Link:http://www.warhammeronline.com
Developer:Mythic Entertainment
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Developer:Mythic Entertainment
Retail Price:$49.99 - Monthly Fee:$14.99
WAR AND PVP
In fact, games in general, based on collective war. This war will gather around the 4 main headings: Small collisions, war, control areas, and the championship of scenarios.
Small collisions, war, control areas, and championships What are scenarios?
Small collision areas: (Skirmishes) collision of two persons or groups for the arena.
War in control: (Battlefields) This type of map, of course, to protect the players, or be obliged to attack as a major source of the important points .Example; the two sides for the control of a village to cutthroat struggle.
Scenario: Scenarios for the players as quickly and repeat the drop-sections are made in the war. This war will last between 5 to 10 minutes and the target will be based. For example, death matches, to take over a hill. In general the average or the championship-winning side of the scenario will affect the future.
Championship: Game of the heart to create. The fourth tier cities are the main parties in the region, the task of taking the opposite side of the city and the rest of the leaders is to kill everyone. Victory for the winning side for some time, for example, 24 hours, to take advantage of city resources or city shall have the right to plunder. This time will be forced to leave the city is finished eaten by renewed at the same place within this period or in a different region of the map that could strengthen the reform of the city. After a certain period of time balancing the parties to continue the war.
To be able to finish a task always has to fight against other players will do?
No, the player wants to finish the task as pve. But the most exciting and enjoyable part of the game have missed.
WARHAMMER RACE AND CHARACTERS
The Layman's Guide to Important Characters of the Warhammer World.
Before we get started, I would like to thank some people. To make sure I did not miss anyone extremely important and make a fool of myself, I have contacted certain forum users known for their knowledge of the lore and I would like to express my gratitude for their help:
First of all, Mongoose, for the information on not only the Skaven, but the Lizardmen, the Ogre Kingdoms, the Vampire Counts and the Tomb Kings as well! Surely you deserve the most credits for this, my dear vermin friend.
Second only by the narrowest of margins comes my thanks to Nerror for the Chaos section and his insight into Chaos Champions, to Snorri for the Dwarfs, to Krulltak for the Greenskins, to Vikingkingq for the Empire, and to Xurré for both the Dark Elves and the High Elves. Your help, too, is very much appreciated!
Now that I've got that of my heart, I'd like add some things real quick: This guide excludes the events of the Storm of Chaos as they do not hold revelance for WAR. Thus, characters that have risen to power or become prominent during SoC will not be included in this guide. So sorry, but no Valten, Archaon or Crom for you
You might also find this guide shorter than the previous one. That is because I have tried only to give the most important information about each character.
Also, I'm far from flawless. I might've missed someone, I might've made hundreds of spelling mistakes, and I might even have confused some information. If that is the case, then I urge you to inform me of any mistake you might find.
For now, the secions finished include Empire & Chaos. The rest will follow soon!
So, let's get started then, shall we?
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1. The Empire
1. The Empire
1.1. Sigmar
Sigmar. Where to start? Sigmar Heldenhammer is probably the most important human character in the world of Warhammer to this date. Born under a twin-tailed comet, he helped drive off a Goblin invasion of his village in IC -15 and shortly afterwards rescued the Dwarven King Kurgan Ironbeard from captivity from a Goblin war party. The grateful Dwarf presented Sigmar with his rune-enchanted hammer "Ghal Maraz" (Skullsplitter in the dwarven tongue). In the following years, Sigmar united the scattered human tribes to form what is known today as the Empire. He began cleansing the lands of the Empire from the Greenskins and finally crushed them in the First Battle of Black Fire Pass in IC -1, liberating his newly founded realm of the Greenskin menace. Thus, Sigmar was crowned Emperor Sigmar Heldenhammer I at Reikdorf, which later became the Imperial City of Altdorf.
After he reigned wisely for 50 years, he put down his crown and embarked on a journey beyond the World's Edge Mountains to the east. There are diverse opinions on what had motivated Sigmar to do so, one of them the rumor that the real Ghal Maraz was stolen and he had set off to return it. This rumor is, of course, heavily denied by Imperial positions as they claim that the weapon wielded by every Emperor following in Sigmar's footsteps is indeed Ghal Maraz. Another theory is that Sigmar returned the hammer to Kharaz Ankor before he vanished and a dwarf delegation presented it as a gift of friendship to the Empire about 500 years later.
Although upon his dosappearance, no mortal has ever laid eye upon Sigmar again, he was venerated as a god within a generation. Sigmarism is now the foremost religion in the Empire and as prayers to Sigmar often receive visible answers, Sigmar might truly have become a god.
1.2. Magnus the Pious
Although Magnus the Pious was by far not the first Emperor to succeed Sigmar, he certainly was the greatest. Born as a noble more than 2,300 years after Sigmar's disappearance in an Empire that was divided and submerged in the turmoil of widespread corruption, fear, civil war and religious persecution, he witnessed the march of the greatest Chaos host ever upon the Old World. As other nations and races rallied to march against Chaos, the Empire was unable to provide any support - until Magnus embarked on a jounrey throughout the Empire, holding a fiery speech in every village or city he came to and reminding the citizens of the Empire of Sigmar's glory and their obligation to oppose the evil surging in from the north.
Over time, Magnus did the impossible and recruited not only the largest, but possibly the most diverse army in Imperial History. Flagellants marched next to state troops of all the Elector Counts, former hedge wizards now trained by High Elven Mage Teclis himself fought side by side with ordinary citizens who had taken up arms in defence of their homeland.
Needless to say, when Magnus joined his forces with those of the Dwarfs and the High Elves, the Chaos Army was crushed and the Old World saved. "Magnus the Pious" as he had become known, was elected Emperor and co-founded the Colleges of Magic, ending a time in the Empire when sorcery was punishable by death and making Imperial Battle Wizards an important part of the Imperial Army. He also granted the Artillery and Gunner's school the Imperial Charter.
1.3. Karl Franz
As the current Emperor, Grand Prince Karl-Franz I Holswig-Schliestein is most likely the most important man alive in the Warhammer world. Having ascended to his position in IC 2502, his reputation is that of a great statesman and diplomat, as well as a patron of arts and science. Although he might be a political genius, he is also a military innovator and a valiant general and certainly not one to idly sit by and talk when action is required. He has personally led the Empire in numerous battles, like the battle of Norduin against the Bretonnians or the battle of Bloodkeep against the vampiric order of the Dragontemplars.
When in battle, Karl Franz wields the mighty Ghal Maraz, the sacred hammer of Sigmar passed down from Emperor to Emperor. He is protected not only by the magical protection of the Silver Seal, a magical item given to Magnus the Pious during the First War against Chaos, but also by his mighty Griffon Deathclaw, whom he has a strong bond with. It is said that at the battle of the Bloodkeep, the Griffon stood over its wounded master for three hours, slaying any foe that came near, until the Reiksguard could carve a path through the enemies to rescue their fallen lord.
1.4. Volkmar the Grim & Luthor Huss
Volkmar von Hindenstern, nicknamed "The Grim", is the current Grand Theogonist of the Empire. He commands three Imperial Elector votes, those of his position and his subordinates, the Arch-Lectors. Since no Emperor has been chosen without the Grand Theogonist's approval after the Great War against Chaos, this power grant Volkmar a very important position in the Empire.
Volkmar is also no stranger to battle. Whenever he decides to engage in a conflict directly, he is carried into the fray on a grand War Altar bearing the Griffon symbol. Although he is quite efficient witht he sword, his greatest powers lie in his faith and the battle prayers he uses to strengthten the ranks of the Empire. Should Vokmar ever be wounded, the giant jade amulet he carries will immediately heal all but mortal wounds by drawing power frrom the War Altar.
Although Volkmar represents the honest, death-to-chaos part of the Sigmarite Church, he belongs to its conservative orthodoxy. Thus, when a young warrior priest named Luthor Huss appeared and openly denounced and criticized the corruption that had supposedly taken hold within the Sigmarite Church, many expected Volkmar to excommunicate him.
Luthor Huss, who had been orphaned by a Chaos raid as a child and joined the Sigmarite Priesthood after proving himself by defeating a beastmen raid single-handedly, quickly became sick of the corruption he soon discovered after joining the preisthood's ranks. Abdicating the Lectorship and proclaiming the corruption for all of the Empire to see, he began travelling the lengths of the Empire, calling upon the people to find their way back to Sigmar wihtout help from the clergy. But as Huss had never attacked Volkmar personally in his speeches, the Grand Theogonist continually refused to expel him. More concerned with the growing power of Chaos in the north, Volkmar immersed himself in his studies and became increasingly removed from Chruch affairs, causing many to doubt his leadership while at the same time allowing the power of the Arch-Lectors to grow.
Volkmar the Grim and Luthor Huss depict the split within the Sigmarite Church, one standing for tradition and old beliefs, but possibly corruption, the other for a new way back to the roots of Sigmarite beliefs, but at the cost of great changes.
1.5. Balthasar Gelt
The current Supreme Patriarch of the Magic Schools was originally a member of the Gold Order, the magic school specializing in the lore of metal, Balthasar'S main research was centered around the transmutation of vile metals into gold. One day, a freak explosion shattered his lab. When Balthasar was next seen, he wore metallic robes and a golden mask hiding his face. Whether the mask is his face transmuted or hides his former, now disfigured face, is unkown.
One thing is certain, however: the accident only increased his ambition. Challenging the former Supreme Patriarch Thyrus Gromann of the Bright Order to a duel, he defeated him and ended the prominence of fire as he assumed his new title.
1.6. Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann
A devotee of the Sigmarite faith and personally loyal to Grand Theogonist Volkmar, Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann is one of the most dangerous and determined enemies of the Ruinous Powers. The prejudices against Witch Hunters - being fanatically zealous - do not apply to him. He is well mannered and educated, most often very well dressed, though never without his mantle and brimmed hat.
But most importantly, he possesses a strong sense of morality that often leads him to doubt the actions his profession require him to do. However, there has not been one occurence in which Mathias failed to go through with his duty, as he feels it stands above his own doubts. However, he can never quite quell the guilt he sometimes feels, and he also cannot escape the nightmares of the events that set him upon the path of the Witch Hunter - the death of his wife and daughter. Sometimes these nightmares even haunt him during the day, and in rare cased Thulmann is even overcome by horrific delusions, rendering him unable to act for seconds at a time.
However, his doubts, fears and memories have never stopped him when engaging a foe. Wielding a silver longsword blessed by the Grand Theogonist himself, a pair of blackpower pistols from Nuln, his personal copy of the Deus Sigmar, vials of holy water from the Great Cathedral as well as a small silver hammer icon given to him by his father, the late Lector of Bechafen, he has yet to encounter a force of corruption of Chaos he did not uncover and destroy.
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2. Chaos
It has to be noted that most of the Champions of Chaos are - while important during their appearance in history - not affecting the armies or Champions of Chaos that follow them to a great degree. Chaos is so much bigger than an individual, and to the gods, the individuals are no more than playthings and toys. Anyway, noteworthy figures whose names you probably will come across include:
2.1. Aekold Helbrass
The Chaos gods are fickle and unpredictable, and so are their gifts. And turly, nothing proves this as well as the history of Aekold Helbrass. One of Tzeentch's greatest mortal champions, he has not only been granted a unique magical sword called Windblade, but also a most unusual gift called the Breath of Life. Wherever he walks, grass springs green, flowers blossom and everything else around him turns from death to life. Any living thing he touches beings to grow unnaturally fast and even creatures and persons at the brink of death stand up unharmed upon his touch. Chaos, by definition, is neither destruction nor creation; a fact proved by this mysterious ability. Despite his gift, however, Aekold does not hesitate to slay any foe he might ecnounter. For he is the servant of Tzeentch, the Master of Fate and most fickle of all gods.
2.2. Arbaal the Undefeated, Destroyer of Khorne
While all servants of Khorne lust for blood and slaughter in the name of their dark master, few are as devoted and successfull as Arbaal. Riding on his daemonic mount, the Hound of khorne, the Blood God's personal Flesh Hound, Arbaal has killed thousands and thousands of foes single-handedly. Tales claim that when he laid siege to Praag with a hundred Daemons, he slew a thousand warriors on one day to breach the gates of the city.
In return, Khorne has gifted Arbaal with his most powerful gift: the power of the Destroyer, which may only be worn by one champion at a time. It furthers Arbaal's prowess and strength even further, turning him into a flawless, perfect warrior. Should he ever be defeated despite his abilities and gifts, the mark will pass on and Arbaal will be turned into a foul Chaos spawn in case he survived.
2.3. Azazel, Prince of Damnation
Azazel, Prince of Damnation, the former chief of Gerreon tribe, one of the great twelve human tribes united by Sigmar, is now the Champion of Slaanesh. Having betrayed Sigmar, he fled to the northern Chaos wastes where he pledged his eternal loyalty to the Pleasure Prince and in return was gifted with daemonhood. He has become the highest general of Slaaensh's armies and gained the ability to see into the very hearts and souls of men, revealing their hidden desires and most perverse pleasures. Few have ever managed to oppose Azazel as most who set out to challenge him are convinced by his silver tongue to join the Prince of Chaos instead.
Legends tell of Templars of Ulric, zealous men who vowed before the Flame of their god to bring down Azazel or to die trying. Before they could land one blow on Slaanesh's general, they had been reduced to gibbering imbeciles, slaves to the slightest whim of Azazel and his master. Another tale tells of a Questing Knight called Guido de Brionne who kneeled before the Daemon Prince before he could issue his challenge and had his head cut off while not moving an inch, utterly convinced of the justification of the act.
2.4. Egrimm van Horstmann
The mightiest of the three great cults of Tzeentch, The Cabal is headed by the dreaded Egrimm van Horstmann. Originally a wizard of the Light College who has pledged his soul to Tzeentch for magical knowledge and power unattainable by a mortal, he converted many of his fellow wizards from the Light College to The Cabal before he was found out by a wizard called Vespasian Kant. Having fled the remaining forces of the Light College and the Sigmarite Church to the Chaos Wastes, he and his Twin-Headed Chaos Dragon Baudros dwell in their Silver Towers in the Screaming Hills. It is from there that van Horstmann draws the strings of The Cabal, controlling much more of the Empire than anyone would dare to believe. The members of the cult are branded with a mark on their forehead that gives complete control of their will to van Horstmann and his master. The Cabal, whose sign is the unblinking withering eye of Tzeentch on an open palm, often devises infinitely complex battle plans and strategies that span decades, making their opponents play their roles like a predestined act. Whenever one thinks he claimed a victory against The Cabal, he is most likely wrong and just fulfilled his part in one of the cult's everlasting schemes.
2.5. Bel'akor
Bel'akor wears many names, including titles like The Harbinger,The Shadowlord, One Who Heralds the Conquerors, the Foretoken and the Bearer. He was the very first mortal in the Warhammer world who received the gift of daemonhood. But this gift blinded Bel'akor with ambition and he rebelled against the Chaos Gods, thinking himself their equal instead of their Champion. Cursing him with madness and stripping him of his power, Tzeentch denied him a physical form and forced him into a mindless servant of his will. He forced Bel'akor to become the Harbinger, the one who would crown the Everchosen, the unified Champions of all four Chaos Gods. Allowing Bel'akor access to the Crown of Damnation, the symbol of the Everchosen, he tormented him even more as Bel'akor could only give the Crown to others but not wear it himself as he lacked a physical form.
So far, Bel'akor has been forced to watch three Everchosen:
The very first one, Morkar the Uniter, after whose coronation Bel'akor descended into madness and missed the battles won by Morkar. Morkar assembled a great army and was given the task of making the Warhammer world a permanent beacon of Chaos. While Morkar marched south, Sigmar had just begun to rise. The two met in a duel in Kislev, a battle often likened to that between gods, but in the end Sigmar was triumphant and ended the incursion of the first Everchosen.
The second one was Vangrel, who imprisoned the Great Daemon U'zuhl in Kingslayer and was later slain by a dwarf called Gromrir Goldfist.
When the third Everchosen, Kharduun the Gloried was chosen, Bel'akor reemerged and took control of Kharduun's body, calling himself the Shadowlord and believing he had defeated Tzeentch's curse. BUt even in his new form, Bel'akor could not touch the Crown of Damnation. His rage eventually destroyed his physical body and the Chaos Gods forced him to resume his position as a guardian to the Crown of Damnation.
Then the most recent Everchosen, Asavar Kul the Anointed arose to march upon the Empire. At the head of a campagin of death and destruction, he brought devastation to the human lands. But Magnus the Pious rallied the Empire and marched upon the Chaos Host in what would become known as the Great War against Chaos. When the two armies collided, Magnus and Asavar Kul found themselves in a duel in Kislev, at the very site Morkar and Sigmar had faced each other a long time before. And just as the first time, the Champion of Man eventually triumphed and Magnus slew Asavar Kul at the climax of the siege of Kislev. Bel'akor howled in rage, knowing that he himself would have been victorious had he been at his full power.
3. The Dwarfs
3.1. The Ancestor Gods
These are the first dwarfs, said to have been formed from the very stone of the world itself by the Old Ones. The three most important ones are Grungni, Valaya and Grimnir.
Grungni is worshipped as the patron of smiths and miners. He is commonly depicted as the wisest of the Ancestor Gods, and thus as the leader of the Ancestor Gods.
Valaya is regarded as the patron of the Runesmiths. She is said to be sleeping deep within the mountains until she is needed again.
Grimnir is the warrior's patron, often depicted with two rune axes. He helped the Asur to close down the northern Chaos gates and then vanished not long after. It is assumed he died in battle. One of his axes is held by Thorgrim Grudgebearer and the other was lost in the battle at the Chaos gates.
3.2. Snorri Whitebeard and Grombrindal, The White Dwarf
The first High King of the Dwarfs after the Ancestor Gods left, he began the Golden Age, and the Dwarfs prospered under his rule. The founding of Karaz Ankor, the Dwarf Empire and the establishing of Karaz-a-Karak as its capital marked the beginning of this new age. A pledge of friendship was made between the races of the Dwarfs and High Elves during the visit of High Elf Phoenix King Bel-Shanaar to the new capital. Through trade with the Elves, the Dwarfen culture prospered, and never again would Karaz Ankor see the quality of craftmanship employed during this age. Thus, High King Snorri Whitebeard is venerated as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Dwarfen Kings of all time. He died before he could bear witness to the betrayal of the Elves.
However, it is rumored that his vengeful spirit came back from the grave and is actually the White Dwarf, Grombrindal (which means "The White Bearded Ancestor" in Khazalid, the Dwarfish tongue). Grombrindal is a legend of battle, a ferocious fighter that appears seemingly random on battlefields and always turns the odds in favour of the Dwarfs. It is said he wields one of the axes of Grimnir, the one lost at the Chaos gates. He is also rumored to be in possession other artefacts of the Ancestor Gods (such as a rune cloak of Valaya) and other Dwarfen relicts like the Rune Crown of Zhufbar which supposedly was lost when that fortress was overwhelmed. Whoever Grombrindal really may be, he keeps his identity hidden and vanishes from the battlefield as suddenly as he appears.
3.3. King Gotrek Starbreaker
The High King during the War of Vengeance (also known as the War of the Beard), Gotrek Starbreaker's reign was one of the longest in the history of the Dwarfs. After the Dark Elves, who had only recently split from the High Elves, raided several Dwarfen caravans, the Dwarfs demanded recompense of the High Elves, unaware of the civil war raging between the elven race. The High Elves not only declined, but, as a final insult, had the Dwarf ambassador's beard cut off. The loss of a beard is a great shame to any Dwarf, and the Dwarfs did not take lightly to such deeds. Thus, the War of Vengeance, or War of the Beard, erupted, a great war that culminated in the Battle of the Three Towers at the gate of Tor Alessi in 1440, in which the Elves were defeated in a cataclysmic battle.
Fueled by the desire to avenge the affront inflicted to the Dwarfs by the Elves, he personally slew Caledor the Second in the Battle of the Three Towers and took the Phoenix Crown to Karaz-a-Karak, where it remains to this day. Only when the very last elven colony in the Old World was burned to ground did High King Gotrek give in to eternal slumber. By then he was 655 years old.
3.4. High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer
The current High King of the Dwarfs, Thorgrim Grudgebearer can trace back his bloodline to the most noble and ancient Dwarf Lords. It is said that the blood of Grugni and the wisdom of Valaya are his by inheritance. As High King, Thorgrim is tasked with the keeping of the Dammaz Kron, the Great Book of Grudges that holds all slights against the Dwarfen race. It is not written in ink, but with the blood of the High Kings, and only with the blood of a High King may a grudge be settled and the record be striked out from the book, a very rare occurence.
When Thorgrim engages in battle, he always carries the Dammaz Kron with him. Atop of the Throne of Power, his great seat carried by his four Thronebearers (who each use one of their hands to lift the throne and one to wield their hammers), wearing the Crown of Karaz-a-Karak, Thorgrim descends upon his foes wielding one of the legendary Axes of Grimnir.
Thorgrim ascended to the throne during a siege of Karaz-a-Karak by Chaos forces in the Great War against Chaos, after his father had fallen in battle. Under his guidance, the siege could be lifted and the Chaos forces fought back. He then sent his army to Kislev, where the Chaos host was crushed under the combined might of Dwarfs, High Elves and the Empire under Magnus the Pious. It has to be noted that when Thorgrim ascended his father's throne, he swore to settle every last grudge detailed in the Dammaz Kron.
3.5. Gotrek Gurnisson
Gotrek Gurnisson is a Slayer, a dwarf who suffered a great shame and seeks to redeem himself by seeking honorable death in combat. Leaving their home stronghold as far behind as possible, they set out to seek honorable death in single combat - preferably against a large, vicious monster such as a Troll, Giant or Dragon.
The least successful Slayers (from their point of view) tend to survive because they are the most skilled. As Dwarfs are psychologically incapable of suicide or fighting with the intent to lose, those who continue to survive become ever more skilled as a process of natural selection. There are many famous slayers who have achieved exceptional deeds in killing the beasts they set out to be killed by.
The least successful of them all seems to be Gotrek Gurnisson. Although the only clues to Gotrek's reasons to become a Slayer are hazy visions of twin sorcerers of Tzeentch, it seems that Gotrek was part of an expedition into the Chaos Wastes to find the lost city of Karag Dum. The expedition failed, and there were only three survivors including Gotrek. When he returned, he found a woman and her children dead, possibly his own family. It seems that Gotrek went to a Dwarf Lord shortly after who sent him to an unkown fate. An argument began and at one point, the Lord's gaurds attacked Gotrek. Gotrek then killed the Lord, his bodyguards, and everyone else who did not flee the room. Afterwards, he cut his hair and beard and became a Slayer, setting out to die a honorable death.
Gotrek is most often accompanied by the huma Felix Jaeger, his socalled "Rememberer". They emt in Altdorf during the Window Tax riots when Gotrek slew many members of the Reiksguard to protect Felix from being trampled. An epic pub-crawl followed after which Felix awoke to found himself oath-bound to follow Gotrek and record what fate the Slayer met. Fleeing Altdorf as Outlaws, Gotrek and Felix have since encountered many hazards such as the battle against Greenskins at Fort von Diehl in the Border Princes, during which Gotrek lost his eye, a duel against a femal champion of Khorne, a werewolf, the Skaven, a Chaos Dragon, the hunt for the Vampire Adolphus Krieger, and many other battles against Greenskins, Chaos Hordes, Chaos Giants and everything else that nightmares are made of. Yett somehow, they have both managed to survive against all odds, making Gotrek the possibly least succesfull Slayer ever to walk the Old World.
3.6. Josef Bugman
Dwarfs value their ale very greatly, seeing brewing as a form of art. Thus, it is not surprising that every Dwarf knows the name of Josef Bugman, the greatest Dwarf Master Brewer of all time. Even among the many, many famous Dwarf ales, not one is a paragon of quality like Bugman's brew.
Having founded his brewery in the eastern forests of the Empire to supply both Men and Dwarfs with his creations, he went upriver one day with a shipment of Bugman's Special Brew for the Emperor himself. When he returned, he found his brewery biurned and all his companions kidnapped or killed in what seemed to have been a Goblin raid. Bugman and the party that had accompanied him to Altdorf swore vengeance on the Goblins and to rescue their brothers in any way possible.
Little was heard after of them after that oath, but tales of cunning ambushed and night raids on Goblin camps quickly spread among those who would listen. Sometimes, Bugman's band would even spring tattered from the wilds to join a Dwarf army riding to battle, but always would they keep to themselves, sitting huddled at their campfire and clapsing their precious ale in their hands. After the battle, they would resume their quest for vengeance.
3.7. Ungrim Ironfist, Slayer King of Karak Kadrin
The tales of the Slayer Kings of Karak Kadrin go back to Ungrim's five times great grandsire King Baragor who lost his daughter, who was on her way to marry the son of the High King at Karaz-a-Karak at the claws of the great Dragon Skaladrak, which caused him to take the oathas of a Slayer. However, he could not abandon his duties as a King, as the oath of a king to protect and watch over his people is just as important as a Slayer's oath to seek honorable death. So Baragor found a way to honor both vows somehow: he founded the Shrine of Grimnir, they Slayers' Shrine within Karak Kadrin. By accepting donations, he was able to build Karak Hadrin into a haven for Slayers from all over the Dwarf realms, a home to the Slayer Cult. By offering other slayers lodging, food and hospitality for as long as they need it before they resume their quest, Baragor could help them to fulfill their oath where he could not. In return, the Slayers currently staying at the keep were required to help the King defend the Peak Pass, an important trade route through the World's Edge Mountains. As Baragor died with his Slayer's vow unfulfilled, it passed along to his son Dargo with the keep and the lands, and his son became second in a line of what would be Slayer Kings. Ungrim Ironfist is the living descendant of King Baragor, and his family has honored their oaths to this very day, providing for every Slayer who comes to their keep.
3.8. Malakai Makaisson
Malakai Makaisson was a very unlucky master engineer of the dwarfen Engineer's guild. The Iron Clad steam ship he had devised (The "Unsinkable") sunk on its first voyage and his devised Airship (The "Indestructible") exploded on the first flight. As a lot of dwarfs died in both incidents, Malakai was shaved and thrown out of the guild subsequently, causing him to took up the Slayer oath, but not to stop inventing. In IC 2499, he created a new airship, the "Spirit of Grungni." This time, the airship proved very durable, surviving both an expedition into the Chaos Wastes and a confrontation with a large Dragon. Another invention of Malakai is the Goblin-hewer, a mechanical axe-thrower that marked his becoming a mercenary working for Dwarfen and Empire armies.
3.9. Rune Lord Kragg The Grim
Rune Lord Kragg the Grim is the most reverent Rune Lord alive, the Master Rune lord of Karaz-a-Karak. He discovered the secrets of a rune which was then named "Master Rune of Kragg the Grim" or "Kragg's Master Rune" after him. Unfortunately, he has not yet found a worthy successor, so if he should die, many of the Rune Lords' secrets from ancient days will accompany him to the grave; including the secret of how to strike the Karaz-a-karak Anvil of Doom. As he is very protective of his lore, he has not even shared the secret of his master rune with any of his apprentices. But as long as he is alive, Kragg will alway retain his skills and the eternal scowl on his face that earned him his nickname. Although eternal disapproval is quite common in Dwarfs his age who have seen their race and craftmanship decline, Kragg brings disapproval to a new level whenever he deems it necessary to ascend from the Underhalls of karaz-a-Karak, where he live in his very own realm, a complex of mines and forges supervised by him.
3.10. Engineer Guildmaster Burlok Damminson
The Guildmaster of the Engineer's Guild of Karaz-a-kark, Burlok occupies a very important position within the hold . Burlok is a very conservative Guildmaster, believing that the preservation of knowledge and maintaining the standards of craftmanship is more important than the invention of new devices - a fact which didn't keep him from blowing up the entire guild in IC 2350 when performing tests on high pressure vehicles. As the Guildmaster, Burlok is responsbile for crafting and maintaining the tools and equipment the other Dwarfs use to build war machines like cannons and gyrocopters.
4. Greenskins
4.1. Grimgor Ironhide
No one knows Grimgor's early history. And after what happened to the last one asking about it, nobody will probably ever want to try and find out about it again. All that is certain is that Grimgor stumbled out from the Blasted Wastes with a guard of hardened, bloody, and scarred Black Orcs one day. He took over the first greenskin tribe he encountered, conquered the second and wiped out the third. All Orcs lust for battle, but Grimgor's thirst for it is exceptional even for an orc. Whenever he had to go through a day without fighting, the'd start arguing over every little thing, and after another day, he'd kill any Goblin that crossed his eyes. On the rare occurence that Grimgor's warband went without a fight for three consecutive days, his army was in deep trouble. Within a month of his appearance from the Wastes, Grimgor had assembled a warband surpassing the strength of any other Warlord in the area. Before the first year had passed, he marched upon Karak Kadrin, the Slayers' hold. Camping outside the castle, he never assaulted it, content with defeating the armies the Dwarfs sent against him. In the end, the Dwarfs lost so many soldiers that they were forced to prepare to hold out in their hold until winter, which supposedly would force Grimgor to retreat. However, the winter did not strike Grimgor's forces at Karak Kadrin. Bored after no new Dwarf armies were arriving, he led his army northwest into Kislev. Although the Kislevites tried everything in their power to stop them, Grimgor crushed all three armeis they could muster. As he marched upon the city of Kislev itself, however, a huge blizzard set in, killing thousands of Goblins, which forced Grimgor to heed the advice of his shamans and retreat to the World Edge Mountains. Upon his return, Grimgor took up residence in the abandoned dwarfen hold of Karak Ungor, seizing control from the Red Eye Goblins that had made their home there. From this position, he could start attacks on the Dwarfs' strongholds, the Empire and Kislev, whichever target seemed most suitable at that moment. For years, Grimgor would lead his army into Kislev during spring and wage war on the Skaven of Clan Mor and Clan Moulder, which had entrenched themselves in the tunnels far below Grimgor's new keep in winter. As time passed, the Greenskins pushed ever deeper into the tunnels of the Skaven, with losses on both sides increasing exponentially. But Grimgor would force his forces on and on, seeking for a challenge, unaware that he was closing in on the very heart of Clan Moulder's home base, the "Hell Pit". Throt the Unclean, the Master Moulder recognized this threat and gathered his strongest Rat Ogres to stop the green masses from advancing. Although Grimgor was taken by surprise, he saw a worthy challenge in the Rat Ogres. Placing himself in a narrow tunnel, he met the Rat Ogres one by one, all alone while his forces retreated to the upper levels of the castle. Just when Throt had heard about his newest defeat and concluded he would have to face Grimgor himself, he found the Orc and his armies gone.
Unaware that the Skaven was on his way, Grimgor had once again found himself bored with his adversaries. Concluding that the Rat Ogres must've been the best the Skaven could muster, and that the Humans and Dwarfs were no match for him, he turned his attention elsewhere. This time, he led his hordes to the northeast. Attempting to cross the region where the World Edge Mountains met the Mountains of Mourn, a feat not accomplished by any army before, Grimgor lost a great number of Goblins to the harsh conditions and to his own axe that felled the deserters. The rest of the army, now consisting mainly of Orcs, feared Grimgor more than the environment and climate and after a week, they eventually reached the Great Skull Land, the steppes east of the World Edge Mountains.
Shortly after they had made camp, they were attacked by a Kurgan tribe known as the Yusak, who planned to battle the Greenskins for the glory of their gods. Although the Greenskins were tired and exhausted, they met the savage men and eventually, through the advantage of sheer mass, swiped every last Kurgan free of his saddle and all that remained were broken and dead men and horses. Liking the challenge the Yusak had brought up, Grimgor let his force march on and set up camp in the very heart of Kurgan lands, which was also the shortest route to the Empire. Thus, the raiding hordes from the Kurgan steppes would have to pass through Grimgor and his warband to reach the Empire or accept a long diversion. The Kurgan, ever ready to prove themselves against any foe, assaulted the Orc's warcamp again and again. Grimgor was once more content, for he had found never-ending battle - for now, at least.
4.2. Gorbad
One of the most feared Orc leaders of all time, Gorbad first rose to power by killing the chieftain Crusher Zogoth in a surprise attack through ancient dwarfen tunnels. Having the Broken Tooths, Zogoth's former warband, under his command, Gorbad set out to conquer the goblin tribes in the area, furthering the ranks of his warband. He then formed a mighty WAAAGH! and descended upon the lands of the Empire, taking Nuln and Averheim in almost no time. Having burned Scolland down and personally having killed its elector count and taken his Runefang sword from him, Gorbad rushed towards Altdorf without paying heed to his adviser's warnings about supplies. Gorbad's attack was repelled by Altdorf's valiant defenders quite easily, but Gorbad threw wave after wave against the city. Eventually realizing that the swampy ground around Altdorf made a direct attack useless, he began to wear down the city walls with Rock Lobbas - which were reduced to wrecks by the defender's cannons. So Gorbad decided to use the secret weapon he had been hiding until then - wyverns. Completely taken aback, the Wyverns devastated the city's defenses, and one of them even managed to get through to the palace, sallowing the Emperor himself. But still, even the Wyvern could not take the city gates, and as Gorbad's leadership began to be doubted among the Waaagh! and supplies began to run low in the warcamp, the Waaagh! slowly dissipated. Gorbad and his own Broken Tooths tribe were continually hunted by Empire troops on their way back to the World Edge Mouantins. Eventually, they cornered him with the help of a dwarf army from Karaz-a-Karak. On Blood Peak, near Black Fire Pass, the Broken Tooth tribe met its end. Gorbad's fate, however, is uncertain. Last seen at dusk, standing upon heaps of dwarf bodies, it is unclear whether he survived or not.
4.3. Grom the Paunch
Although Waaagh!s are almost exclusively led by Orcs, there are exceptions. Grom was such an exception. Extremly large for a Goblin he was also extraordinarily fat and strong through a diet of troll meat, which granted him not only regenerative abilities, but also life-long indigestion and chronic flatulence. Having conquered Greenskin tribes throughout the soutern World Edge Mountains, Grom finally attacked the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin, and after that, the Empire. Having pillaged Averheim and destroyed Nuln, he later defeated the Prince of Altdorf and laid siege to Middenheim. Supposedly, he crushed the massive city gates with his enormous axe after his fellow Greenskins had been unable to do so. Having accomplished what he wanted in the Empire, he ordered the construction of the very first naval fleet of the Greenskins. Defeating the Imperial Fleet on the way, these newly constructed ships set sail to Ulthuan.There, Grom was finally defeated, though most likely not killed. To this day, goblins throughout the world await his return to free them from the oppression of their larger cousins - not that Grom is no oppressor, but at least he is a Goblin.
4.4. Gorfang Rotgut
Gorfang Rotgut is the chieftain of the Red Fangs, the Orc clan currently occupying the Black Crag, an ancient dwarfen keep taken over by the Orcs long ago. The Crag is frequently fought for, and only the strongest tribes can claim dominance over it for a long time. Gorfang has managed to subjugate most of the surrounding tribes, with exception to the NIght Goblins of Karak Eight Peaks, whose leader, the cunning Skarsnik, he shares a truce with.
An immensely strong Orc, Gorfang has fought many battles, most of them against the Dwarfs, such as the siege of Barak Varr and the attack on Karak Azul in which he broke into the Dwar Lord's throneroom and captured many of his kinsfolk he holds captive to this day. Gorfang is cahracterized by his unreasonable hatred for the dwarfen race, which cannot be explained by normal Orc bloodlust.
4.5. Warlord Skarsnik
Having become the chieftan of the Moon Tribe after deposing of all his potential competition, Skarsnik is possibly the most powerful Night Goblin Warlord in the Southern Worlds Edge Mountains region. He is a treacherous genius, and his carefully crafted betrayalas and schemes rival those of Tzeentch's servants. Even the Orcs in the region acknowledge his claim on the mountains around Karak Eight Peaks.
The keep itself is still held by the Dwarfs under Belegar, who has named himself King of Karak Eight Peaks, but they are cut off from reinforcements as the Moon Tribe is continously besieging them. Only once did reinforcements get through the Greenskins and into the camp. When Duregar marched from Karaz-a-Karak to reinforce Belegar's position in the keep, he was ambushed and only under heavy lossed for both the keep's defenders and the reinforcements were they able to retreat back into the fortress. Skarsnik continues to taunt them with the vast collection of dwarven beards he is displaying in view of the keep. The Dwarfs know there is no way out, as whenever one of them tries to enter or exit the keep, he will find himself under heavy attack from the Moon Tribe. Still, they continue to hold.
Aside from his cunning, Skarsnik wields a magical weapon called a prodder that allows him to shoot blasts of magic around. He is also almost always accompanied by his Cave Squig Gobbla, a smelly, vicious beast, that is fiercely loyal to him - a very uncharacteristic feat for a Squig.
4.6. Azhag the Slaughterer
Azhag the Slaughterer had one very uncharacteristc feat for an Orc Warlord - he actually employs tactics in battle. He owed this ability to a certain artifact he picked up at the ruins of Todtheim - the Crown of Sorcery, a twisted, cruel magical device crafted by Nagash himself. When Azhag picked it up, the remaining corrupting spirit that clung to the crown mixed with the Orc's feral nature and created a completely new being. Before a battle, Azhag would dictate the strategy in a completely different voice, laden with centuries of knowledge. Not that his fellow Orcs saw much use in trying to flank the enemy instead of rushing their ranks head on, but as soon as Azhag amassed a massive warband, they put up with this new quirk of his.
The beast with the genius mind and ferocious power marched its armies into the Empire, all the while destroying every foe it encountered with brilliant tactics, dark magic and the brute power of the Greenskins.
Finally, though, even Azhag was slain. At the battle of Osterwald, Werner von Kreigstadt, Grand Master of the Knights Panther, managed to bring the Orc down, which left the Waaagh! leaderless. The Orcs tried to seize control of the Crown again, but the Waaagh! was slaughtered without its tactician and the Crown taken back to Altdorf where it rests in the deepest Vaults of Sigmar's temple.
4.7. Morglum Necksnapper
The chieftain of the Necksnapper tribe, Morglum led his tribe of Black Orcs west from their origins in the Dark Lands to the east, where he conquered tribes of "weaker" Orcs and goblins. Morglum is known for tactical observations, a feat very uncommon in Orcs, as most of them only care about the fighting itself and not how to do it efficiently. He is not loud and quarrelsome like hos brethren. Instead, he is usually silent and stern. When Morglum speaks, he is precise and to the point, resulting in short battleshouts. The most famous among these is the one he brought up at the Battle of Death Pass, where his army of Goblins, Orcs and Black Orcs claimed victory over a Bretonnian force. When the Bretonnians turned to flee, Morglum shouted after them: "Let 'em tell da King. Da east belongs to da Orcs. Da east belongs to Morglum. Da east is green."
Morglum rides a boar into battle which he has trained so well that it does not require and guidance by reins, allowing Morglum to use both of his hands for fighting. He wears "Bulak's Bloody Armour", which is splattered with Orc blood that will not wash off. Rumor has it that the fight in which Morglum aquired the armour was not quite fair and thus Bulak's vengeful spirit is still trapped within the armour, causing the Orc blood to remain on it.
5. High Elves
5.1. Aenarion the Defender
It was Aenarion who helped the Asur change from the peaceful people they once were into the proficient warriors they are today. At the Coming of Chaos, when the Elves were hunted down throughout Ulthuan if they did not hunt in caves, a single Adventurer by the name Aenarion travelled to the Shrine of Asuryan and beseeched the Asur's greatest deity for help. When he received no answer, he threw himself into the Sacred Flame as a sacrifice for the rescue of his people. Instead of burning him to ashes, though, he was reborn as the very avatar of Asuryan himself. Stepping from the temple and slaying the Chaos general and his forces that had followed him, he ventured south to meet Caledor Dragontamer, the greatest of the old High Mages.
Caledor immediately recognized him and together they formed the very first army of the Asur, equipped with weapons from the fortress-shrine of Vaul's Anvil and trained by the newfound knowledge of Aenarion. Eventually, they ventured north and eradicated the Chaos host from Ulthuan. Aenearion then married the Everqueen Astarielle and became Phoenix King.
Meanwhile, the Dwarven god Grimnir revealed to Caledor that the collapsed Slann gates were what gave Chaos a free hold on the world. Caledor developed a plan to trap the corrupting energies and check the tide of daemons, but Aenarion rejected it, as he wasn't prepared to gamble with the future of his entire race. Not long after, a savage Chaos attack engulfed Avelorn. Astarielle was murdered and her children Morelion and Yvraine went missing to the Elves - though they had been saved and taken into hiding by an ancient treeman.
In maddening grief, Aenarion made a decision that would have an impact on the elven race he could not possibly foresee: he went to the Blighted Isle to draw the Sword of Khaine, although Caledor warned him by speaking a prophecy. Caledor claimed that if Aenarion saw his plan through, the gods would turn away from him and curse his entire line, and nothing but tragedy would come as a result of his actions. It is said that both the elements and an appearance of Astarielle's ghosts tried to dissuade Aenarion, but he drew the Sword regardless and began a campaign of vengeance that changed him and his followers into ever more brutal and cruel beings. Eventually, he married another woman after rescuing her from a den of Slaaneshi worshippers and held court with her in Nagarythe, the northernmost of the Elven lands. This woman's beauty is said to have been rivalled only by her cruelty: together with her, Aenarion made a sport of torturing captives. Her name was Morathi, and she soon bore him a son named Malekith.
Noticing the changes in his former friend, Caledor decided that he would have to see his plan through without his King's help. But when he and his companions began creating a magical vortex to banish the chaotic energies from their world on the Isle of the Dead, they were heavily attacked by Chaos forces trying to prevent it. Eventually, Aenarion had no other choice but to come to his friend's aid. In a savage battle, he slew no less than four Greater Demons by himself, but the lives of his dragon Indraugnir and countless of his soldiers were lost, buying Caledor the time he so desperately needed. Caledor’s vortex opened with a bright flash. Daemons ebbed away into nothing, and the forces of Chaos were confined to the Northern Wastes.
Mortally wounded, Aenarion returned to the Blighted Isle, where it is assumed he died. Aenarion's last act was to drive the Sword of Khaine back into the altar from whence it came so deeply no Elf would ever draw it again.
5.2. Finubar the Seafarer
Finubar was chosen as Bel-Hathor's successor and remains the current Phoenix King to this day, with Astarielle his Everqueen, chosen by himself at his coronation. Under his rule, Ulthuan survived not only the last Great War against Chaos, but he also caused trade to flourish further. Still, he feels that his reign may be the last days of a dwindlinge power. Although he commands a mgithy warhost, he has witnessed Ulthuan being attacked not only by the Witch King's hordes, but by the forces of Chaos and even the Greenskins, as well. He does not share the illusion of previous Phoenix Kings that Ulthuan is unassailable.
As a soldier, commander, and also as King, he has met some of these invasions himself. Since his coronation, he rides into battle with the Phoenix Crown, forged in Vaul's Anvil (although the current Phoenix Crown is not the original one as the original is still held by the Dwarfs). The sun seems to reflect from this crown so brightly that it is hard to look at the wearer, hindering ranged attackers to taarget the Phoenix King. Finubar also swings the Royal Sceptre of Ulthuan, which is, other than the current Phoenix Crown, truly ancient. When striking a foe, it envelopes him into blazing flames that the Phoenix King himself is immune to because passing through the Flames of Asuryan grants one permanent immunity to any kind of fire.
Lately, though, visions have been appearing to Finubar that the future of the High Elves may not be as bleak as he thought. The Dragons, asleep for eternity, seem to be stirring once more, offering a small hope of a future for the High Elves. But another, darker vision, has also been promising power to the Phoenix King...the Sword of Khaine, buried deep into the Blighted Isle, sings louder than ever in his dreams...
5.3. Alarielle, Everqueen of Avelorn
Alarielle is the current Everqueen, the chosen representative of the goddess Isha and co-ruler of all High Elves. She is said to be the most beautfil Elf to walk Ulthuan since the days of Astarielle herself, and to inspire this beatuy wherever she walks, with fields blossoming and flowers starting to bloom in her wake. With flowing hair like a golden cloud and beauty that is said to move even immortal gods, it is easy to forget her power, the power of nature itself, causing skies to weep with her when she mourns and thunder and lightning descending when she is angered.
And angered she is often, as her reign has seen multiple invasions of both Dark elves and Chaos forces. Although she seldomly leaves Avelorn to engage in battle herself, it is an omen of courage for the High Elven armies and an omen of destruction for all who oppose them when she chooses to to so. Alarielle does not use ordinary weapons, for as represantative of Isha, she is the embodiment of peace and not war. But even her slightest touch has the ability to stun the enemy and the aura of peace that surrounds her can prove lethal to all forces of destruction such as Skaven, Chaos or the Undead.
Alarielle wears upon her noble brow a diadem with a radiant gem. This gem is the Star of Avelorn, a gift to the very first Everqueen by Aenarion. This stone is said to be a star from the heavens themselves, placed into Aenarion's hands by Isha. The Star of Avelorn possesses great healing powers. Together with the Shieldstone of Isha upon her breast, a work of unmatched beauty as ancient as Ulthaun itself which deflects blows, the Star makes it difficult for her to receive any mortal blows. Additionally, Alarielle wields the Stave of Avelorn, the symbol of the Everqueen. In earlier centuries, it had been a store of great magical power, but nowadays, most of it is drained as a result of the Sundering.
5.4. Imrik, Dragon Prince of Caledor
The last descendant in the honorable line of the Phoenix King Caledor I, Imrik is one of the few who retain the ability to wake the dragons in time of great need. Where Caledor's skies once teemed with the mighty creatures and the caves below rumbled with their sounds, it is a silent realm today as very few dragons remain and those have fallen into a deep sleep. Thus, even at Imrik's call, only very few will answer, and seldomly will he make use of his power to wake more than one dragon at a time. Imrik is currently the only one who keeps the traditional fighting stlye of his house - to fight atop a dragon. But when he chooses to engage into a battle atop his mighty beast Minaithnir, his foes tremble in fear upon the sight, and rightly so, for together, they are a match for any foe.
5.5. Tyrion, Defender of Ulthuan
Tyrion is undoubtedly the greatest living warrior of the High Elves and Champion to the Everqueen herself. Twin brother to Teclis, he can trace back his line to the very first Phoenix King and his son, Morelion. His valor and prowess have even led to some Elven bards claiming he is Aenarion himself reborn. During the last major invasion of the High Elves, it was Tyrion who single-hadnedly slew Urian Poisonblade, the Witch King's personal champion.
Although Tyrion does not rely on them solely, his weapons and armour are ancient heirlooms, brimming with magice power. He wears the Armour of Aenarion himself, forged in Vault's Anvil, which grants him immunity to fire along with great protection against any kind of weapon and he wields the 4-foot-long runesword, a fearsome weapon that is easily able to cleave through flesh and armour alike. It is also known as Sunfang for the gleaming runes that shimmer up and down its length, blazing with the captured fires of the sun. He rides to battle on the mighty steed Malhandir, which is probably the strongest, fastest and largest steed currently in possession of the High Elves, which is not surprising as it come from the line of Korhandir, Aenarion's personal steed.
However, Tyrion is not only a brave and highly skilled warrior, but also a great general. His ability to lead is so highly renowned that his commands are second only to those of the Phoenix King himself. There are many who think he would be a good choice to be the next Phoenix King, but Tyrion is ever aware of the Curse of Aenarion, the curse his ancestor drew upon all of his descendants, making Tyrion unfit to rule because he would be constantly forced to seek out more power.
5.6. Teclis, High Loremaster of the White Tower
While Teclis is Tyrion's twin brother, there could not possibly two brothers more different. Where Tyrion is a master of swords and strategy, strong and fast, Teclis has such a physical frailty that he must sustain himself by magical potions of his own creation, another result of the Curse of Aenarion. However, the power and genius of Teclis' mind more than makes up for his lack of physical strength. When he studied magic at the White Tower as a child, his command of sorcery soon surpassed that of the High Loremaster he studied under. When the Great War against Chaos came not soon after and the Everqueen and his own brother Tyrion had vanished under the assault of the Dark Elves and their Chaos allies, Teclis made his first step on the road to destiny. Setting out from the Tower with a magical blade of his own making and the War Crown of Saphery, an ancient artifact given to him by the HIgh Loremaster, he found his wounded and poisoned brother and the Everqueen he protected under the assault of a Keeper of Secrets, a greater demon of Slaanesh. Using his amgnificent powers, Teclis returned his twin brother to full health and together, they brought the demon down. They then turned the course of the war in favor of the High Elves until at last, Teclis faced Malekith in a magical duel. A match for each other, Teclis finally used the Moon Staff of Lileath, a gift from the everqueen to create a magical bolt of tremendous energy during a standstill that Malekith was forced to cast himself into the Chaos realms to avoid final death.
Having secred Ulthuan, Teclis ventured on to the Old World to aid the Humans and Warfs in their battles. With his magical powers and the knowledge he taught the Empire's hedge wizards, he helped win the war and subsequently could convince the new Emperor Magnus to lift the ban of magic on his people and found the Colleges of Magic. When he returned to Ulthuan after the war ended, Teclis was made the new High Loremaster of the Tower of Hoeth. Nowadays, Teclis is the most powerful sorceror alive (exluding the mummified Slann or Nagash, who can hardly bve considered alive), or so the High Elves would claim.
When he sets out to battle, Teclis carries with him a myriad of magical items, including the Potions of Inner Strength he needs to sustain his frail body, the Sword of Teclis which he crafted during the Great War against Chaos, as well as the powerful Moon Staff of Lileath and the War Crown of Sapehry which increase his unbelievable magical power even further.
5.7. Eltharion The Grim, Warden of Tor Yvresse
One of the mighties warriors of the High Elves, Eltharion's prowess and fighting skill are (among the High Elves, at least) second only to those of the great Tyrion himself. He was the only High Elven general to ever successfully attempt an invasion of Naggaroth, but while fighting, he was stabbed by a Witch Elf's poisoned blade. While he lay dying, an apparition of his father appeared to him and brought the terrible news of Grom the Paunch, the Goblin warlord, having invaded Ulthuan. Enraged by the images of many elves, including most of Eltharion's family having been slaughtered, Eltharion dragged himself back from the brink of death by sheer willpower and rode back to Ulthuan atop his griffon Stormwing. When he arrived, Grom's shaman Black Tooth had just killed the Warden of Tor Yvresse and the goblins had breached the city's walls. Rallying the few remaining defenders, Eltharion was able to push through the hordes and slay Black Tooth in single combat. With their shaman lost, the green mass was easily pushed back and Grom himself vanished, never to be seen again. Eltharion was named the new Warden of Tor Yvresse, but due to the loss of his entire family and most of his land, the name he is better known under is "The Grim".
Note: As of the 5th and 7th edition of the High Elf army books, this is where Eltharion's story ends. Apparently, he continues his life as a mighty general atop his griffon. Thus, he keeps wearing the Fangsword of Eltharion, a rune-encrusted faimly heirloom as well as the Helm of Yvresse, the traditional symbol of the Warden of Yvresse. Eltharion also has, resulting from the goblins' invasion of his homelands and the slaughter of his familey, a deep hatred for all goblins.
In the 6th army book, however, Eltharion's story continued and he became a famous blind swordsmaster:
When man years later Malekith led an invasion on Ulthuan to reclaim the Shadowlands, Eltharion led an army to the ancient ruins of Anlec, where the Dark Elves where gathering. Hopelessly outnumbered, Eltharion hid within the ruins, hoping to ambush Malekith himself. With his army destroyed, Eltharion finally challenged the Witch King to single combat. Malekith refused and attacked him with sorcery. Easily overpowered, Eltharion was captured and Malekith tried his best to blackmail him into joining his ranks by threatening to kill the other High Elven prisoners. When Eltharion refused, all surviving members of his army were beheaded before him. He himself was taken back to Naggaroth, blinded and tortured almost to death for the amusement of the Witch King. In the end, he was returned to Ulthuan, barely alive, as a warning to the High Elves.
Sent to the Tower of Hoeth to recover, he was trained by Belannaer, the master of the Tower, in the ways of the Swordmasters. Eltharion was a magnificent student, learning quickly and in time matching Belannaer himself in single combat, although he remained blind. When Malekith invaded Ulthuan once again and threatened Avelorn and the Everqueen herself, Eltharion was given a contingent of Swordmasters to stall the invasion. Eltharion ended up facing Malekith once again, this time wounding him and making him flee the battle. Together with Alith Anar, the Shadow King, Eltharion led their armies into Naggaroth once again. When they shored up on the dark country, the Dark Elf assassin Shadowblade challenged Eltharion in a duel. Evenly matched, the two duelants fought for a long time before Shadowblade eventually left the field, leaving a poisoned Eltharion behind. Fortunately, Belannaer had arrived in Naggaroth with orders for Eltharion to return to Ulthuan and was able to heal Eltharion. They then returned to Ulthuan.
5.8. Alith Anar, the Shadow King
There are many stories told of the Shadow Warriors, stories of brave and valiant deeds, battles against the darkest of foes, and their hatred of the Dark Elves and sorrow upon losing most of their homeland. However, none of these stories are as well known as that of Alith Anar, the Shadow King and leader of all Shadow Warriors.
The tales of Alith Anar's adventures, each and every one of them a courageous exploit against the Witch King and the Druchii, start from the years following the destruction of Anlec. They include, for example, the defense of Ulthuan during against Malekith's armies on the side of Eltharion, the Grim, the crucyfing of several hundreds of Druchii and dancing in disguise with Morathi herself before stealing an artefact called the Stone of Midnight from her treasury. Nowadays, it is hard to tell what stories are true and what stories are false or embellished by the bards, as the Shadow Warriors are a silent and secretive group. He is often thought to be dead, only to return in another battles months or years later.
