Von Carstein Background Information
Maxim Von Carstein
Background, Lore and Artwork for Soulblight Gravelords, Nighthaunts, Flesh-Eater Courts, Ossiarch Bonereapers, Vampire Counts and Tomb Kings
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Carpe Noctem
History of Sylvania

​

Before Sigmar

The Fennones were a small tribe that settled in the regions that would become Ostermark, Sylvania and Eastern Stirland. The Eastern tribal [/b]lands were as inhospitable then as they are in the early 26th Century. The Northern portions were blanketed by the Great Forest and the western tribal lands moderately fertile. The Fennones eked out a sorry existence there, especially with so much of the forest and Eastern Mountains teeming with goblins and other more sinister creatures. Trade with neighboring tribes was limited as the Fennones had little to offer. Despite their nearness to Zhufbar, the Fennones avoided contact with the Dwarfs. Some believe that this was due to the fact that the Fennones traded with the nearby goblin tribes, while others suggest something more disturbing.

The Fennones worshipped a harsher version of the Old Faith that that which was practiced elsewhere in the land that became the Empire. As part of their beliefs, the dead of the Fennones were buried in the various bogs, moors and fens that were common throughout their lands. This burial practice remained intact through the present day.

Drannus and the Coming of Sigmar

Raids by Goblins against the Fennones began to grow as more bands of Orcs entered the lands through Black Fire Pass, especially in the years following the improbable rescue of Dwarf High King Kargan. Drannus, tribal chieftain, led his warriors against the Unberogen chieftain, Sigmar, approached Drannus with an offer of friendship and support if he agreed to ally his tribe with the others against the greenskins. Drannus, immediately koined seeing an opportunity to better the lot of his tribe, and himself.

Some later, more cynical, historians have suggested that Drannus' decision had more to do with the fear of what would happen to him should Sigmar consider the Fenonne as confederates of the greenskins. The only real decision for Drannus was to throw his lot in with the Unberogen leader to avoid the later extermination of his tribe.

The war was tenacious with no quarter given or asked, it was a war of survival. With the aid of the Dwarfs, Sigmar's mighty host obliterated the Orc and Goblin horde at the climatic Battle of Black Fire Pass. The Victorious tribal chieftains realized that their people could not be safe unless the tribes remained united. So, they met in the Great Council in Reikdorf for many days deciding the future. In the end, they elected Sigmar Heldenhammer as Emperor, who was then crowned by the High Priest of Ulric.

One of Sigmar's first acts was to reward those who led their tribes to battle. To Drannus, Sigmar granter the lands along the eastern reaches of the River Stir and south to Aver Reach. Drannus founded the town of Buchebad, near the western border of his lands, as his capital. To maintain his claims in the east, however, Drannus "freed" his slaves and settled them in those poor lands. Drannus elevated the warrior who provided him great service to the Lords of the Eastern Lands.

Drannus lived a long life and firmly rules his lands. In his eighty-first year, the old warrior met his death at the hands of goblin raiders from the Great Forest as he patrolled his northern borders. In accordance to his will, Drannus' lands were divided to his two remaining sons: Fraomar, the eldest of the two inherited the western lands (Langwald) and Cuthwine the Grim received the eastern lands (Sylvania).

Strife and the Age of Wars

Religious Oppression

Soon after his ascension as Primate (Grand Theogonist) of Sigmar, Kazgar I began a process of gathering evidence that supported allegations that practitioners of the Old Faith partook in "unwholesome rituals of worship," including human sacrifice and "wanton immorality." When he gathered sufficient proof, Kazgar I met with Ar-Ulric, several elders of the Taal Faith, and the High Priest of the Myrmidia Cult in Nuln (the latter having taken root as a result of commerce with several Tilean cities) to call for the salvation of the souls of the duped followers of the Old Faith and the suppression of that tainted belief.

