Hobby ADD

Holy Posting Batman! I decided to post to my Empire blog a bit more frequently.
I also decided on a province after all this time, as I switched and thought about doing Nordland (this phase lasted all of about 2 weeks.)
Then, because of the large number of militia models I have, I thought I would do Stirland. (That phase lasted a while.) Then I did a test model, and was not crazy about how it looked, but I did like the idea of using yellow, since that is one of the colors I had in my paint supply. So, after much self reflection, soul searching, and consulting my fellow Warhammer-Empire blokes, I decided to go with Averland. What follows is a brief description of Averland, and its history.
Averland is one of the richest provinces in The Empire, though it is neither the largest nor the most influential, and its army is famous for its ostentatious uniforms. Its wide, open plains are extremely fertile - thanks to the regular flooding of the Aver and the Upper Reik rivers. Averland is perfect horse-breeding country - the finest steeds for riding and for battle come from here. The province is also noted for its long-horn cattle, and for its excellent wine.

The most important geographical feature is the Blackfire Pass. The pass, a deep, volcanic cleft in the rock, is the only reliable route across the mountains. Nevertheless, the pass is infamous for its terrible weather. A seemingly fine day can turn into a blinding snowstorm with frightening speed.

An old Dwarf road runs through the pass, connecting the Dwarf holds of the World’s Edge Mountains and the lands of the Border Princes to The Empire; trade goods, especially the valuable metal ores from the dwarfs, flow constantly into Averheim, from where they are transported by river into Nuln. It is this trade that grants Averland its wealth, but it comes with a heavy price. The pass is perpetually attacked, mostly by orc and goblin tribes, and keeping the way safe for trade is a difficult task. Guardianship of the pass falls to the Mountainguard, the elite of Averland’s forces.

The Mountainguard are stubborn, implacable veterans with the highest level of training, favouring the halberd and the handgun as their primary weapons. Many wear a devise consisting of a black flame upon a yellow field: the unofficial motif of the guard. The Bergjaeger are a special detachment of the Mountainguard, formed from trappers, hunters and other such rangers. They are excellent archers and master trap-setters who know the pass like no other. Halflings serve both in the state army and in the Mountainguard, and have done ever since Gorbad Ironclaw’s devastation of The Moot, the Halfling homeland.

The dangers of the pass were made all too clear by a massive Orc invasion that occurred quite recently. The Elector Count Marius Leitdorf was slain by the Orc general (later dispatched by the Emperor himself). Thus far, no successor has been named. The pass has been the gateway to the Empire for many other greenskin invasions, most notably those of Grom the Paunch of Misty Mountain (2410) and Gorbad Ironclaw (1707). The pass was also the site of Sigmar’s legendary defeat of the Orc and Goblin tribes, and remains a place of pilgrimage for the faithful and the fanatical.

Averland has very strong links to Tilea, and the influence of that country can be seen both in the province’s heavy use of the crossbow and the half-pike, and in the worship of Myrmidia, the Tilean goddess of war. Averland makes greater use of mercenaries than any other province, and the state army almost invariably includes a high proportion of Tileans. The Knights of the Blazing Sun are the most important Knightly Order in Averland. Templars of Myrmidia, they were formed in 1457 during the crusades against Araby.

Of special historical interest are the ancient ruins called the Three Towers. These structures were built by the Elves of Ulthuan in the distant past, and were more recently the site of a great battle between the Elves and the men of The Empire. The day was won by The Empire, and the towers have since fallen into ruin. They now serve as a hideout for bandits and warlocks, and should be avoided by travellers.

Aside from the capital of Averheim, Averland has many prosperous trading towns. These include Hochsleben, the last town before the Blackfire Pass; Wuppertal, famous for its wood-carvers; and Loningbruck, a centre for wine-making.