5.9. Caradryan, Captain of the Phoenix Guard
An arrogant lordling in his youth, rich powerful and conceited, Caradryan was the very archetype of the jaded High Elf aristocrat. However, he completely changed after a pilgrimage to the sacred Shrine of Asuryan, a endeavour every High Elf noble is expected to embark on at least once in his life. It was there that he displayed the most arrogant deed he ever would: sneaking into the holy Chamber of Days, with no reason but his own curiosity. What he witnessed there, no one will ever know, for when he emerged from the Chamber with the glowing rune of Asuryan upon his forehead, the first thin he did was to take the vows of the Phoenix Guard, which prohibit him from speaking. Having given up all his wordly possessions by the vow, Caradryn committed himself fully to the arts of combat, and quickly rose throughout the ranks of the Phoenix Guards to eventually assume the position as their Captain.
5.10. Korhil, Captain of the White Lions of Chrace
Should you ever ask a White Lion who the mightiest elf in all of Ulthuan is, their answer would without a doubt be Korhil. His strength and stature are the stuff of legends, though he is by no means a lumbering giant, wielding the traditional weapon of the White Lions, the axe, with such grace and dexterity that it makes the movements of one of his fellow White Lions look cumbersome. Korhil is a very honest Elf with a noble bearing that has won him many friends among both Ulthuan and other nations. He is among the few that the Phoenix King Finubar trust completely and as such, he has made apperances as his personal champion on numerous occasions.
Korhil became Captain when his precursor was slain by Urias Posionblade, champion of the Witch King. When the bodyguard of the Phoenix King gathered to select a successor from their ranks, it was Korhil who was chosen. Having hunted down and caught the great lion Charandis, a poweful beast warped by tendrils of Chaos and having slain Saurios Nightblade, the leader of a Dark Elf attack upon Korhil's village and master swordsmans chooled by Assassins in Naggaroth, in single combat, his deeds spoke highly of him.
Korhil was given the Axe Chayal (meaning Lion's Claw), the traditional weapon of the White Lion's Captain and donned the pelt of Charandis, which had been enchanted by Loremaster Finreir and presented as a gift from the Phoenix King himself and protects Korhil from all kind of poisons. Wielding this powerful magic items, he leads the White Lions into battle tho this day.
6. Dark Elves
6.1. Malekith, Witch King of the Druchii & Morathi, Hag Queen of the Witch Elves
Malekith is the Witch king, the supreme ruler of all Dark Elves. He is the son of the first Phoenix King, Aenarion. Shortly after his first wife and his children had been slaughtered in an invasion of Chaos, Aenarion made a dreadful decision that would curse his entire line forever: in searching vengeance for his family, he drew the dreaded Sword of Khaine which had been impaled on the Blighted Isle, never to be drawn by mortal hands. Beginning a campaign of vengeance that changed him and his followers into ever more brutal and cruel beings he eventually married another woman after rescuing her from a den of Slaaneshi worshippers and held court with her in Nagarythe, the northernmost of the Elven lands. This woman's beauty is said to have been rivalled only by her cruelty: together with her, Aenarion made a sport of torturing captives. Her name was Morathi, and she soon bore him a son named Malekith.
When Aenarion died, Malekith thought himself the obvious choice to succeed him as Phoenix king.
Assuming that the legacy of his father would guarantee his ascension to the throne, Malekith agreed to let the council vote on whether he should rule. But many amongst the Elf court felt Malekith was unsuited to rule, not only because of the Curse of Aenarion that supposedly befell his whole line, but also because they preferred a less hot-headed leader now the war with Chaos was over. So they elected Bel Shanaar, Prince of Tiranoc, in his place. Malekith was instead appointed Commander of the High Elf armed forces. On the surface, Malekith seemed to be taking the turn of events very well. Indeed he was amongst the first to pay homage to Bel Shanaar upon his coronation as the Phoenix King. Malekith began to serve the new Phoenix King, appearing loyay and becoming a great general.
During Bel-Shanaar's reign, the Cult of Pleasure arose. First seen as just a way of better exploring the pleasures of life, it soon became obvious that it was in reality a cult dedicated to the Chaos god Slaanesh. Malekith swore to eradicate the Cult, and his actions against it brought him great gratitude from the Asur. But in the end, Malekith claimed Bel-Shanaar was a member of the Cult himself, assassinating the Phoenix King with an undetectable poison and claiming he had committed suicide rather than face the shame of an interrogation. While his followers massacred the unarmed Elven Princes, Malekith set off to enter the Flame of Asuryan, confident he would be able to master it like his father did. But Asuryan would not choose a being so wickedly corrupted. The flames burned Malekith horribly, scarring his flesh until he was barely able to cast himself out of it. He was crippled, and his followers feared the wrath of Asuryan. But his mother, Morathi, nursed him back to strength and had him encased within a magical suit of armour that would hide his scars and lend him strength. By then, the truth had dawned on the High Elves: Morathi was the High Priestess of the Cult of Pleasure, and had plotted with her son to gain control of the Phoenix Throne from the very beginning, the cult Aenarion had rescued her from having been her very own servants.
Civil war erupted between Malekith's supporters and the rest of the Asur. Eventually, the Prince of Caledor, Imrik, was chosen to oppose Malekith as Phoenix King. He gathered an army of pure elves and eventually defeated Malekith personally. Defeated, Malekith attempted to collapse the vortex created by Caledor Dragontamer to contain the forces of Chaos. He failed, however, and the magical backlash caused large portions of Ulthuan to sink beneath the sea. This event is referred to by the Asur as "The Sundering". Malekith, Morathi and their followers used their magics to transform the great northern cities into the huge floating 'Black Arks' - mobile fortresses they would use to transport their forces and supporters away from Ulthuan. They travelled to the western continent, a wasteland they would name Naggaroth.
Thus, the race of the Asur was now shattered into two factions: the High Elves, in Ulthuan who kept the name Asur, and the Dark Elves, also known as Druchii, in Naggaroth. It is there that the Druchii made their new home, building a new nation while eradicating the native tribes.
For over five thousand years, Malekith has now opposed many of the High Elven Phoenix Kings.
Nowadays, when Malekith rides into battle himself, he rides his personal Black Dragon, Seraphon, a mighty and viscious beast. Malekith is always clad in his sorcerous armour, the Armour of Midnight, as it is fused to his skin. Few can look upon this armour without dread, this piece of dark magic that makes Malekith nearly immune to physical attacks. However, he wears a single piece that is not a part af the Armour of Midnight: the Hand of Khaine, a gauntlet said to be sanctioned by the Blood God himself, capable of opening terrific wounds upon a single touch. In his hands, he wields a sword called the Destroyer which destroys every magic item it touches. Together with the physcial immunity the Armour grants him, it makes Malekith nearly unassailable. Still, it is prophesied that he will meet his end at the hand of a sorceror...
Morathi, who is called the Hag Queen of the Witch Elves (although they are led by Crone Hellebron, the Witch Elves' true loyalty lies with Morathi), is the only Witch Elf who is allowed to use magical power. On Death Night, once a yaer, Morathi bathes in the Cauldron of Blood, rejuvenating her ancient body and allowing her to keep her beauty like it was on the day she left Ulthuan.
Riding on a Dark Pegasus named Sulaphet, wielding a lance called Heart Render, she makes frequent use of her magic power - which is very powerful, as she has had more than five thousand years to have perfected it. It was her who first perfected Dark Magic, opening up portals to Chaos planes that granted her unimaginable power.
Together, Malekith and Morathi rule the Druchii unqestioned. From Naggaroth, that Malekith continually plans his invasions against Ulthuan to reclaim what they thinks is their right: the Phoenix Throne.
6.2. Malus Darkblade, Scion of Hag Graef
The son of a rich, noble family from Hag Graef, Malus was everything expected from a Dark Elf - unscrupulous, blood-thirsty, cunning ane ambitious. To further his influence even more (and to escape the consqeuences of an earlier business venture), he embarked upon a journey to the Chaos Wastes to find an ancient, magic treasure. Eventually, he found it, but by taking it, he awakened the Demon Tz'arkan, also called Drinker of Worlds. The demon possessed Malus and threatened to kill him if he didn't succeed in completing a powerful ritual within one year. In order to rid himself of the daemon, Malus had no choice but to follow its orders.
For the ritual to work, Malus needed five certain magical artefacts. The first of these was the Octagon of Praan, a medallion made of brass, carved in the shape of an octogram and covered with runes. It has the power to protect its wearer from all sorcery and magical wards. Fighting numerous Orcs and even a Dragon Ogre on his search for the Octagon, eventually Malus took it from the shaman of a heard of beastmen after slaying his herd.
After aquiring the Octagon, Malus returned to Hag Graef to equip an expidition for the search for the second artefact, the Idol of Kolkuth. He recovered the Idol from the Tower of Kolkus on the island of Morhaut, the headquearter of a norce pirate force dedicated to Nurgle which are called the Skinriders. Barely a foot in height and made from brass like the Octagon, the Idol was hidden in a sanctum in another dimension by the sorceror Eradorius that could be accessed only on Morhaut. The idol has the ability to warp space and time for the wielder, allowing the user transportation to wherever, and perhaps even whenever, he wishes to go by pure force of will. Malus has used it successfully, though he loathed the experience and it was not as accurate as he hoped it would be.
The third artefact was the Dagger of Torxus, retrieved by Malus from a Dark Elf lord's crypt. When he picked up the Dagger, however, the lord awoke and slew all of Malus' men and Malus almost with them. A long, black curved dagger, the Dagger of Torxus is said to be drinking light, which makes it look like an embodiment of the Outer Darkness itself. It has the viscious power to rip out the souls of any creature it stabs and binding it to that point for all eternity, making even the tiniest scratch lethal. Malus survived his wound by the Dagger solely due to the fact that his soul had been taken by Tz'arkan, and thus could not be ripped out. However, the Dagger was no longer Malus' direst concern. His half-sister Nagaira had conspired with his brother Isilvar; together they’d known of the five relics he needed to find in order to free the daemon from its prison and reclaim his
stolen soul. They knew he would seek the Dagger of Torxus in the tomb of Eleuril the Damned, and so they’d arranged for Lurhan, his own father, to get it first. Malus had to slay his father (although he did not know it was his father at first) in order to retrieve the dagger, making his name known as one of a man who had committed patricide. Hunted by his father's followers, he fled, wounded, to Naggor, the city that was anenemy of Har Gaeth in a bloody feud, where he at first faced slavery. Bewitched by his half-sister, he eventually led Naggor's army in an attack of Har Graef alongside Fuerlan, the son of Baneth Bale, the leader of Naggor. With the help of his mother, Eldire, he was able to throw off the spell of his sister and was able to flee once again. But now he had made himself an enemy of the Witch King himself, as he had slain his father, the Vaulkhar (a military rank) of Har Graef and marched upon his own city. As Malekith regards all his servants as his possession, he does not take lightly to the destruction of a Vaulkhar.
Malus fled to the Chaos Wastes, where he eventually aquired the fourth of the artefacts, the Warpsword of Khaine. Although the weapon is, as indicated by Tz'arkan, older than Khaine itself, the way that it consumes the blood of its victims certainly takes after its namesake. A double-edged blade, almost as long as a draich, the blade is slightly wider at the point than at the hilt, giving it extra cutting power. It is a two-handed weapon, a cabochon ruby is placed at where the hilt meets the blade. The sword radiates invisible heat like a furnace, the hilt is always hot to the touch. The blade infuses the wielder with great strength, and can send its user into a murderous frenzy that will not stop until there are no enemies left in sight. Tz'arkan implies many times that the Warpsword is more than just a blade, perhaps meaning that it can do more than cut through steel and flesh as just as easily as it would butter, though Malus has never used the sword for any large acts of power, it also seems to be able to effect magic, seen when Malus uses the blade to greatly weaken, and even shatter a magical barrier.
The last artefact Malus was required to find was the Amulet of Vaurog, a heavy, red-gold torque that renders its wearer impervious to all weapons. However, whoever wears it may still be killed by direct force such as bare hands. To find the artefact, Malus has to enter the palace of the Witch King himself, in order to locate the Amulet's position with the Ainur Tel, The Eye of Fate, a powerful scrying tool. Within the palace, Malus is captured by the Endless, Malekith's personal bodyguard and brought before the Witch King. The Malus figures, correctly, that if Malekith, the Witch King, wanted him dead then the Endless would not have gone to so much trouble to capture him and escort him to the fortress. Once Malus has honestly told all about the daemon within him and why he killed his father, Malekith decides to use the various talents Malus seems to possess. After having been used by Malekith for various endeavours, Malus discovers the Amulet is worn by a Chaos champion. He tries to take it from the Champion multiple times, dealing supposedly fatal blows to the spine and abdomen with the Warpsword of Khaine, but each time the Champion is unaffected. Malus finally kills her with his bare hands, calling upon Tz'arkan's power. After that, it is revealed that dhe Champion was Lhunara, a druchii woman who served as Malus's lieutenant, and it is hinted, was his lover, who Malus murdered briefly after his possession by Tz'arkan. She was resurrected as an undead revenant and desired only to destroy Malus in revenge for his betrayal.
Having aquired all the artefacts he needed, Malus finally completed the ritual, freeing himself of the Daemon. However, Tz'arkan had tricked him, and took Malus' soul with him when he left. Soulless, Malus wandered through the Chaos Wastes for 10 years, not caring for life or death, with only the Warpsword of Khaine having survived the ritual. Then, one day, a sorceror approached him and told him he knew where Tz'arkan was. Fearing for his life, the sorceror had tattooed the map to Tz'arkan's hiding place onto his back to make sure Malus would need him further. Ending the man's illusions by slaying him, skinning the skin from his back and feeding the rest to his ever-loyal Cold One Spite, Malus set out to face Tz'arkan. Facing numerous foes from all the Four Gods of Chaos, he eventually found Tz'arkan within the realm of the Screaming God Child, a crazed entity of Chaos. Malus was able to trick the God Child and flee, but when the entity noticed that, he imprisoned Tz'arkan in Malus' body once more as punishment. From then on, Tz'arkan took control of Malus whenever he went to sleep. Thus, Malus now drinks a magical potion that keeps him awake infinitely. Only when the strength and savagery of the daemon is required does Malus imbibe a sleeping potion to wake the daemon.
After many years, Malus eventually returned to Hag Graef, where, with the backing of Malekith, he become the new Drachau, the lord of the city. Traditionally, the Drachau of Hag Graef is also the general of the Witch King's armies. Nowadays, Malus is one of the preferred servants of Malekith, and upon his bidding, he rides to battle on his loyal and unusually intelligent Cold One Spite with the Warpsword of Khaine in his hand.
6.3. Rakarth, Beastlord of Krondar Kar
The various beasts and monsters of Naggaroth and the Old World have always had their part in the various Druchii armies throughout the years, but it is said that the dungeons of Krondar Kar where never filled with so many, so different and so powerful creatures as they are under the command of Rakarth.
Rakarth's talent showed at an early age, when only eight years old, he tamed a particularly fine Dark Steed named Bracchus that his father had been gifted with. A wild beast, no one was able to subdue Bracchus, and so Rakarth's father ordered it to be killed. Upon this order, however, Rakarth asked his father if he might attempt to ride the creature. If he succeeded, he wanted to keep it as his own steed. Rakarth's father, loving gambles like all Druchii do, agreed. Rakarth advanced towards Bracchus, meeting the eyes of the beast with an ice-cold stare. Reocgnizing that he was facing a being that outmatched him in both cruelty and ability to inflict pain, Bracchus meekly lowered his head and allowed Rakarth onto his back. From that day on, Bracchus was Rakarth's faithful mount, serving him well until he was slain at the battle of Finuval Plain some thirty years later.
When Rakarth rides into battle today, he is clad in the Beast Armour of Karond Kar and wields his weapon, the Whip of Agony, which inspires unnatural pain in everything it strikes, from the back of a massive Black Dragon that goes by the name of Bracchus, in rememberance to his very first mount. This beast inspires fear even in the most courageous of foes, and those who do not flee are met by its fangs or its tail, or its Noxious Breath, corosive and poisonous fumes that burn skin and hair and choke any living being to death.
6.4. Crone Hellebron, the Hag Queen
After a battle, the Witch Elves of Khaine bathe in the blood of their enemies to absorb their strength and keep their beauty and youth. As the years pass and they grow old, they have to enter the Cauldron of Blood more and more often so that their bodies do not become bent and cold. The most ancient of the Witch Elves are the Hag Queens, the greatest and most powerful of their kind. It is they whol lead the dark rituals upon the Altars of Khaine and cut out the hearts from the sacrifices to throw them to the younger Witch Elves.
Crone Hellebron is the oldest of these Hag Queens still alive, save for only the mother of the Witch Elves herself, Morathi. But while the Cauldron of Blood eternally renews Morathi's beauty and strength, it will not do so for this Hag Queen much longer. Each year she requires more blood for the Cauldron, and each year the effects lessen. Nowadays, Hellebron endures many months as an old and ugly crone for each day of renewed youth.
Still, the memories and bloodletting she has experienced for five thousand years are still renewed as she frequents the field. A true Witch Elf, she will not miss any chance to spill blood in the name of Khaela Mensha Khaine. Unlike other leaders of the Druchii, she does not rely on many magic items to give her strength, carrying into battle only her trusted Deathsword and an Amulet of Fire granting her some magic resistance.
6.5. Kouran, Captain of the Black Guard
Kouran is a cunning commander, one of the greatest military minds the Druchii have. Uncluttered by compassions, mercy, or ego, he does not care at what cost his victories come and is known to take great risks, once having sacrificed a whole army to lure an enemy force into the trap he devised. Nevertheless, to this day, he has always come out victorious in the end. Wielding a Blade of Ensorcelled Iron, a blade of pure iron tempered to the sound of arcane incarnations in ages past which guides his strikes with magical precision and wearing Armour of Meteoric Iron stamped with protective runes, he is a match for any foe he might encounter.
6.6. Tullaris of Har Ganeth
One of the most murderous leaders in all of Naggaroth, tales of Tullaris' cruelty are widely known. The most famous among them is the story of him having a captured town burned to the ground and all its inhabitants killed because he did not like the town's name. It is under his leadership that the Executioners of Har Ganeth have increased their fearful reputation to a point that it is sufficient to mention they are part of an approaching raiding force to cause floods of refugess amongst their enemies. When once Tullaris had embarked on a journey to find the material he needed to craft the Black Amulet he wears, his sons attempted to seize his lands and title. When he returned, he murdered them in their sleep, smashing their skulls with the black stone he aquired. He then hung them up in his laboratory, as a warning to everyone who thought of betraying him.
Tullaris wears the Black Amulet, christened by the blood of his own sons, to this day. A lustrous polished stone with a single glowing rune atop it, the exact making of this artefact is only known to Tullaris himself, but with its power any blow struck on Tullaris might be found to repell on the attacker. He wields the mighty Executioner's axe, which, along with his prowess and skill, allows him to decapitate even the largest and mightiest of foes with a single strike.
6.7. Shadowblade, Master of Assassins
Although he is still very young (only 150 years old), Shadowblade already is a legend among Dark Elves. Dark Elf minstrels sing of his adventures and he makes frequent apperances in bedtime stories for Druchii children. The most famous tale is that of Shadowblade murdering the cre of a High Elf Hawkship. He killed of the crew members one by one, over the course of several days. With their fear and desperation increasing every day, the crew attempted to detect the muirderer in their midst and corner him, but they were not successfull. In the end, only the captain was left alive to tell of the days and nights of horror.
Shadowblade is fiercely loyal to Hellebron, the Hag Queen of the Witch Elves. He is frequently called upon to dispose of those who have slighted her or her political opponents. Why he kills, Shadowblade does not care. He will take whatever order from his mistress that allows him to do what he loves most - killing. He revels in the sounds of one of his daggers slicing through flesh or the last choking sounds of one of his poisons draining his foe's life away. Studying the deadly martial arts and silent, unseen movements of the assassins of Khaine and the power of every last poison within the world, he was taught that there was no one more important thatn the Hag Queen and the Witch King himself.
Shadowblade is a master of deception and is able to hide within cities and armies of every major nation on both Naggaroth and in the Old World. He very rarely takes part in great battles, and when he does, it is mostly to assassinate enemy leaders before the battle. Should he ever be discovered, a feat yet to be accomplished by any of his enemies, and be slain afterwards, the Heart of Woe, a large ruby beating like a living heart he carries with him wherever he goes, will shatter into thousands of shard, slaying those who killed him and cutting apart his own body so no trace of his identity remain.
7. Skaven
7.1. The Council of Thirteen & its respective members
Seat 1 - Lord Kritslik
Seat 2 - Greylord Skrisnik
Seat 3 - Lord Sneek
Seat 4 - Lord Paskrit
Seat 5 - Lord Kratch Doomclaw
Seat 6 - Lord Gnawdwell
Seat 7 - Lord Vittrik
Seat 8 - Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch
Seat 9 - Lord Verminskin
Seat 10 - Lord Azarskittar
Seat 11 - Lord Burr
Seat 12 - Lord Morskittar
As the most important seats are those closest to the one of the Horned Rat at the top, meaning seats twelve and one, and the importance of the members decreases to the other side of the table.
7.1.1. Lord Kritslik, the Seerlord
Fairly thin and tall for a Skaven, with an albino fur and spiraling horns, Lord Kritslik's fur is sticking up in ratty patches and his piercing eyes glow with a mad light. Currently the most powerful and influential Lord of Decay and a highly competent and ruthless adversary, there is no question that Lord Kritslik is a highly skilled politician and manipulator of all other members of the Council. He has four major characteristics and plans: the first thing to note about him is that he always finds a way to display his actions as being sanctified by the Horned Rat, as he possesses a vast knowledge of the deity's edicts. Often, one of his adversaries has found himself under accusations to oppose the Horned Rat itself. The most important thing for most Skaven, Kritslik sets his self-preservation second. The devotion and fanaticism he displays toward the Horned Rat gives him strength and courage where most Skaven would give up or run and hide. Kritslik sees his continued health and life as very important to the Council, as without him, the Horned Rat's will could not be enforced (or so he thinks). His third strong point is to weaken all other Clans by seeding distrust and conflict among them while staying out of the conflict himself. All the while keeping his movements and actions well concealed, it could be stated that the fault for the Skaven not being able to unite falls at least partly to him. The last critical point in Kristlik mind is his focus on humanity. Feeling that mankind poses the greatest threat to the Skaven, he observed the Humans for a long time and thinks to understand them now. Copying the tactics he used among his own kind, he first creates friction and fractures among the Humans he wishes to attack before marching. Seeing that previous Skaven diseases and war campaign against humanity have only united mankind against a greater foe, he wishes to face a foe weakened from inner fighting and distrust when the two races fight their next war.
With his vast network of spies and agents, Lord Kritslik is informed of any little thing happening among Skavendom, and prepared to act upon it. A popular saying among Skaven states that he has more spies in Skavendom than there are Skaven.
7.1.2 Lord Morskittar, Lord Warlock of Clan Skryre
The second most powerful member of the Council, Lord Morskittar is a tall, albino and constantly fidgety Skaven. His appearance is often crumpled and his robes are stained from ink and other remains of the various machines and inventions he is inevitably tinkering with.
However, Morskittar's inventiveness isn't limited to his inventions. One of the most promising members of the Council, he is fiendishly clever and cunning. Unlike some of his predecessors, he doesn't rely on long, well worked out and complex schemes, instead following flashes of peculiar inspiration. That fact makes it hard for the other Council members to predict his actions - a feat that annoys them to no end, especially Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch, Morskittar's greatest rival in the Council. Lord Morskittar also works closely with the Gray Seers, all the while trying to find one amongst them that he could bribe and thus get a spie within the Cult of the Horned Rat.
Not limiting his fascination of technology to Skaven inventions, he has taken up studies of human and Dwarf technology as well, pushing many of the Council's decisions into directions that enable him to get more material for his studies. Unbeknownst to any other, be it Council Member or ordinary Skaven, Morskittar has aquired an artifact of an origin that is neither Dwarf, Human nor Skaven...powered by a piece of warpstone, the device can record all sound vibrations and play back any conversation it recorded. Should Morskittar feel the time to use this device has come, he could be able to blackmail many a Council Member with their recorded voices...
7.1.3. Greylord Skrisnik, Warlord and Seer of Clan Skrisnik
Occupant of the Second Seat, Greylord Skrisnik is the last of the two remaining Greylords. His age allows him to draw back onto experience values of a few thousand years alive and give hundred years as a Council Member. Also, he is in possession of many of priceless ancient tomes detailing secret knowledge. For when the Disaster at Skavenblight struck, it was Skrisnik who swept in and secured a great deal of the tomes for himself before the Grey Seers could confisacte them, granting him a magnificent daemonic and sorcerous power. His experience, knowledge and a cunning that has not diminished with age make him one of the most feared enemies in Council schemes. If there is one thing he learned during his time, it is to be as invisible as possible when it comes to Council politics. In many a Council debate, while the other members have argued and screamed their lungs out, Skrisnik has remained silently and unmoving in his seat, watching and taking mental notes. He prefers to do his work outside the Council chamber, manipulating the other members long before actual decisions are reached. Many of his colleagues think him old or senile, a member easily to sway or to ignore. What they do not realize is that a great deal of their decisions has been foreseen and directed by Skrisnik months before.
The only open vanity Skrisnik allows himself is to sit upon a throne of skulls - trophies from all assassins who have been sent against him during the centuries.
7.1.4. Lord Burr, Keeper of the Temple
Robust and strong, covered in short gray fur with white tips, Burr's face and body are covered with scars. Nowadays occupant of the eleventh seat and second in command over the Grey Seers o Burr was originally a bodyguard of Lord Kritslik's predecessor. His rise to power began when he was gifted by the Horned Rat with gray fur and magic abilities. Taken in by the Grey Seers, most of them despised him, and in the following months, countless attempts at assassination and defamations of his character were undergone. However, able to draw back upon his own years of experience as one of the Council's most capable agents, Burr not only managed to come out with his body and his reputation unscarred, but two dozen of his opponents disappeared under mysterious circumstances. After his bloody initation, most Grey Seers chose to ignore Burr, who chose to use this pause as a chance to further his newfound abilities.
Quite a while later, when all Skavendom had nearly forgotten Burr, a confusing chain of events led to a violent death of a Lord of Decay and the subsequent annointing of Burr as his successor. To this day, no one can trace back the events and fully comprehend Burr's plans and actions, but all Skaven agreed that this fact only makes Burr more worthy of his ascension.
Although Burr has a great degree of control in the Under-Empire and Skavenblight, he is very reluctant regarding poltical matters. It is believed that the appointment of Lord Paskrit was somehow engineered by him and that he is close allies with Kritslik, but his plans and motives are still a mystery. He also remains distant from his fellow Grey Seers, seeing himself far above them because of his superior abilites, while they still regard him as an upstart, unworthy of their attention because he was, at first, a minion.
Another fact that constantly leads to tensions among them is the fact that Burr completely neglects his duties as the Keeper of the Temple, who should provide security and upkeep for the Temple of the Horned Rat. However, Lord Kritslik is pleased with this turn of events, as it allows him full control over the Temple.
7.1.5. Lord Sneek, Nightlord of Clan Eshin
A light and nimble Skaven, moving with a grace rarely seen within his race, Sneek's true appearance is unknown as he always wears strips of black silk all over his body, with a heavily concealing black coat on top. Like all Nightlords that have been on the Council, his appearance is not the only mysterious thing there is to him. Unlike other Lords, Sneek agrees to the suggestions of his fellow Lords quite often, but never without demanding hard bargains before. Saying very little during meetings, many things remain a secret about him. Although his agenda is said to be easily perceived, no one outside of Clan Eshin even knows how he rose to power.
Lord Sneek continues the secret plan set in motion by his predecessors, a plan that seems to require him to stay in contact with and take loans from the Grey Seers. What will happen when Clan Eshin's plan comes to fruition, no one knows.
7.1.6. Greylord Azarskittar, Warlod of Clan Khesherisk
Although the occupant of the Tenth Seat of the Council is the only remaining Greylord aside from Skrisnik (his longevity has been attributed to his diet of human flesh and hibernations of months at a time), his power has diminished over the years. With his empire being scattered throughout the Southlands and Araby, a harsh, unforgiving country on the very fringe of Skaven society, Azarskittar did never have the best supposition to increase his influence. In addition, Lord Azarskittar rarely leaves his hold, often sleeps for years at a time and rules very arbitrarily. So, although his own martial ability surpasses any other Skaven and he surrounds himself with an elite cadre of warriors, his hold on any strongholds apart from his own is very weak.
When upon the return of Clan Pestilens many of Azarskittar's strongholds were wiped out with nefarious poisons and diseases, and Clan Pestilens easily overran those strongholds owing allegaince to Azarskittar who were too weak to defend themselves, Azarskittar's very own stronghold was under siege. That finally made the Greylord rise from his slumber and lead his elite shock troops, the Khesherisk, against the returning clan. In a series of bloody battles, Azarskittar broke the siege and was able to defend all remaining strongholds. Eventually, though, the war reached a draw, with heavy casualties on both sides. Clan Pestilens eventually decided to move on to Skavenblight instead. With most of his original domain lost, it came as a shock to Azarskittar when he heard that Nurglitch, the Plaguelord had killed one of the Lords of Decay, Lord Kerikek, Azarskittar's closes ally within the council. Having risen to a member of the Council himself now, Nurglitch could claim dominion over all strongholds he had conquered, and Azarskittar had no possibility left to take back what was once his.
Trying to take it back nonetheless, by using the failed Red Pox as a pretext to remove Clan Pestilens from the Council, Azarskittar effectively started the second Skaven civil war.After terrible costs to both sides, Azarskittar was only able to reclaim few strongholds, and his deep hatred for Clan Pestilens makes it easy to manipulate him in the Council nowadays.
Although lord Azarskittar's influence has diminished, however, he is still the most proficient and dangerous fighter in all Skavendom. Large and well-muscled, he bears several twisted and long horns, almost like those of a Verminlord. He marches into battle clad in strange black armor bearing the sign of the Horned Rat.
7.1.7. Lord Paskrit, Warlord-General of all Skavendom
An aging, yet fit Skaven with patchy brown fur crossed by numerous scars, Paskrit has two lost digits on his left hand and an eyepatch over his lost left eye along with a stunted tail that has been severed in half (a fact that he is most ashamed of and tries to hide). While the occupant of the Fourth Seat might bear a great title, he has a lot less power than one would assume. Basically, he is just a lackey for the Grey Seers, although he is by no means stupid - he is just outwitted by the other Council Members, as their political experience far suprasses his own. Lord Paskrit simply does not have the time to get as deep into politics as the other Council Members as he is constantly diverted by his other duties.
Having served well as a general, Lord Paskrit ascended to his position when his predecessor died during a disastrous battle (possibly at the hands of lord Paskrit). In this battle, Paskrit outwitted the foe's Undead army and destroyed one of Nagash's best Necromancers. The Lords of Decay, realizing that while he was an outstanding tactician, he would be easy to manipulate, then granted him access to the Council.
7.1.8. Lord Verminkin, Packlord of Clan Moulder
The most proficient breeder of his Clan, Verminkin is a heavyset Skaven, taller and broader than most, with rather unusal, shoking red fur. The occupant of the Eleventh Seat, he is best described as the most mercenary member of the Clan. His allegiance changes sides very frequently, selling his services to whomever he deems is of the most use to him right now. And it is not easy to fool Verminkin, as he sees through most deceptions quite easily, a fact that ensure that he gets what he wants out of his bargains. His shifting loyalties make him rather unpredictable in his decisions, but Clan Moulder has risen to great success and prestige under his leadership.
7.1.9. Lord Kratch Doomclaw-Clan, Warlord of Clan Rictus
Lord Kratch Doomclaw-Clan, whose name derives from the Clan heirloom, a strange piecemeal gauntlet on his right hand, is the leader of a fading Clan and occupies the Fifth Seat for a reason. With all of his power and influence concentrated on maintaing his Clan's seat within the Council, he has no ressources to spare. However, it is absolutely not his fault that Clan Rictus' influence has declined. Quite simply put: the Clans Eshin, Moulder, Pestilens and Skryre have been too successful in the recent past, and all other Clans stand in their shadow. With heavy pressure from Goblins trying to retake Crookback Mountain from Clan Rictus and the warpstone mines of the Clan near to their end, it seems only a matter of time before Kratch's economic threats of holding back warpstone and slaves fail and either Arch Plagelord Nurglitch or Lord Gnawdwell remove him from the Council entirely.
Thus, Kratch plays a conservative role, trying to delay Council policies so he can maintain a balance and his own hold on power.
7.1.10. Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch of Clan Pestilens
A haggard and sickly Skaven with dark fur and panicky eyes that betray his health, the occupant of the Eight Seat represents a Clan whose power has declined after the failure of the Red Pox and the resulting second Skaven civil war. However, Nurglitch has started to revert the course and is leading his Clan on a meteoric rise of power once more. Rumors tell of the Plague Priests being filled with a fanatical enthusiasm and the Clan's Clanrats being whipped into a fervor unheard of.
As many Council Members rely on the strength of Clan Pestilens at some point of time, it seems only a matter of time before Nurglitch asscends to a more powerful seat within the Council - the only question is, whose seat will it be?
Nurglitch's true ambitions, however, lie far higher. Planning to take a higher seat for himself, he also schemes to nominate one of his own clan for the next Warlord-General and to destroy a lesser seat to replace it with another Plaguelord as well. If all goes well, and the Skaven he has trained for these roles during the last years take their positions, Clan Pestilens would have a grip on the Council that is unheard of in its history. Whether his scheme will succeed, only time will tell.
7.1.11. Lord Gnawdwell, Clan Warlord of Clan Mors
The second weakest Sixth Seat is occupied by a huge brute of a Skaven, a massive thing of pure muscle. His sharp sighted eyes seem to stare most severly most of the time, though occasionally, they betray the genius behind. Unfortunately, Gnawdwell has quite a temper that lets him often fall in rage at his lack of power. Quite surprisingly, it is these acts of rage and fury that often upset the careful plotting of the other Council Members - a fact that has led some to believe that it is the only reason the Horned Rat allowed Gnawdwell into the Council. Unpredictable, he can upset all coalitions within the Council from one moment to another.
7.1.12. Lord Vittrik
Looking like an avera Grey Seer, no one would recognize the occupant of the Last Seat of the Council for a Lord of Decay. The weakest member, Grey Seer Lord Vittrik is in constant danger of losing his seat. He leads a faction of Grey Seers who stand opposed to the way Lord Kritslik interprets the commands of the Horned Rat (which would be in exactly that way that most suits him). Vittrik feels that the will of the Horned Rat is not followed in the Council, as the members are too focused on their petty squabbles amongst themselves.
Having an intense fear of humans after being chased by Templars of the White Wolf on a mission to aquire Warpstone, he also often criticizes the Council for its recent activites on the surface.
Lord Vittrik is very scholarly and possesses a great knowledge of everything remotely Skaven. But his greatest secret is the personal reserve of warpstone he has been building over the years. Unbeknownst to any other, his deposit rivals those of the most successful clans...
7.2. Ikit Claw - Chief Warlock Engineer of Clan Skryre
Second in command of Clan Skryre, Ikit has dedicated his life to the study of all things magical, not matter their origin. In the years before the second Skaven civil war, he traveled great distances to aquire materials for his studies. His trips took him as far as Cathay, northern Naggaroth, the island of Albion and even Lustira. Ikit's most important achievement from these travels is a tome that details all basic and advanced spells of the civilised world.
The amazing control over magic Ikit was able to aquire through his studies benefitted him greatly when during the second Skaven civil war when Clan Skryre and Clan Pestilens were fighting in the streets of Skavenblight. It is partly due to his powers that Clan Skryre was able to seize control os Skavenblight and maintain it for centuries. It was also him who first sensed the oncoming Chaos forces in the Second War against Chaos and his magical power who helped the Grey Seers invoke the Horned Rat to end the civil war.
Still, Ikit's most important accomplishment is his latest invention, the War-lightning Cannon, proven successful against Dwarfs, Orcs and Humans alike.
Tall and white furred, Ikit is barely recognizable nowadays after his arm, his face and most of his fur were badly burned in an accident. To hide these consequences, he created a mask to cover his face, and arms of brass, iron and crystal to strengthen his arm. Any enemy who mistakes this arm for a pure aid of movement is in for a nasty surprise as it contains a small warpfire-protector and Storm-Daemon, a sword of pure warpstone by Ikit's own design.
7.3. Deathmaster Snikch
The chief assassin of Lord Sneek, Snikch believes it is best to not let anyone know his position so no one can be safe. He is always on the move and may appear anywhere over the Old World, leaving only his distinctive symbol on his victims head as indication of his route.
Snikch also frequently takes himself to the surface. The deaths of Frederick Hasselhoffen, killed during the Emperor's Grand Ball in Altdorf and Celestial Wizard Heinrich Frisen, found flayed in his chamber with the droot triple locked and magically protected are indications of Snikch's skill.
Wrapped in The Cloak of Shadows, woven from the hair of murdered foes, it is never obvious where Snikch's Weeping Blades and their corrosive venom will strike next.
7.4. Lord Skrolk, Plaguelord of Clan Pestilens
One of the oldest members of Clan Pestilens, Skrolk is the prime agent of Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch. Originally a simple Plague Monk, Skrolk devoted himself to the Horned Rat and traveled to Skavenblight to offer his services to Nurglitch, who accepted him after having him pass through arduous trials. It is his devotion to the Horned Rat that has allowed him such an extended lifespan to plague the world of Men with all the diseases he spreads.
Skrolk has a fearful appearance, with his flesh having rotted away long ago and his eyes clawed out by himself after seeing Nurglitch and being convinced that he would not see anything more glorious in his lifetime. Nowadays, he sees the world in the purples and greens of corruption and decay, by the blessing of the Horned Rat. Still, any enemy would do best to fear the Rod of Corruption he wields even more. A dreadful rod of spiderwood, it is said to slay any mortal foe with a single touch.
7.5. Warlord Queek Head-Taker
The personal Champion of Warlord Gnawdwell, Queek has been protected by the ruler of Clan Mors from his birth. Grooming him to be the perfect soldier, Gnawdweel has supplied Queek with the best weapons, armour and training from the moment he could lift a weapon.
Queek has led several attacks and armies against the the Dwarfen strongholds in the World's Edge Mountains as well as the Moon Tribe of Goblin Warlord Skarsnik. Recently, Queek led Clan Mors' forces to a great victory against Night Goblins in the Battle of the North Stair, personally killing the NIght Goblin chief.
Queek has a very unstable temper and an immense ego. He would not turn down any challenge and has been known to challenge opposing leaders and heroes to single combat on numerous occasions. His trophy rack is ever growing and contains the heads of Krug Ironhand of Karak Drazh, Ikit Slash of Fester Spike, the nads of Albrecht Kraus, and many more.
Clad in Warpstone Armour, Queek swings both the Gouger and Dwarf Slayer, an ancient weapon from the first conflicts between the Dwarfs and the Skaven.
7.6. Grey Seer Thanquol
One of the most dangerous Grey Seers, Thanquol exhibits all qualities typical for his kind: cunning, ruthlesness, power and...paranoia. Employed and favoured by parts of the Council and hated by others, he often "misinterprets" the Lords' orders to further his own plans.
Thanquol's main field of experties are humans, whom he deems the most interesting and at the same time, the most easy to corrupt. Thus, most of his schemes are directed at bringing death and destruction to the Old World.
Recently, Clan Skryre has been trying to make amends to Thanquol for earlier...disagreements. Breaking into a museum in Nuln, they retrieved the remains of Boneripper, Thanquol's first Rat Ogre bodyguard. Slain by Gotre Gurnisson's rune axe, the Rat Ogre was in poor shape. So Thanquol only repaired the damage done to his bones and used them as the frame for a powerful mechanical construct he animated with dark sorcery. Boneripper now protects his master as a mindelss, warpstone-powered killing machine.
7.7. Throt the Unclean
One of the oldest, most powerful and most influential members of Clan Moulder, Throt the Unclean has, like most of his brethren, been exposed to warpstone for most of his life. Unlike most, however, he uses pure warpstone for various experiments, and the mutating effects have changed his mind and body.
Spines have gronw from Throt's back and he has gained extra strength and an extra arm. Warpstone energy courses through his veins like blood, further increasing the strength of his three arms to the point that he can even pin Rat Ogres to the ground by using his wickedly spiked creature-killer, a weapon designed to fight against foes larger than Throt.
However, to keep the warpstone energy from consuming Throt, he requires constant food. The hunger he feels has maddened him, a never-ceasing torment that requires him to fill all his pouches with any bits and pieces from creatures he has slain in case the hunger grows too strong and he needs sustenance.
Furthering his madness is a shard of warpstone, hammered into his left eye-socket after the eye had been ripped out by a rival packmaster. It seems that this piece is directly affecting his brain...
8. Lizardmen
8.1. Venerable Lord Kroak
Hidden deep within the catacombs of the oldest temple cities lie the mummified remains of the oldest Slann. The air around it is often filled with great magical energy, as the spirits of the Mage-Priests seldomly leave their bodies. It is unkown to what degree these spirits are able to affect the living world, but many of the Lizardmen's prophets believe that their influence is stong, if not always obvious.
Venerable Lord Kroak is the oldest and most revered of all the spirits. Said to have been the first Slann created on this world, he was the most powerful in the first spawning of the Mage-Priests.
It was him who constructed the magical energy field around the temple-city Itza in the First Great War against Chaos. Countless hordes of daemons were burned by the field as they tried to swarm into the city. When the shield finally was about to collapse, Lord Kroak caused it to instead explode to the outside, destryoing the jungle around the city for miles, and taking thousands of demons with it. When the hordes of Chaos still would not retreat and started a new assault, he ascended the highest step-pyramid in the city, raining fire and brimstone on the attackers, sending strokes of lightning into the advancing masses, ordering the river Amaxon to swallow thousands of his foes and ripping open the earth to swallow whole legions of the daemons. Although his efforts caused tremendous losses to the daemonic legions, and he was able to hold out for months atop his pyramid, he was slain by a dozen Great Daemons in the end.
However, being an essential part of the Old One's plan, his spirit stubbornly refused to leave this world when his body was slain. The playues in the temple-city of Itza, who record the Slann's history, state that he was presents at the birth of the world and therefore fated to be present at its end. To this day, all who look into the inlaid eyes of this venerable Slann can still sense the power that resides there. Lord Kroak occasionally chooses Skins shamans as his oracles, which lets him speak to the Lizardmen and greatly strenghtens the spiritual power of the shamans.
When taken into battle, his mummified remains are protected by several magic artifacts, including a Gold Death Mask that lets weaker foes forget their purpose under its hypnotic gaze, hindering their attempts to strike at Kroak's body, as well as Kroak's Ceremonial Mace of Malachite, which, although he cannot wield it anymore, still blocks any magic weapons aimed at Kroak. He - or rather, his remains - also wear the Amulet of Itza which dispels spells directly aimed at him and the Glyph of Potec inscribed into his bindings, which keeps the Undead away from him as they are among the few things that are a danger to Kroak's supernatural body.
8.2. Nakai
The rarest of all sacred spawnings is the Blessed Mark of the Old One, which is normally only given to Saurus, and only one at a time. These saurus can be recognised by an albino colouring. The Lizardmen believe that those of their kin who are born with this mark are destined for great deeds and actions.
However, at even rarer occasions, another subspecies than a Saurus may receive the Mark of the Old Ones. The prime example is the Kroxigor Nakai, called the Wanderer. He has unusually thick skin, even for a Kroxigor. Legend has it he held off five legions of daemons by himself on the Star Bridge when the temple-city of Itza was under siege. After the battle, he disappeared and was believed dead. However, he has reappeared a number of times since then, often arriving at a temple city shortly before it is attacked to aid the Lizardmen in its defense. So far, no temple city defended by Nakai has fallen. However, when a battle is over, Nakai vanishes as suddenly as he appeared, usually giving other Lizards no chance to talk to him.
Regarded widely as a sacred being, a living incarnation of the will of the Old Ones, Nakai possesses enormous wisdom and is a brilliant tactician, quite unlike his fellow Kroxigors. He wields the Sacred Blade of Quetzl, a magical blade that hums with great mystic power. Nakai has wielded the sword for such an eternity that is has almost attained an awareness, often guiding Nakai's hands to a target, or blocking blows the Kroxigor wasn't even aware of.
8.3. Lord Mazdamundi
The oldest Slann alive, Lord Mazdamundi is one of only five remaining Slann of the Second Generation. This arguably makes him the most ancient ond certainly the most powerful living being in the Warhammer World. Presiding over the temple-city of Hexoatl at the northernmost part of Lustria, it falls under his duties to prtect the Lizardmen against Dark Elven invasions from the north. His tremendous magic powers have allowed him to successfully thwart all attacks on the city. The focus of Mazdamundi's power are on geomancy, a very difficult and rare lore even among the most powerful Slann. However, having learned from the Old One Tepok himself, Mazdamundi's powers over the earth and landscape are unrivaled. When he once returned from an expedition to Naggaroth to reclaim stolen artefacts, he closed an entire valley behind him to cut off his pursuers. Unknown to every one but the Lizardmen themselves, Mazdamundi was also the cause behind the Time of Woes. It was him who started the massive earthquakes in IC -1500, which wrecked numerous Dwarven holds and decimated their race, sending the Dwarven Empire into decline for thousands of years. But Mazdamundi cannot be blamed for any malicious intent, as he simply tried to change the topography of the continents so they would fit better with the plan of the Old Ones. Still, this feat shows his unparalleled control of geomancy.
Mazdamundi's power is not limited to the earth. He has been known to part rivers, allowing his armies to cross while the following enemies were crushed when the waves rushed back into the riverbed. Any foe who fights Mazdamundi will fight the very nature itself. Furthermore, Mazdamundi tends to ride into battle on his personal stegadon, S'laq. Controled by pure force of the Lord's will, the beast can crush an entire legion of foes while Mazdamundi is raining spells from its back. Strapped on the Stegadon's back, one may often find the Sunburst Standard of Hexoatl, whose gold dazzels any flying beasts or enemies which try to descend on Mazdamundi, keeping him save from death from above.
8.4. Ancient Scar-Leader Kroq-Gar
Kroq-Gar was spawned in the now ruined temple-city Xhotl (named after the Old One Xhotl), hidden deep within a valley of the Spine of Sotrek mountains, thousands of years ago. The spawning that Kroq-Gar was part of produced very few brethren, but each and every one of them were marked with the blessing of the Old One Xhotl himself. Not only more powerful and stronger than their brethren, but also more aggressive and cunning, they were able to enforce their will on the most dangerous beasts of Lustria. As the time of Kroq-Gar's spawning coincided with the rearing of a brood of Carnosaurs, he successfully set out to take the most violent and uncontrollable of the beast as his own.
During the Coming of Chaos a few centuries later, when Daemons overran all of the Old World and threatened Lustria and the temple-cities of the Lizardmen Kroq-Gar constantly led patrols around the perimeter of Xhotl to keep the hordes of Daemons from breaching its walls. Whilst Kroq-Gar was keeping the city safe from the outside, Chaqo-Quantal, the ancient Slann Mage-Priest of Xhotl combined his power with six younger Slanns to keep up a magical barrier around the city walls, protecting it from the inside. But under the constant onslaught of the Daemons, the barrier soon wavered. With every other temple-city nearby under similar siege, no aid could be sent to Kroq-Gar.
Still, Kroq-Gar was able to hold the city walls for about a month. Then, a crack appeared in the barrier and one of the Slann holding it up was possessed by a daemonic entity. Whether maddened by the experience or controlled by the entity, he turned around and slew the other Slann, causing the barrier to fall. By the time Kroq-Gar had fought his way from the outskirts through the masses of Daemons swarming in and had reached the city center, the temple was already ruined and all Lizards within slain. Surrounded and outnumbered, the remaining Lizardmen of Kroq-Gar's party fought fiercely, but were slain one by one until only a few, including Kroq-Gar, saw the last Daemon banished from the world. Still, the city lay in ruins and the Mage-Priests were dead. So Kroq-Gar led the remains of Xhotl's army through the surrounding area, scouting for any Daemon who might have excaped their vengeance. To this day, Scar-Leader Kroq-Gar leads campaigns throughout the jungles. Riding atop Grymloq, an extremely powerful and extremely volatile Carnosaur, he drives off any raiders or outsiders that trespass the jungles. He wield the Revered Spear of Tlanxa, a weapon ruimored to have once been wielded by Tlanxa the Old One himself. Humming with ancient energy, the spear shows visions of doom to anyone it strikes, sapping the will to fight of any foe. Should Kroq-Gar be threatened from above, he will use the Hand of Gods, an ancient device forming a gauntlet on his left hand, to shoot a searing ball of light burning anything in its path.
8.5. Tehenhauin, Prophet of Sotek
(Note: Until the 5th edition, Tehenhauin was called Tenehuini.)
It was during the Age of Strife, when the Skaven clan Pestilens invaded Lustria and their plagues swept away many Lizardmen and their temple-cities and weakened the whole race with their poisonous winds that the twin-tailed comet appeared in the skies of the Warhammer world. In the temple-city of Chaqua, the comet revealed an unknown plaque that told of a new deity, of the coming of the Serpent God Sotek Many Mage-Priests doubted the existence of the god at first, as there were no other plaques he could be found on. But when Chaqua was destroyed later, the survivors of the city rallied under Tehenhauin, a prophet from the ranks of the Skinks, who foretold the coming of this god of vengeance. It is said that those few who had survived the terrible diseases of the Plague Monks wore a red-crested skin, and were more aggressive and warlike than their brethren. Setting out from Chaqua, fighting many battles against Clan Pestilens and gathering more Skinks to them, until they were a mighty army. In the following centuries, Tehenhauin led his army against Clan Pestilens time and time again, all the while resupplied by more and more spawnings of red-crests and spreading the believe in Sotek in all of Lustria. On their march, Tehenhauin continuously offered sacrifices of blood and flesh to Sotek, and eventually, his prayers were answered. A hundred years after the comet was seen, when the campaign was on its peak, a flood of serpents rushed up from the bowels of the earth and drove the Skaven out of the jungle continent. Sotek had come into the world, just as Tehenhauin had prophesied. Sotek was very much influenced by the way he came into being, as, unlike the other Lizardmen deities, he is not an Old One. He is a god created in the way of the Warhammer world, by the subconscious of those who had worshipped him. A god of vengeance, he constantly demands sacrifice (and prefers rodent flesh). Tehenhauin, who had become known as Prophet of Sotek, had fulfilled his destiny - to bring birth to a god. The Mage-Priests remained wary of Sotek, but in the plans of the Old Ones, Tehenhauin was and is a very important figure...
Nowadays, worship of Sotek is widely spread among Lizardmen society, and many have embraced this new god as one of the most important deities. Still, many Mage-Priests are puzzled and upset at how he came into the world, and the Cult of Sotek itself still remains elusive and set aside from the rest of the Lizardmen. Constantly wandering the jungle, homeless since the destruction of their city, they search for sacrifices to feed and empower their bloodthirsty god, so that one day, the great serpent might swallow the rat god itself.
Tehenhauin still marches at the very front of their ranks, the incarnation of Sotek's fury, with weapons and items blessed by this god of vengeance.
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9. The Beastmen
9.1. Gorthor the Cruel
Gorthor the Cruel was quite possibly the greatest and most dangerous Beastlord ever to walk the Warhammer world. There have been many Beastlords who have united tribes into mighty warherds, but none of them was as successfull as Gorthor had been. For Ghortor possessed on feat all his would-be successors lacked: he had vision.
Gorthor was convicned that the gods had selected him as their emissary, that he was destined to control the forests in their name. Though he had no true magical powers, he had something of the shaman about him, often falling into seizures or visted by nightmare visions of the future.
A thousand years ago, he traveled from herdstone to herdstone for months, gathering thousands of Beastmen between the Lynsk and the Middle Mountains. Those he could not convince to join him, he slew with his mighty 9' spear called Impaler, eventually making the hides of the shamans and beastlords into a mighty cloak heralding his porwess. He had crude chariots built, the Chaos hounds from the mountains caught and harpies lured with human corpses. Eventually, he had assembled the mightiest warhost ever to march under a single Beastlord's command. Gorthor's host then swarmed the norther imperial provinces without any warning. Burning a swath of destruction through Ostland and Hochland, Gorthor had every living being slaughtered, even the pets and cattle. Only one survivor did he allow for each village, to run ahead of his host and spread his tales of fear before the advancing host.
Eventually, the forest goblins from the Middle Mountains wanted to join Gorthor's army. However, he declined due to them being too weak and not being followers of Chaos. Instead, Gorthor declared war on them. In one giant battle, the beastmen warhost swept aside the goblins' forces. Few survived the mass exodus that followed.
Meanwhile, the human forces of Ostland and Hochland had tried to regroup and unite to repel the invaders together. However, Gorthor had the streets of both regions watched, and had additionally received a vision of the events from the Chaos gods. Thus, the separated forces where set upon by the beastmen before they ever saw each other.
Continuing his path of destruction throughout the woods and fields of Hochland, Gorthor made it known that his target was Hergig, Hochland's capital. Unfortunately, most of the Hochland's knighthood was occupied in a war against Araby. Still, Elector Count Mikael Ludenhof managed to hold the city's gates for twenty-two days before succumbing to the overwhelming forces of the beasts. A quarter of Hergig's population already lay slain or starved. Three days after the gates had fallen, the last remaining defenders retreated to the castle. Though half of Gorthor's force had been vanquished, he set the remainder upon the fortress. Mikael, on the other hand, would not give up easily. He stubbornly held the fortress until one day, a great contingent of crusaders returned from Araby. They were the freshly formed Knights of the Blazing Sun, and had heard of the attack upon Hergig. Charging right into the back of the besieging beastmen forced, they caught the beasts unprepared. Mikael saw his chance, and sallied forth from the castle with his personal bodyguard.
Gorthor realised that all could be lost if he did not personally get involved. Hacking his way through the masses of humans, all the while unleasing magical energy in every direction, he eventually faced Count Mikael in single combat. However, the Count possessed a magical amulet protecting him from the dark powers of Gorthor. So the two leaders fought for about two hours until finally, Mikael's Runefang sword overcame Gorthor's Impaler, smashing the shaft in two and allowing the human to deal a fatal blow. Seeing their general slain, the beastmen retreated. They never saw that Count Mikael died mere minutes after his victory, succumbing to the injuries he had received during the duel.
