Bresse

**Bresse** is a temperate world and fief of the Imperial Knigt House, House Vampes. Bresse is similiar to a Frontier World but with Knights and a working central government. The planet itself is used by the Imperium not only as a base for a Knight House but also for food production and as base for space mining operations in the surrounding systems. Hives on Bresse were therefore specific designed and equipped with a large infrastructure for Servitors. While the Hives are bustling centres of industry are the unsettled areas, the so-called Inlands, are prestine and full with life.

## History

Settled in the late Dark Age of Technology by colonists from Frankia serves Bresse since then als home for House Vampes which split the planet under among themself up. The High Kings follow a relative hands off policy and letting their chancellors, Barons and Highbarons govern the planet. Imperial forces contacted the House in 978.M30 and organised a peaceful integration into the Imperium. Bresse suffered only a few attacks by Xenos and according to the House records evem a small Deamon incursion but its worst conflict was the Cadet War raging from 091.M33 to 097.M33´when the members of four cadet linages fought eachother for influence in the House. Since then saw Bresse no attacks excluding an Eldar attack using Eldar Knights.

## Government

Bresse is ruled by the head of House Vampes, to time Athos de Vampes, who deligates if needed the task to rule a planet to a chancellor in cases of war. Hive Cities and provinces are ruled by Barons who in turn are controlled by a High Baron forming a Court. Existing Courts are named after the continents Haverland, Osterland, Averland, Pavaron, Wesselmark with Rassaln und Kelin being islands. Each Baron rules his fief from his palace with the more prestigious fiefs being the ones in the settled areas, but most fiefs cover mostly unsettled land with only a few villages and outposts but those fiefs have more autonomy than the urban ones. Succession of titles is mostly done by a lottery with the oldest heir getting the highest title and province, but succession can be also organised by a testament.

## Culture and Religion

People from Bresse have a flowery ideal of the nature and see it more frequent then Hivers on other Worlds. This is not an miracle. Most Hives are extremly larger than the ones on Bresse meaning that travel for the people is more difficult and even if they could reach one side of the Hive they wouldn`t see that much nature. For this are the surrounding areas of a Hive to poluted. But the Hives on Bresse are smaller meaning it is more easier to move to one side and the travelers would see even forests and fields with flowers in divers colours thanks to "environment protection laws" invented by the Barons who spent much time training or traveling in outside of a Hive.

### Notable People

* **Jaquez Vampes:** The first member of House Vampes and defended the World against the Orks.
* **High King Athos de Vampes:** Athos de Vampes is the actual ruler of Bresse and a patron for the Energy Guild who are responsible for the maintance and building of energy generating facilities. Thanks to him improved the life qualities of their members significantly.

## Nature

The lands on Bresse are to 90% untamed and only peninsulas and very fertile lands. Most creatures who are big and dangerous enough to demand a Knight fighting them live in the oceans like the notorious Sea Hunter an mammalian-amphibian omnivore able to destroy small boats and smart enough to damage bigger vessels critical. Ironically, is the most dangerous species a plant called Thorny Strangler. This plant uses liana-like limbs to strangle attackers or creatures who came to close and made too much vibrations if it not accidentally touched it.

## House Vampes

House Vampes is an Imperial Knight House alligned to the Imperium of Man known for its political dance between loyality to the Imperium and extensive cooperation with the Adeptus Mechanicus. A skilled High King can get this way more ressources but an unskilled can get the House and this way Bresse into trouble. Its members function as rulers of the Hive Cities and of provinces. Well liked by the population can the Vampes count on many recruits for their Household troops who form also the PDF.

### Headow Castle

Headow Castle was built in a cauldron located in a mountain plateau. A massive gate was built to allow Knights to march out of the castle while heavy bunkers placed next to the gate, over it and in front of it can stop every enemy trying to attack in a frontal assault. The lift surrounding the cauldron is protected by walls, reinforces stone and bunkers, while a few buildings stand on the lift rising into the sky. Most of the Headow Castle was built in the cauldron filling it with floors and internal towers for stability. An Adamantium layer was built in the rock to add further strength to the natural defences.

## Geography

Bresse has 5 continents called Haverland, Osterland, Averland, Pavaron, Wesselmark and 2 islands of enormous islands called Rassaln und Kelin. 42% of the Inlands are forests or are at least lightly wooded. Both poles have small ice caps roughly the same size of the time before Bresse was colonised, while the equator covers mostly oceans. Strategic "placed" mountain chains fiddle with the global wind system supplying enough areas with regular rain that deserts make out only 12% of the continents with further 18% being drylands .

### Notable Locations

* **Headow Castle:** The fortress of House Vampes and built into a cauldron on a mountain plateau. It is one if not the most well defendable place on Bresse even without is Knights. Its cauldron was compleatly filled with a single building and the rock was fortified with a layer of Adamantium. Headow Castle is located in the Urian Chain a mountain chain in the northern hemisphere.
* **Wengles Pen:** Wengles Pen a sizable peninsula which eastern and southeasterly parts connect the continents of Wesselmark and Averland with each other. A highway clustered with villages, manifactories and other buildings called Highway 7 connect Hive Averlon and Hive Trespas with each other. Highway is the most travelled street on Bresse outside of a Hive and has a connection to Highway 12 which connects both continents.

## Economy

Bresse has a enorm agriculture with every one of seven people working in it. Not as large as an Agri-World can Bresse still supply the Subsector with shiploads of fish, grains and mushrooms often sent as rations to vessels and space stations. Factories produce mainly either supplies for House Vampes Knights or material and supplies for the mining operations in the surrounding Systems. Most of the employed in the mining industry are technically storing, transporting and refining the minerals delivered by the mining vessels.

## Defences

Most of the firepower comes from the Knights of House Vampes who maintain a garrison of 15 to 20 Knights on the World with other Knights on stand-by for new conflicts. The Household Troops form the Imperial Guard Regiments following and supporting the Knights of their masters and form the Planetary Defence Force with its 1.000.000 soldiers. Orbital support is given by defence platforms and the vessels defending Port Basilium.