Basic Information[]
Population: 125 (Town)
Fealty: Barony of Stuppach ruled by Baroness Therese von Mecklenburg
Main Sources of Wealth: Market town, trade, ale
Government: Town Council
Location: Nehren is located on the Salm Road 60 miles from the Dwarfhold of Karak Ziflin, 23 miles from the Dwarftown of Khazid Ank, 18 miles from the stronghold of Kazad Tark, 14 miles from Fraunburg, 17 miles from Aich and 35 miles from Salmfähre.
Description[]
The seat of the Barony of Stuppach, Schloss Steinadler sits on a nearby hilltop, overlooking and dominating Nehren. A flag of a golden eagle over a field of red flies above Eagle Tower, the tallest of the fortified castle, whenever the Baroness is in residence. In her absence, Baron Siegfried von Mecklenburg – a cousin and member of the Order of the Golden Eagle – rules the Barony with a firm hand. The Baron is also responsible for keeping the road from the Dwarf fortress of Kazad Tark to the village of Aich, as well as the track to Fraunburg, clear of bandits and goblins. Ritter Franz Bülow is another member of the Order of the Golden Eagle and the current captain of the fifteen men at arms.
Nehren is known for its many artesian springs and the high-quality amber ales brewed from these waters by its local masters. Each brewery runs an adjacent tavern and is in friendly competition with one another, though it hasn’t always been so. Until the Ale Riot of 2215 left the town devastated, the rivalry between the brewing families could easily turn to arson and murder.
Nehren is governed by a town council made up of the leading brewer families, one of the results of the Ale Riot. Arguments within council meetings can get quite heated, but violence has not yet broken out.
The Forster family owns the Raven’s Feed riverside tavern. In a bit of gallows humour, the signage above the riverside quay shows a raven standing on a gibbet with an eye of the dead criminal in its beak. Despite the tasteless sign, the food served by the tavern is quite good. The speciality of the establishment is smoked perch, which is first marinated in a pear cider brewed by the proprietor of the tavern, Bernhard Forster.
The Soaring Eagle tavern is located near Dwarf Gate and owned by the Bader family. The tavern is the favourite place for off-duty men-at-arms to gather given that Paul Bader’s three daughters – Birgit (age 15), Claudia (age 14), and Gisela (age 12) – are quite engaging and are close to being of marriageable age. Karin Bader keeps a strict eye on her daughters to ensure the three do not end up with the wrong sort. She is helped in this task by her eldest sons, Rolf (age 19) and Viktor (age 17). The food at this tavern is average.
The Lost Barge tavern is also located on the River Salm, which is not navigable beyond Nehren, and near the Two Rivers Gate. The tavern is owned by the Mendel family, whose ancestors were among the founders of the town in the eighth century. Rudolf Mendel is the master brewer of the family these days, having succeeded his still living father, Stefan. Rudolf enjoys creating a variety of interesting ales, many with a touch of pear, apple, or cherry flavouring. The speciality of the house is duck in a plum sauce.
In the middle of town is the Brauagplatz, named after the local god of brewing and the springs. Brauag is said to be a son of Rhya and an unnamed mortal man whose handsome demeanour, lively spirit, and brewing skill enticed the goddess. A shrine to the god is erected in the middle of the square, across from the nearby Temple to Rhya. Within the shrine is a fountain that is said to never run out of water, even in the worst of droughts. An open air market is held in the square every Marktag.
Local Lore[]
According to local lore, the goddess Rhya took a mortal lover in the early days well before the birth of Sigmar. The man was named Weyland and he was a simple man of the earth, strongly built and unspoilt by dreams of conquest and power. He was also a skilled brewer and his reputation spread across the region. Curious, Rhya took on a mortal form to pay a visit to Weyland to sample his wares. She was impressed with his brew as well as taken by his soul. From that point, the two met often in secret as it was well known how terrible Ulric’s temper would be if he learnt that his and Taal’s sister-consort was dallying with a mere mortal. Weyland’s fellows were also worried that the anger of the cuckold gods would mean the destruction of the village. One day they approached the brewer to warn of the dire consequences to all and plead with him to stop the madness. Weyland refused to acknowledge the villagers’ speculations and dismissed their concerns as unwarranted. Angered, the assembled villagers set upon Weyland and killed him.