Although the events are a thousand years over, Gorthor's name still instills fright in the peasants of Hochland. They generally tend to avoid the forests as it is said that one day, another mighty Beastlord will become the true successor of Gorthor the Cruel, and once more will the nothern provinced tremble before the Children of Chaos.
9.2. Khazrak the One-Eye
With a strength only matched by his cunning, which is far superior to that of most of his brethren, Khazrak the One-Eye is probably the most dangerous and mighty beastmen alive. This powerful Beastlord of the Drakwald has plagues the castles and towns in the region for several years now, attacking without warning and vanishing as quickly as he appears. He leaves no trail save for those who are found slain.
Though he has long surpassed his mentor's strength, it was from beastlord Graktar that the young Khazrak learned the ways of warfare. Following Graktar on countless raids, Khazrak learned to unite the unruly hordes to a single purpose as well as to craft simple, but effective battle plans. All the while he dreamed to one day to strip Graktar of his power and ascend to leadership himself. But unlike most beastmen, Khazrak is patient. He took his time, observing his mentor and chieftain, watching the battles he fought with those who would take his position. He studied Graktar's way of battle, finding weaknesses within it and waiting for the right moment.
When Graktar was wounded in a raid on a human caravan, Khazrak knew his time had come. He challenged the bleeding chieftain and eventually ripped off one of his horns with brute force, winning the battle. Instead of killing Graktar, however, he banished him from the herd. The now one-horned exile was never seen again, though there are rumours of him still being alive, waiting for a chance to exert his revenge on his humiliator. Khazrak kept the horn as a trophy, and its blow has been the last sound for many a traveler.
Since the day of his victory, Khazrak's horde strives through the Drakwood, raiding human settlements nearby and besetting travelers. He lets no one live, setting his Chaos hounds upon the trails of any who might have escaped him. Never before has a Beastlord proven to be so elusive. By all that is known to humans, he has never been found. For on the rare occurences that Khazrak had been cornered, he always managed to slay every last of thos hunting him, be they soldiers, Templers of the White Wolf or mercenaries drawn by the huge bounty upon his head.
Elector Count Boris Todbringer has led the hunt himself on multiple occasions, and finally could lure Khazrak into a trap at the village of Elsterweld. In the battle, Khazrak lost an eye to the Runefang of the Count. Khazrak could only flee because his personal Chaos hound redmaw attacked the Count's horse. To this day, Khazrak's eye has never fully healed and still seeps blood and pus.
While normally such a wound would have been lethal to a beastmen, with their culture unforgiving to such an inferiority, Khazrak's wound only made him more careful and more grim. Swearing vengeance, he crafted plans for months, waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal itself. When finally it came, he lured out the Count with several daring raids, drawing Boris' forces into a trap. When the human force set up camp at the village of Norderingen, the Beastlord had his forces retreat in the night. At the next morning, when the humans were busy with breaking their camp to continue pursuit, Khazrak called for assault. Cutting through the soldiers of Middenheim with a fervor unwitnessed before, Khazrak carved a path to Todbringer himself. Throwing him from his mount, he held his human adversary to the ground while slowly cutting one of his eyes out with his horns, clearly taking great pleasure in the process. Like with Graktar before, Khazrak allowed Boris to live. Some believe that he enjoys to match his cunning against Todbringer's. However, the Count raised the bounty on the Beastlord's head to 10000 gold crowns.
A few months later, the two met on the battlefield again. This time, Kharak only barely got away, and hos Chaos hound Redmaw was slain by the Count. The beast's hide was nailed to the walls of Middenheim, an affront for which Khazrak is still seeking a way to take revenge.
9.3. Morghur, Master of Skulls
Morghur, Master of Skulls, also called Cyanathair by the Wood Elves, is a gruesome creature. When he rouses himself to fight, his rage and hatred quickly spill over to other beastmen, his disruptive nature making his brethren even more unruly than usual.
The Asrai of Athel Loren see him as thei greatest nemesis and the gravest threat to the woods. Many heroes, treemen and even Ariel herself has fought and slain this abomination - only to see him return completely well later. It seems that this particular monster is immortal, as it returns no matter who slays it or how often it is killed. At the same time, he corrupts each and every one who faces him in combat, a fate that the fall of the treeman Coeddil bears witness. A long time ago, during the Battle of Woe, he held Morghur in place while Ariel slew the foul thing walking her woods. Coeddil was seemingly unaffected, only to go mad 500 years later, killing all Wild Riders within the Glade of Kings to prevent the Ritual of Rebirth from taking place, which would have prevented the rebirth of orion, or at the very least have seriously weakened him. Fortunately, the awoken Ariel hurried to the glade, overcoming the treeman and his dryad companions. Unable to kill him as he was a part of Athel Loren istelf, she instead banished him to the far southeast of the wood. She placed magical boundaries across the place to ensure her verdict. Such is Morghur's power.
Morghur unites in himself the essence of all children of chaos. He is part human mutant, part beastman and even part daemon, spreading insanity and mutation wherever he walks. He even warps the nature around him. It is said that the twisted appearance of the Shadow Woods within the eastern Empire are to be attributed to the presence of one of Morghur's earlier incarnations. The same goes for the Drakwald, which he visited in -700 IC, according to the Asrai.
The beastmen venerate Morghur as the embodiemtn of pure disorder and chaotica. Many find themselves drawn to him by urges they couldn't explain - were they to question them. This tainted pilgrimage destroys many of them, as weak minds are usually shattered by the visions that the gazing upon Morghur brings. Many are also changed physically, and not few are reduced to mindless chaos brutes. When those who survive an encounter with Morghur with their minds intact return to their war-herds, they are met with awe and respect and usually rise to the postition of Wargor or Beastlord.
10. Bretonnia
10.1. Gilles Le Breton, Founder of Bretonnia
The first human tribes settled in the lands that would become Bretonnia in IC -1000, fhe greatest of them having been the tribe of the Bretonni. After they had fought many wars with the Undead, the Greenskins, Tilea (which took possession of the southern parts of Bretonnia in IC -500) and the Wood Elves in Athel Loren with only temporary alliances between the tribes, in IC 977 Giles le Breton stepped forward. He had had a vision of a extraordinarily beatiful lady who predicted him a great future. Blessed by the "Lady of the Lake", it was him that crafted a unified, powerful realm from a warring nation of petty rulers. It was him that gave the Bretonnians hope against the Greenskins pillagind and slaughtering freely across their realm. He was the first Knight of Bretonnia in spirit as well as in deeds, and the first Knight to ever look upon the Lady of the Lake. His ideals formed the idea of a chivalric knighthood and under his support, the cult of the Lady became Bretonnia's main religion.
It took a long time to rid Bretonnia of every last Orc, and Gilles did not live to see it done. But it was him who set in motion the very ideals behind the nation and the religion in Bretonnia. Nowadays, thanks to what he started, Bretonnia can claim to be free of Orcs, an assurance that even the mighty Empire cannot grant its people.
10.2. Maldred, Duke of Moussilon
The story behind the now cursed city of Mousillon began when in IC 2290, King Jules the Just was slain in battle. As he had left no male heir, a daughter being the only one of royal blood alive, it was decided that the next king would be chosen by means of a quest set b y the daughter.
While hundreds of Knights set out to prove their honour and valor by completing the quest, there as one among them who did not care for chivalry. Through lies and deceit, the fould Maldred returned within months, bearing a magical golden chalice and claiming that it was the Grail itself, given to him by the Lady of the Lake. The only person who could have proven the difference between the real chalice and the fake one was the sorceress Morgaine, but she had misteriously vanished shortly before Maldred's return.
So while the other Grail Knights knew that the Grail Maldred had brought was a fake, they could prove it. They had to watch Maldred ascend Bretonnia's throne, looking into a bleak future under the iron rule of the tyrant. Many of them tried to find Morgaine, but in the end it was only by accident that a Questing Knight by the name of Gaston de Geste discovered an imprisoned Morgaine on his search. Setting her free, she was able to return to the court and use her magic to reveal the truth. Maldred was removed from power, but managed to return to Mousillon, his city, along with Malfleur, the evil sorceress who had subdued and imprisoned Morgaine, using her foul magics to aid Maldred. Both were stripped of any honour, and Gaston was crowned as the new king.
His first act was to lay siege to Mousillon. After three years, with the siege unrelenting, the Red pox broke out within the city. Maldred had all supplies in the city brought to his palace, and sealed himself inside it along with the nobles of his corrupt land in order to avoid the disease while the inhabitants of the city starved and died. At the beginning of winter, Maldred had a lavish masked ball, with wine and food aplenty for every guest, resulting in a massive orgy. One guest, however, came dressed solely in red, with a death mask and a scythe in his hand, the embodiment of the Red Death itself. When Maldred wanted to throw him out for that vile jest, he collapsed along with all the nobility in the hall. They ahd contracted the Red Pox themselves, and died a quick death.
When on the next day, the besiegers discovered what had happened, King Gaston de Geste had his forces seal the palace and retreat from the cursed city, invoking a Cordon Sanitaire, a heavily guarded border area to prevent the disease and whatever else might creep from the city from passing to neighbouring regions. There was never again a Duke of Mousillon. However, every year, at the beginning of winter, instruments can be heard playing from within the palace, and those foolish enough to have taken a peek claim they have seen the zombified nobles dance their death of damnation forevermore...
The city is nowadays known as the City of the Damned and is not considere part of the Bretonnian realm anymore. It is swallowed by the nearby river Grimserie every year, bringing disease and plagues. What population remains are mutants and zombies, drawing an endless amount of necromants to the city. The wells are tainted with warpstone, causing mutations in anyone who dares to drink from them, and the few markets in the city sell rotten fruit and flesh to the half-human, half-undead inhabitants. Mousillon remains a dark spot on the map of Bretonnia, a taint on the honour of the realm.
10.3. Louen Leoncoeur, King of Bretonnia
The current Sun King is a man of far greater moral than his father ever was. Although brought up by a sire as decadent and honourless as they come, Louen Leoncoeur grew up to be a shining example of chivalry. A strong, wise man, he saw the faults within his father and swore never to succumb to such decadence.
Since his coronation in IC 2500, he has gone through many a trial on the battlefield. The Battle of Swamphold in IC 2508, in which he crushed a massive Orc invasion, or the countless times he has cleansed the outskirts of the cursed city of Mousillon from the undead, fought off invaders from the north and cleansed his own cities from sorcerous covens are only some in a long line of honourable deeds of valor. Although Louen has always faced the enemies of his beloved land with fiery wrath and determination, there is not a single unhonourable action he can be blamed for. His rigorous following of the code of honour is what gives him strength, also it might strike some as a hindrance to a general.
There are many legends revolving around the blessing of the Lady of the Lake that Louen obviously holds, one of those being that he is so favoured as to have received a kiss from his goddess. It is for certain that the magical power of the Grail flows in his veins, and some say that should he be cut, light will stream from the wound until his body is whole again.
Yet even without this blessing, Louen would make a formidable ruler. Skilled in the arts of commerce, justice, diplomacy, swordsmanship, equestrian skill and many more, alongside to being a proficient fighter, Louen has ruled the kingdom of Bretonnia for well over twenty years. Now as ever, he rides into battle on Beaquis the hippogryph, bearing the Sword of Couronne, an ancient heirloom of his house along with the Lion Shield, the very same shield he bore as a lowly Knight Errant. Interestingly, he also wears his crown into battle unlike other rulers, as the Crown of Bretonnia is a potent magical artifact itself, blessed with a kiss from the Lady during the times of King Louis the Rash.
Though his exact age is unknown, scholars speculate King Louen Lencoeur must be close to ninety years old, yet he still appears to be in his prime. Whispers among the court claim that he will set his eyes on cursed Mousillon next, cleansing it from its taint to make Bretonnia whole once again.
10.4. The Green Knight
The champion of the Lady of the Lake, protector of the sacred sites in Bretonnia most often materializes to test Questing Knights. But he will also appear in sacred sites where those with evil intents have trespassed. He is called the shaabhekh, the "Soulkiller", by the beasts of the tainted forests, for he has slain untold thousands of their kin throughout the centuries. He bursts forth from the bole of ancient trees or the ground of lakes or waterfalls to unleash his wrath against those who dare trespass the sacred places. After his righteous slaughter is complete, he vanishes as quickly as he appeared.
Weapons are said to be useless against the Green Knight, as blades and arrows pass straight through him as though he were made of the morning mist on the lakes. In one epic tale, a Questing Knight cut the Green Knight’s head clean from his shoulders, but the fey being simply picked up his head and rode away.
Though the existence of the Green Knight is undisputed in Bretonnia, no one knows what he actually is -except for maybe the Fay Enchantress. Some see him as the Bretonnian spirit given physical form, while others claim he is Gilles le Breton, the founder of Bretonnia himself, having devoted himself completely to the land and the Lady after he was taken from this world. The only thing that is sure is that he withstands death from any source, be they age or wounds. Whatever he is, it seems sure that he is no longer human, if he ever was.
10.5. Morgiana, the Fay Enchantress
While it is generally believed that throughout the history of Bretonnia there have been many Enchantresses, some think that she has lived through all the ages of Bretonnia, making her thousands of years old. What is certain is that the Fay Enchantress has had many different names throughout the centuries. The current embodiment is known as Morgiana. She is said to be the most beautiful woman to walk the world, a claim disputed heavily by the Tileans, who would have that title claimed by the Duchess of Pavona, Lucreccia Belladonna, a dangerous, scheming sorceress. This dispute has given birth to many ridiculous rumours, such as the infamous mercenary knight Voland being the son of an union between the Fay Enchantress and an intelligent, speaking pig called Eric.
Just like her damsels, the Fay Enchantress is an exemption to the usual hierarchy of power within Bretonnia coming and going as she pleases, guided by the will of the Lady of the Lake. She also occasionally appears to Questing Knights to guide them in the last steps of their journey to the Lady. Travelling between the sacred groves of the lands, she gathers up young children with a latent power that is mostly hidden to everyone but herself, though it may manifest itself in strange occurrences about the child. These chosen ones are taken by the Fay Enchantress to a place beyond time and mortality, to the mysterious Otherworld. The girls occasionally return years later as Damsels of the Lady, blessed in spirit and heart. The male children never return.
Should the realm be in grave danger, the Fay Enchantress will rally the dukes or even the King himself and make them ready for war. When she decides to ride alongside the Bretonnian armies, she employs her unearthly powers in the protection of those fighting for the lady. Her legendary fury is greatly feared, and her piercing eyes crackle with power, inspiring terror and awe in friend and foe alike. She has been known to draw lightning from the sky to strike her enemies, and slay with but a wrathful glance.
10.6. Repanse de Lyonesse
When Repanse was but seventeen year old, the shepherdess saw her land invaded by a mighty Chaos army under Kharan, a Champion of Khorne. Coming from beyond the Sea of Claws, the invaders butchered any Bretonnian standing in their way. The great King Louis the Brave led his finest Knights against the Chaos followers, but his army was obliterated and he himself slain. The Chaos host continued its march unopposed, butchering any village they came across and eventually laying siege to the great city of Couronne.
It was in these dark hours that Repanse walked among the ruins of a burned town. Suddenly, a celestial figure appeared before her, no other than the Lady of the Lake herself, speaking the words "Repanse, Repanse, rid my land of these foul foes, for they do offend me with their presence!". Fueled by this vision, the young girl donned a slain knight's armour and calmed down a scared warhorse that had somehow escaped the previous slaughter. Searching the destroyed Grail Chapel, she found a fine sword and a tapestry that she fastened to a lance lying on the floore, crafting a banner under which she rode towards the invaders. Those Knights who had fled battle or survived against all odds, wandering the countryside with fear in their hearts, rallied to this unknown Knight, taking oaths to follow her into death or glory. Crushing smaller forces of Chaos in the surrounding villages, word of this small band spread quickly, and over time, Repanse gathered a mighty host of Knights.
When she judged her army ready, she rode for the city of Couranne, arriving merely moments before the gates fell to the enemy. Cutting a bloody apth through the rear horde of the advancing Chaos host, Repanse eventually faced her adversary Kharan. A brute of a man, twice as high and wide as any other man she had seen, with a massive blade and seemingly living armour, his most terryfing aspect was his head, which was covered with mutated mouths and eyes. Raising his weapon to slay her like any other Knight, Kharan was suddenly struck by her radiant aura, granting the former shepherdess a chance to strike. With one singe stroke, she beheaded the vile Champion, robbing the Chaos forces of their general. When the host of Khorne turned to flee, they were all but obliterated by the pursuing Knights.
Louis the Young, son of the Brave, yet too young to ascend the throne as of yet, bestowed upon Repanse full knighthood and the dutchy of Lyonesse, which she rules to this day.
10.7. Bertrand the Brigand, Gui le Gros and Hugo le Petit
There are many legends told among the peasants of Bretonnia, though none is as popular as that of Bertrand the Brigand. It is said that even some of the nobles in Bretonnia enjoy hearing of his adventures...though those would have to be the more noble and just lords.
Tales claim he was but a poor peasant from the lands of Bergerac, though whether this part of his tales is true is as doubtful as the truth of all other parts. Gui le gros, carrying a tankard of the finest wine (stolen from decadent lords or given to him by thankful ones) and Hugo le Petit are Bertrand's friends, always ready to help him out of any trouble he gets himself in.
The famous tale of Bertrand the Brigand goes somewhat like this:
One day, in the small domain in the forested heart of Bretonnia called Bergerac, the land's Baron went out to complete the Grail Quest, but never returned. in his absence, the small domain was plagued by Orc raids, and without the guidance of the Baron, the future looked grim for the inhabitants.
Normally, the Baron's son should have set out as a Knight Errant, proving himself by ending the Orc menace in his father's lands. But the son was a coward, hiding inside his father's castle, not caring for the common folk the slightest bit. In fact, he despised the common folk.
So when the land was in dire need of a hero, it was the ploughman Bertrand, who was known as a highly skilled archer and a man with a lion's heart, who stepped forward. Some versions of the tale claim that his reason for doing so was an undying love between him and the Baron's daughter, a forbidden love as her mother and brother would never allow her to live with a commoner.
So while the Baroness and her foul son lavished away within the safety of their castle walls, enjoying the finest wine and luxurious food, Bertrand organised archer practice for the commoners, drew up watchmen schedules and trained the peasants in what he knew of combat. Under his leadership, many villages were able to throw back the attacks of the Orcs. Eventually, he managed to end the menace once and for all by rallying the villagers of all towns. One might think that the Baroness or her son would have rewarded Bertrand, but instead, they ignored him and raised the taxes and tithes, so that all the common folk had gained by removing the Orcs' attacks was taken away by their own nobility. Rumours spread that the Baron had recently returned, but the Baroness had poisoned him, not ready to give up her hold on the common folk. The fact that she shunned the Grail Chapel also led many to believe that she was the descendant of Maldred himself, or some other vile being from Mousillon. Whether that was true or not, she was a decadent and corrupt noble for sure, and eventually succumbed to the powers of Chaos.
However, on day fate struck, as some might say. There was a fault in a Chaos ritual she performed, and a one-eyed Daemon with a thirst of blood was summoned and devoured the baroness and her son, ruining the castle afterwards. Next, it went for the daughter, but this was the great hour of Bertrand. Shooting the demon in his single eye before it got a chance to devour his love, Bertrand caused the creature to drop her. Hugo caught the girl and brought her to safety will Bertrand killed the Daemon with flaming arrows.
With no castle and no ruler to follow, the peasants set out through the Bretonnian countryside under the leadership of Bertrand and his new wife, for he married the Baron's daughter. Many tales of Betrand's adventures followed, tales of him righting wrongs and helping the common man as well as the good lords, of whom he only expects two rewards: a barrel of fine wine for Gui le Gros and the intermission of taxes for the peasants in the area for one year.
11. Vampire Counts
11.1. Von Carsteins
11.1.1. Vlad and Isabella von Carstein
The very first time of an alleged appearance of Vlad von Carstein in the Empire was in 1797, when Otto von Drak, the mad last descendant of the family von Drak and ruler of Sylvania died without a male heir to take his place. It was then that Vlad stepped forward and married the late Drak's daughter, seizing control of the province. Her rebellious brother Leopold was thrown out of the highest tower in the castle, after the Vampire Count had ripped hos heart out, fulfilling his new wife's wish. The Sigmar Priest who had carried out the marriage ceremony vanished soon after, and so did any of the nobles who despised the notion of being ruled by an outsider, such as Braon Pieter Kaplin, who was found dead in his locked chambers, hairs white and eyes wide with terror. The bandit lord Boris Earbiter who had plagued Sylvania for years was found hanging in a tree, devoid of any drop of blood. Ten years after he had assumed his new position, Vlad had acheived complete control over Sylvania. All important castles were occupied by his descendants, all Sigmarite temples in the province closed. Vlad had effectively closed the province off from the rest of the Empire.
Soon after, an apparent plague fell over Sylvania, its symptons anemia, infirmity and physically pining away. Whether or not this plague can be attributed to nightly bites by Vampires need not be gone into. Fact is that no physician was able to cure either the symptoms or the disease itself. So when Isabelle von Carstein cauth the plague, she begged her husband to make her a Vampire herself. At first he was reluctant to make his beloved into a monster like himself. But as her condition worsened, he eventually gave in and granted her the Blood Kiss. Isabella was cured within a night's time. As she made no secret of her new identity, she became the center of a cult called the "Raisen Dead", who openly embraced the undeath, wanting to achieve immortality as a Vampire and protection from the plague. Some of them reached that goal, many did not.
In 2010 IC, during the Geheimnisnacht, when both Morrslieb and Mannslieb were full in the sky, Vlad von Carstein revealed his nature to the rest of the Empire. He invited all nobility of Sylvania to a masked ball...only to slaughter every noble who remained a human with his Vampires. Climbing the highest tower of his castle, he recited from the Nine Books of Nagash...not copies, but the actual third edition written down by the Strigoi Kadon when wearing Nagash's old crown. They allowed him to raise a massive horde of undead, including those he had just slain. He marched upon the Empire, which was divided by the Three Emperors at that time. His army of skeletons and zombies marched side by side with the degenerated militas and farmers of Sylvania, who had accepted Vlad as their rightful sovereign without any hesitation. This was the beginning of the Vampire Wars.
The first battle, the socalled Battle of Essenfurt was a major success for Vlad. He all but crushed the army of General Hans Schliffen. However, when he went about executing the prisoners, Schliffen managed to behead Vlad. Hermann Posner, a Vampire of the von Carstein bloodline with the ability to transform himself into a wolf, immediately took leadership of Vlad's armies - for about one day. In the night, Vlad returned and killed him.
Next was the Battle of Swartzhafen in IC 2025 (or 2049, depending on what source you believe). This battle ended in a defeat for Vlad by Jerek Kruger and his White Wolves. However, one year alter (in 2062 or 2050), Vlad returned in spring, taking the city of Middenheim with masses of etherical undead, against whom the Knights of the White Wolf were powerless. Kruger engaged in a duel with Vlad on the belltower of the Temple of Ulric, but the Vampire was victorious and drank every last drop of blood that remained in Kruger's body. In a display of his utter willpower, Kruger threw himself off the tower to avoid the curse. However, he failed, being reborn as Jerek von Carstein soon after. Other tales of Vlad's deaths include being impaled on five lances and the Runefang of the Count of Ostland, or being beheaded by a cannon ball.Each time he was killed, it seemed that he returned sooner than the last time.
Eventually, Vlad laid siege to Altdorf itself in IC 2051. When the city was about to surrender, Grand Theogonist Wilhelm III received a vision. There are different views as to from where this vision originated. Wilhelm claimed it was from Sigmar, yet other sources state it came from Manfred von Carstein, a traitor within the Vampires' ranks. Be that as it may, the vision revealed that the ring Vlad wore was what allowed him to reincarnate every time he was slain. So Felix Mann, the greatest thief of his time, was tasked with stealing the ring. Three days after the last ultimatum ended, Mann sneaked into the black, silken tent within the Vampire camp that was curiously left unguarded, stealing the ring and disappearing into the night. When Vlad discovered that the ring was missing, he was furious and stormed the city. While many of the lesser Vampires were slain throughout the city, Vlad faced the Grand Theogonist on the city walls. Having been heavily wounded by the dark Count within the first minutes of the battle, Wilhelm accepted that he could not win. He grabbed the Vampire and threw himself off the wall, impaling himself and Vlad on the stakes within the moat.
With their master dead once and for all, Vlad's army of undead began to dissipate and the other Vampires fled, unable to agree who should lead them. In the abandoned remains of the besiegers' camps, the followers of Sigmar discovered the Nine Books of Nagash and the Liber Mortis, which they subsequently locked away within the safest vaults under the Great Cathedral of Sigmar. Ludwig von Altdorf, one of the contenders for the Imperial Throne, was in favour of pursuing the fleeing Vampires, but his political rivals feared his newly gained popularity as victor over the great Vampire Count, and hindered him.
Meanwhile, Isabella von Carstein could not bear to spend eternity without her beloved Vlad. She committed suicide before the eyes of the soon-to-be Emperor Ludwig and the Grand Theogonist. The other Vampires, granted a chance to flee and regroup by Ludwig's hesitation or inability to pursue them, were able to return to Sylvania and regenerate, a fact that would result in the terror wars of Konrad von Carstein against the Empire.
In the time he walked the earth, Vlad von Carstein preferred elegant, aristocratic clothing. Only when he rode into battle did he wear massive armour with macabre decorations, a heavy bear pelt along with its paws and a cloak in which he had woven the souls of his countless victims.
Appendix: The true Identity of Vlad von Carstein?
In his Liber Necris, Mannfred von Carstein makes continuous allusions to Vlad von Carstein being the same person as Vashanesh, one of the Dark Lords of Nagash himself and also Prince Vladimir, counselor to Baron Frederick van Hal, whom he gave the Nine Books of Nagash to. This would explain the origin of the ring that allowed Vlad to revive himself, as Vashanesh was given a ring by Nagash that allowed him to rule all Vampires. If all this is true, then Vlad was much older than anyone in the Empire had suspected.
11.1.2. Konrad von Carstein
Konrad von Carstein was, quite simply put, a blood-crazy lunatic. While that may seem to be the case for many a Vampire in folks' tales, Konrad surpassed every last one of his brethren. He had already made a name for himself as a blood-thirsty slaughterer when he was still human, proving to be completely nefarious. One of his decrees was that every last of his crossbowmen was to use kittens for target practice, and on at least two occasions, he had peasants burned because he did not like their smell. He even had his mother sentenced and imprisoned because she had given birth to him without his consent. Another time, he had the inhabitants of two villages staked without giving any reason whatsoever.
Why Vlad von Carstein chose him of all people, no one ever understood, though some speculate that he was humoured by Konrad's insanity. But Konrad was one of the very few whom Vlad granted the Blood Kiss personally. In fact, Konrad was the second one to receive the Blood Kiss from Vlad, preceded only by Mannfred von Carstein. Having been granted immortality and the other powers that come with the Blood Kiss, such as heightened strength and speed, did little to tighten Konrad's slipping grip on sanity. He began slaying all who drew the resentment of his new master upon them, as well as all he himself did not like, including enemy generals and priests of all confessions as well as several necromants who had mocked his magical abilites. As he himself had almost no power in the field of necromancy, he had his troops enslave every single magic user they came across, forcing them to do his will.
After Vlad's death, Konrad was one of the most likely candidates for succession.Having killed Hans von Carstein in the struggles for leadership over the clan, Konrad eventually managed to establish himself as Vlad's heir. The remaining humans in Sylvania suffered greatly under his rule, as he saw them not unlike a cruel marksmen might see his prey. He also had a very clear view on his territory, marking the boundaries with pikes adorned with the heads of his enemies.
Seeking to surpass his progenitor, he started his own campaign against the Empire. However, as he lacked any talent for necromancy along with strategic thinking and tended to underestimate his enemies, he mostly had to rely on brute strength. In battle, it usually did not take him long to fall into a frenzy and become a living - or rather, undead - killing machine, hacking away foes to his right and left, staying hs swords only to lick the blood from them and his armour. His campaign was stopped in 2100 IC in the Battle of the Four Armies, when the forces of three contenders for the Imperial Throne united to stop him - although two of them turned on each other during the battle, and the third, Helmut von Marienburg was slain and raised as undead by Konrad. Thus, no one accepted him as Emperor and he was put in the grave by his own son. It was this son, Helmar, who, together with the Dwarf Thane Grufbad, killed Konrad once and for all 21 years later in the Battle of Grimmoor. They exploited Mannfred's one weakness, surprising him while he was busy licking the blood of his armour. The dwarf held him while Helmar used his Runefang to kill the Vampire.
11.1.3. Mannfred von Carstein
Mannfred von Carstein was the very first Vampire to be sired by Vlad himself. As such, he had the greatest claim on Vlad's throne after his death, but he chose to remain in the shadows, letting the other contenders weaken each other before assuming full control of Sylvania. It is said that while Vlad was the most powerful in the von Carstein line, Mannfred is certainly the most cunning. While his brethren fought amongst themselves, and Konrad was busy ravaging in the Empire, Mannfred studied everything he could find about the art of Necromancy. He claims to have been to Nagazar himself, studying under the great masters who serve nagash himself. He also claims to have drunk from the blood of the lines of Abhorash, Neferata and W'soran, granting him parts of their powers. Whether all his claims are true or not, when he returned to Sylvania, he had attained a level of power in the arts of Necromancy that was unparalleled among the von Carsteins. It was Mannfred who wrote the Liber Necris, which in some sequences is little more than a glorification of his own powers.
One part of the Liber Necris tells of his studies regarding the humans of the Empire, who sparked his interest after his progenitor himself was slain by one of these supposedly weak beings. If the Liber Necris is to be believed, then he has even met Grand Theogonist Volkmar himself.
Anyway, after Konrad's death, Mannfred was the undisputed ruler of all Sylvania. However, he let the wars with the Empire rest for 10 years, judging rightly that if the Vampire menace seemed to have ended, the Imperials would turn upon themselves once more. Proven right by the various contenders to the Imperial Throne, who were quick to resume their wars amongst each other, Mannfred made his move in 2132 IC, marching on the divided and weakened Empire. In the first few weeks, Mannfred won many battles and eventually reached Altdorf. However, when he was about to lay siege to the city, Grand Theogonist Kurt III appeared upon the city walls, reciting the Ritual of Banishment from the Liber Mortis the Empire had salvaged from the remains of Vlad's camp at the end of the Vampire Wars. Mannfred's army began to dissipate and he quickly ordered a retreat. Leading his army down the Reik, he planned to siege Marienburg instead. However, the High Elves had established a trading post in Marienburg, and chance had an Archmage called Finreir present in the city when mannfred arrived. The Archamge effectively countered Mannfred's necromantic powers, and when an army from Altdorf threatened to fall into his rear, Mannfred von Carstein fled across the Empire. The armies of various provinces destroyed his army multiple times, only to face the same amount of undead in the next battle. Eventually, though, Mannfred was forced to retreat to Sylvania. This time however, the Counts of the Empire were willing to pursue the Vampires. Aided by their allies, the Dwarfs, the Empire's troops cornered Mannfred and defeated him in the Battle of Hel Fenn. it was Elector Count Martin von Stirland who slew him with his Runefang, seemingly ending the Vampire Wars. Thus, the province of Sylvania was formerly made part of his dominion, though no one would have contested him for control of this cursed land anyway. Though it seemed that Mannfred was dead, his body was never found...
Years later, Mannfred was awakened by a necromancer called Schtillman. Although he himself remains silent on the details, an account of his rebirth can be found within the tales of Felix Jaeger. Jaeger claims that he was investigatin rumours of a necromancer within Castle Drakenhof, who supposedly kidnapped a little girl. Sure enough, this necromancer had searched the swamps of Hel Fenn for years until he had come upon the remains of Mannfred's body, which, at that time, were nothing more than a bunch of bones among reed and mud. It seems that Jaeger, along with his dwarven companion Gotrek, came upon the necromancer right in the middle of a ritual in which he planned to sacrifice the kidnapped girl as a blood offering. Battle ensued, and eventually Gotrek killed the necromancer before he could finish his ritual. However, with the final strike of Gotrek's axe, some of the necromancer's blood spilled on Mannfred's remains. Before the eyes of the two companions, the body and spirit of the Vampire rapidly regenerated, until he stood before them, whole and alive - or rather, undead - once again. Gotrek immediately challenged him, but it seems Mannfred refused, feeling too weak as of yet and remembering the weapon runes of the Dwarfs from his last battle as something that had let to his demise. The girl survived, though it seems that she later went back into the arms of Mannfred on her own account...though that is another tale.
Nowadays, Mannfred is, of his own account, the oldest and most powerful Vampire of the von Carstein bloodline still alive, and thus the undisputed ruler of all von Carsteins. His features have suffered greatly, though. He has lost his hair, and his face has become a distorted mockery of his once noble and aristocratic features. His deep studies of the arts of Necromancy have led to this appearance, although these outer changes normally only occur with human necromancers, not vampiric ones. But it seems that Vlad has gotten so deep into the dark arts that they affect even him.
11.1.4. Luthor Harkon
In 876 IC, Norse raiders boarded a trading vessel of the Empire, and found a valuable sarcophagus on board. Ignorant of the Vampire Luthor Harkon who rested inside, they took the sacrophagus with them. Within the same year, a norse longhsip stranded on the coasts of Lustria. The crewmen were either starved or drowned, but they were not dead. Under the leadership of Luthor Harkon, they were the first undead to walk the shores of the New World, and Harkon immediately began to build an empire. The region in which he was active was famous for its treacherous winds and numerous ledges. From this shore, which would later become known as the Vampire Shore, Luthor began to plunder various tombs in the jungle and raise all the sailors who had fallen victims to the shores to add to his army. He wrote down every last of his nefarious deeds in the Books of Harkon. He quickly came into conflict with the Lizardmen, who saw him not only as an abomination, but were also enraged at the desecration of their tomb sites.
In 930 IC, Harkon led his zombie pirates deeper into the jungle than ever before, driven by his greed for magical artifacts. Lord Xoltc of Itza had sent him false visions to lure him into a trap, which sprung when Harkon entered the city of Oxyl. Lord Xltep, a Slann Mage-Priest of Itza all but obliterated Harkon's army with the aid of the ancient Kroxigor Nakai in the Battle of the Solar Eclipse. An ever vindictive being, Harkon allied with sirens in 1011 IC, who drew more and more ships to the Vampire Coast, granting Harkon the corpses he needed to build an even greater army than before. However, he took his time. Before marching into the heartland once again, he used his necromantic powers to raise ships from the ground of the sea in 1127 IC, enabling his zombie pirates to raid the sea once more and bring back yet more corpses to swell the ranks of Harkon's forces. Finally, in 1351 IC, Luthor led his army into the inner jungles of lustria once more, slaying the Skink guards and defenders of the temple-city of Axlotl, razing it to the ground. Although the Skink shamans were able to rescue some artifacts, many magical treasures fell into Harkon's hands that day.
Still not satisfied in his ever growing greed, Harkon marched on to the abandoned temple-city of Huatl. In the third week of the excavations, his minions discovered an ancient chamber, sealed with powerful glyphs. Harkon ordered the chamber prised open. However, the chamber's protective spells were incredibly powerful, having been crafted by Slann whose power surpassed Harkon's by far. All of Harkon's zombies were destroyed immediately. Then, Harkon made the worst decision of his (un)life, determined to pry open the chamber with his own necromantic powers. The glyphes surpassed his powers, creating a link to his mind, draining him of all magic power and vitality. When he finally managed to break the link, his mind was nearly completely destroyed.
The glyphs had severed his connection to the Winds of Magic and splintered his personality. Harkon is nowadays unable to cast spells directly. Although he is still able to raise his minions and make their wet firearms work, he retains only a fraction of the power he once held. His personality constantly switches from a complete madness which results in a frenzy to his earlier malevolent character onto a dangerous and nefarious will which hates everyone and everything. Sometimes these personalities fight each other, each of them unwilling to give up control. This results in Harkon often standing around doing seemingly nothing, which can prove quite a hindrance in battle.
However, the anti-magical protection Harkon has been exposed to has also ggranted him an unexpected boon: not only is he unable to cast any powerful magic, he is now also very resistent against any kind of harmful magic. Although he has concentraed on the sea a lot lately, making himself and his zombie pirates into amphibious beings who are at home at and in the sea as much as on land, he continuiously plans raids into the jungles, hoping to discover an artifact that will revers his condition.
Before his mishap at Huatl, Luthor rode into battle on his nightmare, swinging the Sword of Eigil Johannesen, the captain of the Norse ship that discovered his sarcophagus, protecting himself with a Black Amulet not quite unlike those some Druchii wear. Nowadays, he weilds a scimitar along with a pair of pistols, fitting the image of what most people imagine when hearing of a zombie pirate.
11.2. The Blood Dragons
11.2.1. Abhorash
At the very beginning of vampirism, when only Neferata herself had consumed the elixir changing her into a Vampire, Abhorash was the leader of the palace guard. One night, he discovered his mistress when she stilled her thirst. It was then that she decided to make him a Vampire himself. Thus, he became one of the eleven Lahmians to whom Neferate gave the elixir, one of the twelve Master Vampires. Abhorash was, by the way, the only one who did not drink the elixir due to his own ambitions, but out of love and loyalty to his mistress. In fact, he didn't even know what the elixir would do to him, believing the red substance within the chalice to be his queen's blood. When he discovered what he now was, he fought his new nature for many days. However, this only worsened his condition, and when he finally snapped, he slaughtered many more than his thirst would have demanded. Succumbing to vampirism, he joined the Vampire court. Neferata made him the supreme commander of their forces, for even during his human time he had been the mightiest warrior in all of Lahmia. However, even as a vampire, he retained the loyalty toward his people, passing laws that required the Vampires to drink only the blood of those who deserved death, such as the desert raiders plundering the outskirts of Lahmia. However, Abhorash was pretty much the only one who followed these laws. When the other Vampires started to take victims from other nations than Nehekhara as well, the leaders of these nations allied to end the thread once and for all.
When they attacked Lahmia, it was Abhorash who proved one of their biggest obstacles. Standing upon the stairs of Lahmia's temples, he slew one attacker after another, the blood of each strengthening him even more. His transformation into a Vampire had made him almost invincible, with spears, arrows, fire and magic unable to to fell him. With the assistance of Nagash himself, Abhorash fought day and night and was able to stall the attackers for no less than seven days. But although slew thousands on his own, in the end no single man could face an army as great as the one besieging Lahmia on his own. The temples fell, going up in flames, taking many Vampires with them. Only Abhorash, Neferata, Wsoran und Ushoran, sowie Vashanesh were able to flee from the carnage. Four of them joined Nagash for the time being, but not Abhorash. He made the others responsible for their downfall because they could not control their craving. He took a few vampiric soldiers of his own and wandered north, swearing vengeance on all of humanity. He and his followers encountered many Orc tribes on their ventures, slaying no fewer than five of them and bathing in their blood. They also slew their fair share of Dwarfs while ravaging through outposts and mines. Eventually, Abhorash came upon a mountain encircled in fire. Ignoring the advise of his followers, Abhorash heeded the strange power that drew him to the mountaintop, and began climbing. When he reached the summit and looked to the skies, a massive red dragon descended upon the Vampire. The fight was glorious and lasted almost a whole day, with the Vampire coming out victorious in the end. While the dragon drew his last breath, Abhorash sank his fangs deeply into his throats and began to take in the rich blood of the ancient beast. When he had all but sucked it dry, he threw the carcass off the mountain and emitted an exultant cry of victory, for he no longer felt the any craving for blood. To this day, he is the only Vampire to ever have cured his curse. In a sense, he is the ultimate warrior, a man with the strength and speed of a Vampire, but without the need for blood.
When he came back from the mountain, Abhorash ordered his followers to go out into the world and seek a cure for themselves, pronouncing that he would not accept their company before they had rid themselves of their craving. His bloodline, only five Vampires strong on that day, has since called themselves the Blood Dragons in honour of their progenitor's deeds. Although none of them has ever seen Abhorash again, they firmly believe that on top of the fiery mountains, he still waits for the return of his sons.
11.2.2. Valach
The most successfull and favoured sons of Abhorash was Valach, also known as Shaitaan Harkon. When Abhorash sent his followers out into the world, Valach made his way into the Empire, to the gates of the Blood Keep, which was home to an order of templars, the Ordo Draconis. Challenging the entire order, he killed every single one fo them and their men-at-arms. Those he deemed worthy were granted the Blood Kiss, creating a whole keep of undead knights for Valach to rule over.
Eventually, the humans of the Empire discovered the true natur of dragon templars and the keep was taken by witch hunters accompanied by the templers of other orders. Mikael, Valach's favourite among the Blood Knights and the standard bearer of his personal guard, was slain in this battle. Since that day, Valach wears the banner himself. Although they lost the keep once and were besieged by Karl Franz in later years, the Blood Knights still meet in the keep every 50 years, swearing allegiance to Valach under the banner of the two-headed dragon, drinking blood from their most valuable relic, a chalice of black obsidian.
11.2.3. The Red Duke
During the reign of Louis the Righteous, the 15th king of Bretonnia, the Arabians overran Estalia under the leadership of Sultan Jaffar. Louis send his most valiant and skilled knight to end the threat, the Duke of Aquitaine. The Duke earned great honour and fame by freeing Estalia and many songs were made about his deeds. However, during the siege of Lashiek in Araby, catastrophe ensued. The Duke vanished for many days until he was found heavily wounded. But his followers never gave up on him, not even when he fell into a coma while they brought him back to Bretonnia. On their way, they were set upon by Orcs and Skaven alike, but they did not fail in their duty and brought their Duke back home. When a short time later he succumbed to the fever and died, they swore him an everlasting oath of fealty - words they would rue soon after.
After three days of resting in his tomb, the Duke awoke. Within a few hours, he had slain every last of the caste's inhabitants and raised them again. Thousands fled before his hordes, seeking the aid of the king. Realising the danger he was in should the king decide to march upon Aquitaine, the Duke tried to win over Isabeau, the Warden of the Lady's Tower, the highest sorceress in all of Bretonnia save for the Fey Enchantress herself, to his cause. But she saw through his scheme and fled to join the ranks of the king. The armies of Bretonnia clashed with those of the Red Duke at the Battle of Ceren Fields. The Duke was defeated and impaled on the king's very own lance. In death, the distorted features of the Duke once again assumed the appearance he had worn in life, so the king was unable to burn his old friend. He had him entombed within a great crypt sealed with Grail symbols, against the protests of Isabeau who demanded he be burned. The king also had the Duke's name erased from all records, so that his family could continue their service to Bretonnia without this stain upon their honour.
The Duke, however, was far from dead. He had prepared for this eventuality, encasing his essence in a jewel of purest crimson he had crafted from the souls of the innocent by using the blackest of magics. Although it took him years to regenerate, he was more powerful than before in the end. still, he could not escape from his tomb. No matter what kinds of spells or undead creatures he threw against the barriers, Isabeau's seals held. While his fury was ever growing, the Bretonnians eventually forgot his legend throughout the centuries.
It would take a thousand years before the Red Duke got to see the su...uhm...got to breathe fresh air again. The necromant Renar eventually broke the seals to subdue the Vampire. He had not expected the Vampire to be in the state he found him, however. The Red Duke was very much amused when the necromancer surrendered without a battle.
Hunting through the night and eventually regaining his full power after only a few weeks, the Vampire began to revive all his loyal knights and also those enemies he had slain in his final battle. He occupied his old castle again, abandoned by the Bretonnians in favor of Castle Aquin near the Ceren Fields. The Red Duke gathered more undead forces every night, until he had more than a thousand followers. Convinced of his superiority, he attacked three provinces at the same time while leading the greatest part of his army toward the castle of Gilon D'Aquitaines, the Bretonnian general who had led the army that vanquished the Red Duke's forces at Ceren Fields. While two of his smaller armies succeeded in their various tasks (securing Mercal, a village where the Duke's most loyal knights had been entombed and taking the Tower of the Lady), the third failed to secure the bridge over the Morceaux, forcing the Duke to rethink his strategy. Forced to take another way, the undead armies had to cross Ceren Fields. So the second Battle of Ceren Fields took place. Once again the Red Duke lost, but he managed to kill the Duke Gilon d'Aquitaine and to escape afterwards. The Duke's son, Richemont, had Questing Knights search for the Vampire for months, but they were unable to find him. Supposedly, he still roams the fields and woods of Bretonnia, searching for a way to take his revenge...
11.3. The Lahmians - Neferata
Neferata, also called Neferatem sometimes, was the Princess and later the Queen of Lahmia, one of the nations in the ancient civilization of Nehekhara. Nehekhara's culture was centered on the death and afterlife, building huge tombs and temples. Eventually, those became so frequent and huge that they became to be known as Necropoli, the cities of the dead.
One day Neferata, discovered the Book of Nagash, the very first Necromancer, and fascinated by the powers within it, she began practicing the art of necromancy. While earlier necromancers had come to accept that their flesh wore out through time, Neferata sought youthful immortality. Eventually she made a pact with a dark force (whose name is generally said to be "better left unmentioned") who supplied her with a vial of a special elixir distilled from his own blood, which would grant her eternal youth. However, the mixture had some undesired side effects: Neferata's heart stopped to beat and she developed a craving for human blood. She gathered her eleven most trusted advisors and friends, and gave to each of them a portion of the elixir. Thus were born the twelve Master Vampires, of whom all other vampires in the world of Warhammer are descendants.
Later, after Lahmia had fallen, Alcadizaar had destroyed the combined forces of the Vampires and Nagash (for more information on these events, see the Tomb Kings/Vampire Counts section within the Layman's Guide to Warhammer Factions) and the Master Vampires finally abandoned Nagash, Neferata separated herself from her brethren. She took the dwarven hold called Silver Pinnacle in the World's Edge mountains, earning her the name "Evil Queen" with the Dwarfs.
She has built herself a fine haven after taking over the hold, creating the Sisterhood of Lahmia, an all female Vampire bloodline. Said to be divinely beautiful in her youth, she has lost none of it with the years. Though her skin is white as alabaster nowadays, and the long years of evil have washed away all trace of pity and compassion from her expression, no man stays unmoved when looking into her face, framed by plaited tresses of the darkest black. Her body retains the appearance of youth, with only her yellow eyes showing a hint of the centuries they have seen pass by, and the cruelty and wisdom that lie behind them.
The Silver Pinnacle is nowadays one of the most dangerous places in the world, as Neferata has outfitted her mountain lair with a myriad of passageways, creating a maze that no living creature can find his way through without guidance, riddled with traps and undead creatures as it is.
At the very heart of the maze, one would find the quarters of Neferata. Here, she has remade the image of the royal palace she once inhabited in Lahmia, with reasures of old, golden masks and rare gemstones adorning the rooms in which Neferata lies on a divan, drinking the blood of handsome youths from golden cups and listening as her Undead courtiers play harps, pipes and lutes to amuse her. She uses the Lahmian Sisterhood as her eyes and ears in the outside world. She still dreams of bringing all other bloodlines back under her control to one day return to Lahmia at the head of an undead army of a scale no one ever saw before and to reclaim the country she once called home.
Meanwhile, Neferata delights herself by causing men of pure heart to fall from grace. Her favourite victims are Bretonnian knights, for she finds their code of chivalry easy to exploit. Many a knight has found himself in her web of treachery after setting out to rescue a damsel in distress. Some she keeps as lvoers, some she empties of all blood, for none manages to hold her interest for long.
The only time Neferata is raised from her hedonistic activites is when an ambitious Witch Hunter from the Empire comes to slay her with an army at his back. None of them have returned so far, for when it is necessary, Neferata can raise thousands of zombies, wights and other undead creatures within hours. Most often she does not even have to employ her knowledge of ancient rituals from Lahmia, rituals that all but her have forgotten. For she is the Queen of Mysteris of old, and her knowledge is only matched by her wrath and cruelty.
11.4. Necrarchs
11.4.1. W'soran
W'soran was one of Nagash's Dark Lords. When Nagash was banished from Nehekhara for the first time, he sent W'soran back to Lahmia to advise Lahmizzar, one of the Nehekharan Kings who had opposed him. (Note: some sources claim that W'soran actually fled from Nagash, but his actions afterward make the theory of Nagash sending him more likely.) W'soran undermined the priesthood and at the same time corrupted Queen Neferata, teaching her the secret arts of Necromancy. Within three years she had learned what he could teach her, and W'soran began to slip information of her experiments to that part of the priesthood he hadn't been able to draw to his side. When those priests started a rebellion a year later, W'soran proved essential in defeating the rebels priests and Neferata allowed him to have that part of the piresthood executed. Together, they gave life to a new cult, a cult that venerated Nagash as a god. After five years, this cult had taken over all of Lahmia, while W'soran and Neferata continued their experiments on the Elixir of Nagash, eventually drinking it to become the first Vampires.
After Lahmia had fallen, W'soran returned to Nagash and fought endless battles for his master. When the other Vampires fell into discord, he, the progenitor of the Necrarch bloodline was the only Master Vampire to stay loyal to Nagash. Together with Arkhan the Black, Nagash's most loyal servant and greatest general, he threw back the Nehekharan armies under Alcadizaar who amassed to march on Nagazar, Nagash's fortress.
A year before Nagash's death, W'soran was granted the Nine Books of Nagash, written anew by the great necromant after the first edition had been destroyed. He took those and many other books from Nagazar when Nagash was slain and the Skaven stormed the fortress, fleeing north.
With the years, W'soran grew decadent and continuously cast himself into a trance to speak with the world of the dead.
He was eventually murdered by one of his own bloodline, his apprentice Melkhior, who drank all his blood and ate his flesh, causing him to become the highest Necrarch as well as mad. Whether Melkhior followed the reborn Nagash's order, who wanted to punish W'soran for not defending Nagazar, or he simply followed his own ambitions, or whether he looked down on his progenitor as Melkhior was able to talk to the dead without a trance, will probably remain unkown forever. However it may have been, this deed of Melkhior placed a curse upon the Necrarchs, causing their bodies to rot from the moment they receive the Blood Kiss.
11.4.2. Melkhior the Ancient
Most Necrarchs are very solitary and withrdrawn, and Melkhior, the oldest of them still to walk the earth, is no exception.He works his experiments within a secret tower, hidden in the Forest of Shadows by both the trees and powerful sorcery. Ever since he has eaten his master's flesh, he has been decaying, both in flesh and in spirit. Nowadays, he is utterly insane, experimenting on how best to make the living understand the benefits of undeath, wanting to make them embrace it willingly. After many have died in his experiments, he is still looking for an answer.
He takes great interest in different ways to induce pain, suffering and horror, a fact that the prisoners in his cells can bear witness to. A walk through his tower can be maddening by itself, with half-human, half-zombie creatures walking around and severed heads screaming from the walls.
Melkhior rarely leaves his tower for any purpose other than capturing new victims for his experiments. At such times, rows upon rows of undead swarm forth from the woods, capturing every living being they come across. What few know is that normally, a Vampire can only achieve a ceratin level of Necromancy due to his being undead. However, Melkhior has several thousand years of experience to draw upon, and as such has as much knowledge in the dark arts as any living necromancer.
For those who lay eyes upon him, he seems more part of the world of the dead than that of the living anyway, as his flesh has fallen almost completely from his body, with only a few reeking bits remaining. His eyes are pure darkness, and what they see, no one can say. When he paints upon human skins in his fortress, Melkhior draws scenes of a world in which there is no life left, a world full of undead and withered threes. For him, these are visions, a world to come after this one has been rid of the scourge of the living.
Legends claim that Melkhior has recently been betrayed and defeated by his apprentice Zacharias, that he now lies sleeping and recovering to take back what Zacharias took from him - the supreme rule over the Necrarchs.
11.4.3. Zacharias the Everliving
Little is known of Zacharias' life before he became a Vampire. Studying under Dieter Helsnicht, he apparently discovered the location of the Necrarch Lord somewhere in his master's notes. Intending to sneak into the tower of the Ancient, he tried to steal the Book of Nagash, one of the many powerful artifacts Melkhior had aquired in the millenias of his existence. Quite unsuprisingly, though, Zacharias was captured in the attempt. But rather than killing the would-be necromancer, Melkhior granted him the Blood-Kiss and allowed him to become his pupil.
However, Melkhior's teachings were not going fast enough for Zacharias, so he soon tried to steal the book from his master's chambers once again. Unfortunately, when Zacharias opened the door to Melkhior's chambers, he found him in one of the fits of insanity Melkhior was prone to and which usually resulted in him killing everything near him. During the fight that ensued, Zacharias was almost killed and only barely managed to flee into the Middle Mountains, followed by Melkhior's minions. Coming to a large, dark cavern, Zacharias crept into a niche and slept for a decade.
While he slept, a Black Dragon made her nest in the cave, unaware of the Vampire resting within it. When Zacharias finally awoke, his thirst was greater than ever before, and the dragon before him seemed like the perfect opportunity to quell it. Searching carefully for a spot on the massive creature's body that was not covered by hard scales, he found it at the dragon's underside. He bit deep, drawing the blood of the great beast into his veins quickly. Over the following month, Zacharias drank from the dragon again and again, and when there was no blood left in her, he raised the beast as undead and flew back to Melkhior's tower atop his new mount. This time, the battle was cataclysmic, and the magic forces unleashed between the two necromancers detroyed the whole tower. Zacharias came out victorious, his master fleeing.
Zacharias is now the supreme ruler over the Necrarch bloodline, though this doesn't mean much as most Necrarch vampires tend to live apart from each other, secluded in their various studies. Zacharias, now calling himself "the Everliving", is also just about as mad as his master was. Riding atop his zombie dragon, he plans to transform all of the Warhammer world into a giant realm of the undead, not quite unlike Melkhior planned to.
