The Empire
The adventure begins in the Old World’s largest nation, The Empire. This is a federation of separate provinces ruled by aristocratic autarchs, who elect one among them to serve as Emperor. It is similar to the historic Holy Roman Empire. The current ruler of The Empire is Emperor Karl-Franz.
The capital of The Empire is the city of Altdorf on the River Reik. Other important cities of The Empire include Nuln, Middenheim and Talabheim.

Society
The bulk of the Old World’s populace is made up by the peasantry. Skilled atisans, merchants and academics constitute a middle class, whose professions are governed by local guilds. The highest echelons of society are occupied by a heriditary, land-owning aristocracy.

Religion
Religion in the Empire is polytheistic. The most important deity is Sigmar, the first Emperor who was deified after his reign. Other important cults include Ulric, god of war, wolves and winter, Manann, god of the sea, Taal, god of nature and wild places, Shallya, goddess of healing and mercy, and Morr, god of death.

Non-humans
Dwarfs are the most numerous non-humans in the Empire. They are for the most part fully integrated into human communities and are full citizens. Wood elves are rarer and mostly live in their own communities, such as Laurelorn or Athel-Loren, hidden deep in the forests. Elves are generally distrusted in rural areas, but accepted in more sophisticated urban areas. Halflings exist throughout The Empire, but are most numerous in the Moot, a province that was granted autonomy over 1,500 years ago.

Communication
Communication in The Empire is generally slow. Messages are usually delivered by hand or sometimes taken by carrier pigeon. To increase the speed of official communications the Emperor Karl-Franz has started the construction of a network of semaphore machines on hilltops radiating from Altdorf. Each machine comprises two huge wooden flags that can be manoeuvred by gears and pulleys to pass signals to the next machine in the chain.

Law & Order
The Empire does not have a single unified legal code. Its law is a combination of Imperial edicts, provincial decrees, guild law, religious law, military law and centuries of customs and precedents. The enforcement of laws is even more variable. Law enforcers – including town and city Watches, roadwardens, riverwardens and witch-hunters – often dispense justice on the spot, especially for the most heinous crimes such as horse stealing or murder. Social status is also a significant factor in whether a case comes to trial. Wealthy merchants and nobles are rarely put on trial. The very poor tend not to reach court either, but can languish in prison for years. When trials do take place, they can be lengthy and costly proceedings. Individuals need to be very careful when dealing with the law.

Military
There are many different kinds of soldier found within The Empire. The major cities of all maintain their own standing armies. They are supplemented with levies and mercenaries. Religious orders also maintain their own orders of knights, known as Templars. Examples include the Order of the Fiery Heart and Order of the White Wolf, which serve the cults of Sigmar and Ulric respectively.