ALBION

THE ALBION ISLES

Seeing as Games Workshop actually exist in England it would seem strange that they have dismissed the Albion islands ever since they put pen to paper and lead to mould. Perhaps they have chosen this route preferring to use the larger continent for their adventures rather than a little island, i.e. Empire, Bretonnia, etc. Nevertheless, leave things to Nigel Stillman and you're in for trouble. According to him Albion is a stone age place where giants walk the countryside shouting "bollogs!". However, according to the Warhammer novel Storm Warriors by Brian Craig, Albion, or Great Albion, is a civilised place and even in the new Marienburg book by Hogshead, Albion has a trade charter with this great port. The book even states that this is with the eastern kingdoms of Albion and this is true of Saxon-England where the county of Kent in the south-east was wealthy and mercantile. With this in mind Albion is a civilised place. Of course Albion is not Saxon-England but something close to it.GEOGRAPHYMap of the Albion & MorienThe island of Great Albion lies to the north west of the Old World. The Middle Sea separates Great Albion from Bretonnia with the Sea of Claws to the island's east. To the north lies the island of Albany, to the west Morien and still further west and a little north, is the island of Aeryn.Sherweald Forest is by far the largest body of woodland in Albion for its boarders touch five out of the six counties, excluding Saxony. It is roughly 140 miles in diameter with much of it covering Westryk and Eastshire. It provides plenty of subsistence for the locals and plenty of aggravation from the Goblinoids and Bandits that live there of which there are far too many. The burial mounds of a bygone age can be found in places in this forest.Andredesweald Forest lies in the Earldom of Diocletia. It is possibly the safest of all forests in Albion as the High King, and many of the Earldom's Knights, use it for hunting. In the deepest depths of the forests lie the barrows of dead noblemen of ages past. It would be a foolish man indeed to plunder the riches of these barrows.Haredesweald Forest lies in Saxony and covers the western and northern parts of the earldom. It used to be a beautiful forest until the Incursions of Chaos of 2300 IC. Monstrosities attacked Albion from this forest and used it as a temporary base. When the foul Chaos mutants were finally beaten they weren't wholly destroyed. Many of the defeated horde dispersed to the forests and hills throughout the island, but some stayed behind to nurse their wounds. However the northerly parts are less gloomy being inhabited by creatures of legend such as Dryads, Treemen and Zoats.Ynys Wydryn are the only real mountains in Albion. They occupy the centre of the island from the Duchy of Berengaria and Dumnonia to the northerly borders of Westryk and Eastshire. The only inhabitants to set foot in these mountains are the military, the well-armed or the foolish, as the Incursions of Chaos have ensured a ready supply of Beastmen lurking in its lofty heights. The rare Great Eagles fly amongst the tallest, mist-shrouded peaks and mysterious loch monsters lurk in the depths of the few tarns to be found.Troll Tarn is full of live-stock and a few brave souls will fish at the tarn to reap a bountiful harvest. The reason why there is this trepidation is because of the River Trolls that are supposed to live there. They have certainly lived there for a century or two and it seems that whenever fishermen fish at the tarn they don't return. Of course, the place is also frequented by Goblinoids and bandits.River Mere. This river runs through the centre of the capital, Bodiun. It is at its widest where the river's estuary enters the Sea of Claws. Ocean going vessels, mostly long-ships, are harboured at the docks and wharves of which there are few.River Heaver. This river flows from the Ynys Wydryn Mountains into the Sea of Claws. Closer to its spring, the river is very cold, but despite this prospectors still climb to its point of origin hoping to find precious minerals that it sometimes spills out. At times these prospectors are found and slaughtered by the native Goblinoids.River Saffron. This river originates from the Ynys Wydryn Mountains and flows through the county of Eastshire where it enters the dreaded Fimir Marshes. It is the longest of all the rivers of Albion. The river has surprisingly clear water up until it enters the eastern half of Eastshire where the banks turn into hazardous swampy mire.Vectis (and the other islands). Vectis is a small island off the south coast of Saxony and Diocletia. It doesn't contain any notable ports, just small fishing villages. It is governed by the nearby port of Mercia. Vectis isn't the only tiny island dotted about Albion but it is the only one which is habitable. The island off the western shores of Saxony is very mountainous and the Albions stay well clear of it. The smaller islands off the coasts of Dumnonia and Berengaria are nothing but windswept, desolate, places occasionally visited by humans.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE SURROUNDING ISLANDSMorienSmaller than Albany and Aeryn, but far more civilised, Morien maintains a friendly relationship with Great Albion (probably due dynastic ties). A single road connects the three main kingdoms of Alawn, Gwron and Plennydd due to the lack of water-ways in the country. The people here are rich in spirit and marvellous singers, but tend to be somewhat smaller and stockier in physique than the people from the other islands. The Moriens form the last remnants of the very first Albion settlers some 3,000 years ago. The first settlers were of Estalian and Breton descent and to this day, like the Aeryans, they have a swarthy look and dark hair. Indeed the Moriens, as some Tilean scholars claim, are the last remnants of the Tilean Empire from Albion.AlbanyJust to the north of Great Albion is the island of Albany. It is the most mountainous of all the islands with a geography much like Norsca's. Ferocious tribes live in Albany and some occasionally raid the northern coasts of Albion. They are incredibly loud and boisterous and enjoy downing considerable amounts of ale. Alban's origins probably originate from Norsca although since the coming of the Jutones, who pushed the Breton-Albions away from arable lands, Albans have a mixed people of ruddy, red complexions (the true Albans) to those with jet-black hair (remnants of the first settlers from Albion). AerynAeryn is equal in size to Albany but considerably less mountainous. The people that live here are deeply religious and care not for the politics of the other islands and care even less for the politics of the Old World. Aeryans tend to have jet-black hair and dark eyes with very pale skin. They share many traits