Marienburg

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Marienburg is the not-Amsterdam of Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the huge trade port that stands in the mouth of River Reik (not-Reyne of Warhammer) between Bretonnia and The Empire. It's a capital of small but proudly independent country named The Wasteland, and fittingly the only big city of it.

History

Like many other major coastal city in the Old World, Marienburg was originally a High Elven colony called Sith Rionnasc built amongst the swamps of Fimir. It was also the finest port the High Elves had in the old world.

After the War of the Beard, it was taken over by Dwarfs, but they had to abandon the city after their empire collapsed. According to the novel version, Sith Rionnasc was destroyed by flooding when the Dwarfs catapult a powerful rune enhanced artillery at the city's dam. The Dwarf who ordered this assault was King Brynnoth, the ruler of Barak Var who did it out of retribution for the Elves killing their city's ancient rulelord Agrin Fireheart(it was caused by Malekith's agent and the greatest reason why the war was started), as well as for High Elves' many assaults on the city of Barak Var.

Roughly a millenia later, it was inhabited again by a tribe of primitive humans called Jutons, who migrated there to escape the enslavement by Teutogens (future Middenlanders). They defeated the Fimir and founded their own realm called Jutonsryk.

Unlike their slowly rising neighbour, Jutonsryk was essentially an incredibly primitive and isolationist state that barely even managed to expand beyond the capital. So naturally, in 501 IC it was steamrolled by an Emperor Sigismund II and turned into a thirteen Elector County named Barony of Westerland. With most of their borders secured (aside from the western one, which was at the time populated by wild Bretonni people), Westerlanders turned to the sea, due to a sudden realisation of their trade importance and a start of "friendly" visits from Norscan raiders.

At first the whole trade was in the hands of nobility, but after several centuries of hedonistic and lazy lifestyle they handed all of their work to commoners. This, eventually, came to bite them in the ass, as trading companies of simple folk became so powerful that they started to crave for power, even requesting to join Baron's advisory council named Stadsraad, which started a major conflict between nobles and merchants. But then unexpectedly, the downfall of Marienburgian monachy was delayed when Baron Matteus van Hoogmans managed to sign a trading agreement with Ulthuan, thus making this city the biggest trade hub in all of the Old World.

It didn't last long, however.

When some Marienburgian pirates found the donut island and razed an Asrai city, Elves decided to strike back. Aislinn sacked Marienburg, and while he was too inefficient to bring it down, the toll taken on the city (intermixed with Great War Against Chaos) was enormous. Soon after that Baron Paulus van der Maacht died without a heir, so Emperor-at-the-time Magnus the Pious had to abolish the monarchy and relegate the power to the Merchant Houses, as he was too afraid of a civil war inside the realm (both Counts of Talabecland and Nordland had claims to Marienburg and gathered armies to bring each other down, which would potentially ruin the Empire that was still recovering from a Chaos incursion).

Thus, the Directorate was born - a parliament consisting of the wealthiest merchants in the city. They suffered heavily from Imperial taxation and other shit, so in a true American Dutch style, the Directorate decided to split from the Empire by bribing Emperor Dieter IV. The fallout of this was insane, with Dieter being deposed and Wilhelm III, the newly elected Emperor, sending armies to Marienburg, which all were defeated. After several unsuccessful attempts, the Emperor recognised the newly independent republic, which is basically Marienburg of today (well, before the End Times).

Government

The Directorate is the Executive Council of the Stadsraad, which meets in weekly sessions to make the major decisions affecting the Wasteland's affairs. Its meetings in the New Palace in Paleisbuurt are open to any citizen of Marienburg and its debates are a matter of public record. Decisions are made by a majority vote, with the Staadtholder voting in case of a tie. Its membership consists of the High Priests of Manaan, Verena, Shallya and Haendryk, the Rector of Baron Henryk's College and the heads of the ten wealthiest Merchant Houses. Its public image is of Marienburg's finest citizens working mightily in a dangerous world for the best interests of all the Wasteland's people. The reality is a microcosm of the squabbling petty struggles of imperial politics but focused on the fights between the merchant houses and international trade companies.

