
  to the faithful and are re-enacted by the guilds as Mys-
  tery Plays at fiestas and on holy days. Others are sung 
  as popular ballads and some form part of the folktales of 
  the common people. Because these stories commonly tell 
  of Myrmidia’s deeds whilst on earth, they are generally 
  linked to specific locations, mostly in Estalia, where the 
  goddess was at the time. Estalians know that they tread 
  directly where the goddess herself once stood. Events of 
  particular importance from Myrmidia’s life have led to 
  thriving pilgrimage routes to the places associated with 
  the stories. Even in small villages, unknown to the wider 
  world, travellers will regularly find thriving traditions 
  that the goddess stayed there when she passed through and 
  villagers will delight in pointing out where exactly her 
  blessed feet touched the earth.
  The goddess that emerges from the stories–and the holy 
  books of Myrmidia, at least in the Estalian versions–is 
  one of a strong and determined ruler. She's proud, 
  intelligent, graceful and witty, enthusiastic, scornful of 
  those that are unwilling to strive for themselves, respectful 
  of proper tradition: a picture of many of the virtues that 
  Estalians like to see in themselves.
  The Shieldmaidens of Myrmidia
  Worship of the Shieldmaidens is little known outside the 
  homelands of the cult of Myrmidia in Tilea and, 
  especially, Estalia. They occupy a role somewhere between 
  genuine sub–cults of Myrmidia, reflecting particular 
  aspects of the main goddess, and the veneration of
   individuals who have shown themselves particularly holy 
  in life (see Venerated Souls in Tome of Salvation). The 
  names of many of the Shieldmaidens are known from the 
  great Bellona Myrmidia, the holy text of Myrmidia’s life 
  story, where many have their own life stories fully set out 
  in individual books.  
  Other less important Shieldmaidens’ stories are set out in the 
  various apocrypha to the main text.  Some locally venerated 
  Shieldmaidens are entirely unknown elsewhere and appear only 
  in the traditions of a particular temple. Certain Verenans have 
  speculated that many local cults may well have been subsumed 
  within the Temple of Myrmidia by the adoption of a minor 
  deity as one of the Shieldmaidens.
  In the Empire the sub–cult of ‘Fury’ has had some success, but 
  there Fury is seen by many as simply as an aspect of Myrmidia. 
  In fact, Fury (known as Fures) was one of the chief 
  Shieldmaidens to the goddess during her time on earth. She 
  was a legendary heroine and follower of the goddess, noted for 
  the terrible, brutal anger of her fighting style. After her death, 
  fighting goblins in the Abasko Mountains, an order was 
  founded in her name, its chief temple located at the site of 
  Fures death. The Order has grown into one of the more
   important of the lesser orders of the Myrmidian Temple. Its 
  recent expansion into the Empire makes it unique, but there are 
  many other minor orders associated with various 
  Shieldmaidens to Myrmidia in Estalia. A list of some of the 
  more famous Shieldmaidens (there are hundreds) is in the next 
  chapter. Side chapels to the many Shieldmaidens of 
  Myrmidia, either collectively or individually, are common in 
  many temples.
  Each Shieldmaiden has her own holy day that is kept by those 
  who specially honour her and there is a day of celebration
   devoted to all of the Shieldmaidens towards the end of the 
  year. Often scenes from their life stories are played out in the 
  streets and contests of arms are traditional.
  Religious Quotes
  “The Maiden is magnanimous in her mercy. That’s why this 
  one still has one good kneecap and most of his fingers. ”
   
  Juan Torres, Inquisitor
  “Love is for men. The spear is my heart now.”
   
  Ginetta Alusso-Hulo, Templar of Ubrique
  “They call her the little sister Shallya, but she’s really the Lady 
  of the Trees”
   
  Enoccio Eijo, Abasko wiseman
  “Prayers are for the weak, the helpless and the vanquished. It 
  would be unseemly for me to pray to the Maiden, in the face of 
  all her glory”
   
  Aquila Alta Hembre
  “When I was little I fell into the well so I prayed to most holy 
  Fugina and Myrmidia sent her Shieldmaiden to help me, and 
  now I wear her symbol around my neck and kiss it every day, 
  and I name my daughter in her honour. If you kiss it too, you 
  will be safe in the mines tomorrow.”
   
  Ipena Nostodomoce-Sanjo, Widow of Montesa
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  The Organisation of the Temple
  At the head of the cult of Myrmidia in Estalia, and indeed 
  the whole Old World, is La Aquila Ultima, high priest of 
  the temple in Magritta. Beneath the Aquila Ultima are the 
  High Eagles, or Aquilae Alta. These are the high priests 
  of the main temple of the area. Currently, there are three 
  High Eagles in the Estalian kingdoms, including La Aquila 
  Ultima. The other two are currently based at Bilbali and 
  ancient Ubrique, but in the past the location of the third 
  High Eagle has varied. Beneath these Aquilae Alta are the 
  Aquilae, or Eagles, the chief priests of the most important 
  temple in each of the Estalian kingdoms. Each of these 
  controls the smaller shrines and temples within their 
  diocese. Collectively, these priests control the Temple’s 
  business. Within each of their sees the Aquila Alta is the 
  highest ranking priest and the highest authority on all 
  matters of faith. Theoretically, an appeal to the Aquila 
  Ultima could overrule a decision of one of the Aquilae 
  Alta. With its strong martial background, however, the 
  Temple of Myrmidia would not generally countenance any 
  such appeal: the decision of the commander on the ground 
  is final and soldiers are expected to carry out their orders, 
  and respect the chain of command.
  In theory, the Aquila Ultima in Magritta is free to 
  pronounce on any matters of faith and policy and see their 
  orders carried out by all Myrmidians, whatever their 
  opinion of the faith. In reality, this rarely happens. The 
  last time that the Magrittan temple issued a command to 
  every Myrmidian was in the crusade against the Arabyan 
  invaders who threatened to conquer all of Estalia. Since 
  then the Aquila Ultima has used their influence as Com-
  mander of the Faith in less all-consuming ways, through 
  their temples and agents. Generally, the Estalian temples 
  have always followed the Aquila Ultima’s direction. The 
  threat of excommunication has persuaded Estalia’s lay 
  leaders to fall into line as well. Some temples and rulers of 
  Tilea have proved less pliable, however.
  The Estalian Myrmidian Temple believes strongly that it 
  is part of their goddesses plan for her chosen people, the 
  Estalians, which they should be united—as one kingdom—
  as, of course, they were under Myrmidia’s rule. To this 
  end, previous Aquilae Ultima have attempted to use their 
  influence to further lasting alliances and marriage contracts 
  between the ruling houses of the Estalian kingdoms, often 
  with the aim of eventually reducing independent kingdoms 
  to vassal states to more powerful ones when more than one 
  kingdom is inherited by the same heir.
  They have often sought to recruit the Aquila of other dioces-
  es to back their plans. At times, they have had great success. 
  Not only do priests often act as trusted advisors to the secular 
  rulers but the Temple exerts huge influence over every stratum 
  of society. They sanctify marriages, consecrate the dead and 
  oaths sworn in their presence have the force of law and can 
  create law—they are a constant presence in everyday life and 
  few would want to feel the Temple’s displeasure. The rulers of 
  Estalia’s kingdoms know that it was a priest of the Sacred Fa
  mily that placed the crown on their head and it is by 
  Myrmidia’s continued grace that they rule.
  Sometimes, however, Aquilae have feared the reduction of the 
  kingdom that they serve to a vassal state to a more powerful 
  one would reduce their influence and have supported local 
  rulers in defiance. The fact that the Aquila Ultima is based 
  in Magritta has also tended to undermine their policy. They 
  have often been seen, particularly by the Bilbalin Temple, as 
  little more than mouthpieces for the Magrittan king. There 
  can be little doubt that in the past this has been the case. In the 
  twenty–third century, King Felipe the Bold held the Aquila 
  Ultima captive in his own temple for fifteen years and forced 
  the high priest to issue pronouncements that backed his various 
  claims for sovereignty over other Estalian princes. During this 
  period the rift between the temple in Bilbali and the temple in 
  Magritta grew so bad that the Aquila Alta in Bilbali refused 
  to recognise the Aquila Ultima any longer. Today, the Aquila 
  Ultima maintains her independence from the Magrittan throne 
  fiercely, backed by significant numbers of Myrmidian 
  Templars, but the Bilbalin Aquila Alta still remains an 
  important alternative source of power in the Estalian temple.
  Titles in the Temple of Myrmidia
  To the outsider the titles of the Temple of Myrmidia can be 
  confusing. Almost all are variations on the title ‘Eagle’, Aquila 
  in Estalian, and the uninitiated might be forgiven for not 
  knowing whether a First Eagle (Aquila Prima) was a higher 
  or lower rank than the Aquila Lanza (literally, Lance Eagle). 
  In fact the Aquila Prima is merely senior initiate whilst the 
  Aquila Lanza is one of the highest ranking priests in the Order 
  of the Eagle in Estalia. A list of some of the more commonly 
  encountered priestly titles is given below:
  Aquila Prima: a senior initiate and the rank required before 
  anyone can progress further in the cult. First only in the sense 
  that this is the first Eagle title any member of the cult bears.
  Aquila Protege: also known as the ‘Spearguards’, these form 
  the bulk of the priesthood.
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  Aquila Maestro: a teacher of novices, who raises young 
  “fledglings” to be Aquilae Primes.
  Aquila Capitán: generally a senior priest at a particular 
  temple or monastery, akin to an abbot.
  Aquila Commandante: either the high priest of a temple or 
  important cult site, or part of the senior staff of one of the 
  higher ranked priests.
  Aquila Noce: The highest priest of a city, or kingdom, the 
  “named” priest.
  Aquila Custodes: A changeable term that refers to the 
  highest ranking Aquila in a kingdom, or at a certain place 
  or involving a certain group, but not important enough to 
  be an Alta. For example, the kingdoms in the mountains 
  are so small that rather than deal with individual Noces 
  and Commandantes will address their concerns to the 
  Custodes del Irrana.
  Aquila Lanza: Theoretically, this title refers to a priest in 
  charge of the Temple’s armies, but as this can refer to the 
  entire Temple’s armies (as it did under the crusades), or 
  the armies of an entire warrior kingdom, or the warriors of 
  a temple that has long since disbanded such forces, Lanza 
  can be used changeably like Custodes. It can be way of 
  granting privilege without power, which some resent, but 
  also without duty, which some enjoy.
  Aquila Alta: the senior high priest of any large area 
  or important kingdom. Some have been known to dub 
  themselves ‘Aquila Grande’, but most see this as a sign of 
  vanity and take pride in the unadorned title of Eagle.
  Aquila Ultima: the highest ranked priest of the entire cult.
  In an attempt to by-pass these problems, the many Aquilae all 
  meet every year at annual conclaves, known as the Collegia 
  Aquilae. At these, they discuss matters of faith and attempt to 
  agree the Temple’s policy. The intention is that the Temple 
  should be able to resolve its disagreements through discussion 
  and debate. In truth, the debates tend to resolve little; behind 
  the scenes politicking generally resolves any contentious issues. 
  As the debates are always chaired by the Aquila Ultima, a 
  second priest from the Magrittan temple stands in the stead of 
  the Aquila Noce of Magritta, which gives the see of Magritta 
  significant extra power. The location of the conclave shifts 
  from see to see each year. They do have a useful function in 
  terms of confirming the cultural and doctrinal ties between the 
  different arms of the Estalian Temple.
  The current Aquila Ultima is Isabella Giovanni. Her 
  appointment has caused controversy, due largely to her Tilean 
  nationality. The Tilean attitude towards religion differs 
  significantly to that of the Estalian kingdoms. Myrmidia is 
  an important goddess in the Tilean city states, but there is no 
  tradition of worshipping her family as part of Myrmidia’s 
  cult. In Tilea, the cults Morr, Verena and Shallya are all fully 
  independent. Many in the Estalian Temple fear that the new 
  Aquila Ultima will encourage the growth of these as separate 
  cults within the Estalian kingdoms and undermine the power of 
  the Temple as the almost sole interpreters of the divine will of 
  the gods within the peninsular.
  Isabella Giovanni, meanwhile, has set about trying to heal the 
  rift between the Estalian branch of the Myrmidian faith and 
  the Tilean. The persistent dispute between the two as to where 
  Myrmidia was born as a mortal has led to constant ill feeling 
  between the two branches of the faith. In an attempt to resolve 
  the issue she has set up a special commission to inquire into 
  the matter. Scholars from both nations have been recruited and 
  agents sent to every temple library, ancient shrine and 
  monastery within the faith to recover or copy anything that 
  might cast light on the question. To head the enquiry a Verenan 
  from outside both Tilea and Estalia was appointed, Jeremiah of 
  Nuln, in order to ensure impartiality. The use of an Imperial 
  priest of a different faith has caused a degree of disquiet in 
  some quarters, though, particularly from the Aquila Alta of 
  Bilbali.
  In addition to the Aquilae who run the various dioceses of the 
  Temple, there are two with very different positions. The first 
  of these is the Aquila Lanza. The Aquila Lanza was first created 
  at the beginning of the crusades as a commander for various 
  additional forces that flooded to the defence of the Estalia and 
  the Myrmidian Temple. It was his special responsibility to 
  command these religious warriors during the reconquista. As 
  the Arabyans were gradually pushed out of Estalia, and the 
  other Aquilae Alta returned to the business of internal 
  politicking and managing their dioceses, the Aquila Lanza was 
  solely left with the responsibility for managing the war.
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  These days, the Aquila Lanza continues the traditional role 
  of taking the battle to Myrmidia’s enemies. Although cru-
  sading forces returned from Araby centuries ago, there are 
  still crusader outposts off the coast of Araby which wage 
  war against Arabyan corsairs. Additionally, the Myrmidi-
  an Temple has launched wars against the greenskin menace 
  in the north of the Estalian peninsular and, recently, into 
  the wild lands of the Border Princes. The current Aquila 
  Lanza Suprema is Arturo Leocanto. He has recently been 
  successful in recruiting a number of Bilbalin tercios to his 
  forces. He looks forward to the chance to use these, the 
  most modern of Estalian troops. Note that the Lanza look 
  after regular troops who are servant to the Temple, but are 
  not Templars, who are a separate (and more autonomous 
  group).
  The other is the Aquila Escudo, currently Ricardo Lupe, 
  the head of the dreaded Inquisition.
  The Holy Inquisition
  ‘Every tercio faces indiscipline. It has its officers 
  and its provosts to ensure that those who make 
  trouble or who undermine the unit’s morale are 
  dealt with. Society is no different. We are Estalia’s 
  provost marshals and we do not shrink from our 
  duty.’
   
  Julia de Yecla, Inquisitor of the 
  Temple of Myrmidia y la Sagrada Família
  Beyond the normal structure of the Temple is the Holy 
  Inquisition of Myrmidia. It is charged with preserving and 
  maintaining the strength and faith of the Estalian people, 
  rooting out those who might undermine it. The name of the 
  Inquisition is feared throughout the Estalian kingdoms.
  It operates above the rule of the secular powers and it has 
  dragged nobles and princes off to face its racks and fires in the 
  past as well as common men and women. It operates beyond the 
  power of the normal High Eagles and has investigated 
  allegations of heretical beliefs within the Temple itself. Its 
  leader, the Aquila Escudo, is answerable only to La Aquila 
  Ultima herself. It is said to have informers and agents in every 
  strata of society, in every city, town and village. It is said that 
  the reports they provide to the Inquisitors are so detailed, that 
  the Inquisition’s records are better than any king’s census.
  Even outside Estalia, the Estalian Inquisition is known of and 
  feared. Its infamy has spread far and wide as an example of 
  terrible religious power. That it spreads beyond the borders 
  of individual kingdoms and can apparently act with impunity 
  against whoever it wishes, has contributed to its dreadful 
  reputation. No matter what the fear caused by the 
  Witchhunters of the Empire, its inhabitants still see themselves 
  as lucky by comparison to those that are guarded from heresy 
  by the Inquisition of Myrmidia. The very reputation of the 
  Inquisition has done much to slow the growth of the cult of 
  Myrmidia elsewhere in the Old World.
  Some suggest that its reputation is exaggerated, its power less 
  than the stories put about. They are wrong. The Inquisition is 
  truly a body to be feared. Its informers and spies are, in fact, 
  everywhere. Few Estalians would dare conceal anything from 
  any priest of the Temple, let alone an Inquisitor, and many 
  willing volunteer information about their neighbours. It is 
  beyond the reach of civic law, and none know how many 
  Estalians, from all over the peninsula, are dragged away to its 
  dungeons every year.
  In the imagination of many outside Estalia, the Inquisition’s 
  victims are quietly spirited away, tortured and are never seen 
  again.
  Cardinal Hembre
  The current Aquila Alta of the Bilbalin 
  Temple is Cardinal Hembre. His strict and 
  devout parents aimed to give their child 
  an inspiring first name, Cardinal, as in 
  central and foundational. Many now joke, 
  that it reflects his own opinion of himself: 
  always someone of the greatest importance. 
  He has developed something of a reputation 
  as a firebrand and a moraliser.
  His recent sermons praising the traditions 
  of the Estalian Temple have been seen by 
  many as a warning to, or attack on, the 
  policies of the Aquila Ultima. There seems 
  little doubt that he views the Aquila Ultima 
  as lax on issues of morality—‘but then what 
  else can one expect of a Tilean?’, as he has 
  been known to remark to those closest to 
  him. Other sermons denouncing excesses 
  and luxury have not always endeared him 
  to the local nobility.
  Hembre is enormously vain and self-impor-
  tant but he is not an idiot. He would not be 
  making overtures to position himself as the 
  moral authority of the peninsular if he did 
  not have plans in place to back it up when 
  needed.
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  For some, this will be their fate, but, generally, it will be 
  to provide a public lesson on the power of the Temple of 
  Myrmidia y la Sagrada Família. Those that emerge from 
  the prisons of the inquisition do so at great annual fiestas, 
  known as auto da fe. They are paraded through the streets 
  of the cities, publicly begging for forgiveness for their sins 
  and heresies. Those whose errors are seen as minor might 
  be forced to wear sackcloth, whipped or branded with a 
  hot iron, as common criminals are, before being returned 
  to what is left of their normal lives, a permanent walking 
  reminder of the Inquisition’s power. For those who sins 
  are too great, their journey through the city streets will 
  be to huge pyres or stakes piled high with faggots, where, 
  after an enforced repentance, they are burnt for the sake 
  of their souls. Such events tend to draw great crowds. 
  In many parts of Estalia, they are combined with other 
  religious fiestas, ensuring that the faithful have no excuse 
  not to watch.
  Some in the Empire imagine that the Inquisition is very 
  much like the Witchhunters of the cult of Sigmar, hunting 
  down magic users and those corrupted by Chaos. In fact, 
  such activities comprise a relatively small part of their 
  work. Located so far from the Chaos Wastes, such matters 
  seem much less pressing in the Estalian kingdoms. Far 
  fewer children are born warped by its dark power or 
  mutate in later life and fewer witches and hedgewizards 
  live where the winds of magic blow less strongly. The 
  Inquisitors of Myrmidia might still investigate such 
  matters if they discover them, but only as a part of their 
  wider duties. For the Inquisition sees itself quite simply as 
  the guardian of the entire Estalian people.
  This is a role that the Inquisition has performed for 
  centuries. The threats faced by Estalia have changed over 
  the years and the Inquisition has shifted to meet new ones 
  as they have arisen, repositioning itself as guardian of the 
  Estalian peoples and seeing its power grow with each new 
  challenge.
  The Inquisition’s first incarnation was founded in the 
  aftermath of the final expulsion of Arabyans from the 
  Estalian peninsula. Although this was a time of great 
  celebration for the Estalians, there were also many who 
  were concerned. The numbers of Estalians who had 
  remained unconquered in Estalia was tiny—only a few 
  kingdoms had successfully held out. For those who came 
  from the conquered kingdoms, the choice had been stark: 
  accept exile or Arabyan rulers. Much of the nobility chose 
  exile, many families fleeing to Tilea, Bretonnia or the 
  Border Princes. For many of the common folk this was 
  not practical and they continued to live as they always did 
  with new masters. By the time the southern kingdoms 
  were retaken many of the Estalian inhabitants had been 
  influenced by their Arabyan masters.
  Many had been forced to honour the Arabyan god, even if 
  they kept true to the faith of Myrmidia and her family in their 
  hearts. And while the Arabyan Emirs and Caliphs departed, 
  there were some who had arrived with the Arabyans who had 
  no desire to leave their homes. The returning Estalian nobility, 
  backed by the Myrmidian Temple, chose to force many of the 
  Arabyans out of their towns and cities. Swept up in nationalist 
  fervour, they wished to see an Estalia only for Estalians, 
  Myrmidia’s chosen people back in their own land. But separat-
  ing out those who were truly Estalian, but had remained under 
  the Arabyans, and those who were in fact Arabyan by blood or 
  by allegiance was sometimes hard. Many true Estalians had lost 
  any records of their families they once had and many Arabyans 
  who wished to remain created new ones. Some rulers realised 
  that, without the people who lived there now, their lands would 
  become empty and unworkable—they could not force the 
  Arabyans out. So many were allowed to convert to, or back to, 
  Myrmidiaism. Those who did so were known as ‘converso’. In 
  return for leaving the Arabyan god and customs they would be 
  allowed to live where they had always lived.
  But this solution did not meet with universal approval. The 
  Myrmidian Temple was concerned that there would be many 
  who would not be truly converted, who might secretly hold 
  true to Arabyan ways, just as many of the now ‘liberated’ 
  claimed that they had continued to hold true to Estalian beliefs 
  regardless of their rulers’ wishes. They feared, even, that some 
  might seek to overthrow the rightful rule of the Estalian 
  princes, rebelling or acting as fifth columnists for some future 
  invasion. These fears were compounded by the fact that many 
  of those who were crusaders had pursued the Arabyans into 
  Araby itself, leaving the kingdoms without their battle hard-
  ened warriors. Even Estalia’s newly returned nobility caused 
  concern, for some had picked up new attitudes towards religion 
  in their exile.
  The Aquila Lanza and La Aquila Ultima decided to found an 
  Inquisition in response. It was charged with investigating, by 
  whatever means necessary, any allegations of Arabyan 
  sympathy, political unrest and failure to properly honour the 
  goddess of Estalia and her family. A new Aquila Alta was ap-
  pointed to head it—a hard-headed, tough Templar called Jaume 
  Lopez. He set about his task with an iron will, 
  appointing Inquisitors and recruiting agents. He took over the 
  onetime crusader castle of Avilla, now safely located in the 
  kingdom of Lysboa, a relic of the reconquista. Here he 
  established the notorious headquarters of the organisation, 
  where those deemed the greatest threats or most difficult pris-
  oners are still taken by the Inquisition. There was no rebellion, 
  no uprising of converso Arabyans. Lopez claimed this as a sign 
  of his success and the Aquilae Alta agreed.
  The institution, perhaps unsurprisingly, was never popular. As 
  fears of a converso uprising disappeared, so support for the 
  Inquisition began to wane.
  
