Warhammer: History and Geography of Tor Annan

Tor Annan was a small, provincial town in the valley beneath Mount Antorec, Yvresse, ruled by Lord Eanith. The Asur holding was burnt to the ground by the Keeper of Secrets N'Kari in XI 10, after the daemon conjured a storm to decimate an already crumbling waystone atop Antorec, thereby freeing it from the Great Vortex. In pursuit of vengeance against the Blood of Aenarion, the servant of Slaanesh lay siege to the settlement. A howling, daemonic horde raced against the walls, some falling to elf shafts, the daemons otherwise ignoring whatever arrows weren't enchanted by asur mages.

Alongside his household guard, Eanith formed a wall of spears against the Daemon's onslaught, only to have their weapons splinter on his hide. Snapping Eanith's sword beneath the pincers of one massive claw, N'Kari thrust his fist into the Elf's chest. Closing his fingers about Eanith's heart, the Daemon tore the still pulsating organ from the noble’s body. N'Kari brandished the heart briefly before the Elf's dying eyes, bellowed in triumph and swallowed it whole. Casting the limp corpse aside, the Keeper of Secrets turned his back on the ruins of Tor Annan, and sought out his next victim.

Winged things flapped down from the sky and attacked first the siege machines, and then the archers. Death had come so close to Prince Sardriane in the opening moments of the battle. The winged Furies had struck down the elves on either side of him. Daemons had smashed through the gates and clambered onto the walls, killing everybody they encountered. One had loomed over the prince, about to strike when at the last second, at the shouted command of N'Kari, instead struck down Alfrik instead. Mad cultists came to swarm through the gateway, howling and chanting ecstatically as they slew.

At first, the asur of Tor Annan fought bravely. Archers had died where they stood, still unleashing arrows at targets that ignored them. Warriors had tried to halt the monstrous red-skinned daemons. But as the fight went on it became obvious that they could not overcome their foes. Some had fled. Some had tried to surrender. And some, seeing the daemonic leader of their enemies, had been overcome by a strange madness and had started throwing themselves at its feet and grovelling in ecstatic communion.

Prince Sardriane had been among the ones who had fled, racing through the streets to the ancestral home he shared with his mother and a few ageing retainers. He told them to bar the door and make ready to withstand a siege. Some of them, feeling that death was preferable to falling into the hands of the enemy, had taken their own lives using poisons preserved for that purpose. The prince urged his mother to do the same, fearing what might happen if she were to fall into the taloned claws of the besiegers. But she refused, saying that while he lived, she would. She had as much pride as she. After all, she too was of the Blood.

For a while, they huddled in their chambers while the town burned around them and screams echoed down the streets. To them, it sounded as if some hideous carnival of torture and wickedness were taking place outside. Sardriane prayed that if they waited long enough, they would go unnoticed by their enemies and escape with their lives. The prince hated himself for his cowardice, hated himself for running, feeling all of it unworthy of his proud ancestry. The only defence he could offer up being that he was young and he did not want to die. When at last the screaming had stopped, and he dared to peek out through his shuttered windows, he saw lines upon lines of silent faces watching the building. Some of them belonged to brazen horned, crimson-skinned daemons. Some of them belonged to cultists. Some of them belonged to people who had once been his neighbors and who now gazed at his house with features dazed and numbed and subtly altered.

As if looking upon them broke some evil spell, they all shouted and rushed forwards, smashing in through the doors and revelling through the halls of Sardriane's home, smashing ancient furnishings, burning the ancient tapestries, maiming and killing the retainers, howling with insatiable bloodlust and something else, a primitive deep-throated pleasure that was even more disgusting than their desire to do harm.

The horde overwhelmed both mother and son, carrying them back to N'Kari, whose outline shimmered and shifted constantly sometimes suggesting a crab-clawed hulking daemonic thing, sometimes the most beautiful woman Sardriane had ever imagined, and sometimes the most noble king. When Sardriane threw himself at the monster, trying to strike it with a dagger he seized from the scabbard of one of his tormentors, the prince was struck unconscious by a blow to the head.