11.5 Strigoi
11.5.1. Ushoran
Ushoran was the brother of Neferata, the Queen of Lahmia. Aside from this fact, he "only" was a very powerful and strong (though not skileld) warrior, but was feeling more and more worthless as his sister became Queen and he himself did not achieve any greater rank and was terrorised by his sister. After drinking the Elixir of Nagash, however, he was able to protect himself.
Becoming Master of the Masks, he was made responsible for all festivities, although he quickly gaiend a reputation as a warrior second only to Abhorash. When the Vampires feld after the destruction of Lahmia, this extraordinarily strong and prideful Vampire soon assumed leadership of the outcasts. However, Nagash's plan required Vashanesh to lead the Master Vampires, so he granted him a ring that allowed him to control all other Vampires, effectively dethroning Ushoran again. When they fled again after their combined forces with Nagash had been destroyed, this time scattering due to their belief that no single one of them should rule again, Ushoran was the only one in favour of sticking together and building a new kingdom of Vampires. Whether he thought it necessary out of fear of Nagash or other reasons is not known. Denied by the other Master Vampires, he attacked and insulted them in his frustration before fleeing on his own, seeking a new realm for himself.
He found it in Strigos, the small human realm founded by the shaman Kadon. The shaman had found Alcadizaar's corpse with the crown of Nagash, and built Mourkain, the capital city of Strigos in his honour, influenced by the will of Nagash that was still encased in his crown. The Cult of Nagash was the small nation's religion, so when one of the great necromancer's own disciples stood before the gates, kadon was quick to surrender the leadership of his newborn nation to Ushoran.
One after the other, Ushoran's descendants took oever key positions in the city, while he himself was venerated as a disciple of the great Nagash. A hundred years after his arrival, Ushoran killed Kadon and took the Claw and Crown of Nagash from his corpse. Still, he had the human inhabitants of his kingdom living peacefully next to the vampiric parts of the population. Convinced he had brought about a perfected version of the Vampire kingdom in Lahmia, he sent emissaries to his sister on the Silver Pinnacle and the other Master Vampires. No one but his sister paid him any heed, judging him worthless. But she would not allow her brother to live in peace. Sending back only the jaw of his emissary, she riled up the humans of the northern realms against Strigos, causing them to march upon Ushoran. She was afraid that her brother's magical artifacts would allow him to take over her realm. When the armies clashed, a Waaagh! of the Greenskins clashed forth from the World Edge Mountains completely unexpected by either party. Overwhelming the border fortifications of the humans, they swarmed over the plains of Strigos until they stood before the gates of Mourkain itself. When ushoran got the message of this new danger, he immediately retreated back south to defend his capital.
Weakened from the fight against the humans and the hasty retreat, Ushoran's army was defeated by the Greenskins at the gates of Mourkain. He saw the only way of rescue in a desperate attempt for the city gates. But when the Orc Shaman Red Eye saw that the gates were opened for the battered remains of the Strigoi army, he had the Waaaghboos Garsnag Cracktooth order a massive attack. Although the Greenskins underestimated the Vampire's abilities, and Garsnag was slain in the charge, the Shaman was able to kill Ushoran.
Those few Strigoi Vampires who survived, flew to the human realms in the north. They came across the the castle of the von Carsteins, but Vlad had not forgotten the insults of Ushoran and had them hunted throughout his woods (Note: this is another indication that Vlas is indeed Vashanesh). Rejected by all other bloodlines, the Strigoi eventually became the hunted and beastlike creatures they are today.
11.5.2. Vorag
Although most of them ahve lost their minds, most Strigoi still retain their inate powers, such as a certain elvel of control over other undead. Packs of ghouls often cluster around Strigoi vampires, forming a cruel mockery of a court. Some Strigoi have become known as "ghoul-kings" because of the masses of ghouls following their every whim.
The most powerful and first of them was Vorag, a monstrous Strigoi who wished to rebuild Ushoran's kingdom above all - aside from slaying everything alive and every Vampire of another bloodline, that is. It seems that this particular Strigoi was hunted by Franz von Carstein throughout southern Sylvania. When he had finally cornered him, Vorag slew Franz in single combat, drinking deep from the blood of his enemy.
By pure chance, the flight from Franz had led Vorag into an area known as Ghoul Wood, a forbidden place packed with the vile creatures. Having seen Vorag's power, they flocked to him and the Strigoi found himself at the head of an army. He led his force south, crossing the Black Fire Pass and bringing devastation to the Border Princes. By the time he had reached the Badlands, his ranks had swelled with many forms of undead creatures, his ghouls marching next to ghasts and unimaginable horrors (not the Tzeentch kind).
Vorag made little distinction between those he slew, uncaring whether it was Orcs, Goblins, Dwarfs or Humans his army slaughtered. Always on the route to acnient Mourkain, it is said that on the final days of the journey, he was attacked by a massive force of Greenskins that had come over the World's Edge Mountains. His fate remains unkown, though Strigani (the descendants of the human inhabitans of Strigos who were able to flee before the Greenskins) legends claim that he reached the former capital and rules in the ruins to this day.
12. The Tomb Kings
12.1. Nagash and Alcadizaar
Although actually not belonging among the faction of Tomb Kings, one cannot talk about them without mentioning the one who is responsible for their current condition: the Warhammer world's first and greatest necromancer, Nagash.
Long before Bretonnia or the Empire, there was a vast kingdom called Nehekhara, akin to the ancient Egypt and Mesopotamian civilisations. It was divided into great cities, each one ruled by a king. In the belief that they would rule paradise in their afterlife, they were entombed in preparation for this duty. Some hundreds of years later, a young noble was born and named Nagash. As he was not the oldest son of the current king, he became a High priest instead of being prepared to inherit the throne. However, Nagash later assassinated his older brother, who had taken the throne upon their father's death, and usurped his brother's rightful place. Nagash's rule is best described as a tyranny.
Versed in the ways of Nehekarian sorcery and funerary rites and rituals, he became obsessed with the secret of eternal life and searched for a way to make himself immortal. His search led to a group of Dark Elves that were being held captive. In return for their freedom, a Sorceress taught him the ways of Dark magic which he twisted with his other knowledge to create the Necromantic art. Thus, Nagash was the first Necromancer to walk the Warhammer world. Eventually, he found a way to make himself immortal, barring his spirit from leaving his body. However, he never figured out how to stop his body from falling apart with the ages.
He made the Nehekharians build the Black Pyramid as a magnet for Dark Magic. It was also him who began the expirements with human blood that would later be perfected by the queen of Lahmia, resulting in the creation of the Vampire Counts. Eventually, the other kings rose against Nagash under the lead of King Acadizzar, determined to end his tyranny. In order to withstand their assault, Nagash began raising the dead from their graves - the greatest of obscenitites in a land so obsessed with death culture as Nehekhara. Despite his efforts, Nagash was eventually forced to retreat. The remaining kings decided that they should destroy everything that Nagash ever had created, including the Nine Tomes in which he had written down everything about the new branch of magic he had created - Necromancy. Although the original Nine Tomes were destroyed, very few copies could be saved. If and where these are still exist today is unkown.
Nagash had fled to the northeast, to the desert area later called Cursed Pit of Nagaaar. During his travels there, he came as near to the point of death as he would ever come - only to emerge from it as a Liche, a much more powerful one than the Liche Priests in his home land. He eventually came to Cripple Peak, a mountain that housed vast amounts of warpstone and began to construct a fortress - Nagazar - within it. Over the years, he learned how to manipulate and work the warpstone and crafted many a cruel artifact - including his sword Mortis, the Crown of Sorcery and his Black Armour. However, the exposure to the mutating effects of the warpstone took its toll on Nagash: his size and strength increased, but the flesh fell from his bones ever faster until he became little more than a walking skeleton.
Nagash's experiments drew the attention of the Skaven, who amassed a powerful force to take the mountain and its warpstone from Nagash and the massive undead forces he had accumulated. After a devastating war, the two sides forged a truce: Nagash would supply the Skaven with warpstone if they lured several tribes of Orcs into the pits beneath his fortress. The Skaven agreed and indeed they succeeded in leading the unsuspecting Orc tribes into the pits.
Meanwhile, in the Nehekharan realm of Lahmia, Queen Neferata had come across a copy of one of the Nine Tomes. Captivated by the new kind of magic, she began to study Necromancy. When she couldn't further expand her powers by herself, she made a pact with "a dark force" (whose name is better left unmentioned), drinking an elixir that would supposedly help her reach the goal of everlasting youth. However, the elixir had some unforeseen side effects, such as causing her heart to stop beating. However, she did not die. Neferata had instead become the first Vampire. She gathered eleven of her most trusted advisors and made each of them into a Master Vampire of whom all other Vampires of today are descended. As the other Kings of Nehekhara became aware of Neferata's treachery, it was once again Alcadizaar of Khemri who gathered the armies of Nehekhara and defeated the undead legions of the vampires. Neferata and the six remaining Master Vampires fled to the north where they encountered Nagash. Making them his captains, he sent them back into Nehekhara at the head of his own skeletal army.
Although this time it took Alcadizaar many years of bloody war and heavy losses, he once again repelled the undead hordes. The Vampire Masters decided to abandon Nagash - except for W'soran, the progenitor of the Necrarch, who stayed by his side to learn more about Necromancy. In a fit of rage caused by their treachery, Nagash cursed all vampire kind to burn when exposed to the rays of the sun.
After his latest defeat, having been foiled three times in his attempts to gain control of Nehekhara, Nagash decied that if he could not rule it, no one should. He decided to wipe out the whole country. He tainted the river Vitae (later known as River Mortis), whose water was critically essential for all the Nehekharan cities and settlements, with the help of his Skaven allies, causing pestilence among all of Nehekhara. Alcadizaar, the great general who had crushed Nagash's attempts three times, watched his wife and children die and his kingdom fall to pieces. When Nagash came to invade this time, the defenses of Nehekhara were easily overcome and Alcadizaar captured. He was thrown into a cell in the depths of Nagazar to be tortured eternally.
Now the way was free for Nagash to attempt one of the most powerful spells ever created. Unleashing a mighty wave of sorcerous energy over all of Nehekhara, he killed everything that was alive and tried to bring everything that was dead back at the same time, with the dead arisen under his control. His plot would have succeeded, had it not been for the ever meddlesome Skaven.
The Council of Thirteen, the rulers of all Skaven, realized that Nagash posed a threat they could not ignore, and they were still eager to take control of Nagash's large deposits of warpstone. They forged a blade of pure warpstone, the Fellblade, and gave it to Alcadizaar when they freed him from Nagaaar. Alcadizaar immediately set off to kill Nagash, and found him in his throne room, still weakened from the powerful spell. With the help of the Council of Thirteen, who warded him from the magic of Nagash, alcadizaar eventually emerged victorious from the titanic battle that had ensued. For even if he was weakened, the powers at Nagash's disposal were still terrible. Alcadizaar hacked Nagash into many small pieces, but he had missed one he had hacked off during his very first charge at Nagash: one of Nagash's hand, who had crawled into the shadows upon being cut off. Although he had finally destroyed his nemesis, Alcadizaar fell into despair upon looking at the ravaged remains of his country. He took Nagah's crown and staggered around his destroyed kingdom, mad by both the ordeal and the cursed artifacts he carried - the crown as well as the warpstone sword. He eventually died and his body was found later by Kadon of Strigos, who entombed him within Mourkain, taking the Crown of Sorcery from his hands which made him a puppet of Nagash's will, but that is another story. Meanwhile, the Skaven gathered every piece of Nagash they could find and burnt it with warpstone, scattering the ashes across the world - but they too missed the hand, the part that would become the Claw of Nagash.
The dead that Nagash's spell had caused to rise from their graves were free of being controlled by him, but only the Tomb Kings and Liche Priests were sentient beings. When they awoke expecting the full glory of their afterlife, they were furious. They tried to regain control of their former kingdoms, but were only partly successfull. They often fought among themselves and none of them was able to take a leading position like Alcadizaar had done.
As they were busy with their internal struggles, none of the resurrected kings - now called Tomb Kings - actually noticed the activities within the Black Pyramid that Nagash had built during his reign. Within it, Nagash was slowly succeeding in knitting his body back together, piece by piece, with the final resurrection 1,111 years after he was slain. He found Nehekhara defended by undead kings with armies of skeletons equal to anything he himself could summon. He challenged King Settra, the ruler of khemri for rule of Nehekhara, but was chased from it by Settra and the other kings in a rare alliance of the Tomb Kings. Nagash returned to Nagazar and found that the Skaven had mined most of the warpstone. Somehow, he managed to drive away all Skaven from within the mountain in a single day. After many attempts at regaining the fortress, the Skaven decided that what warpstone was left was not worth the trouble and left Cripple Peak. Nagash decided that if he was to stand a chance against the Tomb Kings, he would need his old artifacts back. Having forged a new hand from what warpstone was left at Cripple Peak, Nagash led a newly raised army into the freshly founded Empire where he suspected his crown had been taken by a band of Orcs after raiding Strigos. He called upon the aid of his former allies, the Vampire Counts, but they refused him. In an act of spite, he cursed their whole race, forever creating a weakness in them against the will of Sigmar. Nagash's army was defeated and he himself killed by Sigmar at the Battle of the River Reik.
But Nagash would not be Nagash if he simply stayed dead and buried. 1,666 years after being slain by Sigmar, he was resurrected in what became known as the Night of the Restless Dead. Although he has not been attacking any more nations, he is thought to be slowly rebuilding his power. It is also speculated that he is controlling or manipulating the Lichmaster Heinrich Kemmlar.
12.2. Settra the Imperishable
Of all the (rightful) kings within Nehekhara, none was a match for Settra, the first Priest King of the Khemri, in terms of grandeur, cruelty and arrogance. Under his leadership, the Khemri conquered all other cities in Nehekhara, forcing them to acknowledge Khemri as the greatest city and nation within the ancient civilisation.
Though khemri itself prospered greatly under his rule, and many called it a golden age for the city, the other nations suffered under this vain and egoistical king, as he tended to demand unjust tributes and admiration from all his subjects.
For all that he achieved in life, Settra knew that one day, death would take him as all others. Arrogant being that he was, he would not even have death rob him of his splendour and power, and set his priests to discover a way to keep him alive forever. Alas, although the Liche Priests were able to prolong his life, they could not do so infinitely. When he realised his time was due soon, he had the Pyramid of Settra build, the very first pyramid in Khemri, which later sparked the cult of the necropoli. On his death bed, he threw curses at his inept priests, while they promised him that they would continue their research and one day bring him back from death so he could rule Khemri forever.
A very long time later, Settra actually awoke again. However, he did not find the awakening to his liking. When Nagash's great spell had awoken all the dead within Nehekhara, Settra to rose from his grave, expecting either the full glory of afterlife that the Nehekharians believed in or that he had been brought back by his loyal priests. When he discovered that he was little more than a skeleton with rotting flesh, clad in rotten rags, whose kingdom had fallen into ruin, he was furious. Settra was one of the last kings to reawaken, so when he stepped from his pyramids, he found the other rulers already engaged in fights, their pride and ambition dictating them to reclaim what remained of their kingdoms. These fights were quickly ended by Settra, who overwhelmed all other kings, reconquering all of his lost realm within months and forcing the lesser kings to swear fealty to him.
He now is the supreme ruler of all of what remains of Nehekhara, greatest and most powerful of all the Tomb Kings. He banished the priests, who had lied to him and failed him, from his realms and told his vassals to return to their tombs, waiting for the day he calls them forth. He himself remains awake, watching over his devastated lands, plannings the downfall of all the new races that have sprung up and flourished during his long slumber.
Settra is a fearsome sight to behold in battle, riding the Chariot of the Gods which is drawn by four skeletal horses. He wears the Crown of Nehekhara, blesses by the gods and goddesses of Nehekhara, which represents his status as supreme ruler by actually being several crowns incorporated into one. The crown also sports a golden cobra that moves and spits venom at enemies. Yet the crown is not the only god-given item Settra carries, for he also wields the Blessed Blade of Ptra, the Nehekharan sun god, which has the power to blind his enemies, and is clad in the Armour of Golden Magnificance, made from an unkown metal impervious to time, which has yet to be dent or sliced by any weapon in the Warhammer world.
12.3. King Phar
During his lifetime, Phar was the ruler of the city of Mahrak in Nehekhara, an important trade city after Phar had managed to drive out the Greenskins from the area. . A proud and arrogant man, he was the firecest opposer of Settra's advances to rule all of Nehekhara.
When he heard that Settra was marching toward his city, he prepared a trap within the Valley of the Kings and successfully ambushed his enemy. This victory allowed him to hold his city through decades of being besieged again and again by Khemri. Only when he died of old age did his successor succumb to Settra's will.
When Nagash cast his great spell, King Phar was one of the first to awaken in his tomb. When he overcame the shock of his new existence, he quickly found out that his successors had given up his city, allowing his nemesis to take it. A fury like he had never known it grabbed hold of him, and he broke open the tombs of all the Mahrak kings who had come after him, burning their corpses so they would never rise again and having his followers tear down their pyramids.
To this day, Phar opposes Settra in undeath as he did in life, and he once again rests in the city of Mahrak, awakening each time an unwelcome guest stepts into the city. Never has another Tomb King managed to take Mahrak after Phar had awoken again.
When a Greenskins horde once broke into his necropolis to plunder it, Phar slew all Goblins and Orcs within the pyramid and then stepped out to face the Waaaghboss in single combat, who soon fell prey to Phar's Flail of Skulls. The remaining Greeskins fled, but none of those who carried an item stolen from Phar's pyramid escaped. When he had cleared his city of the last invader, Phar returned into his pyramid, eager to rest some more before he would take his whole dominion "soon" (in terms of undead thinking).
12.4. Sehenesmet, Vizier of Quatar
Sehenesmet was the last Vizier of Quatar, a tomb city famous for its towering statues depicting the various gods and kings of Nehekharan culture and history. Many of the magnificent statues were crafted by Sehenesmet himself, and he continued his art after rising from the grave.
A masterful scultpor, he has taken care of the numerous statues, monuments and monoliths of the city for more than twenty centuries, and is always adding new ones.
Being a Liche Priest, he combined his magical powers with his craft, enabling him to give life to his silent guardians. As he was no king or priest during his lifetime, Sehenesmet did not have an army prepared when he awoke again. So he used his talents to create one himself, consisting of various undead constructs, mainly Ushabti, Tomb Scorpions and Bone Giants. There are legends told in Araby that he even has made the great stone guardian of Quatar, a giant sphinx, into a moving being.
Sehenesmet's experiments are not limited to other creatures. He has also combined his own withered body with that of a great Bone Giant in order to create even greater works of art. Sehenesmet's new body carries a quarterstaff made from effigies of Shapesh.
12.5. Prince Tutankhanut
Prince Tutankhanut, the only son of King Ahken of Numas, was supposedly known throughout Nehekhara for his good looks. However, before he could succeed his father or even reach adulthood, he was slain by the spear of a single northern tribesman while separated from his guards on a lion hunting trip. His father was devastated and granted his son a magnificent and most splendid funeral.
When Tutankhanut was raised by Nagash's great spell, expecting to inhabit a body of pure gold, he was not exactly pleased upon discovering the dried husk he had become. So he instead had his priests craft him such the body he wished for himself.
Nowadays, when Tutankhanut awakens from his slumber, his golden body glitters in the sun. He is so magnificent in his appearance that even a nomadic tribe of humans, the Scythans have made their home in Numas and venerate the Prince as a manifestation of their god. These humans do not mind marching into battle next to Tutankhanut's undead warriors, walking and killing side by side with them and their apparent god on his chariot.
12.6. Khalida Neferher
The Warrior Queen of Lybaras, Khalida combined all the virtues a Nehekharan could dream off: intelligence, valor and a strong sense of justic and honour, all combined in a frame of perfect beauty. She was highly respected among all Nehekharans and many were sure that she would bring great fortune to not only herself, but the whole empire. Unfortunately, her reign was short, and its end tragic.
For when Khalida began to suspect her cousin Neferata of forbidden experiments with Necromancy, Neferata had to act or risk her secret being revealed to the public. At a banket, Neferata accused her cousin of treason, requiring Khalida to defend her honour through a trial by combat. Neither of the two did name a champion, both ready to engage in the fight themselves.
Although Khalida was a proficient warrior in her own right, she could not hope to defeat her cousin, who had already become a Vampire by that time. She was defeated and Neferata sank her fangs into Khalida's throat, drinking deeply before biting her own tongue to mix her blood with Khalida's, condemning her to a vampiric existence herself.
Khalida, knowing her fate, cried out to the Asp goddess, Asaph, who appeared before the dying Queen in a vision. The radiance of her goddess cleansed Khalida's body of the curse, and when she died, she remained human and did not rise as a Vampire again. She was buried in the goddesse's temple in a seated position.
At times, when her goddess needs her services, she can make use of the effects of Nagash's spell to make Khalida rise from her seat to enforce her will. Carrying the Venum Staff, Khalida has access to some spells that would normally be reserved for Liche Priests. When sent into battle, Khalida is often accompanied by units of archers blessed by her goddess.
13. The Wood Elves
13.1. Orion and Ariel
Legend tells that at the first meeting of the Asrai clans, two Elven youths, Orion and Ariel, left the meeting and went to a grove in the woods, in whose midst stood an enormous, ancient oak - the Oak of Ages. They are said to have entered a crack in the trunk and supposedly vanished on the spot.
The legend then mentions a terrible winter that drove the Orcs and Goblins from the nearby mountains to the forests to seek shelter. Defiling the fairly new Wood Elf realm, they rampaged through the trees, killing the animals and hacking away the forest. The Wood Elves, unable to fend off the Greenskins on their own, invoked the wrath of Kurnous to help them. An Avatar of the god emerged from the Oak of Ages and slew the Orc Warboss which caused the Greenskins' banishing from the forest. When the Wood Elves praised the Oak for theír salvation, it was revealed that Orion and Ariel had become avatars to the gods Kurnous and Isha. Now semi-divine beings, they were made King and Queen to the Wood Elves. The Oak of Ages became the center of the Asrai realm and the nearby glades was named King's Glade, to be used for assemblings of the Clan leaders.
Athel Loren is still reigned by Orion and Ariel, who remain to this day imbued by the spirits of the gods. They represent the two sides of nature, Ariel the peaceful, growing and regenerative side that strives for harmony, and Orion the warlike, wild, unpredictable side that strives for suvival.
Each year at the autumn equinox, a time dedicated to remembrance of the past year, the King and Queen are taken to the Oak of Ages where they are placed within the very crack they first vanished in. There, they die at the end of the year, only to be reborn when the new one begins in spring.
Orion is on the height of his power during midsummer. About 10 ft tall, his body can barely contain the rage until the Wild Hunt begins. For when it is time for his Queen to place a cloak of her own making on his shoulders and lays the Great Horn to his feet, Orion takes the weapons from the shrine within the Oak of Ages, waiting for midnight to come. When it does, all of Athel Loren falls silent in anticipation for its king to begin his hunt.
The spirit of Kurnous himself is imbued within Orion at this time, stirring the hearts and souls of all Asrai. Savage excitement and restless vigour spreads like a wildfire through the forest, driven by the sound of his hunting horn resounding from the trees, the earth thundering with the pounding of his cloven hooves. When Orion passes, every Elf and spirit in Athel Loren feels the urge to join him in his primal hunt, feels the savage part of his own nature callimg him to give in to savagery and vengeance on their foes. Those who dare to stand in Orion's path during the Wild Hunt are cut down with no mercy, be they Human, Dwarf or even Elf.
Not even Ariel could hope to calm him down during the Wild Hunt. In other times, she is the only one who can keep her husband's temper in check. The mightiest sorceress in the wood realm in her own regard, she is known for her healing powers. Still, she shows no compassion for those who trespass Athel Loren without permission, employing her powers to bring death to Greenskins, Beastmen and Chaos abominations alike. The forest itself heeds hear call, trees springing up from the ground within seconds to mislead intruders, leading them into clever traps.
Although she rarely engages into battle herself, one of the most famous tales is her subduing of the Treeman Coeddil, who had been tainted by Cyanathair, also known as Morghur, Master of Skulls, the arch nemesis of the Asrai. Those who meet Ariel on the battlefield, expecting to fight an ordinary elf ar in for a surprise, for when she fights, she shifts into a sylph-like War Aspect. Growing to twice her normal height, huge moth-like wings unfold from her back, covered in tiny scales of glittering, changing colours. The patterns in these scales indicate her current mood. When they are similar to a death's-head moth, for example, Ariel has entered a furious rage. Antennas can be seen on the top of her head, her face the only feature that retains her elven beauty. When Ariel flies over the battlefield, with her upper part made of shimmering scales and her lower part trailing away into infinity like an etheral or elemental being, many a foe has been captivated by the glorious sight, only to be struck down by her lightning mere seconds later.
13.2. Durthu, Adanhu and Coeddil
Durthu is one of the oldest Treemen of Athel Loren, able to remember a time when no Elf would have dared to enter the woods. Like many of his kind, he looks back onto these days with longing, remembering the peace when no other mortal being disrupted the balance of the trees and animals. However, the hate he has once felt for the younger races has now been replaced by mild irritation, bearing witness to the fact that, given enough time, even the most stubborn creatures can change.
Curiously, the reason for Durthu's change of mind were the Dwarfs. Shortly after the Asrai began to settle within Athel Loren, a bunch of adventurous Dwarfs set foot into Durthur's forest, cutting down many trees and even taking their axes to the treemen himself, mistaking him for a well grown - and highly combustible - oak. The scars Durthur received that day were never fully healed, but none of the Dwarfs survived that day. Anyway, the Dwarfs' deeds had opened Durthu's eyes to the respect the Asrai held for the woods (opposed to other mortals, at the very least). He also valued their part in the encounter - letting Durthu take care of the Dwarfs on his own, only stepping in to drive fleeing Dwarfs back toward the Treeman. Unfortunately, the scars of this battle ran deeper than just on Durthu's surface. While the other treemen tend to sleep for years at an end, Durthu remains awake, waiting for new foes to appear.
Adanhu, on the other hand, is the oldest, mightiest and wisest of all treemen. His existence goes back for longer than he himself can remember, and far longer than that of the Wood Elves. He is frequently asked for advice by the Asrai, who rever him as a great source of knowledge.
The story of Coeddil is a sad one. A long time ago, during the Battle of Woe, the ancient treeman held Morghur, the beastmen shaman who is the nemesis of Athel Loren, in place while Ariel slew the foul thing walking her woods. Coeddil was seemingly unaffected, only to go mad 500 years later, killing all Wild Riders within the Glade of Kings to prevent the Ritual of Rebirth from taking place, which would have prevented the rebirth of orion, or at the very least have seriously weakened him. Fortunately, the awoken Ariel hurried to the glade, overcoming the treeman and his dryad companions. Unable to kill him as he was a part of Athel Loren istelf, she instead banished him to the far southeast of the wood. She placed magical boundaries across the place to ensure her verdict. Such is Morghur's power.
13.3. Drycha
Like most Branchwraiths of Athel Loren, Drycha is an ancient being from before the coming of the Wood Elves. Unlike most Branchwraiths, however, she sees the alliance between the woods and the Asrai as a fatal mistake that only brought death and destruction to her beloved domain, denying the fact that only the Asrai protected the woods from being completely cut down by the Dwarfs.
Many will say that Drycha has gone mad after Morghur's blood had been spille in her glade in one of his deaths. Nowayds she walks the woods chanting the name of all those Forest Spirits she claims the Wood Elves have abandoned and failed.
In an attempt to revert the forest to its earlier state, Drchy tried to break the magical boundaries holding Coeddil in place in southern Athel Loren in 1697 IC, eager to set the maddened treeman free so he could rid the woods of the plague she sees in the Wood Elves. However, she was eventually stopped.
Rumours would have her assembling an army of Forest Spirits, still set on either destroying the Asrai or throwing them out of Athel Loren forever.
13.4. Arahan and Naestra, the Sisters of Twilight
Although they are twins, and both of them can completely control the will of every beast found within the forests of Athel Loren, Arahan and Naestra could not be more different. The beasts obey Naestra out of love, while they follow Arahan's commands out of fear and respect. Should the forest call upon these strange twins, they ride forth from their home in the mountains. When they strike down their foes, one can witness the different character's of the sisters best: while Arahan gives in to savagery, delighting in the slaughter, Naestra feels her sorrow rise with every enemy she is forced to strike down, tears welling in her eyes.
The sisters prefer to enter battle on one of their faithful creatures, preferring either a Giant Eagle or a Forest Dragon. These mighty beasts have thrived within the boundaries of Athel Loren, protected by the forest canopy from the eyes of adventureres and would-be dragonslayers which have long drove the Dragons in other regions into the inhospitable regions of the mountains.
13.5. Skaw the Falconer
In the highest slopes of the Grey Mountains, in the branches of an ancient pine tree, there dwells an Asrai who speaks with the birds. He is called Skaw the Falconer, although his abilites are not limited to falcons. He regularly talks to any kind of bird that dwells within Athel Loren, be it lowly falcon or mighty eagle, preferring their company to those of his own brethren.
Still, Skaw will heed a call to battle in defense of Athel Loren, clad in his cape of Feathers that makes him almost impervious to any kind of missile attack. Although he carries a powerful lash, the socalled Lash of Claws, a three-thonged whip with the talon of a large, ancient and now exstinct bird at the end, he prefers another kind of battle.
He will bring flocks of falcons to the battlefield that tear away at this foes. with their sharp beaks and talons. Once his animal companions have done their part in battle, he will return to his home without speaking a word. In fact, many among the Asrai believe that his solitary existence and his talking to birds has made him forget how to speak properly.
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14. The Ogre Kingdoms
14.1. Greasus Goldtooth
As each ogre tribe is led by a Tyrant, with a one-on-on fight being the way of succession, Tyrants are generally the Ogres with the greatest strength (and the greatest belly). Each Tyrant's kingdom stretches about as far as he can see into the distance from his home.
Normally, each Ogre tribe would act completely independent from each other. But lately, Greasus Goldtooth (or Tradelord Greasus Tribestealer Drakecrush Hoardmaster Goldtooth the Shockingly Obese, to use his full title) has assumed a position he calls the Overtyrant of the Ogre Kingdoms, and he has managed to more or less unite the tribes under his banner - or rather, his gut. How exactly he has managed to do that is not obvious to outsiders, but his enormous wealth and his gnoblar spy network probably played a great role in it.
Originally, Greasus was just one of the many whelps of Gofg, the Tyrant of the Vale of Titans. However, he surpassed all his brothers when he ate his father. Feeling the need to prove himself as the new Tyrant, he started demanding tribute from other clans. The first tribe to refuse him met their fate when Greasus climbed the mountain above their halls, throwing boulder after bould on them until the whole tribe was crushed. Next, he challenged the Tyrant of another tribe to a pit fight. Greasus killed him by simply launching himself gut-first onto his skull, which cracked the defendant's neck. It was then that the other Tyrans decided it was probably a good idea to join this "Overtyrant".
Since then, few have challenged Greasus' for his role, and those who dare find themselves in his meal shortly afterwards. Some suspect it is due to the two powerful magical artifacts Goldtooth possesses: the Sceptre of the Titans, which is imbued with powerful spells of command, instilling iron will in his followers, and the Overtyrant's Crown, which makes him smarter than any other Ogre (which doesn't mean a lot).
Greasus is, in his own opinion "too rich too walk" and thus lets his gnoblar slaves carry him everywhere, including the battlefield. This process has caused many a Gnoblar to use his life, squished under Greasus' enormous weight. As everywhere else, Greasus' most important tool in battle is his money. Many enemy regiments have abandoned their general for the incredible sums the Overtyran has offered them. Generals or Lords facing Greasus often can't be sure of their own soldiers' loyalty, hindering their decisions and hampering them in what are often decisive moments on the battlefield.
Since becoming Overtyrant, Goldtooth has led the Ogres away from their raiding, making tolls and tributes along with mercenary duty their main form of income, and prohibiting any Ogres from assaulting trade caravans passing through the kingdoms.
Goldtooth's iron ruling fist has come down upon many an Ogre tribe that waged war against its own kin. Whenever an Ogre tribe came under attack from another in the last few years, it soon found itself confronted by the Goldtooth clan as well - the most numerous and best equipped clan of them all. This fact has ended most of the rivalries between the clans, and thus has led to a population increase of the Ogres that might lead to another emigration wave into the west soon...
14.2. Skrag the Slaughterer, Prophet of the Great Maw
In the beginning, Skrag was just the head Slaughtermaster for the Tyrant Bron Rockgrinder. Unfortunately, Skrag one day served his tyrant his own favourite Gnoblar slave by accident,
which did not exactly please him. To further Skrag's bad luch, his Tyrant was known to have a particularly bad temper, causing him to devise a capital punishment. Cheered on by the drunken bulls, the Tyrant hacked off his Slaughtermasters arms and gobbled them down, afterwards banishing Skrag to the case under his mountain. Ashamed, beatn and bloody, Skrag was dragged from the feast when Bron came up with an additional punishment: attaching a series of chains and hooks to the Slaughtermaster's flesh, he chained the Slaughtermaster's meat pot to his back. Finally, with the cruel tools buried deep within his flesh, Skrag was hurled into the caverns and the exit was sealed with a giant boulder.
While lesser Ogres might have given in to despair, Skrag was determined not to let it overcome him. Ramming his butcher tools into the stumps of his arms in order to defend himself with these makeshift weapons, Skrag set out staggering to explore the caves, dragging his cauldron behind him. After a while, he was suddenly attacked by a pack of Gorgers. Hacking around with his crude weapons, he cut down one of them after the other, until he stood before their leader, a hulking creature with a cruel mockery of a face. Not hesitating for even a second, Skrag ripped out the creature's throat with his teeth. The quick resolution of the fight made the other Gorgers back away from Skrag, accepting him as their new leader. Leading his strange minions ever deeper into the mountain, Skrag was eventually gripped by visions of bloody revenge upon his Tyrant.
Eventually, the ex-Slaughtermaster surfaced within the maw-pit of the Rockgrinder, driven into a frenzy by his rage, and led his Gorgers to overcome the Tyrant and rip him apart, feasting on his flesh and throwing the rest into his meat-pot as an offering to the Great Maw itself. The second that his Tyrant's dead body submerged in his pot, Skrag felt his body being renewed, his wounds being closed and a new power stream through his body.
He had become the living embodiment of his cruel god, devouring his foes wherever he goes. His cauldron, still attached to his back, continuously heals his wounds and grants him new power - as long as he keeps it fed. The moment that a battle is over, Skrag's power wanes, and the chains on his back fall slack. He will then wait for another vision of his god, leading him and his Gorgers to the next slaughter.
14.3. Braugh Slavelord
Braugh Slavelord, or Grahsk Dragh (corpse-slaver), as he is known to the Chaos Dwarfs, is a legend amonst Ogre slavers, for he is the only one of them who can use his slaves even in death.
When he was but a Maneater, Braugh was imprisoned by a powerful Necromancer. Breaking free after a couple of days by ripping out his chains from the wall, he set out to take vengeance on his captor, whom he found asleep in a coffin. Grabbing a nearby chair, he beat the Necromancer to bloody pulp, took his skin for a trophy and then ate half of his fellow prisoners, enslaving the rest. Using the magical chains that had until recently bound himself to his dungeon, Braugh tied them to his gut plate. During the next days he set a harsh pace, driving his new slaves into exhaustion until the first one of them dropped dead. Curiousy, while the body was left on the floor, the spirit remained in Braugh's service. The Ogre himself didn't care much for the reasons (those probably being the skin of the Necromancer retaining some of his abilities), thinking harder about how he could exploit this newfound ability.
So it is that nowadays, Braugh Slavelord deals with ghosts as well as with living beings, although one could mistake them for each other sometimes - the living walking quietly behind him, silenced by dread and a bleak future, while the ghosts are more than making up for them in terms of noise.
14.4. Groth Onefinger, First Prophet of the Great Maw
The first Ogre to predict the coming of the Great Maw, Groth was considered a madman by his brethren. The moment that he could prove he was right, however, Groth probably wished he had been wrong. The cataclysm that accompanied the Ogre god's coming burned Groth horribly, costing him his eyelids, lips, ears, nose and all of his fingers save one. However, when the firestorm was over, Groth rose like the cruel mockery of a phoenix, convinced his god had come and filled by an even greater faith than before.
Setting out for the impact crater, he led his tribe on through hunger, thirst, despair and eating their own companions until they came upon the Great Maw itself. As it has devoured thousands of Ogres in its coming, this was perhaps the only moment in its existence that the Ogre god was sated. Thus, it allowed Groth to love. Becoming the first Butcher, Groth held a cannibalistic feast at the verge of the Maw.
Nowadays, many Butchers burn themselves in honour of their spiritual ancestor.
14.5. Jhared the Red
The story of Jhared the Red is a story that every Ogre hears at least once in his lifetime, a fact that shows its importance in a culture that normally creates only stories of individual achievement.
When Jhared was born, he was a runt, meaning that he was far smaller and weaker than the rest of his litter. To add to this disgrace, Jhared was covered in thick red hair from head to toe, causing his fater Huhgr to cast him out into the cold, bitter snow of the mountains.
Against all odds, Jhared survived the first few hours, crawling himself through the snow and eventually standing up to stumble through the darkness. Eventually, he came to the den a Sabretusk female, which had just given birth to a litter of her own. Whether it was his hairy appearance or anything else, the Sabretusk adopted Jhared as one of her own whelps.
Over time, Jhared reached maturity and outgrew his adopted brother and sisters by far. One day, he threw his adoptive father from a cliff and took his place - the dominant male - in the pack. The red-haired Ogre with his pack of Sabretusks soon became well-known among the nearby Ogre tribes.
After several years, Jhared decided it was time to return to his tribe. When he arrived with the silent killing machines that were his adopted brothers and sisters, the tribe had just had a feast, and the Ogres all lay collapsed in the halls, sleeping after hours of devouring their prey. Jhared blocked the entry with a boulder, so that all of the halls was covered in darkness. He then began slaying his tribe, who, unlike him, were hampered by the missing light with the help of the Sabretusks. Jhared himself had learned to use smell as a form of orientation, which allowed him to find his way even in the darkness. He found his father and put out his eyes, playing with him, bringing shame to him until finally ripping his throat out and devouring his corpse.
Jhared had become the first Ogre Hunter, and to this day, his successors mimick him, taming Sabretusks or Rhinoxen (although their taming involves a lot less growing up with a pack and a lot more hitting their would-be pets with a club).
14.6. Golgfag Maneater, Mercenary Captain
Golgfag is one of the most famous Ogres of all time. He began his rise to fame when he joined a horde of Orcs to go to war against the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin, the Slayers' Hold in the World's Edge Mountains. One night, the drunken Ogres laid waste to the entire Orc camp. Needless to say, their Waaaghboss, Gnashrak, wasn't exactly pleased. Golfgfag managed to rip off one of the Orcs' arms, but in the end the Greenskins proved far too numerous for the few Ogres. So the Ogres fled, Golfgfag still holding the Waaaghboss's arm. To save his hide, Golgfag did quite a smart thing: he hired with the Dwarfs, helping them to defeat the Greenskins. Capturing Gnashrak and delivering him to the Dwarfs, he was paid and sent on his way - but not before plundering the Dwarfs' treasure hold.
Once again fleeing, he hired with the Empire in the south. During his service to the humans, he found halflings to be his favourite form of food. Later on, he was sighted in Tilea, and even later in the Border Princes.
Eventually, having earned a fortune in gold, weapons and beer, he returned north. Joinging the Orcs once again, he was caught in an ambush by the Dwarfs and imprisoned within Karak Kadrin along with a number of the Greenskins. The Dawi had not forgotten the plundering of their treasury, and put all prisoners together in a cell so small that they figured when they returned the next day, their prisoners would have to have suffocated.
When the Dawi opened the door on the next day, they found Golgfag picking the flesh from the last Goblin bone and throw it onto a large pile in the corner. The only other being alive was Skaff, Golfgags oldest friend, who had lost only a leg to his friend's hunger. Ungrim Ironfist, the Slayer Lord of the keeo, was so impressed that he let them both go.
Before summer was over, Golfgag had assemlbed a new group of Ogres, and was fighting the Bretonnians in the Grey Mountains. The next time he was seen (and the last time, for now) was in the northern part of the Ogre Kingdoms, the Mountains of Mourn. It seems that he has begun to hire his own mercenary armies with the magnificent wealth he aquired over the years.
His nickname "Maneater" was coined when he once ate his paymaster whole after an argument, and set off with his coffers. However, Golfgag insists that it is misleading, for he is not picky at all about whom or what he eats.
15. The Others
Note: The original title for this section was "Those who do no longer or never did belong to any of the factions mentioned above, as well as those who do belong to factions not as important as those mentioned above, but whom you might run into when studying Warhammer lore". But that seemed a bit too long, so I shortened it. This section is meant to emphasize that there are many, many more noteworthy persons outside of the boundaries of the factions that are portrayed above. As such, the persons mentioned here are only a very small number of hundreds of heroic, villainous or otherwise famous persons and creatures in the Warhammer world - but I have to draw the line somewhere
These 5 examples include:
15.1. Long Drong's Slayer Pirates
During a heavy storm at the southern coast of Sartosa, the pirate island south of Tilea, the "Cask of Ale", a Dawi cargo ship, ran into the riffs and sunk with all the precious Dwarf ale on board. Unable to bear the shame of this loss, Captain Long Drong and his whole crew took the Slayer oath. They most likely became the first Slayers to seek honorable death on the many seas of the Warhammer world.
Their first act was to storm the fortress of the infamous Pirate Captain Feiggo on Sartosa, looting his treasure and capturing his ship. Being Dwarfs, they had to make some customisations so the ship would be appropriate for usage by Dwarfs (namely a lot of metal and cannons). They named their new ship "The Beautiful Freggar" after a famous Dwarf maid from Barak Varr. The figurehead which was fashioned in her similitude also amde for a pretty decent ram.
Long Drong soon found out that the symbolic value of a treasure chest to a mercenary general was far greater than the value of its contents. So he and his Dwarfs specialised in returning these chests, simultaneously making enemies of every last pirate in the world - which is not exactly something negative if you are a Slayer.
In the following years, Long Drong led his slayers to numerous distant lands, including such exotic places as Lustria, the Southlands, Araby, Albion and many more who can only be found on Pirates' treasure maps. The Slayer Pirates fought for many different masters as mercenaries (as long as those masters were not Greenskins), using a pair of pistols and cutlasses.
Nowadays, they are feared by any seafarer, being one of the most dangerous Pirate crew of the world - as long as they don't run out of Dwarf Ale and try to brew their own again as they did once, resulting in a painful memory for them all.
15.2. Lucrezzia Belladonna
Lucrezzia Belladonna is the current duchess (or respectively, the widows of the last duke) and the most beatufil woman on all of Tilea (and maybe the whole world). The only thing that rivals her beauty is her cunning and hunger for power. A capable sorceress and masterful in the use of poisons, this damsel is not someone you'd want to make your enemy.
When she was but a young girl. Lucrezzia married Luigi, the old duke of Pavona. Shortly after the marriage, the regent was killed by the hands of a rivaling city state, making Lucrezzia a young, beatiful and rich widow. Not willing to give up her status, it did not take her long to take the mercenary general Borso for a husband, who became Pavona's new duke. When he in turn was killed after being defeated in the Battle of Ebrutti, making Lucrezzia a widow once more, she married the General Donato, who had rescued Pavona from the advancing troops of Verezzo, the city state which Pavona's army had been defeated by.
Donato remained her husband for quite a long time - until he made the foolish mistake to think he could forge an alliance with Trantio against Miragliano (yet more Tilean cities) against his wife's will. The duke died of a fungus poisoning, and Lucrezzia took Ranuccio, another mercenary general, as her next husband. He was smart enough to listen to his new wife, allying with Miragliano instead of Trantio and crushing the armies of his surprised neighbour. This pattern continued until Lucrezzia poisoned her seventh husband Poggio in 2513 IC.
Since then, she is up for grabs again, should there be another man who is courageous enough to marry her.
Aside from poisoning husbands and more or less leading the politics of Pavona, Lucrezzia makes a habit of getting hired by mercenaries or lending her magical powers to those captains she is friends with. She specializes in the Wind of Shyish, the Death Magic. Instead of the magical items other sorceresses might supply their armies with or carry themselves, Lucrezzia relies - how could it be otherwise - on her poisons. Carrying a poisoned stiletto herself, she often hands out particularly wicked poisons to assassins tasked with taking out enemy generals. She even carries some bottles of socalled "slightly poisonous" Potion of Pavona. This foul brew can enhance her own abilities or those of her generals and friends who are brave enough to gulp it down.
15.3. Katarin the Ice Queen
Katarina is the current Tzarina (supreme ruler) of Kislev. A sorcess of legendary power in Ice Magic, her chosen field, along with her cold and innaproachable manner has earned her the nickname "Ice Queen". She ascended the throne when her fater, Tzar Boris Ursus was killed by the Kurgans.
It is said that her power comes from Kislev itself, that the land grants her command over the elements. Some even claim that she is a reincarnation of Miska, the very first Khan-Queen. There are many more legends revolving around her person, such as a completely new palace wing growing from the ground and attaching to the other buildings upon her coronation. However, whether the tower appeared obeying the bidding of the land or Katarin's own orders, she now spends most of her time in there. Many think that she enjoys the cold, while others speculate she simply desires an advantage over foreign ambassadors during negotiations.
Another curiosity in Katarina is her hair, which changes colour from fire red to an icy grey, depending on her mood.
Unlike her father, who preferred direct action, Katarina likes to reign from afar, operating through agents and generals, rarely joining the armies of Kislev. When she chooses to do so, she rides either a snow-white horse or a war-sledge drawn by yet more snow-white horses. She carries the blade Fearfrost, said to be crafted out of magical ice. The sword kills any man with a single touch, barring any hand but that of a woman from wielding it.
15.4. Sultan Jaffar
Sultan Jaffar was the most famous Sultan in the history of Araby. Uniting the desert tribes under his command in 1430 IC, he conquered the arabian city-states of Al-Haikk. Copher, Martek and Lashiek with the help of summoned Daemons and his allies, the Skaven.
Incited by the Skaven, he eventually invaded Estalia, achieving great victories until the Crusades against Araby began in 1448 IC. The crusaders defeated Jaffar, forcing him to retreat from Estalia. King Louis the Righteous of Bretonnia, from where the lion's part of the crusaders had come, sent emissaries to Altdorf, asking for reinforcements to pursue the Sultan into his own lands. Although there was strife between the Elector Counts of the Empire at that time, they all sent a small force to aid Bretonnia.
Meanwhile, the Sultan had fled back to Araby and had his vasall, Emir Wasr the Cruel fortify the capital Magritta. The retreating arabian army set fire to all villages on their path to the capital, slaughtering the population. Those few who survived begged the knights from Bretonnia and the Empire to rescue those family members which had been brought to Araby.
The crusaders divided their forces, one part laying siege to Magritta for eight years while the others landed a mighty fleet at the shores of the spice harbour Copher.
Impaired by the climate, the knights were unable to capture the Sultan himself, who fled on to Al Haikk. The knights followed, not ready to abandon their duty before they had cut off the snake's head. After one year, they arrived at Al Haikk to facte the Sultans armies in a cataclysmic battle before the city's gates - during which Jaffar was impaled on a Bretonnian lance. The Bretonnian knights, having fulfilled their duty, then returned home.
However, the Imperial knights had sworn to hunt down every last enemy soldier involved in the cruelties against the Estalian population. Marching on to Martek, they had to cross a mountain range. They encountered giant vultures on the mountains, and cats who would take down every knight who let his attention slip for a second. Some knights adorned their armour with the pelts of these beasts, giving birth to the Order of the Jaguar and the Order of the Panther.
15.5. Lichemaster Heinrich Kemmler and Krell, King of Wights
Heinrich Kemmler was once a great and powerful Necromancer. One of his earliest exploits was winning a battle of will against the Lich Crovan, who had imprisoned Heinrich in his fortress Vermiscae for 5 years. By overcoming the Lich, Heinrich earned the nickname "Patriarch of the Damned."
Kemmler attempted mutliple invasions of Bretonnia, the first in 2491. He was repelled by Duc Tancred the Quenelles in the Batlle of La Maisontall, a Monastery that had been occupied by Kemmler's undead forces. His second attempt follows 4 years later, in 2495, when he leads an invasion through the forests of Athel Loren. Although orion and Ariel were sleeping at the time, the Wood Elves destroyed his army. The Asrai still hold a deep hatred for him for defouling their sacred groves with his Necromancy.
Kemmler often supposedly died during that time, only to come back later. Once a Beastman chopped the Necromancer's head off and impaled it on a spike. Kemmler simply had one of his sekletons take his head back during the night and bring it back to his body. Reattaching his head, Kemmler went on his way. During the height of his power, Kemmler enhanced and advanced the arts of Necromancy greatly, writing down his improved spells in his books.
However, with great power came - no, not great responsibility, how did you ever come up with that nonsense? Seriously. Anyway, with great power came great enemies and one day, a group of Kemmler's ambitious rivals began to usurp his power. Although the Necromancer managed to beat them off before they could kill him for once and for all, his body and mind had greatly suffered. He found his power greatly reduced, wandering the Grey Mountains and the Border-Princes only half-sane.
During this time, many of his books found their way onto the black markets of the Old World. Since then, many a novice necromancer has tried to use Kemmler's spells only to find himself overpowered by his own creations. For the Lichemaster's spells summoned creatures far too powerful for any Necromancer but himself and a few others (like Nagash) to control.
One day, Kemmler accidentally came by the tomb of Krell, a long-dead Chaos Champion during his mad travelling.
Krell had become a Chosen of Chaos long before the founding of the Empire. Back then, humanity lived in barbaric tribes. Krell had been the leader of such a tribe when he was corrupted by Khorne. Receiving the Black Axed of Krell, made from pure warpstone and the Crown of the Damned, two powerful magical artifacts, he quickly subdued the remaining tribes in the north and began to wage war against dhe Dwarfs to the South. Allying with the Night Goblins, he stormed the fortresses Karak Ungor and Karak Varn. However, during the siege of Karak Kadrin, Grimbul Ironhelm managed to slay the Chaos Champion. His followers carried his corpse from the battlefield and entombed him withtin the Chaos Wastes. He rested for 1500 years until he was disturbed for the first time by Nagash himself, who was marching on the Empire in search of his crown. Raising the warrior as one of his five Dark lords, Nagash tasked him with occupying the Dwarfs at the flank of the human army during the Battle at the Reik. Remembering his death, Krell charged the Dwarfs full of anger, and threatened to break through their lines. However, when Sigmar killed Nagash, his armies dissolved around Krell and he stood alone within an army of Dwarfs. Only barely could Krell escape. Gathering the rest of Nagash's army, he ravaged around the Empire, plundering the young nation. After recovering from the great battle, Sigmar's forces pursued the Dark Lord, finally cornering and slaying him in 16 IC. They entombed him in a magically sealed grave in the Grey Mountains. But the Gods of Chaos were not yet done with Krell.
So when Heinrich Kemmler came across the tomb hundreds of years later, the Gods of Chaos offered the Necromancer a pact. They restored him to his former power and gave him Krell as a companion. In return, the Lichemaster would have to slay and destroy in their name. Kemmler accepted, and was immediately brought back to his former power. Once more, the name of the Lichemaster strikes fear into the hearts of mortal men...
Small collisions, war, control areas, and championships What are scenarios?
Small collision areas: (Skirmishes) collision of two persons or groups for the arena.
War in control: (Battlefields) This type of map, of course, to protect the players, or be obliged to attack as a major source of the important points .Example; the two sides for the control of a village to cutthroat struggle.
Scenario: Scenarios for the players as quickly and repeat the drop-sections are made in the war. This war will last between 5 to 10 minutes and the target will be based. For example, death matches, to take over a hill. In general the average or the championship-winning side of the scenario will affect the future.
Championship: Game of the heart to create. The fourth tier cities are the main parties in the region, the task of taking the opposite side of the city and the rest of the leaders is to kill everyone. Victory for the winning side for some time, for example, 24 hours, to take advantage of city resources or city shall have the right to plunder. This time will be forced to leave the city is finished eaten by renewed at the same place within this period or in a different region of the map that could strengthen the reform of the city. After a certain period of time balancing the parties to continue the war.
To be able to finish a task always has to fight against other players will do?
No, the player wants to finish the task as pve. But the most exciting and enjoyable part of the game have missed.
WARHAMMER RACE AND CHARACTERS
The Layman's Guide to Important Characters of the Warhammer World.
Before we get started, I would like to thank some people. To make sure I did not miss anyone extremely important and make a fool of myself, I have contacted certain forum users known for their knowledge of the lore and I would like to express my gratitude for their help:
First of all, Mongoose, for the information on not only the Skaven, but the Lizardmen, the Ogre Kingdoms, the Vampire Counts and the Tomb Kings as well! Surely you deserve the most credits for this, my dear vermin friend.
Second only by the narrowest of margins comes my thanks to Nerror for the Chaos section and his insight into Chaos Champions, to Snorri for the Dwarfs, to Krulltak for the Greenskins, to Vikingkingq for the Empire, and to Xurré for both the Dark Elves and the High Elves. Your help, too, is very much appreciated!
Now that I've got that of my heart, I'd like add some things real quick: This guide excludes the events of the Storm of Chaos as they do not hold revelance for WAR. Thus, characters that have risen to power or become prominent during SoC will not be included in this guide. So sorry, but no Valten, Archaon or Crom for you
You might also find this guide shorter than the previous one. That is because I have tried only to give the most important information about each character.
Also, I'm far from flawless. I might've missed someone, I might've made hundreds of spelling mistakes, and I might even have confused some information. If that is the case, then I urge you to inform me of any mistake you might find.
For now, the secions finished include Empire & Chaos. The rest will follow soon!
So, let's get started then, shall we?