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  The kings, princes and dukes of the Estalian kingdoms 
  resented the fact that the Inquisition fell entirely outside 
  their laws and the Aquilae of the Temple felt threatened 
  by anybody that could discipline their priests, or even 
  them. Never large, the Inquisition’s numbers reduced to 
  little more than a handful. The Inquisition might quite 
  easily have passed into history.
  The attack of Nourgul the Necrach on Estalia was a shock 
  as much to the psyche of the Estalian peoples as to its 
  unprepared defenders. The horror of seeing the bodies 
  of fallen Estalians transformed into inhuman conquerors 
  stunned those who saw it forever. The terrible dangers 
  posed by necromantic magic and vampires were made 
  all too fearfully clear. People looked to the Temple to 
  protect them. Its Templars were often at the forefront of 
  the battle against Nourgul’s forces but were too few to 
  stop them. Beyond those directly affected by Nourgul’s 
  army, a wave of panic swept through the country. After 
  Nourgul’s end and the collapse of the corpse horde bound 
  to him, another fear spread through the people—that such 
  events might reoccur. Vampires and necromancers might 
  slip all too easily through society, unnoticed, passing 
  themselves off as ordinary Estalians. A power that could 
  investigate such matters, which transcended the domains 
  of individual rulers and kings and could track its quarry no 
  matter where it fled in the peninsula, practiced at 
  uncovering secrets and what lay concealed in the hearts of 
  others, was needed. The Aquila Escudo stepped forward 
  and offered the services of the Inquisition. The uncovering 
  of a series of notable apparent allies of the Necrach, 
  corrupted by venality or the lure of power, confirmed by 
  their confessions, some even without the rack to help 
  loosen their tongues, showed the Inquisition’s 
  effectiveness. Estalia was grateful to its black cloaked 
  protectors as never before. Funds and recruits began to 
  expand the Inquisition and the body, in something like its 
  current form, was born.
  Today, the Inquisition is still obsessed by many of the 
  same concerns. Whilst the fear of a new invasion by 
  Arabyans has disappeared and the menace of vampirism 
  apparently diminished, the Inquisition has continued to 
  monitor Estalia’s people. The Temple of Myrmidia y la 
  Sagrada Família has been able to appoint itself the judge of 
  what beliefs are permissible for those who are Estalian and 
  even what it is to be an Estalian. It is the Inquisition who 
  enforces this. The moral right to do so springs from the 
  generally unquestioned assumption of every Estalian that 
  they are Myrmidia’s chosen people. Her people must obey 
  her laws, the Temple preaches.
  Most also believe, that only those that are wholly Estalian 
  by descent can be Myrmidia’s chosen people.
  Over the centuries since its foundation, the Inquisition has 
  uncovered evidence of those who have clung steadfastly to the 
  traditions of Araby. It has used these incidents to whip up fear 
  of the converso families. Many have been forced out of their 
  homes by the righteous anger of their neighbours, no matter 
  how harmless they have appeared. Those that remain conceal 
  their origins in order to avoid native bigotry and 
  discriminatory laws. This in turn has led to the Inquisition 
  investigating families whose origins they consider impure. 
  Often knowledge that a family has sought to cover up its past 
  is simply held by the Inquisition; at least until there is some 
  need to use it. 
  Several successful merchants and minor nobles have faced 
  scandal and shame when it became known that they, or their 
  ancestors, had lied about their origins. A reputation for honest 
  dealing can be ruined by the lie or an ancient lineage of noble 
  blood shown to be a shabby concoction and business deals 
  and marriage contracts are often cancelled. It is rumoured that 
  information held by the Inquisition about the backgrounds of 
  some Estalia’s greatest families has been passed to certain 
  Aquilae, faced by particularly intransigent princes, to aid them 
  in their duties to the Mother Temple of counselling and per-
  suading secular rulers.
  Others whose families have not come from Estalia have also 
  found themselves targeted. One-time Strigany families in 
  particular have suffered, their people’s connections to legends 
  of vampires adding to the fear of their foreign blood. Popular 
  fears are kept alive by the traditional pageants in several parts 
  of Estalia that celebrate the end of the War of Blood with the 
  dunking of a character known as ‘the Strigany’ in the village 
  pond. Some of Strigany families have given up their tradi-
  tional life and settled in the eastern kingdoms, but this has not 
  stopped some being expelled from the villages where they may 
  have lived for several generations. Followers of other cults 
  native to their homelands, or parent’s homelands, might find 
  themselves under investigation for failing to pay sufficient 
  honour to the goddess. Where the doctrine of a cult is per-
  ceived as conflicting with that of the Myrmidian Temple or is 
  disapproved of by them, this is particularly so.
  The range of matters that might bring one to the attention of 
  the Inquisition is enormously wide and rather vaguely defined. 
  It is, perhaps, unsurprising then that enforcement is somewhat 
  erratic—the organisation is a victim of its own success at 
  information gathering. Given the constant reports and 
  information passed to the Inquisition by its various sources, 
  from paid spies to citizens keen on ingratiating themselves, 
  only a small amount of it can be properly assessed at any time. 
  Most is simply filed. Instead, the Inquisitors tend to concen-
  trate on particular issues—looking for evidence of a particular 
  set of religious beliefs in their area, for instance—or on 
  particular individuals who the Inquisition finds politically 
  useful or inconvenient.
  
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  Brujería, Magic, Chaos and the 
  Inquisition
  Brujería is the Estalian name for witchcraft, or any eccentric or less 
  traditional use of El Perplejores, the sanctioned magical arts. Unlike the Empire, this 
  does not always carry the suggestion of corruption in the minds of everyone. Estalia 
  has never suffered from the numbers of witches or hedgewizards (brujas and brujos in 
  Estalian) that more northern countries have, nor did Dwarf culture, with its distrust of 
  magic use, influence 
  Estalians in the way that it did the Empire.
  The Temple of Myrmidia y la Sagrada Família has encouraged a less 
  tolerant attitude. They point to the dangers inherent in the art of sorcery and suggest that 
  all magic other than that granted to them is unholy. Whilst they have had some success, 
  the prevalence of court sorcerers and enchanters serving the various Estalian kings, 
  princes and dukes eventually undermined any serious effort at banning all magic use. 
  Nevertheless, those without the protection of—or some might say oversight and scrutiny 
  of—the nobility have been persecuted and driven underground. Certain practices, such as 
  aquelarre, the meeting of witches to worship goats and perform rituals, are banned by 
  both the religious and secular authorities. Necromancy is 
  particularly reviled, after the horror of the War of Blood, and its 
  practitioners are ruthless and tirelessly hunted wherever they appear.
  Estalia is generally less menaced by the twisting powers of Chaos than its northern neigh-
  bours. There are still those that will perform vile rituals in the name of proscribed gods. 
  The task of uncovering these cultists falls on the Inquisition and any inquisitor will seek 
  out and destroy any guilty of such behaviour. There is, however, a small group of inquis-
  itors who dedicate themselves solely to this task. They said to call themselves ‘the Heart of 
  the Temple’. The existence of this group is almost completely unknown outside the Inqui-
  sition itself, but they are said to report solely to the Aquila Escudo and La Aquila Ultima.
  With magic that is “off text” under constant scrutiny, the idea of 
  independent magical colleges existing as in the Empire never took off. Most magicians in 
  Estalia work for their local king or prince, and train 
  apprentices personally. A young peasant in the rough mountains who shows magical abil-
  ity to a passing caravan could find himself the next day a guest (albeit a minor, unim-
  portant one) in his prince’s castle.
  
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  One of the main reasons for this is that there are a very 
  limited number of actual inquisitors (as opposed to 
  agents); only a few in any given kingdom at any time. 
  Despite their power, recruitment is slow so as to maintain 
  strict dependability. Only priests of proven ability and 
  commitment to the Temple are considered suitable for the 
  Inquisition. Some will have distinguished careers as 
  warriors behind them; others have shown a gift for the 
  uncovering of mysteries or for the use of particular 
  political skills to achieve success. In theory, at least, all 
  must have strongly orthodox beliefs. Few match these 
  requirements. It is not unknown for self-serving and 
  corrupt individuals to become Inquisitors, despite their 
  vetting. When this happens, it often leads to scandal. 
  Inquisitor Boniface Lorca is still remembered with some 
  horror in Cabria, where he was Chief Inquisitor for ten 
  years. In his time in the kingdom he used his position to 
  blackmail most of the important merchants and nobility 
  into making significant extra ‘donations to the Temple’, 
  which he put towards an extensive palacio for himself, had 
  his illegitimate daughter made a Countess and assassinated 
  a political rival whilst he was at prayer. His time in charge 
  came to an end when he finally overreached himself by 
  trying to force one of the Duke of Gromaz’s daughter’s 
  into becoming his mistress. In order to do this he arrest-
  ed the woman’s husband and held him for over a year 
  accused of heresy. Unfortunately, the Duke was personally 
  friendly with two of the Aquilae Alta who petitioned 
  to have Lorca removed. The Inquisitor of Cabria still 
  benefits from a beautiful palacio, however. Events such as 
  these have led the hierarchy of the Temple to be ever more 
  cautious before appointing new Inquisitors. This shortage 
  of inquisitors leads to each individual inquisitor having 
  greater freedom of action which, ironically, leads to ever 
  greater opportunities for individual and idiosyncratic 
  interpretations of their role.
  The Archives
  The Inquisitions main archive is at their traditional head-
  quarters at Avilla. Here whole towers are said to be given 
  over to storing a huge cache of files. The index itself runs 
  through multiple volumes. In this vast repository of infor-
  mation are records from all over Estalia. Intimate details 
  of the day to day lives of small townships, may be hun-
  dreds of years ago, rub shoulders with the transcripts of 
  the questioning and inevitable confessions of suspects held 
  by the Inquisition. All are carefully recorded and lovingly 
  collated. Half-forgotten heresies, the tortures, deaths and, 
  on occasion, crusades that were needed to expunge them, 
  can be found on cracking parchment and tinder dry scrolls. 
  Odd incidents and unexplained events, written down for 
  future reference are to here too.
  This great accumulation of knowledge has not entirely been 
  left to moulder. The faithful and cunning know that there is 
  nothing new under the Estalian sun. New challenges may be 
  met with old tools. Records of old events dusted off to explain 
  new incidents that challenge the knowledge or wisdom of the 
  Temple guardians. These files are generally known after the 
  priest who first demonstrated their usefulness and created the 
  first catalogue system used to this day, Xavier Vulparo, or 
  sometimes just by his first initial which marks files he filed 
  himself.
  The Blessed Order of True Insight
  The Order of True Insight is another autonomous body within 
  the Temple, falling outside the control of the normal Aquilae. 
  This is a reflection of its unique position within the cult, for 
  its members are the cult’s seers and seeresses, consulted by wise 
  commanders before any campaign. Unlike the rest of the Old 
  World, where the cult of Morr provides oracles, in Estalia, 
  almost all religious oracles are given by the seers of this order. 
  The augurs of Corrona are an exception, as followers primarily 
  of Morr they say their visions come from the father. But of-
  ficially, they are regarded simply as a sub-order of the Blessed 
  Order of True Insight.
  Oracles are normally given by the chief prophetess at the 
  order’s main monastery at Arties, high in the Irrana Mountains. 
  Other seers then interpret her gnomic utterances into more 
  intelligible prophecies. Legend tells how it was founded after 
  an eagle, the symbol of Myrmidia, and a raven, sacred to Morr, 
  led members of the order to its location. Over the centuries the 
  monastery has become rich on the donations of those seeking 
  its divinations, a wealth that successive Aquilae Ultima are said 
  to have eyed with envy. Other members of the order have a 
  peripatetic existence–moving from place to place bringing the 
  gift of prophecy with them. Sometimes these are groups of 
  three women, known as Parcae, and are said to be particularly 
  powerful oracles. Young children are taken to them to have 
  their future told and sometimes they are known to choose the 
  child’s patron Shieldmaiden. All wandering seers are highly 
  honoured by the communities they visit, but most are grateful 
  to see those who can reach, touch and maybe influence their 
  fates move on, once they have foretold the future.
  The Order of the Righteous Spear
  The Order of the Righteous Spear, and its many affiliated 
  sister orders, are the Templars of the cult of Myrmidia. They 
  have many castles and monasteries scattered throughout not 
  only Estalia but also many of the various islands and outposts 
  that fall within Estalian influence. 
  
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  Juan Franco Frederico (usually just known as Franco) is 
  the current Glorious Leader (El Lider Glorioso) of the 
  order. He is the chief commander of all the Templar 
  orders throughout the Old World and owes allegiance 
  solely to the Aquila Ultima. Their primary headquarters 
  is in Magritta, close to the heart of the cult, but they 
  also maintain a massive fortress complex at the Castle of 
  Mirador in Tarrocco, with a huge arsenal and their reserve 
  troops.
  Conflict between the order and the rest of the cult is 
  far from unknown. Recently, tension has flared between 
  the Order of the Righteous Spear and the Aquila Lanza 
  Suprema, Arturo Leocanto. Troops loyal to the Aquila 
  Lanza who had become involved in a border dispute with 
  Tobaro received a crushing defeat at the hands of merce-
  naries hired by the Tilean city state, in particular the noted 
  female condottiere and Templar of Myrmidia, Bradamante 
  Menfra. Leocanto was incensed at the defeat and demanded 
  that Frederico reprimand his subordinate, something he 
  has conspicuously failed to do. Instead, he has rewarded 
  Menfra for her efforts. Leocanto has appealed to the
   Aquila Ultima. It is not known what she will do. Some 
  suspect that she will side with Menfra, as a fellow Tilean, 
  others that she will take the opportunity to clip the wings 
  of the over powerful Glorious Leader.
  Movements and Extremes of Faith
  Within the Temple there are a variety of attitudes and 
  approaches towards matters both spiritual and temporal. 
  This is unsurprising, given that, within the Temple there 
  are already priests with particular affinities to any of the 
  Divine Four. Additionally, there are certain other 
  movements, political and religious views that a 
  significant body of the faithful subscribe to. Many of 
  these movements are widely accepted as respectable, 
  sometimes reflecting basic assumptions of many Estalians.
  Unifiers
  For many devout Myrmidians, the lesson of their god-
  dess’s life is that Estalia should be united as a single 
  nation, as they were under her. The decline of the Estalian 
  people and their lack of influence in the rest of the Old 
  World are all due to their inability to unite. For some 
  within the faith, all other political aims—all values, all 
  life—are secondary to the need to reunite the myriad 
  states of modern Estalia.
  Crusaders and Proselytisers
  For others, the need to spread the glory of Myrmidia and 
  her holy works to new lands is pre-eminent.
  They point to the goddess’s life where she succeeded in uniting 
  Estalia and Tilea behind her and, but for her cruel death, would 
  doubtless have conquered further lands and bringing civilisation 
  and her faith with her. To them the great task of the Temple is 
  to continue this. This tends to take one of two forms, some-
  times combined. The first is the duty to continue the crusade, 
  launched centuries ago against the invaders of Araby, the great 
  enemies of the faith. Funds are raised for the Templar bastions 
  that maintain a tenuous toehold on or off the coast of Araby. 
  Devout young warriors sign up for the holy orders in order 
  to carry the fight against them and also against the non-human 
  creatures that haunt the more remote corners of Estalia; the 
  continued reconquista, as it is sometimes called.
  Others, often those less militarily inclined, act as missionaries 
  for the second duty, to spread the word of faith in Myrmidia 
  and her family. In the past, missions to the rest of the Old 
  World have been regularly dispatched; the Border Princes 
  remains an important recruiting ground for the Myrmidian 
  faith, where her message of unity, strength in arms and peaceful 
  order seems particularly attractive. Those that have sought to 
  recruit followers in Bretonnia and the Empire have met with 
  less success. The Estalian insistence on the primacy of 
  Myrmidia coupled with the strong national cults of the Lady 
  and Sigmar, respectively, has led to much resistance to the 
  message. Many have had to accept the need to follow the 
  lead of the more successful, more subtle Tilean proselytisers, 
  something that sticks in the craw of the proud Estalians. Few 
  have made any attempt to convert the wild Kislevites: with its 
  bitingly cold winters and barbaric customs, it is an unappealing 
  prospect. With the increased number of Old World colonies, 
  however, these missions have spread further and further abroad. 
  Lustrian outposts often have Myrmidian priests, missions to 
  the Southlands have founded Temples on its coast and recently 
  a mission to Ind is said to have established itself. Their success 
  in recruiting worshippers among the local populations has been 
  mixed.
  Proper Worship and False Gods
  Estalians have a unique approach to the worship of Myrmidia 
  and her family. There are those who regard it as uniquely 
  correct. They regard the attitude of other nations, including 
  Tileans, as at best, insufficiently pious and at worst sacrilege. 
  To some a failure to acknowledge Myrmidia as the greatest 
  goddess verges on heresy. The view of Myrmidia simply as a 
  warrior goddess, is an insult to the complexity of the true faith, 
  and the world needs to be cleansed of this idea and its 
  adherents.
  Most Estalians have some sympathy with this view. It is 
  generally seen, when given its fullest expression, as extreme. 
  
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  Nevertheless, many highly placed Inquisitors and Templars 
  are said to privately subscribe to it.
  Pantheists
  Just as there are those that see the Estalian manner of 
  worship of Myrmidia as the primary goddess as the only 
  way to properly honour her, there are others who believe 
  that the approach is mistaken. They worry that those gods 
  who are neglected or relegated to a mere subsidiary role 
  may take offence and abandon the Estalians, or might 
  withhold their blessings. Understandably, many of those 
  who subscribe to such a view have often been influenced 
  by foreigners, spent time abroad or are more deeply 
  committed to one of Myrmidia’s family than most of the 
  priesthood. The fact that there is, as yet, no evidence of 
  divine calamity ensures that theirs remains a minority 
  voice. Nevertheless, it is clearly only because there are 
  those who speak up for the sometimes overlooked gods 
  that this has not occurred.
  Myrmidia’s Mortality
  It is a central tenet of the Myrmidian dogma that the 
  goddess was born as a mortal and died as one. It is also 
  believed that Myrmidia was a god before she descended to 
  become an Estalian and walk among her people. These two 
  beliefs have sparked a vigorous debate that lasted centuries.
  If Myrmidia was a god before she became a mortal and 
  continued with her divine life after she had died in this 
  world then, the scholar Padre Roberto pointed out, she 
  was never truly mortal at all. An important part of the 
  Myrmidian story, the goddess’ oneness with humanity and 
  her sacrifices, become meaningless, his followers suggest. 
  Meanwhile, Madre Melina of Bilbali argued that the fact 
  of Myrmidia’s mortality meant that the goddess could not 
  have existed as a divine presence before her incarnation in 
  this world. Myrmidia was an ordinary Estalian ascended 
  to godhead, in the view of Madre Melina’s pupils. These 
  two schools of thought argued ferociously on the subject, 
  leaving traditional debates about the numbers of angels on 
  pinheads and the knowledge of sparrows flying through 
  halls looking distinctly boring. An attempt to settle the 
  matter resulted in the decision of the Council of Bayona. 
  Myrmidia, they declared, was simultaneously both divine 
  and mortal. Whilst this has not satisfied either side, the 
  threat of heresy that hangs over anyone who argues against 
  the decision has quietened debate somewhat—at least in 
  public. Fervent extremists cling to heresy like dust to the 
  traveller.
  Venerated Souls
  The Temple of Myrmidia y la Sagrada Família specially 
  honours many individuals who proved themselves 
  particularly holy in life. 
  Very often these are heroes of the reconquista and crusades. 
  Small shrines to those who gave their lives in the battle to 
  retake Estalia can be found in many temples. Often these record 
  the names of relatives of the local nobles and may be utterly 
  unknown outside the immediate vicinity. Others though reflect 
  less martial aspects of Myrmidia or of her family. Apart from 
  Morr, this is the one place men appear in the holy canon.
  Example Venerated Souls
  San Imperata de Ayala Furiosa
  Imperata Ayala was a trusted companion of the King of Lysboa 
  but became best known for the role she played in the battle 
  for the Kingdoms of Cabria and La Mesa. Her love of leading 
  from the front and seeking out the fiercest fighting in any 
  battle gained her the name ‘Furiosa’, saying she had 
  temporarily become the eponymous Shieldmaiden incarnate. 
  She led the Estalian forces at the bloody siege of Calatrava 
  when that citadel finally fell. She then commanded the defence 
  of Almagro when an Arabyan counteroffensive led to the castle 
  being cut off. She received a mortal wound whilst in personal 
  charge of an action on the walls. Legend has it her body was 
  strapped to her horse and led the remaining knights out on a 
  final sally as she expired. Some are suspicious of this story’s 
  veracity, but Calatrava does a roaring trade in tourists keen to 
  borrow some of her courage by buying remains of her corpse.
  Religious Sayings
  ‘Her Chosen People’—the Estalian People; a 
  phrase often used around Tileans, in order to 
  annoy them.
  ‘The Divine Four’—Myrmidia, Morr, 
  Verena and Shallya; also used as an oath 
  ‘By the Four!’
  ‘Nobody expects the Estalian Inquisition’—an 
  ironic phrase, because they are so omnipresent. 
  Used to comment on people who complain 
  about something anyone could have foreseen, 
  or that which happens with depressing 
  regularity e.g. “He swore he would leave 
  Bilbali without getting robbed, but then, 
  nobody expects the Estalian Inquisition”.
  
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  San Petro Alas
  The story of Alas suggest he was given all the wisdom 
  of Myrmidia, the knowledge of Verena, the foresight 
  of Morr and the skill with medicine of Shallya, making 
  him the greatest scholar the peninsular has ever known, 
  certainly in the world of medicine. The college at Pejena 
  from which he graduated has a statue of him sitting on the 
  college walls as he did every day, studying furiously and 
  claiming to be waiting for Myrmidia to return so he could 
  heal her wounds. Although popular with surgeons and 
  students of anatomy, others wonder if the story of him 
  seeing Myrmidia come to fetch him from the walls as 
  he died was invented post-facto to counter ruins of grave 
  robbing and necromancy.
  The Religious Year: Fiestas and 
  Celebrations
  In most of the Old World, followers of Myrmidia do 
  not keep any particular holy days to honour their goddess, 
  making sacrifices when appropriate, such as the start and 
  end of a campaign. This reflects the fact that, outside 
  Estalia and Tilea, the cult is almost exclusively military. 
  This is not true in the south. In the Estalian kingdoms, 
  Myrmidia’s sphere of influence includes every aspect of 
  human activity and holy days connected to the goddess’s 
  cult are as frequent as those of other cults elsewhere. 
  Estalia is famed, in fact, for having an excess (to foreign 
  eyes) of holy days, which is why some characterise them 
  as being lazy or frivolous.
  The Estalian year is peppered with fiestas. These festivals 
  never failed to draw crowds onto the streets of every town 
  in the land. Often Estalians will dress in costume; take part 
  in huge processions or stage morality plays at these events. 
  Sometimes they appear to be mainly secular events, a fair 
  or carnival, but for those taking part, the blessing of 
  Myrmidia or her family are essential and are always 
  sought. Always popular are the toreo, where the matador 
  uses his skill to outwit and outfight the more powerful 
  bull—a perfect example of everything that Myrmidia 
  admires. Some fiestas are national events, occurring in 
  every town in every kingdom in Estalia, others may be 
  specific to a particular town or village.
  The Great Fiestas and the Verenan Calendar
  Virtually all Estalians celebrate certain festivals, in the 
  same way that there are certain festivals that are universal-
  ly marked within the Empire. Some of these are the same: 
  Witching Night (Il noche Brujería) and the Night of Mys-
  tery (Il noche misterio) are marked in Estalia just as in the 
  rest of the Old World. 
  Some of the most important festivals are set out below.
  All are given their dates in the calendar used in the Estalian 
  Kingdoms. This is the Verenan Calendar, which is also used in 
  the Tilean City States. It divides the year into sixteen months, 
  each of twenty-five days. These are based on the phases of the 
  moon Mannslieb, known as Occiodiveren in the southern Old 
  World. Unlike the Imperial Calendar, the Verenan Calendar 
  includes the intercalary days, such as Witching Night and the 
  Night of Mystery, in its months. According to ancient legend, 
  the phases of the twin moons are based on Morr’s shadow 
  moving across them as he busies himself at work tending the 
  dead. When both moons shine (Witching Night and Night of 
  Mystery) Morr lies exhausted and Myrmidia must attend him 
  at his bedside—which means anything could happen, since both 
  gods are distracted.
  Officially, each month is numbered (Primero, Segundo, 
  Tercero and so on) but many of the months are often known by 
  a variety of other names, sometimes after the events that take 
  place in them, other gods or heavenly bodies. The illustration 
  opposite sets out how each month equates to the Imperial Cal-
  endar of the Empire. Each month is then sub-divided into five 
  weeks of five days. In Estalia, the days are known as Verenes 
  (after Verena), Mores (after Mórr), Shallyes (after Shallya), 
  Myrmides (after Myrmidia) and Domingo (the Temple Day). 
  The naming of the first day of the week after Myrmidia’s 
  mother reflects the fact that it is common for the Myrmidian 
  Temple to begin each week with a prayer for understanding, 
  just as Verenans do throughout the Old World.
  ”In nomine Verena, Morra, Shallya et 
  Myrmidia, entregare duos illuminato, 
  perspicaco, mercio et domino vencero. En 
  gracia donnasancta.”
  (In the name of Verena, Morr, Shallya and Myrmidia, 
  grant us knowledge, insight, 
  compassion and great victory, thank the Maiden.)
   
  Common Myrmidian Benediction, delivered in 
  Classical Tongue
  The Temple has, over the centuries, imposed (and later re-
  scinded in some cases) various rules in relation to what can 
  and cannot be done on any particular day.  No flesh from any 
  four footed or winged animal can be consumed on Myrmides, 
  for instance, which largely explains the popularity of salted 
  fish in the Estalian diet and, the poet and philosopher Gustavo 
  Marques Alfau suggested, the unpopularity of gryphon and 
  dragon meat. Every Estalian is expected to attend worship on 
  Domingo (although most in fact attend more frequently than 
  once a week). The fact that everyone is forced to attend on 
  Domingo, however, means that these services often turn into 
  an excuse to promenade dressed in one’s finest clothing on the 
  way to, from and, indeed, in the temple.
  
