Guardians of the Forests: The Rhine Tribunal (5e)
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Guardians of the Forests details the birthplace of the Order of Hermes¸ Mythic Germany. From the sinister faerie heights of the Black Forest¸ home to Durenmar¸ through the prosperous and venerable cities of the Rhineland¸ to the fog-ridden Harz Mountains¸ to the lowland plain and Crintera's island retreat on the Baltic coast¸ the northern Holy Roman Empire is a diverse landscape of countless magical and faerie forests¸ interspersed with a patchwork of powerful realms¸ where prince-bishops vie with dukes and merchant gilds for temporal power. This is the land of the epic Nibelungenlied¸ the heroic conquests of Charlemagne and Frederick Barbarossa¸ the miracles of St. Boniface¸ the splendour of the Imperial Cathedrals¸ the gifts of minstrels and wood-wives¸ and the curses of witches and the Wild Hunt.
"Guardians of the Forests reveals the many unique traditions of the First Tribunal¸ its archaic politics and lost glories¸ its reverence for its founders and its woodlands¸ the workings of the Great Library of Durenmar¸ and the secrets of those who pursue obscure wilderness paths in search of the primal power of the Forest. The richness of the German landscape is fully explored¸ replete with numerous story and saga ideas. The region of the Rhine Gorge receives a special focus - its lost covenants¸ vis sources¸ sites of legend¸ towns¸ castles¸ inhabitants¸ and a mysterious curse are all detailed - providing a perfect location to jump-start an Ars Magica 5th Edition saga.