The Duchy of Ardennes
Towns
- Amblève - On the road from Bastogne to Cologne, a little town has developed around a strong square castle on top of a spur along the Amblève river.
- Arlon - This small Roman town on the road from Trier to Reims has stone walls, ancient baths, and a stone church dedicated to St. Martin.
- Bastogne - This ancient Roman town is the current home of Duke Thierry. It is situated at the junction of five Roman roads leading to Dinant, Liege, Cologne, Trier and Arlon. The town’s earthen ramparts are reinforced by five wooden gate towers and ten other defensive towers. Each tower is the home of a ‘tower knight’ (see The Duke’s Retinue below). The central market place is frequented by Lombard and Frisian merchants. Next to the main square stands the church dedicated to St. Peter.
- Rochefort - An ancient Roman town with a small stone castle, situated on a rocky spur. Many natural caves exist under the town, and a few tunnels dig deep into the rocks.
Castles and Fortifications
- Autelbas - A stone tower built by Charles Martel. One of Prince Charlemagne’s personal hunting residences.
- Bouillon - High on a steep spur in a bend of the river Semois, the strong stone castle of Count Aymon controls the river trade.
- Bourscheid - A wooden fortress dominating the small river Sûre.
- Durbuy - A stone tower along the Ourthe.
- Eltz - A wooden castle on a steep rock spur near a small river.
- Herbeumont - A small stone castle on the steep banks of the Semois.
- Hotton - A mysterious knight holds this wooden tower in the middle of the forest. His shield is “sinople à doubles fasces d’argent” (two silver fasces on a green field).
- La Roche - Literally ”The Rock.” This large stone keep is the duke’s most formidable stronghold, held by Thierry’s bastard brother, Count Hugo. The garrison is composed of three knights and ten soldiers.
- Lassus - A stone guard tower along the Ourthe river.
- Lavaux - A wooden guard tower with wet ditches.
- Montessor - The ruins of this hidden hilltop castle are secretly being rebuild by Renaud and his brothers.
- Neufchâteau - A village with a tall stone tower at its center, often used as a prison, belonging to Sir Maugis.
- Oridon - A tall stone tower on the rocky banks of the Semois.
- Reinhardstein - A small stone hilltop castle, guarding the duchy’s eastern border, which Renaud inherits from his father Aymon.
- Reuland - A fortified manor.
- Vianden - An important wooden stronghold on a rocky spur.
Royal Palaces
Within the duchy of Ardennes, the royal family owns the following residential manors, or palaces: Amberloup, Bas Bellain, Bihain, Bullange, Chassepierre, Cherain, Chevigny, Lierneux, Longchamps, Manderfeld, Mellier, Neundorf, Orges, Ortho, Paliseul, Thommen, Villance, Wattermal, Waimes.
Some of the more prestigious palaces can be found in the north of the duchy, like Aachen, Attigny, Chevremont, Herstal, Jupille, and Thionville. Later, Charlemagne gives some of these villas to the abbeys of Stavelot-Malmédy, St. Hubert or Prüm, and many others as fiefs to worthy vassals.
Manors
Because of its considerable size, the Duchy of Ardennes counts quite a few manors. Most of these are crude, simple estates, centered around a simple stone manor hall without any further fortification. Here is a list of such manors which can function as a starting home for player knights: Auw, Baillamont, Barvaux, Beauraing, Bellefontaine, Bièvres, Binsfeld, Biwisen, Boeringen, Boeur, Bouvrey, Bra, Buchenborg, Chevetonge, Chéoux, Chicheron, Chiny, Consthum, Corbion, Cugnon, Durbuy, Ettelbrück, Feschaux, Feulen, Folkendingen, Fremay, Gegen, Graide, Grand Han, Heisdorf, Homiville, Hosingen, Huldange, Humain, Ingeldorf, Lenzweiler, Libin, Libramont, Lignières, Louette, Lullange, Moirey, Naomé, Odeigne, Parette, Remagne, Revin, Roumont, Sélange, Sonlez, Timon, Vinche, Wampach, Weiswampach, Wellin, Wilwerwilz and Wilz.
Abbeys
- Prüm - This richly endowed royal abbey was founded by Queen Bertrada in 720. Its abbey church, however, is still under construction and will be consecrated by Pope Leo in 799.
- Saint Hubert - The Benedictine abbey founded by Queen Plectrude in the middle the Ardennes Forest has become one of the main intellectual centers of the duchy. Saint Hubert (727) is buried here cured of diseases transmitted by animals, like rabies.
- Stavelot-Malmédy - The paired Benedictine monasteries of Malmédy and Stavelot lie in the middle of the Ardennes Forest and are famous for their hospice and hospital.
Christian Sites
- St. Apollonia’s Fountain - Along the Meuse, east of Charleville, there is a fountain that heals tooth aches.
- St. Barbara’s Well - South of Bastogne, in the middle of the forest, is an inexhaustible well whose water cures skin ailments.
- St. Fursy’s Fountain - A curative spring in the forest near Bièvres.