The War of Cleansing took place chiefly in the eastern Empire where the Old Faith was the strongest. A number of Druidic priests were forced to denounce their evil beliefs and convert at the point of the sword to one of the "sanctioned" cults. Many refused to do so and were consigned to the flames while others fled into the wilderness. In Sylvania, many died trying to protect their faith, others claimed to follow the goddess Rhya, though the preferred to refer to her by her local name Gurheid. Though there were some deviations from the normal rituals, these ceremonies were close enough to satisfy the "Purgers of the False Faith" (as the sanctioned hunters of the Old Faith styled themselves).

In their obsession with destruction, the Purgers never realized that the worship of Gurheid was a darker, more malevolent deviation of that normally associated with Rhya. In fact, the cult was vengeful, then the variant of the Old Faith that had been previously practiced by the Fennone tribe. Some later religious historians would advance the theory that the cult of Gurheid was actually nothing more than a coven for the Old Faith derivative originally followed by the Fennone. Moreover, this War of Cleansing made the local people more obsessed with the power of death and, thus, opened the door to the worship of Khaine.

The Deadly Black Plague

Baron Fredrick van Hal came to power in Sylvania as a reward for rooting out diabolical wizards in the eastern Empire in concert with Emperor Boris Goldbringer's effort to suppress the sorcerous arts. Baron van Hal's ambitions were just being realized when the outbreak of the Black Plague commenced simultaneously in the Western Cities. The plague spread quickly eastward and devastated the population of Sylvania. Corpses remained where they perished as those still living struggled to survive.

The Skaven at the time erupted from the forest and hidden lairs throughout the Eastern Empire, enslaving the living and destroying villages. Baron van Hal had no intention of allowing these overgrown rodents to disrupt his plans so close to fruition. He was forced to reveal himself as a necromancer and raised the Dead to fight the invading vermin. The battles between the Undead and the Skaven further decimated Sylvania and weakened both opponents. By this time, word of the devastation of the land and peasants reached the Imperial nobility. Led by Grand Prince Mandred von Schilderland of Reikland, an Imperial host marched through Stirland towards, the war in the East. Ravaged by disease and suffering great losses, the Skaven forces were systematically destroyed by Mandred's army of Stirland.

Victorious, yet weakened, Mandred's army engaged Vanhal's (as the infamous Necromancer was called) army in the Stirlander barony of Langwald in an indecisive battle. Vanhal's forces were too many and the Imperial force could not muster an effective counter to the Necromancer's power, so complete was the late Emperor Boris' folly in eliminating sorcery in the Empire. Mandred decided that the remaining Skaven forces in the Great Forest represented the greater danger and crossed the River Stir, leaving a small, defensive force to watch the Sylvanian frontier. By the time that the last of the Skaven were slain, Mandred received word that Vanhal had been assassinated and his Undead Army crumbled to dust. Taking little chance, Mandred reached an agreement with the cult of Morr to send their Raven Knights to cleanse Sylvania of the taint of Necromancy. Mandred the returned west to proclaim that the abominations known as the Skaven had been utterly destroyed.

Mandred elevated the status of the province to a (non-Electoral) County when he promoted the ill-fated Baron Theophilus von Stirbruck as Count of Sylvania, successor to the cursed Vanhal. After a reign of 20 years, Count von Stirbruck lost his way during a hunt in Hunger Wood. His mutilated corpse was found days later near the River Stir.

Age of Wars

The end of Emperor Mandred's reign plunged the Empire into an age of utter anarchy. Sylvania was reduced to minor holdings of nobles constantly vying against one another for advantage. Weather also betrayed the land and drought became commonplace. With so little intrinsic value, poor soil and resources, none of the powerful nobles in the surrounds provinces took any interest in Sylvania.

The first family to rise from the ashes were the von Teufelheims, a murderous and depraved family from the eastern part of the county. For decadeÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s the peasants and lesser nobles suffered grievously from the von Teufelheims rule. Many young men and women disappeared. Some were simply ravished and returned to their villages broken both body and spirit, others died while fulfilling whatever decadent need the ruling family desired. In time, a Peasant Revolt erupted and the family and their noble allies, few as they were, were annihilated.

