In the Year of Our Lord 2047

Effective immediately, I, OSWALD VON WESENBURG, in sight of the HOUSE PATRIARCH, do willfully and lawfully retire my tenure as BURGRAVE OF WESENBURG.

The title of BURGRAVE shall pass down to my son and heir, AERIK LEON VON WESENBURG, who will, with utmost decency and fortitude, carry his House and title forward unto glory!

My son has proven himself capable of the task ahead, in light of our departure from Aevos. Further service to my House will be in an advisory role.

His Lordship, Oswald von Wesenburg

Burgrave of Wesenburg

His Lordship, Varik von Wesenburg

Patriarch of House Sturmweber, The Stallion of Reinmar, Kastellan of Westturm

In the Year of Our Lord 2023

While this announcement comes belated, let it not extract value from the written fact I give you now; a son hath been born to me and my wife Liesa. A truly blessed statement all men wish to iterate. For on 21st of Godfrey’s Triumph, in the Year of Our Lord 2021, AERIK LEON VON WESENBURG took his first breath.

Now, at age 2, he is to be BAPTIZED within the TEMPLE OF WALDENIC MARTYRS, on this day. I am honored that my dearest mother, Bishop Josefina, shall administer this rite to her grandson.

In celebration of this wonderful series of events, I invite my Prince and Chieftain, and all of the tribe, to a feast within my hall.

Let us break bread and make merry! GOTT MIT UNS!

His Lordship, Oswald von Wesenburg

Burgrave of Wesenburg

It was the year 1968 when Roland became the first Baron of Wesenburg. Decades earlier, when he established his tribe before the Moot in Minitz, he saw fit to share his vision for an ideal Reinmaren land with his brother Varik. After the first Baron’s death, as Lord-Regent of Wesenburg, Varik sought to shape the barony to mirror his brother’s vision, and so set forth writing The Edict of Wesenburg.

Upon the lands of the Barony of Wesenburg, itself within the greater realm of Reinmar and therefore subject to the Grand Kanun, The Edict of Wesenburg further dictates the rights of Reinmaren and Burghers in life and toil.

“Immer Bereit”

“Always Ready”

SECTION I. On Domain

1. For all within the Barony of Wesenburg, the Grand Kanun must be strictly followed, as if within the walls of Kretzen itself.
2. The lands of Wesenburg are the Baron’s to govern by the Kanun and beneath the Princely crown. The Baron and Baronial family shall, upon the Baron’s discretion, issue edicts and decrees regarding the administration and governance of the land, which shall be debated in internal, family-only gatherings.
   1. Should an individual seek injunction against a Baronial edict or decree, on the foundation of the Kanun, said individual should bring the issue before the Landtag of Reinmar in Kretzen, to be debated at moot.
3. Blooded Reinmaren who lack an established tribe and live within the territories bequeathed to the Baron of Wesenburg by the Princely Crown of Reinmar, shall take a surname reflecting the settlement which they inhabit (i.e. ‘von Kretzen’ or ‘von Reinhurst’).