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  The Major Festivals
  Witching Night (Il noche Brujería)
  Sacred to Morr throughout the Old World, this marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. 
  In Estalia, it is marked by priests of Myrmidia and Morr, tasked to watch over things until the gods return 
  from their rest. Magicians and followers of the dark arts also celebrate this day, taking advantage of the way 
  the winds of magic blow more strongly, even down to the southern Old World.
  New Year’s Day
  The first day of the first month. Prayers are offered to Myrmidia and her mother, Verena, asking for wis-
  dom, justice and skill in all endeavours in the year ahead.
  Rebirth (18th day of Primero)
  The change from winter into spring is celebrated by the Estalians as the date of Myrmidia’s birth as a mortal. 
  Thanks are given for the coming of new life and small spiced cakes are traditionally baked. Often, corn dolls, 
  representing the goddess, made from last year’s harvest are ploughed back into the earth by farmers on this day 
  to ensure the goddess’s favour for their efforts. Huge religious processions are organised in every town, with 
  hooded acolytes of the goddess carrying silver or gilded reliquaries, icons and candles through the streets.
  Festival of Mice and Moths (Spring Equinox)
  Marked by fiestas in which Estalian men, women and children of all ages and rank dress up as mice, moths and 
  other pests in order to eat and drink long into the evening, this festival has its origins in the need to annually 
  beat out carpets and clothes to get rid of moths and sweep houses out to clear away anything that might attract 
  vermin. Many of these more traditional activities are still carried out on this day. Generally, the blessing 
  of the goddess Myrmidia is sought to keep pests, vermin and ill-luck away for the rest of the year. In some 
  places, the priest and locals hold small processions where they bash drums and blow trumpets around the town 
  or village boundaries in the hopes of scaring mice and malign spirits away. In one or two more remote villages, 
  prayers are offered directly to spirits of the mice and moths that they leave the village alone.
  Deliverance (24th day of Quinto)
  The festival of Myrmidians and Arabyans (Fiesta de Myrmidios y Arbyanos) is a celebration of the expulsion 
  of the infidel from Estalia in the 14th century. Pageants are held the length and breadth of the peninsula, with 
  participants taking the parts of Estalians and Arabyans in mock battles. Brightly coloured costumes are worn, 
  often with ribbons tied around them, and blunted swords used. Music is played and the battles themselves are 
  very often intricate dances.
  Summer Solstice
  Marked by processions and bull fights which go on late into the night in most Estalian communities. Huge 
  puppet models of giants carried on a frame that entirely covers the man carrying them often lead the proces-
  sions. In some communities this, the shortest night of the year, is when they celebrate the defeat of Nourgul 
  the Necrach. Costumed performers take on the role of Nourgul and his various minions, dressed in skeleton 
  outfits or as decaying zombies. A young woman is chosen to play the part of Myrmidia, who during the 
  course of the night releases those playing the undead by touching them. As first light breaks, the person play-
  ing the character of Nourgul peels off his mask and everyone is revealed as their normal selves.
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  Night of Masks
  The eighth night of the eighth month, the Night of Masks is halfway between the Solstice and the Night of 
  Mystery. It is traditional throughout Estalia to hold masques on this night. For the affluent, these are complex 
  affairs, masked balls, sometimes with extraordinary costumes produced at great expense. For the less well off, 
  anything might be pressed into service to disguise one’s appearance. The night is particularly popular with 
  storytellers who often tell of romantic encounters between princes and paupers, oaths of friendship sworn 
  between deadly enemies, friendships ripped apart or comic misunderstandings of all kinds by masked 
  participants at the dances that go on until morning.
  Night of Mystery (Il noche misterio)
  As in the rest of the Old World, Myrmidia’s father is honoured. It supposed to be particularly auspicious to 
  cast auguries on this day, as Verena watches over the world in place of her weary husband.
  Festival of Lights and Fires (Autumn Equinox)
  As the year turns, there is a late autumn celebration of the year and its bounty. Portions of the year’s earnings 
  or crop are traditionally donated to the Temple at this time. In those parts where corn dolls are ploughed into 
  the earth at Rebirth, the last sheaf of wheat cut is made into a figurine of Myrmidia. In the evening, huge 
  bonfires are lit and flaming brands put outside every house. Sometimes the Inquisition has been known to 
  reserve its largest auto da fé, when heretics are burned, for this festival.
  Dias del Toros
  A common festival, which falls on different dates in different towns and cities but usually occurs during the 
  autumn. On this day, bulls are paraded through the town’s streets to the accompaniment of local bands. 
  Sometimes coloured ribbons are tied to their horns and banners carried alongside them. In other towns, the 
  bulls are set free and left to run through the town, whilst the young men attempt to out run, and often out 
  leap, the bulls’ sharp horns. Often toreos are held at the end of the day. The blood of the bulls killed by the 
  matadors is thought to ensure fertility in the year ahead. Children are often conceived on this night, but 
  whether that is due to it being propitious or to the amount of wine consumed, few could say.
  Day of the Shieldmaidens (9th of Diez y Seis, the sixteenth month)
  As well as commonly honouring individual shield maidens on different days, Estalians have a major festival 
  where all the innumerable Shieldmaidens of Myrmidia are celebrated. Attendance for worship at the temple is 
  compulsory and a special meal of salted pork is prepared. Traditionally, martial competitions are held on this 
  day. The Queen of Bilbali sponsors one of the most prestigious jousts and tourneys in Estalia, which regularly 
  draws competitors from Bretonnia and around the Old World. Other towns hold wrestling competitions and 
  some hire pit fighters for civic displays.
  Maiden’s End (Winter Equinox)
  For the Estalians, the mid-winter festival is the time when they mourn the passing of Myrmidia and the old 
  year. Curses are poured on the assassin who killed the goddess in her mortal form. The culmination of the day 
  is a procession by the priest of Myrmidia to the nearest high point to mark the setting of the midwinter sun 
  and the promise of returning life from then on. Candles are carried by all participants on the way back to the 
  temple.
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  Other Cults and Other Gods in Estalia
  The Temple Of Myrmidia y la Sagrada Família would 
  like to believe that it has a complete religious monopoly 
  on belief in the Estalian Kingdoms. It monitors all other 
  cults operating within the peninsula with ever suspicious 
  eyes, watching for any behaviour it deems inappropriate. 
  Even the few priests of apparently allied cults, such as 
  Verenans or Morrites, find their activities watched and 
  scrutinised. Despite this, worship of other gods occurs, 
  sometimes openly, sometimes disguised or incorporated in 
  the worship of Myrmidia or one of her Shieldmaidens and 
  sometimes in secret.
  Mannan
  The sea god is worshipped by sailors and those tied to the 
  sea throughout the Old World with so much connection 
  to the sea and trade, his worship has trickled into Estalian 
  ports, especially in the north and on the islands. To the 
  average Estalian, however, Mannan remains a strange and 
  foreign god. His ancient and widespread worship in Tilea, 
  often under the name Mathann, has not spread to Estalia. 
  As ever, the worship of Myrmidia is commonly 
  substituted in her aspect as Myrmidia of the Stars, which 
  venerates Myrmidia ascendant to the heavens after her 
  death, and worships her as a guide to navigation. Others 
  ascribe ocean travel to Myrmidia of the Last Journey, 
  worshipping safe travel over a calm ocean just as her bier 
  was carried westward.
  Sometimes however, Manann asserts himself. With so 
  many foreign sailors, they need a place to worship their 
  god and the desire to make sailors stay in nearby inns and 
  spend more money has trumped the desire to keep a pure 
  faith, which is why ports tolerate temples to the sea god. 
  The Manannite temple in Magritta is so large it has started 
  attracting locals simply by its stature, causing the 
  Inquisition to worry.
  In many cases, however, the two gods are worshipped side 
  by side, sometimes in the same temple even, or at least a 
  short walk from one to the other. Manann is the god who 
  controls the oceans, the other as the goddess who provides 
  the skill to survive them. Reconciling this with 
  Myrmidian faith teaches that Manann is Morr’s wayward, 
  intemperate, oft-forgotten brother. He fills in work taking 
  souls that Morr cannot reach when they sink below the 
  sea. This is definitely heresy, but if the Manannites still 
  pray at Temple, the Inquisition usually has bigger fish to 
  fry (like servants of Stromfels). Eventually, however, such 
  laxity towards adding members to The Sacred Family is 
  bad for business and encourages polytheism
  Some in the church are desperate for an excuse to clamp down 
  hard on Manann-worship and redress the balance in their favour.
  Mórr and Verena
  Honoured as Myrmidia’s father and mother, these two have 
  virtually no separate cults of their own. The occasional 
  occurrences of those who believe one or the other deserves 
  ascendancy or who acquire a version of their god more like 
  the Empire appearance does occur, but tends to fairly quickly 
  be reabsorbed back into the mainstream faith. Some Morrites 
  and Verenans do leave their posts in the Mother Church or 
  focus their lives entirely around the service of one god, but 
  this is rare and still within the realm of the church’s practices. 
  Specialist temples and small orders exist for those who study 
  the mother or the father, on the understanding that such things 
  will also illuminate their blessed child.
  Morrites with the Myrmidian church are in charge of funeral 
  rites as the Empire, but the rocky soil makes the Empire 
  tradition of burial less popular. More preferred are above-
  ground crypts, especially in the cities, where whole necropo-
  lises of crypts can exist, staffed by wandering Morrites with 
  no duties in the central church. In the mountains and hills, air 
  burials are common. Bodies are left on wooden platforms high 
  above the ground and away from wolves and other scavengers. 
  Instead, the birds of Morr, the raven and the vulture, pick the 
  bones clean. Generally, these bones are collected from the 
  platforms in annual ceremonies, presided over by a priest of 
  Myrmidia, before being laid to rest in a communal ossuary. In 
  other places, a morbid fear of vampirism has led to widespread 
  cremation of the dead.
  Verenans preserve church and city records and in small towns 
  act as reeves and notaries. They also function as librarians and 
  school teachers just as they do in the Empire, and a visitor from 
  the north will find the temples of Mother Verena resemble 
  his ones at home very closely—full of books and students, 
  although in some cases with more of a feel of an alchemist’s 
  laboratory than they might expect. Verena in Estalia does not 
  however dispense justice or the law, and is almost never de-
  picted with the sword she carries in the north. There are some 
  Verenans though who feel that Myrmidia’s “busy schedule” 
  means she misses some injustices and cannot be expected to 
  ensure treaties and promises are correctly followed. Some of 
  these act within the church to keep a check on these things. 
  Others act outside the church and the law. There is a secret sect 
  of ladies who call themselves the Carabina, the “screech owls” 
  who stalk the wilds sending justice to criminals who think they 
  have escaped—but also balancing the scales when they feel a 
  criminal has been unjustly served, freeing prisoners or harming 
  or robbing accusers. This is a new threat, possibly caused by 
  northern agitators, and the Inquisition would do anything to 
  snuff it out before it grows.
  
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  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  O Prospero
  A god—perhaps–of merchants and trade. Opinion is 
  divided among Verenans and scholars of such matters as to 
  whether he is divine, and if so, how he fits into the Divine 
  Family. Essentially, the god is the equivalent of Handrich 
  in the Empire and Mercopio in Tilea; he acquired his new 
  name from the first words of the Tilean prayer invoking 
  his blessing. Certain scholars have suggested that the 
  entire cult was imported by merchants with links to Tilea 
  or Marienburg. Certainly, worship of O Prospero is 
  confined to the merchant class and primarily to those with 
  trading links outside Estalia. Worship of O Prospero is 
  generally seen as compatible with that of Myrmidia and 
  the Divine Family, as a representation of a specialised 
  aspect of their grace—worshippers are clearly just asking 
  for the family to bless their financial initiatives. Anoth-
  er way this faith is subsumed is by the church elevating 
  the profile of Prosperra, the Shieldmaiden of Thrift and 
  Abundance. It is not heresy, therefore–just a misspelling.
  Ranald
  As mentioned in Chapter One, the Black Dog of Misfortune 
  has something of Ranald’s role in Estalian myth, also echoed 
  in the Bretonnian legend of Reynaldo the thieving fox. But the 
  common folk also talk of other figures which overlap with 
  this northern thief. There is Locci, the god of trickery and 
  betrayal, of which more below. Il Senor del Picaro–the Lord 
  of Rogues–is a folk figure invoked by many of those seeking 
  ill-gotten gains or lying to gain a lady’s graces. The Tileans 
  worship Ranald as Ranaldo and in eastern states and Magritta, 
  the Lord of Rogues or Locci often acquire this name. This is 
  definitely heretical, and symbols of Ranald are grounds for 
  Inquisitorial action to whatever extreme they feel necessary.
  Usually the Myrmidian Temple is content that the secular 
  authorities enforce a ban his worship, for his worship has been a 
  crime in most kingdoms for millennia. However, state backing 
  lets zealous inquisitors use great civic resources to hunt down 
  Ranaldian cults. In the process they usually topple organized 
  crime gangs which work out well for kings and priests alike. 
  Indeed, notorious thieves and gangsters are often tried as 
  “Ranaldites” (it makes it easier to have them burnt) and the 
  phrase “Ranaldo’s gifts” means stolen merchandise. A weary 
  trader may deliver his packages to its buyer with the assertion 
  that it is all there, minus “Ranald’s due”.
  The legends of Ranald told in Tilea and elsewhere are quite 
  well known in Estalia, which helps encourage the community 
  to hate and fear him. Particularly famous is Ranald tricking 
  Shallya into making him immortal, which they see as taking 
  advantage of a woman (not to mention a goddess). The 
  simple fact that the Tileans worship this god ensures worship 
  of Ranald stays rare, and likewise keeps disdain for Tileans 
  high. The two deserve each other’s, is the thought–thievish, 
  ragged, conniving woman-cheaters, the pair.
  The Reman Gods
  Fragments from the ancient times of Tylos 
  and the Reman Empire record many gods, 
  each with a variety of different names. In 
  this confusion, however, Estalian scholars 
  have divined a primitive understanding of 
  the Sagrada Família. Remans noted four 
  gods as the Virtues of Just War: Shallya 
  for Mercy, Verena for Tactics, Mor-Khan 
  (the late Morr) for Skill—or 
  Deadliness—and Marilia (clearly 
  Myrmidia) for Honour. Some readings 
  record the Goddess of Honour as 
  Marileo—that is, as a male. Many take to 
  suggest that Myrmidia can appear as 
  whichever sex as she prefers the better to 
  lead her people. Other scholars
   simply blame faulty copying of the ancient 
  original texts. Interestingly, just as in the 
  Empire, it is Shallya who is described as 
  becoming mortal to learn of her people’s 
  plight, never Marilia. Some heresies suggest 
  that aspects of Myrmidia have been 
  borrowed from Shallya’s faith, or worse 
  yet, that the two goddesses are simply 
  different versions of the same story.
  The Mysterious Death of Nourgul
  Every child knows the story of how Nourgul the Ne-
  crarch, the vampire king, had conquered all of Magritta 
  but, upon entering her holy temple in that city, was im-
  mediately turned to dust by her holy light. A heretical 
  version of that story tells of a brave son of Ranald—a 
  tomb robber by trade—who, caught in the wrong place 
  at the wrong time, slew Nourgul with a lengthy recita-
  tion of the vampire’s own story of lengthy unlife until 
  the daylight crept in and struck the Necrarch down. 
  A similar, Myrmidian tale suggests that a Ranaldian 
  thief probing a long-forgotten temple was to blame for 
  Nourgul’s awakening in the first place. A third tale 
  keeps the Ranaldian saviour but has him redeemed by his 
  actions, and convert to Myrmidia afterwards, realizing 
  his errantry into sin. The truth, if any, behind all this, 
  will doubtless never be known.
  
  101
  Chapter VII: The Maiden Myrmidia
  Shallya
  There are sick and injured and poor and downtrodden individuals everywhere. The need for the grace of the sister of Myrmidia 
  is felt as strongly in Estalia as elsewhere. Of course, she is primarily worshipped as part of the Divine Four, but recently there 
  have been a number of Shallyan Missions: priests from Bretonnia who have set about bringing the religion to the peoples of 
  the Estalian kingdoms independently. These are disapproved of, but given that they appear relatively benign none have taken 
  action against them. Priests of Myrmidia and her family have tended to be grateful to them for easing their burden in tending 
  to the sick and poor. If the independent Shallya worshippers become more powerful and begin to gain independent worshippers 
  this attitude might change. 
  Generally, Shallya is seen as a goddess for those who have not managed to receive the blessings of Myrmidia. She is prayed to 
  intervene on behalf of those who are least 
  fortunate, often as an intermediary or intercessor between the worshipper and another member of her family whose aid is 
  required. Not all those who worship her in this way are poor or ill. Many have the goddess of mercy as a personal patron and 
  there are private shrines for families to pray for her intercession in many wealthy houses.
  “Myrmidia helps the strong become stronger.  Shallya helps the weak become strong in the first.”
   
  Aquila Alta Hembre
  Nature Cults
  The worship of Taal and Rhya is almost unknown in Estalia. There are, however, other nature cults in Estalia. The most 
  prominent of these is the goddess Iseza, who is sometimes combined with the Divine Four in worship in rural parts, particularly 
  in the north—western kingdoms. She is often regarded as the grandmother of Myrmidia and fulfils a role not unlike that of Rhya 
  in the Empire. Sometimes it is suggested that Iseza is simply another name for Verena and that she and Morr are responsible of 
  the fertility of the land, controlling as they do life and death and being the parents of Myrmidia. Again, this is heresy in theory 
  but in practice if it keeps farmers and their wives in pews in the wild interior, it is tolerated. There is a town called Nicola, how-
  ever, in the northern mountains that has concluded that if all the family came from Iseza than she is the mightiest, and as such 
  venerates old women. So strong is their devotion that as soon as men give their wives a child, they are slaughtered and burnt in 
  enormous wooden cages.
  Canne and Locci
  In the Empire, Canne is known as Khaine and worshipped by assassins and murderers. In Estalia, his worship is often twinned 
  with that of Locci. Where Canne is the crazed killer who froths, tears and shreds, Locci hides in the darkness until his prey’s 
  back is turned, then bites once, and lets his poisonous fangs do the rest. Lore of these dark twins is found on the ancient ruins 
  left across or buried under the Estalian landscape, and their worship has spread among the underclasses of the land, with Locci 
  taking some of the role that Ranald, as patron of the poor and disposed, takes in the Empire. This is something true Ranaldians 
  regard with horror as Locci is cruel, perverse and violent, very much unlike their God. In the honour-soaked culture of Estalia, 
  however, there are many who seek to rebel, and Locci’s preference for poison and backstabbing is becoming increasingly popular. 
  Likewise, Canne favours victory and deadliness by any means over honour or swordsmanship, so has wide appeal to those seeking 
  an alternative fighting style, or who have been oft-insulted by a well-schooled bladesman. Thus the cult of Canne and Locci, or 
  as it is also known the Wolf and the Snake, grows in popularity, with its meetings in dark ruins now turning into schools for 
  murder and discord, with no end of eager students. So intent is the Inquisition in simply destroying any trace of heresy that they 
  rarely pause long enough to discover the details of any individual kind and so this new cult continues to flourish.
  The Dark Gods
  Everywhere there are those that turn to the worship of the Gods of Chaos: Khorne, Slaanesh, Tzeentch and Nurgle. Such cults 
  are naturally prohibited throughout Estalia, due in no small measure to the Temple of Myrmidia’s hatred of them. Its priests 
  and inquisitors are sworn to root out those who worship such gods. In truth, however, most Estalians assume that the worship of 
  such gods does not occur in their blessed part of the Old World. In large part they are right, but even here, beneath the sun-kissed 
  streets and whitewashed walls, there are those who turn cellars into charnel houses or worse in the depraved rites of their gods 
  and daemons.
  
  102
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  “She waits for you in her Shieldmaidens bower
  Though more shield than maiden, ‘pon this hour.”
   
  Much Ado About Snotlings, Act 4, Scene 1
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  When Initiates reach the rank of a full priest—an Aquila Protege or higher—they typically choose a form of their goddess to 
  worship. The Maiden walked many paths during her time on the earth and her journeys and deeds have been divided into certain 
  aspects and facets. Each is only a fragment of the great whole of Myrmidia, but by focussing on one of her noble aspects, the 
  priest may greater embodying that quality. So too, does the Maiden grant spells based on her many aspects.
  Estalian clergy may choose any of the ten following Divine Lores to learn when they become Priests. These are only the most 
  popular of her aspects; there are many more. They may even learn a Lore of Verena, Morr or Shallya without leaving the Myr-
  midian priesthood, worshipping the extended family without sacrificing their faith in the Maiden. However only one Lore may 
  be chosen and new spells can only be gained with the New Spell Talent (see the box below).
  In the Empire, where Myrmidia is known only as a warrior goddess, they know only her lore as the Captain, the Command-
  er and the Wrathful, something the Estalians see as very limited and myopic. Many Estalians also have trouble grasping the 
  strongly polytheistic world of the Empire: why have a god for every little thing when Myrmidia is the god of all? In fact, some 
  scholars have noted spells akin to those of Morr and Verena being cast by Myrmidians, and even spells of Taal and Ranald being 
  known by those who worship Myrmidia the Wanderer. To Estalians, this proves the Empire folk are childish, having to dress 
  up aspects of Myrmidia in antlers so the woodsmen can pretend to have their own god; to the Empire folk the Myrmidians are 
  trying to stuff everything under one name whether it fits or not. Heretical thinkers wonder if all the spells are the same and the 
  gods only dressings added by man, and that the dressings vary just as costumes do between lands. Such thinkers are typically 
  burned very quickly on exceedingly hot pyres.
  
  103
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Estalians may study Myrmidia’s aspect of a Captain, a Commander or a deliverer of Wrath (see Tome of Salvation). Other 
  aspects of the Goddess include:
  • 
  Myrmidia the Beautiful, representing Myrmidia’s gift for craftsmanship and the arts. Myrmidia taught that a 
  beautiful weapon is a more deadly one, and a beautified nation is a proud one. Devotees of this aspect, the Beatines, learn spells 
  of music, dance and crafting, and aim to spread beauty wherever they go. Most of them learn a craft or an art, if not several, and 
  act as travelling minstrels, trading their beatification for food and shelter. Others advise whole towns on architecture or other 
  civic works.
  • 
  Myrmidia the Brave teaches courage and fortitude in all things. All those who know fear and suffering pray to 
  Myrmidia the Brave to give them strength to see things through. Shallya may save, but it is Myrmidia the Brave who gives 
  them courage to wait for Shallya’s answer. Devotees of the Brave Maiden are known for their unflinching courage and their 
  tendency to always take the lead. Some consider them rash and dangerous as a result. The Valorites get on well with the 
  Kislevite sons of Tor.
  • 
  Myrmidia of the Last Journey is the very last part of the goddess’ life, where she journeyed west on the boat that 
  would bear her to the horizon and thence up to the heavens. Those who worship the Last Journey do not intrude on Father 
  Morr’s domain, however; they instead seek that all should reach their destination on calm seas and safe roads, although seas 
  tend to be their primary focus. Most Journeyers spend their lives at sea, but unlike Manannites are expected to work as hard as 
  the rest of their crew. 
  • 
  Myrmidia the Lightbringer is the aspect of the goddess who illuminates and enlightens the world. She is different 
  from Verena, because Verena holds knowledge and records, and deals with the minutiae of laws and strictures. The Lightbring-
  er represents the granting of knowledge and insight, and the illumination of all the peoples in the world, towards a better nation 
  as Myrmidia wished. Lightbringers aim to teach someone something at least once a day.
  • 
  Myrmidia the Merciful is very close to Shallya, but as with the Lightbringer and Verena, the differences are impor-
  tant. Shallya is the goddess of kindness; she gives life. Myrmidia the Merciful prevents the loss of life with her sword and her 
  shield, sparing both her enemies and her allies. She is the temperance of Myrmidia’s wrath, the arm that holds back the blade 
  when it is necessary, and knows that a good surrender is better than a great decimation. Mercines favour restraint in battle and in 
  everything they do.
  • 
  Myrmidia the Pure stands for the core principles of Myrmidia’s Bellona Lexus, the rules of battle. She values honour 
  and respect and truth above all, and strives for all combat to be noble and fair. With their emphasis on just battle and a just life, 
  Purists get on well with Verenans—but besides that, they have few friends. Even the most noble Myrmidian priest finds the 
  Purists a bit tiresome after a while.
  • 
  Myrmidia the Seer has many facets: she has her father’s ability to see oracles, her mother’s insight and her own gift 
  for foresight and great vision. She is the eagle that soars high and sees all coming; and looks low and sees the tiniest truth hid-
  den amongst the lies. Not all Seers are great oracles: there are many things that can be seen and their future glimpses are often 
  little more than instinct and danger sense. But when the blades come down, that’s more than enough.
  • 
  Myrmidia of the Shining Stars is very close to Myrmidia the Seer: she too sees the future for is not our fate written 
  in the stars? When Myrmidia ascended to heaven after her assassination she placed her form above the land so all would know 
  she watched over them still. Those who venerate the Maiden of the Stars see fates ahead but also know how to find their way, 
  on land, but especially on sea. Like those of the Last Journey, she is often found employed on ships.
  • 
  Myrmidia the Wanderer is—to the Wanderers who follow her, at least—the true face of the maiden. For whether she 
  was fighting or illuminating or seeing, she was always travelling, often miles and miles a day, for months at a time. Legend has 
  it she walked every yard of Estalia in her brief time, and fanatical Wanderers try to do the same. The Wanderers are the hum-
  blest order, shunning wealth and homes, always on the road like their goddess and mixing with the common folk. Many people, 
  including their fellow Myrmidians, consider them annoying beggars but the Wanderers don’t seem to care.
  
