Hive World Terra

Wurtbad

Warning: This definition may contain spoilers from any number of Games Workshop novels or source books.

Wurtbad: A small city in Stirland. Wurtbad is near to the River Stir and is divided into and Upper and Lower City – the Upper being built atop a crescent hill. The Upper city is built in an extremely traditional and conservative Imperial style in stark contrast to the Lower City, where architecture from Kislev and Araby blends with Imperial as displaced citizens who have made their way to Wurtbad recreate their homelands in a confusing fug of spices and narrow streets. Both the Upper and Lower cities of Wurtbad have been built over ancient ruins know as the Underworld.

Wurtbad benefits from a strange protection; the city venerates Verena, Goddess of Learning above all others, and believes that she has placed an aura over the city, preventing the casting of unwelcome magicks. Wurtbad also has an Academy dedicated to Verena, where knights of the Goddess are trained.

In truth, the aura is produced by a great Dawnstone hidden within the Underworld ruins, left there by earlier settlers. This is concealed behind the Sacred Seal of Verena, but details of its location are contained within ancient texts known as the Riddle-Song. Through deciphering these riddles adventurers led by N'dru the Strong came to Wurtbad to steal the Dawnstone during the Festival of the Spring Equinox.

Supposedly, the Dawnstone and other relics contained within Wurtbad's underground ruins detail how to locate a Slann artefact, the Hammer of the Stars, which N’dru and his companions seek. They are prevented from doing so by the young knight, Peredur Mappavrauch and his friend Saskia Whiteflower, descendants of the city’s earliest rulers.

At the time of these events, Wurtbad is ruled by Graf Manfred Whiteflower, and its garrison is commanded by Rhenhardt Mappavrauch.

Source: Wolf Riders: The Hammer of the Stars by Pete Garratt

Submitter: Simguinus