SECTION II. On Baronial Affairs

1. Members of the Baronial family, living primarily in Wesenburg Manor or within the lands of Wesenburg, shall be obligated to take the surname ‘von Wesenburg’.
   1. The Baron, Baron’s spouse, and the designated heir to the Barony shall be obligated to take the surname ‘von Wesenburg’ regardless of their residence.
   2. Any relative not residing primarily upon the Baronial land shall be allowed to take the ‘von Wesenburg’ surname, strictly pending the Baron’s express approval.
2. The Baronial family, as the keepers of the land and its wealthiest inhabitants, shall contribute a portion of their personal wealth to the Treasury of Wesenburg, for the betterment of the land. 
   1. For contributions from the Baron and the Heir, a non-binding guideline of eighty mina will be established.
      1. In addition to the guideline of eighty mina, there shall be a binding minimum of 40 mina. No less than this amount shall be rendered to the Treasury by an honorable and just Baron or Heir to the Barony.
         1. Should the Heir fail to render the minimum payment for a span of three years, the Baron shall be compelled to impose a punishment befitting the dishonor of such a failure.
            1. The punishment should be chosen from; ten lashes by whip, rendering a weregild to the Baron, or one month’s unpaid laboring in the fields and barns of the land.
         2. Should the Baron fail to render the minimum payment for a span of three years, the Treasurer of Wesenburg shall be compelled to seize an asset or assets, totaling the value of the unpaid tax.
   2. Regarding contributions from other members of the family,  a tax of twenty mina shall be imposed.
      1. One who fails to render the above payment for a consecutive term of three years shall not bear the surname ‘von Wesenburg.’
         1. Should said individual continue to reside within the bounds of the Baronial land, they shall bear the surname ‘von Reinhurst’, or whichever equivalent common name is applicable.
         2. The individual stripped of the ‘von Wesenburg’ name shall make no claim to any benefits afforded to the Baronial family, throughout all of Reinmar.
            1. The benefits and rights stripped from such an individual shall amount to removal from the estate, eviction from the manor, and repossession of items amounting to the value of the total owed.
         3. An individual, stripped previously of their name, must petition the Baron of Wesenburg, directly and personally, to seek forgiveness. As the Chieftain of the land, it is the Baron’s word which has the weight to change such, and no other beneath the Princely Crown can do so.
3. No member of the Baron’s family, whether or not they bear the ‘von Wesenburg’ surname, shall court, be betrothed to, or be wed to an outlander or burgher. Members of House Sturmweber are, without exception, disallowed from engaging romantically or domestically with unblooded individuals.
   1. An unblooded seeking to marry into the family should undertake the trials to become blooded under the guidance of a member of the family.
   2. A member of the family found to be engaging as detailed above with an unblooded that does not intend to join the tribe of Reinmar should be punished as follows:
      1. Such an individual shall be stripped of the ‘von Wesenburg’ surname.
         1. The individual stripped of the ‘von Wesenburg’ name shall make no claim to any benefits afforded to the Baronial family, throughout all of Reinmar.
      2. Such an individual shall be barred from residing on the Baronial land.
      3. Such an individual shall be compelled to render a weregild to the Baron, or receive ten lashes for failure to render such.

SECTION III. On Residence

1. In accordance with the Grand Kanun of Reinmar, the Burghers residing on the lands within Wesenburg shall not own their homes, instead leasing the Baron’s property and paying tax in return.
   1. No Burgher shall construct, commission a construction, nor inhabit a structure raised for the explicit purpose of housing Burghers.
2. Any Gheerte, Ritter, or tribe Chieftain of Reinmar may petition the Baron of Wesenburg for the right to build a home upon a plot of land within Wesenburg.
   1. Such a home may be a small estate, a tower, or a cottage. The placement of such a structure shall be decided by the Baron, and the land shall be taxed proportionally.
3. On no portion of the land of Wesenburg shall prickly berry bushes be kept. No such bush shall exist within the land which the Baron of Wesenburg presides over, under any circumstances.
   1. Harboring such a plant, be it for the purposes of farming, decoration, or otherwise, shall be punished with a fine no less than fifty mina and no greater than one hundred mina. Such a fine shall be levied once every year, until the plant is removed.

His Excellency, Varik von Wesenburg, HMSTSR

Herrenmeister of the Order of Saint Tylos, Patriarch of House Sturmweber, The Stallion of Reinmar, Kastellan of Westturm

His Lordship, Oswald von Wesenburg

Baron of Wesenburg

The village of Reinhurst seeks enterprising souls to staff its various public services. Should a position seem enticing, please do not hesitate to inquire, for the positions shall be filled by the first qualified applicant. Do not miss out!

The Reinhurst smithy needs a skilled blacksmith, to take commissions and stock the shop with goods. An applicant should have a collection of work to present as proof of competence. In addition, the blacksmith should expect to pass down the trade by taking on apprentices, though only at their discretion. 

Reinhurst’s very own tavern, The Trusty Maiden, is in need of a proprietor, to manage the business and collect its revenue, as well as a barkeep, to serve customers. Applicants may seek both positions, such that the tavern’s proprietor is also the sole employee, therefore eliminating the cost of paying the barkeep.

Opportunity and toil abound…

His Excellency, Varik von Wesenburg, HMSTSR

Herrenmeister of the Order of Saint Tylos, Patriarch of House Sturmweber, The Stallion of Reinmar, Kastellan of Westturm

“You keep your eye on the queen, and the knights, and the bishop, because they are the sneaky ones. But it’s the rook that often gets you. The straightforward is never quite what it seems.”