  104
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Spell Lists
  Myrmidia the 
  Beautiful
  Myrmidia the 
  Brave
  Myrmidia the 
  Captain
  Myrmidia the 
  Commander
  Myrmidia the 
  Lightbringer
  Apprentice to Master Face of Empena
  Dismay Foe
  Command the 
  Legion
  Beacon in the 
  Tempest
  Beautify Object
  Fear No Blade
  Inspired Leadership
  Eagle’s Vision
  Gift of Scripture
  Craftsman’s Muse
  Hold the Line
  Quick Strike
  Inspired Leadership
  Inspired Leadership
  For Morr to Weep 
  and Shallya to Smile
  Intrepid Strike
  Shield of Myrmidia
  Shield of Myrmidia
  Master of All
  Song of Heart’s 
  Keening
  Martyr
  Skill of Combat
  Shieldmaiden’s 
  Devotion
  Owl’s Wisdom
  The Roaring Dragon 
  with the Piercing 
  Tail
  Shieldmaiden’s 
  Devotion
  Spear of Myrmidia
  Skill of Combat
  The Blind Maiden
  Myrmidia the 
  Merciful
  Myrmidia the 
  Pure
  Myrmidia the 
  Seer
  Myrmidia the 
  Wanderer
  Myrmidia the 
  Wrathful
  Arms of the Sister
  Arena of Reckoning
  Blade for Blade
  Eagle’s Vision
  Blazing Sun
  Boon of Surrender
  Honourable Combat
  Danger Foreseen
  Lesson of Senera
  Dismay Foe
  Healing Burst
  Oath of the Spear
  Find the Weakness
  Lord of the Wild
  Fury’s Call
  Share the Suffering
  Spare the Innocents
  Glimpse Ahead
  Myrmidia’s March
  Quick Strike
  Sleep of Death
  Spear of Myrmidia
  Tale of the Battle
  Myrmidia’s Rest
  Spear of Myrmidia
  Westward Call
  Vestment of Purity
  Vision of Morr
  Perfect Empathy
  Vengeful Wrath
  Myrmidia of the Last Journey
  Myrmidia of the Shining Stars
  Beacon in the Tempest
  Find the Path
  Blessed Voyage
  Fisherman’s Eye
  Blessing of the Albatross
  Guiding Dream
  Burgher’s Acquisition
  Map the Heavens
  Lesson of Serena
  Signs in the Stars
  River’s Blessing
  Starless Night
  Spells in italics are found in the core rulebook or Tome of Salvation. Other spells are listed below.
  
  105
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Apprentice to Master
  Casting Number: 12
  Casting Time: Special
  Duration: Special
  Range: You
  Ingredient: A tool used to build a great temple (+2)
  Description: As part of the casting of this spell, you 
  must watch another individual creating something 
  using a Perform or Trade skill. Until the next sunrise, 
  you gain the skill you observed. You may use this 
  skill as many times as your Magic characteristic, then 
  the knowledge fades from your hands.
  Arena of Reckoning
  Casting Number: 14
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: Instant
  Range: Touch
  Ingredients: A circlet of gold (+2)
  Description: When you cast this spell, you and one 
  target are locked in combat to the death. An immov-
  able magical aura rises surrounding only the two of 
  you (just enough to cover your two squares with 
  about a foot of give around)—any others that might 
  be caught are flung out. Aside from a Dispel spell, 
  the aura remains totally impenetrable to anything and 
  anyone until either you or the target are dead.
  Arms of the Sister
  Casting Number: 10
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 minute (6 rounds)
  Range: You
  Ingredients: A broken arrow (+1)
  Description: When you strike, you strike with the 
  arms of Shallya, Myrmidia’s merciful sister. When 
  striking to Stun, you automatically succeed on the 
  Strength test. If you strike to wound while the spell 
  is in effect, it immediately ends.
  Beacon in the Tempest
  Casting Number: 9
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 minute (6 rounds)
  Range: 24 yards (12 squares)
  Ingredients: An owl’s beak (+1)
  Description: While Myrmidia’s faithful command sol-
  diers, they must also look to those who cannot fight. All 
  allies within range can hear your voice as clearly as if they 
  were standing next to you, and can understand you what-
  ever language they speak. Your voice sounds calming and 
  wise, and those who hear it gain a +10% bonus to Will-
  power tests to resist Intimidate tests, and Fear or Terror 
  effects for the next hour.
  Beautify Object
  Casting Number: 9
  Casting Time: Half action
  Duration: 1 hour/Magic
  Range: Touch
  Ingredients: A paintbrush (+1)
  Description: You apply a beautifier’s eye and hand to one 
  object you nominate. The object’s Craftsmanship goes up 
  one level (Poor to Common, Common to Good, Good to 
  Best). You may Beautify as many objects as your Magic 
  characteristic. Weapons enhanced in this manner gain the 
  standard bonuses. However, Myrmidia frowns upon decep-
  tion for profit and any attempt to sell items enhanced by 
  this spell cause the glamour to immediately vanish and the 
  deception to be revealed.
  Blade for Blade
  Casting Number: 10
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 minute
  Range: You
  Ingredients: A silvered blade (+2)
  Description: When you cast this spell you can see the 
  attacks of your enemies coming towards you as if in slow 
  motion. You may parry as many times per round as your 
  Magic characteristic. You may still only parry once per 
  attack.
  
  106
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Boon of Surrender
  Casting Number: 15
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: Instant
  Range: 24 yards
  Ingredients: A ring of silver (+2)
  Description: When you cast this spell, you demand 
  that your enemies surrender (making Charm or 
  Command tests as the GM directs). All enemies you 
  can see within range of the spell who cease fighting 
  immediately heal 1d10 Wounds. They also cease to 
  be Frightened, Terrified or subject to frenzy if they 
  were previously.  Those who do not surrender suf-
  fer -10% on their next WS or BS roll. For the next 
  hour, if the subjects of the spell attack or direct harm 
  towards you or a number of your allies equal to your 
  Magic characteristic, the subject loses 1d0 Wounds.
  Craftsman’s Muse
  Casting Number: 7
  Casting Time: Half action
  Duration: 1 hour/until triggered 
  Range: Touch/You
  Ingredients: A stylus (+1)
  Description: You summon the artistic mastery that 
  is Myrmidia’s to bestow, and pass it into your hands 
  or those of one you touch. The target gains +30% on 
  their next Perform or Trade Test.
  Danger Foreseen
  Casting Number: 14
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: 1 hour per Magic Characteristic
  Range: You
  Ingredient: A shield that saved a life in battle (+2)
  Description: For the duration of this spell, you can 
  sense the threat of battle no matter what its source. 
  You cannot be taken by surprise.
  Face of Empena
  Casting Number: 8
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 hour/Magic
  Range: Touch (You)
  Ingredients: A ring of iron (+1)
  Description: Empena was a Shieldmaiden who stood at 
  her guard post all through the coldest winter the Estalian 
  Mountains had ever seen, and never shivered. To wear 
  her face is to show no emotion. While under this spell, 
  nobody may discern your true intents or feelings or 
  thoughts through examining you (but they may check 
  for other evidence, of course). No Perception test can 
  perceive your true motives, nor can they penetrate your 
  Disguise if you also succeed on such a test. Under magical 
  scrutiny, you must win an Opposed Channelling test to 
  maintain your illusion. You may still be required to make 
  Charm tests while using this spell, as not betraying a lie 
  is not the same as convincing others of its truth. You do 
  gain +10% to such tests however.
  Fear No Blade
  Casting Number: 6
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 round/Magic
  Range: You
  Ingredients: A ring of copper (+1)
  Description: Under the effects of this spell, you lose not 
  just your fear but your sense of self preservation as well. 
  This allows you to close upon your opponent much faster 
  and much nearer than any sane combatant would, opening 
  up opportunities others would never find. You gain +20% 
  to your Weapon Skill.  However, by lunging so close to 
  the blade, your opponents gain +1 to damage on all their 
  hits.
  Find the Path
  Casting Number: 13
  Casting Time: 2 Full Actions
  Duration: Permanent
  Range: You
  Description: You instantly know the route to take to get 
  wherever you are when you cast the spell to somewhere 
  familiar to you, assuming that place is within an hour’s 
  travel. If it is further away, you will instead simply get a 
  general idea of which direction to travel.
  
  107
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Find the Weakness
  Casting Number: 7
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 round/Magic
  Range: Touch (You)
  Ingredient: A rusted blade (+1)
  Description: The target of this spell becomes expert 
  in finding the weaknesses in his enemy’s defences. 
  For the duration, he gains +20% to his WS or BS 
  when using the Aim action, instead of +10%.  If the 
  target also has Sharpshooter or Focussed Strike (see 
  Night’s Dark Masters), the bonus rises to +30% for 
  the appropriate attacks. You can only benefit from 
  one casting of this spell at a time.
  For Morr to Weep And Shallya to Smile
  Casting Number: 14
  Casting Time: 10 minutes
  Duration: 1 hour/Magic
  Range: You
  Ingredient: A felt mask (+1)
  Description: For the duration of this spell, your per-
  formances tear at the heartstrings of all who listen to 
  them. Any Perform tests made by you (and as many 
  allies as your Magic characteristic) while the spell 
  is in effect automatically succeed with three degrees 
  of success. An audience of up to 1d10 people  per 
  your Magic characteristic will be reduced to weeping 
  with joy or sorrow at the result. This provides +30% 
  to subsequent Fellowship Tests with the audience 
  members, and all members of the audience must pass a 
  Hard (-20%) Will Power Test to cause or direct any 
  harm or disadvantage towards any of the performers. 
  The effects fade after a few hours.
  Gift of Scripture
  Casting Number: 7
  Casting Time: Half action
  Duration: 1 hour/Magic
  Range: Touch
  Ingredients: A piece of parchment bearing script (+1)
  Description: All should be able to read Myrmidia’s 
  words, and with this spell, they can. The target gains 
  the Read/Write skill for the duration of the spell.
  Healing Burst
  Casting Number: 12
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: Instant
  Range: You (large template)
  Ingredients: A broken sword (+2)
  Description: Centre the large target on yourself. Those 
  affected, friend or foe, except for you gain 2 Wounds.
  Hold the Line
  Casting Number: 13
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: See description
  Range: See description
  Ingredients: A spear that killed an ally of yours (+2)
  Description: Using the haft of the spear, you draw a 20-
  yard line in the ground. As long as you and all allies you 
  can see remain on one side of the line, they gain +10% 
  to their Will Power and their Toughness. Enemies must 
  make a successful Will Power test to cross the line, but 
  may attack across it normally. If the line is not a circle, 
  the spell will also fade if you move more than ten yards 
  from it. Otherwise, it fades at the next sunrise or sunset.
  Honorable Combat
  Casting Number: 17
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 minute (6 rounds) or until broken
  Range: You (large template)
  Ingredients: A circlet of silver (+2)
  Description: Centre the large template on yourself. All 
  enemies affected must make a Hard (-20%) Will Power 
  test or feel driven to fight at “fair odds”. This means 
  they can only engage you and your allies one-on-one. 
  The GM may decide that significantly smaller or weaker 
  opponents (rats, Snotlings) may attack in larger numbers. 
  This spell ends immediately if you or any of your allies 
  initiate uneven odds. Again, the GM may decide that 
  large or powerful opponents (giants, dragons) need not be 
  fought one-on-one.
  
  108
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Intrepid Strike
  Casting Number: 12
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: 1 minute (6 rounds)
  Range: You
  Ingredients: A charm engraved with a sun (+2)
  Description: Leaping into the front line is now your 
  forte. When you Charge, you may make two attacks 
  on your target.
  Lesson of Senera
  Casting Number: 9
  Casting Time: Half Action
  Duration: 1 minute
  Range: Touch (You)
  Ingredients: A duck’s feather (+1)
  Description: Senera was the Shieldmaiden of the 
  Mountains, who taught Myrmidia to fight in any 
  terrain. The target of this spell suffers no penalties 
  to their Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill or Agility test 
  due to difficult terrain or conditions. This includes 
  environmental conditions such as rain or snow, and 
  the tossing of a ship, but not darkness.
  Map of the Heavens
  Casting Number: 4
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: 10 minutes per Magic Characteristic
  Range: You
  Ingredient: A star map (+1)
  Description: You gain +20% to all Navigation Tests 
  as long as you can see the sky, even if you are in a 
  completely unfamiliar place.
  Master of All
  Casting Number: 14
  Casting Time: 1 minute
  Duration: 1 minute (6 rounds)/Magic
  Range: You
  Ingredients: An owl’s claw (+1)
  Description: The Goddess lets you understand even that 
  which lies outside your studies. For the duration of the 
  spell, you gain one Academic Knowledge skill of your 
  choice. You may cast Owl’s Wisdom while Master of All 
  is at work.
  Myrmidia’s March
  Casting Number: 11
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: See description
  Range: See description
  Ingredients: A kingfisher’s feather (+1)
  Description: You and up to ten allies you can see may 
  travel as if unhampered even if conditions would normally 
  indicate the terrain as hampering. The spell lasts for one 
  minute per Magic characteristic for local movement, or 
  one hour per Magic characteristic for overland movement. 
  It only affects long-term travel; it does not change how far 
  anyone may move on a round-by-round basis.
  Myrmidia’s Rest
  Casting Number: 4
  Casting Time: 1 minute
  Duration: 8 hours
  Range: 24 yards
  Ingredients: A nightingale’s feather (+1)
  Description: You and all allies you can see can get eight 
  hours good sleep no matter what the weather or terrain 
  or noise level or light level, and wake feeling refreshed 
  and strong. You must actually lie still for the eight hours 
  and sleep for some of the time. This spell only guarantees 
  that such rest is as good as if you were sleeping in a palace 
  featherbed.
  Oath of the Spear
  Casting Number: 13
  Casting Time: One minute
  Duration: 24 hours / Magic
  Range: Touch
  Ingredients: A written text of the oath (+2)
  Description: You and the target swear an oath, each 
  promising something of approximately equal worth (such 
  as not to harm the other). The target must do so of his 
  own free will, and be aware of the spell’s casting. If you 
  or he breaks the vow, the breaker immediately suffers a 
  Strength 8 hit to the body that ignores armour.
  
  109
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Share the Suffering
  Casting Number: 6
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: Instant
  Range: Touch
  Ingredients: A drop of your blood (+2)
  Description: The target immediately regains half of 
  their lost wounds. You immediately lose the amount 
  of wounds healed on the target.
  Signs in the Stars
  Casting Number: 20
  Casting Time: 10 minutes
  Duration: 1 hour
  Range: Special
  Ingredients: A vial of ink made from eagle’s blood 
  (+3)
  Description: A new star appears to twinkle in the 
  sky in a place you wish to put it. It can be seen for 
  hundreds of miles, and thus can be used to send vital 
  communications over long distances, although recip-
  ients must typically make an Academic Knowledge 
  (Astronomy) Test to identify the change and inter-
  pret its meaning. It can also be used to intimidate and 
  frighten enemies, as there is a legend of a Witchling 
  Star which rises when dark fates abide. Likewise it 
  could give situational bonuses to attempts to persuade 
  others of Myrmidia’s anger, blessing or consent. This 
  spell can never be cast more than once a night, and 
  messing with the maiden’s stars for frivolous reasons 
  is extremely frowned upon.
  Song of the Heart’s Keening
  Casting Number: 19
  Casting Time: 1 minute (6 rounds)
  Duration: Instant
  Range: Touch
  Ingredients: A Best Quality instrument (+2)
  Description: In casting this spell, you must also make 
  a Perform skill check.  If it also succeeds, your per-
  formance is so inspiring and heart-rending it grants in-
  ner peace to one target. They lose 1d5 Insanity Points.  
  Alternatively, you may sing a song that speaks of all 
  the darkness in the soul of your target. They gain 1d5 
  Insanity Points. 
  A subject can only ever gain or lose Insanity from your 
  casting of this spell once in their lifetime, but several 
  High Priests of Morr could remove Insanity from a trou-
  bled mind entirely.
  Spare the Innocents
  Casting Number: 8
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: 1 round/Magic
  Range: Touch
  Ingredients: A dove’s feather (+1)
  Description: Enemies must make a Will Power Test to 
  attack the target.  The spell ends if the target attacks or 
  acts in a hostile fashion (feigning an attack, taunting etc).
  Starless Night
  Casting Number: 9
  Casting Time: 2 Full Actions
  Duration: 1 minute per Magic Characteristic
  Range: Special
  Ingredient: A falcon’s hood (+1)
  Description: The sky above an area up to a hundred yards 
  square grows very dark, as stars dim and the moon goes 
  behind a cloud.  During the day this has no visible effect, 
  during the night it makes all vision-based Perception tests 
  one degree more difficult. It also decreases the maximum 
  vision distance of light sources (and Night Vision) by 4 
  yards (2 squares). Those making stealth checks receive a 
  +10% bonus.
  Tale of Battle
  Casting Number: 14
  Casting Time: 1 minute
  Duration: Instant
  Range: Sight
  Ingredients: The eye of a big cat (+2)
  Description: You become aware of all the battles that have 
  taken place in the area in which you are standing, over the 
  last year. You know how many fought on each side, how 
  many casualties each side took and who eventually won 
  the day.  You also gain a sense of how they fought and 
  their respective skills in battle. Beyond that you do not 
  know who fought or who they fought for. Battles more 
  than a month old may require a Channelling test to view 
  clearly (GM’s call).
  
  110
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  The Roaring Dragon With 
  The Piercing Tail
  Casting Number: 9
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: 1 minute (6 rounds)/Magic
  Range: Special
  Ingredients: A handful of flash powder (lit when the spell is cast) (+2)
  Description: The Bellona Myrmidia tells of the legend of the roaring dragon with the piercing tail—a metaphor for 
  how Myrmidia distracted her enemies at the front while attacking in the rear. In casting this spell, you must also make 
  an Easy (+20%) Perform or Charm Test. If it is also successful, your enemies immediately fix all their attention on 
  you and your performance. All allies you can see (at casting) gain +30% to their Concealment and Move Silently 
  Tests for the duration of the spell.
  Westward Call
  Casting Number: 8
  Casting Time: Full Action
  Duration: Instant
   Range: Touch/Special
  Ingredients: A charm engraved with a moon (+2)
  Description: The boat to the west bore Myrmidia away as she lay dying.  This spell can only be cast on someone about 
  to die, whether from disease, age or, if in battle, if they have been damaged sufficiently so that they are using the 
  Sudden Death critical rules. The target dies instantly, calmly and painlessly. The corpse is preserved from decomposi-
  tion and is immune from Necromancy for the next 24 hours. This spell can also be cast on a target who is not dying, as 
  long as the target is yourself. Myrmidian priests sometimes use this to avoid capture or torture.
  
  111
  Chapter VIII: The Maiden’s Miracles
  Blessing of the Shieldmaidens
  At the age of ten, many young Myrmidians have their “First Flight”, when they are presented at the temple to their 
  Aquila Prima. For those who wish to enter the faith, this marks the beginning of their training, but for others it is simply 
  a baptism into the adult world. In both cases, many chicos or chicas take at this time a Shieldmaiden as their patron. The 
  maiden they choose will be their protector and guide for the rest of their life. 
  The choice is not made lightly but it is not always made by the novitiate either: sometimes the Shieldmaidens are 
  simply doled out by the Aquila Prima or Aquila Maestro.
  Others may have their Shieldmaiden revealed (to them or their Prima) in a sacred vision or mysterious event.
  During character generation, human Estalians may take a Shieldmaiden as their patron. If they wish, they may also
   sacrifice one of their Random Talents to acquire the Talent of their Patron as described below (or roll randomly). 
  Shieldmaiden patrons can also be acquired later in life after a dramatic religious experience. The appropriate Talent may 
  then be acquired by spending 100 XP as normal.
  The following table lists just a few of the very long list of Shieldmaidens mentioned in the Bellona Myrmidia and other 
  tales. Others are possible
  Roll
  Patron
  Domain
  Talent Granted
  01-04
  Agane
  Torture and Suffering
  Strong-Minded
  05-08
  Avera
  Reflexes and Anticipation
  Lightning Reflexes
  09-12
  Cavaria
  Sapping and Infiltration
  Tunnel Rat
  13-16
  Cena
  Counting and Estimation
  Super Numerate
  17-20
  Corteja
  Propriety and Grooming
  Etiquette
  21-24
  Debera
  Duty and Service
  Coolheaded
  25-28
  Domino
  Authority and Command
  Menacing
  29-32
  Empena
  Endurance and Perseverance
  Very Resilient
  33-36
  Fermeja
  Health and Hygiene
  Resistance to Disease
  37-40
  Fortuna
  Luck and Risk-Taking
  Luck
  41-44
  Fugina
  Escape and Resistance
  Contortionist
  45-48
  Furiosa
  Fury and Destruction
  Very Strong
  49-52
  Gloria
  Triumph and Victory
  Suave
  53-56
  Lecia
  Written Codes and Laws
  Savvy
  57-60
  Mensaja
  Messages and Communica-
  tions
  Linguistics
  61-64
  Montesa
  Horses and Chariots
  Trick Riding
  65-68
  Noceso
  Stealth and Hiding
  Rover
  69-72
  Optilla
  Farseeing and Accuracy
  Excellent Vision
  73-76
  Pinta
  Artistry and Design
  Artistic
  77-80
  Senera
  Wilderness and Travel
  Orientation
  81-84
  Silvia
  Cities and Fortresses
  Alley Cat
  85-88
  Valeria
  Courage and Defiance
  Stout-Hearted
  89-92
  Varasa
  Trust and Alliances
  Schemer
  93-96
  Vigasa
  Defence and Protection
  Hardy
  97-00
  Vittoria
  Speed and Manoeuvring
  Fleet Footed
  
  112
  Chapter IX : Characters and Careers
  “I say I know this fellow well enough -
  or least, I know his moustache.”
   
  The Taming of the Squig, Act 1, Scene 1
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  In many ways, the men and women (and other citizens) of Estalia are much like the people of the Empire, Bretonnia, 
  or even (perish the thought) Tilea. Creating an Estalian character follows most of the same procedures as in the 
  WFRP rulebook. Where the system differs you will find those rules and tables here.
  Racial Features
  Life in the sunny south is very different to the brutish north. 
  The Estalians are no strangers to gossip but their social inter-
  actions also depend on feuds and battles hundreds of years old. 
  So widespread is the art of the blade too, that all manner of 
  men and women have the skill. Human racial features should 
  be replaced with the following:
  Skills: Common Knowledge (Estalia), Academic Knowl-
  edge (Genealogy and Heraldry) or Gossip, Speak Language 
  (Estalian)
  Talents: If human, 2 random talents (roll twice on Table 
  2-4: Random Talents in WFRP (page 19) or 1 random talent 
  from the same table and Specialist Weapon Group (Fencing). 
  Fencing is such a common hobby that almost all receive some 
  training in it.
  Background Charts
  Height and Weight are as for Empire humans.
  Table 9-1: Hair Colour
  Roll
  Hair Colour
  1
  Yellow
  2
  Ginger
  3
  Red
  4
  Auburn
  5
  Brown
  6
  Dark Brown
  7
  Black
  8
  Pitch Black
  9
  Blue-Black
  10
  Silver
  Table 9-2: Eye Colour
  Roll
  Eye Colour
  1
  Ice Blue
  2
  Deep Blue
  3
  Yellow Green
  4
  Emerald Green
  5
  Hazel
  6
  Red-Brown
  7
  Light Brown
  8
  Dark Brown
  9
  Indigo
  10
  Violet
  
  113
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Table 9-3: Moustache
  There is much that marks a true Estalian gentleman: some swear by the cut of their cape, others by the filigree on their sword-
  hilt, still others the length of the feather in their hat, or the shine of the buckle that holds it. But every man over the age 
  of twelve wears a moustache, and prides himself on it. The wearing of a fine moustache is a matter of honour in the Estalian 
  kingdoms, and there is no insult so grave as to insult a man’s hairs or how he dresses them.
  Male Estalian PCs may roll or choose a moustache from the following table. Estalian women may also roll on the table, but 
  more typically prefer to shave, wax or bleach—and may also roll on the next table for how they wear their hair.
  Roll
  Style
  Description
  01 – 08
  Caballero
  The popular standard on which everything is based. A straight, slightly waxed moustache of 
  moderate thickness. The points turn slightly up at the edges. 
  09 – 12
  Toro
  As a Caballero but with the ends more pointed and turned higher.
  13 – 16
  Pancho
  As the Toro, but the points turn down, making the wearer appear pensive.
  17 – 20
  Walrusso
  As the Pancho, but thicker and droopier. Also called the
   “Strainer”.
  21 – 24
  Scripto
  A very thin, very straight line high under the nose, like an ink smudge from a pen.
  25 – 28
  Bilbalin
  Thin like a Scripto but in two distinct line, angled downwards from the nose.
  29 – 32
  Ladyfriend
  As the Bilbalin but the gap in the middle is very wide, so only the corners of the lips are 
  haired.
  33 – 36
  Nosebrush
  A narrow (about one inch) but thick fuzz under the nose.
  37 – 40
  Scrubbo
  Like the Nosebrush but about three inches wide and nuzzling the lip.
  41 – 44
  Swabbo
  Like the Scrubbo but extending far over the lip. Also called the Watergate.
  45 – 48
  Soldero
  Long thin hairs standing straight like soldiers all along the top lip.
  49 – 52
  Royale
  The Cabellero is grown wide and, using wax and grease, pulled far to the sides of the face 
  and peaked.
  53 – 56
  Imperio
  Like the Royale, but the ends are curled or swirled.
  57 – 60
  Horseshoe
  A Pancho that runs down the sides of the lips to the chin, like an upside down horseshoe.
  61 – 64
  Goat
  A Caballero with a small chin-beard below. May or may not be connect like the Horseshoe.
  65 – 68
  Magrittan
  Like the Goat but the beard extends further below the chin, and rises up to the bottom lip.
  69 – 72 
  Sailor
  A Magrittan with a full beard, ear to ear.
  73 – 76
  Tickler
  A Ladyfriend with a chinbeard below.
  77 – 80
  Malleo
  A Caballero above a narrow vertical stripe of beard below the lip, creating a hammer shape.
  81 – 84
  Halfling
  A Caballero that joins sideburns.
  85 – 88
  Griffoni
  As the Royale or the Imperio, but the beard is waxed and curled as well.
  89– 92
  Bandido
  A full beard that grows up to the cheekbones, like a bandit's mask. Often left half-shaven.
  93 – 96
  Strappo
  A full beard with no moustache.
  97 – 99
  Nudo
  Either by choice (a priest) or a curse of birth, you wear no beard. Some may doubt your 
  manhood as a result.
  100
  Mountain
  Due to some curse of birth, your hair grows patchily in strange spots and odd lengths. 
  People will think you insane, foolish or cursed if you do not shave or tend it.
  