- St. Gangulf’s Source - Gangulf was a warrior-saint who fought against the pagans in Frisia. When he retired as a hermit to a cave near Vielsalm, he created a healing well. However, unfaithful husbands or wives burn their hands or lips if they touch the water.
- St. Gaussai’s Chapel - In the middle of the woods near Ortho, a small stone chapel marks the spot where once a holy hermit lived. The nearby fountain heals blindness.
- St. Hubertus’ Cross - The cross indicates the spot where the famous saint received a holy vision of a white stag with a crucifix between its antlers.
- St. Monon’s Hermitage - The empty home of a late Irish monk, whose cenotaph is visited by worshipers in need of good advice.
- St. Remaclus’ Cave - The saint lived with his companion, Adelin, in three caves in the hills near Cugnon, along the Semois river. Pilgrims pray St. Remaclus for help against wild animals.
- St. Theobald’s Well - This abandoned hermitage is built next to a spring which cures fever and malformations. Pilgrims sometimes visit the well, praying for a miraculous healing.
- St. Willibrord’s Well - North of Arlon; this healing well is reputed for curing madness.
- Virgin’s Chapel - Between Moircy and Remagne there is a chapel dedicated to the Holy Virgin. Its water cures afflictions of the eyes.
- White Lady’s Chapel - Near Amberloup, this abandoned hermitage of a holy woman is a place where widows come to pray for aid and counsel.
Enchanted Sites
- Black Man - South of Christnach, the black silhouette of a man without a heart is carved out in the granite rock. Here witches gather to worship the Devil.
- Crying Trees - Three birch trees can be found in the middle of a small clearing west of Corbion manor, which used to be young girls who were tricked by the devil. The trees now cry out and shed tears whenever someone whose soul is in danger passes by.
- Devil’s Stone - Rumor has it that locals come to this large horizontal rock with a slit on top in order to make blood sacrifices or pacts with the Devil.
- Faerie Caves - Along the meandering Semois river, several natural rocky cavities are the entries to an underground faerie palace. Its inhabitants are very discreet and do not like to be observed while
dancing under the full moon. - Faerie Rock - East of Cugnon manor is a high rocky terrace split in two halves. At its bottom is a cave which is the entrance to a faerie home. When humans climb the rock, it slowly starts revolving,
going faster and faster until the climber falls off. - Faerie Table - Along the Semois, south of the Tilman manor, a large square rock formation lies hidden in the forest. Anyone who observes the dancing faeries unseen gains a fertility blessing.
- Faerie Tower - East of Cugnon manor stands a secluded tower where White Ladies are known to appear at times.
- Haunted Hill - On stormy nights, this steep rocky hill near Berthomont is haunted by the ghost of a knight who was slain by Saxon plunderers long ago.
- Nutons’ Caves - A natural cave near the manor of Wilz is a home to some inhospitable nutons. Other such caves are located in the woods halfway between Roumont and Longchamps and east of Givet.
- Nutons’ Pit - On top of the rocky hill called Bérisménil some nutons live at the bottom of a well. They are said to guard an ancient treasure.
- Nutons’ Rocks - In the dark woods near Villance stand several great rock formations. The small caves and cracks are doors to the realm of the nutons. Likewise in the woods south of La Roche, where a gigantic black rock called the Givroulle lies covered in moss. A small crevice opens up under the rock, giving entrance to a nutons’ dwelling. A third fissured rock stands in the forest south of the abbey of Stavelot.
- Giant’s Tomb - Centuries ago, Roman troops killed a giant who was buried here.
- Haina’s Rock - This giant vertical rock sticking out of a hilltop marks the entrance to the lair of a devil named Haina. On stormy nights, Haina moves the rock and comes out to hunt wandering souls. He always returns underground before dawn.
- Roc de la Tour - In return for his soul, a poor knight asked the Devil to build him a castle for his daughter, who was ashamed of her father’s poverty. The Devil accepted and promised to finish the castle
within a single night. But when he had almost finished, the repentant knight’s prayers were heard. A rooster crowed and the sun rose early. Seeing he had been betrayed, the furious Devil smashed the castle, which fell to ruins. - Roman Stones - Scattered throughout the Ardennes Forest are numerous large blocks of stone with Roman gods sculpted on each of their four sides. They once formed a magical column used for divination
and sacrifices. - St. Martin’s Mount - There used to be a village called St. Martin on top of this hill. It was utterly destroyed by Saxon raiders a long time ago. On All Saint’s Day, the invisible church bells
toll in memory of the victims. - Turning Stones - Near Graide manor two huge superposed rocks start moving whenever the church bells toll. At Wellin, two large altar-shaped superposed blocks turn around when a cock crows. Similar stones can be found in the forest south of Echternach.
- Witches’ Leap - This rocky crest north of Cugnon is the home of a witch or wicked faerie, who assails travelers with blood-sucking horseflies the size of falcons. Seven of these can kill a horse!
- Witches’ Rock - On a dark rock in the woods north of Villance dwell two female hermits who sometimes come down to a nearby manor asking for food or clothes. In return they predict the future. Some consider these hermit ladies to be witches, others think of them as saints.