Merchant Houses of Marienburg

• House van de Kuypers: Richest family.
• House van Onderzoeker: Continental traders.
• House de Roelef: Matriarchal remnant of noble class.
• House van Haagen: Second wealthiest family.
• House van Scheldt: Fishermen and seafood sellers.
• House Fooger: Dwarf customs officers.
• House van den Nijmenk: Bankers & treasure hunters.
• House den Euwe: Specialty in oriental imports.
• House van Raemerswijk: Current Staadtholders.
• House Rothemuur: Arabyan and new world traders.

Religion

A summary of religion in marienburg would be that the cults of Manaan lord of the sea and Haendryk aka Handrich who represents all that is money, power, and influence are very influential in Marienburg as their leaders have a vote akin to the heads of the cult of Verena & Shallya. The difference being that Manaan & Handrich are directly tied to trade, the thing Marienburgers value the most, making these two cults the most powerful and on a side note that even if the cult of Sigmar is not outright banned it is looked down upon as any true Sigmarite will usually advocate for reunification.

The Star chamber and Illegal Cults

The star chamber also known as the temple court serve as the witch hunters of Marienburg who deal with crimes against religious dogma such as heresy, apostasy and worshipping cults proscribed as illegal. Accusations of consorting with demons, mutants and necromancers are judged in secret trials in a candlelit chamber beneath the court building. Defendants may not call witnesses on their own behalf and are allowed no counsel other than that appointed by the court itself. This has often led to the odd scene of a counsel for the defence referring to their clients as the "heretic" or the "chaotic filth". The verdict is usually "Guilty".

Major Cults

• Cult of Manann - The Cult of Manann is the most prominent Cult within Marienburg, due to their shared relations with trade and the sea.
• Cult of Haendryk - The second largest of the Cults, Haendryk is the God of Merchants and trade which are the lifeblood of Marienburg.
• Cult of Verena - The Cult of Verena has extensive reach within Marienburg, due to the city's close relations to Tilean ports & trade.
• Cult of Shallya - Nearly every city with large populations of people suffering poverty & abuse will always have a Cult of Shallya to nurse them.
• Cult of Ranald - The Cult of Ranald is prominent within Marienburg, due in most part to the cutthroat society of its inhabitants and the large amount of smuggling going on everyday.

Minor Cults

• Cult of Sigmar - Being Imperial in origin, the people of Marienburg have had many dealings with the scions of Sigmar.
• Cult of Morr - The Cult of Morr is almost a common occurrence within every facet of Human society, and Marienburg is no exception.
• Cult of Solkan - An ancient and almost forgotten Cult which was once worshipped as a vengeful deity of Light.
• Cult of Ulric - There are few worshippers of Ulric within Marienburg, & those who do worship him are usually former Norscans.
• Cult of Myrmidia - A Tilean Cult brought about by close interactions with Tilean merchants and trade.

In Mordheim

Marienburgers are one of the three "subfactions" that a player can choose for their Human Mercenaries warband in Mordheim, alongside Reikland and Middenland. A Marienburg Mercenaries warband gains two special rules to reflect their origins. Firstly, they gain a +1 bonus when attempting to find rare items. Secondly, they start play in a campaign with +100 gold crowns to amass their warband with. These traits represent their connections to the merchant's network of Marienburg, and the subsequent wealth it gives them.

Total Warhammer

The city can define relations between the empire and bretonnia its occupation by bretonnia can lead to the would be allies going to war over the city. Marienburg is an extremely profitable settlement because of its port. When playing as Louen or Karl Franz, Marienburg should be conquered as quickly as possible. This is much easier for Louen than Franz as of the Empire Undivided patch.

Provinces of the Empire
Reikland - Averland - Hochland - Middenland - Nordland - Ostland - Ostermark - Stirland - Talabecland - Wissenland
Cities: Altdorf - Averheim - Middenheim - Mordheim - Talabheim - Nuln
Lost Provinces: Solland - Drakwald
Independent Provinces: The Moot - Marienburg - Sylvania