  114
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Table 9-4: Hair Style
  Generally a braid begins at the top of the head and weaves the 
  entire hair; a plait begins lower, with only the hair below the 
  ear line. Countless styles are possible, as well as placements 
  and angles, this table is but a tiny selection. Men tend to wear 
  their hair short or even-haired.
  Roll
  Hairstyle
  Description
  1
  Fishtail plait
  Only the lowest hairs 
  are platted, in very tight 
  formation
  2
  Loose plait
  A thickly plaited style that 
  hangs freely
  3
  Northern braid
  A tight braid that starts at 
  the brow
  4
  Curled Plait
  A plait or plaits is curled 
  into a bun or buns.
  5
  Bar Plait
  A thin tight plait is pinned 
  in a line across the hair.
  6
  Plait Ponytail
  The hair is pinched with 
  a band, then the remained 
  plaited
  7
  Waterfall braid
  A band binds the hair 
  loosely around neck level
  8
  Ponytail braid
  The top of the hair is 
  braided half way, the rest 
  hangs loose
  9
  Inside out braid
  The Northern braid done 
  in reverse
  10
  Conquistador roll
  Hot cylinders are used to 
  mould the hair into high 
  wavy hills
  Table 9-5: Blood Curse
  Estalians do not have Dooming ceremonies—they are less sus-
  picious people than those of the benighted Empire. However, 
  they certainly do believe that a person's blood—his family 
  line—carries with it an almost inescapable curse to mimic the 
  behaviour and attributes of his ancestors. Decide whose blood 
  was stronger, your mother or your fathers, and then roll to 
  see what curse came with it. Or roll twice for the curse you 
  inherited from each parent.
  Estalians often choose a Shieldmaiden to rule over their life, 
  see Chapter Eight.
  Roll
  Blood Curse
  01 – 03
  Ambitious
  04 – 06
  Arrogant
  07 – 09
  Betrayed
  10 – 12
  Boastful
  13 – 15
  Brutal
  16 – 18
  Contrary
  19 – 21
  Cowardly
  22 – 24
  Credulous
  25 – 27
  Cruel
  28 – 30
  Debtor
  31 – 33
  Disfigured
  34 – 36
  Dishonourable
  37 – 39
  Faltering
  40 – 42
  Forgotten
  43 – 45
  Glutton or Sot
  46 – 48
  Greedy
  49 – 51 
  Hesitant
  52 – 54
  Imprudent
  55 – 57
  Impudent
  58 – 60
  Luckless
  61 – 63
  Mendacious
  64– 66
  Morose
  67 – 69
  Niggardly
  70 – 72
  Obsessed
  73 - 75
  Obstinate
  76 - 78
  Petty
  79 - 81
  Prattler
  82 – 84
  Rake or Trollop
  85 - 87
  Reckless
  88 - 90
  Seditious
  91 - 93
  Slovenly
  94 - 95
  Unloved
  96 - 97
  Vain
  98 - 100
  Vengeful
  
  115
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Table 9-6: Headwear
  The sun beats down hard in Estalia, and the hat is ubiquitous 
  among men. Women who cannot afford a parasol or closed 
  sedan chair may also cover their heads. Roll 1d10 or choose 
  your style below.
  Roll
  Headwear for Men
  Headwear for Ladies
  1
  Bandanna or Scarf
  Bonnet
  2
  Beret or Bonnet
  Band
  3
  Bicorne or Tricorne
  Fascinator
  4
  Boater or Porkpie
  Hood
  5
  Bowler or Berretina
  Peaked
  6
  Chullo or Fez
  Scarf 
  7
  Cordobes or Chupalla Snood
  8
  Fedora or Panama
  Tiara
  9
  Target or Slouch
  Veil
  10
  Special or None
  Special or None
  Table 9-7: Feather
  Men and women alike adorn their headwear, buckles or jew-
  ellery with exotic feathers, sometimes used to express subtle 
  codes.
  Roll
  Hat Feather
  Possible Meaning
  1
  Peacock
  Handsome/Beautiful
  2
  Grouse
  Honourable
  3
  Griffon
  Fearless
  4
  Hippogriff
  Deadly
  5
  Ostrich
  Strong
  6
  Pheasant
  Steadfast
  7
  Hawk
  Swift
  8
  Eagle
  Clever
  9
  Teradon
  Well Travelled
  10
  Bird of Paradise
  Seductive
  *indicates a new career in this book.
  **Could be a Caballero or a Hidalgo, although the former, 
  in Estalia, might also fall to powerful Burghers or wealthy 
  Tradesmen. Likewise those in the noble career might not 
  fit the Empire sense of that word until they reach Courtier, 
  Border Courtier or similar heights The WFRP career system 
  cannot necessarily capture the social complexities of Estalian 
  nobility.
  Table 9-8: Career
  Roll
  Career
  01
  Agitator
  02
  Apprentice Wizard
  03-04
  Bailiff
  05-06
  Barber-Surgeon
  07-09
  Bounty Hunter (Rodolero)
  10-12
  Burgher (Dominar)
  13-14
  Cadet 
  15
  Coachman
  16-23
  Diestro
  24-26
  Entertainer
  27
  Falconer*
  28-31
  Fisherman
  32-33
  Hunter
  34-40
  Initiate
  41
  Jailer
  42-43
  Jinete*
  44-45
  Marine
  46
  Messenger
  47
  Miner
  48-49
  Noble**
  50
  Outlaw
  51-53
  Peasant
  54-55
  Pikeman*
  56
  Pit Fighter (Luchador)
  57
  Rat Catcher
  58-59
  Roadwarden (Vigilares)
  60-62
  Rogue
  63-64
  Scribe
  65-69
  Seaman
  70-71
  Servant
  72-73
  Smuggler
  74-76
  Soldier
  77-79
  Student
  80-83
  Swordhand*
  84-85
  Thief
  86
  Tomb Robber
  87-88
  Torero*
  89-92
  Tradesman
  93-94
  Vagabond
  95
  Valet
  96-97
  Watchman (Proteges)
  98
  Woodsman
  99-00
  Zealot
  
  116
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Optional Rules : Your Lord’s Title
  Estalian has more kings, queens, lords, ladies, princes, princesses, duqes, duqesses, condes and vicondes, grandees, marquees and 
  principese it can be hard to keep them all straight. As such, almost every head of state in the land gains a nickname or appella-
  tion. Players can use this to generate the name of their current ruler, and GMs can use it to produce rulers on demand.
  Roll
  Appellation
  01
  The Very Old
  02
  The Fat
  03
  The Bald
  04
  The Beautiful
  05
  The Younger
  06
  The Hideous
  07
  The Virginal
  08
  The Source of All Light
  09
  The Treasure of the Earth
  10
  The Giant of the Stones
  11
  Of the Mountains and the 
  Valleys
  12
  The Sailor
  13
  The Sky-borne
  14
  The Shining Star
  15
  The Furious
  16
  The Morning Sun
  17
  The Great Architect
  18
  The Felon
  19
  The Most Indeed Holy
  20
  The Farmer
  21
  The Hermit
  22
  The Grand and Opulent
  23
  Of the Distant Shores
  24
  Of the Sad Fates
  25
  The Barren
  26
  The Mad
  27
  The Cursed
  28
  The Lance-Struck
  29
  The Profligate
  30
  The Death Of Vampires
  31
  The Dark
  32
  The Cowardly
  33
  The Betrayed
  34
  The Arabyan
  35
  The North-Born
  36
  The Strange
  37
  The Orc-Hammer
  38
  The Green
  Roll
  Appellation
  39
  Of The Gall-Bladder
  40
  The Sickly
  41
  The Desired By All
  42
  The Restorer Of Liberty
  43
  The Citizen Most High
  44
  Of Great and Noble Learning
  45
  The Foolish
  46
  The Fortunate
  47
  The Virile
  47
  The Universal Spider
  49
  The Intemperate
  50
  The Mighty Octopus
  51
  The Loud
  52
  Of the Blaring Trumpet
  53
  The Cannibal
  54
  The Shiny
  55
  The Lackhanded
  56
  The Forgotten
  57
  The Oily
  58
  The Infant
  59
  The Pustulent
  60
  The Father/Mother of the 
  People
  61
  The Wayward and Wandering
  62
  The Wicked
  63
  The Aromatic
  64
  The Confused
  65
  Of the Firmness
  66
  The Curly
  67
  The Chaste
  68
  The Elbow-High
  69
  The Lazy
  70
  The Stammerer
  71
  The Simple
  72
  The Whorish
  73
  The Bearer of All the World
  74
  Of the Elven Heart
  75
  Of the Skimbleshanks
  76
  Of the Long Beard
  Roll
  Appellation
  77
  The Quarreller
  78
  The Posthumous
  79
  The Twice-Born
  80
  The Drunk
  81
  The Enormous
  82
  The Well-Endowed
  83
  The Vexed
  84
  Of the Great Bellow
  85
  The Fashionable
  86
  The Tanglefooted
  87
  The Hunchbacked
  88
  The Mutant
  89
  Of the Tiny Shoes
  90
  The Wizard-Burner
  91
  The Dwarf-Lover
  92
  The Hat-Hater
  93
  The Horse-Eater
  94
  The Lily Of the Field
  95
  The Donkey-Eared
  96
  The Blood-drinker
  97
  The Nude
  98
  The Asleep
  99
  The Stampede
  100
  Of The Plummeting 
  
  117
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Estalian Careers
  Swords of the South contains the following new careers. Most are very specific to the Estalian Kingdoms and play-
  ers not adventuring in those lands should ask their GM for permission before taking these careers for their charac-
  ters—but otherwise there are no rules restrictions beyond the standard rules.
  New Basic Careers: Falconer, Jinete, Pikeman, Swordhand, Torero
  New Advanced Careers: Guitarrista, Inquisitor, Maestro, Maestro Verdadero Myrmidon, Tercio
  ─Falconer─
  Falconry is a popular sport amongst the nobility and wealthy 
  of the Old World. The actual task of breeding, training and 
  caring for them, however, is regarded by all but a few as terribly 
  tiresome. It requires great care and patience to breed, raise and 
  tame any bird, and getting them to take a hood, follow a lure 
  and return without a tie requires far more effort than getting a 
  hound to follow a scent. Falconers are thus true craftsmen and 
  look down on other, more casual animal trainers, and typically 
  find their services high in demand by the high and mighty. For 
  the priesthood of Myrmidia in Estalia, caring for birds is often 
  part of their training, and those particularly adept at it will 
  sometimes devote themselves entirely to the task. The birds are 
  sometimes kept simply for devotional purposes but most priests 
  of any substantial rank also partake in hunting with the birds. 
  Others wear them at official events or use them in sacred rites; 
  in all cases the precision of the falconer is indispensable.
  ─Falconer Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  -
  +10%
  -
  -
  +15%
  +20%
  -
  +15%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  -
  +1
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Theology) or Academic Knowl-
  edge (Genealogy/Heraldry), Animal Care, Animal Training, 
  Concealment, Outdoor Survival, Perception, Scale Sheer 
  Surface, Set Trap, Silent Move, Trade (Falconer)
  Talents: Acute Hearing, Excellent Vision, Rover
  Trappings: Bird of Prey (Eagle, Falcon, Merlin or Hawk) with 
  Hood, Leather Jerkin, Stout Leather Gauntlet, Lure on a Rope, 
  Cadge for carrying birds, Knife, Animal Trap, Large Collection 
  of Interesting Scars 
  Career Entries: Animal Trainer (Career Companion), Char-
  coal Burner, Hunter, Initiate (Cult of Myrmidia only), Noble, 
  Priest (Cult of Myrmidia only), Servant, Woodsman
  Career Exits: Animal Trainer (Career Companion), Entertainer, 
  Hunter, Initiate (Cult of Myrmidia only), Steward
  ─ Jinete ─
  The first Jinetes were herdsmen and drovers, drafted as light 
  cavalry to fight in the Reconquista. From these humble ori-
  gins rose a proud tradition of professional soldiers, and most 
  noble houses in Estalia today have an Escuadrilla of Jinetes 
  under their banner. Jinetes fight as skirmishers, harassing 
  massed infantry or formations of slower, heavier cavalry with 
  hails of Javelins or engaging missile infantry or disorganized 
  formations with sword and shield in daring cavalry charges. 
  They have little taste for the mundane, unglamorous respon-
  sibilities of light cavalry (like scouting or foraging), leaving 
  these to the armies’ Outriders. Instead, they constantly try to 
  outdo each other in daring feats of horsemanship, daredevilry 
  and sheer bravado, both on and off the battlefield, and in both 
  realms spend lavishly on fantastic and outlandish costume. To 
  them, it’s all just a means of getting the attention and favour 
  of the Maiden Myrmidia.
  ─Jinete Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +5%
  +10%
  -
  +5%
  +5%
  +5%
  -
  +5%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  -
  +2
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Animal Care, Charm, Common Knowledge (Esta-
  lia), Consume Alcohol, Dodge Blow, Ride, Secret Language 
  (Battle Tongue), Speak Language (Estalian)
  Talents: Quick Draw, Stout-Hearted, Sure Shot, Trick 
  Riding
  Trappings: Light Armour (Plate Helmet and Leather Jack), 
  Shield, Saddle Case w/ 8 Javelins, 10 Yards of Rope, Light 
  Warhorse with Saddle and Harness, one set of Best Crafts-
  manship Clothes
  Career Entries: Militiaman, Outrider, Soldier, Torero
  Career Exits: Estalian Diestro, Mercenary, Noble, Pistolier, 
  Sergeant, Tercio, Vagabond, Veteran
  
  118
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  ─ Pikeman ─
  The north is no stranger to the halberd and the spear but the 
  units of men bearing twenty-foot long heavy polearms that 
  destroy cavalry are idiosyncratic of the south. Tilean and Estal-
  ian armies, both mercenary and state, use them as standard, and 
  many a famous Pikemen mercenary company has wandered for 
  far distant lands in search of better pay, spreading the fearsome 
  reputation. In Tilea, pikemen are something akin to diestros: fa-
  mous for their bravery, the security they provide and their wide 
  travel. Thus Estalian pikemen pride themselves on being elite 
  so they may exceed the reputation of their neighbours. This and 
  their reputation for typically facing down cavalry charges and 
  artillery strikes makes them feel above regular infantry, who in 
  turn see them as cowards too scared to fight a man face to face. 
  Many a tavern brawl has been between swordsman and pikeman.
  ─Pikeman Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +10%
  -
  +10%
  +5%
  +5%
  -
  +5%
  +10%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  +1
  +1
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Genealogy/Heraldry) or Com-
  mon Knowledge (Estalia), Animal Care or Gamble, Dodge 
  Blow, Gossip or Haggle, Ride or Drive, Perception or Search, 
  Secret Language (Battle Tongue), Speak Language (Estalian)
  Talents: Disarm or Quick Draw, Specialist Weapon Group 
  (Two-handed), Strike Mighty Blow, Strike to Injure, Strike to 
  Stun
  Trappings: Light Armour (Plate Helmet and Leather Jack), 
  Estalian Pike*, Shield
  Career Entries: Mercenary, Militiaman, Soldier, Watchman
  Career Exits: Bodyguard, Bounty Hunter, Outlaw, Sergeant, 
  Tercio, Veteran
  *Rules for the Pike are described in the Old World Armory; if 
  you do not have a copy simply use the rules for Spear.
  ─Swordhand ─
  Swordhands are to the Estalians much like what the squire 
  is to the knights of the north. In Estalia, not just diestros 
  but all types of young men and women study and live by 
  their sword, and may have need of a swordhand to help. At 
  a young age, even six or seven, boys and girls will find any 
  kind of Viajero and become their swordhand (much to their 
  parents relief at not having another mouth to feed, but fear 
  that they have chosen some hopeless drunk the child has 
  covered in false honour). Their official tasks are to carry 
  their master's sword when he does not, bring it to him when a 
  duel begins, and to polish and sharpen it for him every night, 
  but duties can also extend to every duty required of a servant 
  or dogsbody. Jokes do abound about Swordhands polishing 
  more than just swords—but such jokes are not made in front 
  of Swordhands, for they all soon become Viajeros and would 
  take their revenge.
  ─Swordhand Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +10%
  -
  +5%
  -
  +5%
  +5%
  +5%
  +5%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  -
  +2
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Animal Care or Drive, Common Knowledge (Esta-
  lia), Dodge Blow, Evaluate or Heal, Gossip or Search, Nav-
  igation or Outdoor Survival, Perception, Speak Language 
  (Estalian), Trade (Cook)
  Talents: Etiquette or Flee!, Orientation or Seasoned Travel-
  ler, Specialist Weapon Group (Fencing)
  Trappings: Fencing weapon (Foil or Rapier). Light Armour 
  (Leather Jack), Shield, one set of Good Craftsmanship 
  Clothing
  Careers Entries: Camp Follower, Peasant, Servant
  Careers Exits: Bodyguard, Camp Follower, Estalian Diestro, 
  Herald, Servant, Squire, Student, Thief, Veteran
  
  119
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  ─ Torero ─
  The Torero is the main star on the toreo performances. They 
  fight the toros (bulls) in a deadly and defying act everyone else 
  would consider insane. The bull fight it is more like an acting 
  performance than a simple slaughter; if the Torero kills the 
  bulls too quickly and safely the audience surly be disappointed. 
  Because of that, they must perform a deadly dance with the bull, 
  risking their lives in every move, teasing their beast adversary 
  till it is the right time to kill it, gaining the crowd admiration 
  and love. A good Torero could be as famous and renowned as a 
  good imperial actor or minor hero, and the career opens doors 
  into every rank and realm of society.
  ─Torero Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +5%
  +5%
  +5%
  -
  +10%
  -
  +10%
  +10%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  -
  +2
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Charm, Common Knowledge (Estalia), Doge Blow, 
  Perform (Corrida de Toreo), Perform (Actor) or Ride, Speak 
  Language (Estalian)
  Talents: Coolheaded or Stout-Hearted, Etiquette, Flee! or 
  Lightning Reflexes, Quick Draw, Strike to Injure 
  Trappings: One set of Best Craftsmanship Torero Clothes, 
  Duelling Cape, Perfume or Cologne, 1d10 Bandarillhas (use stats 
  for Javelins), Bull’s ear, horn or hoof trophy
  Careers Entries: Entertainer, Estalian Diestro, Pit Fighter
  Careers Exits: Charlatan, Border Courtier, Duellist, 
  Entertainer, Estalian Diestro, Noble, Pit Fighter
  ─Guitarrista (Advanced) ─
  The guitarras origins lie in the Arabyan version of the lute, 
  the zitar, which were left abandoned when the occupiers were 
  removed. Keen to chronicle their lost history in verse and 
  song but unwilling to use the weapon of their conquerors 
  they added two strings to create what soon would become 
  their national instrument. Although many Estalians from all 
  walks of life may endeavour to play the guitarra, there are 
  those few who dedicate their lives to the perfection of the 
  art, much as the Diestro does with swordplay. In fact, when 
  two or more Guitarristas meet and play, they often engage in 
  what is called a Duello del Alma, or duel of the soul, as the 
  musicians bare their hearts to their audience through their 
  music. Guitarristas travel far and collect tales and histories 
  as they go, so they are no strangers to duels of swords either, 
  but though they sing often of oaths and promises their life 
  is almost always devoted to nothing but music and the road. 
  Few other than the very old settle down in one place, a fact 
  that makes them all the more alluring, especially to young 
  Señioritas, much to the frustration of the young ladies’ 
  fathers.
  ─Guitarrista Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +10%
  +5%
  -
  +10%
  +10%
  +10%
  +10%
  +20%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  -
  +4
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (History), Charm or 
  Intimidate, Common Knowledge (Estalia), Common 
  Knowledge (any two), Disguise or Gossip, Gamble or 
  Haggle, Navigation, Outdoor Survival, Perception, 
  Performer (Musician), Performer (Singer or Storyteller), 
  Read/Write, Ride or Swim, Speak Language (any two)
  Talents: Acute Hearing, Ambidextrous or Lightning 
  Reflexes, Etiquette, Luck or Sixth Sense, Perfect Pitch (see 
  New Talents, below), Public Speaking, Savvy or Suave, 
  Specialist Weapon Group (Fencing), Streetwise
  Trappings: Good quality Guitarra, One set of Good Quality 
  clothes, Broken Heart or Palpable Ennui
  Career Entries: Entertainer, Courtier, Minstrel
  Career Exits: Agitator, Courtier, Estalian Diestro, Explorer, 
  Messenger, Minstrel, Outlaw
  
  120
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  ─ Inquisitor (Advanced) ─
  The Inquisitors of Estalia are unique in the priestly classes of 
  the Old World. They can command authority like an Abbot, 
  yet rarely take a directional role. They command respect like 
  an Anointed Priest, but do not seek out the public light. They 
  strike fear like a Templar, but wield no weapons except, perhaps, 
  the thumbscrew and the rack. They have enormous power, 
  unfettered reach and a vast remit to find heresy in any form in 
  any place, but they must act in relative secrecy and solitude, 
  with all the paranoia of a spymaster but without the comforting 
  madness of the flagellant. Their victims, however, would never 
  pity them.
  ─Inquisitor Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +10%
  +10%
  +5%
  +10%
  +10%
  +20%
  +35%
  +25%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  +1
  +6
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Magic), Academic Knowledge 
  (Necromancy), Academic Knowledge (Theology), Charm, 
  Common Knowledge (any one), Gossip, Intimidate, Heal, 
  Perception, Read/Write, Search, Silent Move, Speak Language 
  (any one), Speak Language (Classical), Torture
  Talents: Coolheaded, Menacing, Schemer, Streetwise, Strike to 
  Injure, Strong-Minded, Surgery, Unsettling
  Trappings: Blessed Water, Dark robes, Manacles, Medium 
  Armour (Full Mail Armour), Religious relic of Myrmidia, 
  Torture devices, Writing Kit, 10 Yards of Rope, Burning Pas-
  sion For Rooting Out Heresy
  Careers Entries: Abbot (Myrmidia only), Anointed Priest 
  (Myrmidia only), Flagellant, Interrogator, Scholar, Spy
  Careers Exits: High Priest, Politician, Vampire Hunter, Witch 
  Hunter
  ─Maestro (Advanced) ─
  Many Diestros find that they are not content with a mere 
  proficiency in the true art and noble science of Maestro 
  Figueroa, and set out to obtain more comprehensive under-
  standing of the science behind the sword. Studying under 
  Maestros of the sword, often in the academias, or fencing 
  schools, they grow in both academic knowledge and mar-
  tial skill until they become Maestros in their own right. 
  During and after this process, they often travel, learning 
  the noble science from many Maestros, and some travel to 
  Tilea, Bretonnia or across the Old World for a different 
  perspective. Because of their mastery of both swordplay and 
  science, they are often brought to court to educate nobles and 
  their sons, and are frequently employed to provide lessons 
  for students facing duels or judicial challenges. In times of 
  need, Maestros may even be sent out to fight Estalia’s most 
  dangerous adversaries.
  ─Maestro Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +25%
  -
  +10%
  +10%
  +20%
  +15%
  +5%
  +15%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  +1
  +4
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
   
