Bürland
Culture
The kegs are loose, and so are the inhibitions of its people, Bürland is a city of cheer, blood, and cutthroats. The schemes of political rivals lurk in every dark corner of the city, while the people most contend with each other and outside threats. Monsters and feral orcs are common in the Hainich Forest, as well as undead, which means the city has been invaded more than once throughout its history. However, much to the pride of its citizens, it has never once fully fallen or surrendered to any invasion to date. Some Bürlanders joke that its because they make sure to have beer rations for all of their troops, but this clearly jest. However it should be noted that soldiers of Bürland do indeed have beer aplenty on march.
Besides beer, the Bürlanders are known to be a cosmopolitian people, enjoying the diverse nature of their city and its people. The drow that live in the city have lived for a long time, with some families even tracing back to before the Underdark Cataclysm, and for this the drow can be found alot more commonly in Bürland than in other places. There are even some unconfirmed stories that some truly old drow famalies have actually adapted to the sunlight, but this is wild speculation at best. Regardless, the city is known for its supply of mercenaries, with of course the famed Landsknecht coming in droves from the city. So popular is the profession, that there are several holidays dedicated to not only certain mercenary companies, but also recruitment days. These holidays are as wild and rowdy as one might expect.
Aside from beer and sellswords, strangely enough rangers and even small crusader orders are also popular around the city for its dangerous. The Watchers are the largest ranger conclave around Bürland, and are known to be some of the best rangers in Neundorf. Some crusader orders such as the Winged Lances patrol the land for greenskin attacks. However, all these battles mean that bands of brigands and deserters are common, and roads traveling to Bürland are known to be some of the most hazerdous in the land. However, that hardly stops merchants from trying their luck to travel through the forest clearings and near the flowing rivers.
History
Bürland is sometimes called the city of sex and violence, and for good reason. It is also sometimes known as the City of Midnight for the high population of drow even before the great Underdark Cataclysm. To begin this trek, one ust look back at its history, which began when tribes ended up stuck near the edges of the forest. Great hordes of feral greenskins ravaged the land, taking slaves of those tribal camps they captured and salughtering any who posed a threat. Vowing vengeance, the tribes stayed solely to crush the greenskin meanece, and free their people.
It is said that around this time as the city was beggining to form, the first contact with Drow occured, due to how the forest housed a passage to the underdark. This first contact was violent, as the drow saw new and beautiful slaves to aqquire. However, the people proved eager and bloodthirsty, more so than the drow had anticipated. At the time most of these forces were led by a specific drow general known as Rhylnar Alesek, who himself was commanded by an unkown matron mother. However, though the records are a bit spotty about this, it seems a rebel under the drow forces known as Alton Argith (a mercenary from the dreaded House Argith) led his band of Arachkai Warriors in rebellion against Rhylnar.
The reasons are not entirely understood, but some postulate that Alton was already a rather "radical" thinking drow already, and this coupled with the proud warrior like Neunmen proving themselves showed that Rhylnar was weak and cowardly. So it was that in the Battle of Hainich Forest, the greenskins, drow, and the neuians allied with Alton fought one of the largest battles in Neundorf history. It is said the forest was awash with blood and bodies, and that every tree hanged an orc or drow slaver as the fighting got progressively more savage and bloody.
However in the end, the Nuenians allied with Alton proved victorious, and with their people freed from the greenskins and from the now slain Rhylnar the Neunmen now could settle back down in Bürland. In honor of helping save their people, the Neunmen offered to adopt the Arachkai warriors and Alton a place of highest honor in their city. Alton agreed, knowning that the drow and Lolth back home would not accept him, they unshackled theselves from Lolth's web, and formed The Conclave of Black Blades, which to this day sits atop the highest point of the city as a prestigioues millitary facility. It is said that this also opened the door for some other drow houses to eventually get their claws in the political sphere of the city. Regardless, to this day Bürland stands as a proud city, albeit one beset by monsters and feral orcs, but no one else makes better bear and finer harlots then Bürland.
Foreign Relations
"I say, those Drow know how to make a good buisness" - Traveling merchant on the nature of Bürland brothels
"They will march so long as the pay is good, I swear they will march into hell singing their damn cheery songs. Lunatics the lot of em" - Petrev Kalaltis, Rustil Cossack
"If this is the city with the best alchoholic imbibments, I am sorely disappointed" - Vanedi Scryshard, Iadith merchant (reported as missing)
While Bürland may be shouted as a unorganized frathouse more than an actual city, in the end this doesnt affect the Bürlanders too much. They have also historically been one of the most loyal city states to the Kaiser and the wider Neundorf Empire. This coupled with the ample supply of men and women seeking to fight for coin and glory, make them a valuable ally to have. Some do however look with concern over how deep the drow houses seem to have their web of politics and schemes in the Bürland govermental sphere, with some even wondering about who really rules the city at the end of the day: drow or neunian hands?
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Demonym
Bürlanders, Bürlians
Parent Organization
