[The following information is correct as of the beginning of the saga, circa 1140. It is presetned from the point of view of Rethra.]
Geo-Political Overview
Rethra sits in a sparse and highly magical forest, a royal chase granted to it from ancient times. The forest turns darker and denser towards the west, beyond the chase. To the north the chase abets the Baltic sea, and to the east it borders the Oder river. South of the chase lies an area of hills and valleys that stretches to the river, until it reaches the city of Stettin some 20 miles south-east of Rethra. This area is relatively filled with Wend villages, a dense web of largely christian villages and fields near Stettin becoming sparse and more pagan further away from the city. By the time this area reaches the forest's edge, the tapestry of farms has been reduced to a few isolatd pagan villages.
The land is under the control of Prince Nikolt, an Obotrite pagan noble. It has been independent of the Empire for some decades now, although officially it was granted to the Danes by Emperor Lothar in 1135 [he was succeeded by Emperor Conrad, the current emperor, in 1137].
The Obotrite kingdom, ruled by Prince Nikolt, extends over Pomerania and much of eastern Holstein. It is a pagan land, with the notable exception of the bishopy of Stettin, its outlying villages, and a few other isolated points. The major towns are Rostock, Cammin, and Kolberg, all near the Baltic sea, with a few smaller towns up the rivers. Each town is supported by a sparse network of surrounding small villages (typically growing rye, barley, flax, chicken, goose, or cattle, with a few villages focusing on fishing, beekeeping, or trapping). Beyond the populated river valleys lie wild forests, especially dark and forbidding in eastern Pomerania. Only a few isolated villages reside in the valleys and hillds between the forests.
The town's military might is based on light cavalry and fleets of longships housed in the cities. Their pagan temples lie in the heart of the towns, behind the city walls, and all layers of society regularly go there to receive blessings and perform sacrifices. Lay priests, "wise ones", administer the many smaller shrines and holy places in the land - often places of Faerie aura - and are more readily consulted by the peasantry.
North of of the Obotrite kingdom the islands of the Baltic, most notably the nearby and large island Rugen, are controlled by the Rani. To the south the Hevellians control the land, up to the cityof Brandenburg. These too are pagan lands, and under the control of pagn nobles, and so share much the same structure and make-up as above. Together, they form the Obodrtie Confederacy, a loose and often quarellous collection of pagan semi-independent kingdoms.
East along the Baltic coast the land is still controlled by pagans, and paganism and christianity struggle in those lands as well. This is beyond the scope of this description, however, and of the planned saga.
Beyond the ancient Limes Saxonicus the dominion of the Holy Roman Empire is more firm and Christianity has a tighter grip. Western Holstein, Saxony, Meissen, Lusatia, and the kingdom of Poland engulf the Obotrite confederacy. All are formally subjects of the Empire (except Poland, which is its ally), and answer to Christian rulers. Paganism in these ladns is suppressed, and German settlers have overtaken the original Slavic inhabitants (with the exception of the recently conquered Lusatia and, again, Poland).
This area (western Holstein through Lusatia) is under the control of Henri de Lion, duke of Saxony. Although nominally a vassal to the Emperor, the duke is practically independent, and has been moving towards the East for decades. He has relatively recently acquired Lusatia, and is now engaged in skirmishes and raids in both Holstein and south of Brandenburg.
A major holdout of paganism is in and around the Harz mountains in
Saxony. Although no priests or temples remain, the local pagan habits
persist. To the church's dismay, christian worship in the Harz is slim.
Two church leaders are of major importance in the region. Bishop Ludwig, count of Tecklenburg, is the prince-bishop of Munster. He holds great temporal as well as ecclestial power in western Saxony, and is a close ally to "St. Vicelin", a famous holy-man who preaches in Bremen. The other key personna is the Archbishop of Magdenburg, Wichmann, who is a staunch ally of Bishop Albert of Stettin. His missionaries have been pivotal in converting the pagans of the east (in Meissen, Lusatia, and near Branderburg).