  -
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Science), Academic Knowl-
  edge (Any One), Dodge Blow, Read/Write, Speak Language 
  (Estalian), Intimidate, Perception, Secret Language (De-
  streza)
  Talents: Destreza Gestures (Choose two), Lightning Reflex-
  es or Quick Draw, Strike to Stun or Strike to Injure, Disarm 
  or Swashbuckler, Specialist Weapon Group (Parrying)
  Trappings: Best Quality Rapier or Foil or Epee, Main 
  Gauche, Set of Best Craftsmanship Clothes, healing draught, 
  several books on la Destreza, Intriguing Scar(s)
  Career Entries: Cadet, Estalian Diestro, Duellist
  Career Exits: Border Courtier, Highwayman, Knight, Maes-
  tro Verdadero, Scholar, Sergeant, Spy
  
  121
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  ─ Maestro Verdadero (Advanced) ─
  Scattered throughout Estalia are academies where the art of 
  swordsmanship is taught. These academias are often run by a 
  Maestro Verdadero—a Maestro of vast experience and skill 
  who has studied extensively and has earned the right to operate 
  an academia and train other Maestros. Unlike their students 
  Maestros Verdaderos are familiar with not only the work of 
  Figueroa, but also of several other important Maestros, in-
  cluding Figueroa’s own teacher, Maestro Castaneta. Maestros 
  Verdaderos are not only masters of the sword with few peers, 
  they are also capable of great scholarly work and research, and 
  many choose to write extensively on la Destreza (and also on 
  non-martial subjects). One particularly prolific author of books 
  on la Destreza is Maestro Enarmáez, whose works frequently 
  disparage the other Maestros in his home city of Belmoz in not-
  so-subtle ways.
  ─Maestro Verdadero  Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +40% -
  +15%
  +15%
  +25%
  +20%
  +15%
  +20%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  +2
  +6
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Any Two), Dodge Blow, Read/
  Write, Speak Language (Estalian), Speak Language (Classical), 
  Perception, Secret Language (Destreza)
  Talents: Destreza Gestures (Choose two), Lightning Parry or 
  Ambidextrous
  Trappings: Several Best Quality fencing weapons, Fencing 
  Academy with 2d10 students, large library containing 1d10 of 
  your own volumes, Abiding Despair for the Younger Genera-
  tion
  Career Entries: Maestro
  Career Exits: Assassin, Captain, Champion, Courtier
  ─Myrmidon (Advanced) ─
  The Maiden has her Templars, but such is her reach into 
  every day life that there are those who pledge their battle 
  to Her without being members of the Church. They do 
  typically dwell in large towers usually close to temples and 
  decorated with religious devotion, however, and foreigners 
  are naturally confused. They often work with the church as 
  well, guarding priests, pilgrimages or holy sites. Others work 
  as enforcers or honour guards for Hidalgos, or seek fame in 
  the upper realms of gladiatorial battles, far removed from the 
  savagery of Empire pit fights. Myrmidons do however shun 
  armour and most weapons, preferring to wrestle or use short 
  blades, or exotic weapons like flails, nets or whips—anything 
  that requires special training and long devotion
  ─Myrmidon Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +20%
  -
  +20%
  +10%
  +20%
  -
  +20%
  -
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  +1
  6
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
   
  Skills: Academic Knowledge (Theology), Dodge Blow, 
  Secret Language (Battle Tongue), Speak Language (Estalian)
  Talents: Coolheaded, Disarm or Strike Mighty Blow, Spe-
  cialist Weapon Group (Parrying or Two-handed), Specialist 
  Weapon Group (Entangling or Flail), Strike to Injure, 
  Wrestling
  Trappings: A Treatise on Sparring and Wrestling, Three Best 
  Quality Weapons, Religious Symbol of Myrmidia
  Career Entries: Knight, Maestro, Pit Fighter, Veteran
  Career Exits: Champion, Judicial Champion, Initiate (Cult 
  of Myrmidia Only), Sergeant
  
  122
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  ─ Tercio (Advanced) ─
  The Estalians have developed the pikeman into the perfect 
  infantryman, in the form of the tercio. Disciplined, fearless and 
  highly skilled in the arts of pike, sword, javelin, buckler, and 
  firearms, the tercio makes for a formidable foe on the battle-
  field. They are also highly sought-after mercenaries, although 
  lords who train tercios will pay very well to keep them at home 
  and loyal to their crown. So Tercios wander less, but their num-
  bers are often drawn from non-Estalians, as they like to learn 
  to use all styles of weapons and indeed learn how to beat the 
  charges of Bretonnian knights, Empire cannon and Norscan fury. 
  Tercios are often tercios for life, and the bonds of those in the 
  same unit (or square as they are known) are never forgotten.
  ─Tercio Advance Scheme─
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  WP
  Fel
  +20%
  +20%
  +10%
  +20%
  +10%
  +10%
  +25%
  -
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  +1
  +6
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  -
  Skills: Common Knowledge (Estalia), Dodge Blow, Gamble or 
  Haggle, Heal, Intimidate, Secret Language (Battle Tongue)
  Talents: Lightning Parry, Master Gunner, Mighty Shot, Quick 
  Draw, Specialist Weapon Group (Gunpowder), Specialist Weap-
  on Group (Parrying), Specialist Weapon Group (Two-handed), 
  Stout-Hearted, Strike Mighty Blow, Strike to Injure
  Trappings: Medium Armour (Full Leather Armour, Breastplate, 
  Plate Helmet), Estalian Pike* or Halberd, Pistol or Firearm, 
  Main Gauche or Buckler or 2 Javelins, Bottle of Best Crafts-
  manship Wine, Lucky Charm
  Career Entries: Pikeman, Soldier
  Career Exits: Captain, Duellist, Sergeant, Judicial Champion, 
  Veteran
  *Rules for the Pike are described in the Old World Armory 
  p32; if you do not have a copy simply use the rules for Spear.
  New Talents – Collected
  A selection of New Talents appear elsewhere in the book, we 
  collect them here again for your convenience.
  New Talent: Fire-Blooded
  You may add +20% to Willpower Tests to resist Charm 
  or Intimidation attempts, but suffer -10% to any Willpower 
  Tests made to resist gaining a disorder due to an Insani-
  ty Point increase. Any Character raised in Bilbali or its 
  surrounds may exchange one of their starting Talents for 
  Fire-Blooded.
  New Talent: Literary
  Your education is such that you gain +10% to all Academic 
  Knowledge Tests. Any Character raised in Magritta or its 
  surrounds may exchange one of their starting Talents for 
  Literary.
  New Talent: Magical Theorist
  Having studied the art of science and mathematics you know 
  how well theory and planning can help grasp the strangeness 
  of both the natural and arcane world. Each morning, you may 
  spend one hour studying the theory of a number of spells 
  up to your Magic Characteristic. When casting those spells 
  and only those spells over the next day, you may ignore one 
  die rolled when spellcasting as a way of avoiding Tzeentch's 
  Curse. In this way a quadruple becomes a triple, a triple 
  becomes a double, and a double causes no Curse to occur. The 
  ignored die may not be added to your casting total. You may 
  substitute Magical Theorist for Channelling in any Wizard 
  Career. You may never possess both Magical Theorist and 
  Channelling; it is one or the other.
  New Talent: Perfect Pitch
  You have a perfect ear for music. You gain +10% bonus to 
  Performer (Musician) and Performer (Singer) Skill Tests 
  and +10% to Evaluate and Haggle tests regarding musical 
  instruments. You can also learn a song simply by hearing it.
  
  123
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Narrative Naval Battles
  With nautical expeditions so much a part of Estalian life, you 
  may wish to simulate naval combat. The following rules can be 
  combined with those provided in the Career Compendium to 
  do so.
  Every round of naval combat lasts about 10 minutes. A fleet 
  commander must spend a Half Action issuing orders, and select 
  his fleet’s tactic:
  Manoeuvres: The fleet seeks to achieve a superior position 
  whilst avoiding major damage.
  Engagement: The fleet turns broadsides to the enemy and fires 
  cannons.
  Evasion: The fleet attempts to disengage or break through a 
  blockade.
  Boarding: The fleet closes with enemy ships to deploy marines.
  Commanders with the Academic Knowledge (Strategy & 
  Tactics) skill may know their opponent’s tactic before choos-
  ing theirs. If both commanders have the skill, an Opposed 
  Test determines who must choose first (ties mean “no advan-
  tage”). Once tactics have been selected, each commander rolls 
  a Command Test and consults the table for results. The result 
  before the slash is applied if the Command Test was passed, 
  otherwise the second result is applied. The results are applied 
  to both ships/commanders. Damage dealing is resolved before 
  disengagement.
  Commander Tactic
  Enemy Tactic
  Manoeu-
  vres
  Engage-
  ment
  Evasion
  Board-
  ing
  Manoeuvres
  +10% / 
  -10%
  +20% / --
  +20% / 
  -20%
  +10% 
  / --
  Engagement
  10% / 2%
  20% / 5%
  5% / 1%
  40% / 
  20%
  Evasion
  30% / 10% 60% / 
  20%
  100% / 
  100%
  40% / --
  Boarding
  10% / --
  40% / 
  20%
  20% / --
  50% / 
  25%
  Manoeuvres = modifier to your next round’s Command Test
  Engagement = inflict Hull Points equal to the listed percentage 
  of your fleet’s guns
  Evasion = % chance of evading the enemy
  Boarding = inflict Casualty Points equal to the listed 
  percentage of your fleet’s marines, and lose Casualty Points 
  equal to 1d10% of the enemy fleet’s marines
  Each fleet has a number of Hull Points equal to its total guns 
  (see Shades of Empire). Casualty Points are equal to the 
  fleet’s total number of fighting men. Offensive firepower 
  degrades as damage is taken. The GM may decide exactly 
  how damage is distributed among ships and crews.
  The Art of Fencing – 
  La Destreza Verdadera 
  Estalians call it the “true art”. More than poetry, more than 
  lovemaking, the greatest art of the Estalian peninsular is 
  mastering the sword. Every one of caballero level or above 
  (and many more below) wears a narrow blade at his hip—or 
  her hip, for the sword is just as in fashion with the ladies. 
  The emphasis on skill rather than pure strength makes it an 
  equalizer, and allows the commoner to face off against a great 
  hidalgo. The class struggle of Estalia is sometimes fought in 
  bloody duels where neither money nor ancient heritage can 
  save you.
  Although the history of fencing is fiercely debated between 
  Estalia and Tilea, from a range of issues covering who created 
  the first fencing school to which favoured style was devel-
  oped in which country, there can be no doubt that Master 
  Figueroa of Estalia was the first to apply the latest scientific 
  theories to his swordplay. These new techniques revolution-
  ised the art of swordplay, creating a system that is known 
  today as fencing.
  Master Figueroa’s pupils in the art of fencing spread these 
  new techniques across the southern lands of Estalia and Tilea, 
  and over time made subtle changes to the original system 
  to better favour their own particular style. In all the major 
  settlements of the southern lands a school can be found that 
  teaches a particular style of the art of fencing, and the largest 
  have several schools that compete between each other for the 
  honour of being labelled the best style. In order to achieve 
  this without to much bloodletting a system of rules was set 
  in place, so that pupils could hone their skills in ‘friendly’ 
  competitions. Although a number of duels are still fought to 
  the death over matters of honour between feuding schools 
  and even in-fighting amongst students of a school.
  Schools and Tournaments
  A number of different schools of fencing have come and 
  gone over the years, though the teachings of Master Figueroa 
  have remained a firm favourite. 
  
  124
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  The various different styles of fencing are typically known by 
  the surnames of the fencing scholar that created it, other than 
  Master Figueroa’s teachings which are known as the classical 
  style and is represented by the Estalian Diestro career (see 
  WRFP page 38 and TCC page 69). The other styles use the 
  classical form as a template, but distinguish themselves by 
  focusing on an alternative form not found within the classical, 
  as such a Talent within the Estalian Diestro career is substituted 
  by the Talent that defines the particular style.
  There a number of different formats to tournaments, and there 
  are both individual and team competitions which may comprise 
  of the use of all three fencing swords or as a specific challenge, 
  such as the Épée Challenge. Unlike most other lands, the 
  Estalian Kingdoms allow women to compete, but they are 
  generally separated from the men in high-level tournaments. 
  Mixed-gender tournaments are more commonplace at 
  lower-level events, such as between individual fencing schools 
  or as an in-school event. There are two types of event, individual 
  and team, with the individual event comprising of two parts, the 
  pools and the direct eliminations.
  In pools, fencers are divided into groups of equal numbers and 
  every fencer is given the chance to fence every other fencer in 
  their pool once. After the pools are finished, the fencers are 
  given a ranking or “seed”, compared to all other fencers in the 
  competition, based primarily on the percentage of bouts won, 
  then based secondarily on the difference between touches they 
  scored and the touches they received.  Once the rankings have 
  been determined the direct elimination round starts. Fencers are 
  sorted into a table of some power of 2 (16, 32, 64, etc) based on 
  how many people are competing.
  Due to the fact that is highly unlikely for the number of 
  fencers to be exactly a power of two, the fencers with the 
  best results are given byes or the bottom seeded fencers are 
  eliminated. Typically no one has to fence for third place (the 
  exception is if the tournament is a qualifying competition 
  with limited slots for continuation). Instead, two bronze 
  medals are awarded to the losers of the semi-final round. 
  Team competitions are similar to the pool system used by 
  individuals, except that the team fights as a whole, with each 
  fencer having to fence each member of the opposite team, and 
  their points are collectively grouped together. Team 
  competitions involve events of three fencers, with a fourth 
  fencer allowed as a substitute in case of injury (though this 
  can only be used once).
  In tournaments all fencers wear protective clothes and the 
  blade must only touch your opponent, any blood that is spilt 
  by an individual will see either themselves or their team 
  knocked out of the competition. A match generally last for 3 
  minutes (18 Rounds) and the fencer with the highest number 
  of touches against their opponent wins the match. The areas 
  of the body that are counted as being scored against depend 
  upon the blade being used in the event.
  Épée:  Head, Arms, Torso, and Legs
  Foil:  Torso
  Rapier:  Head, Arms, Torso
  Alternative Styles
  The Diestro career in the core rulebook reflects the skills 
  acquired by classical students of Figueroa’s school. These are 
  the most numerous so to Empire eyes the “standard” Di-
  estro. In Estalia, each Diestro is unique, and may have come 
  from any of the following schools.
  Roll
  Alternative Diestro Style
  1
  Barceló
  2
  Casanova
  3
  De La Vega
  4
  De Macedu
  5
  Esteven
  6
  Garcia
  7
  Lopez
  8
  Mendoza
  9
  Montero
  10
  Valladres
  New Weapon: Épée
  The Épée was developed for use in 
  tournaments as primarily a thrusting 
  weapon that would inflict as little dam-
  age as possible, due to its highly flexible 
  blade. It is therefore rarely seen outside 
  of fencing schools, as most armours 
  will block its thrusts. Still, there are those 
  who find ways to make it deadly, espe-
  cially in unarmoured situations.
  Épée:  Cost 10 gc, Enc 25, Group Fenc-
  ing, Dmg SB-4, Qualities Fast, Precise, 
  Defensive Avail Rare
  
  125
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Barceló
  It is said that of all of Master Figueroa’s original pupils, Master 
  Alejandro Barceló was the most courageous of all. Legends say 
  that he was an exceptional fighter that showed no fear in the 
  face of extreme adversity. You may substitute the Talent Strike 
  Mighty Blow for Stout-Hearted.
  Casanova
  Master Manuel Casanova excelled in tournament fighting, by 
  developing methods to win quickly with minimal injury. 
  A favoured tactic was to disarm an opponent and force a 
  concession. You may substitute the Talent Strike Mighty Blow 
  for Disarm.
  De La Vega
  Amongst all fencers Master Diego de la Vega believed in
   protocol and for diligently following the rules of fencing, and 
  in never injuring an opponent unintentionally. You may 
  substitute the Talent Strike Mighty Blow for Strike to Stun.
  De Macedu
  This style was developed from the teachings of Master Fabio de 
  Macedu, whom is said to have once been a drinker and brawler 
  before learning the art of fencing. Although the art of fencing 
  helped to curb his wayward behaviour, he took what he learnt 
  from the streets and applied them to his style of fencing. You 
  may substitute the Talent Strike Mighty Blow for Street 
  Fighting.
  Estevan
  Rather than use the off-hand for balance, as Master Figueroa 
  advocated, Master Claudius Estevan proposed it should be used 
  for defence and as such always used a weapon in his secondary 
  hand. You may substitute the Talent Strike Mighty Blow for 
  Specialist Weapon Group (Parrying).
  Garcia
  Master Armando Garcia believed that an opponent should be 
  overwhelmed with superior swordplay, but that a fencer should 
  be prepared to fend off a lucky strike that might get past his 
  defences at any time. In order to prepare for such a strike his
   pupils are taught to hone the speed of their reflexes each day. 
  You may substitute the Talent Strike Mighty Blow for 
  Lightning Reflexes.
  Lòpez
  Master Fidel Lòpez was well known in the Court of Magritta 
  as a man with the morals of a common dog and a philanderer. 
  However, his charming and seductive techniques are known 
  to have bedded many a courtier and if rumour is correct even 
  Queen Juana. You may substitute the Talent Strike Mighty 
  Blow for Suave.
  Mendoza
  Master Flavio Mendoza is said to have been Master 
  Figueroa’s favoured pupil, and was known to have a natural 
  flare with the sword. Coming from Bilbali, he approached 
  the art of fencing with what is seen as typical northerners 
  no nonsense approach. You may substitute the Talent Strike 
  Mighty Blow for Warrior Born.
  Montero
  Although it is common practise for the art of fencing to be 
  taught in established schools, Master Rafael Montero be-
  lieved that experience should be gained outside of the safety 
  of a school, roughing it in the countryside. You may substi-
  tute the Talent Strike Mighty Blow for Hardy.
  Valladares
  The art of fencing involves not just skilled swordplay, but 
  boastful taunts designed to anger your opponent so that they 
  make a mistake. Master Armando Valladares used breathing 
  techniques to lessen the chance of losing control; as such you 
  may substitute the Talent Strike Mighty Blow for Cool-
  headed.
  Pursuing The Art
  Many an Estalian dallies with being a Diestro over their 
  lives. Those with the patience and discipline to pursue it 
  further become Maestros, and then, possibly, Maestros 
  Verdaderos. The advances provided by these two careers are 
  discussed in the Career section above but both careers pro-
  vide access to Destreza Gestures—two in the Maestro Career 
  and a further two in Maestro Verdadero. These are purchased 
  with experience exactly like Talents, but have unique effects, 
  specific to your style and school of fencing.
  Diestros are commonplace so wherever they learn will be 
  influenced by one of the ten styles above of Figueroa’s 
  teachings. As they advance, the true idiosyncrasies of their 
  schooling will be revealed, and these are as unique as finger-
  prints. Once you know a man’s sword-style, you will know 
  his teacher, and thus where he grew up and the smells outside 
  his bedside window. Rather than provide a series of schools 
  to choose from, and thus do an injustice to the incredible 
  variety and personal flair of Estalian fencing, we instead 
  provide a series of Gestures (roll or choose from table 9: 
  Destreza Gestures on page 126). The four you choose from 
  reflect the nature of your schooling. Players and GMs are 
  encourage to come up with background and colour to explain 
  their suite of powers. GMs may also allow players who have 
  completed the Maestro Verdadero career to create their own 
  gestures, and indeed, from thence, their own schools.
  All the Gestures listed in the table only apply if you fight 
  with an epee, foil or rapier. The moment you arm yourself 
  with anything else, they cease to work.
  
  126
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Table 9: Destreza Gestures
  Roll
  Style
  Gesture
  01-03
  Alert
  With your sword drawn, 
  You gain +10% to all 
  Dodge tests.
  04-
  06
  Bold
  If you win Initiative, your 
  opponent can only take a 
  Half Action in the first 
  round of combat.
  07-08 Challenging
  One opponent you can see 
  must make a Will Power 
  Test. If he fails, he suffers 
  -20% to all tests if he 
  attacks anyone but you.
  09-11
  Commanding
  One adjacent opponent 
  cannot move away from 
  you until you or he is dead, 
  or you relinquish your 
  Command over him. You 
  may only command one 
  opponent at a time.
  12-14
  Controlling
  Your Attacks gain the 
  Snare Quality.
  15-17
  Cruel
  You gain +20% when 
  taking the Aim action.
  16-19
  Deceptive
  You gain +20% to all Feint 
  attempts.
  20-22
  Eager
  You can end a Run with a 
  Charge Attack.
  23-25
  Elusive
  You may Dodge up to five 
  times per round.
  26-29 Explosive
  In a Swift or Standard 
  Attack, you may make one 
  extra attack, but if you do, 
  all your attacks are at -10% 
  to hit.
  30-32 Fearless
  You may re-roll a failed 
  All-Out Attack (but not 
  one which is dodged or 
  parried).
  33-35 Flamboyant
  You may use your Fellow-
  ship to make Feint, Disarm, 
  Dodge or Parry tests.
  36-37 Furious
  You may Charge even if 
  your opponent is 1 square 
  away.
  38-41
  Gallant
  You gain +20% to the 
  Strength test when at-
  tempting to Strike to Stun.
  Roll
  Style
  Gesture
  42-45
  Insightful
  You gain +10% to all Parry at-
  tempts.
  46-49
  Lively
  When executing a successful 
  Manoeuvre Action, your opponent 
  moves 4 yards (2 squares).
  50-52
  Lunging
  You can attack targets up to 2 yards 
  away without closing on them. This 
  cannot be combined with Sweeping.
  53-56
  Mocking
  One adjacent opponent suffers -20% 
  to attempts to Dodge and Parry un-
  til he is killed or the combat ends. 
  You can only mock one opponent 
  at a time.
  57-59
  Nimble
  Before or after making a Standard 
  Attack action, you may move 2 
  yards (1 square) or Stand/Mount as 
  a free action.
  60-61
  Passionate
  You have the Menacing talent 
  while armed.
  62-63
  Pressing
  On a damaging hit, your opponent 
  moves back 2 yards (1 square). You 
  advance with him.
  64-66 Prudent
  You may Withdraw as a Half 
  Action.
  67-69
  Quick
  You gain +30% to all Initiative 
  rolls.
  70-72
  Resolute
  You may use your Will Power 
  to make Feint, Disarm, Dodge or 
  Parry tests.
  73-75
  Sneaky
  On a successful Int or Fel test, you 
  may gain surprise on a opponent 
  even if they can see you.
  76-79
  Stylish
  If you deal a critical wound or 
  defeat an opponent in the sight of 
  others, you gain +30% to all Fel-
  lowship Tests in that local area for 
  the next twenty four hours.
  80-81
  Sweeping
  When using a Swift Attack, 
  you may Attack every opponent 
  adjacent to you, up to a maximum 
  of five.  You must only attack each 
  opponent once.
  82-84
  Tactical
  You may use your Intelligence 
  to make Feint, Disarm, Dodge or 
  Parry tests 
  85-88
  Thrusting
  Your attacks gain the Armour 
  Piercing Quality.
  
  127
  Chapter IX: Characters and Careers
  Table 9: Destreza Gestures
  Roll
  Style
  Gesture
  89-91
  Unyielding
  You gain +30% to resist being Manoeuvred by an opponent.
  92-94
  Vicious
  After you deal a critical wound or defeat an opponent, all characters within 2 yards (1 
  square) must make a Will Power Test or become Frightened.
  95-97
  Vigilant
  You may Parry up to five times per round, as long as you can parry at all.
  98-99
  Vengeful
  Your attacks gain the Impact Quality if your target has previously wounded you.
  100
  Watchful
  As long as your weapon is drawn, you can never be surprised.
  Example School: The Fandango School teaches its students the Deceptive, Lively, Lunging and Prudent Gestures. It is a 
  school based on movement and footwork, moving forward and back and keeping the enemy at a careful distance. Its practition-
  ers acquire a measured, dance-like step in duels, pacing around their opponents in an almost hypnotic way, and staring at them 
  with a grim, humourless demeanour.
  