After the sacking, it was discovered that at least one Asur mage survived, casting a Sending to warn of Tor Annan's fall. Along with the report of the ranger, Takalen, this would prove the veracity of claims that Ulthuan was under daemonic invasion.

Warhammer: History of Seekers of Truth and Justice

The Seekers are an order within an order—a supremely secretive, ultra zealous and very well-funded clandestine branch of the Witch Hunters. This relatively new organisation prides itself in their utter dedication to the job at hand. Although not officially recognised by the Imperial Court, they are covertly funded from the office of the new Grand Theogonist, Esmer. If he fully realises the excessive zeal or the merciless efficiency with which the work of the Seekers is undertaken, he must either not care or secretly encourages it.

The Seekers' Lair

The offices of the Seekers are in a grim, anonymous building relatively close to the Imperial Palace in Altdorf, marked only by a small brass plaque bearing the symbol of the Twin-Tailed comet and Ghal-Maraz. The building is never open to the public and the door is locked at most times. Knocking rarely gets any response, since the members of the Seekers all have their own key. Many of the members of the Seekers have cover jobs as minor functionaries in the Imperial bureaucracy and within the Cult of Sigmar; particularly within the Witch Hunters and any organisation that has even partially regular contact with one or more of the Colleges of Magic.

The building’s external asceticism belies its well-appointed interior. The walls are wood-panelled, the chairs are comfortable and a servant is always on hand to bring a glass of fine wine or a well-prepared four-course meal. The building also houses bedrooms for visiting members from other cities. The Seekers try to have an agent in every major city of the Empire at all times, and have recently recruited members to stay in the cities of other countries such as Tilea, Estalia, and Kislev.

In the basement beneath the fine rooms upstairs, the hidden face of the Seekers is revealed. It is there that they keep the cells and interrogation rooms of their victims. These cells are far bleaker and more unpleasant than such than similar places in other Witch Hunter chapterhouses. There is also a court here, where magic users are tried before a panel of three self-appointed judges. Defendants are not permitted lawyers or witnesses who might cloud or hinder the process of justice. Trials usually begin with a simple question, often along the lines of, “How long have you consorted with the Dark Powers?”

If the gentle approach of the trial does not extract a confession (which is all the court is really after, regardless of the guilt or innocence of those they capture), the magic user is taken into the interrogation room, where more forceful methods, such as thumbscrews, branding irons, scourging, and worse are used. After they extract a confession, a show trial may be arranged so the broken victim may confess again in a properly recognised court of law before being sent to the stake. Alternatively, if it is deemed more expedient, the magic user may just disappear, or be found floating face down in the Reik. Very few magic users have ever successfully escaped from this travesty of justice.

Persecuting the Powerful

What makes the Seekers so particularly abhorrent to the Colleges of Magic is they target first and foremost those magic users that the Witch Hunters do not, and those generally are Imperial Magisters and their Apprentices. It seems unlikely the Seekers have managed to apprehend and kill any full Magisters, but Journeymen and other Apprentices allowed to travel abroad for whatever reason have started to disappear alarmingly frequently since the Seekers were formed, and it seems likely they are being deliberately targeted by the Seekers. There are suspicions Esmer is using the Seekers in an attempt to destabilise the Colleges of Magic somehow, or perhaps push them into doing something rash.

The Grey Order has turned its attentions to the Seekers’ activities, and the Bright Order has also spoke openly of its utter contempt for the Seekers, though such is the Seekers’ secrecy and facility for deniability that no formal charges have yet been brought against them. It won’t be long before there will be a direct confrontation between the Seekers and one or more of these groups. No one yet knows the Seekers are being funded by Esmer. When word of this finally reaches the offices of the Supreme Patriarch, the backlash almost certainly won’t be pretty.