from Moriens as many Breton-Albions fled to this island during the time of Sigmar.THE SOCIAL HIERARCHYThe absolute ruler of Great Albion is the High King. He resides in the city of Diocletia in the Earldom of the same name. Although the High King is the ruler, the Ealdormen each rule their Earldom almost like a king and set their own taxes to suit their needs.THE HIGH KINGThe High King has always been a great warrior and is brought up to be a master of all weapons when young with the spear being the dominant and holy weapon.The crowning of a new monarch takes place at the stone circle of Saxony where the Druidic Father crowns the new High King of Albion with the Great Stag Helm and bestows the blessings of the Old Faith upon him. The coronation is attended by members of the Druidic Circle and Bardic Order, Earls and Knights, and bands of Housecarls. The commoners gather and watch where they can. The coronation then becomes nothing but a great gathering of worship for the glory of the Old Faith, Nodens, and Belatucadrus (see Religion). THE ATHELINGSThe athelings are the princes in Albion, they are those of royal blood and descended from the royal bloodline. Some athelings are scheming warlords intent on seizing the crown of Albion, others are more akin to statesmen and, like the Duke, the King's brother, rule an Earldom like an Ealdorman would.THE EALDORMENThe Ealdormen are very powerful nobles in Albion, it is the highest title that one of no royal blood can attain, although some Ealdormen may be athelings. Each Ealdorman rules an Earldom, which consists of several shires governed by Thegns (see below), and is responsible for gathering the taxes collected from these shires. An Ealdorman also has the power to adopt his own judicial system and can raise or lower the taxes of his Earldom as he sees fit. Twice a year the Ealdorman heads a meeting of his Thegns where they discuss crime, taxes, crops, disease, deaths, and so on. THE THEGNSA Thegn is one rank below an Ealdorman and is appointed to rule over a shire in an Earldom. A Thegn will almost always be either a close friend or a relative to the Earldom's ruling Ealdorman. Taxes and conscription into the Earldom's army are two of the most important tasks set a Thegn. A Thegn has the same responsibilities of an Ealdorman albeit on a much smaller scale.THE DRUIDIC CIRCLEThe Druidic Circle is an ancient and noble Order in Albion. Just like the Cult of Sigmar is powerful in the Empire, the Druidic Circle wields even more power. The Druids of Albion are the descendents from the ancient Druids who first found the magical energies given off by the menhirs (left by the High Elves). Today it is accepted by the majority Nodens and Belatucadrus worshipping Jutones. The Druidic Father is the supreme head of the Druidic Circle and he is one of the few people not answerable to the High King. Indeed the Druidic Circle cannot be influenced by the High King in any way even though he is himself the spiritual head of the order. The present Druidic Father is Brochvaal, he has been the Father of the Order for more years than anyone can remember. BeastfriendThe members of the Druidic Circle meet at the Stone Circle of Saxony at the beginning of each season. There is often some sort of celebration to mark the new season. Even in severe precipitation the members will meet. At the end of October there is a celebration called Samiereve, where the peasants dress up as the creatures of the forest and the scary natural spirits. This might look a bit like a ceremony to the Gods of Chaos to those who know little about the Old Faith.The Druidic Circle is made up of an Inner and Outer Circle. The Inner Circle is made up of six high ranking Druidic Priests with the Outer Circle consisting of twelve Druidic Priests. When a Druidic Father dies, his successor is elected by all the members of the Druidic Circle. If a woman is elected she becomes the Druidic Mother. The Druids discuss all the matters of the forests, the harvests, the safety of the farms and the dangers that lurk in the swamps and the deepest depths of the forests.(GM: PC Druidic Priests who pray at the Stone Circle of Saxony gain a +5 bonus to the chance of receiving a blessing. Additionally there is a +10 bonus when rolling on the Druid Advance table. Gaining access to the stone circle will prove a small problem, however. Those seeking a blessing must gain the permission of a member of the Druidic Circle. Failure to do so results in the character attaining none of the above bonuses).Becoming a member of the Druidic CircleTo become a member of the Druidic Circle, a character must be at least a level 1 Druidic Priest. A new member is only allowed into the fold when a place is vacant in the Outer Circle or if a present member has disgraced himself in some way. A ceremony is then held to mark the arrival of the new member into the bosom of the Druidic Outer Circle.The Inner Circle consists of four 3rd level Druidic Priests and two 4th level Druidic Priests, including the Druidic Father. Membership of this exclusive Inner Circle will be next to impossible for player characters. The Inner Circle Druids wield enormous influence at the King's Court. All the Druidic Circles' members are scattered throughout Albion. They come together to mark the beginning of a new season.THE BARDIC ORDERThe Bardic Order is the establishment, like the Wizard's Guild or the Colleges of Magic in the Old World, that all Bards are members of. Training takes place in the mountain fastnesses of the Old Faith, where the Bard learns how to manipulate magic through music. The magic is generally used to control the elements to ensure a bountiful harvest and so forth: the better a Bard played the better the summer and the subsequent harvest would be. In the eyes of the Bards themselves, the task is not so much to cause the summer to be good, but rather to help the summer be born; a Bard's playing is not to create the rhythms of air, water and earth but rather to discover them.In ancient times, the rituals by which the men of Albion had sought to ensure the fertility of the Mother of All had been cruel ones, involving the spilling of innocent blood - and it is still common in some regions for a measure of animal blood to be added to the mulch ploughed in to enrich the soil of the fields. It was said, however, that the wisest among the druids had discovered and gradually developed a magic which served the cause far better, and had allowed human sacrifice to be outlawed under the codes of the realm. The Bardic Order was appointed the custodians and instruments of that special magic, which was made by the playing of music.The badge of the Bardic Order is three concentric circles, the first being coloured green for the fertile earth, the second blue for the vault of heaven, the third gold for the