Nederheim’s heraldry is a stark black shield, emblazoned with a silver arm brandishing a sword, symbolizing the region’s enduring spirit, independence, and martial readiness.
Located in the southern reaches of Steinau, Nederheim stretches along the rugged coastline that wraps around the Graften Archipelago, nestled within the windswept waters of the Mondbach. Its terrain is marked by coastal cliffs and fertile deltas. The region thrives on both agriculture and seafaring, with its harbors bustling with maritime activity. Rich fishing grounds and natural ports have long supported a flourishing trade culture, and the sea is deeply entwined with the identity of the people.
Nederheim is a vibrant coastal region known for its seafaring prowess, commercial ambition, and willingness to embrace change. Born from a centuries-old schism in the land of Heim, it represents a break from tradition, a community built by those who turned away from ancestral rigidity to chart a new course. Now a flourishing land of innovation and mercantilism, Nederheim serves as a critical ally to the Crown, a bastion of resistance against growing ecclesiastical influence, and a beacon of forward-thinking ideals in the south of Steinau.
The Early Days of Heim
Centuries ago, the area known today as Nederheim was still part of a larger, unified land called Heim. Its first permanent settlement, Lundbach, was founded by a figure remembered only as The Founder, who led a tribe of early settlers to the fertile banks of the Fussel River. Over time, this settlement flourished into a prosperous village through agriculture and communal effort. Yet, even in peace, philosophical tensions festered between those who wished to uphold tradition and those eager for progress.
Henrik the Elder and the Division of Heim
Henrik the Elder emerged as a wise and capable leader who ushered Lundbach into a golden age. The village was fortified and renamed Oberheim, signifying order and strength. Henrik’s sons, Otmar and Leoric, embodied the growing ideological divide. Otmar was a traditionalist, whereas Leoric envisioned a future of trade, exploration, and reform. Upon Henrik’s death, the rift between the brothers erupted into open conflict.
The Founding of Nederheim
Leoric, unwilling to plunge Heim further into civil strife, led his followers south in search of new land. On the shores of the Mondbach, he founded Förnsborg, meaning “New Home”, a coastal settlement built on trade, adaptability, and a clean break from the past. From these humble beginnings, the region of Nederheim was born. With fertile coastal lands, strategic access to maritime routes, and an ethos of innovation, the region grew into a thriving power in its own right.
Förnsborg, the heart of Nederheim, began as a modest harbor town founded by Leoric and his followers. Over generations, it evolved into a bustling maritime city, its docks teeming with merchant vessels, its marketplaces alive with foreign goods, and its shipyards among the finest in Steinau. Tall stone walls guard the city, while the citadel atop the coastal cliffs serves as both the duke’s seat and the region’s last bastion in times of war. Förnsborg is both a cultural capital and a symbol of Nederheim’s defiant birth.
Nederheimers pride themselves on their resilience, adaptability, and maritime tradition. While the people of Oberheim revere the past, those in Nederheim honour visionaries and reformers. Festivals often center around the sea, celebrating naval victories, the return of merchant fleets, and the blessings of Mondbach’s bounty. Storytellers recount the journey of Leoric and the founding of Förnsborg as a foundational myth. In contrast to their northern cousins, the people here value open-mindedness, progress, and freedom of thought over rigid adherence to ancestral customs.
Led by count Erich of Förnsborg, Nederheim is a staunch royalist stronghold. The duke, pragmatic and forward-thinking, views King Heinrich as a protector of royal rule and a bulwark against Anselm’s rising power. While the region’s autonomy has suffered from the king’s increasingly absolutist powers, its loyalty to the Crown is firm. Count Erich has invested heavily in fortifying the coast and maintaining a strong navy, knowing well that Nederheim’s prosperity depends on free trade and political stability. The region is also known for its diplomacy, maintaining strong ties with other Crown-loyal southern territories.
The War of the Sceptre and the Cross
As civil war grips Steinau, Nederheim finds itself on the front lines of the struggle between the Spaniels and the Bucketheads. Backed by the fervent forces of Lunden, the bishop himself launched a major offensive to capture Förnsborg and sever the Crown’s influence in the south.
The Battle of Förnsborg
The siege began with great confidence from the buckethead forces, led by Konrad of Lunden, whose army vastly outnumbered the defenders. Yet Count Erich’s keen strategic mind turned the tide. Utilizing the cliffs, coastal winds, and a series of pre-planned counter-raids, the defenders repelled wave after wave. As buckethead supply lines were harassed and morale faltered, Count Erich launched a daring night raid into the heart of the enemy camp. In the confusion, Konrad was captured and, by dawn, executed. With their leader slain, the Bucketheads’ forcers crumbled and retreated.
Nederheim had held firm. The failed siege became a rallying cry across the southern territories, solidifying Nederheim’s role as a loyal bastion of the Crown, and a symbol of resistance against what they considered an usurping tyranny.