Free City of Rosendorf

The **Free City of Rosendorf** is a Human country in the North that acts as the leader of the Grey Temple. A relatively young state, the Free City was founded after the Rosendorf Offensive of 1222 AW by a joint force of Grey Temple and Monarchist forces. It borders the Republic of Fühlgart to the north, the Republic of Marenbach to the east, the Empire of Daletia to the south, and the Grey Kingdom and Protectorate of Weckstein to the west.

The establishment of the free city marks the first time that followers of the Grey Temple have controlled their holy city of Rosendorf since the fall of the Kingdom of the One in 1013 AW. More conflicts and counterattacks followed against the Republic of Marenbach in the form of the 1222 AW Grossheim Offensive and the 1222-1223 AW Blizzard March. Since the Blizzard March, a shaky ceasefire has been agreed upon between Rosendorf and Marenbach. However, the border between the two countries is highly militarized, and many warn that the two countries could go to war once more at any moment.

## History

### Founding

The history of Rosendorf's ties with worshippers of the One trace back to the late 10th century AW with the Archangel Fyl-Cia and Alwin the Holy, who acted as the Messenger's champion. Alwin was a native and a guard of Rosendorf. Together, the two founded a religious movement known as the Order of the Grey Knights, which convinced the local count to hand over control of the city. The zealots soon spread across the western corners of the Kingdom of Marenbach, undermining its authority by founding the Kingdom of the One.

Unsurprisingly, Marenbach viewed the movement with hostility. With the aid of the Kingdom of Fühlgart, they marched against the Grey Knights, crushing Alwin the Holy's armies at the Battle of Rosendorf and destroying the Kingdom of the One in 1013 AW. Alwin was dead, and Fyl-Cia had disappeared off the face of Enselonde. However, the movement lived on.

A small group of brothers of the Grey Knights had escaped the slaughter at Rosendorf, fleeing into the South. Many ended up in the Great Sand Sea, Yratessia, and Daletia, where their communities, while somewhat fringe, lived on. Tales of the glory of the One would be told by the warriors who fought alongside Alwin the Holy and passed on to the next generations. While this caused the occasional Warband to march on Marenbach and fail to take Rosendorf from its supposed tyrants, the movement continued to expand in exile. All they needed was an opportunity, a moment of weakness in Marenbach. That opportunity would be the Republican coup in the Kingdom in 1219 AW.

The coup split the country. While the Republicans took control, elements loyal to the old king of Marenbach launched a rebellion. Ultimately, the Republican government proved victorious, quelling the rebellion. However, many soldiers lost their lives in the conflict. To make matters worse, the new Republic of Marenbach was little more than a puppet under the Republic of Fühlgart, limiting the new government's authority regarding internal affairs. This was the opportunity the zealous exiles had been waiting for. They gathered under the banner of one particularly charismatic warlord: Gabriel Grossheim.

Gabriel Grossheim, the descendant of one of Alwin the Holy's foremost lieutenants, Sir Alfred Grossheim, raised a force called the Grey Army. With roughly 5,000 rebels from all walks of life, he crossed into the now-weakened Republic and began taking territory. Weakened as the Republic was, the garrison at Rosendorf was significant, and Grossheim lacked the manpower needed to besiege the city. Yet, his salvation would come in the form of one of the most unlikely alliances that formed during the Great War.

One day, Grossheim's force was contacted by Cecilia Mitthel, the exiled princess turned queen of the Kingdom of Wyrsia, who had been stranded in the South after the Monarchists were betrayed by the Empire of Sallant. While most of their forces escaped into Amagoi under Erik von Kalzberg, Cecilia and her smaller force had been isolated and forced to flee into Llendus. From there, they launched a brutal march north through war-torn Daletia, fighting alongside the People's Republic of Daletia in return for safe passage northwards in the Marenbach Mountains. Despite making it to the mountains relatively unscathed, her forces were exhausted and needed a place to rest and resupply.

