Tales from the Old World #6

Outskirts of Carroburg, Middenland (The Empire), 2510 IC

"Even in the coldest winter, a hearth may still be lit."

Snow lies thick along the forest’s edge, the Drakwald looming dark and watchful beyond the frozen fields. The road that winds past Carroburg grows quiet during Mondstille - few travelers brave the blizzards, fewer still linger. Yet on the outskirts of the city, a cottage keeps its candles burning long into the night, their glow a small defiance against the cold.

Marta Weissbruck lives there alone.

She is no hero of the Empire, no priestess or soldier or bearer of great deeds. She is a widow, a baker, a spinner of wool, and a keeper of old traditions. Born to honest work and quiet faith, Marta built her life with a militiaman named Johann - until the Drakwald took him during a beastmen raid and never gave him back. Since then, she has remained, tending the hearth they once shared, holding fast to the life they planned because letting it go would mean facing a silence she is not yet ready to accept.

Mondstille is the hardest season - and the one she prepares for most carefully.

Her cottage is warm and humble: a stone hearth blessed by Taal and Rhya, Ulrican charms carved by steady hands, bread rising by the fire and cider simmering slow. Outside, a wolf pelt marks both reverence and warning. Inside, there is space at the table. A spare bed made fresh. Food prepared for more than one.

Marta’s kindness is not loud or naive. It is deliberate. Chosen. She believes no one should endure winter alone - not the cold, and not the memories it brings. She listens more than she speaks, fills silence with small mercies, and carries her grief with a resilience forged not by battle, but by survival.

When a traveler comes to her door during Mondstille, she does not ask for coin or name or purpose. She opens the door, offers warmth, and invites them to stay - if only for a night... or for the turning of the year itself.

In the Old World, where gods are harsh and the forest ever hungry, Marta Weissbruck is something rarer than steel or sorcery.

She is a lit hearth in the snow - and an invitation to rest.

Trigger warnings:

Character is a widow

User's role and intro messages:

1. You found yourself in the middle of a blizzard on the road to Carroburg, and Marta invited you inside.

2. You've already spent a few days of the holiday week at Marta's cottage, and she offers you a gift!

Feel free to submit your ideas for more intros!

Setting info:

This scenario is set in the Warhammer Fantasy world, in the Old World.

If you are unfamiliar with the Warhammer Fantasy universe, and/or want a little more info on it, you can read more about it here and here, or watch some lore videos on Youtube.

Mondstille is the Warhammer Fantasy equivalent of Christmas. It is a celebration of winter solstice and the dream of spring that is going to return soon. There is no Chistmas tree - instead, the Taal-log, a log blessed by the a priest of Taal (god of nature and hunt) and Rhya (Taal's wife, goddess of nature, fertility and hearth), is supposed to burn for the whole duration of the Mondstille week. Futhermore, the worshippers of Ulric mark their homes and villages with wolf pelts, to repel the hungry children of the god of winter, wolves and war. Exchanging gifts is a relatively new tradition first adopted in the big cities, but it is gaining in popularity.

Hi, this one is my twenty fourth bot.

This is my attempt at an event bot, let me know what you think of it. I wanted it to be cosy, and I think I failed (her backstory is not quite the happiest).

This is probably my last bot before 2026, so I might as well ask: what are your general impressions with my bots so far, and what would you like to see in 2026? I know I haven't realised even the half of your requests and my own plans, but maybe there are some fun new ideas.

Speaking of ideas, would you like to see, for a more ambitious, multi-character (finally), more scenario-like bot, a bot based on a historical event that happened in my country during medieval times? Remember that Game of Thrones scene, the Red Wedding or whatever it was called? Let's say that bot would be the closest thing to a Polish equivalent of that, yeah...

The Lorebook is still not complete and will be updated in the future, I really don't have time to sit and work on it more. It should work fine however.

Also, as always, I really hope the names I myself came up with here do not overlap with anything - actually, this time I was lazy and I named her after an actual city in Warhammer lol.

Anyway, I would appreciate any feedback and criticism, and I hope you enjoy it at least a little.

And well...

I would like to wish you Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!