Chapter I: 

Die Geschichten | The Histories

The story of Wesenburg cannot be told without first telling the story of the first patriarch of House Sturmweber. Roland von Sturmweber was born on the 7th of Sigismund's End, 1888 as Robyrt Taranis on the island of Galta; a trade post and mining town in the far off Eastern seas of Almaris. His mother and father, Donal and Meave Taranis, were of mixed Waldenic descent, their ancestors having fled the mainland decades prior, to establish a company on the island. This company, the Taranis Mining Guild, provided a steady income for local workers and tradesmen.

At the age of 8, Roland began working in the charter office, helping his father with mundane tasks like custodial work. At age 12, he learned about all kinds of ores, their properties, and what alloys could be made. While not explicitly learning about blacksmithing, Roland did have a natural affinity around the forge. He didn't see the task as overwhelming, and aspired to become a smith one day. However, apprenticeship would have to wait, as the threat of privateers grew ever more significant. By age 16, Roland and his family actively supplied the defense of Galta, and even served in the militia, repelling attacks by pirates, mercenaries, and opportunists. Roland decided, upon reaching the age of 26, to leave Galta for Almaris, to make a new and better life for himself. After a brief stay in Adria, Roland departed for Minitz as Heinrik’s Rebellion was on the rise. Upon his arrival, Roland’s good friend Peter attested that he would be a prime addition to Theoderic’s Warband, a favor which paid off.

In times when the Reinmaren remained fractured under the crowns of Aaun and Haense, in the Principality of Minitz, Roland, the future Baron, came together with three of his Reinmaren brothers and sisters to form his tribe. Before Prince Ferdinand I and all in attendance, within Kanunsberg’s moot hall, the four spilled their blood in Schwur, binding themselves together eternally.

As one, the tribe served Minitz in war and peace. Roland served as Warchief, leading the Warband of Minitz, and later as Erstkanzler, head of the Herrenhaus, after Brandt I. Meanwhile, Sir Varik served by the sword, as a Ritter of the Order of Saint Tylos, and Hirdman to Leon II. Their sister, Mariola, served in the Warband, quickly achieving the rank of Soldat thanks to her prowess.

When the time for Reinmaren Unification came, Tribe Sturmweber was one of the first to cross the Ailmere, making camp on the land where Reinmar’s great capital, Kretzen, would soon stand. When Kretzen’s walls were raised, the Sturmwebers continued to serve, Roland as Erstkanzler, Varik as Herrenmeister, and Mariola as Unterlandser and Hirdwoman to Princess Adalfriede von Hexenwald.

It was not long following the completion of Kretzen that the members of House Sturmweber, Roland and his wife, Violet, and their children, Bernhardt and Lieselotte, Sir Varik, and Mariola, were brought before the Heather Court by Prince Leon II, and issued the letters for Wesenburg, a Baronial title. The Prince named Roland a Baron, and his family took the Wesenburg surname in kind. In bestowing the title, the Prince rewarded Roland and House Sturmweber for decades of dutiful service to Minitz, Reinmar, and House Barclay, the Prince’s own family.

Construction of Wesenburg Manor, upon the family’s Baronial land, was finished after Roland’s death, in 1993. Due to the death of Roland’s son and heir, Eduard, the title was passed to Roland’s grandson, Oswald, with Sir Varik serving as Lord-Regent until the boy came of age. The manor’s construction, and the construction of the village of Reinhurst in the surrounding area, were overseen by Varik, and a fountain statue was made at Varik’s express request, in Roland’s memory. The statue depicts a man with a staff adorned with a lantern, which leads the way, forging on into the future; thus, it is named Der Anführer.

Chapter II: 

Unser Schwur | Our Oath

The oath taken by Roland, the first Baron von Wesenburg, and his kin, was to serve Reinmar and the Barclay crown. For such, Roland and his family were rewarded with the Barony, and given land on the Northern frontier, nestled between Kretzen and the great river to the north. That river, and the Barony itself, now on its southern bank, is what separates Reinmar from the hostile, frigid North.

