THE EMPIRE IN 2512 (Patreon)

Over the years since I left the production job for WFRP, I've frequently been asked what the map of the Empire should look like with Sudenland on it, and whether the WFRP1 maps were the primary source for the pre-Enemy Within Empire of WFRP4. 

Why have I been asked that? Well, for those not in the know, Sudenland was originally a realm mentioned in WFRP1 back in the 80s. And it vanished in the 90s. The Enemy in Shadows Companion then reinstated it, and that raised many questions for long-term fans of the setting.

Some wanted to know why I brought Sudenland back, and what that meant for the politics of the Empire. Others wanted to know where Sudenland was located and if it followed the old borders of Solland? And some wanted to know why the 'Glorious Reikland' map in the rulebook, which includes a map of the entire Empire, doesn't include Sudenland. In short, what was going on with Sudenland?

All good questions. And all relatively easy to answer.

WHERE IS SUDENLAND?
Easy.

A few years ago, I whipped up a fast map to show everyone where Sudenland and all the other grand provinces and provinces lie in the Empire of the Enemy Within campaign. That's the map attached to this post. I originally planned for a map similar to this one to be in the Enemy in Shadows Companion book, but I left the production job before I could do that. The attached map fills that gap. And it isn't a new one. For those that followed my old LAWhammer blog (which I'm thinking of resurrecting), you'll recognise this map from the Reikland Political Sketch Map I posted a few years ago.

The map shows the version of the Empire I was working with when writing the Enemy in Shadows Companion piece about the politics of the Empire. To create it, I used a map I drew about 15 years ago and added the updated information on top. 

This map is obviously unofficial so is likely to be contradicted by later publications, but it lies behind not only my thinking when building the politics for the Enemy Within, but also the thinking behind the version of the Enemy Within I'll be presenting in our streams.

So, this is an important map for our upcoming Actual Play. 

For those with the Enemy in Shadows Companion, you'll recognise all the Grand Provinces from p10 and the Provinces from p11 of that book. Many of the locations, especially the Provinces, may appear new, but they are all drawn from various GW sources. They also inform the shape of Sudenland that's used on that map

WHY DOESN'T SUDENLAND FOLLOW THE OLD SUDENLAND BORDER OR THE SOLLAND BORDER THAT CAME LATER?
So many reasons. 

Loosely, because later interactions of Warhammer updated the region in various ways, and the best way to build a modern Sudenland that contradicted the fewest sources, and built for the best political map for the Enemy Within that rationalised all versions of the location, was to place it in the south of what would later become Wissenland. It's a land in dispute, and the politics are super messy.

To be clear here, Sudenland's borders expressly do not follow the WFRP1 shape of Sudenland, and also do not follow the old borders of Solland. This is very much by design. Those locations had been changed (or removed!) by various sources down through the decades, and this shape was just the best way to resolve all those issues, and also resolve the various noble houses that each claimed the area.

That means this map attached to this post presents a unique version of the Empire, and one ripe with political instability for many historical reasons. And that lies behind the politics put in place to start the Enemy Within. 

And it will be a core component of the Actual Play I'll be presenting.

WHY ISN'T SUDENLAND ON THE GLORIOUS REIKLAND MAP?
Urgh. This one bothers me a lot.

Long story short: because the politics that we were going to use for the Enemy Within hadn't been approved at the time of printing the core rulebook. So, the Glorious Reikland map shows the politics of the post-Enemy Within Empire, the one many of you will know and love from WFRP2 or Warhammer8.

It's not ideal.

WHY BRING SUDENLAND BACK?
Again, so many reasons.

The most important is because it's a part of Warhammer history, and I was keen to resolve many of the contradictions of the of that history. In particular, the Enemy Within tells the story of how the Empire of WFRP1 became the Empire of Warhammer8. And that needs Sudenland.

And, besides, it was fun. I'm just upset I never got to include the Johann von Mecklenburg subplot that I intended to add.

I can keep that one for the streams, eh?

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And that's a quick summary of Sudenland, where it is, and why it's shaped the way it is.

If you have any questions or want to know more, just holler.