The Von Heisenberg Family

A Brief History of The Von Heisenberg Family

An Excerpt from Karl Shilton’s “Of Blue Blood: A Guide to the Noble Houses of Wissenland

Like much of the nobility in Wissenland, the Von Heisenberg family find it difficult to trace their roots back further than 1707, as many records of the period were lost during Gorbad Ironclaw’s invasion of the province. However, it is known that the family prior to the invasion ruled over the town of Heisenberg, the town from which their name originates.

The first name to emerge from the records in the 18^th Century is Otto Kirsch, being noted as being made Lord of Heisenberg in 1776 by the ruling Baron of Meissen. This was the family’s entry into the nobility of Wissenland, and Otto took the name of his protectorate town in its honour, consigning the Kirsch family to the annals of Heisenberg history.

Between the 19^th and 23^rd Centuries, the Von Heisenberg family consolidated their position within the nobility of Wissenland. They invested in the flourishing trade in the Barony, making themselves particularly wealthy, and continued their legacy through tactical marriages, mainly for wealth, rather than position, for they sought to establish their lineage more, before attempting to scale the hierarchical ladder. Due to their low standing, the records give little information but names and dates of births, deaths and marriages, which can all be found in the accompanying indices.

It is not until the 24^th Century that the Von Heisenberg name truly appears again in any worthwhile form. In 2304, when the great Emperor Magnus the Pious established his Court in Nuln, the noble families of northern Wissenland began to grow more and more important. Lucas von Heisenberg, the patriarch at the time, attended the Court regularly as the chief consort of the Barony, send on behalf of his Baron, Victor von Liebewitz, ancestor of the current Countess of Wissenland.

This may not at first seem particularly important, and indeed, the von Heisenberg name only again appears on certain documents, but the very fact they were trusted with the task shows a great advance in their prestige. From my research of the Von Liebewitz family, I discovered that, as owners of many different Barony’s across the land (for they were not at this point the Counts), they delegated to important families in each region to act on their behalf. This thus means that the Von Heisenberg family, whilst only officially being Lords of Von Heisenberg, were being unofficially treated as the Barons of Meissen. Of course, they were not permitted to alter anything without Von Liebewitz approval, but were in charge of the day to day running of a large and affluent area.

The family do not appear in any further extent until over a century later in 2424, the year of Grom the Paunch’s invasion of the Empire and his siege of Nuln. It is recorded that Michael von Heisenberg, the then patriarch, fought valiantly in many battles across Wissenland, leading armies drawn up on behalf of the von Liebewitz family. It is noted that he acted as one of many generals, and was designated his own bodyguard on the field of battle, signifying his importance. However, Hector was fatally wounded by a barbed arrow of a sneaky goblinoid, killing him two days after receiving the wound, dying of infection. There is still a small memorial to him this day at Two Roads Rock near a small town in Reikland, where the battle took place.

Michael’s death left the Von Heisenberg family in a serious crisis, as their lineage was effectively cut. Michael was an only child and had married, but none of his children had survived past the age of seven. He had however, sired a bastard in Heisenberg’s neighbouring town of Penzfeld with Maria Bohm, the daughter of a prominent merchant, Gustav Bohm. The bastard, named Phillip, came forward upon his father’s death to take his position, but was refused by the current Baron, Ralph von Liebewitz.

The mass migration of Wissenland families to the safer lands down South during the invasion of Grom the Paunch encouraged Phillip to follow suit, attempting to establish the family’s roots once again in new territories. He made the journey to the Barony of Sonnefurt, where his maternal aunt, Katherin Bohm had married to the current late Baron Lucas Tol, and their son, Herman now ruled.

The Von Heisenberg name disappears for four years as Phillip settled into life in the southern Barony, apparently in the then prosperous agricultural town of Ostrach. His name suddenly reappears with great force in the family name’s crowning moment in 2428, with the death of Baron Herman Tol.

Baron Tol had no living descendants, being an only child and unmarried due to his relative youth. I have found records from the minutes of the meetings of the Council of Sonnefurt during this period, many of which desired for Sonnefurt to once again be ruled by them instead of an aristocrat. Throughout the Barony’s history, independent of being within the Barony of Kreutzhofen, it had been ruled by two families, the Wulstbergs and the Tols. Both had come to power without birth rights, either through wealth or meritocracy, and the Council seemed unwilling to break with tradition.