The Barony, situated to the North of Reinmar’s capital, Kretzen, is rich, both in fertile soil by the river, and in emeralds, mined from the cliffs. Additionally, the Baronial territory guards a key land bridge, which crosses the river separating the North from the South. The strategic value of this crossing means the Barony of Wesenburg stands as Reinmar’s Northern shield, the first line of defense against any Northern threat. Thus, with such resources to defend, and that defense being so critical, the Barony hosts siegeworks and smithing, as well, keeping such crucial industries close at hand.

The philosophy of House Sturmweber has always been that of the Rook. A tower, stalwart, unflinching, and dutiful. As the stewards of the Barony, this ideology manifests in all their works, across Wesenburg land. As entrepreneurs, with Sturmweber Company LTD., the House thrived in Minitz; as such, the Barony of Wesenburg has commerce central to its identity, always pushed to thrive. Tobacco and grain grow aplenty in the Barony, as do the roots of House Sturmweber’s ambition, long since cultivated in Minitz. 

In their early days as a Tribe, the Sturmwebers tested those tribesmen who wished to join them, by having them climb a tower, getting to the top by any means. Using one’s wits and cunning was the only true path to success, of course, as this was the merit Roland most valued.

Chapter III: 

Unsere Lebensart | Our Way of Life

The tower is the primary element of the family’s heraldry, as well as to their way of thinking, symbolizing fortitude and vigilance. The other central heraldic element is a pair of keys, which represent access to knowledge and power. All of these themes were central to the founder, Roland’s, ideals and as such, they are what the family was built on. Thus, the culture of the barony closely mirrors such.

Like all other Reinmaren, the subjects of the Barony of Wesenburg value loyalty, competence, and piety above all else. While somewhat more welcoming toward outlanders, as a vassal situated on Reinmar’s rural frontier, the Reinmaren of Wesenburg are much less trusting of them. Roland, the first Baron von Wesenburg, was a pragmatic man, eager to allow strangers to prove themselves, but still he was shrewd and cunning, wary of the tricks and schemes others play at.

Being such a rural settlement, tucked away in the Reinmaren countryside, the Barony’s primary settlement, Reinhurst, consists mostly of cottages, which reflect the attitude and lifestyle of its population. The village is ideal for those Reinmaren who live there, enjoying a simple life in the spacious frontier, with fresh air and cold river water aplenty.

A prominent fixture of the Barony’s local tradition is the cultivation and use of tobacco. A significant portion of the farmland in Reinhurst, for example, is dedicated to tobacco plants. When the time comes to harvest, every Reinmaren living on the land participates in some way, from directly harvesting the crop to bundling the leaves, transporting bundles, processing the tobacco, and even rolling cigars and cigarettes. As such, every resident is entitled to a portion of the harvest and the rest is stored for later sale by Sturmweber Company LTD. In the rare case that an individual prefers not to receive the product of their labor as compensation, a payment of gold may often be arranged instead.

Another tradition borrowed from the capital is Reinhurstfest. Though, naturally, being that the Barony often tends to distinguish itself in some ways, unlike Kretzenfest, Reinhurstfest is longer and focuses more on the mercantile aspects of the festival, serving as a year-long merchant faire. Traditionally, halfway through the year, the Baron hosts a feast for all of Reinmar in Reinhurst. In addition, for the duration of the year, no taxes or fees are collected by the Treasury, as a show of the Baron’s great wealth and generosity.

As indicated by the traditions of Reinhurstfest, the Barony of Wesenburg has a strong mercantile culture. As such, and including the Barony’s role as a vassal, there are several industries which thrive there. Foremost, of course, is Die Kriegsfabrik, the Wesenburg siege factory. Specializing in the manufacture of artillery for the Host of Saint Johann to deploy in times of war, there stands a foundry, assembly yard, and a large crane, nestled along the riverbank in Reinhurst.

 Nearby, against the cliff of the landbridge, is a forge and smithy, called The Anvil’s Bane. Operated by longtime friend of Roland, the first Baron von Wesenburg, Barlord Bronzerock, The Anvil’s Bane is the first, and greatest, smithy in the Barony. In Reinhurst’s market square, Sturmweber Company LTD., the company owned by House Sturmweber, also has a stall, which is where much of the Barony’s tobacco can be purchased.