Anarchy continued in Sylvania for the next century. The next prominent family to gather enough power to rule Sylvania was the von Draks. The first of the new Counts, Ludwig von Drak, was a capable and strong ruler. He declared Sylvania neutral in the conflict that arose when Ottilia of Talabecland declared herself Empress. The isolated location of the Count's dominion allowed Sylvania to remain relatively unscathed from the wars in the west and north. This provided the von Draks to secure their hold on Sylvania for generations.

The Coming of the Vampire Counts

The von Draks ruled Sylvania for nearly 350 years, making them as one of the longest ruling families of their time. Unfortunately, each generation of von Draks proved to be of lesser ability and more decadent than the preceding one. Otto was the last of the von Drak Counts, a thoroughly corrupt and predatory man whose atrocities became known through Stirland and Ostermark. His only surviving daughter married the mysterious Vlad von Carstein, ushering in the bloodiest period of war, tyranny, degeneracy and death that the Empire has ever seen.

Sylvania was ignored outside its borders for the first 200 years of von Carstein's reign, much as it was during the von Drak regime. The destruction of Mordheim across the River Stir provided von Carstein with the opportunity to gather more power in the form of remnants of the meteor that fell upon the Ostermarker city. The shards were called Wyrdstone and reputed to have magical properties. The destruction of Mordheim also removed a potential enemy in the Sisters of Sigmar with their powers of augury.

For ten years Count von Carstein bided his time as fortune hunters and mercenaries from all over the Empire and beyond swarmed over the ruins in search of wealth and power. With an undead army at his command, von Carstein led his forces across the rebuilt bridge at Stirbruck and overwhelmed Mordheim and the surrounding mercenary villages from the west. Those that perished soon augmented von Carstein's army. The destruction of the ruined city marked the beginning of the Vampire Wars.

This Black Period of history lasted 135 years and ended in a marshy place called Hel Fenn. The wars of the von CarsteinÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s plunged the Empire to a depth of destitution that exceeded anything since the Black Plague of 1111 L.C. A large portion of the population was lost and famine raged across the lands for years.

The Chaos Incursion

With the death of the Vampire Counts, Sylvania slid back into the recesses of the Empire. Rebuilding continued at a very slow pace as the land and peasants were destitute. The Grand Count of Stirland even shunned the lands he claimed after Mannfred von Carstein's demise. As is their lot in life, the SylvaniaÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s continued to scratch a living, no matter how miserable when compared to other parts of the Empire. Raven Knights scoured the countryside in periodic raids, sometimes with other Knightly Orders, such as the Fiery Heart, to cleanse it of the corruption of the von Carsteins. Many foul creatures were killed and their patrons burned at the stake.

The struggle of the numerous pretender Emperors continued apace, though no one seemed to pay Sylvania any attention. Then the world changed again. This time the enemy came from the north, not Sylvania. Chaos erupted from the forests and lands across the River Lynsk in Kislev. Count von Essen was eager to show Sylvania's meddle before the rest of the Empire and quickly raised a levy of peasants, led by his retinue and any mercenary who would join him, von Essen marched through Ostermark to Kislev. Had he waited to co-ordinate his attacks with Magnus the Pious as the forces of Ostermark and other eastern provinces had done, Count von Essen might have enjoyed the fruits of victory. Instead, his arrival in Kislev was ill-timed, as far as his fate and those of his men were concerned. They were massacred within sight of the besieged city of Kislev to a man. The only procession that the head of Count von Essen would lead would be at the end of a pike bearing the Champion's Standard.

The Great War against Chaos continued without further participation from Sylvania. Once again, the Grand Count of Stirland had to repopulate the nobility of the Sylvania with second sons of prominent Stirlander nobility and qualified members of his own retinue. In his case, General Frederick Schliemann, one of the heroes in the Battle of Kislev, was elevated to Count of Sylvania and took the name von Walden to mark his ascension.