However, Katherin Bohm (Tol), now incredibly elderly, campaigned for Phillips recognition and stated that despite his illegitimacy, common law stated that the last remaining relative, even bastards, can rule in the wake of a death and disputed lineage. The Council reluctantly agreed, apparently due to the fear of Frau Bohm even in her old age, but also due to renewed tensions about Solland in the area, requiring a lineage to protect their town, and a link to a once prominent Wissenland noble family was actually deemed invaluable. Thus not only did Phillip manage to gain legitimacy, he also brought the Von Heisenberg name up in Wissenland notoriety.

Phillip ruled as Baron for many years, making the town prosperous by using his renewed links to the North to trade using the Soll. It was under Phillip that many traders started using the port, and the town expanded greatly under his influence.

Phillip had a son, Heinrich, in 2432, establishing the Von Heisenberg line in Sonnefurt officially. He brought up his son to follow in his footsteps as a Baron. His links to the northern towns of Wissenland brought him into contact with the Schafer family, an important noble line who had married well, with Frieda Schafer married to the current Count, Frank von Liebewitz. He arranged for Heinrich to marry the younger daughter of the family, Lea Schafer, linking his family directly to their ancient liege-lords. Heinrich then had a son, Max, in 2452, and a daughter, Anne in 2456 sealing the union permanently.

In 2461, Phillip died, leaving behind a legacy to continue where all his hard work had got him, ushering in the golden age of the Von Heisenbergs. Heinrich became Baron and lead the Barony through a difficult time, where his father’s once hometown of Ostrach suffered diseased crops, a plight it failed to recover from, plunging the Barony into economic downturn as the other towns struggled to pick up the loss.

To save the Barony from total economic downturn in the face of the loss of Ostrach's production, Heinrich married Max to Vanessa Zell, sister to Herman Zell, a prominent foreign merchant in the town from the Border Princes. He even made the Zell family minor nobles so that they would bring in business to the port. It succeeded and foreign trade boomed in the region.

Heinrich died in 2481, making Max von Heisenberg the new Baron. Sonnefurt continues to grow hugely under Von Heisenberg influence, with trade from their Northern contacts in Meissen, Heisenberg and Nuln as well as business growing further afield.

Since their wedding, Max and Vanessa had been attempting to conceive an heir to the Von Heisenberg line, but Vanessa suffered many miscarriages and still births, no pregnancies came to fruition. As Max’s sister Anne had also lost several infants in their early years, there was nearly no hope of an heir, and Max was beginning to grow ill. The Council began to worry for the future of the Barony under the Von Heisenberg name. It is not noted whether Max was unfaithful in hope of siring a bastard, but all accounts uphold he was incredibly loyal to his wife, despite their problems. As of yet, there are no records of illegitimate children appearing.

Fortunately, in 2497, Katarina von Heisenberg was born, to the joy of the entire Barony. As Max slowly became aware that he was dying, and that he would not father a son, he began to teach Katarina to rule properly. He succumbed to his disease in 2513, leaving Katarina, at only sixteen, too young to rule alone.

Katarina ruled for the following two years with the help of the Council, until she matured in 2515, officially becoming Baroness. She has ruled well since, a valuable addition to the Von Heisenberg name. The Barony has prospered greatly during, and there are great hopes the lineage will continue when she marries.

The Baroness and the Marshall

Baroness Katrina Maxine Henrietta von Heisenberg

Born: Sonnefurt, Wissenland IC 2497
Nationality: Imperial (Wissenlander)
Titles: Baroness of Sonnefurt, Baroness of Ertingen and Strazen, Head Councillor of the Council of the Towns and Villages of Sonnefurt
Previous Titles: Lady von Heisenberg.
Religious Beliefs: Sigmarite, prominent member of the Cult of the Vine (Deanosus)
Spouse: N/A
Children: N/A

Born in IC2497 in Sonnefurt to Baron Max von Heisenberg and his wife Vanessa Zell. She was the only child of Max and Vanessa to live after many years of attempting to conceive and many disastrous miscarriages and still births. As such, she was seen as a gift to the couple and spoilt ridiculously. She had a privileged upbringing, with the finest education from professors from Nuln and Max’s great friend and scholar Arthritiknes. She became well versed in politics and Imperial history, being trained from a young age to take over from her father as his only child.

Being second cousin of the Countess, her upbringing brought her into constant contact with the Court of Nuln. As she grew up and developed her beauty became apparent and the Countess grew jealous of her looks and her success as the heir to the Barony of Sonnefurt.

When her father died in IC 2513, Katrina was only sixteen years old, and was not legally able to become Baroness until she matured in IC 2515. In the period her education was stepped up in the law and politics of the Barony and her Councillors ruled for her.

Upon becoming Baroness, a large celebration was thrown, and the Baroness soon came to earn the reputation as a party-goer and socialite, gaining a poor reputation as a drunk and reveller too. Father Schmidt tried to reel her in, and in recent years she has been showing more maturity, but still hints at her former ways.

She is currently seeking a husband and has been courting some of Sonnefurt and Nuln’s most prestigious bachelors, hoping to seek a fitting alliance with another town or merchant family and to produce an heir so that neighbouring towns do not seek to fill the position of Baron themselves.
Occasionally the Baroness can be seen leading the armies of Sonnefurt on the battlefield, not wanting to let her opponents see her as weak. She is always accompanied by her personal guard however and never partakes in actual combat.





Marshall Richter Hans Karl Eichhorn

Born: Wittenhausen, Wissenland, The Empire IC 2465
Nationality: Imperial (Wissenlander)
Titles: Marshall of Sonnefurt, Councillor of the Council of Towns and Villages of Sonnefurt
Previous Titles: Captain of the Southern Division of the Soll River Patrol, Head Councillor of the Council of the Towns and Villages of Sonnefurt
Religious Beliefs: Sigmarite, prominent member in the Cult of Lacothea
Spouse: Susanne Mundt (b.2467, m.2489)
Children: Victor Oskar (B.2489)
Hans Richter(B.2494)
Elisabeth Frieda (B.2497)

History
Richter Eichhorn was born just outside of Wittenhausen in the Winter of IC 2465 to a relatively poor farming family. His father owned a small farmhouse but they lived a meagre existence until Richter left at the age of sixteen to join the military, hoping to send his money to help his family.

He joined the newly formed Soll River Patrol, being enlisted into the 9th Regiment as a foot soldier and being stationed at many towns along the river’s banks. He worked his way through the ranks to become Captain of the Regiment in IC 2486, at the age of just 21.

The 9th Regiment were then stationed in Sonnefurt and Richter moved to the town and was established good relations with the Baron, Max von Heisenberg. It was during this time he began courting Susanne Mundt, the daughter of a local business man.

In IC 2489, after a successful battle in which the 9th Regiment repelled a Goblin raid from Ertingen, Baron von Heisenberg offered the position of Bailiff to Richter, as the position had recently opened following the loss of former Bailiff Bruno Hapsberg to disease. Richter gladly accepted, hoping to settle down with Susanne in Sonnefurt, and married her three months later.

Richter acted as Bailiff to Sonnefurt under Marshall Kurt Salzemund until IC 2496 when the Marshall was mysteriously killed in the Martinswald whilst hunting near Morr’s Chasm. Richter could not provide an alibi and was prime suspect in the Marshall’s disappearance, with reports and Richter’s own excuse of ‘rat-men’ being widely discredited. No trial was held however and the investigation ground to a halt. Richter was soon made Marshall by Baron von Heisenberg as there were no other suitable candidates.

Upon the death of Baron Max von Heisenberg, Richter assumed the role of Head Councillor of the Council of the Towns and Villages of Sonnefurt due to the Baroness’ lack of maturity. He ruled in this capacity until she reached the age of eighteen in IC 2515.

He continues to act as Marshall, assuming military command on behalf of the Baroness and acting in his capacity as a member of the town’s Council. He retains links with the Soll River Patrol, particularly his former 9th Regiment, who are once again currently stationed in Sonnefurt after being stationed in many other towns along the river. He leads the armies of Sonnefurt to battle often despite his age and has brought his tactical prowess to bear many times.

Family Life
Victor Oskar- the eldest son of the Marshall. Moved to Nuln to study and is currently a Doctor, lecturing in Philosophy and Theology at the University. Married to Henrietta Hofstadter, the daughter of a dean of the University.
Hans Richter- followed his father’s military footsteps. Currently a Major in the Grand Army of Wissenland, stationed in Wissenburg. Married to Martha Balgart, the daughter of a renowned Wissenburg merchant.
Elisabeth Frieda- stayed in Sonnefurt and is as of yet unmarried. Close friends with Lazy Frederica Zell and the Baroness herself.

The Council of Sonnefurt

The Council of the Towns and Villages of Sonnefurt

The Council itself has a long history, established first in the wake of the invasion of Gorbad Ironclaw and standing as a representation of the long resistance towards the Pfeifraucher family of Kreutzhofen. Originally the Council was a Council of Nine, and then Strazen, Martinskorf and Bezeinhof were recognised. Later the religious leader was permitted entry. In recent years the Council, strapped for money, has allowed members who have lived in the town for over twenty five years and have the right amount of money to buy their way into the council. So far only two people have achieved their positions this way.

The Council’s duties are now fairly administrative, but they have the power to vote on certain decisions proposed to them by the ruling Baron or Baroness. In the meantime, they run the Judicial Court of Sonnefurt and run administrative tasks, compiling censuses, tax records, procuring trade deals and monitoring dealings within the town and the Barony. They can also decide on whether the Barony sends troops outside of its jurisdiction to aid anyone else in Wissenland or the Empire.

Each meeting is chaired by a different Councillor, but often this responsibility falls on Lord Augustus as others try and avoid the responsibility by feigning absence. As such it is normally just accepted he will chair, even if it is not his appointed turn.

Mayors and Town Leaders

Mayor Günter Fink

Gunter Funk is the Mayor of the regions second largest town, Thalfang. Mr Fink is a portly gentleman, and very typically a noble man. He is not particularly liked within the region, but he pays a lot of money to the Baroness to keep his position as Mayor, earned through his large vineyard on the Aschen Hills. This is where he lives for the most part, distancing himself from the people of his town, for they too do not particularly like him. He makes the most of his position on the Council, and often over asserts himself, far beyond that which his position warrants. However, under his leadership, Thalfang has actually grown in size, and this means he will maintain his position until someone better is found to replace him.

Mayor Walter Heim

Walter Heim is the Mayor of the regions third largest town, Ertingen. Mr Heim is fairly young, having only just inherited the position from his father, Ewald Heim, a close friend of Baron Max von Heisenberg. Lacking in confidence of his position, Walter rarely attends the Council meetings, and only attends when the Baroness insists. The reaction to his leadership has not yet sunk in, but there is a spirit of hope that Ertingen will become the second most dominant town in the region under him, so long as he truly represents them on the Council and does not shirk his responsibilities.

Mayoress Elinor Helemburtus

Elinor is the Mayoress of Strazen, widow of the former Mayor Tomas Helemburtus. After the wake of his death, she has assumed his role with great popularity within the small community. She is said to be fairly attractive, but aging severely with the stress of her new found position. On the Council she does not have a great deal of influence or sway but is renowned for her logical and level headed views. Mrs Helemburtus has close relations with Walter Heim of Ertingen and the two settlements often lobby in favour of the Dieten Hills Townships, the name of the alliance between them.

Mayor Willi Vogt

Willi Vogt is the Mayor of Ostrach. His family is well established in the area and can trace their roots back far before the devastation of Gorbad Ironclaw. For this reason, Willi Vogt is regarded as fairly arrogant, claiming superiority in decisions over even the Baroness as his family have been in Ostrach longer than her family has been in South Wissenland. Mr Vogt was known to have disagreed strongly with the decision to stay neutral in the Solland Effort, proclaiming that as proud Wissenlanders they should fight any Solland insurrection wherever it may appear. On the Council, his forceful approach renders some negotiation difficult as it often turns to a shouting match, especially with Mr Fink of Thalfang

Elder Maggie Gaffwiger

Maggie Gaffwiger is the village elder of Bezeinhof. She is an old, frail woman, but has a great knowledge of the history of the region and despite her peasant background, has learned to read and record the Barony’s history. She rarely makes appearances at the Council unless absolutely necessary due to her age but when she attends she is a useful asset, using mistakes of past decisions to influence the present decisions.

Chief Sepp Sydow

Sepp Sydow is the village leader of Martinskorf. He is respected in his town as an excellent hunter and woodsman, and is a celebrated hero of the Sonnefurt resistance during the War with Kroppenleben. On the Council he is regarded by others, particularly Fink and Guttmann as a simpleton for he will often resort to bellowing to get his point across. However, no one is likely to disagree with him

Other Important Figures

Marshal Richter Eichhorn

As Supreme Commander of the Sonnefurt Military, the Marshal takes a prominent role in the Council, and is often considered its leader, particularly as he is second in command to the Baroness herself and the closest to her. His military expertise means he is only really concerned with the running of the towns militias, military spending and military crises. In all other affairs he defers to the superior knowledge of the other Councillors. The Council will often also call upon him if they need a favour from his former employers, the Soll River Patrol.

