Von Hauptmann Family

The von Hauptmann family was one of the major and powerful families within Europe particularly between the 15th and 19th centuries. Although their origins are unknown, the family often associates themselves as captains who followed Charlemagne throughout all his campaigns, eventually settling in the Rhine Valley and present-day Hesse-Kassel. Over the centuries, the family became elector-kings in the Holy Roman Empire, after the dissolution of the Palatinate and the title going to Bavaria. Although these years were more "normal" years in terms of Hauptmann and European affairs. During the German Unification, they were initially against unification, particularly with Prussia, but eventually conceded following the success of the Franco-Prussian War. Unfortunately, at the end of the 19th century, a large portion of the family died on mysterious circumstances leaving only a few survivors, most notably Ludwig von Hauptmann. Following the First World War, the family maintained good relations with the former Prussian and Saxon royal families until the rise of Hitler which saw many of the remaining members leave for other nations, particularly Austria (albeit short-lived), Sweden, Switzerland, and eventually the United States. In the series, the current head and most notable member of the family is Otto-Wolfgang von Hauptmann.

## History

### THIRTY YEARS WAR and LOUIS XIV

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When the French invaded the Palatinate as part of their war against the Dutch, the families had yet to reconcile fully, with the southern Bavarians still salty about their electorate position and the Palantine members still salty about their inherent lack of devastation from the Thirty Years' War. However, in a testament to these feuds that had been highlighted for 300 years, a small force of Riflemen and Royal Guard marched to Heidelberg to reinforce their familiars. This small force was led by Walchelin Ulrich von Hauptmann (the most legendary within the family) and his escort Albrecht Rolfke. Their force numbered roughly 7,000 of personally selected and elite troops of the standing Bavarian Army as well as mercenaries that Rolfke knew.

Although pleasantries (if one could call them that) were exchanged, the situation in itself was dire with the Palatine Army being absolutely no match for the French Army that was approaching them. Large parts of the Army fell prior to their entrance to Heidelberg, yet Walchelin cared little, for his goal and his destiny was to ultimately bring the two sides of the family together. Wielding the Family Sword, and his heart and mind set on his goal, they stood at the entrance to the castle, ready to fight and potentially die so that the family may indeed survive. Using the arcane magic of Heidelberg, they managed to summon Aelfweard who heard the cries of man years prior and had finally arrived. With this force, they managed to stave off the French vanguard, but the true force had yet to come.

Holy paladins to supplement the regulars and elites, vastly outnumbered their small and already badly hurt retinue. However, Walchelin and Heinrich (the elector) decided to play a little bit dirty and summoned the Four Horsemen citing the pact Aldric had made previously with the family. Their numbers bolstered, they fought on valiantly and bitterly on the slopes leading to the castle. The bitter melee struggle turned into carnage as both the Four Horsemen and the fiery power of [find cool name for Hauptmann sword] were turned against the oncoming forces. Walchelin was badly injured. Eventually, the fight was beyond repair as the gates were stormed and the organisation of the forces crumbled under the onslaught. Yet Walchelin and 100 of his bodyguards emerged from the chaos fueled by nothing but rage and a newfound strength. They continued to fight on waving their bloodied standard until they were surrounded and through the chaos were eventually killed save for Albrecht who had escaped destruction alongside Heinrich.

From that day on, the families had begun to reconcile their differences, albeit very reluctantly initially. (This would later change as the varying nobles would wind up migrating up to the end of the Holy Roman Empire) However, Walchelin's name forever lived on in their family legends having shown up not only at the Battle of Vienna, in his ailing father and temporarily handicapped brother's stead but also at Heidelberg, at least starting to reunite the family's divided situation. Otto's grandfather Albrecht was nicknamed "Walchelin" following the Austro-Prussian War and the unification of Germany five years later.

## Current Status

As it stands, Otto is the current head of the family, being guised the Duke in Bavaria after the re-unification of Germany in 1990. Prior to that, he never mentioned his title except at certain events or when talking to people about his past and his family. Like other royal families in Europe, his plays no significant role in political affairs, but like his ancestors does help protect Germany and Austria from more special threats.

Octavian is styled as the heir apparent to the dukedom, although it is never mentioned by anyone including Otto or even Klara.

Schloss Hauptmann, following the unification was given back to Otto as part of an earlier agreement with the West German government. However, the other castles are run by the government of its respective location as part of that nation's national history. At the same time, some were ruined and were asked to stay like that by Otto, who instead focused on refurbishing the remaining "surviving" castles.

## Occult and Necromancy

Relatively little is known about the extent of the power and knowledge of certain occult features that the family possesses. Although considering several instances in history involving the family, it can vary between generations and different parts of the family. (Example being Aldric's line having more knowledge of Death Magic/ Necromancy than the Danubian line having more knowledge with Life Magic/ Hermetics). The most famous case of this has to Otto himself, who is seen having enormous prowess when it comes to using necromancy, particularly in the Land of the Dead and the Shadow Realm. But, in the Human Realm, it is more up for debate, although presumably in the Battle Against Thanos and the later apocalypse, he does manage to raise legions of the dead and maintain these legions as well as a practically immortal army, albeit at the expense of destroying the fabric between dimensions- this being the most amount of power he used in a single instance.

It is unknown when the family first started to utilise occults, but the Hauptmann legend dates back to the Roman Invasion of Gaul and the attempted invasion of the Germannic barbarians. Presumably, the family is a descendant of a warrior mage who gave the Romans a hard time, however this person's name is unknown for whatever reason. The next instance of the family using it to great extents occurs during the invasion of Rome by the Goths, although it is never agreed as who it was used on (whether it be the Romans or the Goths). After that, a large period of roughly 600 years pass before it is ever used in major combat, this time being used against the Mongol Hordes, and later on during the Baltic Crusades.

NOTE: the alchemy itself was not necessarily frowned upon by the church, but rather the necromancy regardless of how occasional it was. This is partially due to the fact that it can corrupt or degrade the mind and soul of the person using it (seen partially by Otto, who is at the less afflicted part of the spectrum) as well as open a vortex to other, more chaotic and ruinous dimensions.

The Renaissance saw increased use of their magic, particularly in studying its effects on the environment and attempting to become more like God himself. This trend continued until the 17th century whereupon the Age of Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution saw their art slowly become more frowned upon, although ironically, at least for the Hauptmanns, this was good as only they would be interested and know how to use their power, something which came in handy both during the Thirty Year's War and later wars against the French and eventually the Austrians. Between this time and 1900ish, the family would be on the foremost in protecting the German realms from mystical beasts and beings as agreed upon by the major families at the time.

The art itself is presumably well-known amongst the descendants of Aldric, and the knowledge in its fullest is passed primarily to the eldest children (or in the case of Walchelin, the most interested). Hence why Brenner and Greta know very little compared to Otto and even Frans. After 1900, with most of the family dead, any real uses for it were forgotten until the 1930s where it was used sporadically by Otto in various situations. It was later picked up again by a more desperate and rage-filled Otto following the end of the Second World War.

In the modern arcs, Otto normally uses it when dealing with mystical foes he can't dispose of normally and when dealing with vampires and zombies in particular. Otherwise, he uses his normal tactics and abilities, but may use some of his occult powers to trick people (since only the Necromancy causes inter-dimensional issues).

## In Other Universes & Arcs

In the Medieval Arcs, the family is seen as relatively small and humble, yet full of ambition and possessing an unknown amount of power and wealth within the Empire. In the *Adventures of Aelfweard and Aldric*, the family plays a supportive role in hunting down the monsters and heretics Aelfweard is ordered to dispatch of. Although followers of Christ, they heavily explore more occult matters, going so far as necromancy (although it is later found to have been approved by the Papacy in secret, although officially condemned). Chronologically, it is the first instance of introducing the first "Hauptmanns".

Particularly in the Fantasy Arcs, the family plays a humongous role, particularly in securing professional soldiers/ mercenaries and in dealing with mythical creatures with their alchemy and necromancy. In most of the arcs, they are seen as more behind the shadows even though they are in the relative geographical centre of issues taking place. Because of this and its professional army, most nations have not considered attacking them, even during the brief family strife that saw a cousin of "Walchelin" usurp the throne from his father before taking it back a few years later. It is also seen as the penultimate stronghold for Germania as should their castles fall, the arc's version of Austria would be wide open (assuming its armies were devastated in the defense of Germania). In this arc, he is famously called "the Lich-King of Bavaria".

In the World War Arc, the family effectively replaces the Hohenzollerns following the end of the Great War. Although Otto is the patriarch of the family, it is instead his wife (presumably Klara) who takes the throne and officially leads the nation through the Second Great War and its ensuing apocalypse. In this version, rather than Walchelin, it is in fact Otto who is the main Hauptmann. Unlike in the other fantasy arc, he is not commonly called the "Lich-King" but rather the "Archduke in Bavaria" or the "Arch-King of Bavaria", reflecting his slightly diminished role in political affairs, especially compared to his fantasy counterpart.