The Greenweald Baronies are drawn from the Black Forests of late medieval Germany, from the dark woods of Grimm's Fairy Tales and from the cursed corners of Warhammer's Empire. Deep colours, protective garb and a hundred small totems of protection mark a Wealder. Where other realms mark their wealth and power, Wealders mark their skill and survivability.
While they do share a few markers with Lerona Mere and the Iron Valley, The Baronies can be recognised by a forest colour scheme, dark iconography and a more professional, rather than ostentatious styling.
Feel
Forests, Highwaymen, Guards, Plague Doctors, Hedge Witches, Monster Hunters and Curse Breakers.
Greenweald characters are prepared, religious, hard-wearing and high medieval.
Influences
Late Medieval Germany, Warhammers Stirland, The Witcher, Grimms Fairytales, Dark Fantasy. Greenweald definitely draws more from a modern-fantasy interpretation of medieval garb, rather than a historic one. As such, colours are muted, styles are low-key, and function takes pride of place over form. But where accessories and styling are present, they are often strange (such as tiny offputting trinkets), fathiful (such as religious symbols or totems), or morbid (such as representations of death or danger).
Materials
Wool, Quilted Cotton, Dark Leathers, Silver and Iron.
Function, Durability, Style, Cost. In that order.
Colours
Forest green is the perfect Wealder colour and features heavily. Woodland colours such as deep reds, browns of all shades and blacks are also common. Metals tend towards silver and steel far before they are seen in gold.
Clothing
Building from base layers, a long tunic or shirt in a dark colour works best. Base layers that are common in Lerona Mere (such as poets shirts) or Iron Valley (such as saxon tunics) are likely still fine in Greenweald. Simple straight-legged pants are on theme, as are larger rus-stylings. The Weald is a harsh place, so a coat, cloak, or even simple hood is excellent. Dresses favour sharp lines, and a lack of ostentation, with shorter dresses to be worn with pants being even more favourable. More than many other realms, robes are common in Wealder clothing regardless of occupation. While the most formal are likely reserved for priests or sages, robes as standard garb are very fitting.
Hero Pieces
- Dark colours, with your own flair The Weald draws on gothic fantasy and its dour themes in its tone. As such, a Wealder kit that is bright and complex fits poorly. A good Greenweald kit starts with a base in dark green, black, brown, gray or similar, and then builds up. However, colour is not missing in the Weald, rather it is applied sparingly. Dark tones such as burgundy, navy blue, deep purple, or burnt orange are also needed to compare and contrast against the base tones. Where Lerona Mere kits burn bright, Greenweald kits smoulder.
- Good solid leather While most Wealders come from the settled places of the forests, their lives are still ones of the outdoors, the constant scraping branches of reaching trees, muddy paths, and hidden stones. To evoke this, every Weald kit is made better by the presence of well worn leather. Dark leather or suede gloves (rather than cotton), a solid and thick leather belt with strong pouches (rather than canvas bags), chunky boots and bracers (rather than just clothes). All of these imply an environment that is hard wearing and messy. Extra points as your kit ages and this leather gains its own patina and wear.
- Leave the shine at home Metal catches the eye, and the last thing you want to do in the Weald is draw attention to yourself. Armour should be dull, if not darkened, jewellery should should be simple and restrained (rather than bright and complex), and weapons should be functional, not gaudy. If your armour comes in a darkened option, that's the Greenweald option.
- Trinkos, fetishes, and strangeness The Weald is a place of strange rituals, dark magic, constant death, and a faith that binds it all together. Every Greenweald kit should then include everything from superstitious trinkets that ward of bad luck (such as bones, twig-creations, or woven things), charms that help remind you why it is all worth it (such as symbols of the Realm, your Haven, or your guild), and most Wealder's wouldn't be caught dead without the Spheres' guidance (such as a piece of restrained jewelry, embroidery, or a accessory like a censer or holy symbol). Beyond all of this is the ever present death. The presence of skulls, bones, and grave-symbology is most fitting in Greenweald kit rather than any other Realm.
