Arbitrium
The Free City of Arbitrum is a City of Sigmar situated in the underworld of Penultima in the Realm of Shyish. The city was forced into the vassalage of the Ossiarch Bonereapers and forced to pay the Tithe of Bone. The city was destroyed by the Bonereapers when the city refused pay the tithe and fought back.[1]
History
The city was founded upon the lands that were once ruled by Vampire lords known as the Elder Counts. When the Stormcast Eternals of the Azyrite Arbiters arrived Etred Ridark rallied the Humans that were kept as blood thralls by the vampires and overthrew their undead masters. [1a][1b]
However a dozen generations ago Lord-Castellant Vigil Stormstroke and the Azyrite Arbiters went on a crusade south, into the Gloomtribe Haunts and the Hook of Shyish and during that time the Ossiarch Bonereapers came demanding the Bone Tithe and Etred and the conclave agreed and each nine years children of the city would be sent to the Bonereapers to collect the Tithe of Bone and would be returned after the tithe was collected in the form of one arm. As a result the city slowly decayed with the Ironweld abandoning the city, its factories closing down and all schools of the Collegiate Arcane except the School of Amethyst abandoning the city. [1b][1a][1e]
Government
The city was ruled by a Citizen’s Conclave. It was led by the hereditary title of Landgrave which belonged to the Ridark family descending from Etred Ridark and its current Landgrave was Oten Ridark. Other positions included the Excelsior of the High Temple, a High Artisan, the Arbitrave, the master of tithes, the Magister of the School of Amethyst the last Collegiate school in Arbitrium, the Lord-Commander of the Knights of the Undying Crusade, Prince of the Swifthawk eyrie and the Margrave who commanded the Freeguilds. [1b][1e]
Military
Arbitrum has twelve Freeguild regiments. The Zephyr Spears are the Arbitrium’s First regiment, originally formed and commanded by Etred Ridark and named for the short spears wielded by the thrall hosts of the Elder Counts. While still an honoured regiment, due to the tithe its soldiers were no longer capable of wielding their traditional spear and shield. Penultiman Outriders consist of Freeguild Pistoliers who once also used repeating guns and blunderbusses but now exclusively use pistols as they can be fired and, albeit with some difficulty, reloaded with one hand. Others include Bone Desert Bow and Foot and the Nighthaunt Guard.[1b][1c]
In addition it's nobility are defended by a chivalric order of knights known as the Knights of the Undying Crusade who used to fight on horseback with lances but the one-armed knights can no longer wield their lances properly.[1e]
The city had hired Fyreslayers from the scattered Ulrung Lodgem who hail from the Ulfort, led by Runeson Uzkar Karrudin.[1d]
Sources