The Kingdom Of Westerwald.
During his reign, Faerie King Sigismund, ruler of Westerwald, has done much to allay the fears of humans living in his Kingdom. He has continually upheld their rights and sought to curb the occurences of the Wild Hunt. Since 1866, the kingdom has become a hotbed of Prussian Faerie resistance groups and so relations with Prussia are currently non-existant.
Extracts from reports to the Imperial and Royal Foreign Office
from Consul-Extraordinary to the Rhenish Principalities
Ruprecht, Freiherr von Schleissen -
November 1872,
I must send my heartfelt apologies for my belated arrival at the Diplomatic Soiree of Wednesday last. My journey through the Kingdom of Westerwald upon the train from Mainz to Cologne was unexpectedly interrupted by a large tree on the railway line. It was necessary for me to alight and head for the next station along the line on foot.
Fortunately, I shared my hike with a local traveller who assisted me when we were accosted by a trio of somewhat belligerent Trolls. My companion tossed them a few schillings and indicated that I should also do so. Much to my surprise, the Trolls then collected up the money, wished us a safe a pleasant jpurney and continued upon their way.
When I questioned my companion about this matter, he explained that, under an agreement with King Sigismund, Trolls were responsible for the upkeep of many of the bridges and highways within the Kingdom. In past days, they had charged tolls in a less favourable manner, but now they have a Royal Charter to charge cash. The Trolls now, believe that every traveller they meet, whether upon a bridge or road of theirs; or not, must pay them a toll. Since, as Faerie, they have no true use for money they do not appreciate the value of coinage offered to them but are content with a token offering. The presence of Trolls wandering the roads of the Kingdom has all but ended highway robbery in these parts. It would appear that the Trolls take a very dim view of anyone else who extracts money from wayfarers in their locality and have been known to eat them (or so the stories say).
My conclusion is a recomendation that all Austro-Hungarian visitors to the Kingdom of Westerwald be advised to carry a small quantity of loose change with which to pay Trools.
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