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1. The Empire
1.1. Sigmar2. Chaos
1.2. Magnus the Pious
1.3. Karl Franz
1.4. Volkmar the Grim & Luther Huss
1.5. Balthasar Gelt
1.6. Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann
2.1. Aekold Helbrass3. Dwarfs
2.2. Arbaal the Undefeated, Destroyer of Khorne
2.3. Azazel, Prince of Damnation
2.4. Egrimm van Horstmann
2.5. Bel'akor
3.1. The Ancestor Gods4. Greenskins
3.2. Snorri Whitebeard and Grombrindal, The White Dwarf
3.3. King Gotrek Starbreaker
3.4. High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer
3.5. Gotrek Gurnisson
3.6. Josef Bugman
3.7. Ungrim Ironfist, Slayer King of Karak Kadrin
3.8. Malakai Makaisson
3.9. Rune Lord Kragg the Grim
3.10. Engineer Guildmaster Burlok Damminson
4.1. Grimgor Ironhide5. High Elves
4.2. Gorbad Ironclaw
4.3. Grom the Paunch
4.4. Gorfang Rotgut
4.5. Warlord Skarsnik
4.6. Azhag the Slaughterer
4.7. Morglum Necksnapper
5.1. Aenarion the Defender6. Dark Elves
5.2. Finubar the Seafarer
5.3. Alarielle, Everqueen of Avelorn
5.4. Imrik, Dragon Prince of Caledor
5.5. Tyrion, Defender of Ulthuan
5.6. Teclis, High Loremaster of the White Tower
5.7. Eltharion the Grim, Warden of Tor Yvresse
5.8. Alith Anar, the Shadow King
5.9. Caradryan, Captain of the Phoenix Guard
5.10. Korhil, Cpatain of the White Lions of Chrace
6.1. Malekith, Witch King of the Druchii & Morathi, Hag Queen of the Witch Elves7. Skaven
6.2. Malus Darkblade, Scion of Hag Graef
6.3. Rakarth, Beastlord of Krondar Kar
6.4. Crone Hellebron, the Hag Queen
6.5. Kouran, Captain of the Black Guard
6.6. Tullaris of Har Ganeth
6.7. Shadowblade, Master of Assassins
7.1. The Council of Thirteen & its respective members8. Lizardmen7.1.1. Lord Kritslik, the Seerlord7.2. Ikit Claw - Chief Warlock Engineer of Clan Skryre
7.1.2 Lord Morskittar, Lord Warlock of Clan Skryre
7.1.3. Greylord Skrisnik, Warlord and Seer of Clan Skrisnik
7.1.4. Lord Burr, Keeper of the Temple
7.1.5. Lord Sneek, Nightlord of Clan Eshin
7.1.6. Greylord Azarskittar, Warlod of Clan Khesherisk
7.1.7. Lord Paskrit, Warlord-General of all Skavendom
7.1.8. Lord Verminkin, Packlord of Clan Moulder
7.1.9. Lord Kratch Doomclaw-Clan, Warlord of Clan Rictus
7.1.10. Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch of Clan Pestilens
7.1.11. Lord Gnawdwell, Clan Warlord of Clan Mors
7.1.12. Lord Vittrik
7.3. Deathmaster Snikch
7.4. Lord Skrolk, Plaguelord of Clan Pestilens
7.5. Warlord Queek Head-Taker
7.6. Grey Seer Thanquol
7.7. Throt the Unclean
8.1. Venerable Lord Kroak9. Beastmen
8.2 Nakai
8.3 Lord Mazdamundi
8.4. Ancient Scar-Leader Kroq-Gar
8.5 Tehenhauin, Prophet of Sotek
9.1. Gorthor the Cruel10. Bretonnia
9.2. Khazrak the One-Eye
9.3. Morghur, Master of Skulls
10.1. Gilles Le Breton, Founder of Bretonnia11. The Vampire Counts
10.2. Maldred, Duke of Moussilon
10.3. Louen Leoncoeur, King of Bretonnia
10.4. The Green Knight
10.5. Morgiana, the Fay Enchantress
10.6. Repanse de Lyonesse
10.7. Bertrand the Brigand, Gui le Gros and Hugo le Petit
11.1. Von Carsteins12. The Tomb Kings11.1.1. Vlad and Isabella von Carstein11.2. The Blood Dragons
11.1.2. Konrad von Carstein
11.1.3. Mannfred von Carstein
11.1.4. Luthor Harkon11.2.1. Abhorash11.3. The Lahmians - Neferata
11.2.2. Valach
11.2.3. The Red Duke
11.4. Necrarchs11.4.1. W'soran11.5 Strigoi
11.4.2. Melkhior the Ancient
11.4.3. Zacharias the Everliving11.5.1. Ushoran
11.5.2. Vorag
12.1. Nagash and Alcadizaar13. The Wood Elves
12.2. Settra the Imperishable
12.3. King Phar
12.4. Sehenesmet, Vizier of Quatar
12.5. Prince Tutankhanut
12.6. Khalida Neferher
13.1. Orion and Ariel14. The Ogre Kingdoms
13.2. Durthu, Adanhu and Coeddil
13.3. Drycha
13.4. Arahan and Naestra, the Sisters of Twilight
13.5. Skaw the Falconer
14.1. Greasus Goldtooth, Overtyrant of the Ogre Kingdoms15. The Others
14.2. Skrag the Slaughterer, Prophet of the Great Maw
14.3. Braugh Slavelord
14.4. Groth Onefinger, First Prophet of the Great Maw
14.5. Jhared the Red
14.6. Golgfag Maneater, Mercenary Captain
15.1. Long Drong's Slayer Pirates------------------------
15.2. Lucrezzia Belladonna
15.3. Katarin the Ice Queen
15.4. Sultan Jaffar
15.5. Lichemaster Heinrich Kemmler and Krell, King of Wights
1. The Empire
1.1. Sigmar
Sigmar. Where to start? Sigmar Heldenhammer is probably the most important human character in the world of Warhammer to this date. Born under a twin-tailed comet, he helped drive off a Goblin invasion of his village in IC -15 and shortly afterwards rescued the Dwarven King Kurgan Ironbeard from captivity from a Goblin war party. The grateful Dwarf presented Sigmar with his rune-enchanted hammer "Ghal Maraz" (Skullsplitter in the dwarven tongue). In the following years, Sigmar united the scattered human tribes to form what is known today as the Empire. He began cleansing the lands of the Empire from the Greenskins and finally crushed them in the First Battle of Black Fire Pass in IC -1, liberating his newly founded realm of the Greenskin menace. Thus, Sigmar was crowned Emperor Sigmar Heldenhammer I at Reikdorf, which later became the Imperial City of Altdorf.
After he reigned wisely for 50 years, he put down his crown and embarked on a journey beyond the World's Edge Mountains to the east. There are diverse opinions on what had motivated Sigmar to do so, one of them the rumor that the real Ghal Maraz was stolen and he had set off to return it. This rumor is, of course, heavily denied by Imperial positions as they claim that the weapon wielded by every Emperor following in Sigmar's footsteps is indeed Ghal Maraz. Another theory is that Sigmar returned the hammer to Kharaz Ankor before he vanished and a dwarf delegation presented it as a gift of friendship to the Empire about 500 years later.
Although upon his dosappearance, no mortal has ever laid eye upon Sigmar again, he was venerated as a god within a generation. Sigmarism is now the foremost religion in the Empire and as prayers to Sigmar often receive visible answers, Sigmar might truly have become a god.
1.2. Magnus the Pious
Although Magnus the Pious was by far not the first Emperor to succeed Sigmar, he certainly was the greatest. Born as a noble more than 2,300 years after Sigmar's disappearance in an Empire that was divided and submerged in the turmoil of widespread corruption, fear, civil war and religious persecution, he witnessed the march of the greatest Chaos host ever upon the Old World. As other nations and races rallied to march against Chaos, the Empire was unable to provide any support - until Magnus embarked on a jounrey throughout the Empire, holding a fiery speech in every village or city he came to and reminding the citizens of the Empire of Sigmar's glory and their obligation to oppose the evil surging in from the north.
Over time, Magnus did the impossible and recruited not only the largest, but possibly the most diverse army in Imperial History. Flagellants marched next to state troops of all the Elector Counts, former hedge wizards now trained by High Elven Mage Teclis himself fought side by side with ordinary citizens who had taken up arms in defence of their homeland.
Needless to say, when Magnus joined his forces with those of the Dwarfs and the High Elves, the Chaos Army was crushed and the Old World saved. "Magnus the Pious" as he had become known, was elected Emperor and co-founded the Colleges of Magic, ending a time in the Empire when sorcery was punishable by death and making Imperial Battle Wizards an important part of the Imperial Army. He also granted the Artillery and Gunner's school the Imperial Charter.
1.3. Karl Franz
As the current Emperor, Grand Prince Karl-Franz I Holswig-Schliestein is most likely the most important man alive in the Warhammer world. Having ascended to his position in IC 2502, his reputation is that of a great statesman and diplomat, as well as a patron of arts and science. Although he might be a political genius, he is also a military innovator and a valiant general and certainly not one to idly sit by and talk when action is required. He has personally led the Empire in numerous battles, like the battle of Norduin against the Bretonnians or the battle of Bloodkeep against the vampiric order of the Dragontemplars.
When in battle, Karl Franz wields the mighty Ghal Maraz, the sacred hammer of Sigmar passed down from Emperor to Emperor. He is protected not only by the magical protection of the Silver Seal, a magical item given to Magnus the Pious during the First War against Chaos, but also by his mighty Griffon Deathclaw, whom he has a strong bond with. It is said that at the battle of the Bloodkeep, the Griffon stood over its wounded master for three hours, slaying any foe that came near, until the Reiksguard could carve a path through the enemies to rescue their fallen lord.
1.4. Volkmar the Grim & Luthor Huss
Volkmar von Hindenstern, nicknamed "The Grim", is the current Grand Theogonist of the Empire. He commands three Imperial Elector votes, those of his position and his subordinates, the Arch-Lectors. Since no Emperor has been chosen without the Grand Theogonist's approval after the Great War against Chaos, this power grant Volkmar a very important position in the Empire.
Volkmar is also no stranger to battle. Whenever he decides to engage in a conflict directly, he is carried into the fray on a grand War Altar bearing the Griffon symbol. Although he is quite efficient witht he sword, his greatest powers lie in his faith and the battle prayers he uses to strengthten the ranks of the Empire. Should Vokmar ever be wounded, the giant jade amulet he carries will immediately heal all but mortal wounds by drawing power frrom the War Altar.
Although Volkmar represents the honest, death-to-chaos part of the Sigmarite Church, he belongs to its conservative orthodoxy. Thus, when a young warrior priest named Luthor Huss appeared and openly denounced and criticized the corruption that had supposedly taken hold within the Sigmarite Church, many expected Volkmar to excommunicate him.
Luthor Huss, who had been orphaned by a Chaos raid as a child and joined the Sigmarite Priesthood after proving himself by defeating a beastmen raid single-handedly, quickly became sick of the corruption he soon discovered after joining the preisthood's ranks. Abdicating the Lectorship and proclaiming the corruption for all of the Empire to see, he began travelling the lengths of the Empire, calling upon the people to find their way back to Sigmar wihtout help from the clergy. But as Huss had never attacked Volkmar personally in his speeches, the Grand Theogonist continually refused to expel him. More concerned with the growing power of Chaos in the north, Volkmar immersed himself in his studies and became increasingly removed from Chruch affairs, causing many to doubt his leadership while at the same time allowing the power of the Arch-Lectors to grow.
Volkmar the Grim and Luthor Huss depict the split within the Sigmarite Church, one standing for tradition and old beliefs, but possibly corruption, the other for a new way back to the roots of Sigmarite beliefs, but at the cost of great changes.
1.5. Balthasar Gelt
The current Supreme Patriarch of the Magic Schools was originally a member of the Gold Order, the magic school specializing in the lore of metal, Balthasar'S main research was centered around the transmutation of vile metals into gold. One day, a freak explosion shattered his lab. When Balthasar was next seen, he wore metallic robes and a golden mask hiding his face. Whether the mask is his face transmuted or hides his former, now disfigured face, is unkown.
One thing is certain, however: the accident only increased his ambition. Challenging the former Supreme Patriarch Thyrus Gromann of the Bright Order to a duel, he defeated him and ended the prominence of fire as he assumed his new title.
1.6. Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann
A devotee of the Sigmarite faith and personally loyal to Grand Theogonist Volkmar, Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann is one of the most dangerous and determined enemies of the Ruinous Powers. The prejudices against Witch Hunters - being fanatically zealous - do not apply to him. He is well mannered and educated, most often very well dressed, though never without his mantle and brimmed hat.
But most importantly, he possesses a strong sense of morality that often leads him to doubt the actions his profession require him to do. However, there has not been one occurence in which Mathias failed to go through with his duty, as he feels it stands above his own doubts. However, he can never quite quell the guilt he sometimes feels, and he also cannot escape the nightmares of the events that set him upon the path of the Witch Hunter - the death of his wife and daughter. Sometimes these nightmares even haunt him during the day, and in rare cased Thulmann is even overcome by horrific delusions, rendering him unable to act for seconds at a time.
However, his doubts, fears and memories have never stopped him when engaging a foe. Wielding a silver longsword blessed by the Grand Theogonist himself, a pair of blackpower pistols from Nuln, his personal copy of the Deus Sigmar, vials of holy water from the Great Cathedral as well as a small silver hammer icon given to him by his father, the late Lector of Bechafen, he has yet to encounter a force of corruption of Chaos he did not uncover and destroy.
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2. Chaos
It has to be noted that most of the Champions of Chaos are - while important during their appearance in history - not affecting the armies or Champions of Chaos that follow them to a great degree. Chaos is so much bigger than an individual, and to the gods, the individuals are no more than playthings and toys. Anyway, noteworthy figures whose names you probably will come across include:
2.1. Aekold Helbrass
The Chaos gods are fickle and unpredictable, and so are their gifts. And turly, nothing proves this as well as the history of Aekold Helbrass. One of Tzeentch's greatest mortal champions, he has not only been granted a unique magical sword called Windblade, but also a most unusual gift called the Breath of Life. Wherever he walks, grass springs green, flowers blossom and everything else around him turns from death to life. Any living thing he touches beings to grow unnaturally fast and even creatures and persons at the brink of death stand up unharmed upon his touch. Chaos, by definition, is neither destruction nor creation; a fact proved by this mysterious ability. Despite his gift, however, Aekold does not hesitate to slay any foe he might ecnounter. For he is the servant of Tzeentch, the Master of Fate and most fickle of all gods.
2.2. Arbaal the Undefeated, Destroyer of Khorne
While all servants of Khorne lust for blood and slaughter in the name of their dark master, few are as devoted and successfull as Arbaal. Riding on his daemonic mount, the Hound of khorne, the Blood God's personal Flesh Hound, Arbaal has killed thousands and thousands of foes single-handedly. Tales claim that when he laid siege to Praag with a hundred Daemons, he slew a thousand warriors on one day to breach the gates of the city.
In return, Khorne has gifted Arbaal with his most powerful gift: the power of the Destroyer, which may only be worn by one champion at a time. It furthers Arbaal's prowess and strength even further, turning him into a flawless, perfect warrior. Should he ever be defeated despite his abilities and gifts, the mark will pass on and Arbaal will be turned into a foul Chaos spawn in case he survived.
2.3. Azazel, Prince of Damnation
Azazel, Prince of Damnation, the former chief of Gerreon tribe, one of the great twelve human tribes united by Sigmar, is now the Champion of Slaanesh. Having betrayed Sigmar, he fled to the northern Chaos wastes where he pledged his eternal loyalty to the Pleasure Prince and in return was gifted with daemonhood. He has become the highest general of Slaaensh's armies and gained the ability to see into the very hearts and souls of men, revealing their hidden desires and most perverse pleasures. Few have ever managed to oppose Azazel as most who set out to challenge him are convinced by his silver tongue to join the Prince of Chaos instead.
Legends tell of Templars of Ulric, zealous men who vowed before the Flame of their god to bring down Azazel or to die trying. Before they could land one blow on Slaanesh's general, they had been reduced to gibbering imbeciles, slaves to the slightest whim of Azazel and his master. Another tale tells of a Questing Knight called Guido de Brionne who kneeled before the Daemon Prince before he could issue his challenge and had his head cut off while not moving an inch, utterly convinced of the justification of the act.
2.4. Egrimm van Horstmann
The mightiest of the three great cults of Tzeentch, The Cabal is headed by the dreaded Egrimm van Horstmann. Originally a wizard of the Light College who has pledged his soul to Tzeentch for magical knowledge and power unattainable by a mortal, he converted many of his fellow wizards from the Light College to The Cabal before he was found out by a wizard called Vespasian Kant. Having fled the remaining forces of the Light College and the Sigmarite Church to the Chaos Wastes, he and his Twin-Headed Chaos Dragon Baudros dwell in their Silver Towers in the Screaming Hills. It is from there that van Horstmann draws the strings of The Cabal, controlling much more of the Empire than anyone would dare to believe. The members of the cult are branded with a mark on their forehead that gives complete control of their will to van Horstmann and his master. The Cabal, whose sign is the unblinking withering eye of Tzeentch on an open palm, often devises infinitely complex battle plans and strategies that span decades, making their opponents play their roles like a predestined act. Whenever one thinks he claimed a victory against The Cabal, he is most likely wrong and just fulfilled his part in one of the cult's everlasting schemes.
2.5. Bel'akor
Bel'akor wears many names, including titles like The Harbinger,The Shadowlord, One Who Heralds the Conquerors, the Foretoken and the Bearer. He was the very first mortal in the Warhammer world who received the gift of daemonhood. But this gift blinded Bel'akor with ambition and he rebelled against the Chaos Gods, thinking himself their equal instead of their Champion. Cursing him with madness and stripping him of his power, Tzeentch denied him a physical form and forced him into a mindless servant of his will. He forced Bel'akor to become the Harbinger, the one who would crown the Everchosen, the unified Champions of all four Chaos Gods. Allowing Bel'akor access to the Crown of Damnation, the symbol of the Everchosen, he tormented him even more as Bel'akor could only give the Crown to others but not wear it himself as he lacked a physical form.
So far, Bel'akor has been forced to watch three Everchosen:
The very first one, Morkar the Uniter, after whose coronation Bel'akor descended into madness and missed the battles won by Morkar. Morkar assembled a great army and was given the task of making the Warhammer world a permanent beacon of Chaos. While Morkar marched south, Sigmar had just begun to rise. The two met in a duel in Kislev, a battle often likened to that between gods, but in the end Sigmar was triumphant and ended the incursion of the first Everchosen.
The second one was Vangrel, who imprisoned the Great Daemon U'zuhl in Kingslayer and was later slain by a dwarf called Gromrir Goldfist.
When the third Everchosen, Kharduun the Gloried was chosen, Bel'akor reemerged and took control of Kharduun's body, calling himself the Shadowlord and believing he had defeated Tzeentch's curse. BUt even in his new form, Bel'akor could not touch the Crown of Damnation. His rage eventually destroyed his physical body and the Chaos Gods forced him to resume his position as a guardian to the Crown of Damnation.
Then the most recent Everchosen, Asavar Kul the Anointed arose to march upon the Empire. At the head of a campagin of death and destruction, he brought devastation to the human lands. But Magnus the Pious rallied the Empire and marched upon the Chaos Host in what would become known as the Great War against Chaos. When the two armies collided, Magnus and Asavar Kul found themselves in a duel in Kislev, at the very site Morkar and Sigmar had faced each other a long time before. And just as the first time, the Champion of Man eventually triumphed and Magnus slew Asavar Kul at the climax of the siege of Kislev. Bel'akor howled in rage, knowing that he himself would have been victorious had he been at his full power.
3. The Dwarfs
3.1. The Ancestor Gods
These are the first dwarfs, said to have been formed from the very stone of the world itself by the Old Ones. The three most important ones are Grungni, Valaya and Grimnir.
Grungni is worshipped as the patron of smiths and miners. He is commonly depicted as the wisest of the Ancestor Gods, and thus as the leader of the Ancestor Gods.
Valaya is regarded as the patron of the Runesmiths. She is said to be sleeping deep within the mountains until she is needed again.
Grimnir is the warrior's patron, often depicted with two rune axes. He helped the Asur to close down the northern Chaos gates and then vanished not long after. It is assumed he died in battle. One of his axes is held by Thorgrim Grudgebearer and the other was lost in the battle at the Chaos gates.
3.2. Snorri Whitebeard and Grombrindal, The White Dwarf
The first High King of the Dwarfs after the Ancestor Gods left, he began the Golden Age, and the Dwarfs prospered under his rule. The founding of Karaz Ankor, the Dwarf Empire and the establishing of Karaz-a-Karak as its capital marked the beginning of this new age. A pledge of friendship was made between the races of the Dwarfs and High Elves during the visit of High Elf Phoenix King Bel-Shanaar to the new capital. Through trade with the Elves, the Dwarfen culture prospered, and never again would Karaz Ankor see the quality of craftmanship employed during this age. Thus, High King Snorri Whitebeard is venerated as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Dwarfen Kings of all time. He died before he could bear witness to the betrayal of the Elves.
However, it is rumored that his vengeful spirit came back from the grave and is actually the White Dwarf, Grombrindal (which means "The White Bearded Ancestor" in Khazalid, the Dwarfish tongue). Grombrindal is a legend of battle, a ferocious fighter that appears seemingly random on battlefields and always turns the odds in favour of the Dwarfs. It is said he wields one of the axes of Grimnir, the one lost at the Chaos gates. He is also rumored to be in possession other artefacts of the Ancestor Gods (such as a rune cloak of Valaya) and other Dwarfen relicts like the Rune Crown of Zhufbar which supposedly was lost when that fortress was overwhelmed. Whoever Grombrindal really may be, he keeps his identity hidden and vanishes from the battlefield as suddenly as he appears.
3.3. King Gotrek Starbreaker
The High King during the War of Vengeance (also known as the War of the Beard), Gotrek Starbreaker's reign was one of the longest in the history of the Dwarfs. After the Dark Elves, who had only recently split from the High Elves, raided several Dwarfen caravans, the Dwarfs demanded recompense of the High Elves, unaware of the civil war raging between the elven race. The High Elves not only declined, but, as a final insult, had the Dwarf ambassador's beard cut off. The loss of a beard is a great shame to any Dwarf, and the Dwarfs did not take lightly to such deeds. Thus, the War of Vengeance, or War of the Beard, erupted, a great war that culminated in the Battle of the Three Towers at the gate of Tor Alessi in 1440, in which the Elves were defeated in a cataclysmic battle.
Fueled by the desire to avenge the affront inflicted to the Dwarfs by the Elves, he personally slew Caledor the Second in the Battle of the Three Towers and took the Phoenix Crown to Karaz-a-Karak, where it remains to this day. Only when the very last elven colony in the Old World was burned to ground did High King Gotrek give in to eternal slumber. By then he was 655 years old.
3.4. High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer
The current High King of the Dwarfs, Thorgrim Grudgebearer can trace back his bloodline to the most noble and ancient Dwarf Lords. It is said that the blood of Grugni and the wisdom of Valaya are his by inheritance. As High King, Thorgrim is tasked with the keeping of the Dammaz Kron, the Great Book of Grudges that holds all slights against the Dwarfen race. It is not written in ink, but with the blood of the High Kings, and only with the blood of a High King may a grudge be settled and the record be striked out from the book, a very rare occurence.
When Thorgrim engages in battle, he always carries the Dammaz Kron with him. Atop of the Throne of Power, his great seat carried by his four Thronebearers (who each use one of their hands to lift the throne and one to wield their hammers), wearing the Crown of Karaz-a-Karak, Thorgrim descends upon his foes wielding one of the legendary Axes of Grimnir.
Thorgrim ascended to the throne during a siege of Karaz-a-Karak by Chaos forces in the Great War against Chaos, after his father had fallen in battle. Under his guidance, the siege could be lifted and the Chaos forces fought back. He then sent his army to Kislev, where the Chaos host was crushed under the combined might of Dwarfs, High Elves and the Empire under Magnus the Pious. It has to be noted that when Thorgrim ascended his father's throne, he swore to settle every last grudge detailed in the Dammaz Kron.
3.5. Gotrek Gurnisson
Gotrek Gurnisson is a Slayer, a dwarf who suffered a great shame and seeks to redeem himself by seeking honorable death in combat. Leaving their home stronghold as far behind as possible, they set out to seek honorable death in single combat - preferably against a large, vicious monster such as a Troll, Giant or Dragon.
The least successful Slayers (from their point of view) tend to survive because they are the most skilled. As Dwarfs are psychologically incapable of suicide or fighting with the intent to lose, those who continue to survive become ever more skilled as a process of natural selection. There are many famous slayers who have achieved exceptional deeds in killing the beasts they set out to be killed by.
The least successful of them all seems to be Gotrek Gurnisson. Although the only clues to Gotrek's reasons to become a Slayer are hazy visions of twin sorcerers of Tzeentch, it seems that Gotrek was part of an expedition into the Chaos Wastes to find the lost city of Karag Dum. The expedition failed, and there were only three survivors including Gotrek. When he returned, he found a woman and her children dead, possibly his own family. It seems that Gotrek went to a Dwarf Lord shortly after who sent him to an unkown fate. An argument began and at one point, the Lord's gaurds attacked Gotrek. Gotrek then killed the Lord, his bodyguards, and everyone else who did not flee the room. Afterwards, he cut his hair and beard and became a Slayer, setting out to die a honorable death.
Gotrek is most often accompanied by the huma Felix Jaeger, his socalled "Rememberer". They emt in Altdorf during the Window Tax riots when Gotrek slew many members of the Reiksguard to protect Felix from being trampled. An epic pub-crawl followed after which Felix awoke to found himself oath-bound to follow Gotrek and record what fate the Slayer met. Fleeing Altdorf as Outlaws, Gotrek and Felix have since encountered many hazards such as the battle against Greenskins at Fort von Diehl in the Border Princes, during which Gotrek lost his eye, a duel against a femal champion of Khorne, a werewolf, the Skaven, a Chaos Dragon, the hunt for the Vampire Adolphus Krieger, and many other battles against Greenskins, Chaos Hordes, Chaos Giants and everything else that nightmares are made of. Yett somehow, they have both managed to survive against all odds, making Gotrek the possibly least succesfull Slayer ever to walk the Old World.
3.6. Josef Bugman
Dwarfs value their ale very greatly, seeing brewing as a form of art. Thus, it is not surprising that every Dwarf knows the name of Josef Bugman, the greatest Dwarf Master Brewer of all time. Even among the many, many famous Dwarf ales, not one is a paragon of quality like Bugman's brew.
Having founded his brewery in the eastern forests of the Empire to supply both Men and Dwarfs with his creations, he went upriver one day with a shipment of Bugman's Special Brew for the Emperor himself. When he returned, he found his brewery biurned and all his companions kidnapped or killed in what seemed to have been a Goblin raid. Bugman and the party that had accompanied him to Altdorf swore vengeance on the Goblins and to rescue their brothers in any way possible.
Little was heard after of them after that oath, but tales of cunning ambushed and night raids on Goblin camps quickly spread among those who would listen. Sometimes, Bugman's band would even spring tattered from the wilds to join a Dwarf army riding to battle, but always would they keep to themselves, sitting huddled at their campfire and clapsing their precious ale in their hands. After the battle, they would resume their quest for vengeance.
3.7. Ungrim Ironfist, Slayer King of Karak Kadrin
The tales of the Slayer Kings of Karak Kadrin go back to Ungrim's five times great grandsire King Baragor who lost his daughter, who was on her way to marry the son of the High King at Karaz-a-Karak at the claws of the great Dragon Skaladrak, which caused him to take the oathas of a Slayer. However, he could not abandon his duties as a King, as the oath of a king to protect and watch over his people is just as important as a Slayer's oath to seek honorable death. So Baragor found a way to honor both vows somehow: he founded the Shrine of Grimnir, they Slayers' Shrine within Karak Kadrin. By accepting donations, he was able to build Karak Hadrin into a haven for Slayers from all over the Dwarf realms, a home to the Slayer Cult. By offering other slayers lodging, food and hospitality for as long as they need it before they resume their quest, Baragor could help them to fulfill their oath where he could not. In return, the Slayers currently staying at the keep were required to help the King defend the Peak Pass, an important trade route through the World's Edge Mountains. As Baragor died with his Slayer's vow unfulfilled, it passed along to his son Dargo with the keep and the lands, and his son became second in a line of what would be Slayer Kings. Ungrim Ironfist is the living descendant of King Baragor, and his family has honored their oaths to this very day, providing for every Slayer who comes to their keep.
3.8. Malakai Makaisson
Malakai Makaisson was a very unlucky master engineer of the dwarfen Engineer's guild. The Iron Clad steam ship he had devised (The "Unsinkable") sunk on its first voyage and his devised Airship (The "Indestructible") exploded on the first flight. As a lot of dwarfs died in both incidents, Malakai was shaved and thrown out of the guild subsequently, causing him to took up the Slayer oath, but not to stop inventing. In IC 2499, he created a new airship, the "Spirit of Grungni." This time, the airship proved very durable, surviving both an expedition into the Chaos Wastes and a confrontation with a large Dragon. Another invention of Malakai is the Goblin-hewer, a mechanical axe-thrower that marked his becoming a mercenary working for Dwarfen and Empire armies.
3.9. Rune Lord Kragg The Grim
Rune Lord Kragg the Grim is the most reverent Rune Lord alive, the Master Rune lord of Karaz-a-Karak. He discovered the secrets of a rune which was then named "Master Rune of Kragg the Grim" or "Kragg's Master Rune" after him. Unfortunately, he has not yet found a worthy successor, so if he should die, many of the Rune Lords' secrets from ancient days will accompany him to the grave; including the secret of how to strike the Karaz-a-karak Anvil of Doom. As he is very protective of his lore, he has not even shared the secret of his master rune with any of his apprentices. But as long as he is alive, Kragg will alway retain his skills and the eternal scowl on his face that earned him his nickname. Although eternal disapproval is quite common in Dwarfs his age who have seen their race and craftmanship decline, Kragg brings disapproval to a new level whenever he deems it necessary to ascend from the Underhalls of karaz-a-Karak, where he live in his very own realm, a complex of mines and forges supervised by him.
3.10. Engineer Guildmaster Burlok Damminson
The Guildmaster of the Engineer's Guild of Karaz-a-kark, Burlok occupies a very important position within the hold . Burlok is a very conservative Guildmaster, believing that the preservation of knowledge and maintaining the standards of craftmanship is more important than the invention of new devices - a fact which didn't keep him from blowing up the entire guild in IC 2350 when performing tests on high pressure vehicles. As the Guildmaster, Burlok is responsbile for crafting and maintaining the tools and equipment the other Dwarfs use to build war machines like cannons and gyrocopters.
4. Greenskins
4.1. Grimgor Ironhide
No one knows Grimgor's early history. And after what happened to the last one asking about it, nobody will probably ever want to try and find out about it again. All that is certain is that Grimgor stumbled out from the Blasted Wastes with a guard of hardened, bloody, and scarred Black Orcs one day. He took over the first greenskin tribe he encountered, conquered the second and wiped out the third. All Orcs lust for battle, but Grimgor's thirst for it is exceptional even for an orc. Whenever he had to go through a day without fighting, the'd start arguing over every little thing, and after another day, he'd kill any Goblin that crossed his eyes. On the rare occurence that Grimgor's warband went without a fight for three consecutive days, his army was in deep trouble. Within a month of his appearance from the Wastes, Grimgor had assembled a warband surpassing the strength of any other Warlord in the area. Before the first year had passed, he marched upon Karak Kadrin, the Slayers' hold. Camping outside the castle, he never assaulted it, content with defeating the armies the Dwarfs sent against him. In the end, the Dwarfs lost so many soldiers that they were forced to prepare to hold out in their hold until winter, which supposedly would force Grimgor to retreat. However, the winter did not strike Grimgor's forces at Karak Kadrin. Bored after no new Dwarf armies were arriving, he led his army northwest into Kislev. Although the Kislevites tried everything in their power to stop them, Grimgor crushed all three armeis they could muster. As he marched upon the city of Kislev itself, however, a huge blizzard set in, killing thousands of Goblins, which forced Grimgor to heed the advice of his shamans and retreat to the World Edge Mountains. Upon his return, Grimgor took up residence in the abandoned dwarfen hold of Karak Ungor, seizing control from the Red Eye Goblins that had made their home there. From this position, he could start attacks on the Dwarfs' strongholds, the Empire and Kislev, whichever target seemed most suitable at that moment. For years, Grimgor would lead his army into Kislev during spring and wage war on the Skaven of Clan Mor and Clan Moulder, which had entrenched themselves in the tunnels far below Grimgor's new keep in winter. As time passed, the Greenskins pushed ever deeper into the tunnels of the Skaven, with losses on both sides increasing exponentially. But Grimgor would force his forces on and on, seeking for a challenge, unaware that he was closing in on the very heart of Clan Moulder's home base, the "Hell Pit". Throt the Unclean, the Master Moulder recognized this threat and gathered his strongest Rat Ogres to stop the green masses from advancing. Although Grimgor was taken by surprise, he saw a worthy challenge in the Rat Ogres. Placing himself in a narrow tunnel, he met the Rat Ogres one by one, all alone while his forces retreated to the upper levels of the castle. Just when Throt had heard about his newest defeat and concluded he would have to face Grimgor himself, he found the Orc and his armies gone.
Unaware that the Skaven was on his way, Grimgor had once again found himself bored with his adversaries. Concluding that the Rat Ogres must've been the best the Skaven could muster, and that the Humans and Dwarfs were no match for him, he turned his attention elsewhere. This time, he led his hordes to the northeast. Attempting to cross the region where the World Edge Mountains met the Mountains of Mourn, a feat not accomplished by any army before, Grimgor lost a great number of Goblins to the harsh conditions and to his own axe that felled the deserters. The rest of the army, now consisting mainly of Orcs, feared Grimgor more than the environment and climate and after a week, they eventually reached the Great Skull Land, the steppes east of the World Edge Mountains.
Shortly after they had made camp, they were attacked by a Kurgan tribe known as the Yusak, who planned to battle the Greenskins for the glory of their gods. Although the Greenskins were tired and exhausted, they met the savage men and eventually, through the advantage of sheer mass, swiped every last Kurgan free of his saddle and all that remained were broken and dead men and horses. Liking the challenge the Yusak had brought up, Grimgor let his force march on and set up camp in the very heart of Kurgan lands, which was also the shortest route to the Empire. Thus, the raiding hordes from the Kurgan steppes would have to pass through Grimgor and his warband to reach the Empire or accept a long diversion. The Kurgan, ever ready to prove themselves against any foe, assaulted the Orc's warcamp again and again. Grimgor was once more content, for he had found never-ending battle - for now, at least.
4.2. Gorbad
One of the most feared Orc leaders of all time, Gorbad first rose to power by killing the chieftain Crusher Zogoth in a surprise attack through ancient dwarfen tunnels. Having the Broken Tooths, Zogoth's former warband, under his command, Gorbad set out to conquer the goblin tribes in the area, furthering the ranks of his warband. He then formed a mighty WAAAGH! and descended upon the lands of the Empire, taking Nuln and Averheim in almost no time. Having burned Scolland down and personally having killed its elector count and taken his Runefang sword from him, Gorbad rushed towards Altdorf without paying heed to his adviser's warnings about supplies. Gorbad's attack was repelled by Altdorf's valiant defenders quite easily, but Gorbad threw wave after wave against the city. Eventually realizing that the swampy ground around Altdorf made a direct attack useless, he began to wear down the city walls with Rock Lobbas - which were reduced to wrecks by the defender's cannons. So Gorbad decided to use the secret weapon he had been hiding until then - wyverns. Completely taken aback, the Wyverns devastated the city's defenses, and one of them even managed to get through to the palace, sallowing the Emperor himself. But still, even the Wyvern could not take the city gates, and as Gorbad's leadership began to be doubted among the Waaagh! and supplies began to run low in the warcamp, the Waaagh! slowly dissipated. Gorbad and his own Broken Tooths tribe were continually hunted by Empire troops on their way back to the World Edge Mouantins. Eventually, they cornered him with the help of a dwarf army from Karaz-a-Karak. On Blood Peak, near Black Fire Pass, the Broken Tooth tribe met its end. Gorbad's fate, however, is uncertain. Last seen at dusk, standing upon heaps of dwarf bodies, it is unclear whether he survived or not.
4.3. Grom the Paunch
Although Waaagh!s are almost exclusively led by Orcs, there are exceptions. Grom was such an exception. Extremly large for a Goblin he was also extraordinarily fat and strong through a diet of troll meat, which granted him not only regenerative abilities, but also life-long indigestion and chronic flatulence. Having conquered Greenskin tribes throughout the soutern World Edge Mountains, Grom finally attacked the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin, and after that, the Empire. Having pillaged Averheim and destroyed Nuln, he later defeated the Prince of Altdorf and laid siege to Middenheim. Supposedly, he crushed the massive city gates with his enormous axe after his fellow Greenskins had been unable to do so. Having accomplished what he wanted in the Empire, he ordered the construction of the very first naval fleet of the Greenskins. Defeating the Imperial Fleet on the way, these newly constructed ships set sail to Ulthuan.There, Grom was finally defeated, though most likely not killed. To this day, goblins throughout the world await his return to free them from the oppression of their larger cousins - not that Grom is no oppressor, but at least he is a Goblin.
4.4. Gorfang Rotgut
Gorfang Rotgut is the chieftain of the Red Fangs, the Orc clan currently occupying the Black Crag, an ancient dwarfen keep taken over by the Orcs long ago. The Crag is frequently fought for, and only the strongest tribes can claim dominance over it for a long time. Gorfang has managed to subjugate most of the surrounding tribes, with exception to the NIght Goblins of Karak Eight Peaks, whose leader, the cunning Skarsnik, he shares a truce with.
An immensely strong Orc, Gorfang has fought many battles, most of them against the Dwarfs, such as the siege of Barak Varr and the attack on Karak Azul in which he broke into the Dwar Lord's throneroom and captured many of his kinsfolk he holds captive to this day. Gorfang is cahracterized by his unreasonable hatred for the dwarfen race, which cannot be explained by normal Orc bloodlust.
4.5. Warlord Skarsnik
Having become the chieftan of the Moon Tribe after deposing of all his potential competition, Skarsnik is possibly the most powerful Night Goblin Warlord in the Southern Worlds Edge Mountains region. He is a treacherous genius, and his carefully crafted betrayalas and schemes rival those of Tzeentch's servants. Even the Orcs in the region acknowledge his claim on the mountains around Karak Eight Peaks.
The keep itself is still held by the Dwarfs under Belegar, who has named himself King of Karak Eight Peaks, but they are cut off from reinforcements as the Moon Tribe is continously besieging them. Only once did reinforcements get through the Greenskins and into the camp. When Duregar marched from Karaz-a-Karak to reinforce Belegar's position in the keep, he was ambushed and only under heavy lossed for both the keep's defenders and the reinforcements were they able to retreat back into the fortress. Skarsnik continues to taunt them with the vast collection of dwarven beards he is displaying in view of the keep. The Dwarfs know there is no way out, as whenever one of them tries to enter or exit the keep, he will find himself under heavy attack from the Moon Tribe. Still, they continue to hold.
Aside from his cunning, Skarsnik wields a magical weapon called a prodder that allows him to shoot blasts of magic around. He is also almost always accompanied by his Cave Squig Gobbla, a smelly, vicious beast, that is fiercely loyal to him - a very uncharacteristic feat for a Squig.
4.6. Azhag the Slaughterer
Azhag the Slaughterer had one very uncharacteristc feat for an Orc Warlord - he actually employs tactics in battle. He owed this ability to a certain artifact he picked up at the ruins of Todtheim - the Crown of Sorcery, a twisted, cruel magical device crafted by Nagash himself. When Azhag picked it up, the remaining corrupting spirit that clung to the crown mixed with the Orc's feral nature and created a completely new being. Before a battle, Azhag would dictate the strategy in a completely different voice, laden with centuries of knowledge. Not that his fellow Orcs saw much use in trying to flank the enemy instead of rushing their ranks head on, but as soon as Azhag amassed a massive warband, they put up with this new quirk of his.
The beast with the genius mind and ferocious power marched its armies into the Empire, all the while destroying every foe it encountered with brilliant tactics, dark magic and the brute power of the Greenskins.
Finally, though, even Azhag was slain. At the battle of Osterwald, Werner von Kreigstadt, Grand Master of the Knights Panther, managed to bring the Orc down, which left the Waaagh! leaderless. The Orcs tried to seize control of the Crown again, but the Waaagh! was slaughtered without its tactician and the Crown taken back to Altdorf where it rests in the deepest Vaults of Sigmar's temple.
4.7. Morglum Necksnapper
The chieftain of the Necksnapper tribe, Morglum led his tribe of Black Orcs west from their origins in the Dark Lands to the east, where he conquered tribes of "weaker" Orcs and goblins. Morglum is known for tactical observations, a feat very uncommon in Orcs, as most of them only care about the fighting itself and not how to do it efficiently. He is not loud and quarrelsome like hos brethren. Instead, he is usually silent and stern. When Morglum speaks, he is precise and to the point, resulting in short battleshouts. The most famous among these is the one he brought up at the Battle of Death Pass, where his army of Goblins, Orcs and Black Orcs claimed victory over a Bretonnian force. When the Bretonnians turned to flee, Morglum shouted after them: "Let 'em tell da King. Da east belongs to da Orcs. Da east belongs to Morglum. Da east is green."
Morglum rides a boar into battle which he has trained so well that it does not require and guidance by reins, allowing Morglum to use both of his hands for fighting. He wears "Bulak's Bloody Armour", which is splattered with Orc blood that will not wash off. Rumor has it that the fight in which Morglum aquired the armour was not quite fair and thus Bulak's vengeful spirit is still trapped within the armour, causing the Orc blood to remain on it.
5. High Elves
5.1. Aenarion the Defender
It was Aenarion who helped the Asur change from the peaceful people they once were into the proficient warriors they are today. At the Coming of Chaos, when the Elves were hunted down throughout Ulthuan if they did not hunt in caves, a single Adventurer by the name Aenarion travelled to the Shrine of Asuryan and beseeched the Asur's greatest deity for help. When he received no answer, he threw himself into the Sacred Flame as a sacrifice for the rescue of his people. Instead of burning him to ashes, though, he was reborn as the very avatar of Asuryan himself. Stepping from the temple and slaying the Chaos general and his forces that had followed him, he ventured south to meet Caledor Dragontamer, the greatest of the old High Mages.
Caledor immediately recognized him and together they formed the very first army of the Asur, equipped with weapons from the fortress-shrine of Vaul's Anvil and trained by the newfound knowledge of Aenarion. Eventually, they ventured north and eradicated the Chaos host from Ulthuan. Aenearion then married the Everqueen Astarielle and became Phoenix King.
Meanwhile, the Dwarven god Grimnir revealed to Caledor that the collapsed Slann gates were what gave Chaos a free hold on the world. Caledor developed a plan to trap the corrupting energies and check the tide of daemons, but Aenarion rejected it, as he wasn't prepared to gamble with the future of his entire race. Not long after, a savage Chaos attack engulfed Avelorn. Astarielle was murdered and her children Morelion and Yvraine went missing to the Elves - though they had been saved and taken into hiding by an ancient treeman.
In maddening grief, Aenarion made a decision that would have an impact on the elven race he could not possibly foresee: he went to the Blighted Isle to draw the Sword of Khaine, although Caledor warned him by speaking a prophecy. Caledor claimed that if Aenarion saw his plan through, the gods would turn away from him and curse his entire line, and nothing but tragedy would come as a result of his actions. It is said that both the elements and an appearance of Astarielle's ghosts tried to dissuade Aenarion, but he drew the Sword regardless and began a campaign of vengeance that changed him and his followers into ever more brutal and cruel beings. Eventually, he married another woman after rescuing her from a den of Slaaneshi worshippers and held court with her in Nagarythe, the northernmost of the Elven lands. This woman's beauty is said to have been rivalled only by her cruelty: together with her, Aenarion made a sport of torturing captives. Her name was Morathi, and she soon bore him a son named Malekith.
Noticing the changes in his former friend, Caledor decided that he would have to see his plan through without his King's help. But when he and his companions began creating a magical vortex to banish the chaotic energies from their world on the Isle of the Dead, they were heavily attacked by Chaos forces trying to prevent it. Eventually, Aenarion had no other choice but to come to his friend's aid. In a savage battle, he slew no less than four Greater Demons by himself, but the lives of his dragon Indraugnir and countless of his soldiers were lost, buying Caledor the time he so desperately needed. Caledor’s vortex opened with a bright flash. Daemons ebbed away into nothing, and the forces of Chaos were confined to the Northern Wastes.
Mortally wounded, Aenarion returned to the Blighted Isle, where it is assumed he died. Aenarion's last act was to drive the Sword of Khaine back into the altar from whence it came so deeply no Elf would ever draw it again.
5.2. Finubar the Seafarer
Finubar was chosen as Bel-Hathor's successor and remains the current Phoenix King to this day, with Astarielle his Everqueen, chosen by himself at his coronation. Under his rule, Ulthuan survived not only the last Great War against Chaos, but he also caused trade to flourish further. Still, he feels that his reign may be the last days of a dwindlinge power. Although he commands a mgithy warhost, he has witnessed Ulthuan being attacked not only by the Witch King's hordes, but by the forces of Chaos and even the Greenskins, as well. He does not share the illusion of previous Phoenix Kings that Ulthuan is unassailable.
As a soldier, commander, and also as King, he has met some of these invasions himself. Since his coronation, he rides into battle with the Phoenix Crown, forged in Vaul's Anvil (although the current Phoenix Crown is not the original one as the original is still held by the Dwarfs). The sun seems to reflect from this crown so brightly that it is hard to look at the wearer, hindering ranged attackers to taarget the Phoenix King. Finubar also swings the Royal Sceptre of Ulthuan, which is, other than the current Phoenix Crown, truly ancient. When striking a foe, it envelopes him into blazing flames that the Phoenix King himself is immune to because passing through the Flames of Asuryan grants one permanent immunity to any kind of fire.
Lately, though, visions have been appearing to Finubar that the future of the High Elves may not be as bleak as he thought. The Dragons, asleep for eternity, seem to be stirring once more, offering a small hope of a future for the High Elves. But another, darker vision, has also been promising power to the Phoenix King...the Sword of Khaine, buried deep into the Blighted Isle, sings louder than ever in his dreams...
5.3. Alarielle, Everqueen of Avelorn
Alarielle is the current Everqueen, the chosen representative of the goddess Isha and co-ruler of all High Elves. She is said to be the most beautfil Elf to walk Ulthuan since the days of Astarielle herself, and to inspire this beatuy wherever she walks, with fields blossoming and flowers starting to bloom in her wake. With flowing hair like a golden cloud and beauty that is said to move even immortal gods, it is easy to forget her power, the power of nature itself, causing skies to weep with her when she mourns and thunder and lightning descending when she is angered.
And angered she is often, as her reign has seen multiple invasions of both Dark elves and Chaos forces. Although she seldomly leaves Avelorn to engage in battle herself, it is an omen of courage for the High Elven armies and an omen of destruction for all who oppose them when she chooses to to so. Alarielle does not use ordinary weapons, for as represantative of Isha, she is the embodiment of peace and not war. But even her slightest touch has the ability to stun the enemy and the aura of peace that surrounds her can prove lethal to all forces of destruction such as Skaven, Chaos or the Undead.
Alarielle wears upon her noble brow a diadem with a radiant gem. This gem is the Star of Avelorn, a gift to the very first Everqueen by Aenarion. This stone is said to be a star from the heavens themselves, placed into Aenarion's hands by Isha. The Star of Avelorn possesses great healing powers. Together with the Shieldstone of Isha upon her breast, a work of unmatched beauty as ancient as Ulthaun itself which deflects blows, the Star makes it difficult for her to receive any mortal blows. Additionally, Alarielle wields the Stave of Avelorn, the symbol of the Everqueen. In earlier centuries, it had been a store of great magical power, but nowadays, most of it is drained as a result of the Sundering.
5.4. Imrik, Dragon Prince of Caledor
The last descendant in the honorable line of the Phoenix King Caledor I, Imrik is one of the few who retain the ability to wake the dragons in time of great need. Where Caledor's skies once teemed with the mighty creatures and the caves below rumbled with their sounds, it is a silent realm today as very few dragons remain and those have fallen into a deep sleep. Thus, even at Imrik's call, only very few will answer, and seldomly will he make use of his power to wake more than one dragon at a time. Imrik is currently the only one who keeps the traditional fighting stlye of his house - to fight atop a dragon. But when he chooses to engage into a battle atop his mighty beast Minaithnir, his foes tremble in fear upon the sight, and rightly so, for together, they are a match for any foe.
5.5. Tyrion, Defender of Ulthuan
Tyrion is undoubtedly the greatest living warrior of the High Elves and Champion to the Everqueen herself. Twin brother to Teclis, he can trace back his line to the very first Phoenix King and his son, Morelion. His valor and prowess have even led to some Elven bards claiming he is Aenarion himself reborn. During the last major invasion of the High Elves, it was Tyrion who single-hadnedly slew Urian Poisonblade, the Witch King's personal champion.
Although Tyrion does not rely on them solely, his weapons and armour are ancient heirlooms, brimming with magice power. He wears the Armour of Aenarion himself, forged in Vault's Anvil, which grants him immunity to fire along with great protection against any kind of weapon and he wields the 4-foot-long runesword, a fearsome weapon that is easily able to cleave through flesh and armour alike. It is also known as Sunfang for the gleaming runes that shimmer up and down its length, blazing with the captured fires of the sun. He rides to battle on the mighty steed Malhandir, which is probably the strongest, fastest and largest steed currently in possession of the High Elves, which is not surprising as it come from the line of Korhandir, Aenarion's personal steed.
However, Tyrion is not only a brave and highly skilled warrior, but also a great general. His ability to lead is so highly renowned that his commands are second only to those of the Phoenix King himself. There are many who think he would be a good choice to be the next Phoenix King, but Tyrion is ever aware of the Curse of Aenarion, the curse his ancestor drew upon all of his descendants, making Tyrion unfit to rule because he would be constantly forced to seek out more power.
5.6. Teclis, High Loremaster of the White Tower
While Teclis is Tyrion's twin brother, there could not possibly two brothers more different. Where Tyrion is a master of swords and strategy, strong and fast, Teclis has such a physical frailty that he must sustain himself by magical potions of his own creation, another result of the Curse of Aenarion. However, the power and genius of Teclis' mind more than makes up for his lack of physical strength. When he studied magic at the White Tower as a child, his command of sorcery soon surpassed that of the High Loremaster he studied under. When the Great War against Chaos came not soon after and the Everqueen and his own brother Tyrion had vanished under the assault of the Dark Elves and their Chaos allies, Teclis made his first step on the road to destiny. Setting out from the Tower with a magical blade of his own making and the War Crown of Saphery, an ancient artifact given to him by the HIgh Loremaster, he found his wounded and poisoned brother and the Everqueen he protected under the assault of a Keeper of Secrets, a greater demon of Slaanesh. Using his amgnificent powers, Teclis returned his twin brother to full health and together, they brought the demon down. They then turned the course of the war in favor of the High Elves until at last, Teclis faced Malekith in a magical duel. A match for each other, Teclis finally used the Moon Staff of Lileath, a gift from the everqueen to create a magical bolt of tremendous energy during a standstill that Malekith was forced to cast himself into the Chaos realms to avoid final death.
Having secred Ulthuan, Teclis ventured on to the Old World to aid the Humans and Warfs in their battles. With his magical powers and the knowledge he taught the Empire's hedge wizards, he helped win the war and subsequently could convince the new Emperor Magnus to lift the ban of magic on his people and found the Colleges of Magic. When he returned to Ulthuan after the war ended, Teclis was made the new High Loremaster of the Tower of Hoeth. Nowadays, Teclis is the most powerful sorceror alive (exluding the mummified Slann or Nagash, who can hardly bve considered alive), or so the High Elves would claim.
When he sets out to battle, Teclis carries with him a myriad of magical items, including the Potions of Inner Strength he needs to sustain his frail body, the Sword of Teclis which he crafted during the Great War against Chaos, as well as the powerful Moon Staff of Lileath and the War Crown of Sapehry which increase his unbelievable magical power even further.
5.7. Eltharion The Grim, Warden of Tor Yvresse
One of the mighties warriors of the High Elves, Eltharion's prowess and fighting skill are (among the High Elves, at least) second only to those of the great Tyrion himself. He was the only High Elven general to ever successfully attempt an invasion of Naggaroth, but while fighting, he was stabbed by a Witch Elf's poisoned blade. While he lay dying, an apparition of his father appeared to him and brought the terrible news of Grom the Paunch, the Goblin warlord, having invaded Ulthuan. Enraged by the images of many elves, including most of Eltharion's family having been slaughtered, Eltharion dragged himself back from the brink of death by sheer willpower and rode back to Ulthuan atop his griffon Stormwing. When he arrived, Grom's shaman Black Tooth had just killed the Warden of Tor Yvresse and the goblins had breached the city's walls. Rallying the few remaining defenders, Eltharion was able to push through the hordes and slay Black Tooth in single combat. With their shaman lost, the green mass was easily pushed back and Grom himself vanished, never to be seen again. Eltharion was named the new Warden of Tor Yvresse, but due to the loss of his entire family and most of his land, the name he is better known under is "The Grim".
Note: As of the 5th and 7th edition of the High Elf army books, this is where Eltharion's story ends. Apparently, he continues his life as a mighty general atop his griffon. Thus, he keeps wearing the Fangsword of Eltharion, a rune-encrusted faimly heirloom as well as the Helm of Yvresse, the traditional symbol of the Warden of Yvresse. Eltharion also has, resulting from the goblins' invasion of his homelands and the slaughter of his familey, a deep hatred for all goblins.