Sylvania Today

Since the time of Magnus, Sylvania continues to be plagued by the remnants of the corrupting forces that once ruled the fearful land. The oppressive environment continues to play havoc upon its populace as well as the ruling class. Depravity of certain members of the Sylvanian nobility arises from time to time, though not to the magnitude of the past.

One of the more recent examples surrounds the mystery of Baron Karsten von Walden. In one of the private feuds so common to nobility, Baron von Walden sought satisfaction from a rival who won over a young nobleman's daughter that he fancied. According to rumors that circulated at the time, von Walden made a pact with the forces of darkness to undermine the outer walls of Castle Siegfried so that he could kill his rival and take the woman so rightfully his. Once the deed was accomplished and the Baron's goal realized, Karsten von Walden reneged on his part of the foul bargain. The dark forces stole all the children of Waldendor during festivities marking Geheimnisnacht and left evidence that implicated Baron von Walden. The Baron did not have a chance to rebut the evidence as a grieving mob captured him as he tried to find sanctuary in a Temple of Sigmar. The Baron was quickly lynched before his father could intervene.

Since the ascension of Emperor Luitpold, father of Karl-Franz I malevolent forces seem to be rising in Sylvania. Unexplained incidents and mysterious deaths seem to be occurring more frequently. The Morrian priests and templars who maintain vigilance over Sylvania have reported experiencing and increase of disturbing dreams to their superiors in Nuln. Moreover, the suppositious peasants claim that there is an increase of fell creatures in the numerous dark woods and mist-enshrouded moors that dot the County, as well as the disappearance of loved ones. Rumors of werewolves, ghouls, and worse are reaching the ears of wary road wardens, constables and town militias. Many now avoid being abroad at night for the fear that they will not survive to see the dawn.

From Strike to Stun

- Maxim

PS Full Story of the Vampire Wars and Von Carstein Bloodlines coming soon.

Demographic Information of Sylvania​

This information has been taken from the Blood Keep Forum where much hard work has gone into its creation, know that this work remains the intellectual property of the individuals that went into its creation, and is not my own, please respect intellectual property.

Sylvania:

Population Density: 15 people per square mile

Area: 8'750 Square Miles (approx).

Settled: 729 Square Miles

Unsettled: 8021 Square Miles

Population: 131'250 adults

Urban Population: 10'577 adults

Village Population: 81'298 adults

Isolated & Itinerant Population: 39'375 adults

Military: 1312.5

Regulars: 984.38

Militia: 328.13

Castles/Fortifications: 2.63

Ruins: 6.62

Universities: 0.05

Developed (Agrarian) Land: 729.16' Square Miles, 8.13%

Wilderness (Untilled) Land: 8020.84 Square Miles, 91.66%

Livestock: 288'750

Fowl (Chickens, Geese, Ducks): 196'350

Dairy & Meat (Pigs>Sheep>Goats>Milk - cattle>Work - cattle> Meat - cattle): 92'400 (1/2> 1/4> 1/8> 1/16> 1/32> 1/32 approx).

Military would be variously dispersed along the borders or in the capitol Waldenhof (particularly Militia) as other towns are too small to warrant them.

Acknowledgements and Disclaimer: I've used the figures from MadAlfred's Sylvania Gazetteer 2512, so it's slightly out of date (it's now 2523). I may update this when the new figures come out. I've also used the freeware by S. John Ross on Medieval Demographics author of Fief and hosted at the Blue Room. It's well worth a look. I should also note that I've made quite a few assumptions when working this out, so that the figures are the minimum you would expect (some would say well below what is reasonable), as Sylvania is meant to be very poor and sparsely populated, having never really recovered from the Vampire Wars. As such I've used a population density of 15, half of the recommended minimum of 30, and densities may exceed 120 people per square mile (in ideal conditions). Doubling all the figures is therefore most reasonable (except those from the Gazetteer) if you want higher numbers. I've only taken a rough area of the (scale) map from MadAlfred's 'site, using the newer second (WHFRP2) version.