fount of life; with the three circles are the runes displaying the motto of the Order: The Truth Against the World.Bards can 'cast' spells using their instruments by fashioning the winds of magic by skilful use of tunes. The spells that are cast tend to affect the elements and people's emotions. Hence the spells they are able to cast are not as destructive, on the face of it, as those cast by a battle wizard. However, the subtle enchantments that a melody can conjure up can be far more deadly.THE EARLDOMSThere are six Earldoms that comprise Albion, each is ruled by an Ealdorman (save Diocletia as it is ruled by the King). They are: Diocletia, Saxony, Eastshire, Westryk, Dumnonia and Berengaria. Each one has varying influence in the way in which Albion is run. Not surprisingly Diocletia and Berengaria have the biggest say in matters of government. The southern Earldoms mine copper, iron and chalk, whilst the northern ones mine coal and precious minerals and metals.Each Earldom is comprised of several shires and each shire is ruled by a Thegn, which may also consist of several villages and small towns.VILLAGESVillages in Albion are identical to those of the Old World. Each village has a population of around 10D10 commoners. The more affluent villages, i.e. those with halls or temples, are ruled by Thegns. The villages consist of a combination of log and stone houses grouped around their ruler's house. The log houses consist of split trunks of forest timber, set vertically side by side, comprising the walls. The wealthier villagers, usually the farmers, will have a combination of both stone and timber.TOWNSAll towns have a Great Hall where the noblemen meet to discuss the well-being of the town, shire, or Earldom. The Great Hall will often be in the town's castle. All towns have a garrison of professional soldiers (who will almost certainly belong to the household of the ruling Ealdorman/Thegn). A town has a population of D4-1x1000. Like all towns of the world, the commoners from nearby villages come to fill the market squares and trade with their goods. Each town has a castle which is ideally built on a hill in the centre of the town or at least one very near it (a fort in this case). Coastal areas rely on the protection offered by a Shore Fort. DIOCLETIAThe Earldom of Diocletia is directly ruled by the High King of Albion from the city of Diocletia (pop: 11000). Diocletia is essentially a castle, a harbour, and lots of houses. A wall and a ditch completely surrounds the perimeter of the city for protection against land and sea invasion. The Earldom itself also has scattered Shore Forts, constructed to guard the seaways into Albion and to also dissipate any attacks that would otherwise threaten the capital. The City of Diocletia is wealthy and acts as the focal point for trade in Albion and merchant ships from the continent of the Old World can be found in its quays, from Marienburg and Norsca, L'Anguille, Brionne, Bilbali, and sometimes ships as far afield as Luccini, Remas, and Miragliano. This close association with many different cultures and nationalities has made Diocletia the pillar of civilisation in Albion. It is even rumoured that the Bards, in-league with their Druidic masters, convince Old Worlder merchants to buy stock, no matter how worthless, by virtue of their magical, musical, talents. SAXONYThe Earldom of Saxony is home to the powerful and influential Druidic Priests of Great Albion. The people of this county see themselves 'apart' from the affairs of the other Earldoms. It is often said that the Druidic Circle has more say in affairs of government than the Ealdormen and Thegns. This is partially true for the Druids wield enormous power in Albion.It rains incessantly in Saxony as the winds bring the rain from the Great Ocean. The small mountain range in the Earldom's south west is inhabited by a large concentration of Beastmen and other creatures of Chaos.The greatest stone circle to the Old Faith in the world lies in Saxony. Druids from all over the Old World make pilgrimages to this great monument once in their lives. Consequently the power of nature is exceptionally strong in this Earldom. The centre of government is the city of Mercia (pop: 8000) ruled by the Ealdorman Gildas Burnicia. EASTSHIREEastshire is sparsely populated with much of the Earldom being comprised of swamps, bogs and fens. The mists hang over these swamps like a cloud hiding the creatures that have lived here for thousands of years. The Fimir were the soul inhabitants of the island until the humans crossed the Middle Sea thousands of years ago. The Human population never venture into the east of the county where the Fimir are dominant, they remain further to the west where the land is fertile and arable. The centre of government is the town of Durnovaria (pop: 3500). The Ealdorman Dunstan is very corrupt and nasty, and taxes his people to the limit in order that his outrageously rich lifestyle can be kept. Eastshire is full of outlaws and highwaymen, which has much to do with Dunstan than anything else.WESTRYKWestryk has a few coal mines that the population exploits for profit. The farming here is both a mixture of cattle and crops, with the northern half of the county dedicated to the former as the slopes steadily become mountainous. The centre of government here is the town of Wickford (pop: 2750) ruled by the Ealdorman Theodore.But Westryk holds a sinister secret. It is known that several of the Earldom's Thegns actively encourage the powerful clans of the shires to partake in piracy in the Sea of Morien and to actually raid the coastal regions of Morien itself. At the moment the ruling Ealdorman, Theodore, has said nothing about this, but it is believed that his own personal coffers are filling up due to this piracy.DUMNONIAThe Earldom of Dumnonia lies on the west side of the Ynys Wydryn Mountains. Apart from the eastern side of the county, being mountainous, the western side is relatively flat and fertile but cattle farming is the popular choice rather than growing crops, due to the colder climate.The centre of government in Dumnonia is the town of Venta (pop: 2000) ruled by the Ealdorman Visigoth. The most ancient forms of Druidic practices are still apparent in Dumnonia but little is done to stop this. Like the Earldom of Westryk, some of the Dumnonia shire clans are actively involved in piracy.BERENGARIAThe castle-city of Anderida (pop: 8500) lies protected by a natural horseshoe of mountains. It is the largest Earldom in Great Albion and is ruled by the High King's brother, Morgdred, the Duke of Berengaria. Despite the Earldom's size it is sparsely populated and the main areas of habitation lie along the coasts and in the small mining settlements. The north of Berengaria is very mountainous with much of it impassable leaving the only real