  128
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary
  Great Cats
  “Now, I understand why me old father used to 
  tell me to always look back when on the road. 
  These Linces are treacherous creatures, eh?”
  −	
  Tiago	Esperanza,	Tilean	Merchant
  “The Bretons hunt deer, the Empires hunt foxes. 
  We hunt leopoles that hunt us in return, with 
  razor sharp claws and muscles of steel. There are 
  times when no insult is necessary.”
  −	
  Fidel	Invido,	Hidalgo	of	San	Panteras
  The plains and hills of Estalia are a perfect habitat for the great 
  felines, where their quick sprint and stealthy camouflage grants 
  them full advantage while looking for food. Many Estalian 
  nobles go out hunting such animals and the successful ones 
  proudly wear leopard hide over their shoulders. Many hidalgos 
  chose a big cat to feature on their banners and badges, revering 
  them for their agility, beauty or majesty.
  Examples of big cats include lynxes, leopards, panther, lions 
  and pumas. The following stats are for a leopard or panther, the 
  most common beast in the mountains. For lions, add the Very 
  Strong and Very Tough Talents and 3 wounds. For smaller 
  cats, subtract 3 wounds and reduce Strength and Toughness by 
  10.
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  Wil
  Fel
  36%
  0%
  36%
  45%
  52%
  25%
  36%
  35%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1
  17
  3
  4
  6
  -
  -
  Skills: Concealment, Dodge Blow, Follow Trail, Perception, 
  Scale Sheer Surface, Silent Move, Swim
  Talents: Bear Hug (see Realm of the Ice Queen), Strike to 
  Injure, Strike to Stun.
  Traits: Keen Senses, Natural Weapons (Claws), Unsettling
  Camouflage: The natural hide pattern of a great cat grants it 
  +20% to Concealment Tests in the appropriate environments.
  Pounce: Great Cats are incredible jumpers, and can use this as a 
  devastating attack where they place their whole weight at once 
  upon one unlucky foe. After a successful Charge attack by a 
  great cat, the victim must make a Toughness Test or fall prone. 
  If they fall, they also count as being grappled by the beast.
  Armour: None.
  Armour Points: Head: 0 Body: 0 Arms:0 Legs: 0
  Weapons: Claws and fangs
  Slaughter Margin: Average.
  
  129
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary
  Giant Bull
   “I do happen to have the head of one sitting over 
  my fireplace. If you’d join me for a cup of wine, 
  I can show it to you.”
   
  Tiago Esperanza, Tilean Merchant
  “The damned Ox was bigger than my coach. The 
  only reason I’m still alive is because I fell un-
  conscious after it rammed the wagon and I hit 
  my head when it toppled. The noble and his body-
  guards tried to fight or run and the thing caught 
  them and you don’t want to know in how many 
  parts we found ‘em. The wagon? Total loss.”
   
  Magdalena Maria Donnafellana, Linces 
  Coaches
  There are fearsome bulls of great size across the peninsular—
  beasts taller than men with the fury of lions. Then there are the 
  Giant Bulls. These beasts stand over twelve feet tall and are as 
  strong as the giants of legend by whom they were raised. The 
  bulls are solitary creatures, and are rarely seen and only 
  aggressive when threatened—but if a human wanders into 
  their territory in rutting season, he may not live to regret it. 
  Some nobles have tried to hunt them for sport, while others 
  try to bring them down (or distract them by hiring itinerant 
  adventurers to dress in lurid clothing to lead the bulls away) to 
  protect their regular cattle. The giant bulls occasionally search 
  for a domestic herd to procreate with a strong female. When 
  it impregnates one, it tags along with the herd until the calf is 
  born in a labour that kills the mother, and then leaves with its 
  child, to roam the wilds once more. No giant cows have ever 
  been seen.
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  Wil
  Fel
  43%
  0%
  62%
  66%
  31%
  21%
  38%
  11%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  3
  21
  6
  6
  8
  -
  -
  Skills: None
  Talents: Frightening, Unstoppable Blows, Will of Iron.
  Traits: Fearless, Natural Weapons (Hooves, Horns), Keen 
  Senses, Ramming, Terrible Charge
  Ramming: The Giant Bull can easily knock opponents away. 
  On a successful charge attack, for each 2 damage points the Bull 
  deals before discounting armour and toughness, the opponent is 
  knocked back one yard. 
  An agility test is required to remain standing after the attack, 
  with -10% for each yard travelled.
  Terrible Charge: When charging, Giant Bulls gain the Terrify-
  ing quality and its Horns gain the Armour Piercing and Impact 
  quality.
  Armour: Thick hide.
  Armour Points: Head: 1 Body: 1 Arms: 1 Legs: 1
  Weapons: Hooves, Horns
  Slaughter Margin: Hard.
  Jungle Bugs
  “Paquito! Bring me another notation book! I just 
  emptied my boots and I believe I found another 
  dozen species!”
   
  Atten Burro, Explorer for the Badajoz 
  Bankers Consortium
  “I still smile at the memory of Don Rojeso’s 
  twisted corpse and the thought of the harbour lass 
  who sold me the jar containing Jenero’s 
  Wandering Liver Beetle, and of the yards of thick 
  gauze I soon after affixed upon all my win-
  dows.”
   
  Don Alejandro Galan, the new Lord de 
  Oliveira
  The steaming, impenetrable jungles of Lustria are a competitive 
  breeding pit for the most dangerous and vicious insects in the 
  world, and they have found equal homes in the crates and cloths 
  and shipholds—and flesh—of the visitors. 
  
  130
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary
  Many hibernate or lay eggs in sacks and can provide a nasty surprise to a merchant even hundreds of miles from a 
  port—or make it to Estalian shores and spread like wildfire whichever way the wind or their host takes them The 
  scholars who study Lustria are fascinated that the insects seem to have absolutely endless variation, but with one 
  unifying feature: some kind of terrifying defence mechanism, typically fatal or extremely painful to the victim, and 
  usually both. As such they are prized by assassins even more than they are by universities.
  Use the tables below to name your own deadly creatures. See the rules below for how Behaviour effects their abil-
  ities. Note that this entry is for a single insect, because they can be up to the size of a cat. Others attack in Swarms 
  (see the Swarm template in Tome of Corruption).
  Roll Descriptor 
  (see table 
  two)
  Behaviour
  Noun
  Type
  1
  Discoverer
  Creeping
  Wart
  Worm
  2
  Discoverer
  Screaming
  Fire
  Horn
  3
  Colour
  Humming
  Heart
  Beetle
  4
  Colour
  Burrowing
  Death
  Fly
  5
  Size
  Darting
  Blood
  Piercer
  6
  Size
  Reclusive
  Night
  Locust
  7
  Location
  Jumping
  Sun
  Wasp
  8
  Location
  Obstinate
  Grave
  Spider
  9
  Appearance
  Startling
  Lung
  Tick
  0
  Appearance
  Thronging
  Trouser
  Mantis
  Roll
  Discoverer
  Colour
  Size
  Location
  Appearance
  1
  Villaria's
  Yellow
  Tiny
  Common
  Horned
  2
  de Menia's
  Black
  Children's
  Western
  Spined
  3
  Lagunar's
  Blue
  Lesser
  Eastern
  Laced
  4
  Molpeceres'
  Red
  Standard
  Subterranean
  Armoured
  5
  Cacara's
  Green
  Greater
  Nocturnal
  Graceful
  6
  Prieto's
  Speckled
  Giant
  Marshland
  Flat-headed
  7
  Aguerro's
  Iridescent
  Colossal
  Arboreal
  Splendid
  8
  del Torre's
  Striped
  Goliath
  Parasitic
  Patient
  9
  Begel's
  Pallid
  Titan
  Ear-seeking
  False
  0
  Myrmidia's
  Golden
  Legendary
  Inescapable
  Zealous
  
  131
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  Wil
  Fel
  30%
  0%
  2%
  9%
  40%
  5%
  15%
  5%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1
  2
  0
  0
  5
  -
  -
  Skills: Concealment, Perception, Silent Move 
  Talents: Hoverer, Keen Senses, Natural Weapons (Mandibles)
  Traits: Argh It’s On My Leg, Small but Venomous Bug, Too 
  Many Legs, Variation
  Argh It’s On My Leg: Jungle Bugs can climb on any surface, 
  moving at their movement speed. If a Jungle Bug makes a 
  successful Silent Move test or if it deals damage to its target, 
  it may move into its target’s space, gaining +20% to further 
  Weapon Skill Tests against that target. Attacking a Bug on 
  your own body incurs a -10% penalty to Weapon Skill Tests. 
  Small but Venomous Bug: Jungle Bug attacks ignore Armour, 
  but only do SB-4 damage (maximum 1) – this is a change to 
  how its Natural Weapons Talent works. If damage is dealt, you 
  may either improvise a poison attack (see page 122 in the core 
  rulebook for ideas) or the target must make a Hard (-10%) 
  Toughness check or lose an additional 1 Wound every round for 
  the next 1d5 rounds, as they are tormented in agony. Subsequent 
  bites start subsequent agonies.
  Too Many Legs: Jungle Bugs do not have any kind of under-
  standable anatomy. Use the Sudden Death Critical Tables for 
  these creatures. 
  Variation: In order to reflect the huge differences between each 
  type of horrifying critter, the GM may elect to use the table 
  below to help in making life that much more unpleasant for the 
  bugs’ victims.
  • Creeping: Gains +20% to Concealment and Silent Move 
  checks, and +20% to attacks when it has not been 
  observed. 
  • Screaming: Gains the Frightening Talent.
  • Humming: Any target who fails the check against the Small 
  but Venomous Bug poison falls asleep and if not 
  violently awoken (such as through taking damage) before the 
  end of the random duration, they must make a Challenging 
  (-20%) Willpower test or die.
  • Burrowing: Loses Hoverer Talent, but their 
  Mandibles gains the Impact Quality and damage has no 
  maximum. 
  • Darting: Gains +1 Movement, +10% Agility and the Dodge 
  Blow skill
  • Reclusive: Targets who fail their Toughness Bonus as per 
  Small but Venomous Bug ability must make a Toughness 
  check each turn they suffer or lose 2 additional Wounds
  • Jumping: Once per round, if the Jungle Bug hits a target, it 
  may immediately move to and make an additional attack on 
  another target within its move distance
  • Obstinate: When killed, this Bug secretes a sticky ooze 
  (automatically hitting someone in its space, and/or its attacker 
  if killed with a melee weapon). The ooze can only be removed 
  with alcohol or an equally powerful solvent, and stinks terribly. 
  The victim and anyone within two squares (4 yards) of the 
  victim must make a Willpower Test or suffer -20% to all 
  Characteristics on their Main Profile. Whether they make the 
  Willpower Test or not, they also suffer -10% to all Perception 
  tests based on smell. 
  • Startling: Targets attacked by the Jungle Bug are reduced to 
  one half-action for their next round.
  • Thronging: 1d10 rounds after attacking, a Swarm of these 
  pests arrive.
  Armour: None.
  Armour Points: - Body: 0 
  Weapons: Mandibles
  Slaughter Margin: Routine
  Komo Lizard
  “Now, listen to me, eh? It is typical of you 
  northlings to strut around like ‘oh, I know 
  everything, I can go anywhere!’ You’re wrong, eh. 
  You don’t know those hills….They are evil, eh.”
   
  Ricardo Sanchez, Mountain Guide
  “A damned lizard! Can you believe these people? 
  They are so spoiled for their distance from the 
  wastes, that they start fearing damned lizards. 
  Chaos knocks on our doors and we face them with 
  faith and bravery, while the Estalians lock them-
  selves at night, fearing some overgrown newt!”
   
  Brother Hagen Falkenheim, Sigmarite 
  Priest
  The Komo Lizards are great reptilian carnivores, reaching 
  over 9 feet in length and 4 feet in height, which feed on meat 
  and carrion, through all the wild areas of central Estalia. They 
  inhabit hilly territories and fight each other for the dominance 
  over a region, which is kept by the victorious male and his 
  harem. The lizards dig their burrows on the darkest part of the 
  hills, generally among thick vegetation, but they spend most 
  afternoons on the highest spots of the geological formation, 
  where they can bath in the hot Estalian sun and keep watch over 
  their territories. 
  
  132
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary
  Feeding on carcasses makes the Komo Lizards’ jaws a pit of 
  infection and disease and the bacteria in their saliva often kills 
  those who survive the attack. Komo’s usually bite their prey 
  and then retreat to higher ground or their caves, waiting for the 
  victim to die from the infection.
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  Wil
  Fel
  38%
  0%
  45%
  52%
  37%
  15%
  36%
  19%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  2
  17
  4
  5
  5
  -
  -
  Skills: Climbing, Follow Trail, Perception, Silent Move
  Talents: Natural Weapons, Scales, Resistance to Poison, Resist-
  ance to Disease, Keen Senses, Flee!
  Traits: Infectious Bite, Patient Hunter, Scales
  Infectious bite: Any creature bitten by a komo lizard must suc-
  ceed on a Challenging (-10%) Toughness test or lose 1 Wound 
  per hour until it reaches 0. At this point another Toughness 
  test is made. If the victim succeeds, nothing more will happen. 
  If this roll is failed, the victim falls unconscious and will die 
  in 1d10 hours. A successful Heal test (with a +10% bonus if 
  the healer has the Surgery talent) can cut out the infection and 
  stop the loss. If this is done before the target falls unconscious, 
  it causes the loss of one further Wound. If it is done after the 
  latter stage has begun, it causes a critical hit to the location of 
  the bite.
  Patient Hunter: The komo is a patient hunter that uses camo-
  flague. Thanks to its slow metabolism, it can wait days for prey 
  to stumble upon it, while it lies perfectly still on a rock face, 
  its scales camoflauging it perfectly with the stones beneath. 
  Anyone approaching a komo without being aware they are in 
  komo territory must make a Hard (-20%) Perception test or 
  trip over the beast. This gives the komo a surprise attack.
  Scales: The komo lizard’s hard scales give it two Armour 
  Points in each location.
  Armour: None
  Armour Points:  Head: 2 Body: 2 Arms: 2 Legs: 2
  Weapons: Claws and Teeth.
  Slaughter Margin: Average.
  Kraken
   “Foul creature, hear me words! I’m a servant of 
  mighty Manann! His anger is righteous and his 
  power is furious! It is in his domains that you 
  dwell, Oh Kraken! It is in his waters that you 
  hunt, Oh Kraken! It is under his vigilant eyes that 
  you sleep and swim and eat, Oh Kraken! And know 
  that, if you are unforgiving, Manann is ten times 
  more and, should you harm this most 
  faithful follower of Manann, ten times you’ll be 
  cursed and, in his domains you shall be smitten 
  down, oh Kraken, and you shall sink to the dark 
  bottoms of his realm!”
   
  Manannite Prayer Chant
  “How do we survive their attacks? Foolish man, 
  we have learnt long ago to simply not be attacked 
  in the first place. That is the only sure protection. 
  If you wish to know how to not be attacked… 
  perhaps you should just give up now and leave the 
  oceans to us true masters.”
   
  High Navigator Caswin of Hoeth
  For millennia, the Krakens have ruled the seas, unchallenged by 
  beast, sentient race or natural phenomena. Gargantuan creatures, 
  the Krakens are the most dangerous predators of the waters, 
  strong enough to turnover and sink anything short of an Imperi-
  al Greatship. Its main body can reach up to 15 yards and each of 
  its eight minor tentacles can easily reach twice that size. Two 
  other tentacles are even stronger and longer than the rest, serv-
  ing as the creature’s main limbs which end in barbed hooks that 
  catch onto ships and never let go. The colour of the kraken’s 
  hide varies, depending on the region of the ocean it inhabits, 
  the most common being the bluish-gray at the coasts of Tilea, 
  Estalia and the Border Princes, the blackish-yellow between the 
  Old World and Ulthuan and, finally, the blackish-red variant, 
  which dwells at the Sea of Claws and can sometimes bear 
  fearsome mutations.
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  Wil
  Fel
  43%
  0%
  91%
  62%
  35%
  19%
  53%
  1%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  4
  90(86) 9
  6
  1(8)
  -
  -
  Skills: erception +20%, Swim +20%
  Talents: Natural Weapons (Hooked Tentacles, Beak), Strike 
  Mighty Blow, Strike to Stun, Terrifying, Unstoppable Blows, 
  Wrestling
  
  133
  Appendix : An Estalian Bestiary
  Traits: Tentacles
  Tentacles: The Krakens seldom show their bodies during a 
  combat, preferring to hug the sides of ships with some of 
  their tentacles and attack with the rest of them. The attacking 
  tentacles are not designed to lash above water, so have the Slow 
  and Improvised Weapon quality. Each tentacle has 86 wounds. 
  If two of its tentacles are destroyed, it must make a Will Power 
  test for each subsequent attack it receives, in order to not flee 
  the battle. The tentacles can also perform grapples, after which 
  they tend to throw the grappled victim into the sea. This does 
  the same damage as a tentacle slap (as well as stranding the 
  victim). Tentacle Slam: The kraken may also choose to hold 
  the boat with most of its tentacles and attack with the others in 
  unison. This counts as an attack against a stationary object (the 
  boat) so hits automatically and does double damage. This can 
  split small boats in half.
  Alternatively the Krakens may choose to capsize the whole 
  boat at once. This requires five successful Strength tests in a 
  row, each modified by the size of the vessel and the strength of 
  its sails (GM’s call). If the kraken makes these rolls, the boat 
  is pulled below, shattering into splinters under the pressure. 
  Anyone left on board must make an Hard (-20%) Strength Test 
  or be pulled down too, to instant death.
  Armour: None (Thick Rubbery Skin)
  Armour Points: Head: 2 Body: 4 Legs: 4
  Weapons: Tentacles
  Slaughter Margin: Impossible
  Mermaids
    “Hah, I thought only the Bretonnians feared wet 
  ladies.”
   
  Jann Shimmidt, Empire Knight (Insane)
  “It was only a punch to my nose, by the ship’s car-
  penter that I did not jump to seek them, like many 
  of the other sailors did. From that day on, I started 
  believing all the stories about mermaids. The good 
  ones and the bad.”
   
  Ignacio, Priest of Manann
  The seafolk, more commonly known as mermaids, are 
  aquatic sea creatures that are said to draw men and women to 
  the sea and drag them down to feed on them. The mermaid song 
  is a powerful spell that only the strongest of will can resist. 
  Sometimes, though, the seafolk are said to help humans, taking 
  them back near their boats or the shore. The reason for this is 
  not clear ; maybe the human is favoured by Manann, or maybe 
  the creature just wasn’t hungry on that specific occasion.
  The Mermaids appear to be beautiful young women and men, 
  with sculpted human bodies that end at the waist, from where a 
  huge scaly caudal fin takes over.
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int
  Wil
  Fel
  31%
  31%
  35%
  36%
  45%
  42%
  38%
  39%
  A
  W
  SB
  TB
  M
  Mag
  IP
  FP
  1
  14
  3
  3
  1(6)
  -
  -
  Skills: Charm, Perception, Performer (Singer) +20%, Speak 
  Language (Elven), Swimming +20%
  Talents: Natural Weapons (Claws)
  Traits: Half-Fish, Mermaid Song
  Mermaid Song: The seafolk can (as a half action) sing with an-
  gelic voices, putting whoever hears it into a trance that compels 
  them to dive into the sea and join the seafolk forever. Anyone 
  with 10 yards (5 squares) who hears the song must pass a normal 
  Will Power Test or be charmed for 1d10 rounds. When charmed 
  they cannot be compelled to take any actions but cannot act in a 
  way to harm the singers. They may still act to protect them-
  selves but make all tests at -10% penalty due to doziness. 
  Half Fish: Having a caudal fin fit on its side, a Mermaid has a 
  movement of 6 underwater It also possesses gills and does not 
  need air to breathe. 
  Armour: None (Scales)
  Armour Points: Head: 0 Body: 0 Arms:0 Legs: 1
  Weapons: Claws
  Slaughter Margin: Easy
  
  134
  Appendix : The Gift of Song
  The Gift of Song
  by Steve Dee
  Rico watched as ruby-red wine poured from the jug into the waiting cups, filling them to the top and leaving 
  glistening splashes running down the sides. The men at the table drank greedily, leaving shining flecks on their 
  moustaches. Rico licked his cracked lips and dreamt of the taste. It had been a day since he had last drank, and 
  that had been only still stream water.
  He licked his lips again as another sight caught his eyes: two young women bringing fresh jugs to the table, 
  their bare peasant legs flashing between their black skirts in a way that would have the preachers of Magritta 
  calling for the fire and tongs. He could hear their laughter, although he did not understand the joke: he must be 
  well into La Mesa now, where the men spoke a dialect rough as the mountains, and his city ears could make no 
  sense of it. The girls drank too, and he watched their lips with twin hungers, and dreamt of twin tastes.
  It had been months now since he had seen a woman up close. He missed sweet wine, and fresh bread, and warm 
  fire, and even the crazed flash of a duel, all of these. But none of them so much as his missed women. Not to 
  serenade or seduce, just to see them, to be around them, their fragrant perfumes, their flowing hair, their easy 
  laughter. Just be near a woman: that was the essence of freedom.
  Not that he was any slouch when it came to seduction. He spoke well for a sailor, and he could handle a sword 
  better than most marines. He was not handsome, but his battle scars set him well, spoke of his courage and his 
  service, and his beard, even after weeks without a barber, was thick and lustrous. But now, he would never have 
  a chance to seduce a lady, or even make one smile. Upon his cheek was the burned V, for violador—rapist—and 
  that meant he could never speak to anyone again. It itched every night as the cold seeped into the hot scar and 
  stung every morning as fresh hairs pulled on the puckered flesh. It was half a year since the branding, and still 
  it throbbed and cracked and made his eyes water. And for the rest of his life, it would mark him as the worst 
  kind of criminal except a coward. No hombre would share his table, no mercato give him work, and no senorita 
  would let him kiss her hand, not ever again.
  And for what? Because he had slapped Ilena in the streets. He had returned from eighteen months at sea to find 
  her in the arms of the Lucarre boy, despite him saving all his shore money up to buy her the silken ribbons she 
  so adored. The Lucarre lad was a stinking peasant shopboy; he’d killed him first, perhaps too easily, for after 
  that his blood was still fired, still hungry for restitution and revenge. He’d cursed her and her whole sex, and 
  pushed her away when she begged him to forgive her. She’d fallen down in the dirt and everyone had seen. And 
  the custodes had branded him the next day.
  It was another woman, too, who had landed him where he was now—half-starved and all exhausted, trying 
  to cross five hundred miles to the mountains without a horse or blanket or waterskin or even a sword. Only 
  whores would touch him now, and after he’d saved every penny he’d somehow picked the one taverna in the city 
  that was about to be shut down by the custodes that very night. Presumably due to some powermongering by 
  the Inquisition—he had seen the monsignor desperately slipping away, tying up his cassock as he went. 
  Whoring was illegal for men and women, so the quick-thinking senorita between his legs had screamed rape 
  when she saw the soldiers burst into the salon. He’d had no time to grab anything but his pants as he had leapt 
  out the window and run off into the night.
  No doubt they had seen his V and marked him for a repeat offender, a fine prize for any proteges or vigilares 
  to bring to the gibbet, because hoof-beats had hounded him all the way to the city walls. Without supplies, 
  without a plan, he had leapt over them and ran and ran and ran, praying to the Maiden and all her family for 
  whatever angels she could spare to grant him wings.
  That was three days ago. Either angels or fear had given wings to his feet and he had made it far north, into the 
  dry desert of La Mesa. So far, he had not met any more soldiers, but only because he had taken care to stay out 
  of every village, taverna and outpost he had spied on the horizon.
  
  135
  Appendix : The Gift of Song
  That was less help the further north he went however, as the last few trees thinned out and the hills gave way to 
  the endless plains of wheat and oilseed—a soldier on horseback could see for twenty miles in all directions, and a 
  lone man without a horse would definitely warrant further investigation.
  That was why he had, for the moment, abandoned his wild walking and crept close to the taverna by the cattle 
  farm. His plan was to get to the mountains, for in those wild, rustic hills all chase would be lost and a wild man 
  might grow his hair long to hide his face. There were mines too, and from what he heard the life of a miner 
  was harsh enough that there was no time or energy to curse your fellow digger. It was a good plan, but if he was 
  going to live long enough to reach those peaks, he desperately needed food and drink and a blanket or a cloak. 
  And a sword in case he met anyone on the way. And now that he could no longer hide in the wild, there was no 
  risk in creeping close.
  But perhaps all for nought. Although it was only early morning, the taverna was bustling with people. He’d 
  had only a moment to grab a saddle blanket from the back palisade before men had come to break their fast in 
  the crisp morning air. Strong churro had been followed by sweet wine, then a sweet smelling omelet stuffed 
  with mushrooms and spicy ground beef. Rico had been raised above a ristorante and knew all too well the 
  wonders of food and despite all his years eating slop and tack at sea, he never lost his amour for it. Lying flat in 
  the grass he was close enough to smell every spice and his eyes watered with a third hunger.
  The crowds did not thin as the breakfast hour past but soon enough he saw a new chance; among the risers was a 
  coach party, heading west. They might take him closer to the mountains; if not, they might have plenty worth 
  stealing. Stealing, in fact, seemed the best option of all, as the servants were bustling back and forth with chests 
  and boxes. Big chests, he saw, as he craned his head as far as he could through the grass. Big chests meant big 
  money. Something definitely worth stealing.
  He didn’t have much time; the coach would not delay long no matter who their master was. Looking around 
  for inspiration, he saw it instantly, and his feet were rushing him through the paddock before the idea was even 
  finished.
  Not far down hill from the taverna was a tiny lake for the cattle. Heedless of being spied by the diners he pushed 
  through the dozy cows and splashed into it. With the hard-earned skill of a sailor, his teeth tore into the muslin 
  of the blanket. A start, and then with a wrench, it was in two. One half he tore again and again, making strips. 
  Again with a sailor’s dexterity he wove them in and out, splashed them in the water and pulled hard. In but ten 
  minutes, he had made a strong rope. Now, he knew, came the hard part.
  He made his way slowly through the grass towards the palisade. In the next field, standing alone was his goal: a 
  large redbacked bull, munching with a kind of godlike patience on his cud. Living by the sea, and poor, Rico 
  had seen only a few proper toreos in his life, but every boy in the square knew the form from the time he could 
  run. Now, it would be his time to try his hand in the ring. With great care, he crawled through the fence. The 
  bull turned with matching slowness but with no loss of menace, regarding Rico with a dull stare. For a 
  moment, the two froze in a tableau, both unsure whether to run. Then with a shake, the bull bent down to pull 
  grass anew, and Rico exhaled.
  Like a tightrope walker at a carnivale he walked one foot in front of the other, step by shaking step, in a long 
  arc. His heart beat was pounding in his ears, which also craned for any sound. As his eyes stared at the bull’s 
  enormous hoofs padding the ground, he swore he could hear shouts from the taverna behind him, shouts of him 
  being discovered or the coach leaving. Time, he knew, was desperately running out, yet he could not hurry, not 
  with the terrible beast eyeing him again. And now, now he stood directly between the beast and the bar, he had 
  to catch those terrible eyes in full.
  Without taking his eyes from the beast, he pulled the half of the blanket from inside his sleeve. Bright yellow 
  threads and scarlet braid caught the morning sun. The bull twitched, excited. With a flick of his wrist, he 
  unrolled it to full length. The bull blinked and snorted. 
  