It should also be noted that Mannfred returned between 2502-2506, and that the first five years of his rule would need to be spent in consolidation and restoration of Drakenhof. I'm inclined to believe the capitol would remain at Waldenhof for political, economic and military reasons. Count Rudgar von Walden almost certainly continues to rule Sylvania in name at Mannfred's behest, since Mannfred's political position is still tenuous sans the rest of the Empire, together with other political capitol. Such a stalking horse is also safer for Mannfred.

Since then we know he has wiped out mutant and bandit activity together with all ghouls within Sylvania. This should lead to a steady increase in population, but the rate of increase is (as noted by S. J Ross) glacial. There has been no immigration until the Spring Driving (2521) and Storm of Chaos (2522), which should drive population figures up very rapidly. Most of these immigrants are from Ostermark, with a few from Talabecland. It should be noted that the immigrants will still be acclimating to the society, and that though very welcome, it will be in flux, with relatively little immediate impact on trade figures. I haven't even begun to speculate on these figures and will not until more up-to-date gazetteers are available (doubtless pre-Storm) and may not then, so feel free to increase the figures to your hearts content.

Here are the figures for watch outposts throughout Sylvania. They're calculated off the above population figures again using S. John Ross' medieval calculations. I have however, doubled the numbers of Watchmen at each location to reflect the high proportion of Watchmen throughout the Empire. This is particularly true within Stirland (and Talabecland but hey) which (officially) controls Sylvania. Also, Mannfred if anything would increase the Watch presence, as he has a real need for criminals to execute and feed off. It is a relatively (five years or so) quick thing to increase the watch numbers too. Of course this would also give the numbers for double the density (30 people per square mile) to that used above, which would still be a very low density, with average (high end) Watch presence. It would also help (immensely) regulate the high influx of immigrants from the Storm of Chaos and Spring Driving.

Waldenhof: 56

Egling: 0.66

Hundham: 0.74

Thrynau: 0.44

Essenfurt: 1.5

Leichenburg: 3.04

Naubonum: 0.76

Mikalsdorf: 1.16

Nachtafen: 1.8

Pfaffbach: 0.74

Regrakhof: 0.68

Siegfriedhof: 2.56

Rottbruck: 0.62

Stirbruck: 2.28

Swartzhafen: 3.36

Tempelhof: 0.66

Teufelheim: 0.7

This gives a total of 80 Watchmen for the towns and villages of Sylvania (Thrynau has no Watch presence but is so close to Waldenhof it receives a weekly patrol). Those townships with three Watchmen (Leichenburg, Siegfriedhof, and Swartzhafen) each would have a corporal apiece, whilst the rest would make do with just a senior Watchman (with a junior where two are present). These numbers lend themselves to a highly centralized system run direct from Waldenhof. One Captain would lead the watch, with two or three lieutenants and a dozen sergeants. These numbers could be easily trebled before a Watch Commander becomes preferable (as the senior rank) with a couple of Captains, and could cope with just a Captain and Lieutenants (+ OberLieuenants) until about 500 men, when urban populations reached around 37'500 people (the last figures place it at 6'913 people) using the high proportion of Watchmen mentioned. There are no calculations available for the numbers of Stir River Patrol, or Road wardens, so I'm arbitrarily setting them at 40 and 164.6 respectively, under a Lieutenant and a Captain. The Road wardens work out at 1 per 800 head of general population (without urbanization taken into account), which seems reasonable, though I have no basis for the figure. The Stir R. Patrol (based out of Waldenhof) is subsidiary to and answers to Stirland, though I suspect Mannfred could acquire their loyalty. Regardless, as they're mostly concerned with smuggling (and therefore quite busy) I don't see them opposing Mannfred. Smuggling is one of the very few criminal activities I can see Mannfred permitting or even encouraging, as it allows an ingress of unfranked and illegal goods, which since the duties go to either the Emperor or Stirland shouldn't concern him, although with independence from Stirland (in some unspecified future) that would doubtless change.