Father Josef Schmidt

Father Schmidt is the newest Abbot of the Sanctuary of Sigmar in Sonnefurt and is the leading religious figure in the region. He is also a trusted advisor of the Baroness and has offered her spiritual guidance for several years. He is relatively young and charismatic and on the Council his calm and collected logic often calms the more rash members from becoming too irate.

Jusk Stromsson

Jusk Stromsson is the Elder of the small Dwarf population that have established themselves in Sonnefurt after migrating from Karak Hirn. The Dwarfs are mainly stonemasons, and have helped with the expansion of the town and its surrounding villages and boost the economy of Sonnefurt greatly and are a huge asset to the Barony. On the Council Jusk only seems to care about the interests of his community and doesn't take part in many other discussions. When he does however he is stubborn as any Dwarf should be, and is often rude and abrasive.

Aldred Guttmann

Aldred is a prominent merchant in Sonnefurt, running the human side of the Hirn-Sonnefurt Banking Corporation. As such his relations with the Dwarfs of Karak Hirn are excellent. He is a stuffy and boring man, wearing small pince-nez spectacles. His knowledge of mathematics and excellent record of study at the University of Nuln make him a useful asset to the Council. He is not well liked however for his pedantic, laboured approach to negotiations, but apparently, this is why the Dwarf negotiators admire him.

Miengot Elzacher

Miengot is the youngest man to have been known to run the Chamber of Customs and Commerce. Like Aldred Guttmann he has an excellent record from the University of Nuln and a great command of mathematics. Unlike Guttmann however, Miengot is an amiable man and is apparently fairly funny. He is commonly found at the Von Heisenberg theatre and holds a large stake in its business, paying an annual donation to the upkeep and hiring of actors. On the Council he is well liked, and will often be the only one able to handle Guttmann’s approach to mathematical ideas.

Lady Frederica Zell

Lady Frederica Zell is the heiress of Lord Hermann Zell, an important merchant within Sonnefurt. Due to him being bed stricken with a disease that will prove fatal, she represents the interests of the Zell family on the Council. The Zell family are a well established name in Sonnefurt and have been for many years. Their interests mainly lie with the keeping of the trade routes with the Border Princes open, as the Zell family have links there and strong trade ties. Lady Frederica is among the most eligible women in Sonnefurt, and it is said Captain Strotmann of the Soll River Patrol has been courting this beauty. On the Council her youth makes her inexperienced in debates and her relative stupidity renders her almost entirely useless and easily manipulated.

Marius Blech

Marius Blech is the richest person in the Barony of Sonnefurt bar the Baroness herself. Not much is known about his past, except that he rose from the depths of the Dockyards to come to prominence just before the Baroness came to power. He is said to have criminal connections and running a smuggling business from the Border Princes, but nothing has been proven. He represents the interests of the working Sonnefurt men in the Council. His sly personality makes it difficult to trust him, and the only reason he gets his way is due to his reputation of using his Ogre bodyguards to devastating effect.

Newer Additions

Lord Herwin Augustus

Lord Herwin Augustus is a wealthy lawyer who has risen to prestige in Sonnefurt, allowing him to buy his way into the Council many years ago to the disdain of the town leaders, already upset with the mercantile influence. Lord Herwin is a modest man, not dressing as befits his money and rank, but instead he refuses to drink, party of indulge, making him appear a very boring man. As a lawyer, Lord Herwin is an adept debater and often manages to secure his desires within the Council. However, he is obviously used by the Council, for he enjoys being a lawyer, and is often told to preside over the Judicial Court, meaning the other councillors can avoid the task.

Prince Imre Lank

Prince Lank was formerly King of a small Border Princedom over the mountains. He was thrown out in a coup by his rebellious army and fled with all his wealth, finding a home in Sonnefurt. Like Lord Augustus, he used this wealth to buy his influence in the town and buy himself a position on the Council. His thick accent makes it hard to understand him and no one takes his views on Sonnefurt seriously, seeing him still as an outsider. His contributions to the Sonnefurt Barracks have, however, earned him the respect of Marshall Eichhorn.