In the 6th army book, however, Eltharion's story continued and he became a famous blind swordsmaster:
When man years later Malekith led an invasion on Ulthuan to reclaim the Shadowlands, Eltharion led an army to the ancient ruins of Anlec, where the Dark Elves where gathering. Hopelessly outnumbered, Eltharion hid within the ruins, hoping to ambush Malekith himself. With his army destroyed, Eltharion finally challenged the Witch King to single combat. Malekith refused and attacked him with sorcery. Easily overpowered, Eltharion was captured and Malekith tried his best to blackmail him into joining his ranks by threatening to kill the other High Elven prisoners. When Eltharion refused, all surviving members of his army were beheaded before him. He himself was taken back to Naggaroth, blinded and tortured almost to death for the amusement of the Witch King. In the end, he was returned to Ulthuan, barely alive, as a warning to the High Elves.
Sent to the Tower of Hoeth to recover, he was trained by Belannaer, the master of the Tower, in the ways of the Swordmasters. Eltharion was a magnificent student, learning quickly and in time matching Belannaer himself in single combat, although he remained blind. When Malekith invaded Ulthuan once again and threatened Avelorn and the Everqueen herself, Eltharion was given a contingent of Swordmasters to stall the invasion. Eltharion ended up facing Malekith once again, this time wounding him and making him flee the battle. Together with Alith Anar, the Shadow King, Eltharion led their armies into Naggaroth once again. When they shored up on the dark country, the Dark Elf assassin Shadowblade challenged Eltharion in a duel. Evenly matched, the two duelants fought for a long time before Shadowblade eventually left the field, leaving a poisoned Eltharion behind. Fortunately, Belannaer had arrived in Naggaroth with orders for Eltharion to return to Ulthuan and was able to heal Eltharion. They then returned to Ulthuan.
5.8. Alith Anar, the Shadow King
There are many stories told of the Shadow Warriors, stories of brave and valiant deeds, battles against the darkest of foes, and their hatred of the Dark Elves and sorrow upon losing most of their homeland. However, none of these stories are as well known as that of Alith Anar, the Shadow King and leader of all Shadow Warriors.
The tales of Alith Anar's adventures, each and every one of them a courageous exploit against the Witch King and the Druchii, start from the years following the destruction of Anlec. They include, for example, the defense of Ulthuan during against Malekith's armies on the side of Eltharion, the Grim, the crucyfing of several hundreds of Druchii and dancing in disguise with Morathi herself before stealing an artefact called the Stone of Midnight from her treasury. Nowadays, it is hard to tell what stories are true and what stories are false or embellished by the bards, as the Shadow Warriors are a silent and secretive group. He is often thought to be dead, only to return in another battles months or years later.
5.9. Caradryan, Captain of the Phoenix Guard
An arrogant lordling in his youth, rich powerful and conceited, Caradryan was the very archetype of the jaded High Elf aristocrat. However, he completely changed after a pilgrimage to the sacred Shrine of Asuryan, a endeavour every High Elf noble is expected to embark on at least once in his life. It was there that he displayed the most arrogant deed he ever would: sneaking into the holy Chamber of Days, with no reason but his own curiosity. What he witnessed there, no one will ever know, for when he emerged from the Chamber with the glowing rune of Asuryan upon his forehead, the first thin he did was to take the vows of the Phoenix Guard, which prohibit him from speaking. Having given up all his wordly possessions by the vow, Caradryn committed himself fully to the arts of combat, and quickly rose throughout the ranks of the Phoenix Guards to eventually assume the position as their Captain.
5.10. Korhil, Captain of the White Lions of Chrace
Should you ever ask a White Lion who the mightiest elf in all of Ulthuan is, their answer would without a doubt be Korhil. His strength and stature are the stuff of legends, though he is by no means a lumbering giant, wielding the traditional weapon of the White Lions, the axe, with such grace and dexterity that it makes the movements of one of his fellow White Lions look cumbersome. Korhil is a very honest Elf with a noble bearing that has won him many friends among both Ulthuan and other nations. He is among the few that the Phoenix King Finubar trust completely and as such, he has made apperances as his personal champion on numerous occasions.
Korhil became Captain when his precursor was slain by Urias Posionblade, champion of the Witch King. When the bodyguard of the Phoenix King gathered to select a successor from their ranks, it was Korhil who was chosen. Having hunted down and caught the great lion Charandis, a poweful beast warped by tendrils of Chaos and having slain Saurios Nightblade, the leader of a Dark Elf attack upon Korhil's village and master swordsmans chooled by Assassins in Naggaroth, in single combat, his deeds spoke highly of him.
Korhil was given the Axe Chayal (meaning Lion's Claw), the traditional weapon of the White Lion's Captain and donned the pelt of Charandis, which had been enchanted by Loremaster Finreir and presented as a gift from the Phoenix King himself and protects Korhil from all kind of poisons. Wielding this powerful magic items, he leads the White Lions into battle tho this day.
6. Dark Elves
6.1. Malekith, Witch King of the Druchii & Morathi, Hag Queen of the Witch Elves
Malekith is the Witch king, the supreme ruler of all Dark Elves. He is the son of the first Phoenix King, Aenarion. Shortly after his first wife and his children had been slaughtered in an invasion of Chaos, Aenarion made a dreadful decision that would curse his entire line forever: in searching vengeance for his family, he drew the dreaded Sword of Khaine which had been impaled on the Blighted Isle, never to be drawn by mortal hands. Beginning a campaign of vengeance that changed him and his followers into ever more brutal and cruel beings he eventually married another woman after rescuing her from a den of Slaaneshi worshippers and held court with her in Nagarythe, the northernmost of the Elven lands. This woman's beauty is said to have been rivalled only by her cruelty: together with her, Aenarion made a sport of torturing captives. Her name was Morathi, and she soon bore him a son named Malekith.
When Aenarion died, Malekith thought himself the obvious choice to succeed him as Phoenix king.
Assuming that the legacy of his father would guarantee his ascension to the throne, Malekith agreed to let the council vote on whether he should rule. But many amongst the Elf court felt Malekith was unsuited to rule, not only because of the Curse of Aenarion that supposedly befell his whole line, but also because they preferred a less hot-headed leader now the war with Chaos was over. So they elected Bel Shanaar, Prince of Tiranoc, in his place. Malekith was instead appointed Commander of the High Elf armed forces. On the surface, Malekith seemed to be taking the turn of events very well. Indeed he was amongst the first to pay homage to Bel Shanaar upon his coronation as the Phoenix King. Malekith began to serve the new Phoenix King, appearing loyay and becoming a great general.
During Bel-Shanaar's reign, the Cult of Pleasure arose. First seen as just a way of better exploring the pleasures of life, it soon became obvious that it was in reality a cult dedicated to the Chaos god Slaanesh. Malekith swore to eradicate the Cult, and his actions against it brought him great gratitude from the Asur. But in the end, Malekith claimed Bel-Shanaar was a member of the Cult himself, assassinating the Phoenix King with an undetectable poison and claiming he had committed suicide rather than face the shame of an interrogation. While his followers massacred the unarmed Elven Princes, Malekith set off to enter the Flame of Asuryan, confident he would be able to master it like his father did. But Asuryan would not choose a being so wickedly corrupted. The flames burned Malekith horribly, scarring his flesh until he was barely able to cast himself out of it. He was crippled, and his followers feared the wrath of Asuryan. But his mother, Morathi, nursed him back to strength and had him encased within a magical suit of armour that would hide his scars and lend him strength. By then, the truth had dawned on the High Elves: Morathi was the High Priestess of the Cult of Pleasure, and had plotted with her son to gain control of the Phoenix Throne from the very beginning, the cult Aenarion had rescued her from having been her very own servants.
Civil war erupted between Malekith's supporters and the rest of the Asur. Eventually, the Prince of Caledor, Imrik, was chosen to oppose Malekith as Phoenix King. He gathered an army of pure elves and eventually defeated Malekith personally. Defeated, Malekith attempted to collapse the vortex created by Caledor Dragontamer to contain the forces of Chaos. He failed, however, and the magical backlash caused large portions of Ulthuan to sink beneath the sea. This event is referred to by the Asur as "The Sundering". Malekith, Morathi and their followers used their magics to transform the great northern cities into the huge floating 'Black Arks' - mobile fortresses they would use to transport their forces and supporters away from Ulthuan. They travelled to the western continent, a wasteland they would name Naggaroth.
Thus, the race of the Asur was now shattered into two factions: the High Elves, in Ulthuan who kept the name Asur, and the Dark Elves, also known as Druchii, in Naggaroth. It is there that the Druchii made their new home, building a new nation while eradicating the native tribes.
For over five thousand years, Malekith has now opposed many of the High Elven Phoenix Kings.
Nowadays, when Malekith rides into battle himself, he rides his personal Black Dragon, Seraphon, a mighty and viscious beast. Malekith is always clad in his sorcerous armour, the Armour of Midnight, as it is fused to his skin. Few can look upon this armour without dread, this piece of dark magic that makes Malekith nearly immune to physical attacks. However, he wears a single piece that is not a part af the Armour of Midnight: the Hand of Khaine, a gauntlet said to be sanctioned by the Blood God himself, capable of opening terrific wounds upon a single touch. In his hands, he wields a sword called the Destroyer which destroys every magic item it touches. Together with the physcial immunity the Armour grants him, it makes Malekith nearly unassailable. Still, it is prophesied that he will meet his end at the hand of a sorceror...
Morathi, who is called the Hag Queen of the Witch Elves (although they are led by Crone Hellebron, the Witch Elves' true loyalty lies with Morathi), is the only Witch Elf who is allowed to use magical power. On Death Night, once a yaer, Morathi bathes in the Cauldron of Blood, rejuvenating her ancient body and allowing her to keep her beauty like it was on the day she left Ulthuan.
Riding on a Dark Pegasus named Sulaphet, wielding a lance called Heart Render, she makes frequent use of her magic power - which is very powerful, as she has had more than five thousand years to have perfected it. It was her who first perfected Dark Magic, opening up portals to Chaos planes that granted her unimaginable power.
Together, Malekith and Morathi rule the Druchii unqestioned. From Naggaroth, that Malekith continually plans his invasions against Ulthuan to reclaim what they thinks is their right: the Phoenix Throne.
6.2. Malus Darkblade, Scion of Hag Graef
The son of a rich, noble family from Hag Graef, Malus was everything expected from a Dark Elf - unscrupulous, blood-thirsty, cunning ane ambitious. To further his influence even more (and to escape the consqeuences of an earlier business venture), he embarked upon a journey to the Chaos Wastes to find an ancient, magic treasure. Eventually, he found it, but by taking it, he awakened the Demon Tz'arkan, also called Drinker of Worlds. The demon possessed Malus and threatened to kill him if he didn't succeed in completing a powerful ritual within one year. In order to rid himself of the daemon, Malus had no choice but to follow its orders.
For the ritual to work, Malus needed five certain magical artefacts. The first of these was the Octagon of Praan, a medallion made of brass, carved in the shape of an octogram and covered with runes. It has the power to protect its wearer from all sorcery and magical wards. Fighting numerous Orcs and even a Dragon Ogre on his search for the Octagon, eventually Malus took it from the shaman of a heard of beastmen after slaying his herd.
After aquiring the Octagon, Malus returned to Hag Graef to equip an expidition for the search for the second artefact, the Idol of Kolkuth. He recovered the Idol from the Tower of Kolkus on the island of Morhaut, the headquearter of a norce pirate force dedicated to Nurgle which are called the Skinriders. Barely a foot in height and made from brass like the Octagon, the Idol was hidden in a sanctum in another dimension by the sorceror Eradorius that could be accessed only on Morhaut. The idol has the ability to warp space and time for the wielder, allowing the user transportation to wherever, and perhaps even whenever, he wishes to go by pure force of will. Malus has used it successfully, though he loathed the experience and it was not as accurate as he hoped it would be.
The third artefact was the Dagger of Torxus, retrieved by Malus from a Dark Elf lord's crypt. When he picked up the Dagger, however, the lord awoke and slew all of Malus' men and Malus almost with them. A long, black curved dagger, the Dagger of Torxus is said to be drinking light, which makes it look like an embodiment of the Outer Darkness itself. It has the viscious power to rip out the souls of any creature it stabs and binding it to that point for all eternity, making even the tiniest scratch lethal. Malus survived his wound by the Dagger solely due to the fact that his soul had been taken by Tz'arkan, and thus could not be ripped out. However, the Dagger was no longer Malus' direst concern. His half-sister Nagaira had conspired with his brother Isilvar; together they’d known of the five relics he needed to find in order to free the daemon from its prison and reclaim his
stolen soul. They knew he would seek the Dagger of Torxus in the tomb of Eleuril the Damned, and so they’d arranged for Lurhan, his own father, to get it first. Malus had to slay his father (although he did not know it was his father at first) in order to retrieve the dagger, making his name known as one of a man who had committed patricide. Hunted by his father's followers, he fled, wounded, to Naggor, the city that was anenemy of Har Gaeth in a bloody feud, where he at first faced slavery. Bewitched by his half-sister, he eventually led Naggor's army in an attack of Har Graef alongside Fuerlan, the son of Baneth Bale, the leader of Naggor. With the help of his mother, Eldire, he was able to throw off the spell of his sister and was able to flee once again. But now he had made himself an enemy of the Witch King himself, as he had slain his father, the Vaulkhar (a military rank) of Har Graef and marched upon his own city. As Malekith regards all his servants as his possession, he does not take lightly to the destruction of a Vaulkhar.
Malus fled to the Chaos Wastes, where he eventually aquired the fourth of the artefacts, the Warpsword of Khaine. Although the weapon is, as indicated by Tz'arkan, older than Khaine itself, the way that it consumes the blood of its victims certainly takes after its namesake. A double-edged blade, almost as long as a draich, the blade is slightly wider at the point than at the hilt, giving it extra cutting power. It is a two-handed weapon, a cabochon ruby is placed at where the hilt meets the blade. The sword radiates invisible heat like a furnace, the hilt is always hot to the touch. The blade infuses the wielder with great strength, and can send its user into a murderous frenzy that will not stop until there are no enemies left in sight. Tz'arkan implies many times that the Warpsword is more than just a blade, perhaps meaning that it can do more than cut through steel and flesh as just as easily as it would butter, though Malus has never used the sword for any large acts of power, it also seems to be able to effect magic, seen when Malus uses the blade to greatly weaken, and even shatter a magical barrier.
The last artefact Malus was required to find was the Amulet of Vaurog, a heavy, red-gold torque that renders its wearer impervious to all weapons. However, whoever wears it may still be killed by direct force such as bare hands. To find the artefact, Malus has to enter the palace of the Witch King himself, in order to locate the Amulet's position with the Ainur Tel, The Eye of Fate, a powerful scrying tool. Within the palace, Malus is captured by the Endless, Malekith's personal bodyguard and brought before the Witch King. The Malus figures, correctly, that if Malekith, the Witch King, wanted him dead then the Endless would not have gone to so much trouble to capture him and escort him to the fortress. Once Malus has honestly told all about the daemon within him and why he killed his father, Malekith decides to use the various talents Malus seems to possess. After having been used by Malekith for various endeavours, Malus discovers the Amulet is worn by a Chaos champion. He tries to take it from the Champion multiple times, dealing supposedly fatal blows to the spine and abdomen with the Warpsword of Khaine, but each time the Champion is unaffected. Malus finally kills her with his bare hands, calling upon Tz'arkan's power. After that, it is revealed that dhe Champion was Lhunara, a druchii woman who served as Malus's lieutenant, and it is hinted, was his lover, who Malus murdered briefly after his possession by Tz'arkan. She was resurrected as an undead revenant and desired only to destroy Malus in revenge for his betrayal.
Having aquired all the artefacts he needed, Malus finally completed the ritual, freeing himself of the Daemon. However, Tz'arkan had tricked him, and took Malus' soul with him when he left. Soulless, Malus wandered through the Chaos Wastes for 10 years, not caring for life or death, with only the Warpsword of Khaine having survived the ritual. Then, one day, a sorceror approached him and told him he knew where Tz'arkan was. Fearing for his life, the sorceror had tattooed the map to Tz'arkan's hiding place onto his back to make sure Malus would need him further. Ending the man's illusions by slaying him, skinning the skin from his back and feeding the rest to his ever-loyal Cold One Spite, Malus set out to face Tz'arkan. Facing numerous foes from all the Four Gods of Chaos, he eventually found Tz'arkan within the realm of the Screaming God Child, a crazed entity of Chaos. Malus was able to trick the God Child and flee, but when the entity noticed that, he imprisoned Tz'arkan in Malus' body once more as punishment. From then on, Tz'arkan took control of Malus whenever he went to sleep. Thus, Malus now drinks a magical potion that keeps him awake infinitely. Only when the strength and savagery of the daemon is required does Malus imbibe a sleeping potion to wake the daemon.
After many years, Malus eventually returned to Hag Graef, where, with the backing of Malekith, he become the new Drachau, the lord of the city. Traditionally, the Drachau of Hag Graef is also the general of the Witch King's armies. Nowadays, Malus is one of the preferred servants of Malekith, and upon his bidding, he rides to battle on his loyal and unusually intelligent Cold One Spite with the Warpsword of Khaine in his hand.
6.3. Rakarth, Beastlord of Krondar Kar
The various beasts and monsters of Naggaroth and the Old World have always had their part in the various Druchii armies throughout the years, but it is said that the dungeons of Krondar Kar where never filled with so many, so different and so powerful creatures as they are under the command of Rakarth.
Rakarth's talent showed at an early age, when only eight years old, he tamed a particularly fine Dark Steed named Bracchus that his father had been gifted with. A wild beast, no one was able to subdue Bracchus, and so Rakarth's father ordered it to be killed. Upon this order, however, Rakarth asked his father if he might attempt to ride the creature. If he succeeded, he wanted to keep it as his own steed. Rakarth's father, loving gambles like all Druchii do, agreed. Rakarth advanced towards Bracchus, meeting the eyes of the beast with an ice-cold stare. Reocgnizing that he was facing a being that outmatched him in both cruelty and ability to inflict pain, Bracchus meekly lowered his head and allowed Rakarth onto his back. From that day on, Bracchus was Rakarth's faithful mount, serving him well until he was slain at the battle of Finuval Plain some thirty years later.
When Rakarth rides into battle today, he is clad in the Beast Armour of Karond Kar and wields his weapon, the Whip of Agony, which inspires unnatural pain in everything it strikes, from the back of a massive Black Dragon that goes by the name of Bracchus, in rememberance to his very first mount. This beast inspires fear even in the most courageous of foes, and those who do not flee are met by its fangs or its tail, or its Noxious Breath, corosive and poisonous fumes that burn skin and hair and choke any living being to death.
6.4. Crone Hellebron, the Hag Queen
After a battle, the Witch Elves of Khaine bathe in the blood of their enemies to absorb their strength and keep their beauty and youth. As the years pass and they grow old, they have to enter the Cauldron of Blood more and more often so that their bodies do not become bent and cold. The most ancient of the Witch Elves are the Hag Queens, the greatest and most powerful of their kind. It is they whol lead the dark rituals upon the Altars of Khaine and cut out the hearts from the sacrifices to throw them to the younger Witch Elves.
Crone Hellebron is the oldest of these Hag Queens still alive, save for only the mother of the Witch Elves herself, Morathi. But while the Cauldron of Blood eternally renews Morathi's beauty and strength, it will not do so for this Hag Queen much longer. Each year she requires more blood for the Cauldron, and each year the effects lessen. Nowadays, Hellebron endures many months as an old and ugly crone for each day of renewed youth.
Still, the memories and bloodletting she has experienced for five thousand years are still renewed as she frequents the field. A true Witch Elf, she will not miss any chance to spill blood in the name of Khaela Mensha Khaine. Unlike other leaders of the Druchii, she does not rely on many magic items to give her strength, carrying into battle only her trusted Deathsword and an Amulet of Fire granting her some magic resistance.
6.5. Kouran, Captain of the Black Guard
Kouran is a cunning commander, one of the greatest military minds the Druchii have. Uncluttered by compassions, mercy, or ego, he does not care at what cost his victories come and is known to take great risks, once having sacrificed a whole army to lure an enemy force into the trap he devised. Nevertheless, to this day, he has always come out victorious in the end. Wielding a Blade of Ensorcelled Iron, a blade of pure iron tempered to the sound of arcane incarnations in ages past which guides his strikes with magical precision and wearing Armour of Meteoric Iron stamped with protective runes, he is a match for any foe he might encounter.
6.6. Tullaris of Har Ganeth
One of the most murderous leaders in all of Naggaroth, tales of Tullaris' cruelty are widely known. The most famous among them is the story of him having a captured town burned to the ground and all its inhabitants killed because he did not like the town's name. It is under his leadership that the Executioners of Har Ganeth have increased their fearful reputation to a point that it is sufficient to mention they are part of an approaching raiding force to cause floods of refugess amongst their enemies. When once Tullaris had embarked on a journey to find the material he needed to craft the Black Amulet he wears, his sons attempted to seize his lands and title. When he returned, he murdered them in their sleep, smashing their skulls with the black stone he aquired. He then hung them up in his laboratory, as a warning to everyone who thought of betraying him.
Tullaris wears the Black Amulet, christened by the blood of his own sons, to this day. A lustrous polished stone with a single glowing rune atop it, the exact making of this artefact is only known to Tullaris himself, but with its power any blow struck on Tullaris might be found to repell on the attacker. He wields the mighty Executioner's axe, which, along with his prowess and skill, allows him to decapitate even the largest and mightiest of foes with a single strike.
6.7. Shadowblade, Master of Assassins
Although he is still very young (only 150 years old), Shadowblade already is a legend among Dark Elves. Dark Elf minstrels sing of his adventures and he makes frequent apperances in bedtime stories for Druchii children. The most famous tale is that of Shadowblade murdering the cre of a High Elf Hawkship. He killed of the crew members one by one, over the course of several days. With their fear and desperation increasing every day, the crew attempted to detect the muirderer in their midst and corner him, but they were not successfull. In the end, only the captain was left alive to tell of the days and nights of horror.
Shadowblade is fiercely loyal to Hellebron, the Hag Queen of the Witch Elves. He is frequently called upon to dispose of those who have slighted her or her political opponents. Why he kills, Shadowblade does not care. He will take whatever order from his mistress that allows him to do what he loves most - killing. He revels in the sounds of one of his daggers slicing through flesh or the last choking sounds of one of his poisons draining his foe's life away. Studying the deadly martial arts and silent, unseen movements of the assassins of Khaine and the power of every last poison within the world, he was taught that there was no one more important thatn the Hag Queen and the Witch King himself.
Shadowblade is a master of deception and is able to hide within cities and armies of every major nation on both Naggaroth and in the Old World. He very rarely takes part in great battles, and when he does, it is mostly to assassinate enemy leaders before the battle. Should he ever be discovered, a feat yet to be accomplished by any of his enemies, and be slain afterwards, the Heart of Woe, a large ruby beating like a living heart he carries with him wherever he goes, will shatter into thousands of shard, slaying those who killed him and cutting apart his own body so no trace of his identity remain.
7. Skaven
7.1. The Council of Thirteen & its respective members
Seat 1 - Lord Kritslik
Seat 2 - Greylord Skrisnik
Seat 3 - Lord Sneek
Seat 4 - Lord Paskrit
Seat 5 - Lord Kratch Doomclaw
Seat 6 - Lord Gnawdwell
Seat 7 - Lord Vittrik
Seat 8 - Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch
Seat 9 - Lord Verminskin
Seat 10 - Lord Azarskittar
Seat 11 - Lord Burr
Seat 12 - Lord Morskittar
As the most important seats are those closest to the one of the Horned Rat at the top, meaning seats twelve and one, and the importance of the members decreases to the other side of the table.
7.1.1. Lord Kritslik, the Seerlord
Fairly thin and tall for a Skaven, with an albino fur and spiraling horns, Lord Kritslik's fur is sticking up in ratty patches and his piercing eyes glow with a mad light. Currently the most powerful and influential Lord of Decay and a highly competent and ruthless adversary, there is no question that Lord Kritslik is a highly skilled politician and manipulator of all other members of the Council. He has four major characteristics and plans: the first thing to note about him is that he always finds a way to display his actions as being sanctified by the Horned Rat, as he possesses a vast knowledge of the deity's edicts. Often, one of his adversaries has found himself under accusations to oppose the Horned Rat itself. The most important thing for most Skaven, Kritslik sets his self-preservation second. The devotion and fanaticism he displays toward the Horned Rat gives him strength and courage where most Skaven would give up or run and hide. Kritslik sees his continued health and life as very important to the Council, as without him, the Horned Rat's will could not be enforced (or so he thinks). His third strong point is to weaken all other Clans by seeding distrust and conflict among them while staying out of the conflict himself. All the while keeping his movements and actions well concealed, it could be stated that the fault for the Skaven not being able to unite falls at least partly to him. The last critical point in Kristlik mind is his focus on humanity. Feeling that mankind poses the greatest threat to the Skaven, he observed the Humans for a long time and thinks to understand them now. Copying the tactics he used among his own kind, he first creates friction and fractures among the Humans he wishes to attack before marching. Seeing that previous Skaven diseases and war campaign against humanity have only united mankind against a greater foe, he wishes to face a foe weakened from inner fighting and distrust when the two races fight their next war.
With his vast network of spies and agents, Lord Kritslik is informed of any little thing happening among Skavendom, and prepared to act upon it. A popular saying among Skaven states that he has more spies in Skavendom than there are Skaven.
7.1.2 Lord Morskittar, Lord Warlock of Clan Skryre
The second most powerful member of the Council, Lord Morskittar is a tall, albino and constantly fidgety Skaven. His appearance is often crumpled and his robes are stained from ink and other remains of the various machines and inventions he is inevitably tinkering with.
However, Morskittar's inventiveness isn't limited to his inventions. One of the most promising members of the Council, he is fiendishly clever and cunning. Unlike some of his predecessors, he doesn't rely on long, well worked out and complex schemes, instead following flashes of peculiar inspiration. That fact makes it hard for the other Council members to predict his actions - a feat that annoys them to no end, especially Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch, Morskittar's greatest rival in the Council. Lord Morskittar also works closely with the Gray Seers, all the while trying to find one amongst them that he could bribe and thus get a spie within the Cult of the Horned Rat.
Not limiting his fascination of technology to Skaven inventions, he has taken up studies of human and Dwarf technology as well, pushing many of the Council's decisions into directions that enable him to get more material for his studies. Unbeknownst to any other, be it Council Member or ordinary Skaven, Morskittar has aquired an artifact of an origin that is neither Dwarf, Human nor Skaven...powered by a piece of warpstone, the device can record all sound vibrations and play back any conversation it recorded. Should Morskittar feel the time to use this device has come, he could be able to blackmail many a Council Member with their recorded voices...
7.1.3. Greylord Skrisnik, Warlord and Seer of Clan Skrisnik
Occupant of the Second Seat, Greylord Skrisnik is the last of the two remaining Greylords. His age allows him to draw back onto experience values of a few thousand years alive and give hundred years as a Council Member. Also, he is in possession of many of priceless ancient tomes detailing secret knowledge. For when the Disaster at Skavenblight struck, it was Skrisnik who swept in and secured a great deal of the tomes for himself before the Grey Seers could confisacte them, granting him a magnificent daemonic and sorcerous power. His experience, knowledge and a cunning that has not diminished with age make him one of the most feared enemies in Council schemes. If there is one thing he learned during his time, it is to be as invisible as possible when it comes to Council politics. In many a Council debate, while the other members have argued and screamed their lungs out, Skrisnik has remained silently and unmoving in his seat, watching and taking mental notes. He prefers to do his work outside the Council chamber, manipulating the other members long before actual decisions are reached. Many of his colleagues think him old or senile, a member easily to sway or to ignore. What they do not realize is that a great deal of their decisions has been foreseen and directed by Skrisnik months before.
The only open vanity Skrisnik allows himself is to sit upon a throne of skulls - trophies from all assassins who have been sent against him during the centuries.
7.1.4. Lord Burr, Keeper of the Temple
Robust and strong, covered in short gray fur with white tips, Burr's face and body are covered with scars. Nowadays occupant of the eleventh seat and second in command over the Grey Seers o Burr was originally a bodyguard of Lord Kritslik's predecessor. His rise to power began when he was gifted by the Horned Rat with gray fur and magic abilities. Taken in by the Grey Seers, most of them despised him, and in the following months, countless attempts at assassination and defamations of his character were undergone. However, able to draw back upon his own years of experience as one of the Council's most capable agents, Burr not only managed to come out with his body and his reputation unscarred, but two dozen of his opponents disappeared under mysterious circumstances. After his bloody initation, most Grey Seers chose to ignore Burr, who chose to use this pause as a chance to further his newfound abilities.
Quite a while later, when all Skavendom had nearly forgotten Burr, a confusing chain of events led to a violent death of a Lord of Decay and the subsequent annointing of Burr as his successor. To this day, no one can trace back the events and fully comprehend Burr's plans and actions, but all Skaven agreed that this fact only makes Burr more worthy of his ascension.
Although Burr has a great degree of control in the Under-Empire and Skavenblight, he is very reluctant regarding poltical matters. It is believed that the appointment of Lord Paskrit was somehow engineered by him and that he is close allies with Kritslik, but his plans and motives are still a mystery. He also remains distant from his fellow Grey Seers, seeing himself far above them because of his superior abilites, while they still regard him as an upstart, unworthy of their attention because he was, at first, a minion.
Another fact that constantly leads to tensions among them is the fact that Burr completely neglects his duties as the Keeper of the Temple, who should provide security and upkeep for the Temple of the Horned Rat. However, Lord Kritslik is pleased with this turn of events, as it allows him full control over the Temple.
7.1.5. Lord Sneek, Nightlord of Clan Eshin
A light and nimble Skaven, moving with a grace rarely seen within his race, Sneek's true appearance is unknown as he always wears strips of black silk all over his body, with a heavily concealing black coat on top. Like all Nightlords that have been on the Council, his appearance is not the only mysterious thing there is to him. Unlike other Lords, Sneek agrees to the suggestions of his fellow Lords quite often, but never without demanding hard bargains before. Saying very little during meetings, many things remain a secret about him. Although his agenda is said to be easily perceived, no one outside of Clan Eshin even knows how he rose to power.
Lord Sneek continues the secret plan set in motion by his predecessors, a plan that seems to require him to stay in contact with and take loans from the Grey Seers. What will happen when Clan Eshin's plan comes to fruition, no one knows.
7.1.6. Greylord Azarskittar, Warlod of Clan Khesherisk
Although the occupant of the Tenth Seat of the Council is the only remaining Greylord aside from Skrisnik (his longevity has been attributed to his diet of human flesh and hibernations of months at a time), his power has diminished over the years. With his empire being scattered throughout the Southlands and Araby, a harsh, unforgiving country on the very fringe of Skaven society, Azarskittar did never have the best supposition to increase his influence. In addition, Lord Azarskittar rarely leaves his hold, often sleeps for years at a time and rules very arbitrarily. So, although his own martial ability surpasses any other Skaven and he surrounds himself with an elite cadre of warriors, his hold on any strongholds apart from his own is very weak.
When upon the return of Clan Pestilens many of Azarskittar's strongholds were wiped out with nefarious poisons and diseases, and Clan Pestilens easily overran those strongholds owing allegaince to Azarskittar who were too weak to defend themselves, Azarskittar's very own stronghold was under siege. That finally made the Greylord rise from his slumber and lead his elite shock troops, the Khesherisk, against the returning clan. In a series of bloody battles, Azarskittar broke the siege and was able to defend all remaining strongholds. Eventually, though, the war reached a draw, with heavy casualties on both sides. Clan Pestilens eventually decided to move on to Skavenblight instead. With most of his original domain lost, it came as a shock to Azarskittar when he heard that Nurglitch, the Plaguelord had killed one of the Lords of Decay, Lord Kerikek, Azarskittar's closes ally within the council. Having risen to a member of the Council himself now, Nurglitch could claim dominion over all strongholds he had conquered, and Azarskittar had no possibility left to take back what was once his.
Trying to take it back nonetheless, by using the failed Red Pox as a pretext to remove Clan Pestilens from the Council, Azarskittar effectively started the second Skaven civil war.After terrible costs to both sides, Azarskittar was only able to reclaim few strongholds, and his deep hatred for Clan Pestilens makes it easy to manipulate him in the Council nowadays.
Although lord Azarskittar's influence has diminished, however, he is still the most proficient and dangerous fighter in all Skavendom. Large and well-muscled, he bears several twisted and long horns, almost like those of a Verminlord. He marches into battle clad in strange black armor bearing the sign of the Horned Rat.
7.1.7. Lord Paskrit, Warlord-General of all Skavendom
An aging, yet fit Skaven with patchy brown fur crossed by numerous scars, Paskrit has two lost digits on his left hand and an eyepatch over his lost left eye along with a stunted tail that has been severed in half (a fact that he is most ashamed of and tries to hide). While the occupant of the Fourth Seat might bear a great title, he has a lot less power than one would assume. Basically, he is just a lackey for the Grey Seers, although he is by no means stupid - he is just outwitted by the other Council Members, as their political experience far suprasses his own. Lord Paskrit simply does not have the time to get as deep into politics as the other Council Members as he is constantly diverted by his other duties.
Having served well as a general, Lord Paskrit ascended to his position when his predecessor died during a disastrous battle (possibly at the hands of lord Paskrit). In this battle, Paskrit outwitted the foe's Undead army and destroyed one of Nagash's best Necromancers. The Lords of Decay, realizing that while he was an outstanding tactician, he would be easy to manipulate, then granted him access to the Council.
7.1.8. Lord Verminkin, Packlord of Clan Moulder
The most proficient breeder of his Clan, Verminkin is a heavyset Skaven, taller and broader than most, with rather unusal, shoking red fur. The occupant of the Eleventh Seat, he is best described as the most mercenary member of the Clan. His allegiance changes sides very frequently, selling his services to whomever he deems is of the most use to him right now. And it is not easy to fool Verminkin, as he sees through most deceptions quite easily, a fact that ensure that he gets what he wants out of his bargains. His shifting loyalties make him rather unpredictable in his decisions, but Clan Moulder has risen to great success and prestige under his leadership.
7.1.9. Lord Kratch Doomclaw-Clan, Warlord of Clan Rictus
Lord Kratch Doomclaw-Clan, whose name derives from the Clan heirloom, a strange piecemeal gauntlet on his right hand, is the leader of a fading Clan and occupies the Fifth Seat for a reason. With all of his power and influence concentrated on maintaing his Clan's seat within the Council, he has no ressources to spare. However, it is absolutely not his fault that Clan Rictus' influence has declined. Quite simply put: the Clans Eshin, Moulder, Pestilens and Skryre have been too successful in the recent past, and all other Clans stand in their shadow. With heavy pressure from Goblins trying to retake Crookback Mountain from Clan Rictus and the warpstone mines of the Clan near to their end, it seems only a matter of time before Kratch's economic threats of holding back warpstone and slaves fail and either Arch Plagelord Nurglitch or Lord Gnawdwell remove him from the Council entirely.
Thus, Kratch plays a conservative role, trying to delay Council policies so he can maintain a balance and his own hold on power.
7.1.10. Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch of Clan Pestilens
A haggard and sickly Skaven with dark fur and panicky eyes that betray his health, the occupant of the Eight Seat represents a Clan whose power has declined after the failure of the Red Pox and the resulting second Skaven civil war. However, Nurglitch has started to revert the course and is leading his Clan on a meteoric rise of power once more. Rumors tell of the Plague Priests being filled with a fanatical enthusiasm and the Clan's Clanrats being whipped into a fervor unheard of.
As many Council Members rely on the strength of Clan Pestilens at some point of time, it seems only a matter of time before Nurglitch asscends to a more powerful seat within the Council - the only question is, whose seat will it be?
Nurglitch's true ambitions, however, lie far higher. Planning to take a higher seat for himself, he also schemes to nominate one of his own clan for the next Warlord-General and to destroy a lesser seat to replace it with another Plaguelord as well. If all goes well, and the Skaven he has trained for these roles during the last years take their positions, Clan Pestilens would have a grip on the Council that is unheard of in its history. Whether his scheme will succeed, only time will tell.
7.1.11. Lord Gnawdwell, Clan Warlord of Clan Mors
The second weakest Sixth Seat is occupied by a huge brute of a Skaven, a massive thing of pure muscle. His sharp sighted eyes seem to stare most severly most of the time, though occasionally, they betray the genius behind. Unfortunately, Gnawdwell has quite a temper that lets him often fall in rage at his lack of power. Quite surprisingly, it is these acts of rage and fury that often upset the careful plotting of the other Council Members - a fact that has led some to believe that it is the only reason the Horned Rat allowed Gnawdwell into the Council. Unpredictable, he can upset all coalitions within the Council from one moment to another.
7.1.12. Lord Vittrik
Looking like an avera Grey Seer, no one would recognize the occupant of the Last Seat of the Council for a Lord of Decay. The weakest member, Grey Seer Lord Vittrik is in constant danger of losing his seat. He leads a faction of Grey Seers who stand opposed to the way Lord Kritslik interprets the commands of the Horned Rat (which would be in exactly that way that most suits him). Vittrik feels that the will of the Horned Rat is not followed in the Council, as the members are too focused on their petty squabbles amongst themselves.
Having an intense fear of humans after being chased by Templars of the White Wolf on a mission to aquire Warpstone, he also often criticizes the Council for its recent activites on the surface.
Lord Vittrik is very scholarly and possesses a great knowledge of everything remotely Skaven. But his greatest secret is the personal reserve of warpstone he has been building over the years. Unbeknownst to any other, his deposit rivals those of the most successful clans...
7.2. Ikit Claw - Chief Warlock Engineer of Clan Skryre
Second in command of Clan Skryre, Ikit has dedicated his life to the study of all things magical, not matter their origin. In the years before the second Skaven civil war, he traveled great distances to aquire materials for his studies. His trips took him as far as Cathay, northern Naggaroth, the island of Albion and even Lustira. Ikit's most important achievement from these travels is a tome that details all basic and advanced spells of the civilised world.
The amazing control over magic Ikit was able to aquire through his studies benefitted him greatly when during the second Skaven civil war when Clan Skryre and Clan Pestilens were fighting in the streets of Skavenblight. It is partly due to his powers that Clan Skryre was able to seize control os Skavenblight and maintain it for centuries. It was also him who first sensed the oncoming Chaos forces in the Second War against Chaos and his magical power who helped the Grey Seers invoke the Horned Rat to end the civil war.
Still, Ikit's most important accomplishment is his latest invention, the War-lightning Cannon, proven successful against Dwarfs, Orcs and Humans alike.
Tall and white furred, Ikit is barely recognizable nowadays after his arm, his face and most of his fur were badly burned in an accident. To hide these consequences, he created a mask to cover his face, and arms of brass, iron and crystal to strengthen his arm. Any enemy who mistakes this arm for a pure aid of movement is in for a nasty surprise as it contains a small warpfire-protector and Storm-Daemon, a sword of pure warpstone by Ikit's own design.
7.3. Deathmaster Snikch
The chief assassin of Lord Sneek, Snikch believes it is best to not let anyone know his position so no one can be safe. He is always on the move and may appear anywhere over the Old World, leaving only his distinctive symbol on his victims head as indication of his route.
Snikch also frequently takes himself to the surface. The deaths of Frederick Hasselhoffen, killed during the Emperor's Grand Ball in Altdorf and Celestial Wizard Heinrich Frisen, found flayed in his chamber with the droot triple locked and magically protected are indications of Snikch's skill.
Wrapped in The Cloak of Shadows, woven from the hair of murdered foes, it is never obvious where Snikch's Weeping Blades and their corrosive venom will strike next.
7.4. Lord Skrolk, Plaguelord of Clan Pestilens
One of the oldest members of Clan Pestilens, Skrolk is the prime agent of Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch. Originally a simple Plague Monk, Skrolk devoted himself to the Horned Rat and traveled to Skavenblight to offer his services to Nurglitch, who accepted him after having him pass through arduous trials. It is his devotion to the Horned Rat that has allowed him such an extended lifespan to plague the world of Men with all the diseases he spreads.
Skrolk has a fearful appearance, with his flesh having rotted away long ago and his eyes clawed out by himself after seeing Nurglitch and being convinced that he would not see anything more glorious in his lifetime. Nowadays, he sees the world in the purples and greens of corruption and decay, by the blessing of the Horned Rat. Still, any enemy would do best to fear the Rod of Corruption he wields even more. A dreadful rod of spiderwood, it is said to slay any mortal foe with a single touch.
7.5. Warlord Queek Head-Taker
The personal Champion of Warlord Gnawdwell, Queek has been protected by the ruler of Clan Mors from his birth. Grooming him to be the perfect soldier, Gnawdweel has supplied Queek with the best weapons, armour and training from the moment he could lift a weapon.
Queek has led several attacks and armies against the the Dwarfen strongholds in the World's Edge Mountains as well as the Moon Tribe of Goblin Warlord Skarsnik. Recently, Queek led Clan Mors' forces to a great victory against Night Goblins in the Battle of the North Stair, personally killing the NIght Goblin chief.
Queek has a very unstable temper and an immense ego. He would not turn down any challenge and has been known to challenge opposing leaders and heroes to single combat on numerous occasions. His trophy rack is ever growing and contains the heads of Krug Ironhand of Karak Drazh, Ikit Slash of Fester Spike, the nads of Albrecht Kraus, and many more.
Clad in Warpstone Armour, Queek swings both the Gouger and Dwarf Slayer, an ancient weapon from the first conflicts between the Dwarfs and the Skaven.
7.6. Grey Seer Thanquol
One of the most dangerous Grey Seers, Thanquol exhibits all qualities typical for his kind: cunning, ruthlesness, power and...paranoia. Employed and favoured by parts of the Council and hated by others, he often "misinterprets" the Lords' orders to further his own plans.
Thanquol's main field of experties are humans, whom he deems the most interesting and at the same time, the most easy to corrupt. Thus, most of his schemes are directed at bringing death and destruction to the Old World.
Recently, Clan Skryre has been trying to make amends to Thanquol for earlier...disagreements. Breaking into a museum in Nuln, they retrieved the remains of Boneripper, Thanquol's first Rat Ogre bodyguard. Slain by Gotre Gurnisson's rune axe, the Rat Ogre was in poor shape. So Thanquol only repaired the damage done to his bones and used them as the frame for a powerful mechanical construct he animated with dark sorcery. Boneripper now protects his master as a mindelss, warpstone-powered killing machine.
7.7. Throt the Unclean
One of the oldest, most powerful and most influential members of Clan Moulder, Throt the Unclean has, like most of his brethren, been exposed to warpstone for most of his life. Unlike most, however, he uses pure warpstone for various experiments, and the mutating effects have changed his mind and body.
Spines have gronw from Throt's back and he has gained extra strength and an extra arm. Warpstone energy courses through his veins like blood, further increasing the strength of his three arms to the point that he can even pin Rat Ogres to the ground by using his wickedly spiked creature-killer, a weapon designed to fight against foes larger than Throt.
However, to keep the warpstone energy from consuming Throt, he requires constant food. The hunger he feels has maddened him, a never-ceasing torment that requires him to fill all his pouches with any bits and pieces from creatures he has slain in case the hunger grows too strong and he needs sustenance.
Furthering his madness is a shard of warpstone, hammered into his left eye-socket after the eye had been ripped out by a rival packmaster. It seems that this piece is directly affecting his brain...
8. Lizardmen
8.1. Venerable Lord Kroak
Hidden deep within the catacombs of the oldest temple cities lie the mummified remains of the oldest Slann. The air around it is often filled with great magical energy, as the spirits of the Mage-Priests seldomly leave their bodies. It is unkown to what degree these spirits are able to affect the living world, but many of the Lizardmen's prophets believe that their influence is stong, if not always obvious.
Venerable Lord Kroak is the oldest and most revered of all the spirits. Said to have been the first Slann created on this world, he was the most powerful in the first spawning of the Mage-Priests.
It was him who constructed the magical energy field around the temple-city Itza in the First Great War against Chaos. Countless hordes of daemons were burned by the field as they tried to swarm into the city. When the shield finally was about to collapse, Lord Kroak caused it to instead explode to the outside, destryoing the jungle around the city for miles, and taking thousands of demons with it. When the hordes of Chaos still would not retreat and started a new assault, he ascended the highest step-pyramid in the city, raining fire and brimstone on the attackers, sending strokes of lightning into the advancing masses, ordering the river Amaxon to swallow thousands of his foes and ripping open the earth to swallow whole legions of the daemons. Although his efforts caused tremendous losses to the daemonic legions, and he was able to hold out for months atop his pyramid, he was slain by a dozen Great Daemons in the end.
However, being an essential part of the Old One's plan, his spirit stubbornly refused to leave this world when his body was slain. The playues in the temple-city of Itza, who record the Slann's history, state that he was presents at the birth of the world and therefore fated to be present at its end. To this day, all who look into the inlaid eyes of this venerable Slann can still sense the power that resides there. Lord Kroak occasionally chooses Skins shamans as his oracles, which lets him speak to the Lizardmen and greatly strenghtens the spiritual power of the shamans.
When taken into battle, his mummified remains are protected by several magic artifacts, including a Gold Death Mask that lets weaker foes forget their purpose under its hypnotic gaze, hindering their attempts to strike at Kroak's body, as well as Kroak's Ceremonial Mace of Malachite, which, although he cannot wield it anymore, still blocks any magic weapons aimed at Kroak. He - or rather, his remains - also wear the Amulet of Itza which dispels spells directly aimed at him and the Glyph of Potec inscribed into his bindings, which keeps the Undead away from him as they are among the few things that are a danger to Kroak's supernatural body.
8.2. Nakai
The rarest of all sacred spawnings is the Blessed Mark of the Old One, which is normally only given to Saurus, and only one at a time. These saurus can be recognised by an albino colouring. The Lizardmen believe that those of their kin who are born with this mark are destined for great deeds and actions.
However, at even rarer occasions, another subspecies than a Saurus may receive the Mark of the Old Ones. The prime example is the Kroxigor Nakai, called the Wanderer. He has unusually thick skin, even for a Kroxigor. Legend has it he held off five legions of daemons by himself on the Star Bridge when the temple-city of Itza was under siege. After the battle, he disappeared and was believed dead. However, he has reappeared a number of times since then, often arriving at a temple city shortly before it is attacked to aid the Lizardmen in its defense. So far, no temple city defended by Nakai has fallen. However, when a battle is over, Nakai vanishes as suddenly as he appeared, usually giving other Lizards no chance to talk to him.
Regarded widely as a sacred being, a living incarnation of the will of the Old Ones, Nakai possesses enormous wisdom and is a brilliant tactician, quite unlike his fellow Kroxigors. He wields the Sacred Blade of Quetzl, a magical blade that hums with great mystic power. Nakai has wielded the sword for such an eternity that is has almost attained an awareness, often guiding Nakai's hands to a target, or blocking blows the Kroxigor wasn't even aware of.
8.3. Lord Mazdamundi
The oldest Slann alive, Lord Mazdamundi is one of only five remaining Slann of the Second Generation. This arguably makes him the most ancient ond certainly the most powerful living being in the Warhammer World. Presiding over the temple-city of Hexoatl at the northernmost part of Lustria, it falls under his duties to prtect the Lizardmen against Dark Elven invasions from the north. His tremendous magic powers have allowed him to successfully thwart all attacks on the city. The focus of Mazdamundi's power are on geomancy, a very difficult and rare lore even among the most powerful Slann. However, having learned from the Old One Tepok himself, Mazdamundi's powers over the earth and landscape are unrivaled. When he once returned from an expedition to Naggaroth to reclaim stolen artefacts, he closed an entire valley behind him to cut off his pursuers. Unknown to every one but the Lizardmen themselves, Mazdamundi was also the cause behind the Time of Woes. It was him who started the massive earthquakes in IC -1500, which wrecked numerous Dwarven holds and decimated their race, sending the Dwarven Empire into decline for thousands of years. But Mazdamundi cannot be blamed for any malicious intent, as he simply tried to change the topography of the continents so they would fit better with the plan of the Old Ones. Still, this feat shows his unparalleled control of geomancy.
Mazdamundi's power is not limited to the earth. He has been known to part rivers, allowing his armies to cross while the following enemies were crushed when the waves rushed back into the riverbed. Any foe who fights Mazdamundi will fight the very nature itself. Furthermore, Mazdamundi tends to ride into battle on his personal stegadon, S'laq. Controled by pure force of the Lord's will, the beast can crush an entire legion of foes while Mazdamundi is raining spells from its back. Strapped on the Stegadon's back, one may often find the Sunburst Standard of Hexoatl, whose gold dazzels any flying beasts or enemies which try to descend on Mazdamundi, keeping him save from death from above.
8.4. Ancient Scar-Leader Kroq-Gar
Kroq-Gar was spawned in the now ruined temple-city Xhotl (named after the Old One Xhotl), hidden deep within a valley of the Spine of Sotrek mountains, thousands of years ago. The spawning that Kroq-Gar was part of produced very few brethren, but each and every one of them were marked with the blessing of the Old One Xhotl himself. Not only more powerful and stronger than their brethren, but also more aggressive and cunning, they were able to enforce their will on the most dangerous beasts of Lustria. As the time of Kroq-Gar's spawning coincided with the rearing of a brood of Carnosaurs, he successfully set out to take the most violent and uncontrollable of the beast as his own.
During the Coming of Chaos a few centuries later, when Daemons overran all of the Old World and threatened Lustria and the temple-cities of the Lizardmen Kroq-Gar constantly led patrols around the perimeter of Xhotl to keep the hordes of Daemons from breaching its walls. Whilst Kroq-Gar was keeping the city safe from the outside, Chaqo-Quantal, the ancient Slann Mage-Priest of Xhotl combined his power with six younger Slanns to keep up a magical barrier around the city walls, protecting it from the inside. But under the constant onslaught of the Daemons, the barrier soon wavered. With every other temple-city nearby under similar siege, no aid could be sent to Kroq-Gar.
Still, Kroq-Gar was able to hold the city walls for about a month. Then, a crack appeared in the barrier and one of the Slann holding it up was possessed by a daemonic entity. Whether maddened by the experience or controlled by the entity, he turned around and slew the other Slann, causing the barrier to fall. By the time Kroq-Gar had fought his way from the outskirts through the masses of Daemons swarming in and had reached the city center, the temple was already ruined and all Lizards within slain. Surrounded and outnumbered, the remaining Lizardmen of Kroq-Gar's party fought fiercely, but were slain one by one until only a few, including Kroq-Gar, saw the last Daemon banished from the world. Still, the city lay in ruins and the Mage-Priests were dead. So Kroq-Gar led the remains of Xhotl's army through the surrounding area, scouting for any Daemon who might have excaped their vengeance. To this day, Scar-Leader Kroq-Gar leads campaigns throughout the jungles. Riding atop Grymloq, an extremely powerful and extremely volatile Carnosaur, he drives off any raiders or outsiders that trespass the jungles. He wield the Revered Spear of Tlanxa, a weapon ruimored to have once been wielded by Tlanxa the Old One himself. Humming with ancient energy, the spear shows visions of doom to anyone it strikes, sapping the will to fight of any foe. Should Kroq-Gar be threatened from above, he will use the Hand of Gods, an ancient device forming a gauntlet on his left hand, to shoot a searing ball of light burning anything in its path.
8.5. Tehenhauin, Prophet of Sotek
(Note: Until the 5th edition, Tehenhauin was called Tenehuini.)
It was during the Age of Strife, when the Skaven clan Pestilens invaded Lustria and their plagues swept away many Lizardmen and their temple-cities and weakened the whole race with their poisonous winds that the twin-tailed comet appeared in the skies of the Warhammer world. In the temple-city of Chaqua, the comet revealed an unknown plaque that told of a new deity, of the coming of the Serpent God Sotek Many Mage-Priests doubted the existence of the god at first, as there were no other plaques he could be found on. But when Chaqua was destroyed later, the survivors of the city rallied under Tehenhauin, a prophet from the ranks of the Skinks, who foretold the coming of this god of vengeance. It is said that those few who had survived the terrible diseases of the Plague Monks wore a red-crested skin, and were more aggressive and warlike than their brethren. Setting out from Chaqua, fighting many battles against Clan Pestilens and gathering more Skinks to them, until they were a mighty army. In the following centuries, Tehenhauin led his army against Clan Pestilens time and time again, all the while resupplied by more and more spawnings of red-crests and spreading the believe in Sotek in all of Lustria. On their march, Tehenhauin continuously offered sacrifices of blood and flesh to Sotek, and eventually, his prayers were answered. A hundred years after the comet was seen, when the campaign was on its peak, a flood of serpents rushed up from the bowels of the earth and drove the Skaven out of the jungle continent. Sotek had come into the world, just as Tehenhauin had prophesied. Sotek was very much influenced by the way he came into being, as, unlike the other Lizardmen deities, he is not an Old One. He is a god created in the way of the Warhammer world, by the subconscious of those who had worshipped him. A god of vengeance, he constantly demands sacrifice (and prefers rodent flesh). Tehenhauin, who had become known as Prophet of Sotek, had fulfilled his destiny - to bring birth to a god. The Mage-Priests remained wary of Sotek, but in the plans of the Old Ones, Tehenhauin was and is a very important figure...
Nowadays, worship of Sotek is widely spread among Lizardmen society, and many have embraced this new god as one of the most important deities. Still, many Mage-Priests are puzzled and upset at how he came into the world, and the Cult of Sotek itself still remains elusive and set aside from the rest of the Lizardmen. Constantly wandering the jungle, homeless since the destruction of their city, they search for sacrifices to feed and empower their bloodthirsty god, so that one day, the great serpent might swallow the rat god itself.
Tehenhauin still marches at the very front of their ranks, the incarnation of Sotek's fury, with weapons and items blessed by this god of vengeance.
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9. The Beastmen
9.1. Gorthor the Cruel
Gorthor the Cruel was quite possibly the greatest and most dangerous Beastlord ever to walk the Warhammer world. There have been many Beastlords who have united tribes into mighty warherds, but none of them was as successfull as Gorthor had been. For Ghortor possessed on feat all his would-be successors lacked: he had vision.
Gorthor was convicned that the gods had selected him as their emissary, that he was destined to control the forests in their name. Though he had no true magical powers, he had something of the shaman about him, often falling into seizures or visted by nightmare visions of the future.
A thousand years ago, he traveled from herdstone to herdstone for months, gathering thousands of Beastmen between the Lynsk and the Middle Mountains. Those he could not convince to join him, he slew with his mighty 9' spear called Impaler, eventually making the hides of the shamans and beastlords into a mighty cloak heralding his porwess. He had crude chariots built, the Chaos hounds from the mountains caught and harpies lured with human corpses. Eventually, he had assembled the mightiest warhost ever to march under a single Beastlord's command. Gorthor's host then swarmed the norther imperial provinces without any warning. Burning a swath of destruction through Ostland and Hochland, Gorthor had every living being slaughtered, even the pets and cattle. Only one survivor did he allow for each village, to run ahead of his host and spread his tales of fear before the advancing host.
Eventually, the forest goblins from the Middle Mountains wanted to join Gorthor's army. However, he declined due to them being too weak and not being followers of Chaos. Instead, Gorthor declared war on them. In one giant battle, the beastmen warhost swept aside the goblins' forces. Few survived the mass exodus that followed.
Meanwhile, the human forces of Ostland and Hochland had tried to regroup and unite to repel the invaders together. However, Gorthor had the streets of both regions watched, and had additionally received a vision of the events from the Chaos gods. Thus, the separated forces where set upon by the beastmen before they ever saw each other.
Continuing his path of destruction throughout the woods and fields of Hochland, Gorthor made it known that his target was Hergig, Hochland's capital. Unfortunately, most of the Hochland's knighthood was occupied in a war against Araby. Still, Elector Count Mikael Ludenhof managed to hold the city's gates for twenty-two days before succumbing to the overwhelming forces of the beasts. A quarter of Hergig's population already lay slain or starved. Three days after the gates had fallen, the last remaining defenders retreated to the castle. Though half of Gorthor's force had been vanquished, he set the remainder upon the fortress. Mikael, on the other hand, would not give up easily. He stubbornly held the fortress until one day, a great contingent of crusaders returned from Araby. They were the freshly formed Knights of the Blazing Sun, and had heard of the attack upon Hergig. Charging right into the back of the besieging beastmen forced, they caught the beasts unprepared. Mikael saw his chance, and sallied forth from the castle with his personal bodyguard.
Gorthor realised that all could be lost if he did not personally get involved. Hacking his way through the masses of humans, all the while unleasing magical energy in every direction, he eventually faced Count Mikael in single combat. However, the Count possessed a magical amulet protecting him from the dark powers of Gorthor. So the two leaders fought for about two hours until finally, Mikael's Runefang sword overcame Gorthor's Impaler, smashing the shaft in two and allowing the human to deal a fatal blow. Seeing their general slain, the beastmen retreated. They never saw that Count Mikael died mere minutes after his victory, succumbing to the injuries he had received during the duel.
Although the events are a thousand years over, Gorthor's name still instills fright in the peasants of Hochland. They generally tend to avoid the forests as it is said that one day, another mighty Beastlord will become the true successor of Gorthor the Cruel, and once more will the nothern provinced tremble before the Children of Chaos.
9.2. Khazrak the One-Eye
With a strength only matched by his cunning, which is far superior to that of most of his brethren, Khazrak the One-Eye is probably the most dangerous and mighty beastmen alive. This powerful Beastlord of the Drakwald has plagues the castles and towns in the region for several years now, attacking without warning and vanishing as quickly as he appears. He leaves no trail save for those who are found slain.
Though he has long surpassed his mentor's strength, it was from beastlord Graktar that the young Khazrak learned the ways of warfare. Following Graktar on countless raids, Khazrak learned to unite the unruly hordes to a single purpose as well as to craft simple, but effective battle plans. All the while he dreamed to one day to strip Graktar of his power and ascend to leadership himself. But unlike most beastmen, Khazrak is patient. He took his time, observing his mentor and chieftain, watching the battles he fought with those who would take his position. He studied Graktar's way of battle, finding weaknesses within it and waiting for the right moment.
When Graktar was wounded in a raid on a human caravan, Khazrak knew his time had come. He challenged the bleeding chieftain and eventually ripped off one of his horns with brute force, winning the battle. Instead of killing Graktar, however, he banished him from the herd. The now one-horned exile was never seen again, though there are rumours of him still being alive, waiting for a chance to exert his revenge on his humiliator. Khazrak kept the horn as a trophy, and its blow has been the last sound for many a traveler.
Since the day of his victory, Khazrak's horde strives through the Drakwood, raiding human settlements nearby and besetting travelers. He lets no one live, setting his Chaos hounds upon the trails of any who might have escaped him. Never before has a Beastlord proven to be so elusive. By all that is known to humans, he has never been found. For on the rare occurences that Khazrak had been cornered, he always managed to slay every last of thos hunting him, be they soldiers, Templers of the White Wolf or mercenaries drawn by the huge bounty upon his head.
Elector Count Boris Todbringer has led the hunt himself on multiple occasions, and finally could lure Khazrak into a trap at the village of Elsterweld. In the battle, Khazrak lost an eye to the Runefang of the Count. Khazrak could only flee because his personal Chaos hound redmaw attacked the Count's horse. To this day, Khazrak's eye has never fully healed and still seeps blood and pus.
While normally such a wound would have been lethal to a beastmen, with their culture unforgiving to such an inferiority, Khazrak's wound only made him more careful and more grim. Swearing vengeance, he crafted plans for months, waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal itself. When finally it came, he lured out the Count with several daring raids, drawing Boris' forces into a trap. When the human force set up camp at the village of Norderingen, the Beastlord had his forces retreat in the night. At the next morning, when the humans were busy with breaking their camp to continue pursuit, Khazrak called for assault. Cutting through the soldiers of Middenheim with a fervor unwitnessed before, Khazrak carved a path to Todbringer himself. Throwing him from his mount, he held his human adversary to the ground while slowly cutting one of his eyes out with his horns, clearly taking great pleasure in the process. Like with Graktar before, Khazrak allowed Boris to live. Some believe that he enjoys to match his cunning against Todbringer's. However, the Count raised the bounty on the Beastlord's head to 10000 gold crowns.
A few months later, the two met on the battlefield again. This time, Kharak only barely got away, and hos Chaos hound Redmaw was slain by the Count. The beast's hide was nailed to the walls of Middenheim, an affront for which Khazrak is still seeking a way to take revenge.
9.3. Morghur, Master of Skulls
Morghur, Master of Skulls, also called Cyanathair by the Wood Elves, is a gruesome creature. When he rouses himself to fight, his rage and hatred quickly spill over to other beastmen, his disruptive nature making his brethren even more unruly than usual.
The Asrai of Athel Loren see him as thei greatest nemesis and the gravest threat to the woods. Many heroes, treemen and even Ariel herself has fought and slain this abomination - only to see him return completely well later. It seems that this particular monster is immortal, as it returns no matter who slays it or how often it is killed. At the same time, he corrupts each and every one who faces him in combat, a fate that the fall of the treeman Coeddil bears witness. A long time ago, during the Battle of Woe, he held Morghur in place while Ariel slew the foul thing walking her woods. Coeddil was seemingly unaffected, only to go mad 500 years later, killing all Wild Riders within the Glade of Kings to prevent the Ritual of Rebirth from taking place, which would have prevented the rebirth of orion, or at the very least have seriously weakened him. Fortunately, the awoken Ariel hurried to the glade, overcoming the treeman and his dryad companions. Unable to kill him as he was a part of Athel Loren istelf, she instead banished him to the far southeast of the wood. She placed magical boundaries across the place to ensure her verdict. Such is Morghur's power.
Morghur unites in himself the essence of all children of chaos. He is part human mutant, part beastman and even part daemon, spreading insanity and mutation wherever he walks. He even warps the nature around him. It is said that the twisted appearance of the Shadow Woods within the eastern Empire are to be attributed to the presence of one of Morghur's earlier incarnations. The same goes for the Drakwald, which he visited in -700 IC, according to the Asrai.
The beastmen venerate Morghur as the embodiemtn of pure disorder and chaotica. Many find themselves drawn to him by urges they couldn't explain - were they to question them. This tainted pilgrimage destroys many of them, as weak minds are usually shattered by the visions that the gazing upon Morghur brings. Many are also changed physically, and not few are reduced to mindless chaos brutes. When those who survive an encounter with Morghur with their minds intact return to their war-herds, they are met with awe and respect and usually rise to the postition of Wargor or Beastlord.
10. Bretonnia
10.1. Gilles Le Breton, Founder of Bretonnia
The first human tribes settled in the lands that would become Bretonnia in IC -1000, fhe greatest of them having been the tribe of the Bretonni. After they had fought many wars with the Undead, the Greenskins, Tilea (which took possession of the southern parts of Bretonnia in IC -500) and the Wood Elves in Athel Loren with only temporary alliances between the tribes, in IC 977 Giles le Breton stepped forward. He had had a vision of a extraordinarily beatiful lady who predicted him a great future. Blessed by the "Lady of the Lake", it was him that crafted a unified, powerful realm from a warring nation of petty rulers. It was him that gave the Bretonnians hope against the Greenskins pillagind and slaughtering freely across their realm. He was the first Knight of Bretonnia in spirit as well as in deeds, and the first Knight to ever look upon the Lady of the Lake. His ideals formed the idea of a chivalric knighthood and under his support, the cult of the Lady became Bretonnia's main religion.
It took a long time to rid Bretonnia of every last Orc, and Gilles did not live to see it done. But it was him who set in motion the very ideals behind the nation and the religion in Bretonnia. Nowadays, thanks to what he started, Bretonnia can claim to be free of Orcs, an assurance that even the mighty Empire cannot grant its people.
10.2. Maldred, Duke of Moussilon
The story behind the now cursed city of Mousillon began when in IC 2290, King Jules the Just was slain in battle. As he had left no male heir, a daughter being the only one of royal blood alive, it was decided that the next king would be chosen by means of a quest set b y the daughter.
While hundreds of Knights set out to prove their honour and valor by completing the quest, there as one among them who did not care for chivalry. Through lies and deceit, the fould Maldred returned within months, bearing a magical golden chalice and claiming that it was the Grail itself, given to him by the Lady of the Lake. The only person who could have proven the difference between the real chalice and the fake one was the sorceress Morgaine, but she had misteriously vanished shortly before Maldred's return.
So while the other Grail Knights knew that the Grail Maldred had brought was a fake, they could prove it. They had to watch Maldred ascend Bretonnia's throne, looking into a bleak future under the iron rule of the tyrant. Many of them tried to find Morgaine, but in the end it was only by accident that a Questing Knight by the name of Gaston de Geste discovered an imprisoned Morgaine on his search. Setting her free, she was able to return to the court and use her magic to reveal the truth. Maldred was removed from power, but managed to return to Mousillon, his city, along with Malfleur, the evil sorceress who had subdued and imprisoned Morgaine, using her foul magics to aid Maldred. Both were stripped of any honour, and Gaston was crowned as the new king.
His first act was to lay siege to Mousillon. After three years, with the siege unrelenting, the Red pox broke out within the city. Maldred had all supplies in the city brought to his palace, and sealed himself inside it along with the nobles of his corrupt land in order to avoid the disease while the inhabitants of the city starved and died. At the beginning of winter, Maldred had a lavish masked ball, with wine and food aplenty for every guest, resulting in a massive orgy. One guest, however, came dressed solely in red, with a death mask and a scythe in his hand, the embodiment of the Red Death itself. When Maldred wanted to throw him out for that vile jest, he collapsed along with all the nobility in the hall. They ahd contracted the Red Pox themselves, and died a quick death.
When on the next day, the besiegers discovered what had happened, King Gaston de Geste had his forces seal the palace and retreat from the cursed city, invoking a Cordon Sanitaire, a heavily guarded border area to prevent the disease and whatever else might creep from the city from passing to neighbouring regions. There was never again a Duke of Mousillon. However, every year, at the beginning of winter, instruments can be heard playing from within the palace, and those foolish enough to have taken a peek claim they have seen the zombified nobles dance their death of damnation forevermore...
The city is nowadays known as the City of the Damned and is not considere part of the Bretonnian realm anymore. It is swallowed by the nearby river Grimserie every year, bringing disease and plagues. What population remains are mutants and zombies, drawing an endless amount of necromants to the city. The wells are tainted with warpstone, causing mutations in anyone who dares to drink from them, and the few markets in the city sell rotten fruit and flesh to the half-human, half-undead inhabitants. Mousillon remains a dark spot on the map of Bretonnia, a taint on the honour of the realm.
10.3. Louen Leoncoeur, King of Bretonnia
The current Sun King is a man of far greater moral than his father ever was. Although brought up by a sire as decadent and honourless as they come, Louen Leoncoeur grew up to be a shining example of chivalry. A strong, wise man, he saw the faults within his father and swore never to succumb to such decadence.
Since his coronation in IC 2500, he has gone through many a trial on the battlefield. The Battle of Swamphold in IC 2508, in which he crushed a massive Orc invasion, or the countless times he has cleansed the outskirts of the cursed city of Mousillon from the undead, fought off invaders from the north and cleansed his own cities from sorcerous covens are only some in a long line of honourable deeds of valor. Although Louen has always faced the enemies of his beloved land with fiery wrath and determination, there is not a single unhonourable action he can be blamed for. His rigorous following of the code of honour is what gives him strength, also it might strike some as a hindrance to a general.
There are many legends revolving around the blessing of the Lady of the Lake that Louen obviously holds, one of those being that he is so favoured as to have received a kiss from his goddess. It is for certain that the magical power of the Grail flows in his veins, and some say that should he be cut, light will stream from the wound until his body is whole again.
Yet even without this blessing, Louen would make a formidable ruler. Skilled in the arts of commerce, justice, diplomacy, swordsmanship, equestrian skill and many more, alongside to being a proficient fighter, Louen has ruled the kingdom of Bretonnia for well over twenty years. Now as ever, he rides into battle on Beaquis the hippogryph, bearing the Sword of Couronne, an ancient heirloom of his house along with the Lion Shield, the very same shield he bore as a lowly Knight Errant. Interestingly, he also wears his crown into battle unlike other rulers, as the Crown of Bretonnia is a potent magical artifact itself, blessed with a kiss from the Lady during the times of King Louis the Rash.
Though his exact age is unknown, scholars speculate King Louen Lencoeur must be close to ninety years old, yet he still appears to be in his prime. Whispers among the court claim that he will set his eyes on cursed Mousillon next, cleansing it from its taint to make Bretonnia whole once again.
10.4. The Green Knight
The champion of the Lady of the Lake, protector of the sacred sites in Bretonnia most often materializes to test Questing Knights. But he will also appear in sacred sites where those with evil intents have trespassed. He is called the shaabhekh, the "Soulkiller", by the beasts of the tainted forests, for he has slain untold thousands of their kin throughout the centuries. He bursts forth from the bole of ancient trees or the ground of lakes or waterfalls to unleash his wrath against those who dare trespass the sacred places. After his righteous slaughter is complete, he vanishes as quickly as he appeared.
Weapons are said to be useless against the Green Knight, as blades and arrows pass straight through him as though he were made of the morning mist on the lakes. In one epic tale, a Questing Knight cut the Green Knight’s head clean from his shoulders, but the fey being simply picked up his head and rode away.
Though the existence of the Green Knight is undisputed in Bretonnia, no one knows what he actually is -except for maybe the Fay Enchantress. Some see him as the Bretonnian spirit given physical form, while others claim he is Gilles le Breton, the founder of Bretonnia himself, having devoted himself completely to the land and the Lady after he was taken from this world. The only thing that is sure is that he withstands death from any source, be they age or wounds. Whatever he is, it seems sure that he is no longer human, if he ever was.
10.5. Morgiana, the Fay Enchantress
While it is generally believed that throughout the history of Bretonnia there have been many Enchantresses, some think that she has lived through all the ages of Bretonnia, making her thousands of years old. What is certain is that the Fay Enchantress has had many different names throughout the centuries. The current embodiment is known as Morgiana. She is said to be the most beautiful woman to walk the world, a claim disputed heavily by the Tileans, who would have that title claimed by the Duchess of Pavona, Lucreccia Belladonna, a dangerous, scheming sorceress. This dispute has given birth to many ridiculous rumours, such as the infamous mercenary knight Voland being the son of an union between the Fay Enchantress and an intelligent, speaking pig called Eric.
Just like her damsels, the Fay Enchantress is an exemption to the usual hierarchy of power within Bretonnia coming and going as she pleases, guided by the will of the Lady of the Lake. She also occasionally appears to Questing Knights to guide them in the last steps of their journey to the Lady. Travelling between the sacred groves of the lands, she gathers up young children with a latent power that is mostly hidden to everyone but herself, though it may manifest itself in strange occurrences about the child. These chosen ones are taken by the Fay Enchantress to a place beyond time and mortality, to the mysterious Otherworld. The girls occasionally return years later as Damsels of the Lady, blessed in spirit and heart. The male children never return.
Should the realm be in grave danger, the Fay Enchantress will rally the dukes or even the King himself and make them ready for war. When she decides to ride alongside the Bretonnian armies, she employs her unearthly powers in the protection of those fighting for the lady. Her legendary fury is greatly feared, and her piercing eyes crackle with power, inspiring terror and awe in friend and foe alike. She has been known to draw lightning from the sky to strike her enemies, and slay with but a wrathful glance.
10.6. Repanse de Lyonesse
When Repanse was but seventeen year old, the shepherdess saw her land invaded by a mighty Chaos army under Kharan, a Champion of Khorne. Coming from beyond the Sea of Claws, the invaders butchered any Bretonnian standing in their way. The great King Louis the Brave led his finest Knights against the Chaos followers, but his army was obliterated and he himself slain. The Chaos host continued its march unopposed, butchering any village they came across and eventually laying siege to the great city of Couronne.
It was in these dark hours that Repanse walked among the ruins of a burned town. Suddenly, a celestial figure appeared before her, no other than the Lady of the Lake herself, speaking the words "Repanse, Repanse, rid my land of these foul foes, for they do offend me with their presence!". Fueled by this vision, the young girl donned a slain knight's armour and calmed down a scared warhorse that had somehow escaped the previous slaughter. Searching the destroyed Grail Chapel, she found a fine sword and a tapestry that she fastened to a lance lying on the floore, crafting a banner under which she rode towards the invaders. Those Knights who had fled battle or survived against all odds, wandering the countryside with fear in their hearts, rallied to this unknown Knight, taking oaths to follow her into death or glory. Crushing smaller forces of Chaos in the surrounding villages, word of this small band spread quickly, and over time, Repanse gathered a mighty host of Knights.
When she judged her army ready, she rode for the city of Couranne, arriving merely moments before the gates fell to the enemy. Cutting a bloody apth through the rear horde of the advancing Chaos host, Repanse eventually faced her adversary Kharan. A brute of a man, twice as high and wide as any other man she had seen, with a massive blade and seemingly living armour, his most terryfing aspect was his head, which was covered with mutated mouths and eyes. Raising his weapon to slay her like any other Knight, Kharan was suddenly struck by her radiant aura, granting the former shepherdess a chance to strike. With one singe stroke, she beheaded the vile Champion, robbing the Chaos forces of their general. When the host of Khorne turned to flee, they were all but obliterated by the pursuing Knights.
Louis the Young, son of the Brave, yet too young to ascend the throne as of yet, bestowed upon Repanse full knighthood and the dutchy of Lyonesse, which she rules to this day.
10.7. Bertrand the Brigand, Gui le Gros and Hugo le Petit
There are many legends told among the peasants of Bretonnia, though none is as popular as that of Bertrand the Brigand. It is said that even some of the nobles in Bretonnia enjoy hearing of his adventures...though those would have to be the more noble and just lords.
Tales claim he was but a poor peasant from the lands of Bergerac, though whether this part of his tales is true is as doubtful as the truth of all other parts. Gui le gros, carrying a tankard of the finest wine (stolen from decadent lords or given to him by thankful ones) and Hugo le Petit are Bertrand's friends, always ready to help him out of any trouble he gets himself in.
The famous tale of Bertrand the Brigand goes somewhat like this:
One day, in the small domain in the forested heart of Bretonnia called Bergerac, the land's Baron went out to complete the Grail Quest, but never returned. in his absence, the small domain was plagued by Orc raids, and without the guidance of the Baron, the future looked grim for the inhabitants.
Normally, the Baron's son should have set out as a Knight Errant, proving himself by ending the Orc menace in his father's lands. But the son was a coward, hiding inside his father's castle, not caring for the common folk the slightest bit. In fact, he despised the common folk.
So when the land was in dire need of a hero, it was the ploughman Bertrand, who was known as a highly skilled archer and a man with a lion's heart, who stepped forward. Some versions of the tale claim that his reason for doing so was an undying love between him and the Baron's daughter, a forbidden love as her mother and brother would never allow her to live with a commoner.
So while the Baroness and her foul son lavished away within the safety of their castle walls, enjoying the finest wine and luxurious food, Bertrand organised archer practice for the commoners, drew up watchmen schedules and trained the peasants in what he knew of combat. Under his leadership, many villages were able to throw back the attacks of the Orcs. Eventually, he managed to end the menace once and for all by rallying the villagers of all towns. One might think that the Baroness or her son would have rewarded Bertrand, but instead, they ignored him and raised the taxes and tithes, so that all the common folk had gained by removing the Orcs' attacks was taken away by their own nobility. Rumours spread that the Baron had recently returned, but the Baroness had poisoned him, not ready to give up her hold on the common folk. The fact that she shunned the Grail Chapel also led many to believe that she was the descendant of Maldred himself, or some other vile being from Mousillon. Whether that was true or not, she was a decadent and corrupt noble for sure, and eventually succumbed to the powers of Chaos.
However, on day fate struck, as some might say. There was a fault in a Chaos ritual she performed, and a one-eyed Daemon with a thirst of blood was summoned and devoured the baroness and her son, ruining the castle afterwards. Next, it went for the daughter, but this was the great hour of Bertrand. Shooting the demon in his single eye before it got a chance to devour his love, Bertrand caused the creature to drop her. Hugo caught the girl and brought her to safety will Bertrand killed the Daemon with flaming arrows.
With no castle and no ruler to follow, the peasants set out through the Bretonnian countryside under the leadership of Bertrand and his new wife, for he married the Baron's daughter. Many tales of Betrand's adventures followed, tales of him righting wrongs and helping the common man as well as the good lords, of whom he only expects two rewards: a barrel of fine wine for Gui le Gros and the intermission of taxes for the peasants in the area for one year.
11. Vampire Counts
11.1. Von Carsteins
11.1.1. Vlad and Isabella von Carstein
The very first time of an alleged appearance of Vlad von Carstein in the Empire was in 1797, when Otto von Drak, the mad last descendant of the family von Drak and ruler of Sylvania died without a male heir to take his place. It was then that Vlad stepped forward and married the late Drak's daughter, seizing control of the province. Her rebellious brother Leopold was thrown out of the highest tower in the castle, after the Vampire Count had ripped hos heart out, fulfilling his new wife's wish. The Sigmar Priest who had carried out the marriage ceremony vanished soon after, and so did any of the nobles who despised the notion of being ruled by an outsider, such as Braon Pieter Kaplin, who was found dead in his locked chambers, hairs white and eyes wide with terror. The bandit lord Boris Earbiter who had plagued Sylvania for years was found hanging in a tree, devoid of any drop of blood. Ten years after he had assumed his new position, Vlad had acheived complete control over Sylvania. All important castles were occupied by his descendants, all Sigmarite temples in the province closed. Vlad had effectively closed the province off from the rest of the Empire.
Soon after, an apparent plague fell over Sylvania, its symptons anemia, infirmity and physically pining away. Whether or not this plague can be attributed to nightly bites by Vampires need not be gone into. Fact is that no physician was able to cure either the symptoms or the disease itself. So when Isabelle von Carstein cauth the plague, she begged her husband to make her a Vampire herself. At first he was reluctant to make his beloved into a monster like himself. But as her condition worsened, he eventually gave in and granted her the Blood Kiss. Isabella was cured within a night's time. As she made no secret of her new identity, she became the center of a cult called the "Raisen Dead", who openly embraced the undeath, wanting to achieve immortality as a Vampire and protection from the plague. Some of them reached that goal, many did not.
In 2010 IC, during the Geheimnisnacht, when both Morrslieb and Mannslieb were full in the sky, Vlad von Carstein revealed his nature to the rest of the Empire. He invited all nobility of Sylvania to a masked ball...only to slaughter every noble who remained a human with his Vampires. Climbing the highest tower of his castle, he recited from the Nine Books of Nagash...not copies, but the actual third edition written down by the Strigoi Kadon when wearing Nagash's old crown. They allowed him to raise a massive horde of undead, including those he had just slain. He marched upon the Empire, which was divided by the Three Emperors at that time. His army of skeletons and zombies marched side by side with the degenerated militas and farmers of Sylvania, who had accepted Vlad as their rightful sovereign without any hesitation. This was the beginning of the Vampire Wars.
The first battle, the socalled Battle of Essenfurt was a major success for Vlad. He all but crushed the army of General Hans Schliffen. However, when he went about executing the prisoners, Schliffen managed to behead Vlad. Hermann Posner, a Vampire of the von Carstein bloodline with the ability to transform himself into a wolf, immediately took leadership of Vlad's armies - for about one day. In the night, Vlad returned and killed him.
Next was the Battle of Swartzhafen in IC 2025 (or 2049, depending on what source you believe). This battle ended in a defeat for Vlad by Jerek Kruger and his White Wolves. However, one year alter (in 2062 or 2050), Vlad returned in spring, taking the city of Middenheim with masses of etherical undead, against whom the Knights of the White Wolf were powerless. Kruger engaged in a duel with Vlad on the belltower of the Temple of Ulric, but the Vampire was victorious and drank every last drop of blood that remained in Kruger's body. In a display of his utter willpower, Kruger threw himself off the tower to avoid the curse. However, he failed, being reborn as Jerek von Carstein soon after. Other tales of Vlad's deaths include being impaled on five lances and the Runefang of the Count of Ostland, or being beheaded by a cannon ball.Each time he was killed, it seemed that he returned sooner than the last time.
Eventually, Vlad laid siege to Altdorf itself in IC 2051. When the city was about to surrender, Grand Theogonist Wilhelm III received a vision. There are different views as to from where this vision originated. Wilhelm claimed it was from Sigmar, yet other sources state it came from Manfred von Carstein, a traitor within the Vampires' ranks. Be that as it may, the vision revealed that the ring Vlad wore was what allowed him to reincarnate every time he was slain. So Felix Mann, the greatest thief of his time, was tasked with stealing the ring. Three days after the last ultimatum ended, Mann sneaked into the black, silken tent within the Vampire camp that was curiously left unguarded, stealing the ring and disappearing into the night. When Vlad discovered that the ring was missing, he was furious and stormed the city. While many of the lesser Vampires were slain throughout the city, Vlad faced the Grand Theogonist on the city walls. Having been heavily wounded by the dark Count within the first minutes of the battle, Wilhelm accepted that he could not win. He grabbed the Vampire and threw himself off the wall, impaling himself and Vlad on the stakes within the moat.
With their master dead once and for all, Vlad's army of undead began to dissipate and the other Vampires fled, unable to agree who should lead them. In the abandoned remains of the besiegers' camps, the followers of Sigmar discovered the Nine Books of Nagash and the Liber Mortis, which they subsequently locked away within the safest vaults under the Great Cathedral of Sigmar. Ludwig von Altdorf, one of the contenders for the Imperial Throne, was in favour of pursuing the fleeing Vampires, but his political rivals feared his newly gained popularity as victor over the great Vampire Count, and hindered him.
Meanwhile, Isabella von Carstein could not bear to spend eternity without her beloved Vlad. She committed suicide before the eyes of the soon-to-be Emperor Ludwig and the Grand Theogonist. The other Vampires, granted a chance to flee and regroup by Ludwig's hesitation or inability to pursue them, were able to return to Sylvania and regenerate, a fact that would result in the terror wars of Konrad von Carstein against the Empire.
In the time he walked the earth, Vlad von Carstein preferred elegant, aristocratic clothing. Only when he rode into battle did he wear massive armour with macabre decorations, a heavy bear pelt along with its paws and a cloak in which he had woven the souls of his countless victims.
Appendix: The true Identity of Vlad von Carstein?
In his Liber Necris, Mannfred von Carstein makes continuous allusions to Vlad von Carstein being the same person as Vashanesh, one of the Dark Lords of Nagash himself and also Prince Vladimir, counselor to Baron Frederick van Hal, whom he gave the Nine Books of Nagash to. This would explain the origin of the ring that allowed Vlad to revive himself, as Vashanesh was given a ring by Nagash that allowed him to rule all Vampires. If all this is true, then Vlad was much older than anyone in the Empire had suspected.
11.1.2. Konrad von Carstein
Konrad von Carstein was, quite simply put, a blood-crazy lunatic. While that may seem to be the case for many a Vampire in folks' tales, Konrad surpassed every last one of his brethren. He had already made a name for himself as a blood-thirsty slaughterer when he was still human, proving to be completely nefarious. One of his decrees was that every last of his crossbowmen was to use kittens for target practice, and on at least two occasions, he had peasants burned because he did not like their smell. He even had his mother sentenced and imprisoned because she had given birth to him without his consent. Another time, he had the inhabitants of two villages staked without giving any reason whatsoever.
Why Vlad von Carstein chose him of all people, no one ever understood, though some speculate that he was humoured by Konrad's insanity. But Konrad was one of the very few whom Vlad granted the Blood Kiss personally. In fact, Konrad was the second one to receive the Blood Kiss from Vlad, preceded only by Mannfred von Carstein. Having been granted immortality and the other powers that come with the Blood Kiss, such as heightened strength and speed, did little to tighten Konrad's slipping grip on sanity. He began slaying all who drew the resentment of his new master upon them, as well as all he himself did not like, including enemy generals and priests of all confessions as well as several necromants who had mocked his magical abilites. As he himself had almost no power in the field of necromancy, he had his troops enslave every single magic user they came across, forcing them to do his will.
After Vlad's death, Konrad was one of the most likely candidates for succession.Having killed Hans von Carstein in the struggles for leadership over the clan, Konrad eventually managed to establish himself as Vlad's heir. The remaining humans in Sylvania suffered greatly under his rule, as he saw them not unlike a cruel marksmen might see his prey. He also had a very clear view on his territory, marking the boundaries with pikes adorned with the heads of his enemies.
Seeking to surpass his progenitor, he started his own campaign against the Empire. However, as he lacked any talent for necromancy along with strategic thinking and tended to underestimate his enemies, he mostly had to rely on brute strength. In battle, it usually did not take him long to fall into a frenzy and become a living - or rather, undead - killing machine, hacking away foes to his right and left, staying hs swords only to lick the blood from them and his armour. His campaign was stopped in 2100 IC in the Battle of the Four Armies, when the forces of three contenders for the Imperial Throne united to stop him - although two of them turned on each other during the battle, and the third, Helmut von Marienburg was slain and raised as undead by Konrad. Thus, no one accepted him as Emperor and he was put in the grave by his own son. It was this son, Helmar, who, together with the Dwarf Thane Grufbad, killed Konrad once and for all 21 years later in the Battle of Grimmoor. They exploited Mannfred's one weakness, surprising him while he was busy licking the blood of his armour. The dwarf held him while Helmar used his Runefang to kill the Vampire.
11.1.3. Mannfred von Carstein
Mannfred von Carstein was the very first Vampire to be sired by Vlad himself. As such, he had the greatest claim on Vlad's throne after his death, but he chose to remain in the shadows, letting the other contenders weaken each other before assuming full control of Sylvania. It is said that while Vlad was the most powerful in the von Carstein line, Mannfred is certainly the most cunning. While his brethren fought amongst themselves, and Konrad was busy ravaging in the Empire, Mannfred studied everything he could find about the art of Necromancy. He claims to have been to Nagazar himself, studying under the great masters who serve nagash himself. He also claims to have drunk from the blood of the lines of Abhorash, Neferata and W'soran, granting him parts of their powers. Whether all his claims are true or not, when he returned to Sylvania, he had attained a level of power in the arts of Necromancy that was unparalleled among the von Carsteins. It was Mannfred who wrote the Liber Necris, which in some sequences is little more than a glorification of his own powers.
One part of the Liber Necris tells of his studies regarding the humans of the Empire, who sparked his interest after his progenitor himself was slain by one of these supposedly weak beings. If the Liber Necris is to be believed, then he has even met Grand Theogonist Volkmar himself.
Anyway, after Konrad's death, Mannfred was the undisputed ruler of all Sylvania. However, he let the wars with the Empire rest for 10 years, judging rightly that if the Vampire menace seemed to have ended, the Imperials would turn upon themselves once more. Proven right by the various contenders to the Imperial Throne, who were quick to resume their wars amongst each other, Mannfred made his move in 2132 IC, marching on the divided and weakened Empire. In the first few weeks, Mannfred won many battles and eventually reached Altdorf. However, when he was about to lay siege to the city, Grand Theogonist Kurt III appeared upon the city walls, reciting the Ritual of Banishment from the Liber Mortis the Empire had salvaged from the remains of Vlad's camp at the end of the Vampire Wars. Mannfred's army began to dissipate and he quickly ordered a retreat. Leading his army down the Reik, he planned to siege Marienburg instead. However, the High Elves had established a trading post in Marienburg, and chance had an Archmage called Finreir present in the city when mannfred arrived. The Archamge effectively countered Mannfred's necromantic powers, and when an army from Altdorf threatened to fall into his rear, Mannfred von Carstein fled across the Empire. The armies of various provinces destroyed his army multiple times, only to face the same amount of undead in the next battle. Eventually, though, Mannfred was forced to retreat to Sylvania. This time however, the Counts of the Empire were willing to pursue the Vampires. Aided by their allies, the Dwarfs, the Empire's troops cornered Mannfred and defeated him in the Battle of Hel Fenn. it was Elector Count Martin von Stirland who slew him with his Runefang, seemingly ending the Vampire Wars. Thus, the province of Sylvania was formerly made part of his dominion, though no one would have contested him for control of this cursed land anyway. Though it seemed that Mannfred was dead, his body was never found...
Years later, Mannfred was awakened by a necromancer called Schtillman. Although he himself remains silent on the details, an account of his rebirth can be found within the tales of Felix Jaeger. Jaeger claims that he was investigatin rumours of a necromancer within Castle Drakenhof, who supposedly kidnapped a little girl. Sure enough, this necromancer had searched the swamps of Hel Fenn for years until he had come upon the remains of Mannfred's body, which, at that time, were nothing more than a bunch of bones among reed and mud. It seems that Jaeger, along with his dwarven companion Gotrek, came upon the necromancer right in the middle of a ritual in which he planned to sacrifice the kidnapped girl as a blood offering. Battle ensued, and eventually Gotrek killed the necromancer before he could finish his ritual. However, with the final strike of Gotrek's axe, some of the necromancer's blood spilled on Mannfred's remains. Before the eyes of the two companions, the body and spirit of the Vampire rapidly regenerated, until he stood before them, whole and alive - or rather, undead - once again. Gotrek immediately challenged him, but it seems Mannfred refused, feeling too weak as of yet and remembering the weapon runes of the Dwarfs from his last battle as something that had let to his demise. The girl survived, though it seems that she later went back into the arms of Mannfred on her own account...though that is another tale.
Nowadays, Mannfred is, of his own account, the oldest and most powerful Vampire of the von Carstein bloodline still alive, and thus the undisputed ruler of all von Carsteins. His features have suffered greatly, though. He has lost his hair, and his face has become a distorted mockery of his once noble and aristocratic features. His deep studies of the arts of Necromancy have led to this appearance, although these outer changes normally only occur with human necromancers, not vampiric ones. But it seems that Vlad has gotten so deep into the dark arts that they affect even him.
11.1.4. Luthor Harkon
In 876 IC, Norse raiders boarded a trading vessel of the Empire, and found a valuable sarcophagus on board. Ignorant of the Vampire Luthor Harkon who rested inside, they took the sacrophagus with them. Within the same year, a norse longhsip stranded on the coasts of Lustria. The crewmen were either starved or drowned, but they were not dead. Under the leadership of Luthor Harkon, they were the first undead to walk the shores of the New World, and Harkon immediately began to build an empire. The region in which he was active was famous for its treacherous winds and numerous ledges. From this shore, which would later become known as the Vampire Shore, Luthor began to plunder various tombs in the jungle and raise all the sailors who had fallen victims to the shores to add to his army. He wrote down every last of his nefarious deeds in the Books of Harkon. He quickly came into conflict with the Lizardmen, who saw him not only as an abomination, but were also enraged at the desecration of their tomb sites.
In 930 IC, Harkon led his zombie pirates deeper into the jungle than ever before, driven by his greed for magical artifacts. Lord Xoltc of Itza had sent him false visions to lure him into a trap, which sprung when Harkon entered the city of Oxyl. Lord Xltep, a Slann Mage-Priest of Itza all but obliterated Harkon's army with the aid of the ancient Kroxigor Nakai in the Battle of the Solar Eclipse. An ever vindictive being, Harkon allied with sirens in 1011 IC, who drew more and more ships to the Vampire Coast, granting Harkon the corpses he needed to build an even greater army than before. However, he took his time. Before marching into the heartland once again, he used his necromantic powers to raise ships from the ground of the sea in 1127 IC, enabling his zombie pirates to raid the sea once more and bring back yet more corpses to swell the ranks of Harkon's forces. Finally, in 1351 IC, Luthor led his army into the inner jungles of lustria once more, slaying the Skink guards and defenders of the temple-city of Axlotl, razing it to the ground. Although the Skink shamans were able to rescue some artifacts, many magical treasures fell into Harkon's hands that day.
Still not satisfied in his ever growing greed, Harkon marched on to the abandoned temple-city of Huatl. In the third week of the excavations, his minions discovered an ancient chamber, sealed with powerful glyphs. Harkon ordered the chamber prised open. However, the chamber's protective spells were incredibly powerful, having been crafted by Slann whose power surpassed Harkon's by far. All of Harkon's zombies were destroyed immediately. Then, Harkon made the worst decision of his (un)life, determined to pry open the chamber with his own necromantic powers. The glyphes surpassed his powers, creating a link to his mind, draining him of all magic power and vitality. When he finally managed to break the link, his mind was nearly completely destroyed.
The glyphs had severed his connection to the Winds of Magic and splintered his personality. Harkon is nowadays unable to cast spells directly. Although he is still able to raise his minions and make their wet firearms work, he retains only a fraction of the power he once held. His personality constantly switches from a complete madness which results in a frenzy to his earlier malevolent character onto a dangerous and nefarious will which hates everyone and everything. Sometimes these personalities fight each other, each of them unwilling to give up control. This results in Harkon often standing around doing seemingly nothing, which can prove quite a hindrance in battle.
However, the anti-magical protection Harkon has been exposed to has also ggranted him an unexpected boon: not only is he unable to cast any powerful magic, he is now also very resistent against any kind of harmful magic. Although he has concentraed on the sea a lot lately, making himself and his zombie pirates into amphibious beings who are at home at and in the sea as much as on land, he continuiously plans raids into the jungles, hoping to discover an artifact that will revers his condition.
Before his mishap at Huatl, Luthor rode into battle on his nightmare, swinging the Sword of Eigil Johannesen, the captain of the Norse ship that discovered his sarcophagus, protecting himself with a Black Amulet not quite unlike those some Druchii wear. Nowadays, he weilds a scimitar along with a pair of pistols, fitting the image of what most people imagine when hearing of a zombie pirate.
11.2. The Blood Dragons
11.2.1. Abhorash
At the very beginning of vampirism, when only Neferata herself had consumed the elixir changing her into a Vampire, Abhorash was the leader of the palace guard. One night, he discovered his mistress when she stilled her thirst. It was then that she decided to make him a Vampire himself. Thus, he became one of the eleven Lahmians to whom Neferate gave the elixir, one of the twelve Master Vampires. Abhorash was, by the way, the only one who did not drink the elixir due to his own ambitions, but out of love and loyalty to his mistress. In fact, he didn't even know what the elixir would do to him, believing the red substance within the chalice to be his queen's blood. When he discovered what he now was, he fought his new nature for many days. However, this only worsened his condition, and when he finally snapped, he slaughtered many more than his thirst would have demanded. Succumbing to vampirism, he joined the Vampire court. Neferata made him the supreme commander of their forces, for even during his human time he had been the mightiest warrior in all of Lahmia. However, even as a vampire, he retained the loyalty toward his people, passing laws that required the Vampires to drink only the blood of those who deserved death, such as the desert raiders plundering the outskirts of Lahmia. However, Abhorash was pretty much the only one who followed these laws. When the other Vampires started to take victims from other nations than Nehekhara as well, the leaders of these nations allied to end the thread once and for all.
When they attacked Lahmia, it was Abhorash who proved one of their biggest obstacles. Standing upon the stairs of Lahmia's temples, he slew one attacker after another, the blood of each strengthening him even more. His transformation into a Vampire had made him almost invincible, with spears, arrows, fire and magic unable to to fell him. With the assistance of Nagash himself, Abhorash fought day and night and was able to stall the attackers for no less than seven days. But although slew thousands on his own, in the end no single man could face an army as great as the one besieging Lahmia on his own. The temples fell, going up in flames, taking many Vampires with them. Only Abhorash, Neferata, Wsoran und Ushoran, sowie Vashanesh were able to flee from the carnage. Four of them joined Nagash for the time being, but not Abhorash. He made the others responsible for their downfall because they could not control their craving. He took a few vampiric soldiers of his own and wandered north, swearing vengeance on all of humanity. He and his followers encountered many Orc tribes on their ventures, slaying no fewer than five of them and bathing in their blood. They also slew their fair share of Dwarfs while ravaging through outposts and mines. Eventually, Abhorash came upon a mountain encircled in fire. Ignoring the advise of his followers, Abhorash heeded the strange power that drew him to the mountaintop, and began climbing. When he reached the summit and looked to the skies, a massive red dragon descended upon the Vampire. The fight was glorious and lasted almost a whole day, with the Vampire coming out victorious in the end. While the dragon drew his last breath, Abhorash sank his fangs deeply into his throats and began to take in the rich blood of the ancient beast. When he had all but sucked it dry, he threw the carcass off the mountain and emitted an exultant cry of victory, for he no longer felt the any craving for blood. To this day, he is the only Vampire to ever have cured his curse. In a sense, he is the ultimate warrior, a man with the strength and speed of a Vampire, but without the need for blood.
When he came back from the mountain, Abhorash ordered his followers to go out into the world and seek a cure for themselves, pronouncing that he would not accept their company before they had rid themselves of their craving. His bloodline, only five Vampires strong on that day, has since called themselves the Blood Dragons in honour of their progenitor's deeds. Although none of them has ever seen Abhorash again, they firmly believe that on top of the fiery mountains, he still waits for the return of his sons.
11.2.2. Valach
The most successfull and favoured sons of Abhorash was Valach, also known as Shaitaan Harkon. When Abhorash sent his followers out into the world, Valach made his way into the Empire, to the gates of the Blood Keep, which was home to an order of templars, the Ordo Draconis. Challenging the entire order, he killed every single one fo them and their men-at-arms. Those he deemed worthy were granted the Blood Kiss, creating a whole keep of undead knights for Valach to rule over.
Eventually, the humans of the Empire discovered the true natur of dragon templars and the keep was taken by witch hunters accompanied by the templers of other orders. Mikael, Valach's favourite among the Blood Knights and the standard bearer of his personal guard, was slain in this battle. Since that day, Valach wears the banner himself. Although they lost the keep once and were besieged by Karl Franz in later years, the Blood Knights still meet in the keep every 50 years, swearing allegiance to Valach under the banner of the two-headed dragon, drinking blood from their most valuable relic, a chalice of black obsidian.
11.2.3. The Red Duke
During the reign of Louis the Righteous, the 15th king of Bretonnia, the Arabians overran Estalia under the leadership of Sultan Jaffar. Louis send his most valiant and skilled knight to end the threat, the Duke of Aquitaine. The Duke earned great honour and fame by freeing Estalia and many songs were made about his deeds. However, during the siege of Lashiek in Araby, catastrophe ensued. The Duke vanished for many days until he was found heavily wounded. But his followers never gave up on him, not even when he fell into a coma while they brought him back to Bretonnia. On their way, they were set upon by Orcs and Skaven alike, but they did not fail in their duty and brought their Duke back home. When a short time later he succumbed to the fever and died, they swore him an everlasting oath of fealty - words they would rue soon after.
After three days of resting in his tomb, the Duke awoke. Within a few hours, he had slain every last of the caste's inhabitants and raised them again. Thousands fled before his hordes, seeking the aid of the king. Realising the danger he was in should the king decide to march upon Aquitaine, the Duke tried to win over Isabeau, the Warden of the Lady's Tower, the highest sorceress in all of Bretonnia save for the Fey Enchantress herself, to his cause. But she saw through his scheme and fled to join the ranks of the king. The armies of Bretonnia clashed with those of the Red Duke at the Battle of Ceren Fields. The Duke was defeated and impaled on the king's very own lance. In death, the distorted features of the Duke once again assumed the appearance he had worn in life, so the king was unable to burn his old friend. He had him entombed within a great crypt sealed with Grail symbols, against the protests of Isabeau who demanded he be burned. The king also had the Duke's name erased from all records, so that his family could continue their service to Bretonnia without this stain upon their honour.
The Duke, however, was far from dead. He had prepared for this eventuality, encasing his essence in a jewel of purest crimson he had crafted from the souls of the innocent by using the blackest of magics. Although it took him years to regenerate, he was more powerful than before in the end. still, he could not escape from his tomb. No matter what kinds of spells or undead creatures he threw against the barriers, Isabeau's seals held. While his fury was ever growing, the Bretonnians eventually forgot his legend throughout the centuries.
It would take a thousand years before the Red Duke got to see the su...uhm...got to breathe fresh air again. The necromant Renar eventually broke the seals to subdue the Vampire. He had not expected the Vampire to be in the state he found him, however. The Red Duke was very much amused when the necromancer surrendered without a battle.
Hunting through the night and eventually regaining his full power after only a few weeks, the Vampire began to revive all his loyal knights and also those enemies he had slain in his final battle. He occupied his old castle again, abandoned by the Bretonnians in favor of Castle Aquin near the Ceren Fields. The Red Duke gathered more undead forces every night, until he had more than a thousand followers. Convinced of his superiority, he attacked three provinces at the same time while leading the greatest part of his army toward the castle of Gilon D'Aquitaines, the Bretonnian general who had led the army that vanquished the Red Duke's forces at Ceren Fields. While two of his smaller armies succeeded in their various tasks (securing Mercal, a village where the Duke's most loyal knights had been entombed and taking the Tower of the Lady), the third failed to secure the bridge over the Morceaux, forcing the Duke to rethink his strategy. Forced to take another way, the undead armies had to cross Ceren Fields. So the second Battle of Ceren Fields took place. Once again the Red Duke lost, but he managed to kill the Duke Gilon d'Aquitaine and to escape afterwards. The Duke's son, Richemont, had Questing Knights search for the Vampire for months, but they were unable to find him. Supposedly, he still roams the fields and woods of Bretonnia, searching for a way to take his revenge...
11.3. The Lahmians - Neferata
Neferata, also called Neferatem sometimes, was the Princess and later the Queen of Lahmia, one of the nations in the ancient civilization of Nehekhara. Nehekhara's culture was centered on the death and afterlife, building huge tombs and temples. Eventually, those became so frequent and huge that they became to be known as Necropoli, the cities of the dead.
One day Neferata, discovered the Book of Nagash, the very first Necromancer, and fascinated by the powers within it, she began practicing the art of necromancy. While earlier necromancers had come to accept that their flesh wore out through time, Neferata sought youthful immortality. Eventually she made a pact with a dark force (whose name is generally said to be "better left unmentioned") who supplied her with a vial of a special elixir distilled from his own blood, which would grant her eternal youth. However, the mixture had some undesired side effects: Neferata's heart stopped to beat and she developed a craving for human blood. She gathered her eleven most trusted advisors and friends, and gave to each of them a portion of the elixir. Thus were born the twelve Master Vampires, of whom all other vampires in the world of Warhammer are descendants.
Later, after Lahmia had fallen, Alcadizaar had destroyed the combined forces of the Vampires and Nagash (for more information on these events, see the Tomb Kings/Vampire Counts section within the Layman's Guide to Warhammer Factions) and the Master Vampires finally abandoned Nagash, Neferata separated herself from her brethren. She took the dwarven hold called Silver Pinnacle in the World's Edge mountains, earning her the name "Evil Queen" with the Dwarfs.
She has built herself a fine haven after taking over the hold, creating the Sisterhood of Lahmia, an all female Vampire bloodline. Said to be divinely beautiful in her youth, she has lost none of it with the years. Though her skin is white as alabaster nowadays, and the long years of evil have washed away all trace of pity and compassion from her expression, no man stays unmoved when looking into her face, framed by plaited tresses of the darkest black. Her body retains the appearance of youth, with only her yellow eyes showing a hint of the centuries they have seen pass by, and the cruelty and wisdom that lie behind them.
The Silver Pinnacle is nowadays one of the most dangerous places in the world, as Neferata has outfitted her mountain lair with a myriad of passageways, creating a maze that no living creature can find his way through without guidance, riddled with traps and undead creatures as it is.
At the very heart of the maze, one would find the quarters of Neferata. Here, she has remade the image of the royal palace she once inhabited in Lahmia, with reasures of old, golden masks and rare gemstones adorning the rooms in which Neferata lies on a divan, drinking the blood of handsome youths from golden cups and listening as her Undead courtiers play harps, pipes and lutes to amuse her. She uses the Lahmian Sisterhood as her eyes and ears in the outside world. She still dreams of bringing all other bloodlines back under her control to one day return to Lahmia at the head of an undead army of a scale no one ever saw before and to reclaim the country she once called home.
Meanwhile, Neferata delights herself by causing men of pure heart to fall from grace. Her favourite victims are Bretonnian knights, for she finds their code of chivalry easy to exploit. Many a knight has found himself in her web of treachery after setting out to rescue a damsel in distress. Some she keeps as lvoers, some she empties of all blood, for none manages to hold her interest for long.
The only time Neferata is raised from her hedonistic activites is when an ambitious Witch Hunter from the Empire comes to slay her with an army at his back. None of them have returned so far, for when it is necessary, Neferata can raise thousands of zombies, wights and other undead creatures within hours. Most often she does not even have to employ her knowledge of ancient rituals from Lahmia, rituals that all but her have forgotten. For she is the Queen of Mysteris of old, and her knowledge is only matched by her wrath and cruelty.
11.4. Necrarchs
11.4.1. W'soran
W'soran was one of Nagash's Dark Lords. When Nagash was banished from Nehekhara for the first time, he sent W'soran back to Lahmia to advise Lahmizzar, one of the Nehekharan Kings who had opposed him. (Note: some sources claim that W'soran actually fled from Nagash, but his actions afterward make the theory of Nagash sending him more likely.) W'soran undermined the priesthood and at the same time corrupted Queen Neferata, teaching her the secret arts of Necromancy. Within three years she had learned what he could teach her, and W'soran began to slip information of her experiments to that part of the priesthood he hadn't been able to draw to his side. When those priests started a rebellion a year later, W'soran proved essential in defeating the rebels priests and Neferata allowed him to have that part of the piresthood executed. Together, they gave life to a new cult, a cult that venerated Nagash as a god. After five years, this cult had taken over all of Lahmia, while W'soran and Neferata continued their experiments on the Elixir of Nagash, eventually drinking it to become the first Vampires.
After Lahmia had fallen, W'soran returned to Nagash and fought endless battles for his master. When the other Vampires fell into discord, he, the progenitor of the Necrarch bloodline was the only Master Vampire to stay loyal to Nagash. Together with Arkhan the Black, Nagash's most loyal servant and greatest general, he threw back the Nehekharan armies under Alcadizaar who amassed to march on Nagazar, Nagash's fortress.
A year before Nagash's death, W'soran was granted the Nine Books of Nagash, written anew by the great necromant after the first edition had been destroyed. He took those and many other books from Nagazar when Nagash was slain and the Skaven stormed the fortress, fleeing north.
With the years, W'soran grew decadent and continuously cast himself into a trance to speak with the world of the dead.
He was eventually murdered by one of his own bloodline, his apprentice Melkhior, who drank all his blood and ate his flesh, causing him to become the highest Necrarch as well as mad. Whether Melkhior followed the reborn Nagash's order, who wanted to punish W'soran for not defending Nagazar, or he simply followed his own ambitions, or whether he looked down on his progenitor as Melkhior was able to talk to the dead without a trance, will probably remain unkown forever. However it may have been, this deed of Melkhior placed a curse upon the Necrarchs, causing their bodies to rot from the moment they receive the Blood Kiss.
11.4.2. Melkhior the Ancient
Most Necrarchs are very solitary and withrdrawn, and Melkhior, the oldest of them still to walk the earth, is no exception.He works his experiments within a secret tower, hidden in the Forest of Shadows by both the trees and powerful sorcery. Ever since he has eaten his master's flesh, he has been decaying, both in flesh and in spirit. Nowadays, he is utterly insane, experimenting on how best to make the living understand the benefits of undeath, wanting to make them embrace it willingly. After many have died in his experiments, he is still looking for an answer.
He takes great interest in different ways to induce pain, suffering and horror, a fact that the prisoners in his cells can bear witness to. A walk through his tower can be maddening by itself, with half-human, half-zombie creatures walking around and severed heads screaming from the walls.
Melkhior rarely leaves his tower for any purpose other than capturing new victims for his experiments. At such times, rows upon rows of undead swarm forth from the woods, capturing every living being they come across. What few know is that normally, a Vampire can only achieve a ceratin level of Necromancy due to his being undead. However, Melkhior has several thousand years of experience to draw upon, and as such has as much knowledge in the dark arts as any living necromancer.
For those who lay eyes upon him, he seems more part of the world of the dead than that of the living anyway, as his flesh has fallen almost completely from his body, with only a few reeking bits remaining. His eyes are pure darkness, and what they see, no one can say. When he paints upon human skins in his fortress, Melkhior draws scenes of a world in which there is no life left, a world full of undead and withered threes. For him, these are visions, a world to come after this one has been rid of the scourge of the living.
Legends claim that Melkhior has recently been betrayed and defeated by his apprentice Zacharias, that he now lies sleeping and recovering to take back what Zacharias took from him - the supreme rule over the Necrarchs.
11.4.3. Zacharias the Everliving
Little is known of Zacharias' life before he became a Vampire. Studying under Dieter Helsnicht, he apparently discovered the location of the Necrarch Lord somewhere in his master's notes. Intending to sneak into the tower of the Ancient, he tried to steal the Book of Nagash, one of the many powerful artifacts Melkhior had aquired in the millenias of his existence. Quite unsuprisingly, though, Zacharias was captured in the attempt. But rather than killing the would-be necromancer, Melkhior granted him the Blood-Kiss and allowed him to become his pupil.
However, Melkhior's teachings were not going fast enough for Zacharias, so he soon tried to steal the book from his master's chambers once again. Unfortunately, when Zacharias opened the door to Melkhior's chambers, he found him in one of the fits of insanity Melkhior was prone to and which usually resulted in him killing everything near him. During the fight that ensued, Zacharias was almost killed and only barely managed to flee into the Middle Mountains, followed by Melkhior's minions. Coming to a large, dark cavern, Zacharias crept into a niche and slept for a decade.
While he slept, a Black Dragon made her nest in the cave, unaware of the Vampire resting within it. When Zacharias finally awoke, his thirst was greater than ever before, and the dragon before him seemed like the perfect opportunity to quell it. Searching carefully for a spot on the massive creature's body that was not covered by hard scales, he found it at the dragon's underside. He bit deep, drawing the blood of the great beast into his veins quickly. Over the following month, Zacharias drank from the dragon again and again, and when there was no blood left in her, he raised the beast as undead and flew back to Melkhior's tower atop his new mount. This time, the battle was cataclysmic, and the magic forces unleashed between the two necromancers detroyed the whole tower. Zacharias came out victorious, his master fleeing.
Zacharias is now the supreme ruler over the Necrarch bloodline, though this doesn't mean much as most Necrarch vampires tend to live apart from each other, secluded in their various studies. Zacharias, now calling himself "the Everliving", is also just about as mad as his master was. Riding atop his zombie dragon, he plans to transform all of the Warhammer world into a giant realm of the undead, not quite unlike Melkhior planned to.
11.5 Strigoi
11.5.1. Ushoran
Ushoran was the brother of Neferata, the Queen of Lahmia. Aside from this fact, he "only" was a very powerful and strong (though not skileld) warrior, but was feeling more and more worthless as his sister became Queen and he himself did not achieve any greater rank and was terrorised by his sister. After drinking the Elixir of Nagash, however, he was able to protect himself.
Becoming Master of the Masks, he was made responsible for all festivities, although he quickly gaiend a reputation as a warrior second only to Abhorash. When the Vampires feld after the destruction of Lahmia, this extraordinarily strong and prideful Vampire soon assumed leadership of the outcasts. However, Nagash's plan required Vashanesh to lead the Master Vampires, so he granted him a ring that allowed him to control all other Vampires, effectively dethroning Ushoran again. When they fled again after their combined forces with Nagash had been destroyed, this time scattering due to their belief that no single one of them should rule again, Ushoran was the only one in favour of sticking together and building a new kingdom of Vampires. Whether he thought it necessary out of fear of Nagash or other reasons is not known. Denied by the other Master Vampires, he attacked and insulted them in his frustration before fleeing on his own, seeking a new realm for himself.
He found it in Strigos, the small human realm founded by the shaman Kadon. The shaman had found Alcadizaar's corpse with the crown of Nagash, and built Mourkain, the capital city of Strigos in his honour, influenced by the will of Nagash that was still encased in his crown. The Cult of Nagash was the small nation's religion, so when one of the great necromancer's own disciples stood before the gates, kadon was quick to surrender the leadership of his newborn nation to Ushoran.
One after the other, Ushoran's descendants took oever key positions in the city, while he himself was venerated as a disciple of the great Nagash. A hundred years after his arrival, Ushoran killed Kadon and took the Claw and Crown of Nagash from his corpse. Still, he had the human inhabitants of his kingdom living peacefully next to the vampiric parts of the population. Convinced he had brought about a perfected version of the Vampire kingdom in Lahmia, he sent emissaries to his sister on the Silver Pinnacle and the other Master Vampires. No one but his sister paid him any heed, judging him worthless. But she would not allow her brother to live in peace. Sending back only the jaw of his emissary, she riled up the humans of the northern realms against Strigos, causing them to march upon Ushoran. She was afraid that her brother's magical artifacts would allow him to take over her realm. When the armies clashed, a Waaagh! of the Greenskins clashed forth from the World Edge Mountains completely unexpected by either party. Overwhelming the border fortifications of the humans, they swarmed over the plains of Strigos until they stood before the gates of Mourkain itself. When ushoran got the message of this new danger, he immediately retreated back south to defend his capital.
Weakened from the fight against the humans and the hasty retreat, Ushoran's army was defeated by the Greenskins at the gates of Mourkain. He saw the only way of rescue in a desperate attempt for the city gates. But when the Orc Shaman Red Eye saw that the gates were opened for the battered remains of the Strigoi army, he had the Waaaghboos Garsnag Cracktooth order a massive attack. Although the Greenskins underestimated the Vampire's abilities, and Garsnag was slain in the charge, the Shaman was able to kill Ushoran.
Those few Strigoi Vampires who survived, flew to the human realms in the north. They came across the the castle of the von Carsteins, but Vlad had not forgotten the insults of Ushoran and had them hunted throughout his woods (Note: this is another indication that Vlas is indeed Vashanesh). Rejected by all other bloodlines, the Strigoi eventually became the hunted and beastlike creatures they are today.
11.5.2. Vorag
Although most of them ahve lost their minds, most Strigoi still retain their inate powers, such as a certain elvel of control over other undead. Packs of ghouls often cluster around Strigoi vampires, forming a cruel mockery of a court. Some Strigoi have become known as "ghoul-kings" because of the masses of ghouls following their every whim.
The most powerful and first of them was Vorag, a monstrous Strigoi who wished to rebuild Ushoran's kingdom above all - aside from slaying everything alive and every Vampire of another bloodline, that is. It seems that this particular Strigoi was hunted by Franz von Carstein throughout southern Sylvania. When he had finally cornered him, Vorag slew Franz in single combat, drinking deep from the blood of his enemy.
By pure chance, the flight from Franz had led Vorag into an area known as Ghoul Wood, a forbidden place packed with the vile creatures. Having seen Vorag's power, they flocked to him and the Strigoi found himself at the head of an army. He led his force south, crossing the Black Fire Pass and bringing devastation to the Border Princes. By the time he had reached the Badlands, his ranks had swelled with many forms of undead creatures, his ghouls marching next to ghasts and unimaginable horrors (not the Tzeentch kind).
Vorag made little distinction between those he slew, uncaring whether it was Orcs, Goblins, Dwarfs or Humans his army slaughtered. Always on the route to acnient Mourkain, it is said that on the final days of the journey, he was attacked by a massive force of Greenskins that had come over the World's Edge Mountains. His fate remains unkown, though Strigani (the descendants of the human inhabitans of Strigos who were able to flee before the Greenskins) legends claim that he reached the former capital and rules in the ruins to this day.
12. The Tomb Kings
12.1. Nagash and Alcadizaar
Although actually not belonging among the faction of Tomb Kings, one cannot talk about them without mentioning the one who is responsible for their current condition: the Warhammer world's first and greatest necromancer, Nagash.
Long before Bretonnia or the Empire, there was a vast kingdom called Nehekhara, akin to the ancient Egypt and Mesopotamian civilisations. It was divided into great cities, each one ruled by a king. In the belief that they would rule paradise in their afterlife, they were entombed in preparation for this duty. Some hundreds of years later, a young noble was born and named Nagash. As he was not the oldest son of the current king, he became a High priest instead of being prepared to inherit the throne. However, Nagash later assassinated his older brother, who had taken the throne upon their father's death, and usurped his brother's rightful place. Nagash's rule is best described as a tyranny.
Versed in the ways of Nehekarian sorcery and funerary rites and rituals, he became obsessed with the secret of eternal life and searched for a way to make himself immortal. His search led to a group of Dark Elves that were being held captive. In return for their freedom, a Sorceress taught him the ways of Dark magic which he twisted with his other knowledge to create the Necromantic art. Thus, Nagash was the first Necromancer to walk the Warhammer world. Eventually, he found a way to make himself immortal, barring his spirit from leaving his body. However, he never figured out how to stop his body from falling apart with the ages.
He made the Nehekharians build the Black Pyramid as a magnet for Dark Magic. It was also him who began the expirements with human blood that would later be perfected by the queen of Lahmia, resulting in the creation of the Vampire Counts. Eventually, the other kings rose against Nagash under the lead of King Acadizzar, determined to end his tyranny. In order to withstand their assault, Nagash began raising the dead from their graves - the greatest of obscenitites in a land so obsessed with death culture as Nehekhara. Despite his efforts, Nagash was eventually forced to retreat. The remaining kings decided that they should destroy everything that Nagash ever had created, including the Nine Tomes in which he had written down everything about the new branch of magic he had created - Necromancy. Although the original Nine Tomes were destroyed, very few copies could be saved. If and where these are still exist today is unkown.
Nagash had fled to the northeast, to the desert area later called Cursed Pit of Nagaaar. During his travels there, he came as near to the point of death as he would ever come - only to emerge from it as a Liche, a much more powerful one than the Liche Priests in his home land. He eventually came to Cripple Peak, a mountain that housed vast amounts of warpstone and began to construct a fortress - Nagazar - within it. Over the years, he learned how to manipulate and work the warpstone and crafted many a cruel artifact - including his sword Mortis, the Crown of Sorcery and his Black Armour. However, the exposure to the mutating effects of the warpstone took its toll on Nagash: his size and strength increased, but the flesh fell from his bones ever faster until he became little more than a walking skeleton.
Nagash's experiments drew the attention of the Skaven, who amassed a powerful force to take the mountain and its warpstone from Nagash and the massive undead forces he had accumulated. After a devastating war, the two sides forged a truce: Nagash would supply the Skaven with warpstone if they lured several tribes of Orcs into the pits beneath his fortress. The Skaven agreed and indeed they succeeded in leading the unsuspecting Orc tribes into the pits.
Meanwhile, in the Nehekharan realm of Lahmia, Queen Neferata had come across a copy of one of the Nine Tomes. Captivated by the new kind of magic, she began to study Necromancy. When she couldn't further expand her powers by herself, she made a pact with "a dark force" (whose name is better left unmentioned), drinking an elixir that would supposedly help her reach the goal of everlasting youth. However, the elixir had some unforeseen side effects, such as causing her heart to stop beating. However, she did not die. Neferata had instead become the first Vampire. She gathered eleven of her most trusted advisors and made each of them into a Master Vampire of whom all other Vampires of today are descended. As the other Kings of Nehekhara became aware of Neferata's treachery, it was once again Alcadizaar of Khemri who gathered the armies of Nehekhara and defeated the undead legions of the vampires. Neferata and the six remaining Master Vampires fled to the north where they encountered Nagash. Making them his captains, he sent them back into Nehekhara at the head of his own skeletal army.
Although this time it took Alcadizaar many years of bloody war and heavy losses, he once again repelled the undead hordes. The Vampire Masters decided to abandon Nagash - except for W'soran, the progenitor of the Necrarch, who stayed by his side to learn more about Necromancy. In a fit of rage caused by their treachery, Nagash cursed all vampire kind to burn when exposed to the rays of the sun.
After his latest defeat, having been foiled three times in his attempts to gain control of Nehekhara, Nagash decied that if he could not rule it, no one should. He decided to wipe out the whole country. He tainted the river Vitae (later known as River Mortis), whose water was critically essential for all the Nehekharan cities and settlements, with the help of his Skaven allies, causing pestilence among all of Nehekhara. Alcadizaar, the great general who had crushed Nagash's attempts three times, watched his wife and children die and his kingdom fall to pieces. When Nagash came to invade this time, the defenses of Nehekhara were easily overcome and Alcadizaar captured. He was thrown into a cell in the depths of Nagazar to be tortured eternally.
Now the way was free for Nagash to attempt one of the most powerful spells ever created. Unleashing a mighty wave of sorcerous energy over all of Nehekhara, he killed everything that was alive and tried to bring everything that was dead back at the same time, with the dead arisen under his control. His plot would have succeeded, had it not been for the ever meddlesome Skaven.
The Council of Thirteen, the rulers of all Skaven, realized that Nagash posed a threat they could not ignore, and they were still eager to take control of Nagash's large deposits of warpstone. They forged a blade of pure warpstone, the Fellblade, and gave it to Alcadizaar when they freed him from Nagaaar. Alcadizaar immediately set off to kill Nagash, and found him in his throne room, still weakened from the powerful spell. With the help of the Council of Thirteen, who warded him from the magic of Nagash, alcadizaar eventually emerged victorious from the titanic battle that had ensued. For even if he was weakened, the powers at Nagash's disposal were still terrible. Alcadizaar hacked Nagash into many small pieces, but he had missed one he had hacked off during his very first charge at Nagash: one of Nagash's hand, who had crawled into the shadows upon being cut off. Although he had finally destroyed his nemesis, Alcadizaar fell into despair upon looking at the ravaged remains of his country. He took Nagah's crown and staggered around his destroyed kingdom, mad by both the ordeal and the cursed artifacts he carried - the crown as well as the warpstone sword. He eventually died and his body was found later by Kadon of Strigos, who entombed him within Mourkain, taking the Crown of Sorcery from his hands which made him a puppet of Nagash's will, but that is another story. Meanwhile, the Skaven gathered every piece of Nagash they could find and burnt it with warpstone, scattering the ashes across the world - but they too missed the hand, the part that would become the Claw of Nagash.
The dead that Nagash's spell had caused to rise from their graves were free of being controlled by him, but only the Tomb Kings and Liche Priests were sentient beings. When they awoke expecting the full glory of their afterlife, they were furious. They tried to regain control of their former kingdoms, but were only partly successfull. They often fought among themselves and none of them was able to take a leading position like Alcadizaar had done.
As they were busy with their internal struggles, none of the resurrected kings - now called Tomb Kings - actually noticed the activities within the Black Pyramid that Nagash had built during his reign. Within it, Nagash was slowly succeeding in knitting his body back together, piece by piece, with the final resurrection 1,111 years after he was slain. He found Nehekhara defended by undead kings with armies of skeletons equal to anything he himself could summon. He challenged King Settra, the ruler of khemri for rule of Nehekhara, but was chased from it by Settra and the other kings in a rare alliance of the Tomb Kings. Nagash returned to Nagazar and found that the Skaven had mined most of the warpstone. Somehow, he managed to drive away all Skaven from within the mountain in a single day. After many attempts at regaining the fortress, the Skaven decided that what warpstone was left was not worth the trouble and left Cripple Peak. Nagash decided that if he was to stand a chance against the Tomb Kings, he would need his old artifacts back. Having forged a new hand from what warpstone was left at Cripple Peak, Nagash led a newly raised army into the freshly founded Empire where he suspected his crown had been taken by a band of Orcs after raiding Strigos. He called upon the aid of his former allies, the Vampire Counts, but they refused him. In an act of spite, he cursed their whole race, forever creating a weakness in them against the will of Sigmar. Nagash's army was defeated and he himself killed by Sigmar at the Battle of the River Reik.
But Nagash would not be Nagash if he simply stayed dead and buried. 1,666 years after being slain by Sigmar, he was resurrected in what became known as the Night of the Restless Dead. Although he has not been attacking any more nations, he is thought to be slowly rebuilding his power. It is also speculated that he is controlling or manipulating the Lichmaster Heinrich Kemmlar.
12.2. Settra the Imperishable
Of all the (rightful) kings within Nehekhara, none was a match for Settra, the first Priest King of the Khemri, in terms of grandeur, cruelty and arrogance. Under his leadership, the Khemri conquered all other cities in Nehekhara, forcing them to acknowledge Khemri as the greatest city and nation within the ancient civilisation.
Though khemri itself prospered greatly under his rule, and many called it a golden age for the city, the other nations suffered under this vain and egoistical king, as he tended to demand unjust tributes and admiration from all his subjects.
For all that he achieved in life, Settra knew that one day, death would take him as all others. Arrogant being that he was, he would not even have death rob him of his splendour and power, and set his priests to discover a way to keep him alive forever. Alas, although the Liche Priests were able to prolong his life, they could not do so infinitely. When he realised his time was due soon, he had the Pyramid of Settra build, the very first pyramid in Khemri, which later sparked the cult of the necropoli. On his death bed, he threw curses at his inept priests, while they promised him that they would continue their research and one day bring him back from death so he could rule Khemri forever.
A very long time later, Settra actually awoke again. However, he did not find the awakening to his liking. When Nagash's great spell had awoken all the dead within Nehekhara, Settra to rose from his grave, expecting either the full glory of afterlife that the Nehekharians believed in or that he had been brought back by his loyal priests. When he discovered that he was little more than a skeleton with rotting flesh, clad in rotten rags, whose kingdom had fallen into ruin, he was furious. Settra was one of the last kings to reawaken, so when he stepped from his pyramids, he found the other rulers already engaged in fights, their pride and ambition dictating them to reclaim what remained of their kingdoms. These fights were quickly ended by Settra, who overwhelmed all other kings, reconquering all of his lost realm within months and forcing the lesser kings to swear fealty to him.
He now is the supreme ruler of all of what remains of Nehekhara, greatest and most powerful of all the Tomb Kings. He banished the priests, who had lied to him and failed him, from his realms and told his vassals to return to their tombs, waiting for the day he calls them forth. He himself remains awake, watching over his devastated lands, plannings the downfall of all the new races that have sprung up and flourished during his long slumber.
Settra is a fearsome sight to behold in battle, riding the Chariot of the Gods which is drawn by four skeletal horses. He wears the Crown of Nehekhara, blesses by the gods and goddesses of Nehekhara, which represents his status as supreme ruler by actually being several crowns incorporated into one. The crown also sports a golden cobra that moves and spits venom at enemies. Yet the crown is not the only god-given item Settra carries, for he also wields the Blessed Blade of Ptra, the Nehekharan sun god, which has the power to blind his enemies, and is clad in the Armour of Golden Magnificance, made from an unkown metal impervious to time, which has yet to be dent or sliced by any weapon in the Warhammer world.
12.3. King Phar
During his lifetime, Phar was the ruler of the city of Mahrak in Nehekhara, an important trade city after Phar had managed to drive out the Greenskins from the area. . A proud and arrogant man, he was the firecest opposer of Settra's advances to rule all of Nehekhara.
When he heard that Settra was marching toward his city, he prepared a trap within the Valley of the Kings and successfully ambushed his enemy. This victory allowed him to hold his city through decades of being besieged again and again by Khemri. Only when he died of old age did his successor succumb to Settra's will.
When Nagash cast his great spell, King Phar was one of the first to awaken in his tomb. When he overcame the shock of his new existence, he quickly found out that his successors had given up his city, allowing his nemesis to take it. A fury like he had never known it grabbed hold of him, and he broke open the tombs of all the Mahrak kings who had come after him, burning their corpses so they would never rise again and having his followers tear down their pyramids.
To this day, Phar opposes Settra in undeath as he did in life, and he once again rests in the city of Mahrak, awakening each time an unwelcome guest stepts into the city. Never has another Tomb King managed to take Mahrak after Phar had awoken again.
When a Greenskins horde once broke into his necropolis to plunder it, Phar slew all Goblins and Orcs within the pyramid and then stepped out to face the Waaaghboss in single combat, who soon fell prey to Phar's Flail of Skulls. The remaining Greeskins fled, but none of those who carried an item stolen from Phar's pyramid escaped. When he had cleared his city of the last invader, Phar returned into his pyramid, eager to rest some more before he would take his whole dominion "soon" (in terms of undead thinking).
12.4. Sehenesmet, Vizier of Quatar
Sehenesmet was the last Vizier of Quatar, a tomb city famous for its towering statues depicting the various gods and kings of Nehekharan culture and history. Many of the magnificent statues were crafted by Sehenesmet himself, and he continued his art after rising from the grave.
A masterful scultpor, he has taken care of the numerous statues, monuments and monoliths of the city for more than twenty centuries, and is always adding new ones.
Being a Liche Priest, he combined his magical powers with his craft, enabling him to give life to his silent guardians. As he was no king or priest during his lifetime, Sehenesmet did not have an army prepared when he awoke again. So he used his talents to create one himself, consisting of various undead constructs, mainly Ushabti, Tomb Scorpions and Bone Giants. There are legends told in Araby that he even has made the great stone guardian of Quatar, a giant sphinx, into a moving being.
Sehenesmet's experiments are not limited to other creatures. He has also combined his own withered body with that of a great Bone Giant in order to create even greater works of art. Sehenesmet's new body carries a quarterstaff made from effigies of Shapesh.
12.5. Prince Tutankhanut
Prince Tutankhanut, the only son of King Ahken of Numas, was supposedly known throughout Nehekhara for his good looks. However, before he could succeed his father or even reach adulthood, he was slain by the spear of a single northern tribesman while separated from his guards on a lion hunting trip. His father was devastated and granted his son a magnificent and most splendid funeral.
When Tutankhanut was raised by Nagash's great spell, expecting to inhabit a body of pure gold, he was not exactly pleased upon discovering the dried husk he had become. So he instead had his priests craft him such the body he wished for himself.
Nowadays, when Tutankhanut awakens from his slumber, his golden body glitters in the sun. He is so magnificent in his appearance that even a nomadic tribe of humans, the Scythans have made their home in Numas and venerate the Prince as a manifestation of their god. These humans do not mind marching into battle next to Tutankhanut's undead warriors, walking and killing side by side with them and their apparent god on his chariot.
12.6. Khalida Neferher
The Warrior Queen of Lybaras, Khalida combined all the virtues a Nehekharan could dream off: intelligence, valor and a strong sense of justic and honour, all combined in a frame of perfect beauty. She was highly respected among all Nehekharans and many were sure that she would bring great fortune to not only herself, but the whole empire. Unfortunately, her reign was short, and its end tragic.
For when Khalida began to suspect her cousin Neferata of forbidden experiments with Necromancy, Neferata had to act or risk her secret being revealed to the public. At a banket, Neferata accused her cousin of treason, requiring Khalida to defend her honour through a trial by combat. Neither of the two did name a champion, both ready to engage in the fight themselves.
Although Khalida was a proficient warrior in her own right, she could not hope to defeat her cousin, who had already become a Vampire by that time. She was defeated and Neferata sank her fangs into Khalida's throat, drinking deeply before biting her own tongue to mix her blood with Khalida's, condemning her to a vampiric existence herself.
Khalida, knowing her fate, cried out to the Asp goddess, Asaph, who appeared before the dying Queen in a vision. The radiance of her goddess cleansed Khalida's body of the curse, and when she died, she remained human and did not rise as a Vampire again. She was buried in the goddesse's temple in a seated position.
At times, when her goddess needs her services, she can make use of the effects of Nagash's spell to make Khalida rise from her seat to enforce her will. Carrying the Venum Staff, Khalida has access to some spells that would normally be reserved for Liche Priests. When sent into battle, Khalida is often accompanied by units of archers blessed by her goddess.
13. The Wood Elves
13.1. Orion and Ariel
Legend tells that at the first meeting of the Asrai clans, two Elven youths, Orion and Ariel, left the meeting and went to a grove in the woods, in whose midst stood an enormous, ancient oak - the Oak of Ages. They are said to have entered a crack in the trunk and supposedly vanished on the spot.
The legend then mentions a terrible winter that drove the Orcs and Goblins from the nearby mountains to the forests to seek shelter. Defiling the fairly new Wood Elf realm, they rampaged through the trees, killing the animals and hacking away the forest. The Wood Elves, unable to fend off the Greenskins on their own, invoked the wrath of Kurnous to help them. An Avatar of the god emerged from the Oak of Ages and slew the Orc Warboss which caused the Greenskins' banishing from the forest. When the Wood Elves praised the Oak for theír salvation, it was revealed that Orion and Ariel had become avatars to the gods Kurnous and Isha. Now semi-divine beings, they were made King and Queen to the Wood Elves. The Oak of Ages became the center of the Asrai realm and the nearby glades was named King's Glade, to be used for assemblings of the Clan leaders.
Athel Loren is still reigned by Orion and Ariel, who remain to this day imbued by the spirits of the gods. They represent the two sides of nature, Ariel the peaceful, growing and regenerative side that strives for harmony, and Orion the warlike, wild, unpredictable side that strives for suvival.
Each year at the autumn equinox, a time dedicated to remembrance of the past year, the King and Queen are taken to the Oak of Ages where they are placed within the very crack they first vanished in. There, they die at the end of the year, only to be reborn when the new one begins in spring.
Orion is on the height of his power during midsummer. About 10 ft tall, his body can barely contain the rage until the Wild Hunt begins. For when it is time for his Queen to place a cloak of her own making on his shoulders and lays the Great Horn to his feet, Orion takes the weapons from the shrine within the Oak of Ages, waiting for midnight to come. When it does, all of Athel Loren falls silent in anticipation for its king to begin his hunt.
The spirit of Kurnous himself is imbued within Orion at this time, stirring the hearts and souls of all Asrai. Savage excitement and restless vigour spreads like a wildfire through the forest, driven by the sound of his hunting horn resounding from the trees, the earth thundering with the pounding of his cloven hooves. When Orion passes, every Elf and spirit in Athel Loren feels the urge to join him in his primal hunt, feels the savage part of his own nature callimg him to give in to savagery and vengeance on their foes. Those who dare to stand in Orion's path during the Wild Hunt are cut down with no mercy, be they Human, Dwarf or even Elf.
Not even Ariel could hope to calm him down during the Wild Hunt. In other times, she is the only one who can keep her husband's temper in check. The mightiest sorceress in the wood realm in her own regard, she is known for her healing powers. Still, she shows no compassion for those who trespass Athel Loren without permission, employing her powers to bring death to Greenskins, Beastmen and Chaos abominations alike. The forest itself heeds hear call, trees springing up from the ground within seconds to mislead intruders, leading them into clever traps.
Although she rarely engages into battle herself, one of the most famous tales is her subduing of the Treeman Coeddil, who had been tainted by Cyanathair, also known as Morghur, Master of Skulls, the arch nemesis of the Asrai. Those who meet Ariel on the battlefield, expecting to fight an ordinary elf ar in for a surprise, for when she fights, she shifts into a sylph-like War Aspect. Growing to twice her normal height, huge moth-like wings unfold from her back, covered in tiny scales of glittering, changing colours. The patterns in these scales indicate her current mood. When they are similar to a death's-head moth, for example, Ariel has entered a furious rage. Antennas can be seen on the top of her head, her face the only feature that retains her elven beauty. When Ariel flies over the battlefield, with her upper part made of shimmering scales and her lower part trailing away into infinity like an etheral or elemental being, many a foe has been captivated by the glorious sight, only to be struck down by her lightning mere seconds later.
13.2. Durthu, Adanhu and Coeddil
Durthu is one of the oldest Treemen of Athel Loren, able to remember a time when no Elf would have dared to enter the woods. Like many of his kind, he looks back onto these days with longing, remembering the peace when no other mortal being disrupted the balance of the trees and animals. However, the hate he has once felt for the younger races has now been replaced by mild irritation, bearing witness to the fact that, given enough time, even the most stubborn creatures can change.
Curiously, the reason for Durthu's change of mind were the Dwarfs. Shortly after the Asrai began to settle within Athel Loren, a bunch of adventurous Dwarfs set foot into Durthur's forest, cutting down many trees and even taking their axes to the treemen himself, mistaking him for a well grown - and highly combustible - oak. The scars Durthur received that day were never fully healed, but none of the Dwarfs survived that day. Anyway, the Dwarfs' deeds had opened Durthu's eyes to the respect the Asrai held for the woods (opposed to other mortals, at the very least). He also valued their part in the encounter - letting Durthu take care of the Dwarfs on his own, only stepping in to drive fleeing Dwarfs back toward the Treeman. Unfortunately, the scars of this battle ran deeper than just on Durthu's surface. While the other treemen tend to sleep for years at an end, Durthu remains awake, waiting for new foes to appear.
Adanhu, on the other hand, is the oldest, mightiest and wisest of all treemen. His existence goes back for longer than he himself can remember, and far longer than that of the Wood Elves. He is frequently asked for advice by the Asrai, who rever him as a great source of knowledge.
The story of Coeddil is a sad one. A long time ago, during the Battle of Woe, the ancient treeman held Morghur, the beastmen shaman who is the nemesis of Athel Loren, in place while Ariel slew the foul thing walking her woods. Coeddil was seemingly unaffected, only to go mad 500 years later, killing all Wild Riders within the Glade of Kings to prevent the Ritual of Rebirth from taking place, which would have prevented the rebirth of orion, or at the very least have seriously weakened him. Fortunately, the awoken Ariel hurried to the glade, overcoming the treeman and his dryad companions. Unable to kill him as he was a part of Athel Loren istelf, she instead banished him to the far southeast of the wood. She placed magical boundaries across the place to ensure her verdict. Such is Morghur's power.
13.3. Drycha
Like most Branchwraiths of Athel Loren, Drycha is an ancient being from before the coming of the Wood Elves. Unlike most Branchwraiths, however, she sees the alliance between the woods and the Asrai as a fatal mistake that only brought death and destruction to her beloved domain, denying the fact that only the Asrai protected the woods from being completely cut down by the Dwarfs.
Many will say that Drycha has gone mad after Morghur's blood had been spille in her glade in one of his deaths. Nowayds she walks the woods chanting the name of all those Forest Spirits she claims the Wood Elves have abandoned and failed.
In an attempt to revert the forest to its earlier state, Drchy tried to break the magical boundaries holding Coeddil in place in southern Athel Loren in 1697 IC, eager to set the maddened treeman free so he could rid the woods of the plague she sees in the Wood Elves. However, she was eventually stopped.
Rumours would have her assembling an army of Forest Spirits, still set on either destroying the Asrai or throwing them out of Athel Loren forever.
13.4. Arahan and Naestra, the Sisters of Twilight
Although they are twins, and both of them can completely control the will of every beast found within the forests of Athel Loren, Arahan and Naestra could not be more different. The beasts obey Naestra out of love, while they follow Arahan's commands out of fear and respect. Should the forest call upon these strange twins, they ride forth from their home in the mountains. When they strike down their foes, one can witness the different character's of the sisters best: while Arahan gives in to savagery, delighting in the slaughter, Naestra feels her sorrow rise with every enemy she is forced to strike down, tears welling in her eyes.
The sisters prefer to enter battle on one of their faithful creatures, preferring either a Giant Eagle or a Forest Dragon. These mighty beasts have thrived within the boundaries of Athel Loren, protected by the forest canopy from the eyes of adventureres and would-be dragonslayers which have long drove the Dragons in other regions into the inhospitable regions of the mountains.
13.5. Skaw the Falconer
In the highest slopes of the Grey Mountains, in the branches of an ancient pine tree, there dwells an Asrai who speaks with the birds. He is called Skaw the Falconer, although his abilites are not limited to falcons. He regularly talks to any kind of bird that dwells within Athel Loren, be it lowly falcon or mighty eagle, preferring their company to those of his own brethren.
Still, Skaw will heed a call to battle in defense of Athel Loren, clad in his cape of Feathers that makes him almost impervious to any kind of missile attack. Although he carries a powerful lash, the socalled Lash of Claws, a three-thonged whip with the talon of a large, ancient and now exstinct bird at the end, he prefers another kind of battle.
He will bring flocks of falcons to the battlefield that tear away at this foes. with their sharp beaks and talons. Once his animal companions have done their part in battle, he will return to his home without speaking a word. In fact, many among the Asrai believe that his solitary existence and his talking to birds has made him forget how to speak properly.
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14. The Ogre Kingdoms
14.1. Greasus Goldtooth
As each ogre tribe is led by a Tyrant, with a one-on-on fight being the way of succession, Tyrants are generally the Ogres with the greatest strength (and the greatest belly). Each Tyrant's kingdom stretches about as far as he can see into the distance from his home.
Normally, each Ogre tribe would act completely independent from each other. But lately, Greasus Goldtooth (or Tradelord Greasus Tribestealer Drakecrush Hoardmaster Goldtooth the Shockingly Obese, to use his full title) has assumed a position he calls the Overtyrant of the Ogre Kingdoms, and he has managed to more or less unite the tribes under his banner - or rather, his gut. How exactly he has managed to do that is not obvious to outsiders, but his enormous wealth and his gnoblar spy network probably played a great role in it.
Originally, Greasus was just one of the many whelps of Gofg, the Tyrant of the Vale of Titans. However, he surpassed all his brothers when he ate his father. Feeling the need to prove himself as the new Tyrant, he started demanding tribute from other clans. The first tribe to refuse him met their fate when Greasus climbed the mountain above their halls, throwing boulder after bould on them until the whole tribe was crushed. Next, he challenged the Tyrant of another tribe to a pit fight. Greasus killed him by simply launching himself gut-first onto his skull, which cracked the defendant's neck. It was then that the other Tyrans decided it was probably a good idea to join this "Overtyrant".
Since then, few have challenged Greasus' for his role, and those who dare find themselves in his meal shortly afterwards. Some suspect it is due to the two powerful magical artifacts Goldtooth possesses: the Sceptre of the Titans, which is imbued with powerful spells of command, instilling iron will in his followers, and the Overtyrant's Crown, which makes him smarter than any other Ogre (which doesn't mean a lot).
Greasus is, in his own opinion "too rich too walk" and thus lets his gnoblar slaves carry him everywhere, including the battlefield. This process has caused many a Gnoblar to use his life, squished under Greasus' enormous weight. As everywhere else, Greasus' most important tool in battle is his money. Many enemy regiments have abandoned their general for the incredible sums the Overtyran has offered them. Generals or Lords facing Greasus often can't be sure of their own soldiers' loyalty, hindering their decisions and hampering them in what are often decisive moments on the battlefield.
Since becoming Overtyrant, Goldtooth has led the Ogres away from their raiding, making tolls and tributes along with mercenary duty their main form of income, and prohibiting any Ogres from assaulting trade caravans passing through the kingdoms.
Goldtooth's iron ruling fist has come down upon many an Ogre tribe that waged war against its own kin. Whenever an Ogre tribe came under attack from another in the last few years, it soon found itself confronted by the Goldtooth clan as well - the most numerous and best equipped clan of them all. This fact has ended most of the rivalries between the clans, and thus has led to a population increase of the Ogres that might lead to another emigration wave into the west soon...
14.2. Skrag the Slaughterer, Prophet of the Great Maw
In the beginning, Skrag was just the head Slaughtermaster for the Tyrant Bron Rockgrinder. Unfortunately, Skrag one day served his tyrant his own favourite Gnoblar slave by accident,
which did not exactly please him. To further Skrag's bad luch, his Tyrant was known to have a particularly bad temper, causing him to devise a capital punishment. Cheered on by the drunken bulls, the Tyrant hacked off his Slaughtermasters arms and gobbled them down, afterwards banishing Skrag to the case under his mountain. Ashamed, beatn and bloody, Skrag was dragged from the feast when Bron came up with an additional punishment: attaching a series of chains and hooks to the Slaughtermaster's flesh, he chained the Slaughtermaster's meat pot to his back. Finally, with the cruel tools buried deep within his flesh, Skrag was hurled into the caverns and the exit was sealed with a giant boulder.
While lesser Ogres might have given in to despair, Skrag was determined not to let it overcome him. Ramming his butcher tools into the stumps of his arms in order to defend himself with these makeshift weapons, Skrag set out staggering to explore the caves, dragging his cauldron behind him. After a while, he was suddenly attacked by a pack of Gorgers. Hacking around with his crude weapons, he cut down one of them after the other, until he stood before their leader, a hulking creature with a cruel mockery of a face. Not hesitating for even a second, Skrag ripped out the creature's throat with his teeth. The quick resolution of the fight made the other Gorgers back away from Skrag, accepting him as their new leader. Leading his strange minions ever deeper into the mountain, Skrag was eventually gripped by visions of bloody revenge upon his Tyrant.
Eventually, the ex-Slaughtermaster surfaced within the maw-pit of the Rockgrinder, driven into a frenzy by his rage, and led his Gorgers to overcome the Tyrant and rip him apart, feasting on his flesh and throwing the rest into his meat-pot as an offering to the Great Maw itself. The second that his Tyrant's dead body submerged in his pot, Skrag felt his body being renewed, his wounds being closed and a new power stream through his body.
He had become the living embodiment of his cruel god, devouring his foes wherever he goes. His cauldron, still attached to his back, continuously heals his wounds and grants him new power - as long as he keeps it fed. The moment that a battle is over, Skrag's power wanes, and the chains on his back fall slack. He will then wait for another vision of his god, leading him and his Gorgers to the next slaughter.
14.3. Braugh Slavelord
Braugh Slavelord, or Grahsk Dragh (corpse-slaver), as he is known to the Chaos Dwarfs, is a legend amonst Ogre slavers, for he is the only one of them who can use his slaves even in death.
When he was but a Maneater, Braugh was imprisoned by a powerful Necromancer. Breaking free after a couple of days by ripping out his chains from the wall, he set out to take vengeance on his captor, whom he found asleep in a coffin. Grabbing a nearby chair, he beat the Necromancer to bloody pulp, took his skin for a trophy and then ate half of his fellow prisoners, enslaving the rest. Using the magical chains that had until recently bound himself to his dungeon, Braugh tied them to his gut plate. During the next days he set a harsh pace, driving his new slaves into exhaustion until the first one of them dropped dead. Curiousy, while the body was left on the floor, the spirit remained in Braugh's service. The Ogre himself didn't care much for the reasons (those probably being the skin of the Necromancer retaining some of his abilities), thinking harder about how he could exploit this newfound ability.
So it is that nowadays, Braugh Slavelord deals with ghosts as well as with living beings, although one could mistake them for each other sometimes - the living walking quietly behind him, silenced by dread and a bleak future, while the ghosts are more than making up for them in terms of noise.
14.4. Groth Onefinger, First Prophet of the Great Maw
The first Ogre to predict the coming of the Great Maw, Groth was considered a madman by his brethren. The moment that he could prove he was right, however, Groth probably wished he had been wrong. The cataclysm that accompanied the Ogre god's coming burned Groth horribly, costing him his eyelids, lips, ears, nose and all of his fingers save one. However, when the firestorm was over, Groth rose like the cruel mockery of a phoenix, convinced his god had come and filled by an even greater faith than before.
Setting out for the impact crater, he led his tribe on through hunger, thirst, despair and eating their own companions until they came upon the Great Maw itself. As it has devoured thousands of Ogres in its coming, this was perhaps the only moment in its existence that the Ogre god was sated. Thus, it allowed Groth to love. Becoming the first Butcher, Groth held a cannibalistic feast at the verge of the Maw.
Nowadays, many Butchers burn themselves in honour of their spiritual ancestor.
14.5. Jhared the Red
The story of Jhared the Red is a story that every Ogre hears at least once in his lifetime, a fact that shows its importance in a culture that normally creates only stories of individual achievement.
When Jhared was born, he was a runt, meaning that he was far smaller and weaker than the rest of his litter. To add to this disgrace, Jhared was covered in thick red hair from head to toe, causing his fater Huhgr to cast him out into the cold, bitter snow of the mountains.
Against all odds, Jhared survived the first few hours, crawling himself through the snow and eventually standing up to stumble through the darkness. Eventually, he came to the den a Sabretusk female, which had just given birth to a litter of her own. Whether it was his hairy appearance or anything else, the Sabretusk adopted Jhared as one of her own whelps.
Over time, Jhared reached maturity and outgrew his adopted brother and sisters by far. One day, he threw his adoptive father from a cliff and took his place - the dominant male - in the pack. The red-haired Ogre with his pack of Sabretusks soon became well-known among the nearby Ogre tribes.
After several years, Jhared decided it was time to return to his tribe. When he arrived with the silent killing machines that were his adopted brothers and sisters, the tribe had just had a feast, and the Ogres all lay collapsed in the halls, sleeping after hours of devouring their prey. Jhared blocked the entry with a boulder, so that all of the halls was covered in darkness. He then began slaying his tribe, who, unlike him, were hampered by the missing light with the help of the Sabretusks. Jhared himself had learned to use smell as a form of orientation, which allowed him to find his way even in the darkness. He found his father and put out his eyes, playing with him, bringing shame to him until finally ripping his throat out and devouring his corpse.
Jhared had become the first Ogre Hunter, and to this day, his successors mimick him, taming Sabretusks or Rhinoxen (although their taming involves a lot less growing up with a pack and a lot more hitting their would-be pets with a club).
14.6. Golgfag Maneater, Mercenary Captain
Golgfag is one of the most famous Ogres of all time. He began his rise to fame when he joined a horde of Orcs to go to war against the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin, the Slayers' Hold in the World's Edge Mountains. One night, the drunken Ogres laid waste to the entire Orc camp. Needless to say, their Waaaghboss, Gnashrak, wasn't exactly pleased. Golfgfag managed to rip off one of the Orcs' arms, but in the end the Greenskins proved far too numerous for the few Ogres. So the Ogres fled, Golfgfag still holding the Waaaghboss's arm. To save his hide, Golgfag did quite a smart thing: he hired with the Dwarfs, helping them to defeat the Greenskins. Capturing Gnashrak and delivering him to the Dwarfs, he was paid and sent on his way - but not before plundering the Dwarfs' treasure hold.
Once again fleeing, he hired with the Empire in the south. During his service to the humans, he found halflings to be his favourite form of food. Later on, he was sighted in Tilea, and even later in the Border Princes.
Eventually, having earned a fortune in gold, weapons and beer, he returned north. Joinging the Orcs once again, he was caught in an ambush by the Dwarfs and imprisoned within Karak Kadrin along with a number of the Greenskins. The Dawi had not forgotten the plundering of their treasury, and put all prisoners together in a cell so small that they figured when they returned the next day, their prisoners would have to have suffocated.
When the Dawi opened the door on the next day, they found Golgfag picking the flesh from the last Goblin bone and throw it onto a large pile in the corner. The only other being alive was Skaff, Golfgags oldest friend, who had lost only a leg to his friend's hunger. Ungrim Ironfist, the Slayer Lord of the keeo, was so impressed that he let them both go.
Before summer was over, Golfgag had assemlbed a new group of Ogres, and was fighting the Bretonnians in the Grey Mountains. The next time he was seen (and the last time, for now) was in the northern part of the Ogre Kingdoms, the Mountains of Mourn. It seems that he has begun to hire his own mercenary armies with the magnificent wealth he aquired over the years.
His nickname "Maneater" was coined when he once ate his paymaster whole after an argument, and set off with his coffers. However, Golfgag insists that it is misleading, for he is not picky at all about whom or what he eats.
15. The Others
Note: The original title for this section was "Those who do no longer or never did belong to any of the factions mentioned above, as well as those who do belong to factions not as important as those mentioned above, but whom you might run into when studying Warhammer lore". But that seemed a bit too long, so I shortened it. This section is meant to emphasize that there are many, many more noteworthy persons outside of the boundaries of the factions that are portrayed above. As such, the persons mentioned here are only a very small number of hundreds of heroic, villainous or otherwise famous persons and creatures in the Warhammer world - but I have to draw the line somewhere
These 5 examples include:
15.1. Long Drong's Slayer Pirates
During a heavy storm at the southern coast of Sartosa, the pirate island south of Tilea, the "Cask of Ale", a Dawi cargo ship, ran into the riffs and sunk with all the precious Dwarf ale on board. Unable to bear the shame of this loss, Captain Long Drong and his whole crew took the Slayer oath. They most likely became the first Slayers to seek honorable death on the many seas of the Warhammer world.
Their first act was to storm the fortress of the infamous Pirate Captain Feiggo on Sartosa, looting his treasure and capturing his ship. Being Dwarfs, they had to make some customisations so the ship would be appropriate for usage by Dwarfs (namely a lot of metal and cannons). They named their new ship "The Beautiful Freggar" after a famous Dwarf maid from Barak Varr. The figurehead which was fashioned in her similitude also amde for a pretty decent ram.
Long Drong soon found out that the symbolic value of a treasure chest to a mercenary general was far greater than the value of its contents. So he and his Dwarfs specialised in returning these chests, simultaneously making enemies of every last pirate in the world - which is not exactly something negative if you are a Slayer.
In the following years, Long Drong led his slayers to numerous distant lands, including such exotic places as Lustria, the Southlands, Araby, Albion and many more who can only be found on Pirates' treasure maps. The Slayer Pirates fought for many different masters as mercenaries (as long as those masters were not Greenskins), using a pair of pistols and cutlasses.
Nowadays, they are feared by any seafarer, being one of the most dangerous Pirate crew of the world - as long as they don't run out of Dwarf Ale and try to brew their own again as they did once, resulting in a painful memory for them all.
15.2. Lucrezzia Belladonna
Lucrezzia Belladonna is the current duchess (or respectively, the widows of the last duke) and the most beatufil woman on all of Tilea (and maybe the whole world). The only thing that rivals her beauty is her cunning and hunger for power. A capable sorceress and masterful in the use of poisons, this damsel is not someone you'd want to make your enemy.
When she was but a young girl. Lucrezzia married Luigi, the old duke of Pavona. Shortly after the marriage, the regent was killed by the hands of a rivaling city state, making Lucrezzia a young, beatiful and rich widow. Not willing to give up her status, it did not take her long to take the mercenary general Borso for a husband, who became Pavona's new duke. When he in turn was killed after being defeated in the Battle of Ebrutti, making Lucrezzia a widow once more, she married the General Donato, who had rescued Pavona from the advancing troops of Verezzo, the city state which Pavona's army had been defeated by.
Donato remained her husband for quite a long time - until he made the foolish mistake to think he could forge an alliance with Trantio against Miragliano (yet more Tilean cities) against his wife's will. The duke died of a fungus poisoning, and Lucrezzia took Ranuccio, another mercenary general, as her next husband. He was smart enough to listen to his new wife, allying with Miragliano instead of Trantio and crushing the armies of his surprised neighbour. This pattern continued until Lucrezzia poisoned her seventh husband Poggio in 2513 IC.
Since then, she is up for grabs again, should there be another man who is courageous enough to marry her.
Aside from poisoning husbands and more or less leading the politics of Pavona, Lucrezzia makes a habit of getting hired by mercenaries or lending her magical powers to those captains she is friends with. She specializes in the Wind of Shyish, the Death Magic. Instead of the magical items other sorceresses might supply their armies with or carry themselves, Lucrezzia relies - how could it be otherwise - on her poisons. Carrying a poisoned stiletto herself, she often hands out particularly wicked poisons to assassins tasked with taking out enemy generals. She even carries some bottles of socalled "slightly poisonous" Potion of Pavona. This foul brew can enhance her own abilities or those of her generals and friends who are brave enough to gulp it down.
15.3. Katarin the Ice Queen
Katarina is the current Tzarina (supreme ruler) of Kislev. A sorcess of legendary power in Ice Magic, her chosen field, along with her cold and innaproachable manner has earned her the nickname "Ice Queen". She ascended the throne when her fater, Tzar Boris Ursus was killed by the Kurgans.
It is said that her power comes from Kislev itself, that the land grants her command over the elements. Some even claim that she is a reincarnation of Miska, the very first Khan-Queen. There are many more legends revolving around her person, such as a completely new palace wing growing from the ground and attaching to the other buildings upon her coronation. However, whether the tower appeared obeying the bidding of the land or Katarin's own orders, she now spends most of her time in there. Many think that she enjoys the cold, while others speculate she simply desires an advantage over foreign ambassadors during negotiations.
Another curiosity in Katarina is her hair, which changes colour from fire red to an icy grey, depending on her mood.
Unlike her father, who preferred direct action, Katarina likes to reign from afar, operating through agents and generals, rarely joining the armies of Kislev. When she chooses to do so, she rides either a snow-white horse or a war-sledge drawn by yet more snow-white horses. She carries the blade Fearfrost, said to be crafted out of magical ice. The sword kills any man with a single touch, barring any hand but that of a woman from wielding it.
15.4. Sultan Jaffar
Sultan Jaffar was the most famous Sultan in the history of Araby. Uniting the desert tribes under his command in 1430 IC, he conquered the arabian city-states of Al-Haikk. Copher, Martek and Lashiek with the help of summoned Daemons and his allies, the Skaven.
Incited by the Skaven, he eventually invaded Estalia, achieving great victories until the Crusades against Araby began in 1448 IC. The crusaders defeated Jaffar, forcing him to retreat from Estalia. King Louis the Righteous of Bretonnia, from where the lion's part of the crusaders had come, sent emissaries to Altdorf, asking for reinforcements to pursue the Sultan into his own lands. Although there was strife between the Elector Counts of the Empire at that time, they all sent a small force to aid Bretonnia.
Meanwhile, the Sultan had fled back to Araby and had his vasall, Emir Wasr the Cruel fortify the capital Magritta. The retreating arabian army set fire to all villages on their path to the capital, slaughtering the population. Those few who survived begged the knights from Bretonnia and the Empire to rescue those family members which had been brought to Araby.
The crusaders divided their forces, one part laying siege to Magritta for eight years while the others landed a mighty fleet at the shores of the spice harbour Copher.
Impaired by the climate, the knights were unable to capture the Sultan himself, who fled on to Al Haikk. The knights followed, not ready to abandon their duty before they had cut off the snake's head. After one year, they arrived at Al Haikk to facte the Sultans armies in a cataclysmic battle before the city's gates - during which Jaffar was impaled on a Bretonnian lance. The Bretonnian knights, having fulfilled their duty, then returned home.
However, the Imperial knights had sworn to hunt down every last enemy soldier involved in the cruelties against the Estalian population. Marching on to Martek, they had to cross a mountain range. They encountered giant vultures on the mountains, and cats who would take down every knight who let his attention slip for a second. Some knights adorned their armour with the pelts of these beasts, giving birth to the Order of the Jaguar and the Order of the Panther.
15.5. Lichemaster Heinrich Kemmler and Krell, King of Wights
Heinrich Kemmler was once a great and powerful Necromancer. One of his earliest exploits was winning a battle of will against the Lich Crovan, who had imprisoned Heinrich in his fortress Vermiscae for 5 years. By overcoming the Lich, Heinrich earned the nickname "Patriarch of the Damned."
Kemmler attempted mutliple invasions of Bretonnia, the first in 2491. He was repelled by Duc Tancred the Quenelles in the Batlle of La Maisontall, a Monastery that had been occupied by Kemmler's undead forces. His second attempt follows 4 years later, in 2495, when he leads an invasion through the forests of Athel Loren. Although orion and Ariel were sleeping at the time, the Wood Elves destroyed his army. The Asrai still hold a deep hatred for him for defouling their sacred groves with his Necromancy.
Kemmler often supposedly died during that time, only to come back later. Once a Beastman chopped the Necromancer's head off and impaled it on a spike. Kemmler simply had one of his sekletons take his head back during the night and bring it back to his body. Reattaching his head, Kemmler went on his way. During the height of his power, Kemmler enhanced and advanced the arts of Necromancy greatly, writing down his improved spells in his books.
However, with great power came - no, not great responsibility, how did you ever come up with that nonsense? Seriously. Anyway, with great power came great enemies and one day, a group of Kemmler's ambitious rivals began to usurp his power. Although the Necromancer managed to beat them off before they could kill him for once and for all, his body and mind had greatly suffered. He found his power greatly reduced, wandering the Grey Mountains and the Border-Princes only half-sane.
During this time, many of his books found their way onto the black markets of the Old World. Since then, many a novice necromancer has tried to use Kemmler's spells only to find himself overpowered by his own creations. For the Lichemaster's spells summoned creatures far too powerful for any Necromancer but himself and a few others (like Nagash) to control.
One day, Kemmler accidentally came by the tomb of Krell, a long-dead Chaos Champion during his mad travelling.
Krell had become a Chosen of Chaos long before the founding of the Empire. Back then, humanity lived in barbaric tribes. Krell had been the leader of such a tribe when he was corrupted by Khorne. Receiving the Black Axed of Krell, made from pure warpstone and the Crown of the Damned, two powerful magical artifacts, he quickly subdued the remaining tribes in the north and began to wage war against dhe Dwarfs to the South. Allying with the Night Goblins, he stormed the fortresses Karak Ungor and Karak Varn. However, during the siege of Karak Kadrin, Grimbul Ironhelm managed to slay the Chaos Champion. His followers carried his corpse from the battlefield and entombed him withtin the Chaos Wastes. He rested for 1500 years until he was disturbed for the first time by Nagash himself, who was marching on the Empire in search of his crown. Raising the warrior as one of his five Dark lords, Nagash tasked him with occupying the Dwarfs at the flank of the human army during the Battle at the Reik. Remembering his death, Krell charged the Dwarfs full of anger, and threatened to break through their lines. However, when Sigmar killed Nagash, his armies dissolved around Krell and he stood alone within an army of Dwarfs. Only barely could Krell escape. Gathering the rest of Nagash's army, he ravaged around the Empire, plundering the young nation. After recovering from the great battle, Sigmar's forces pursued the Dark Lord, finally cornering and slaying him in 16 IC. They entombed him in a magically sealed grave in the Grey Mountains. But the Gods of Chaos were not yet done with Krell.
So when Heinrich Kemmler came across the tomb hundreds of years later, the Gods of Chaos offered the Necromancer a pact. They restored him to his former power and gave him Krell as a companion. In return, the Lichemaster would have to slay and destroy in their name. Kemmler accepted, and was immediately brought back to his former power. Once more, the name of the Lichemaster strikes fear into the hearts of mortal men...
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