Their are no figures for Drakenhof and Vanhaldenschlosse as at the figures used (2512) they're both ruins, Vanhaldenschlosse uninhabited and Drakenhof populated by mutants. We know Mannfred has reoccupied Drakenhof and slaughtered the mutants (ready made Levy), opening the place up to peasants. It's seems likely that Vanhaldenschlosse is reoccupied to, as it affords an excellent and strategic location and was a formidable fortress. It also affords Mannfred the opportunity to install one of his Lieutenants (a Vampire) with no opposition or objections in a magically significant site. When more up-to-date figures are available I'll do these (Drakenhof at least should gain a population).

Finally, here are the trades (businesses) within Waldenhof, again they are based upon the above figures:

Cobblers: 28

*Furriers: 16.8

Maidservants: 16.8

Tailors: 16.8

Barbers: 12

Jewelers: 10.5

*Taverns/Restaurants: 10.5

Rag & Bone Merchants: 10.5

Pstrycooks: 10.5

Masons: 8.4

*Carpenters: 7.63'

Weavers: 7

Chandlers: 7

Mercers: 7

Coopers: 7

Bakers: 5.25

Waterboys: 4.94

Scabbardmakers: 4.94

Wine Merchants: 4.66'

Felters: 4.42

Saddlers: 4.2

Hegglers: 4.2

Pursemakers: 3.81'

Butchers: 3.5

Fishmongers: 3.5

Beersellers: 3

Bucklemakers: 3

Plasterers: 3

Spice Merchants: 3

Blacksmiths: 2.8

Painters: 2.8

Licenced Doctors: 2.47

Unlicenced Doctors: 12

Thatchers/Roofers: 2.33'

Locksmiths: 2.21

Baths: 2.21

Ropewalks: 2.21

Inns: 2.1

Tanneries: 2.1

Copyists: 2.1

Sculptors: 2.1

Rugweavers: 2.1

Harnessmakers: 2.1

Bleachers & Dyers: 2

Hay Merchants: 1.83

Cutlers: 1.83

Glovemakers: 1.75

*Woodcarvers: 1.75

*Woodsellers: 1.75

Apothecaries/ Herbalists/ Alchemists: 1.5

Bookbinders: 1.5

Illuminators: 1.08

Booksellers: 0.66'

Noble Households: 21

Advocates: 6.46

Clergymen: 105

Priests: 3.5 ~ 4.2

Menial Workers/ Labourers: 2311.56

The asterisked (*) trades are those I believe would show a higher poroponderence within Sylvania (and Waldenhof) due to the trade constituents and geography, and I'd suggest doubling the figures given. Note that this hasn't been done, and if it were the numbers of menial workers / Labourers should fall correspondingly. As a rough rule of thumb each business employs four people, although this varies widely. The list is not exhaustive and other trades could well exist, although some figures could easily represent several related trades, for example blacksmiths could include coppersmiths or jewelers goldsmiths. Some trades aren't represented because they only operate in very cosmopolitan areas with higher populations than Sylvania possesses.

Clergymen would include all things like lay-preachers, initiates, witch hunters/inquisitors and templars. Of the four priests within Waldenhof we know three represent Sigmar, Morr and Rhya, whilst the forth should be Ecate. If proscribed cults (Ecate) don't show in the figures then the forth priest should also follow Rhya or Taal.

Area (Waldenhof): 65 Acres

Density (Person/ Acre): 63

The Military colours (uniform) of Sylvania is black, red and purple, but this hasn't been used since the Vampire Wars, as the military have since used green and yellow, Stirland's colours. After the Great War Against Chaos with Magnus the Pious, Sylvanian military have used no military colours as they have lapsed to a very ad-hoc affair with the fall in population. Since regions frequently use their own colours within a province, Mannfred could easily reinstitute the original colours (black, red and purple) without concerning Stirland yet gaining local political capital. Doubtless this has been the case for some time.

It takes roughly a year to recruit significant numbers to the military and another year to fully train them (infantry, cavalry or artillery). This means the first large influx of recruits from the Spring Driving migration should just be entering active service, and the Storm of Chaos migrants should be beginning training. This means Mannfred should have a much larger body of living troops available soon, not counting Mercenaries.

It takes around three to five years to turn a well trained soldier into a veteran, not counting seasoning and hardening from war. Sylvania's current soldiery should be at this level from killing ghouls, bandits and Crom's raiders. The military isn't large enough to select and train special forces such as Greatswords, though increased recruiting (from immigrants) would allow small numbers of these, roughly 3% of regulars eventually. Remember these figures are all based upon a very low population density.

Mercenaries are very expensive and wholly unreliable. They care about their reputation not their employer or cause. However, they are often skilled and quick to employ, if you can find the gelt. Mannfred should have no trouble acquiring these, but it's a good idea to use them to pad your forces out rather than rely upon them, and they should never outnumber your forces in any local or they're liable to just go pillaging, unless they fear swift and brutal revenge. This requires examples, so is best avoided where possible. Ogre bands work on a different premise, taking their payment in vast quantities (i.e. expensive) of low grade meat. It's actually cheaper to use these than hire them as they can eat the enemy. Mannfred could feed them corpses (leaving skeletons) or goblins (which make poor zombies). Again this is a future option. As Mannfred opens (gold, iron, copper and tin) mines with inexhaustible (zombie) labour, he should gain the capitol to do this, although Mercenaries are always a short term solution with the money better spent elsewhere (raising, equipping & training troops; improving infrastructure - roads; building fortifications; purchasing supplies - cannon, equipment, etc.), even for Mannfred.

If you remove population blocks, society grows exponentially. Mannfred has eliminated banditry, improved infrasture and efficiency and destroyed large predators (ghouls). There are further changes he could make that would also help, he might already have done them. In addition, immigration will increase this rate very dramatically, the conditions for which are ideal following the Storm of Chaos. Refugees will have flooded in from Ostermark and Talabecland.

Sigmar's Heirs is very patchy (it has some good stuff) and the census figures are poor, but it's only a snap shot of the Empire where thew previous edition went into province by province detail ( ~ eventually). More up-to-date numbers should become available at some point. That 5'000 is urban population, where the economy is rural, the total population tends to much higher.

The population can only support a finite number of Vampires, and it's better to increase numbers slowly. That's why Mannfred recalled so many to Sylvania. He reoccupied and repaired Drakenhof, whilst the capitol remains Waldenhof under Count Rudgar, who acts as a stalking horse. It seems likely Vanhaldenschlosse has also been reopened with one of Mannfreds favored installed. A few other Vampires also operate keeps, and some will stay at prominent courts. It's better to keep numbers low at the moment until the position within the Empire is more secure. After all, the nobles are firmly under control and can always be kissed if war erupts.

We know of three Vampire Counts within Sylvania at present, plus a couple of Thralls. Thralls can be created quickly though, and three is a minimal number; we don't really have the data to base anything on and are unlikely to receive it. Remember Sylvania is the poorest part of the Empire (by a long way) and the figures I provide are historically comparable for such a province. However, remember that twenty years of uninterrupted growth have occurred since those figures and conditions would be much better (though still impoverished). A good rule of thumb would be to double the population figures (a human population will double over twenty years in ideal conditions) though this does not take account of immigration (always low until the Spring Driving and Storm of Chaos, then high yet still lower than other provinces) or reflect the economic situation. However, until more detailed info is available it's a reasonable fudge. Sylvania hasn't had any part in politics for six hundred years. That's only now starting to change (indicating strong economic growth and good prospects).

Here are the Watch figures for Sylvania. Watch numbers are again doubled for the high incidence of watchmen throughout Sylvania. This will help regulate the recent influx of immigrants, though something has to fall by the wayside in the crime figures (at least temporarily). I've decided this is most likely the smuggling rate which is more the province of the Excise men and Stir River Patrol, and which is in the interests of the nobility to ignore, further weakening Stirland and Strengthening Sylvania (economically) effectively operating a Black Economy (with StirlandÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s punitive tax rate) similar to Soviet Russia:

Waldenhof: 56

Egling: 1.09

Hundham: 1.23

Thrynau: 0.73

Drakenhof: 3.33'

Apetlon: 0.45

Tadten: 0.56

Essen: 2.51

Krewlin: 0.6

Zuhlsdorf: 0.71

Eisigfurt: 1.28

*Enzesburg: 1.17

*Grusserl: 1.31

*Barnbach: 0.45

*Hirtenfeld: 0.77

*Texing: 0.92

*Langwald: 1.15

Leicheburg: 5.06'

Mikalsdorf: 2.05

Naubonum: 1.25

Nachtafen: 3.0

Pfaffbach: 1.24

Steurberg: 0.72

Regrakhof: 1.15

Siegfriedhof: 4.26'

Rottbruck: 1.04

Stirfahre: 3.8

Swartzhafen: 7.6

Greith: 0.48

Hagen: 0.55

Tempelhof: 1.11

Teufelheim: 1.16

Gallizien: 0.35

Rechwald: 0.46'

Vanhaldenhof: 1.16

*Contested with Stirland. The neighbors Enzesburg & Langwald (a former capitol of Sylvania...again) should present no difficulty, but the Barony of Grusserl (containing Barnbach, Hirtenfeld and Texing) belongs to the MÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â³rrian Abbey of St. Redwald and the Black Knight Templars (Grandmaster Williband Munsterburg) which could prove a challenge, especially with the MÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â³rrian Abbey of St.Wilfrid another Black Guard stronghold just over the border (though they at least don't manage that land).

This gives a total of 108 Watchmen for the towns and villages of Sylvania (Apetlon, Barnbach, Greith and Rechwald have no Watch presence but receive a weekly patrol). Those townships with three or four Watchmen (Drakenhof, Essen, Nachthafen, Siegfriedhof and Stirfahre) each would have a corporal apiece; Leicheburg would have a sergeant (no corporal) with five; whilst Swartzhafen (with 8 Watchmen) would have an Unterliuetenant and the rest would make do with just a senior Watchman (with a junior where two are present). These numbers lend themselves to a highly centralized system run direct from Waldenhof. One Obercaptain would lead the watch, with two Captains, three Lieutenants, fourteen Unterliuetenant and twenty two sergeants. These numbers could be trebled before a Watch Commander becomes essential (as the senior rank) could cope with just a Captain and Lieutenants (+ OberLieuenants, not used here) until about 500 men, when urban populations reached around 37'500 people (the last figures place it at 25'553 people) using the high proportion of Watchmen mentioned. There are no calculations available for the numbers of Stir River Patrol, or Road wardens, so I'm arbitrarily setting them at 40 and 328.13 respectively, under an Obercaptain. The Road wardens work out at 1 per 800 head of general population (without urbanization taken into account), which seems reasonable, though I have no basis for the figure. The Stir R. Patrol (based out of Waldenhof) is subsidiary to and answers to Stirland, though I suspect Mannfred could acquire their loyalty. Regardless, as they're mostly concerned with smuggling (and therefore quite busy) I don't see them opposing Mannfred. Smuggling is one of the very few criminal activities I see Mannfred encouraging, as it allows an ingress of unfranked and illegal goods, which since the duties go to either the Emperor or Stirland shouldn't concern him, although with independence from Stirland (in some unspecified future) that would doubtless change.

There are no figures for Mordheim (as the site is still unoccupied) or Vanhaldenschlosse (as it's a ruin) though the village (Vanhaldenhof) is occupied and subsidiary villages should appear soon as this seems a (relatively ~ 5 years or less) recent venture as it can take considerable time to renovate ruins. This is also the logical progression for Mannfred to take as his first concern must have been for Drakenhof (as supported by the figures).

This information has been taken from the Blood Keep Forum where much hard work has gone into its creation, know that this work remains the intellectual property of the individuals that went into its creation, and is not my own, please respect intellectual property.

- Maxim