But then, that may be what Esmer is hoping for.

Members and Armaments

The head of the Seekers is Detlef Johannson. He is a cruel-eyed, grey-haired man in his mid-fifties, who always dresses in white and black. He is a close friend of Theogonist Esmer, having helped him by tracking down several Chaos Magi in his thirty-year career as a Templar (although he only has Esmer’s word they were Magi—but he doesn’t seem to care). He is a bitter, paranoid, and hateful man, and he utterly despises all Elves, regarding each one of them as Witches at best.

It is rumoured both he and his elite Witch Hunters have gathered all sorts of protective amulets that negate spells and even a few power-destroying weapons in the course of their holy crusade. Despite the Orders’ best attempts to keep the fact secret, it seems someone has leaked to the Seekers that certain metals and stones dampen, and even swallow, magic.

In addition, the Seekers have a wealth of mundane but effective devices that guarantee suspects cannot cast any spells. These include a range of drugs, manacles, tongue restraints, gags, and even small pouches containing irritating insects whose constant stings and nips can break even the most steely concentration—especially when the magic user in question has been deprived of sleep, food, and water. With such devices and techniques, together with their Cult-funded resources and years of rabble-rousing and political experience, these Seekers after Truth and Justice have thus far been able to act on their suspicions with virtual impunity.

Warhammer: History of Riding Horses

Warhorses such as destriers or coursers are unsuitable for general riding. Most knights only mount their warhorses in times of battle. Instead, they rely on riding horses for daily use. The finest and most ill-tempered steeds come from Araby and command prices as high as 10 times the normal cost for horses.

Warhammer: History of Eye of the Horned Rat

The Eye of the Horned Rat is imbued with warpstone energy which can be channeled by the bearer by holding the stone firmly to his head.

Warhammer: History of Ulrich Schutzmann

Earlier today, you took an object to the Temple of Sigmar, and gave it to one Father Morten, is that right? According to this note, Father Morten was found dead less than an hour ago, with signs of foul play. The object is missing, and it appears that you were the last people to see him alive. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you for your weapons and keep you here until our investigation is concluded."

—Ulrich Schutzmann, Watch Commander

Schutzmann is an imposing man in his fifties, tall (6’ 2”) and well built, with close-cropped grey hair and dark blue eyes. He is known for his tight discipline and the efficiency with which he runs the City Watch.

Warhammer: History of Kenrol Stonius

Brother Kenrol Stonius, 87, is the eldest priest in the Cathedral of Verena in Marienburg, and thus the Chief Justice of the High Court. He has served in the post for the last 25 years. Widely regarded as a scholar and respected for his pursuit of Justice over the letter of the law; he also is known for falling asleep in court sessions.

Warhammer: History of Jonas Lang

Jonas Lang was always attracted to power, even though it was denied to him. The fourth son of a wealthy family, he stood to inherit nothing, and at best he could become a steward in his brother’s employ. Though bereft of an inheritance, the Lang name was strong enough to keep him in good standing with his wealthy and powerful peers, and during his childhood he acquired a taste for the decadent. As he grew older, he hoped to secure a place in the Todbringer Court, but his parents had other ideas. Sensing a corrupt bent to his character, they sent him to the temple of Ulric to train as a priest.

It was clear from the outset that Lang was no man of piety. He lacked commitment and dedication to the central tenets of the faith, but the Lang family demanded the young man remain in training, and to ensure the youth’s success, the cult put the young man under the High Priest Claus Liebnitz’ care. Liebnitz, who had no use for such a worthless apprentice, rarely communicated with Lang, and when he did, it was merely to instruct the initiate to read certain passages in Ulric’s sacred scrolls.

Liebnitz’ disinterest allowed Lang to pursue his own goals, mainly whetting his appetites for food, drink, and women. And as long as Liebnitz remained as a distant mentor, Lang could do as he liked. But one day word reached him that Liebnitz was dead, revealed to be a traitor to Ulric, the cult, and the Empire. He realized his long vacation was at an end, so he had one final indulgence, sampling countless dishes and drinks, and enjoyed the company of many companions of loose morals.

