The Free City of Ulfberg, located within the Realm of Ghyran, is a burgeoning city situated amongst the alpine mountains of the frosty northernmost climes of the land of Gotholm. It’s towering spires are said to reach the clouds themselves and the walls surrounding the city are considered nigh impregnable guarded by hundreds of cannon, mortar emplacements and other heavy ordinance. Ulfberg “The Wolf Mountain” is also home to much heavy industry and the forges of this mountain city provide many heavy guns and even steam tanks and other such wondrous contraptions for the Prince and the Merchant Lords (Burgomeisters) of the city. The Ulfberg is so large that it is divided into several districts, rising in altitude along the mountainside overlooking the valley below. The lowest level is the Rimegate where a good many of the merchant houses ply their trade and farmers and huntsmen from the valley and surrounding mountain range bring their produce to sell. Ringed in by the first level of walls, the Rimegate district is quite crowded and the first line of defense in a siege. The maintenance of the city watch is divided up by district, private companies of the Freeguild are maintained out of the pockets of the Burgomeisters who oversee this part of the city in maintaining law and order within the walls. Naturally much bickering and politicking well out of earshot of the Prince occurs in the back alleys of the Rimegate and more than a few skirmishes between different regiments of the watch have taken place at the behest of their paymasters. While shocking to outsiders, the Prince typically doesn’t discourage this disorder within his city as it fosters a competition that prevents the Burgomeisters from uniting to oust him in a coup. Only when it reaches his ears in the daylight of the throne room does he punish the instigators of such disruptions to commerce.
The next district level is the Uhrwerkhaus, the House of Clockwork, here is where the forges and workshops of the city churn out new weapons day and night for the defense of the city and the equipping of the Prince’s armies. Here is where the mighty steam tank company is kept and maintained, here also the ordinance train is stored. It is overseen directly by trusted advisors of the Prince, typically the Stadtsmarshal, the Steward of House Geldhaar. The Stadtsmarshal ensures the defenses of all the upper districts of the city and in time of war commands the armies the Ulfberg relinquishing command only at the Prince’s orders. The current Stadtsmarshal is Count Eric Von Heldenman a lifelong friend of the Prince and his mentor.
Further up the slope of the city is the Gelthaus, or the House of Gold. Here is where the temples to Sigmar and the other gods of Order are kept and maintained. The various orders of knights that the city can call upon also maintain their commanderies here. The Freeguild, while having several barracks in each district of the city have their headquarters here next to the Temple of Sigmar. Here also the schools of magic make their home as the upper districts are heavily protected by wards and enchantments. Here also many nobles of the city reside and there are several mansions and garden areas that are the breeding ground of idle amusement and intrigue typical of a wealthy aristocracy. Many of the nobles of this Free City have estates outside the city scattered around the mountains and valleys, but often never go home to tend to their property unless urgently needed. All well and good for the Prince since he would rather keep an eye on them collectively from the imposing Ulfschloss than individually spy on them far from the city’s gates.
Finally, the highest district overseeing the city and the surrounding mountains and valleys, is the Ulfschloss. “Wolf Castle”. It’s mighty defenses have kept House Geldhaar enthroned for over three centuries. Here is the seat of the Princes of Ulfberg and their progeny. The current ruler Hans Gotha IV, Von Geldhaar, has recently taken the title of “Kronprinz” (Crown Prince) in a bid to make himself Kaiser of the outlying Free Cities across the land of Gotholm. His armies recently won a victory over the small state of Zeebund and the influx of overseas trade has brought much wealth to Ulfberg. Plans have even been undertaken to create a Royal Ulfberger Navy and sail to the far shores of the recently discovered jungle continent of “Vinheim” and settle it. Further up the mountain, at it's highest peak, stands a mighty Stormkeep, where the Stormhost of Eagle Lords makes their headquarters. The Eagle Lords are a small host that continually campaign across the Realms of Ghur, Ghyran, and Ulgu for Sigmar and are hardly a presence in the city they make their home in. A small garrison mans the keep and makes its rounds about the Ulfberg, but rarely intervenes in city life or politics. Lord Castellant Lothar Hess commands the garrison of the Adlerhohen.
As expected of a frigid northern city, Ulfberg’s banners bear the ancient White Wolf as the city sigil along with the city walls for so proud are Ulfbergers of their city’s fighting abilities. When Sigmar taught them of their forebearers the men of Middenheim and Nuln, the Ulf and Gotha Tribes of Wolf Mountain sought to honor the sacrifice made and built their city as a bastion of Order agains the night of Chaos. The standard uniform of the Freeguild regiments of Ulfberg are a mix of blues and whites typically, though other colors have been noted such as red and blue, and even soot black. Overall though blue is the unifying color of the army and it allows the Stadtsmarshal to quickly identify his men in the field when facing the armies of other free cities.
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