safe way, to the northern reaches of the Earldom, travelled by the coastline. Berengaria also has a sizeable goblinoid population. Like Dumnonia, the commoners of Berengaria uphold the most ancient traditions of the Old Faith by sacrificing livestock and cattle to the spirits of nature.THE PEOPLEThe normal people of Albion are determined folk with great spirit. They love nothing more than to gather at the local tavern to chat about the weather and the price of ale. Those who have gardens, the serfs of Thegns and Ealdormen, meticulously tend to them, making them into works of art. All Albions are intensely possessive of their homes, as the saying goes "An Albion man's home is his castle." The villagers are often referred to as commoners, rather than peasants - though some use it as an insult. Those with noble blood are eorls, or nobles. They are members of influential or wealthy clans.The people of Albion comprise three distinct cultures: Juton, Breton, and Norscan. Those of mostly Juton stock live in the south, notably the south-east, and those of Breton descendents live largely in the south-west and areas of the north. Norscan influence is slight but some northern Albions do have Norse ancestors due to the period of Norscan occupation known as the 'Norsegeld'.JUTONESThose of Juton stock tend to be tall (from 5'6" to over 6') and have from brown to blonde hair with some having red hair. Their distinction is not unlike the Norse but no true Albions of Juton blood have red hair. The Juton Albions form the nobility and enjoy the most wealth and are the dominant culture. The Jutones came from the northern Empire during the period of tribal wars at around -10 IC. They were a vicious tribe and upon reaching the shores of south-east Albion they slaughtered everyone, routing the remnants of the Breton-Albions to the west and north (notably in Morien).BRETONSBreton tribes invaded Albion, from what is now Bretonnia and northern Estalia, some 2,700 years ago. They lived for almost three centuries unchallenged on the island until the Jutones came from northern Empire and pushed them to the south-west and across the sea. Today, Breton influence is strongest in south-west Saxony, Morien, Albany, and Aeryn. They tend to be rather swarthy and are on the whole shorter than those of Juton and Norscan stock (5'4" to 6'). Those with strong Breton blood have jet-black hair and dark eyes (dominant in Morien and Aeryn) whereas those with reddish complexions (a sign of great majesty in these cultures) actually originate from Wastelander and/or Imperial/Norscan tribes; to even claim Juton heritage, of which some may actually come from, is to cause the highest offence possible. Many Breton-Albions also have their own language quite separate from the normal Juton language; a fact they are proud of.NORSCANSThrough the many raids by the Norse, and the one hundred year occupation known as the Norsegeld, these people have added their influence to some of the racial makeup of northern Albions. Those of direct Norscan lineage tend to have fair complexions and red or very blonde hair and are just as tall as the Jutones (5'6" to 6'). They are very few in Albion and those with blonde complexions claim, wrongly perhaps, of having Juton bloodlines.LANGUAGEThe dominant language spoken in Albion is Juton, Jutonish, or Juton-Albion. It originated from Imperial and Norscan dialects and is quite easy to learn. There are many ways that Juton is spoken and only the Juton nobility have a claim to how it's supposed to be spoken; in a very clear and majestic tone. Elsewhere the tongue is more rugged with locals adding their own words to a very flexible language.In the south-west, areas of the west and the extreme north, the dominant language is Breton, Bretonish, or Breton-Albion, a very old variant of the tribal languages used in the northern areas of Bretonnia. It is frowned upon by the ruling Jutones who view it as an ugly and heathen language. Unlike the Juton tongue, Breton is hard to fathom, a cause of much irritation for the dominant culture of Albion.DRESSThe upper classes wear long doublets of calfskin or velvet with gold or silver thread. They also favour wearing boots rather than the civilised shoes of the Empire. About the shoulders they favour wearing fine furs over a velvet cloak, often Thegns will wear this fastened by a large bronze or gold medallion. The commoners tend to wear clothes made of wool.DWARFS, ELVES, AND HALFINGSThere are small numbers of Dwarfs working in the mines of the Ynys Wydryn Mountains. These Dwarfs relish the payment they get as the mine owners have to pay a lot of money to hire Dwarf miners. In a major mine there might be around dozen or more Dwarfs, whereas smaller mines might have a Dwarf to oversee the mining operations.The only Elves in Albion are those found in Haradan's Outlaw band in the hidden glades of Sherweald Forest. There are as many as thirty to forty Elves in the group with a further twenty who are either Half-elves themselves or have some Elvish connections.There aren't many, if any, Halflings in Albion. The Moot is too far away from Albion for there to be a permanent community.THE MILITARY AND MILITARY UNIFORMThe armies of Albion are rightly feared by all those who fight against her. It has a hierarchy as follows: the High King, Dukes, Ealdormen, Thegns, Housecarls and finally the rank and file. Plate armour is never worn by the soldiers of Albion. Gunpowder weapons are never used by the standing army, i.e. they don't have units of gunners as in the Empire.RANK AND FILEJuton-Albion SpearmanThe rank and file are those men from the ages of 17 to 45 who train, by law, at leasBreton-Albion Archertonce a week with the longbow or spear at the nearest temple, market square, or town hall. Women are not exempt from this practice and must also train in a weapon of some kind. It is common for the women to accompany their men into battle and guard the baggage and supplies of the army.The rank and file soldiers that can will commonly wear a ring-mail shirt whilst some might be able to get their hands on chainmail (chainmail was an invention of the Bretons some years after their migration from the Old World continent). Any helmets are usually conical shaped with a nose-piece down the centre. Shields carried tend to be circular whilst those with the funds will be equipped with the kite shield. Depending on the role of an Albion unit, the favoured weapon will always be the spear or axe. Archers usually wear heavy leather jerkins. Those belonging to a private army will also were the conical shaped helmets of the infantry. Longbows are the dominant weapons. Albion horsemen are wealthier than the average footman and can afford to wear long chainmail coats (Albion horsemen are almost always of Juton stock). They carry kite shields and wield heavy