Duchy of Buchtelfen

## Buchtelfen

* Coat of arms
* Holy Human Empire

The Duchy of Buchtelfen is one of the fiefs of the Holy Human Empire. The Duchy's politics and economy are dominated by the three Sister Cities, Steinmark, Bremabrot, and Sillabarendi.

### History

Buchtelfen was, for an extended period of time during the Elven Hegemony, independent from the vassal kings ruling in . Despite this position of relative privilege in the Elven hierarchy, Buchtelfen was quick to turn on their Elven masters, and was one of the founding provinces of the Holy Human Empire, despite its initial status as an exclave detached from the rest of the rebellious regions, surrounded by Elven loyalist regions. It was considered for a time as the potential capital of the HHE, but it was eventually decided that basing the capital in Buchtelfen would focus too much power in one region. Nevertheless, even to the modern day, over a century after the fact, Buchtelfeners are positively insufferable about their pride at almost becoming the Imperial capital.

#### Recent Events

Duchess Veronica has not yet visited or mentioned Buchtelfen.

### Geography

The coasts of Buchtelfen are a mixture of marsh and gentle flatlands, offering excellent locations for the construction of harbors and coastal cities. Further inland, a low mountain range establishes its borders with Atrium and Reinheltsgebot. The land is generally fertile, though very little grain is exported due to the high urban populations that the duchy supports.

### Economy

Buchtelfen is renowned for its metalworking artisanry, and wealthy noblemen consider it a point of exceptional status to own steel armor and weaponry forged by Buchtelfen cities, each of which have their own unique styles and methods.

Steinmark, situated in the northwest at the mouth of the Leitfar River, is the preeminent city for export of Imperial goods, particularly from the four Imperial fiefs the river passes through (Rasenland, Mittelstaate, Drei-Schluchten, Reinheitsgebot). While the majority of its economic activity is in storing, recording, and trading goods through its innumerable warehouses and vast harbor, there is a strong tradition of decorative steelworking in the city as well, and its artisans produce some of the finest metal etching in the known world, finer than even the dwarves (though the Dwarves would likely counter that humans spend too much time on such frivolities to begin with). Steinmark is also known for its sweet berry wines.

Bremabrot, the 'Middle Sister', is situated between Steinmark and Sillabarendi. While its harbor is not as large as the other two cities, it still runs a thriving trade in precious metalwork. One of the three Imperial Mints is situated in Bremabrot. Bremabrot brass casting is some of the most prolific in the world, with thousands of fittings, utensils, and vessels made every year. Bremabrot blades are known for incorporating dazzling inlays of copper alloys, silver, and gold, and for being supremely well balanced. Bremabrot is also renowned for the quality of the engineers which study at its university and apprentice in the ever-expanding and renovating city. Bremabrot Sour Ales are known for their strong, acidic taste.

Sillabarendi is situated at the base of the Lacertian Mountains in the southeast. Some say Sillabarendi's name comes, in part, from a Lacertian language. Saying this around Sillabarendians is a very quick way to earn a blade between one's ribs. Sillabarendi lacks the architectural marvels present in the other two Sister Cities due to the unstable land it is built upon. However, its harbor is the largest of the three by far, making up for its more isolated position in the bay. Sillabarendi is widely regarded as a city of artists and thinkers. Its nickname, 'City in the Clouds', refers to the preference for the abstract displayed by the city's cultural elites. Sillabarendi is known for its eisbock beer, in which the beer is taken to the nearby snow-capped mountains to freeze, and then have the watery ice removed, giving it a very high alcohol content. Sillabarendian crossbows are often elaborate decorative pieces for noble hunters, while Sillabarendian armor tends towards the experimental. The University of Sillabarendi has a vicious rivalry with the University of Bremabrot.

### Culture

Buchtelfeners are stereotyped as arrogant and prickly, with extreme attention and weight given to miniutiae of civic pride that no one else could possibly care about. They are also considered greedy and underhanded, willing to rob the clothes off your back, if only at the tip of their tongue rather than the tip of a blade. Chaperon hats are associated strongly with the burghers of Buchtelfen, and both pattern and style are often statements of far more than just fashion.

Buchtelfen crafts often incorporate various kinds of beautifully worked wood, even into predominantly metal pieces. Rather than reflecting any longstanding native tradition of woodworking, this is an innovation of the Imperial era, as a means of establishing a definite departure from Elven overlordship. Buchtelfen goods made for export to Elven nations do not incorporate this style, as Elves regard human woodworking as usually done in a sacrilegious manner.

There is a divide between the urban and rural culture of Buchtelfen. The three Sister Cities and their satellite municipalities share a general cultural outlook, while the farmlands and mountain mining towns share another. The rural nobility generally associate strongly with the urban municipalities, despite residing in the country. Rural Buchtelfener peasants generally share Reinheltsgebot's culture more than the urban Buchtelfeners.

### Politics

Unusually, the Dukes of Buchtelfen are not hereditary, but instead appointed directly by the crown upon the death of the previous duke. This has given the Duchy a reputation for being a partisan of the Emperor. The internal politics of the fief consists primarily of the Sister Cities' town councils squabbling endlessly, and the duke being left to mediate. Sometimes these disputes break out into open intrafeudal war; only in exceptional cases (or with an exceptional strong-willed duke) does the duke intervene. In each of the cities, the town councils are dominated by the guilds, organizations of professionals which occupy a ground somewhere between a political party, a legally empowered cartel, and a gang.

While no Inlander Lizardfolk tribes reside in Buchtelfen in the modern day, some Coastlander tribes still inhabit isolated settlements in the duchy undisturbed. Some Inlander tribes still make incursions across the border, but none make seasonal camp in the fief.

#### Duke Horst of Leitfardorf

Duke Horst of Leitfardorf is the current Duke of Buchtelfen. Duke Horst is not a native of Buchtelfen, though this is not unusual for his position. As liege of Buchtelfen, he is the most powerful duke in the kingdom, second only to the Emperor and the Imperial Princes. Traditionally, the Duke of Buchtelfen is known as 'A Prince Amongst Dukes'. Despite this, he is mostly ignored by his vassals, and in turn, he mostly ignores Buchtelfen, save when the time comes to send the Imperial taxes back to the Emperor. Duke Horst prefers the thrill of hunting in the wooded marshlands near Sillabarendi to administration or politiking. Duke Horst has a number of lizardman heads as trophies lining the wall of his favorite villa. Those trophies he regards as his most prized possessions.