Areas of Interest

Welcome

This page is the ultimate guide to my created town and its surroundings, The Barony of Sonnefurt in Wissenland.

To the right are a series of links to the different aspects of the town, from History, to Politics, Law and Order and the Military. These sections will be updated and new ones will be added on a regular basis. Keep checking for updates.

Above is a link to my story concerning the Barony 'Sonnefurt in Flames', an epic tale of several residents caught up in a fight for the survival of their homeland.

Enjoy.

Le Pistolet
Showing posts with label The Town of Sonnefurt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Town of Sonnefurt. Show all posts

Saturday, 7 May 2011

Images of Sonnefurt

A Collection of Drawings, Sketches and Paintings of the River Port of Sonnefurt
- Johaan Vertig

In my journeys around the South of our Empire, I have found many, many wondrous sights in our Empire's towns. The town that caught my imagination the most however was the humble river port of Sonnefurt. I stayed here for an entire year and endeavored to capture every angle of the wonderful town. On the next few pages, I will present my compiled paintings, and briefly describe them.

The Baroness' Mansion



A beautiful building which the Baroness herself does not actually tend to spend much time in, despite its splendour. It is protected and cut off from the centre of the town by a small moat, making it very private. I was lucky to get close enough to the mansion to paint it, as the Baroness' guard are very protective of their lady, even when she is not there. Fortunately they did not seem to mind a humble painter and I could paint this magnificent building.

The Von Heisenberg Theatre



Sadly, seeing as this building is an exquisite piece of architecture, I have only so far managed to sketch this magnificent structure. This is truly the Von Heisenberg family's greatest donation to this town, and the building dominates the small square in which it resides. It is adorned with carvings of the Rose and Briars of the von Heisenbergs, which looks excellent, and is a testament to its Dwarfen masons.

The Upper/Lower Riverside Docks



These docks see little commercial business, which is centred around the Dockyards, and is instead where the rich have their marina. As such it is a much nicer location and brilliant to paint. I do believe this painting shows the commotion of the area, but the pleasant nature of it at the same time.

The Ertingen Ferry



The nicest part of the riverside area is definitely the area surrounding the ferry to neighbouring Ertingen. There are many large townhouses here which are splendid to paint. This painting looks down the Soll, eventually going towards Kreutzhofen at its source. To the right I managed to capture the closest part of Ertingen. It is at these points the two towns are the closest, making many, like I did at first, think they were one and the same.

The Sonnefurt Lighthouse



Jutting out into the fork between the Soll and Sonne rivers, this centuries old lighthouse is an imposing sight. It was built by the Pfeifraucher family many aeons ago, and has outlasted much of the architecture in Sonnefurt. At night, its four fires provide a welcome sight for the trade ships of the Soll.

The Dockyards



Definitely not a nice place to be, and especially not after dark. The Dockyards are the commercial powerhouse and slum of the town and the buildings there are dilapidated and decrepit. However, they are interesting to paint due to their quirky nature and I did enjoy trying to capture the despair of this neighbourhood.

The Upper River Side



In stark contrast to the Dockyards, the Upper River Side is a much nicer place to be as it houses the richer, more extravagant residents of the town. As such, their houses are wonderful townhouses, full of luxury and grand in every way. They were a joy to paint.

The Lower River Side




As this district houses the most of the residents of the town, it is crowded, but not to the extent of the Dockyards, and houses everything the people might need. There are many merchants living here, and thus shops and houses mix in an incredible interlocking nature, making use of all available space. It was hugely enjoyable to paint the people in their unusual surroundings and having lived in the area, I think it became my favourite district.

The Sanctuary of Sigmar



I have painted many churches of Sigmar in my time as an artist but I can safely say that Sonnefurt's Sanctuary is by far one of the most amazing ones I have seen and had the pleasure of painting. The tower is visible from all around the town, reminding its populace of their god, and its bells can be heard every hour echoing around the streets. The attached alms house is one of the nicest buildings in the town, it seems to make being destitute in this town a good thing!

The Dwarfen Quarter



The Dwarf Quarter, in appearance is much like the Upper and Lower River Sides, but a predominance for stone is more evident, as is the size of the doors. Most of the Dwarfs own a workshop, and the entire district is one for manafacture. I managed to convince one Lowland Dwarf to let me draw him as he worked. Being an Empire born Dwarf, he does not share the waistline of his mountain cousins, and actually looks fairly skinny, perhaps because the Dwarfs compete so much for business, many are very poor.

Sonnefurt Market



he town's Market District is where many of the merchants and trading companies have their offices, and is actually very boring. For an artist however, the Market Square, in the very centre of Sonnefurt is a hive of activity almost every day and is the best place to capture Sonnefurters from all walks of life. In this painting you can rich nobles perusing the wares of poorer townsfolk, whilst the Sonnefurt military patrol in the background. I loved watching the activity of all these townsfolk as I sat and painted.

Sunday, 13 June 2010

The Town of Sonnefurt



Top left is the Lower River Side
Top middle is the Upper River Side
Top right is The Dockyards
Middle is The Market District
Middle right is The Sonnefurt Hill
Bottom s The Dwarfen Quarter
Right is The Military District

Sonnefurt Township

Sonnefurt Hill

The Sonnefurt Hill is an overstatement. Seeing as the land is almost entirely flat, the small mound towers over the town. This mound is reserved for the Baroness and her extensive Mansion and grounds, and can be seen from all around.

The Baroness’ Mansion- Located at the very top of the hill that overlooks the Sonnefurt and the dockyards. It was constructed in the same manner as the Baroness’s Villa and is ornate, much more ornate than the Kroppenleben Manor. The mansion has everything one needs from a townhouse, a chapel, a feasting hall, large gardens and its own small barracks. The Baroness hardly lives in this mansion, but it still retains a large standing guard.

Upper River Side

The Upper River Side is the most expensive district in the whole of Sonnefurt. It houses the privileged elite and the aristocracy and the shops and bars reflect this demographic. Many extravagant town houses have been built here over the years and a rich, bustling and cultured community has been established.

The von Heisenberg Theatre-The Theatre was first commissioned by Baron Heinrich von Heisenberg. It runs many shows using his generous bursary to hire in travelling troubadours, actors and spectacles from all over the Empire.

The Council of the Towns and Villages of Sonnefurt- The Council have their Council House within the Upper Riverside as many come from the local aristocracy who have townhouses within Sonnefurt. The Council had now almost purely administrative duties but I shall leave a description of them for another letter.

The Garden of Morr- The Garden is the town’s cemetery for the greatest and richest people of Sonnefurt, including the Von Heisenberg family mausoleum. The towns other cemetery is located outside the town walls in a superstitious attempt to prevent the dead ever making their way back into the town.

The Upper River Side Marina- As many merchants from the Barony have a house in Sonnefurt the best way to travel is often by boat. The Marina is a small harbour for the private boats of these rich citizens. Private boats are a luxury in Sonnefurt however, as there is a heavy tax due to the monopoly granted to the Ertingen Ferry.

Gilles’ Wine Bar- This bar has the reputation of being the most expensive bar in Sonnefurt and is reserved almost entirely for the town’s aristocracy and wealthy merchants. Run by a disgraced Brettonian Knight it serves the finest Brettonian wines as well as local wines, including some from the Baroness’ personal Villa vineyard. On occasions the Baroness has been seen in the Bar, and I believe you too will enjoy its delights.

Lower River Side

The Lower River Side is a downmarket version of the Upper River Side. The population consists of the town’s middle class and mixes in areas with some upper class families, short on money and forced to move. The district houses the vast majority of the town’s population, and is the largest district in the town.

The Sanctuary of Sigmar-The Sanctuary is run by Father Josef and is the largest religious establishment in the town. Its location in the Lower River Side makes it popular with the common people and many from the Dockyards too, but the richer members still attend for feast days and religious celebrations. The Sanctuary also acts as a place to stay for the least fortunate, Sigmarite Templars and wandering religious fanatics and leaders.

The Judicial Court of Sonnefurt- Run by the now almost defunct Council of the Towns and Villages of Sonnefurt, the Courthouse is where the worst criminals in the region are tried. Being on the council, Marshall Eichhorn uses the Court to sentence mercenaries with unconvincing charges so they will fight for him. It is located in the Lower River Side on request of the Upper River Siders, who didn’t want ‘criminal scum’ in their district.

The Ertingen Ferry- The ferry is run by an old Dwarf who drives a paddle steamer twice a day between the two towns. The cost is not extortionate, but the more common way for the poorer folk of the town to cross is by commissioning a rower from the dockyards, who run services for a small fee, undermining the ferries monopoly granted several hundred years ago.

The Troubadour- This tavern is known as the loudest tavern in Sonnefurt, and on a quiet night, with the right wind, the noise can be heard as far off as Ertingen and Ostrach. Travelling musicians give this tavern its name, and amongst the most popular regular band are the Hirn Yodellers, a group of Dwarfs whose guttural signing often shakes the ground of the Lower River Side.

Donald Mach’s Tavern and Restaurant- Reputedly the best restaurant in south Wissenland, this tavern and restaurant is run bizarrely by a Halfling and an Ogre. Donald Mach is the experience chef, naming his speciality dish, the ‘Hanburga’ after his Ogre companion, who invented the dish.

The Military District

The Military District is a small district in central Sonnefurt. It has no other purpose but to house the military and a few families of officers and provide some training facilities for the standing garrison.

The Shrine to Myrmidia- A small shrine to the goddess of War. Paid homage to on holy days and before and after combat by the soldiers

The Sonnefurt Barracks- The barracks for the 100 strong garrison of the town. The barracks includes some training grounds, but often the troops take the ferry to Ertingen to practise their manoeuvres in more open countryside. I have already detailed the regiments who call these barracks home.

