The land of Lotharingia was once one of the more stalwart and dependable of the Wenigzustand, but long gone are those days. When the Third Imperium was falling apart it did so primarily on the doorstep of Lotharingia. The heroic lords of this place faced the full fury of a waning empire and won. While the old gods of the natives were in time replaced by the more disciplined Holy Imperium Church it was still a people that had to be reckoned with. Warlike in the extreme, even by the chaotic standards of the Wenigzustand, Lotharingia clung to their battle hungry culture regardless of what was preached from the pulpit. Everyone in the country seemed to want nothing more than to be a knight.

Multiple lodges sprang up to give these warriors a sense of belonging and fellowship. They warred against rival lodges, foreigners, and even within the lodges themselves. Brawling became and remains a central theme in Lotharingian life. Today there are four lodges that have staked claims over most of Lotharingia and each lodge administers at least one heavily fortified city as well as the surrounding towns and villages. For the most part the lodges have ceased their infighting, and scuffles between rival lodges are rare. Now they harness their violence and direct it at everyone outside of Lotharingia. No one is safe, for in the eyes of every Lotharingian all outsiders are enemies to be pillaged and preyed upon.

All of the lodges are rigidly militaristic in their design and hierarchy. For every fifty lower ranked members encountered there will be one Sergeant. For every two Sergeants there is a Lieutenant, and for every four Lieutenants there will be a Captain. Higher ranks stair-step upwards from there to include Majors, Colonels, and Generals (a typical General will command around 6400 soldiers plus officers). The topmost rank in every lodge is that of Marshal, and this individual rules their lodge with an iron fist, overseeing all of the Generals under their command and keeping a close watch on the lesser ranks as well. There might be dozens of Generals in a lodge but there is ever going to be just the one Marshal. Each lodge is distinctive but all share a basic understanding of tactics in battle using the elements all lodges possess to one degree or another; infantry, cavalry, crossbowmen, scouts, and spellcasters. Women are rarely encountered within the ranks of the lodges but nor are they entirely forbidden from serving.

The Knighthawks are well known for their cavalry tactics and have spent hundreds of years breeding the finest horses on the continent. Their courage in the face of the enemy is renowned and their banner, that of a dark blue hawk on a field of black, is often a harbinger of their victory. They govern from the city of Mansterburg and the fields and vales surrounding this hulking metropolis teem with ranches and estates dedicated to perfecting the ultimate warhorses. When encountering a Knighthawk roll a 1d100 to determine their class; 1-85 (warrior), 86-95 (cleric), 96-100 (wizard). Lower ranked members are treated as level two warriors with 10+1d10 hit points and have a 20% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Sergeants are considered to be third level and have 10+2d10 hit points and have a 50% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Lieutenants are fourth level and can be of any class common to the Lodge, with maximum hit points. They also are guaranteed to have one magical item (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon useable by their class. Captains and higher ranks can vary in level but are at least level five (four of these levels are maximum hit points while the remainder are rolled accordingly). These upper ranks have 1d3 magical items (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon and one magical means of defense. Knighthawks that have reached the rank of Sergeant are able to use a lightning bolt attack once per day at will. This can function at range as per the wizard spell of the same name, or in conjunction with a successful melee attack to add damage to the delivered blow. In any case the attack does 4d6 damage (save for half) and always emanates from the Knighthawk’s weapon (the weapon itself need not be magical). Lieutenants can use this ability twice a day for the same damage each time as the Sergeant can inflict (save for half). Captains and higher can use the ability three times but do 5d6 damage per attack (save for half), plus can use a “Thunderclap” ability once a week that knocks all enemies within 100 feet off their feet or off of their mounts, stunning them for 1d6 rounds (save vs. paralyzation to remain unaffected).

The Bloodborne are the most savage of the lodges and have a reputation for fielding large formations of crossbowmen and skirmishers that quickly close with their enemies and excel at close fighting in rough terrain. These warriors flock to the dark red banner with three black diamonds across it, each standing for one of the lodge’s cherished virtues; savagery, cunning, and marksmanship. They govern from the city of Kollburg, a truly formidable place that has the finest anti-aerial defenses known on the continent. This is a necessity due to the constant threat of attack from the red dragons that dwell in the mountains so close to Kollburg. When encountering Bloodborne roll a 1d100 to determine their class: 1-75 (warrior), 76-85 (rogue), 86-95 (cleric), 96-100 (wizard). Lower ranked members are treated as level two warriors with 10+1d10 hit points and have a 25% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Sergeants are considered to be third level and have 10+2d10 hit points and have a 50% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Lieutenants are fourth level and can be of any class common to the Lodge, with maximum hit points. They also are guaranteed to have one magical item (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon useable by their class. Captains and higher ranks can vary in level but are at least level five (four of these levels are maximum hit points while the remainder are rolled accordingly). These upper ranks have 1d3 magical items (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon and one magical means of defense. Bloodborne that have reached the rank of Sergeant are able to use an acid bolt attack once per day at will. This can function at range as per the wizard spell “Melf’s Acid Arrow”, or in conjunction with a successful melee attack to add damage to the delivered blow. In any case the attack does 5d4 damage (save for half) and always emanates from the Bloodborne’s weapon (the weapon itself need not be magical). Lieutenants can use this ability twice a day for the same damage each time as the Sergeant can inflict (save for half). Captains and higher can use the ability three times but do 6d4 damage per attack (save for half), plus can use a “Shield” ability once a week that deflects all normal missiles in a dome 20 feet in diameter around the caster. If the Bloodborne is a cleric or wizard then the shield will also deflect all magical missiles of the same level as the Bloodborne or lower while higher level magical missiles do half damage only (all applicable saves still apply).

The Cursed Iron are the largest of the lodges and the most likely to be encountered whenever Lotharingia goes to war. Their banner is a black sword on a dark grey field and it flies over the most feared infantry in the Wenigzustand. These heavily armed and armored phalanxes learned well from their history of warfare against the Imperium and now they employ similar tactics to the modern age. They govern from the sprawling city of Dusselburg, the former capital of Lotharingia. From here they control a vast amount of what passes for commerce in the land. When encountering a Cursed Iron roll a 1d100 to determine their class: 1-90 (warrior), 91-100 (cleric). Lower ranked members are treated as level two warriors with 10+1d10 hit points and have a 20% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Sergeants are considered to be third level and have 10+2d10 hit points and have a 40% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Lieutenants are fourth level and can be of any class common to the Lodge, with maximum hit points. They also are guaranteed to have one magical item (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon useable by their class. Captains and higher ranks can vary in level but are at least level five (four of these levels are maximum hit points while the remainder are rolled accordingly). These upper ranks have 1d3 magical items (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon and one magical means of defense. Cursed Iron that have reached the rank of Sergeant are able to use a flame attack once per day at will. This is used in conjunction with a successful melee attack to add damage to the delivered blow. The attack does 5d6 damage (save for half) and always emanates from the Cursed Iron’s weapon (the weapon itself need not be magical). Lieutenants can use this ability twice a day for the same damage each time as the Sergeant can inflict (save for half). Captains and higher can use the ability three times but do 6d6 damage per attack (save for half), plus can use a “Fireball” ability once a week that functions exactly as the wizard spell of the same name and does 6d6 points of damage (save for half).

The Shadow Doom is the most secretive of the lodges and more closely resembles a massive thieves guild than a warrior lodge. They are the spies and assassins of Lotharingia, often disguising themselves as rival lodge members to go about their assigned tasks. When they do march under their own banner, that of a dark green skull on a black field, it is always near to the rear of any other lodge’s formation. Any of their number that are scouting ahead of these mixed formations are rarely seen until it is too late. They govern from the small island city of Hammburg in the eastern part of Lotharingia. This allows them to more adequately sequester themselves away from prying eyes. When encountering a Shadow Doom roll a 1d100 to determine their class: 1-75 (warrior), 76-95 (rogue), 96-100 (wizard). Lower ranked members are treated as level two warriors with 10+1d10 hit points and have a 25% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Sergeants are considered to be third level and have 10+2d10 hit points and have a 50% chance to have a magical item (weapon, armor, ring or clothing only). Lieutenants are fourth level and can be of any class common to the Lodge, with maximum hit points. They also are guaranteed to have one magical item (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon useable by their class. Captains and higher ranks can vary in level but are at least level five (four of these levels are maximum hit points while the remainder are rolled accordingly). These upper ranks have 1d3 magical items (anything useable to their class) plus one magical weapon and one magical means of defense. Shadow Doom that have reached the rank of Sergeant are able to use an poison bolt attack once per day at will. This can function at range as per the wizard spell “Melf’s Acid Arrow”, or in conjunction with a successful melee attack to add damage to the delivered blow. In any case the attack does 6d4 damage (save for half) and always emanates from the Shadow Doom’s weapon (the weapon itself need not be magical). Lieutenants can use this ability twice a day for the same damage each time as the Sergeant can inflict (save for half). Captains and higher can use the ability three times but do 8d4 damage per attack (save for half), plus can use an “Invisibility” ability once a week that works on all persons chosen by the user within a dome 20 feet in diameter around the caster.

It should be noted that as xenophobic as Lotharingians are it is impossible for outsiders to effectively fight just one lodge without getting multiple others involved in that lodge’s defense. Even if the lodges in question were in a burning feud and had recently come to blows these differences will be instantly set aside should an outsider begin causing trouble. Remember that Lotharingia loves a fight, and there isn’t any fight as good as bashing an outsider. And while the lodges do, from time to time, operate independently against other nations there is always one military campaign per year in which all of the lodges commit themselves to fight jointly. The purpose of these frequent wars isn’t to expand territory but rather to gain loot and engage in slaughter. Outsiders need to be aware that while Lotharingia loves a fight it doesn’t go into battle with the same goals any other power might have in mind. Usually the fight itself is impetus enough.

As a final warning to those seeking to confront the fallen knights of Lotharingia it would be wise to consider that these foul and wicked people are not without their allies. The red dragons that infest the mountains of this wretched land are altogether glad to help should the knights find themselves in dire need of help. Naturally red dragons being what they are, they are also fairly likely to attack the knights if they sense that they are in a weakened condition. The dragons benefit greatly from their relationships with the lodges and while they might not be the best of friends they are certainly on reasonably good terms. By red dragon standards, anyway.