The Wyrsian queen and Grossheim agreed that if the Monarchist force assisted in taking Rosendorf, she and her troops would receive all the supplies they needed to cross the mountains into Weckstein. Soon after, a joint siege was launched on Rosendorf, with the Wyrsian forces acting as the decisive factor in breaking the city. Under William Ryker, the Champion of Cossyxia, the walls of Rosendorf were blasted apart in a rain of cosmic fire, and the besiegers stormed the city from all sides, capturing it in only two days. With the flag of the Grey Knights once more flying over Rosendorf, Grossheim proclaimed the birth of the modern Free City to act as the successor to the Kingdom of the One. The Monarchists received their supplies and crossed the Marenbach Mountains, leaving Grossheim to raise his own forces to eliminate the eastern Republican holdouts in the mountain ranges.

However, while initially successful, the conflict in the mountains would soon become highly destructive for both sides.

### War in the Mountains

With Rosendorf secure in early 1222 AW, Grossheim rallied his Grey Army again, seeking to advance east. He also created the Army of Rosendorf to act as a local force, whereas the Grey Army included many foreign volunteers who had flocked to the city after its siege. Satisfied with his armies for the conflict, Grossheim launched an offensive against the Republicans to his east. He made great ground against the Republicans, driving them increasingly further east towards their capital city. Nearing the end of summer, as the first snow began to melt on the mountain, Grossheim ended his offensive, satisfied that he could take all of Marenbach next year.

However, later that winter, Frigerus Whitefeather and the Fühlgartian Thirteenth Army came to reinforce the local forces. The reality for the Marenbachis was disappointing, though, as Whitefeather had received strict orders not to launch any offensives. However, the general was not content to sit in the capital and let the Republic fall around him. In the dead of winter, with some of the most extreme winter weather the mountain range had ever seen, Whitefeather began a westward counteroffensive despite the local generals calling him crazy. This became known as Frigerus' Blizzard March or simply the Blizzard March, one of the most famous actions of the Great War.

While those in Marenbach called him a madman, the Rosendorfers under Grossheim never expected someone to march an entire army up the frozen mountain passes, dredging through meters of snow and looping around to strike the Grey Temple forces from the undefended north. However, this is precisely what Whitefeather did. The Blizzard March was a military disaster for Rosendorf. Soldiers were surrounded and massacred as the counteroffensive recaptured all territory Grossheim had taken in the summer. Only when the Republicans reached the old border of the Kingdom of the One was the frontline stabilised.

As spring broke in 1223 AW, the Blizzard March ended. The loss of life was tremendous for the Rosendorfers. However, there was a silver lining. For disobeying the orders given to him by the Fühlgartian Senate to not launch an attack, Whitefeather and his Thirteenth Army were redeployed to fight in the stagnant Daletian Civil War, leaving Marenbach to deal with the Grey forces on their own as nobody was sent to replace Whitefeather. This was a much more equal fight, yet it resulted in a stalemate, as neither side could advance.

By 1224 AW, the conflict between the two had been limited to border skirmishes. Knowing that this war would go nowhere, both sides agreed to a shaky ceasefire that continues to this day, ending the battles between the two. Despite this ceasefire, the two states are still hostile and consider each other illegitimate.

### Present Day

With the ceasefire between Rosendorf and Marenbach materialised in 1224 AW, the Free City could redeploy some of its forces to Weckstein to assist the Grey Kingdom, which fights for the same cause. Rosendorf has become a significant ally in the War for Weckstein, though this front, too, is a stagnant war.

After the death of Jan Luftschwert in 1227 AW, the Republic was thrown into chaos. Ulfric Luftschwert took control, though the damage to Fühlgartian stability was already done. By 1228 AW, the Republic exploded into a myriad of warlord states and paramilitary groups in the Second Fühlgartian Civil War. This was advantageous for Rosendorf because this prevented any further aid to Marenbach. Furthermore, their northern border was now in the hands of the Provisional Government of Fühlgart, who pledged allegiance to the Enselonde Front for Democracy and had no quarrel with the Grey Temple.

