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In Terry Pratchett's fictional Discworld universe, Überwald is a region on the other side of the Ramtops from Lancre and Ankh-Morpork.
The area itself is huge and contains most of the land on the northern side of the Ramtops.
Its name is German for across the woods, as a play on Transylvania, which is Latin for the same. In fact, this name was actually used for Transylvania in some documents from the 13th century. The region is not as much based on real Eastern Europe, than on the Hammer Horror stereotype of the area.
The region was previously united under the rule of the Unholy Empire (a play on the Holy Roman Empire), which had a two-headed bat as its symbol. The Empire has long since collapsed leaving the area fragmented, chaotic, and under the rule of lore, not law. Although Überwald has a large human population, they play a secondary role in the region's history. It is ruled by dwarfs, vampires, and werewolves; while there are a few human barons, they tend to be uninterested in politics, preferring experimental surgery and Meddling In Things Man Was Not Meant To Wot Of with the help of their Igors.
From the Diet of Bugs (a play on the Diet of Worms) onwards garlic and silver were considered contraband across Überwald until the events of The Fifth Elephant; the undead simply promised they would not be needed. Apparently this system left a bit to be desired.
Notable locations
Noted towns in Überwald are:
- Bad Blintz
- Bad Scüschein
- Bugs
- Bonk (pronounced Be-yonk)
- Escrow
- Lipwig (pronounced with a V rather than a W. Known for breeding large and ferocious dogs—Lipwigzers; Birthplace of Moist von Lipwig)
There are inumerable castles scattered around the cliffs and crags (You can't move for remote castles ~Lu-Tze) of Überwald so it would be impossible to name them all; some of the more notable ones are listed here:
- Don'tgonearthe Castle (the castle of the Vampires who star in the book Carpe Jugulum)
- Castle von Überwald (the castle of the characters in Discworld Noir and the Werewolves in The Fifth Elephant)
- Castle de Margolotta (the castle of the Vampire in The Fifth Elephant)
Discworld appearances
Carpe Jugulum dealt with a family of vampires from Überwald attempting to take over Lancre. The novel The Fifth Elephant was set mostly in Überwald, and details a power-struggle between the dwarfs, with involvement by vampires and werewolves.
Many characters in the books, including Angua, Cheery Littlebottom, Igor and Otto Chriek hail from Überwald.
In the book The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the main town is possibly in Überwald.
National anthem
The Unnoficial Überwaldean National Anthem
writen by MegaMan alt.fan.pratchett (news:alt.fan.pratchett)
Überwald
TTTO the Passion Chorale (O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden)
O land of blood and blizzards,
Of storms and rocky crags,
O doom of Watch and wizards,
Of screaming midnight hags -
What evil storms are rising?
Bloom, death, thou crimson flower!
O moonlit dark horizon
Which howling packs adore!
Across the moon bats flitter,
On cliffs dread castles loom;
Red eyes of evil glitter
To seal their quarry's doom.
Dressed in the height of fashion
Your death will smile and wave,
And soon, without compassion,
You will be food or slave.
Your days are few - O quail not;
Run while you can, or hide,
To yield your neck you'll fail not,
They'll drink the scarlet tide;
Yet, if they take you yonder
You may a vampire rise,
With the undead to wander
In Überwald's black skies.