spears into battle. Most, if not all, horsemen come from the towns and cities and also come from some of the wealthiest clans.EALDORMEN AND THEGNSSome Ealdormen are great warriors and will gather the fighting men of his Thegns together and flock to the banner of the High King. With the extra wealth an Ealdorman can afford jewel encrusted swords and the best armour, often chainmail of the finest quality. Their helmets are the defining feature, they have face masks that wholly protect the face with the top half of the helmet being conical shaped. Thegns are often clad in the same battle-dress as the Ealdormen and similarly always wear the masked helmets (as the symbol of a high ranking soldier). Many of these Thegns serve under the same household as the Ealdormen and form elite units of cavalry in battle and others become leaders of infantry units. What is more common is for them to lead the elite Housecarls into battle (see below).HOUSECARLSThe Housecarls are the High King's finest and most heavily armed and armoured professional soldiers in the kingdom. They are expert horsemen and often fight on horseback but there are regiments of Housecarls that fight on foot. To become a Housecarl a soldier must prove himself in battle in order to catch the eye of his superiors. It is a great honour for a soldier to become a Housecarl.It is the Housecarls who enforce the King's will in battle and it is units of these warriors who protect the High King unto death. They are the nearest equivalents to the knightly Orders of the Old World and upon becoming a Housecarl one must swear loyalty to the High King and uphold the interests of Great Albion, Nodens, and the Old Faith. The battle-dress of a Housecarl consists of the conical shaped masked helmet that many Thegns wear, though some will wear other helmet types. They are clad in sleeved chainmail suits and beautiful fur cloaks (often white in colour). In one hand they carry a kite shield (or a round one depending on his preferences) and in the other his weapon - often a heavy spear or sword but axes aren't uncommon.NAVY AND LONGSHIPSAlbion long-ships are very similar to Norse ships. They are vessels with a shallow draught which allow them to sail far up rivers, or anchor in innumerable creeks and bays, and which by its beautiful lines and suppleness of construction can ride out the fiercest storms of the Great Ocean or the Sea of Claws. An average long-ship is around 75 feet long from stem to stern and is built of sixteen strakes a side of solid oak planks, fastened with tree-nails and iron bolts, and caulked with cord of plaited animal-hair. The planks fastened to the ribs with bast ties gives the framework great elasticity. The deck is of loose unnailed boards with the stores contained in lockers. The mast (40ft high) is stepped in a huge solid block which is cunningly supported so that it stands steady and firm lending no strain on the light elastic frame of the ship. It is common for a long-ship to have 16 oars a side, varying in length between 17 and 20 feet. The oars would then be passed through circular rowlocks cut in the main strake which were fitted with shutters that closed when the oars are shipped. A long-ship can carry a crew of 50, and if necessary another 30 warrior or captives, in all weathers, for a month. Many long-ships have a dragon-shaped prow with a long row of shields along the sides of the ship.Albion does not have what you would call a proper professional navy, even though there are many long-ships docked at the various coastal towns and cities. The many powerful clans own these long-ships and it depends on the nature of the clan as to what aims they have. Some clans are very old fashioned and raid, loot, and pillage the coastal areas of Morien, Albany and Aeryn; though that old practice is becoming ever rarer as the High King strives to make the island more civilised. Other clans will gain wealth by piracy whilst others will trade with the Old World. Only when Albion as a whole is threatened will a navy be brought together, though Diocletia and Mercia do have many long-ships that can be considered sizeable enough for a navy.RELIGIONPRIMITIVE DRUIDISM & THE OLD FAITHNot surprisingly the Old Faith has exceptionally strong links in Albion. At the time of Sigmar, and for several centuries after, Druidism was becoming to much of a barbaric religion. Human sacrifice was still carried out and headhunting was a natural activity undertaken by pious individuals of the Old Faith. Indeed, the placing of severed heads, on spikes blessed by the Druids, were seen as powerful protective talismans, often in and around a sacred part of a forest or a pool. It is said that in the 3rd Century IC that the King of Albion would not make a decision until his Druidic Priest read the entrails of a ritually sacrificed youth. But other atrocities took place also, namely the burning to death of human and animal in huge wickerwork figures, and others were shot to death with arrows.The invading Jutones, just before the first millennium of the Empire, found the barbaric practices of the Druids, on the whole, vile as they worshipped the more widely known Old Worlder pantheon. But they were afraid of the Druids because they feared their curses and instead of attempting to destroy them they embraced them - this took little more than a century to achieve.But Albion was still seen as a backward and barbaric country and things had to change if the country was to become rich. It was King Agam Rund, probably the greatest king Albion ever had, that created the famous Code of Agam. Everyone had to pledge allegiance to this code and obey it, thus the mighty Druids had to curb their barbaric practices.The Druids, however, created the Bardic Order as a way of paving the way forward for a new and civilised country. The Bards would be the pawns of the Druidic Circle and assist on matters of agriculture and, should it arise, war. The Druids also used the Bards to become ambassadors for the Old Faith and even, when necessary, be their spies at the King's Court, as it is traditional for the monarch to have a Bard advisor.Today, sacrifices are still offered to the Old Faith but only in the far reaches of the southwest and the north and even then the sacrifices are always of animals. These people do not trust the Bardic Order to help their crop rotation preferring instead the old ways of adding animal blood to the mulch ploughed in to enrich the soil of the fields.The Old Faith in Albion encompasses many gods and goddesses of nature or earth spirits. The most important of the nature gods or spirits are given below. (They all form part of the Albion Old Faith).Taranis, is the sky-god whose symbol is the wheel.
Arnemetia, is the Water Goddess.
Iolonus, is the God of the Glade.
Cernunnos, is the God of the Earth and Fertility.