In recent years, Rosendorf has begun its transition into a more significant power. As the head of the Grey Temple, they oversee many rebel groups throughout Enselonde and have taken a particular interest in the Second Fühlgartian Civil War. Furthermore, with their country stabilising itself, more zealots from the South have flocked to join the Grey Army after their hesitations over a potential collapse of the Free City were quelled with the ceasefire. With renewed recruitment and religious zeal, some suspect that a second offensive into Marenbach may be launched in the near future and that this time around, there will be no Whitefeather to save their hides.

## Politics

The Free City of Rosendorf has a hierarchal political landscape. Ultimately, it is a theocratic dictatorship under Gabriel Grossheim, who leads an administrative council known as the Grey Circle of Rosendorf. The Grey Circle comprises the highest religious, military, and civilian leaders in the country, with each member of the Circle being at the head of a smaller council. These smaller councils comprise the local leaders in towns and villages. If a village has no leader, they fall under the care of the nearest settlement that does have one. The country has no subdivisions like counties or provinces, with the circles acting as the de-facto provinces of Rosendorf.

While this system may sound vaguely democratic, it is far from it. The members of the Grey Circle can veto any decisions made in the minor councils they oversee. Subsequently, the Grey Circle can also be overruled by Grossheim, who has the final say in all matters. While he is an honourable individual with the best intentions for the country and its people, some have pointed out the flaw in this system that will allow someone with less well-intentioned goals to undermine the system entirely.

No plans have been made for what happens if Grossheim were to die, with some preferring that the Grey Circle act as a quasi-senate, while others prefer that the Grey Circle (or all circles) collectively elect a new dictator.

## Geography

Rosendorf is located entirely in the Marenbach Mountains and, as a result, is one of the more vertical and colder countries of Enselonde. Its high peaks tower over the settlements nested in the various valleys and passes between them. It is a cold climate, with winters that can be extremely harsh. This makes agriculture a challenge, with only specific crops being able to grow. Wild vegetation consists primarily of cold-resistant evergreens such as sturdy pike trees.

Rosendorf lacks major water sources, though it does have two small rivers flowing through it from underground reservoirs: the Nisk and the Warak, which flow north into Fühlgart. Wildlife mainly consists of animals able to handle the cold, such as bears, wild goats, wolves, and certain species of deer. Rosendorf is also home to various elementals born from the cold and the lingering magical energies of Ivos' formation of the mountains during the Divine War.

## Economy

Rosendorf lacks fertile ground for agriculture, so it mainly imports food from other places. For the natives who live there, this has historically pushed them towards other jobs. Rosendorf has one of the most vibrant mining scenes in Enselonde. Thanks to Ivos' violent creation of the Marenbach Mountains, many minerals and ore veins can be found on the side of the mountains and in natural cave systems that ordinarily require the construction of deep mineshafts. In contrast, the Rosendorfers can simply pluck it out of the mountains.

Besides mining, Rosendorf has a small but profitable lumber industry. It is also attractive for hunters seeking to prey upon its formidable wildlife. Its recent religious takeover has sparked a new enterprise of providing religious services such as iconography and translating texts.

## Demographics

Rosendorf is quite diverse in its racial population. While still a predominantly Human country, the region attracted many other races during the existence of the Kingdom of the One, many of which settled down and remained after the Kingdom's fall. Besides Humans, Rosendorf is home to large minorities of Krighal Vitna and Harpies. Notably, it is also home to nomadic groups of Qu'Zell.

The region resisted the Sapphire Inquisition under the Kingdom of the One and acted as a safe haven, drawing in many Dryads, Naerisi, and Faerians fleeing persecution in the South. All this combined gives the Free City one of the more diverse racial populations in Enselonde.

## Culture and Religion

Rosendorfer culture is quite sober compared to other states surrounding it, mostly thanks to their religious roots and harsh climate. Much like Marenbach, Rosendorf draws influences from the Mareni and Bachi people who inhabited the Mountains shortly after the Divine War.

