Campaign Map - 2

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Here is the north-central region of the Grand Duchy covering the Grafschaft und Abteilung of Nordseite-Ads. Administered from the cathedral city of Waldorf Salle-Ads, the region is mostly agricultural and noted for its dairy and beef cattle. Timber and charcoal production centers are dotted throughout the forested areas.

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The River Ads flows south-west to north-east until it meets the Bolschenzee where it turns eastward to meet the Eisenwasser. Thermal springs in the area have made the town of Bolschen itself a popular spa resort, and it has been the winter residence of the Grand Dukes for over forty years. As an adjunct to the income provided by resort visitors, the sulfur produced by the hot springs is mined for various industrial uses. This and the charcoal produced in the forests form a vital war commodity, being components of gunpowder, which is processed in the town of Kleiner Mundstadt before being shipped across the Duchy.

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The cathedral city of Waldorf-Salle-Ads was the site of the famous Declaration of Saint Ungulant in 1548. Following a serious breakdown of social responsibility and a rampant run on blue cheese futures, Ungulant, then Prior of the Cathedral school marched up to the doors of the cathedral and nailed his "Twelve Recipes for success" to the ancient timbers.

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The shock of what he wrote resounded throughout the Unangenehm und Nicht Notwendig Reich, and some historians point to that morning as the moment the old Reich began to fall apart. The blue cheese market stabilized when traders realized their cupidity, leading to a general improvement to the economy as a whole. To this day thankful pilgrims roll wheels of blue cheese to the top of the Hetzenberg, often on their hands and knees to give thanks for Ungulant's wisdom and to take in the wonderful views from the top. Ungulant himself went on to appear in several live ecumenical debates which always drew top ratings and wrote his "Thesis for a Better Venison Pie," and "Whereat the Suet Dumplings?" which went on to become best sellers.

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Ungulant died in 1608 and was interred in the cathedral. Canonised soon after, his work remains controversial up to the present day, when the Ecumenical Convocation of Waldorf-Salle-Ads met to decide how his works should be applied to modern living standards. The Convocation was a lively, often contentious affair which unfortunately divided opinion even further. When Chairman of the Convocation Bishop Wolnutz produced his treatise "Wolnutz on Waldorf-Salle-Ads" summing up his opinion of the debates, it led to a schism between the Traditionalist faction centered in the Markgravate of Dunkeldorf-Pfuhl, and the Progressive faction centered in Hetzenberg. Only the presence of mind displayed by Abbess Hilda of the Oscillating Order of St. Ungulant prevented outright conflict when she produced the pamphlet "Pouring an Olive Oil Garnish on Waldorf-Salle-Ads." Even so, this stayed the trouble for but a brief while. Lines were drawn, and the traditional bad blood between Grand Duchy and Margravate soured further.

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The Grafschaft of Nordseite-Ads is an ancestral title of the Grand Dukes and is usually conferred on the heir-apparent, in this case Graf Philip von Hetzenberg. Although sixteen years old, he received instruction in his future duties from his early teens thanks to his father's policy of ensuring good government through good education. The Graf does not have full control over the County's affairs, nor will he until he reaches the age of eighteen. At the moment he receives reports from the County Council into matters of economy and military affairs but has little input in anything save matters of culture. As Graf Philip loves fireworks and has a good eye for art and design, the County's celebration displays make full use of the gunpowder produced here and tend to be the best in the Grand Duchy. He has already produced a pamphlet "Dann explodiert sie!" covering his theories, and has announced his intention of promoting an annual award for excellence in firework ordinance design once he reaches his majority.