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  With his other hand, Rico gripped the makeshift rope tight. At sea, he had learnt the art of taking a 
  beating from a rope flail—how to roll your back at just the right second to save the flesh from breaking. As 
  he’d risen in ranks, he’d learnt too how to whip so the bosun smiled to hear the crack, but only the lightest ends 
  hit the skin of the fellow tied to the yardarm. He could place a rough coil of bowline on a mayfly’s nose if he 
  was asked. It was no spear or sword, but it would have to do. His gaze unbroken, he tilted the yellow blanket 
  towards the ground with is right hand. And with his left, a savage flick of his wrist sent the wet rope burning 
  across the bull’s nose.
  With a roar as much as scream as shout the bull jumped forward. Rico stumbled, half fell and felt his pants 
  fill with warm wetness. He couldn’t believe a thing ten times his weight could move so fast. And it hadn’t even 
  looked at the damn blanket. Thinking quickly, Rico hid the rope behind the curtain of cloth, and rose it up 
  high. He waved it back and forth, till the bull’s eyes followed it. Underneath, his knuckles tightened again 
  around the rope, and then with another crack, he split the bull’s soft black nose.
  The horns went up and came down with terrible force. As much in panic as with will, Rico’s arm dropped to 
  the side and the horns bore down further, following the bright blanket. Rico realised he was on his knees again, 
  and threw himself backwards, rolling through the dust. As he did so, the blanket flew the other way, and the 
  bull took another gigantic leap forward. Rico felt the ground shake when those hooves hit the soil. But he 
  smiled, because it was working—the horns had followed the blanket, not him.
  He rolled back and grabbed the blanket off the ground. Struggling up and peddling backwards he held it high, 
  like a pennant, and the horns curved up, trying to catch the flying target. Rico laughed with mad glee as the 
  deadly horns missed him entirely, the bull mesmerised by the flash of colour. The bull snorted in fury, and 
  shook wildly. Rico doubled back, almost tripping, but held his ground. The bull stepped after him, sizing up 
  its prey, uncertain as why and how it moved so fast. Rico stared back into those eyes, feeling more alive than 
  in any battle. His heart beat like a battle-drum, loud and angry. Dimly he could hear shouts now, from behind. 
  He had been spotted, no doubt, but more, he was near. It was almost over. One or two more passes. He could 
  definitely live through one or two more.
  He ran back four steps, waving the blanket wildly. The bull obligingly followed, rising to a trot that Rico 
  realised too late would effortlessly become a charge. He tossed the blanket down and dropped prone. Turning, 
  he saw he was in trouble—the bull had caught the blanket on its left horn and pulled it high. Triumphantly, it 
  rammed the horn back into the soil, tearing the blanket further. As it rose again, Rico saw a chance, and took 
  it, whipping his rope from under him and hitting the blanket, not the bull. It tore all the way, flew free of the 
  rough horns and blew towards the fence. With a roar the bull leapt—Rico clearly saw all four hooves off the 
  ground—and impaled the woollen remnant into the wood.
  Splinters flew as the bull worked its horn free. Its anger grew as it did, its huge feet driving up dirt clouds as it 
  pulled back and forth. Sliding along the dirt away from those terrible horns, Rico breathed dust but didn’t care. 
  He had no time left; the shouts had become determined, angry; people knew they were in danger, that some 
  madman was working the bull into a frenzy. Nothing for it now but to hope the beast went forward, and left 
  him alive. He saw his target, pulled his arm around and struck with terrible accuracy. The speeding knot tore 
  across the bull’s hanging manhood, ripping skin in a strike that would have felled a giant. The bull bellowed a 
  cry of incomprehensible rage and leapt through the fence. Its back legs flew out as it did, and a hoof smashed 
  into a Rico’s head. For a second, everything went black.
  The Estalians have many proverbs involving a wild bull, but none do them justice. It has no logic, no pattern, 
  no comprehension. It is only destruction, unknowable, uncontrollable, unavoidable. The outside tables were 
  smashed to splinters in a second. Screams from men and women echoed. A woman falling back into the kitchen 
  threw her purple table cloth, and the bull lunged with desperate rage. The masonry door frame exploded into 
  dust at the thunderous impact. Smashing stone with its skull, however, slowed the monster down a pace, and 
  also tore its left horn, leaving it hanging low and bloody.
  
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  In agony the bull tried to retreat, but trapped in the door it couldn’t turn. It threw itself sideways, crashing 
  its head back through the wall a second time. It righted, or tried to right, leapt forth again, and with a hideous 
  snap its back left leg severed as it failed to clear the stone ruins that were left of the back wall. But not even this 
  could stop it. It saw a gold-braided waist coat flash on the poor soldier on the ground, and it drove its one good 
  horn home. The man died instantly: the weight alone exploded his heart before he even felt the gashing of his 
  flesh. Blood gushed from him like a ripe persimmon.
  Fresh for more revenge, the bull lashed left and right, slashing at skin and muslin and wood, leaping like a 
  demented frog to favour its useless leg. Blood and sparks and splinters followed those terrible swoops. A brave 
  fool with a harness had his arm torn apart as those razor sharp horns came across. A second later they arced back 
  again and tore his jaw off his face.
  Then came the blades. With one leg gone, it couldn’t spin fast enough to hold them back. A crowded taverna 
  found almost two dozen swordmen, and they cut and tore at its flanks. It rolled and lurched, destroying all 
  that was left of the patio, tearing down the supports that held the trellis above. Even lame and half-horned, it 
  tore flesh and smashed bone even as it ground wood to dust, stone to powder. Soon enough though, it realised 
  it could not stop the attacks on its rear quarters. With a last fearful shoulder roll to clear the way, it strutted 
  forward into a rocking run for the pasture, its broken leg trailing back and forth as its hips swung wildly to 
  support the limp. When it reached the fence, it fell down and died.
  It was more than half an hour before anyone thought of anything but the bull, and by then Rico was three 
  miles down the road. He’d found his feet even before he’d regained his sight and blinked into brightness to 
  find himself sprinting in primarily the right direction—past the house and straight for the road. Not a soul 
  had remained to guard the now almost fully laden coach, but Rico hadn’t taken any chances. He’d grabbed the 
  two largest chests—surely the most valuable—and a slingbag of wine and made for the stables as if the bull was 
  behind him. He found a young plains mustang, fast as lightning he rightly guessed, tore its reign from the 
  tie-beam and beat its flank bloody down the morning road, the chests tight under his arms.
  Rico was no horseman. The mustang knew it too, and did its best to ride Rico off with its speed. He held on 
  for grim death, pulling the reigns until the steed’s gums burned as hot as his thighs. After half an hour the 
  horse gave up the struggle and charged off the road straight into the nearest stream. By then Rico had neither 
  the strength nor will to stop it. In fact, he welcomed it, for he was dry with the terror of it all. He unhitched 
  his feet from the brass stirrups and dropped into the river like a stone.
  He lay unmoving for a full ten minutes, until the hammering in his head stopped and he could breath without 
  his chest aching. The horse too had calmed, and had snuffled at him with annoyance and walked downstream in 
  search of fresh clover. He let it go. They would be on his tail soon enough, but for the moment, for one sweet 
  moment, he could rest and enjoy the cool water and the hope of what he would find in the chests. Slowly he 
  peeled off his filthy clothes, wrung them out and laid them on the rock. The chests were large and bulky, and 
  that spoke of likely clothes and boots, if not weapons—and the latter could get him the former, no doubt. He 
  let himself laugh, and it came out like a cannon roar as he swam to inspect his prizes where they had fallen.
  Despair came like a cannon blow a few minutes later. The big chest was as empty as a cavern, holding only a 
  single treasure—a fine oakwood guitarra, with strap and music notes. The second was full, but of masques 
  and costumes, and a tiny lute, and jars of greasepaint. Entertainers. Minstrels! He wanted food, and boots and 
  swords, not—not—not Maiden-whoring minstrels!
  He swore and kicked the ground and tore at his bare chest with his dirty nails and fell to his knees as the anger 
  turned into sobs of exhaustion and despair, coming out thick and wet like molasses from his throat. Salty tears 
  poured down his nose and cheeks until they burned his brand like hot fire. It was that brought him back to his 
  senses, the pain forcing him to pack cool mud on the wound until the throbbing eased. But still he had no will 
  to move.
  
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  His thighs were red, raw from the ride, his palms cut from the leather, his fingers and shoulders locked into 
  a rictus of exhaustion. His forehead, he only now realised, had been torn open by the bull’s hoof, and ached 
  whenever he closed his eyes. And it had been three days now since he had eaten—he’d spent his last dinner money 
  on that damned whore. He stared at the horse chewing grass and wondered if a man could live on such things. 
  He’d eaten worse at sea. But he’d heard of men going mad from eating grass, their tongues and lips bright green 
  as they frothed and shook to death. No, not grass.
  He thought about eating the mustang, assuming of course that he could kill it, and gut it, and strip it… and he 
  was still without a sword. Too much damn work, and then he would be stuck wherever he now was with once 
  again nothing but his legs to carry him. Lucky horse, he thought—if I could carry a man for a day, I might be 
  given oats and water, not thrown in prison because of some brand on my face. That was what he needed—some 
  way to earn a coin. With just a handful, he could buy a meal. With two handfuls, he could play some dice and 
  win a sword. With a sword and a meal, why—he could take on the world again. All he needed was a handful. He 
  looked at the horse again. He was exhausted now, but maybe he could pull a plough or hoist a barn in the 
  morning. If he could find a farm, he could find something he could do. Or sell or hire the horse to do 
  something else. Lucky horse, he thought again—a brand on it only made it more valuable. Of course, he’d have 
  to paint over this brand if he wanted to…
  Once again, he found himself running before the idea was finished. Three hats, no use. Two domino 
  masques—useless. And then there it was: some kind of bird shape, with the beaked mouth low enough to cover 
  his entire cheek. He laughed again, and it came out choked and tearful with exhaustion, but with no less 
  triumph.
  That night, ten miles away, Capo the Cockerel arrived at the taverna of Escudora Esperoza, a tiny town with 
  nothing to recommend it. The servidorina he met first told them they were so small a town that no minstrels 
  had visited them for years. Rico—now hidden under the mask and the few feathers he had added to it to 
  complete the illusion smiled to himself and thanks the Maiden the girl’s mother was still fetching water. By 
  the time the matrona returned, he was eating good beef chorizo in pepper sauce and drinking yeasty ozo—and 
  without ever playing a note.
  The mask made it hard to get the fork up to his mouth, but—as he told the servidorina at length, the Cockerel 
  did not reveal his true face until the end of his show. Underneath the mask a layer of red greasepaint hid the 
  scar somewhat, but the sweat would rinse it off over time, and he would not take the chance. The girl accepted 
  his ridiculous pageantry with wide-eyed wonder; her mother had simply grunted with admonishment and taken 
  away the wine bottle. “More,” she’d said, “after a song.”
  His mother had taught him to play, long, long ago, in the hostel above the ristorante, before he was thirteen. 
  After that, he was old enough to go to sea and he had rushed to it. But—as his mother had said then, he 
  recalled—a boy never forgets his first lessons. Unprompted, his fingers curled into familiar positions, and he 
  croaked out one of the old soldier songs. It wasn’t much, but with a flourish he blamed his travels and 
  exhaustion, and the young girl applauded and then the rest of the taverna joined in. With another grunt, her 
  mother filled his glass, and he thanked the Maiden for his mother.
  And the rest was simply the art of the silver tongue. Before Ilena, before the brand, he had wooed his share of 
  senoritas by the dockyards and any sailor keen to rise to the ranks of the whipper rather than the whipped knew 
  what to say to the bosun and how to say it. Yes, Rico could weave a tale very well, and what began as a litany 
  of excuses for his poor performance and dire need for food to ensure a greater performance on the morrow 
  became the performance itself. In a small town, tales are worth more than music, and he soon earned another 
  glass of wine as the fire was restocked and more folk gathered to see the marvel—the man dressed like a cockerel 
  who crowed of the paradise islands and ocean wonders. Beneath the mask, Rico’s smile grew wider and wider, 
  and he even dared to pass a bag around, asking—with the great humility only a master tale-teller can 
  muster—for what few coins his audience might have. He was aiming low, but he was still disappointed with the 
  collection—eight coppers and a bent nail from the bobbing idiot who clapped at every pause—but it was 
  something. And, as he begun another tale, he ordered drinks for everyone. 
  
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  The grunting matrona knew her role in such proceedings well enough, bringing him his free cup for ensuring 
  all the others paid.
  The night wore on. The wine seeped deep inside him, and the fire-warmth curled in from the outside. Together 
  they found the cracks and crevices which he thought might never be warm, or sated, or hopeful again, and filled 
  him. For the first time in his long vigil, he relaxed and let himself truly feel the weariness in his bones. Then 
  there was another round, and the weariness left too, and the boy who had juggled knives below decks for bets 
  crawled back into Rico’s head. He asked for a whip, and—coin-bag at the ready for another collection—
  promised them the grandest tricks he could conceive. They grumbled, but when he took the pipe from the old 
  man’s mouth their hands went for the coin purses. This was a night no one in Escudora Esperoza would ever 
  forget, and this time they’d pay more than coppers for it.
  And then the door burst open, and it all ended again, in another sudden blow. Framed in darkness at the door 
  were the unmistakable helmets of the vigilares, the police of the roads and farmlands. Rico froze, his tongue 
  dead in his mouth like a bell without a clapper, his hands locked like he had the palsy. For a second it seemed 
  like time had stopped, or that the leader of the band was deliberately holding the moment, smiling to see his 
  prey twist in the snare...
  … and then they entered as if nothing had happened.
  There were four of them, tired, sweaty and dusty from riding. They called for wine and meat and for the 
  next half-hour all the action in the taverna surrounded them, as the matrona fussed over them and the folk 
  asked questions about the road. Rico found his movement and desperately fell into the background. Behind 
  the masque sweat poured down his face that had nothing to do with the heat. It mixed with the greasepaint and 
  dragged a red stain across his neck. Meanwhile, he watched them. The jefe of the troupe of four moved through 
  the handful of people that had just been his audience, shaking hands and asking names—clearly he was a stranger 
  here, too. Not a good sign—they would be less swayed by the local folk’s admiration for him. Meanwhile, the 
  same admiration was already making him a target—every time the jefe shook a hand the shaker pointed towards 
  Rico with a smile, and the jefe followed the gaze, and nodded. Rico saw those eyes and recognized the look of 
  every bosun he’d ever served under—they were the eyes of a man who knew how to hunt other men, wherever 
  they hid.
  Rico glanced at the door, then towards the kitchen. Neither would be reached without being spotted, in a small 
  place like this. Still, if he had another distraction—there were horses now, and even tired ones would buy him 
  some time. Or perhaps he could simply hide himself in plain sight—drop the bottle near him and pretend to be 
  drunk. No, too risky, he concluded—they might take off his masque in an attempt to make him comfortable, 
  and then he’d be in irons or the flames by morning. A distraction then—alcohol, in the fire? It was dangerous—
  he’d as likely ignite himself—but he had nothing else. Unless—unless...
  “Ho!” the shout was boisterous; authority mixed with complete joy. “Look at this, jefe!” The vigilare across 
  the room was holding up his guitarra, having scooped it up from the bench where he’d left it to play his whip 
  games. The jefe was up to standing in a moment, his eyes glistening. “A guitarra? Here? And such a fine one!” 
  he added, taking it and holding it close. “So your tale teller is also a minstrel?” he asked the old man with the 
  pipe to whom he’d been speaking to mostly since his arrival. “Bring forth the fine fellow! We must have a 
  song!”
  Rico froze again, feeling nothing move but a thick greasy dollop of sweat sliding past his eye and pooling into 
  the ragged trough of his scar. The jefe didn’t seem to notice, and came towards him, holding up the guitarra. 
  Rico choked into voice, going down again his list of reasons he could not sing—exhaustion, his throat after 
  telling so many tales—but they all died as the jefe closed in, and Rico saw nothing except those dark, hungry 
  eyes, those bosun eyes, the eyes of a hunter that would not be denied. “A song,” he said simply, and there was 
  all the power in the world behind the words. Rico swallowed on a dry throat, nodded, tried to smile, and took 
  the guitarra.
  
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  As he backed up and sat down, the jefe kept his eyes on Rico, those same hungry eyes, and a smile twitched 
  under his toros moustache. At that, Rico began to really panic. He wondered if they knew who he was already, 
  or at least suspected. He was a stranger, his face was covered… yes, he was three days from the city but a bounty 
  might have been set for a double-rapist, and there was no prize so small a vigilare would ignore it. Cold terror 
  crept through Rico’s veins, flushing out all the warmth he’d gained, and his fingers seemed to creak in protest 
  as he bent them back into place around the neck of the instrument.
  Rico closed his eyes, trying to remember his lessons, trying to forget the cold, hungry stare of the jefe, trying 
  to forget the vigilares and the taverna and just remember his songs, a song, any song, because all he needed was 
  one good song and he might stay free, and not go back in irons to the Tower, and be branded again, at best. He 
  might sleep tonight on straw instead of stone, and in the morning reach the feet of the mountains, and be safe. 
  All he needed was a song to put the jefe’s suspicions to rest, and cheer the heart of his men. For that—yes, a 
  soldier’s song. His mother had sung one to him, but he had never quite mastered it. It had clapping in the 
  chorus, though, and maybe the audience would carry it.
  Rico opened his eyes and put the guitarra aside. “Apologies, senores,” he said with another bow, “I will sing 
  but I do not quite recall how to play this one, but it is a song I think our new guests will most enjoy.” Rico 
  shut his eyes again, glad the mask would hide it as he looked back in his mind, back to those days above the 
  ristorante, back to the sound of his mother’s soulful voice above the alleyways. And he began to sing.
  It was an old song, about the men coming home from battle. It had a drummer’s beat to it, and by the time he 
  hit the second chorus, the whole crowd had joined him. Each verse came back to him as he sang, the 
  memory suddenly as fresh as the day he learnt it. Opening his eyes, he saw the matrona bringing more drinks to 
  the vigilares and felt his heart beat finally slow, felt his blood warm again, his muscles relax. He began to move 
  and approximate a kind of dance, and that boy who juggled knives and danced with killer bulls woke up again. 
  As quickly as he ran out of verses he had already decided to keep singing and add his own, turning each chorus 
  into an excuse to drink, drink, drink, hoping the soldiers and everyone else would soon be too drunk to care 
  about anything. And so the song went on, growing louder and more jubilant as it went. It was a soldier’s song, 
  after all, with pain and suffering, yes, but still joyful to be coming home.
  The song took the whole taverna into its aura, and carried them along, and he was now so exhausted with terror 
  and fret, Rico let it take him too. He began to add more personal verses, finding rhymes about the hell of 
  serving at sea, of the cruelty of the bosuns and the indifference of captains, and got a rising cheer from his 
  audience when he suggested those were always in their cabins with their cabin-boys when danger reared its head. 
  He pressed home the advantage, and kept on singing about salacious matters—of welcoming whores who raise 
  their prices for every weeping sore upon their thighs, and faithless women who don’t even have the honour 
  of faking tears upon their eyes when a sailor returns back to them to find another in their bed, and all prom-
  ises forgotten that were made of maidenhead, and of dominars so petty and laws so black and white, and their 
  custodes all so weak-willed, blown on wind-breaths like a kite, who would clap a man in irons for an act so 
  pure and just, and mark his cheek forever with a burning piece of rust, and cast him out eternal to die down in a 
  ditch, for ever having dallied with a faithless little…
  ...and his words hit his ears too late, and he stuttered and stopped, and that made his error undoubtedly clear. 
  He spun, looking for the jefe, and found him just as the tall vigilare grabbed him by the shirt and tore off the 
  masque. For a second, there was nothing but Rico and those hungry bosun’s eyes, and the slight smirk under 
  the toros moustache. Rico tried to panic, to run, the door was just a few feet from him but he found his feet 
  were leaden anchors. He had nothing left to fight with.
  It was only after two of the vigilares grabbed his arms that some kind of memory kicked in, and he started 
  struggling. It was all he could think to do, although now he had no plan and couldn’t imagine breaking free of 
  the cold fingers that seemed stronger than manacles around his biceps.
  
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  Court was set up in the courtyard. The last vigilare lit the torches as he was dragged on his knees into the centre. 
  A few customers crowded the door, but none ventured outside. This was vigilare business, and they turned back 
  to their own lives now the songs were over. Rico sagged like a sandbag between the two guards who held him, 
  his head flopped forward on his chest, his eyes closed, his breathing slow. It was over now, he figured. What 
  was next was a long walk in manacles back to town for a bounty, but at least it was an end to the running, and 
  the starving, and the terror.
  But fear is a well that never runs dry. Rico discovered this when he looked up at the clang of iron from the 
  door way. Silhouetted in the doorway was the jefe, the flames of the fire inside glowing orange, and in his 
  hand, like a twisted daemon’s tail, was a black rod with a burning red tip. And then the fear came back, slowly 
  at first but rising and rising like a coming earthquake that seemed to never end. His whole body shook and the 
  two large men pushed all their weight down, driving him to the floor, and still could not hold him still. A long 
  low call came from his mouth, not even a scream or a shout, just one long moan of uncontained panic, broken 
  only by rocking, spastic sobs that twisted his entire chest. His legs shot out as if he could run. But there was no 
  escape, and no stopping the jefe. He stepped closer and closer, bringing up the iron bar as he did, until the end 
  was level with his eyes. Heated from the coals, it burned bright as a lamplight, yellow sparks flitting off into 
  the darkness beyond that hard face and those bosun eyes.
  Rico began to scream. Spit and bile spattered from his throat. He already knew the pain of it, and to dread it 
  again was a fear so absolute it felt like it was tearing him apart. But the two men held him, and the third came 
  to help. The last had been raised on a pig farm, and with a calm and practised skill, pinned Rico’s head 
  completely still between his legs. Despite all his strength and all his wild panic he at last found he couldn’t 
  move. All he could was scream and soon his throat was ragged and his breath ran to a blood-soaked hiss. And in 
  the silence, the jefe whispered as he took the last step close.
  “This,” he said, his bosun’s eyes for the first time showing something other than hunger, “is for the song.” 
  And the brand came down like a hammer.
  Rico made a noise like a dying daemon. The sound came first, then pure white pain blanking everything. He 
  felt like he was a lit torch, his whole face consumed in fire. With some unknown vestige of pure animal terror 
  he let that fire devour him, burning along his muscles, finding new strength. He pushed up and felt the lock on 
  his neck give. Suddenly, there was a flash of hope, and it hit his terror like a match to gunpowder. The 
  manacles on his arms slipped. Strong men went flying. And Rico ran and ran and ran, ran like a maddened bull, 
  ran like a daemon driven, ran into the night like a spark from a fire.
  The Shallyans found him next morning, half drowned in an icy river. The ice saved his life, as the wound 
  did not fester, although he spent a week raving on a pallet as the burn bubbled, popped with pus and dried to a 
  shrivelled sac. It was only a month later, when the bandages finally came off and he was walking again, that he 
  realised his luck had begun long before the healing sisters had found him. Staring in the sacred fountain, he saw 
  the old V was gone, twisted with one hot stab into an unreadable squiggle. When it knitted, it might even be 
  mistaken for a powder burn or a poorly seared sword-scar. And through the clouded memory of that night, he 
  heard the words of the jefe echo, and he wondered about the things that might move a man’s heart.
  “This”, the jefe had said, “is for the song”…
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/Fantasy Roleplay/4e (C7)/Cato Contribution/Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay/2nd Edition/Homebrew & Fan Material/Tin Star Games/Swords of the South - A Guide to Estalia.pdf