- Fantastical Opportunity The magical nature of the Weald gives Greenweald characters the opportunity to be more fantastical than many other realms. A Wealdsage with bark armour interwoven with lines of magical power, glowing crystals on your belt, a strange blade in a scabbard, or arcane markings on your armour. This fantastical variety helps elevate a Greenweald kit and is a great chance to stand out.
Example Kits
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Common Mistakes
Beware the Cowboy and Steampunk
Its very easy for a Greenweald coat designed to evoke gothic fantasy to become a western duster or a victorian greatcoat. Its very easy for a broad brimmed hat that is supposed to be a in the style of a witch-hunter, ranger or confessor to be swapped out with an akubra or stetson. Greenweald must remain medieval in its fantasy and players need to check this before it goes too far. If you're wearing a coat, it should lack a lot of structure about the shoulders, a pointed collar, and a duster capelet. If you're wearing a broad-brimmed hat, it should be gothic and large, rather than shallow brimmed. Simmilarly to Lerona Mere, it is also important to avoid drifting too far into the victorian era with waistcoats and top hats. When in doubt, avoid vests all together in a Greenweald kit, as at best they may appear to Lerona Mere, and at worst they may belong in a western shootout.
Monsters of Men
The Greenweald allows fantasy (particularly in the Wealdsages), the Graces of The Concord allow for some amount of non-human bodily features, either of these things, or a combination of both can quickly lead to you playing a monster rather than a person. All characters need to remain human. You can be a human wearing odd things, perhaps marked by magic in painful ways, and even a grace with their specific trappings, but please don't go beyond this.
Where are you from again?
The high-medieval parts of the Greenweald can sometimes be confused with Bordevarians, and the gothic stylings of the Baronies can sometimes drift into Lerona Mere. Its important to retain the specific nature that separates the Weald from the other realms. Avoid heavy furs that may evoke the Valley. Avoid shining armour, bright heraldry and colours that may be more fitting in Bordevar. Avoid the slashed sleeves and doublets of Lerona Mere.
Do Not
The following items are not appropriate for Greenweald kits:
- Akubras, stetsons, or other modern headwear.
- Dusters, waistcoats or cowboy boots common in Western attire.
- Crusader symbology
Weapons and Armour
Somewhere between the Bravos of Legend City and the Knightly scions of Bordevar, the fighters of The Weald are practical professionals with high quality equipment tested against the foulest of foes. All weapons and armour in the woods are personalised and speak to the style of the user more implicitly than with heraldry.
Light armour tends towards quilted gambesons reinforced with leathers or long hunters coats, all the better for protecting as much of you as possible, while being weathered enough to keep the rain away. Forearm protection and reinforced gloves are particularly common.
Medium armour sees the arrival of chainmail and thick leather. Where the Iron Valley favours the full hauberk, it is much too heavy for the woods and Wealders tend towards bishops mantles and segmented chain panels rather than larger unbroken sections. Protective leather masks or thick leather breastplates are often personalised with subtle designs or additional pouches.
Heavy armour is commonly brigandine, as it offers great flexibility while avoiding the grandiose shine of plate. What bare metal is seen is often dented and scarred by long use. Again, protecting the torso and arms is common, better to protect the organs and bite-prone reaching appendages.
Heavy Weapons are often the call of the woods, better to crush through arcane wards or beastial claws. Greatswords, Halberds, war axes and claw hammers. When the going gets tough, Wealders are rarely subtle. Shields are not uncommon although they rarely reach the massive size of the Valley or Bordevar, instead they are often reinforced, backed with potion vials or pouches and frequently blessed by a priest, bearing the symbols of the Church in public display. At range Wealders are more than capable archers, with short hunting bows and longbows both well represented. Wealder archers tend towards skirmishing rather than massed volleys.
Particular pieces of armour or weaponry that evoke the Greenweald Baronies look and feel include: