Economy, Trade, Military & Justice

Currency

The currency used in Bretonnia is the 'franc'. One franc (fr) is equal to one Imperial gold crown and each coin bears the head of the current monarch. One Centime (ct) is roughly the equivalent of one Imperial silver shilling. One Sou (su) is the equivalent of one Imperial brass penny.

Economy and Trade

The Bretonnian economy is based upon agriculture first and foremost. The regions with vineyards, such as Bordeleaux and Parravon, produce wine to export all over the Old World and they have a fine reputation. In the region of Couronne wheat, wine, and meat are traded for luxurious silks and spices from Magritta in Estalia to the south.

Bretonnia probably imports a lot more than it exports because of the lack of industry so even raw materials have to be imported in order for weapons and armour to be made. Although there are some mines in the southern and eastern mountains they are not enough to supplement the vastness of Bretonnia. In any case the Grey Mountains are dominated by the mines of the Empire. However, the amount of trade usually depends on the city as Bordeleaux heavily relies on this; it is its life-blood.

Military

The military is heavily based upon cavalry, notably the knights and mounted lords of the nobility. Otherwise the Bretonnian army is very much like that of The Empire except that no gunpowder weapons are used. The knights are often very colourful with beautiful flowing pendants attached to their lances and tall helms with great crests.

Justice

Anyone not of the aristocracy who commits a crime can usually find himself in serious trouble. The courts do not want to waste time with commoners and will often leave it up to the arresting Watchman as to a criminal's fate. Depending on the serious of the crime this could be anything from a beating to a beheading. A beheading will always be in public and the manner chosen can be anything from a standard axeman executioner to a guillotine.

Bretonnia is ruled by a harsh aristocratic regime, harsher perhaps than anywhere else in the Old World and results that point to 'life in a slave gang' could be substituted with death. Nobles are more likely to get away with murder and even the death of a commoner by a commoner would probably go unpunished.

Dangers of Bretonnia

Even though the cities of Bretonnia are far from the most hospitable places in the Old World they do at least offer relatively good protection from the dangers outside. The cities are very rarely threatened by invaders but the villages and small towns are not so fortunate. There are still large numbers of goblinoids hiding in the forests and mountains of Bretonnia and these unwholesome creatures will attack any vulnerable settlements they come across.

Bandits

Raping and pillaging is not uncommon in Bretonnia where it is perhaps rarer in the Empire. There are no road wardens to regularly patrol the roads and this leaves unprotected or unprepared travellers and commoners very vulnerable to bandits. The nobility do not care for this as they make sure they are flanked by dozens of guards or even knights whenever they need to journey from dukedom to dukedom. The bandits are a constant menace to the stability of the countryside. There are rumoured to be many bandit lairs in the Massif Orcal where they vie for control against the Orcs.

Greenskins

Bretonnia is still infested by these evil green-skinned creatures. There are many places for them to hide, in the forests, and especially the Massif Orcal. This region of Bretonnia has always been a hive of Orcs and goblins ever since the Bretonni ancestors first settled in the country from the east. Although the Dukes still occasionally hunt them down they still manage to gather in large numbers to threaten vulnerable settlements.

Skaven

The underground of Bretonnia is honeycombed with Skaven tunnels. The Skaven enjoy the drabness and filth of Bretonnia - a home from home from Skavenblight to the south. Nowadays, Skaven never threaten the cities preferring instead to unleash yet more disease and pestilence on the unhealthy population. It is claimed that Mousillon is gradually becoming a den for the ratmen.

Chaos

Chaos works in different ways in Bretonnia. There may be fewer Beastmen than in the Empire but its inhabitants, unknown to themselves, are under its influence to some degree. Mousillon is a terrible example of the influence of Chaos. It is attracted to places of death and never leaves. The aristocracy of some cities may, without knowing it, be in-league with Chaos. It is widely known that some Bretonnian nobles worship a Chaos God, especially Slaanesh, and little is ever done about it.

Undead

In some regions of Bretonnia the dead need no help to rise from the grave and in Mousillon this is quite literally true. The grave yards are almost empty due to long-dead townsfolk being animated by strong currents of Dark Magic or by being devoured by the depraved ghouls that lurk there. Necromancers can walk safely in many areas of Bretonnia where they can practice their vile arts. Some Bretonnian nobles might even be necromancers concealing their morbidity beneath a mask of rouge and paint.