Latis, is the Goddess of the Pool.The names of these spirits, or gods, the Albions tend to refer to them as both, are evoked through prayers by everyone. For example, a Juton sailor may pray to Taranis, the sky-god, to breathe wind into his sails, and to Belatucadrus, to calm the seas and to keep the ship free from dangerous reefs.THE OLD WORLD PANTHEON IN ALBIONThe Jutones, and other tribes from the northern Empire, invaded Albion over 2,500 years ago and brought with them their gods. They worship Nodens and Belatucadrus as their principle religions; Nodens is an aspect of Ulric and Taal, and it is believed that Belatucadrus is an aspect of Manann. Other known gods are Bracia (an aspect of Verena and Myrmidia), Alator (an aspect of Morr), Condates (an aspect of Ranald), and Sulis (an aspect of Shallya). These gods and goddesses are worshipped principally in the southeast of Albion, but the further north one goes religion tends to swing towards the Old Faith and very old traditions.(GM: Characters can become Clerics of essentially the same gods as those from the Old World, though this will only be possible in Diocletia. Incidentally, the god Bracia's aspect can be one of Verena or Myrmidia - a PC can choose either god to worship, and Nodens is always worshipped in the image of that of Ulric's. All that has changed are the names of the gods in question).MENHIRS, STANDING STONES
& THE INFLUENCE OF THE HIGH ELVESUpon their departure from the Old World, the High Elves used Albion as a steppingstone to the Elven Kingdoms. The High Elves erected great menhirs to channel the energy of the vortex inward and each menhir collected the raw power from the earth along these channels of magical power. The Elven mages recognised the island as having many channels of magical power and the mages sort to exploit this, which is why Albion has many menhirs and standing stones.When the High Elves finally left Albion at around -1500 IC they departed an island interconnected with menhirs, like a map. When humans arrived on the island a thousand years later they worshipped the great menhirs like gods. Later, some amongst their primitive kind developed an affinity with the magical power concentrated at these menhirs. These were the early Druids of Albion.It is not known for sure why the early settlers erected tall standing stones around the great menhirs. Perhaps it was because the menhirs were nearing the end of their magical conducting 'lifecycle' and would be dangerous if the magic were not dissipated in some way in order to avoid a great catastrophe; the addition of the standing stones spread the magic making it less destructive.Today, the Stone Circle of Saxony is the oldest in the Albion isles. It is believed that its great menhir was made by the High Elves approximately 4,000 years ago as it is known that High Elf explorers regularly visited Albion before the wars with the Dwarf Empire. The menhir's circle of standing stones are approximately 3,000 years old and were the first stones to be erected by the tribal humans.Like the High Elves before them, the tribal humans buried their great leaders and warriors in barrows near to a menhir, believing that the great stone would protect their souls after death. (GM: the resulting focus of magic surrounding the menhirs means that any nearby barrows are guarded by the spirits of the buried dead). The High Elves did this to ensure that the souls of their dead would not be consumed by the Gods of Chaos.FORBIDDEN FAITHSTHE CHAOS POWERSJust as in the continent of the Old World the worship of the Chaos Powers is strictly prohibited with ruthless punishment to anyone found practicing. However, as on the continent, Chaos finds a way of reaching out its influence to those of weak faith and it would come to no surprise if some of the Albion nobility secretly worshipped one of the Dark Powers.GRONDELIn ancient times when the marshes spanned all of the Sea of Claws it is rumoured that Grondel actually ruled the kingdom of the Fimir. Whatever happened after that is a mystery but what is known is that Grondel is a forbidden religion. Some Albions, believing of greater wealth, might take to the worship of Grondel only to suffer the consequences afterwards. But the Fimir use this to their advantage and recruit human worshippers of Grondel to further their plans.As for Grondel himself, according to some of the most ancient manuscripts, it is believed that he was some form of demon who loved to eat living human flesh. The Fimir would mount raids on primitive human tribes and bring back victims for their master to feast upon. It is also said that this demi-god's throne was surrounded by a forest of spikes with thousands of victims impaled upon them. Some of Grondel's statues and monuments can still be found in the marshes of the east portraying the demon as a scrawny, scaly, humanoid feasting on the bodies of Men.KHAINEThis is another strictly forbidden religion. In ancient times, but after the High Elves left Albion for Ulthuan some 4000 years ago, it is known that Dark Elves regularly came to Albion, but for what purpose one can only guess. Perhaps it was for the galvorn veins that was rumoured to be around in the northern mountains at that time. When the Dark Elves came it is believed that some stayed and erected monuments to their dark gods but most notably Khaine. Where most of these monuments have corroded and crumbled away some still exist today and where they can be found it is quite possible that Khaine worshippers will be near.TAX, TRADE AND CURRENCYThe taxes are collected at the end of every month from each village in an Earldom by the usual heavy-handed tax collectors. The taxes are then taken to the estate of the ruling Thegn, or similar ruling noble, who then dispatches some of the collected money to the centre of administration of the Earldom which is either a town or city. A portion of the money is kept at these towns until the end of the year when the Royal Coffers take the lot. Not surprisingly it is at the end of each month that bandit activity rises.TRADEAlbion, notably the kingdom of the southeast, trades with the continent of the Old World notably from Marienburg and Norsca, L'Anguille, Brionne, and Bilbali. Albion merchants trade in gold, pearls, wool, tin, copper, iron and Anderidian granite. Anderidian granite can only be found in the north of Albion and is ideal construction material for walls and castles. Albion has a 1,500 year old charter with Marienburg and that is probably its most valuable asset.CURRENCYThe currency used in Albion is the Mark (abr. Mk), a measure of silver which is generally eight ounces. Two marks are the equivalent of one Imperial Gold Crown. Fourteen Silver Shillings, or silver pennies, are equal to one mark. Each Shilling is equal to twelve brass pennies or denarius to give the proper name, hence the abbreviation of 'd'. As is the custom each penny is minted with the head of the current monarch.THE JUDICIAL SYSTEMJustice varies from Earldom to Earldom, maybe even from shire to shire, some are quite barbaric whilst others are more just. In the north and maybe the south-west of Albion it is more than likely that the administering of justice will be very brutal. In the southeast justice is more civilised and may follow more of an Imperial model with lawyers etc, perhaps.As in the Old World, if the perpetrator is a nobleman there is a chance that he won't be held accountable for his crime, unless he has done something very serious. Almost any crime can be literally paid for. Indeed each class of person in Albion is worth an amount of Marks; this system is called the wergild. It is customary for the criminal to pay his victim an amount of Marks for his offence.A peasant or commoner is worth 5 Mk, a serf 15 Mk, a farmer 50 Mk, a soldier 75 Mk, Housecarl 500 Mk with higher social classes rising to well over a 1000 Mk. Of course the amount can be lower or higher depending on the crime. However, only those who look like they can afford to pay have the opportunity to do so, i.e. a soldier who murders a noble will almost certainly be put to death, whereas a Housecarl who, for whatever reason, murders a Thegn can in theory pay a 1000 Mk to avoid punishment. The desecration of a standing stone is punishable by death. The penalty for slander is the tearing out of the tongue. But, again, this can be paid for. The athelings suffer to a certain degree in that their tongues are worth five times that of an eorl (nobleman). Thus a humble tongue is cheap. The wergild has long been better than the blood feud and has prevented many a civil war.If the above levy cannot be paid then follow these guidelines:If a crime is committed in a village then the ruling Thegn, or similar character, will decide on the punishment. If the crime is murder or blasphemy then the person will be hung, drawn and quartered. The perpetrator has only a few minutes to save himself after which the sentence will be passed. If the crime is thieving then the thief will often have both his hands broken or he will be flogged by the person he stole from; alternatively the criminal can pay the victim for his offence. If the thief stole something particularly valuable, something from a temple, for example, then his right hand will be cut off.THE CODE OF AGAM The Code of Agam, the Law of Agam, the Commandments of Agam, or just the Code, was created by Albion's greatest High King, Agam Rund, sometime in the 7th Century (IC). It was a code that all people in the Albion isles were brought up knowing. However, only in Morien are all its virtues strictly observed, the other islands may uphold some, or even none, of the commandments. The Code of Agam also 'civilised' the Druids preventing them from carrying out their once barbaric practices in the name of the Old Faith. Some would say that the Code was created by Agam Rund specifically to get at the Druids and to curb some of their power. The ten commandments of the Code of Agam are. You will do no harm to any man who has not harmed you.

You will deal honestly in commerce with all men, and lie to none.

You will lend succour to the injured and aid to the needy.

You will not injure or violate the privacy of another man's house and property.

You will defend the weak who cannot defend themselves, against any and all unlawful oppressors.

You will respect all the ties and obligations of lawful marriage.

You will bravely bear arms for Albion against its enemies, under the command of its king and his appointed generals.

You will stand firm against the temptations of daemons and all foul magic.

You will honour the dead and will not injure or violate their places of burial, or the sacred places of the forest, or the holy circles made of stone.

You will be courteous and mild even with those you do not love, and will resist all wrath which is not righteous.

Code Breakers, the term given to anyone breaking one of the codes, are brought before their lord, typically a Thegn or Ealdorman, and are told to never return to their lands until 12 years have passed. (The GM should feel free to enforce this wherever he feels that the Code will strongly apply, i.e. in Morien). THE DANGERS OF ALBIONLike any civilised country in the world Albion has many places that should be avoided at all costs, or at least entered with extreme caution.FIMIRThe Fimir are possibly the most evil and savage creatures that occupy Albion, even though there are tribes of Goblinoids and small bands of Chaos marauders. The marshes of Eastshire cover almost the entire eastern half of the Earldom. They are a combination of swamps, bogs and fens and the entire area is covered in a blanket of mist which slowly disperses the nearer it gets to human settlements. The locals never venture into these marshes, or at least never venture far.Occasionally Fimir will launch raids against nearby human villages. The town of Durnovaria sometimes mount expeditions to attack the Fimir in the marshes. This does have an effect, but only for a short while as the Fimir retaliate ferociously. There are other lairs of Fimir in Albion, the fens of Dumnonia and Berengaria to name but two; Eastshire boasts the single largest population. The powerful Witch-Queen Mearah, rules the largest Fimir stronghold in Albion in the Eastshire marshes called the Flayed Rock. The stronghold used to belong to a once proud Juton Chief. Now it is crumbling into the bog and cuts a sinister shape in the fog and mists. The Fimir community itself numbers some 200 individuals. Other Fimir lairs in Albion number 20-80 individuals, with a small communities occupying the smaller islands off the northern coasts. Fimir raiding parties usually consist of a dozen Fimm (warrior caste) and a dozen Shearl (slave caste) depending on the target to be attacked.BANDITS, HIGHWAYMEN, AND PIRATESThe Highwaymen of Albion are rather brutal individuals that prefer to threaten their victims with crossbows as gunpowder weapons are practically never used in the country. Often these Highwaymen will be fallen outlaw chiefs or bandit lords who have been deposed as leader of their group. Highwaymen can be found almost anywhere near a city or a major town.Bandits occupy basically any places that are 'out of the way'. The famous outlaw chief Haradan, also known as the 'Brigand of Sherweald' or 'The Fox', leads the largest of outlaw bands in Albion. There are true cut-throat bands out there as well. One of these occupy the old Keep in the southern most part of the Ynys Wydryn Mountains and they call themselves the 'Red Skulls'.Pirates from the Albion Isles are amongst the most vicious and bloodthirsty to sail the waves. They are certainly more terrifying than their Old Worlder counterparts. Against the traditions of the normal long-ship, these pirates customise their vessels to carry cannons. Some pirates even use Old Worlder galleys rather than the long-ship.HARADAN 'THE FOX' OF SHERWEALD FORESTThe outlaw chief Haradan is also known in parts of the Old World because of his exploits. He leads a band or even a small community of 100 people, including a few women and children, located in Sherweald Forest on the Eastshire side. The community is hidden from normal view by powerful illusions in much the same way a Wood Elf settlement is protected. Haradan welcomes fellow outcasts into his 'family' and even exiles from other countries; murderers or evil people are not welcomed. His band is a multi-racial group with more Elves or Elvish people in it than Humans.Haradan himself is a Half-elf and has lived in Albion for over 300 years; his real elvish name is Caradiel. Where he originally came from he never tells. Minstrels sing of Haradan and his band stealing from the rich and giving to the poor and escaping from the law just in time. When the dreaded tax collectors of the Earl of Eastshire make their treks throughout the Earldom, Haradan and his men set up traps and all kinds of mishaps to deter these brutal excisemen.Haradan can be used as the source of many adventures. The PCs could be members of his band or they could even be employees of the wicked Earl of Eastshire tasked with arresting Haradan. Haradan also needs to guard against trophy hunters who are after his Unicorn.For more information click here.GOBLINOIDSThe main concentration of Goblinoids lies in the Ynys Wydryn Mountains where there are believed to be bands of 200 to 600 individuals, although each band has a considerable number of Goblins. Smaller bands inhabit the darker areas of Sherweald Forest. The Goblinoids of Albion are numerous enough to course the government some problems, but alliances are never forged for long leaving them as nothing more than nuisances. Some of the warbands, however, that consist wholly of Orcs have been known to take over the stone towers that are dotted about the country.CHAOS AND UNDEADThere have always been creatures of Chaos in Albion from Beastmen to Manticore. They tend to inhabit the mountainous areas with some taking refuge in the darker glades of the forests, most notably Haredesweald Forest and the large desolate areas of Berengaria. Encounters with actual beasts of Chaos are thankfully very rare and attacks from Chaos warbands are not common.So far there has been no account of Daemonology or Necromancy in Albion. This is because of the lack of any centres of magical research. The only magic learnt are by the members of the Bardic Order. However, Dark Magic does focus on areas of particular evil or death, such as the barrows of long dead Albion chiefs and Druids. WOLVESWolves are always a threat, not to Humans, but to the farmers' livelihoods. Packs of wolves frequently prey upon wherever there's plenty of sheep, pigs and chickens. This leads to groups of rangers heading into the forests to exterminate the threat. Pack Wolves can be found in all of Albion's forests.Giant Wolves are a different matter entirely and are a threat to lone Human travellers or even small groups of Human travellers if the wolf pack is large enough. Giant Wolves are more common the further north of Albion you go, this is probably because of the mountains and the large numbers of Goblins that live there. They in turn domesticate these beasts and ride into battle mounted upon them.GREAT EAGLES AND WARHAWKSThese wondrous birds of prey inhabit the Ynys Wydryn Mountains. Warhawks are the smaller cousins of the Great Eagles and are slightly more numerous but nevertheless are still rare. Great Eagles are only ever seen by the farmers and shepherds of the north when they come down to steal their cattle. Often these birds of prey won't stoop to stealing cattle, they will instead attack the many Goblinoids in the mountains and eat them. This ensures that sustained Goblinoid attacks on the farms and villages near the mountains are uncommon. Some shepherds befriend Great Eagles and leave gifts of sheep for them at the foot of the mountains, in return for their protection. The mightiest Great Eagle in Albion is Thorondar, he directs the surprise attacks on Goblinoid and Chaos warbands in the mountains.OGRES, TROLLS, AND GIANTSThese creatures are almost exclusive to the Ynys Wydryn Mountains. However, some of them have been known to occupy the chalk pits and hills of the southern counties. They are a constant menace to the miners and farmers of the north as they delight in eating livestock and slaughtering anyone who gets in their way.LOCH MONSTERSLoch Monsters are very, very rare and wondrous creatures. They are huge beasts and are said to be members of the Dragon Turtle family, though any Old World scholars have to date not managed to chart them because of the hostility of Albion's mountain regions. Loch Monsters are also protected by the people who know of their existence, which probably explains why hardly anyone, if anyone, from the Old World knows of their existence. Loch Monsters from time to time surface from the depths of the lochs and tarns, and this infrequency leads the locals to worship them as great spirits of water. The largest of all Loch Monsters lies in Albany. Fables tell of this beast to be the father of all Loch Monsters and is said to have eaten a great Chaos Dragon during the Dark Elf invasion of 2301 IC.CREATURES OF LEGENDThe following covers the creatures of myths and legends that the Albion people love to talk about. However many of the so-called myths are actually true! Some of these mythical creatures are known to be dangerous, even deadly, but the majority of them are friendly.ZOATSZoats are wondrous creatures that are so rare that their existence is in doubt. No living person in Albion (in the present age) has ever seen a Zoat, there have been claims of sightings but nothing solid, emphasising their rarity. In the Druidic Writings, it is said that when the first Humans came to Albion the Zoats taught them how to build strong huts, from the trees, to fit in with their new (cold) environment. The carvings on some of the rocks throughout the country do show primitive drawings of four legged creatures. But these can be interpreted as anything. In short Zoats are friendly creatures and very powerful magicians. They are centauroid in appearance having four thick, columnar legs and a powerful torso with two manipulative arms. They are reptilian with heavy plates of fused scales covering their shoulders, back and hindquarters and are 6 feet in height and 8 feet long.UNICORNUnicorn have been seen in the Haredesweald and Sherweald Forests. Trophy hunters are always on the lookout for a Unicorn horn and some can pay considerable amounts to anyone who knows where a Unicorn might be. These most magical of horses are protected by the spirits of the forest, including Zoats. The outlaw, Haradan, is said to know the whereabouts of many Unicorn.BLACK SHUKBlack Shuk is supposedly a huge Dire Wolf, or even an evil spirit of nature, with jet black fur and bright red eyes. It is said that he is the largest and most vicious wolf in the world by those who have claimed to have actually seen him. Some say that Black Shuk is the size of a warhorse whilst others say he is the size of a small house. Sightings of this most feared of wolves have come from Saxony, Diocletia and Eastshire. One thing is constant no one has actually seen Black Shuk and lived - if he has been seen that is...DRYADSDryads are spirits of the forest and, like Zoats and Black Shuk, their existence is doubtful. Perhaps this is because of their ability to change shape and conjure illusions. When Dryads do show themselves to Humans they usually take on the form of a beautiful woman or a handsome man, whichever is more effective. Otherwise they are around 10 to 12 feet tall and humanoid in appearance with 'tree-like' features.HIRN THE HUNTERHirn the Hunter is said to be another forest spirit worshipped by peasants. They call this spirit Hirn the Hunter and, from the people who have claimed to have seen him, they say that he has the head of a stag and the body of a man clad in furs and carrying a flint tipped spear. The Druids so far cannot say that there is such a being. Some say that they have seen Hirn as a stag running like the wind through the trees.GRONDELGrondel is a beast of pure darkness who is said to have been a daemon. His story is told to scare young children at bedtime, "if you don't go to sleep Grondel will come and get you" is the favourite saying. As for Grondel himself, according to some of the most ancient manuscripts, it is believed that he was some form of demon who loved to eat living human flesh. The Fimir would mount raids on primitive human tribes and bring back victims for their master to feast upon. It is also said that this demi-god's throne was surrounded by a forest of spikes with thousands of victims impaled upon them. Some of Grondel's statues and monuments can still be found in the marshes of the east portraying the demon as a scrawny, scaly, humanoid feasting on the bodies of Men.