The Soll River Patrol Outpost- The small outpost of the Soll River Patrol in Sonnefurt. The garrison of the outpost varies depending on the whims of the headquarters in Wusterburg. I have also detailed the most frequent regiments who are based in Sonnefurt

The South Wissenland Road Warden Outpost- A very small outpost of Road Wardens, the outpost serves only as a base for passing wardens and is manned by a small team of professionals sent from the headquarters in Rohrhof. Each town and village in the area has a similar outpost, as you well know, and in the Barony of Sonnefurt, the largest is strangely found in Ostrach.

Market District

The Market District is where the vast majority of the commerce happens in Sonnefurt. There is a myriad of shops, taverns, inns and other haunts in this district. Many merchants and their families and other middle class families live here as well as in Lower River Side.

The Hirn-Sonnefurt Banking Corporation (HSBC)- The office of the ancient bank in Sonnefurt. Run by Dwarfs who enjoy nothing more than hording vast amounts of wealth deep underground, the bank is a favourite of all the rich merchants and aristocrats of Sonnefurt, including the Baroness herself.

The Chamber of Customs and Commerce (CCC)- The Chamber of Customs and Commerce is in charge of all business conducted in and out of the town, including the trade with Karak Hirn and Nuln. As such, the Chamber holds the seal of Sonnefurt, recognised by the Dwarfs on all personal letters, trade agreements and exports. If you were to secure this my liege, then you would be able to control all trade with Karak Hirn.

The Broken Lance- This tavern is the haunt of many mercenaries and is run by an old grizzled mercenary veteran. Many fights break out of this tavern and it is under constant surveillance by the Town Watch. This is where most of the knights forced into service for Sonnefurt are found.

The Despot’s Head- This Tavern is renowned for troublemaking. What is not commonly known is the amount of Solland rebels who frequent the premises and hold secret meetings regularly in the basement. This is the tavern where I have spent my time in Sonnefurt, and the men here are willing to help us in our quest.

The Dwarfen Quarter

The Dwarfen Quarter is fairly self explanatory, as it is the small district reserved for Dwarfs. Although the Dwarfs are not counted on the official population records due to their lack of Imperial Citizenship, there are over 200 living within the town. The name of the ‘Quarter’ comes from the origins of the town, when it was so small, the district took up at least a quarter of the town. Now Sonnefurt has expanded, and the old Dwarfen walls have been used to build other districts, whilst the new walls were commissioned by the Dwarf stone masons.

Skeggi’s Workshop- The most well renowned workshop in the whole Dwarfen Quarter. Skeggi has been making suits of armour and weapons amongst other items since the first days of the von Heisenbergs. He made the suit of armour which Marshall Eichhorn wears into battle that has been enchanted to deflect all but the most grievous of blows.

The Runic Tankard- A Dwarf run tavern that has a long history in Sonnefurt. Apparently it was one of the first taverns to be granted a license by Bugman, the famous Dwarf brewer, himself. The tavern lies on the edges of the Dwarfen Quarter so that it can attract a wide demographic of customer, as humans are normally wary of entering the Dwarf Quarter alone. Jusk Stromsson can often be found drinking in this tavern.

The Dockyards

The Dockyards are the poor district on the fork of the Rivers Soll and Sonne. They house the working classes who live within the town. Fishermen, joiners, dockers and boat builders make their residence here, running their workshops from the town. The folk of this district are fairly exploited by the rich merchants in the town, and as such harbour resentment. If we were to show them some favour, we could secure some support for our takeover.

Shrine to Lacothea- Lacothea is the Goddess of the River Soll and the fishermen, boat builders and river patrol all worship her due to the fact that she dictates their livings. The shrine is small and simple but is visited by many weekly.

The Fishmarket-The fishmarket is a long established traditional market where the local fishmongers sell their wares. Despite the smell of both the fish and the dockyard people, even Upper River Siders venture to the market as River Soll fish and crabs are exquisite meals

Sonnefurt Lighthouse- The Sonnefurt Lighthouse sits on the furthest point of the Sonnefurt dock wall. It was built after many merchant ships got lost at the fork between the River Soll and the River Sonne, grounding themselves on the ford at low tide. The lighthouse is the only building in Sonnefurt that retains the Pfeifraucher emblem on its wall, due to its necessity limiting its demolition and reconstruction.

The Eriksson Joinery- The best boatyard and carpenters in the whole of Sonnefurt. Run by a Norse family for several generations, they use fine Martinswald timber to construct merchant ships to ease the trade with Nuln and Wissenburg.

The Cardinal’s Inn- This Inn doubles as a brothel and has a strong religious theme. The girls dress in lewd mockeries of the Sisters of Sigmar and the blasphemy often attracts many rogues not from the Empire itself.

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