Due to the country's wide racial variety, Gabriel Grossheim opted for many official languages. These are Mareni, Bachi, Fühlgartian, Nomadic Qu'zell, and Common. Nomadic Qu'zell is the outlier here, yet it was added to accommodate the nomadic Qu'zell tribes within the borders of the Free City. This is a new concept, as these nomads have been largely ignored by countries in the Marenbach Mountains, even the Kingdom of the One.

Rosendorf allows all religious holidays, controversially even allowing – yet discouraging – Onir's Night of Madness. Local holidays include the dates when Fyl-Cia appeared before Alwin the Holy, when the Kingdom of the One was founded, and when the Sapphire Inquisition collapsed. A more reflective and sorrowful holiday remembers the defeat at the 1013 AW Battle of Rosendorf.

In the field of arts, the Rosendorfers, while new to the scene, have preferred the form of stories and oral history. These stories are mostly romanticised tales of the Kingdom of the One told by travelling brothers of the cause, seeking to further knowledge and, perhaps, even incite new people to join up. The food of Rosendorf mainly consists of meat from hunting or fish caught from the Nisk and Warak rivers.

The Enselonde Fighters League has not yet considered establishing itself in Rosendorf, fearing that the country might eventually fall to Marenbach. In contrast, the Enselonde Rangers Guild established itself head over heels in Rosendorf, hoping to tackle the formidable wildlife. More local sports mostly have to do with the verticality or the cold winters, such as hiking or skiing.

The Free City of Rosendorf recognised the Divine Order of Enselonde as a religious authority, not the sole one. It has a joint role alongside the Grey Temple. All Divines, including Onir, are legal to worship in Rosendorf, which has raised a few eyebrows but hasn't led to the suggested doomsday scenario of chaos worshippers destroying the country. Yet, above the Divine Order and the regular Divines is the One, the sole God above all Divines. If one seeks to worship any Divine, they must also honour the One according to the laws of Rosendorf.

## Relations

* Grey Kingdom of Weckstein - The Grey Kingdom is Rosendorf's ideological brother-in-arms and main ally, with a large extent of cooperation and trade between the two states.
* Kingdom of Wyrsia - The Wyrsians aided Rosendorf in its founding, and the latter owes it a debt of gratitude. Despite being part of different alliances, the two states have excellent relations.
* Empire of Daletia - While the Daletian Empire pledges allegiance to the Republicans, Rosendorf recognises their loyalty to Fühlgart as superficial. They don't view it as an obstacle in their relations. Trade ties have been established between the two countries without issue.

* Republic of Marenbach - Rosendorf considers Marenbach an illegitimate rogue state and vice versa. While they have established a shaky ceasefire, the two countries openly hate each other.
* Republic of Fühlgart - The sponsors of Marenbach, relations between Rosendorf and Fühlgart are poor. However, with the recent outbreak of the Second Fühlgartian Civil War, they no longer threaten Rosendorf, or any other country, for that matter.

## Military

### Land

* Army of Rosendorf - The Army of Rosendorf is a local professional force under the direct command of Gabriel Grossheim. They are considered the Free City's main fighting force and are stationed primarily along the border between Rosendorf and Marenbach.
* Grey Army - The Grey Army started as a ragtag band of rebels but has since evolved into a volunteer force. Most of its manpower comes from foreigners, and it is sometimes referred to as a foreign legion. The Grey Army is mainly used to fill gaps and support the Army of Rosendorf. Its role is to be used as a defensive unit, not to launch independent offensives.

### Sea

The Free City of Rosendorf is a landlocked country and does not have a naval force.

### Air

* The One's Fleet - The One's Fleet is a small fleet of six airships bought second-hand from the Kingdoms of Fühlgart and Yratessia. Accompanying the Arifleet is a tiny force of Dragons loaned out by Lady Tyanis, the great dragon leader from Yratessia.

## People of Rosendorf

*For a full list that includes dead people, see Category:Characters (Free City of Rosendorf)*

* Gabriel Grossheim - Dictator

## Locations of Rosendorf

*For a full list that includes buildings, see Category:Locations (Free City of Rosendorf)*

* Rosendorf - Capital