The rest of the Holy Roman Empire is more under the control of the Emperor [Conrad I], with its center of power in the great cities of Lower Lorraine and Frankonia.
Christianity is extremely well-established in these parts, under the direct control of the Holy See of Mainz [the only Holy See besides the Vatican in all of Christendom].
To the north of the Empire lies the kingdom of Denmark, currently in the midst of civil war, with no clear king. It has long adopted Christianity, and bears little if any pagans.
Denmark is an independent kingdom, although its king is in addition a vassal of the Empire; he holds little fealty for his holdings, as is appropriate for these comprise the territories of Holstein and Pomerania, which belong to the Emperor by name only.
The Danes not long ago controlled much of the trade on the Baltic sea, but their power has been cut down by Wendish pirates and raiders and their place was overtaken by the ports in Holstein (in Lubeck and Rostock). Combined, these forces have significantly reduced Denmark's population and wealth along the shore in but a decade. Without a king, the kingdom failed to provide an answer to these developments.
Hermetic Population and Politics
The tribunal holds some 120 magi, with perhaps a fifth being eremites (magi not affiliated with any covenant) and the rest members of one of the 11 established covenants (and a few "peregrinatores" of no covenant). The magi can be arranged into political camps, known as "gilds". There are currently six gilds in the Rhine tribunal.
The largest gild is probably the Oak Gild, perhaps 40 magi strong, led by the praeco Murion. It is a faction of conservative magi, inclined to act with caution and deliberation and seeking to maintain the status quo. It enjoys the support of most of the magi of the two largest and most influential covenants in the tribunal - Durenmar in the Black Forest and Fengheld in the Thuringian Forest. Further support is granted by the Tremere magi of Roznov in the Carpathian mountains to the south-east, and of Triamore in the west. Thus in general terms the south of the tribunal, from Triamore to Roznov, is conservative in its outlook.
Nearly as powerful is the Elder Gild, which promotes respect for the faeries by both mundanes and magi. Many of its magi are members of House Merinita, and many are members inthe Cult of Mercury as well, an Hermetic society that worships the old Roman gods. The gild is led from Irencillia in the Harz mountains, the mother covenant of Merinita, but also garners support from Ostee (a small covenant often involved in charges of piracy and mundane involvement sitting in the island of Rugen), Dankmar (a small covenant in the south of the Black Forest), and some support from eremites and various magi in other covenants. Thus it can be said that the magi of the north-eastern parts of the tribunal generally support faerie and pagan religion.
The third large faction is the Apple Gild, which encourages respect for mundanes and the Chruch. It is led from Rheinstein, an influential covenant near the city of Colonge, and garners also the support of Trevevorum in Trier, as well as a considerable number of magi from Fengheld and a few more magi from other covenants. Thus the magi along the central stripe of the Rhine Gorge and the Main river can, to a great extent, be said to be inclined to support and protect the mundanes.
Somewhat smaller in power than these three is the Hawthorn Gild, a gild closely assocaited with House Bjornaer. It places great emphasis on bolstering and protecting wild Magical places (especially the forests of the tribunal). The gild is supported mainly by the Bjornaer magi of Crintera, the mother-covenant of the house, which lies in the Bohemian Forest. Other Bjornaer magi and Ex Miscellanea eremites provide futher support, as does the small covenant of Waddenzee in the Frisian islands at the tribunal's western boundary (a small covenant engaged in trade).
The Ash Gild is a small gild, perhaps 10 magi strong, which essentially promotes the lifting of restrictions on the use of power against non-Hermetic people (or faeries, or so on). It is led by archmage Darius of Flambeau, a great master of Perdo magic. The gild enjoys some further support from Ostee, and from magi throughout the tribunal.
Last, the Linden Gild is a small but exclusive gild, comprised of highly-respected mediators and problem-solvers whose advise carries much weight in tribunal. It is comprised of but a few magi, scattered throughout the tribunal.
Membership in a gild is not obligatory, and some magi do not belong to a gild. This is rare, however, and even one not belonging to a gild will tend to be associated with one in time.