Sated, he returned to his apartments to sleep off his excess, but his respite would be brief. Soon after he nodded off, he awoke suddenly, his stomach roiling with pain. Thinking the ailment was caused by his night’s adventures, he emptied his stomach in the chamber pot, but the pain continued. Finally, he lifted his robe to peer at his abdomen, and to his horror he saw his flesh bubbling, forming some awful mutation, which Lang was certain would grant him a place on a witch pyre.

He fell over in a faint, and suffered strange dreams that featured some creature ranting that it was the soul of his master, Liebnitz, and that something called the Red Flayer had granted him eternal life. Lang awoke screaming, his guts roiling in agony. He pulled up his shirt to see the face of his former master pushing against the skin of his belly. Lang shrieked and shrieked, his mind withering as his skin rebelled against him becoming a tool for the damned. After three days of horrific mutations, the thing inside him was finished growing, attaining a partial arm and a fully formed head.

When Lang was lucid enough, the creature calmed the young man with soothing words, somehow convincing Lang not to cut out the corruption himself. Liebnitz explained he was promised a new body, not to share one with another. In any event, Liebnitz demanded Lang help him complete his master’s work and perhaps, as a reward, the Red Flayer would separate them once more. Lang, being quite mad by now, nodded enthusiastically. A few days later Lang was lucid enough to move, and concealing the parasite that had taken over his body with loose robes, set out to find the “cure” for his woes

Lang is in his early twenties, with long greasy brown hair and a waxy pallor. His recent experiences have left him crazed and his moods swing from gibbering fear and depression to wild enthusiasm. He wears long black robes slit in the front, allowing Liebnitz to see.

Being nothing more than a contorted bald head and a mostly useless arm, only those who knew Liebnitz in life recognize the mutated growth on Lang’s abdomen. Liebnitz has given up the will to live and simply wants death—a death at the Red Flayer’s claws.

Warhammer: History of Oblast Elk

"The diet of the typical Kislevite peasant is made up of fish, tubers, and the flesh of the oblast deer. The diet of the typical Kislevite bear is made up of fish, tubers, and the oblast deer. It is little wonder these people see so much kinship with the creatures."

—Friar Begel, “My Travels in Kislev”

Along with the bear and the steppe pony, the oblast or ice elk is one of the three creatures vital to stanitsa life. They closely resemble the deer of the Empire but are larger and have much larger horns. Wild ones are hunted for their meat but are extremely elusive, and such hunts can often take weeks to complete. In some stanitsas, they are domesticated to pull sleighs, ploughs, or mill-wheels, and sometimes they’re even used as pack animals. Their milk is fermented to make koumiss. Their hides are used to make cloth and sacking; their bones are carved into pipes, flutes, and tambours, and their intestines are woven to make an extremely strong elastic thread. The uses of the elk are endless, and their application is ubiquitous in any stanitsa. Gospodars are known to hunt the elk for sport alone, a practice the Ungols view as barbaric.

Warhammer: History of Silver Bullets

What the handgunners known as the Silver Bullets lack in discipline they make up for in accuracy. These sharpshooters maintain that they fire silver-plated shot with every volley, but in truth, each of their number is given only a single silver bullet from their foul-mouthed Marksman-at-arms, Curser Bredt, upon their induction into the ranks. Just as much a talisman as a weapon, each Handgunner would only use his silver bullet if no other option were present. The men of Bredt's unit believe that, whilst their good luck charms are safe, they too are protected from whatever Sylvania's darkness can throw at them.

Warhammer: History of Ranalt Waldhauss

Ranalt Waldhauss is the Venerated Soul of trackers and lone hunters. He is recognized by the Cult of Taal and Rhya.

History

During the Great War Against Chaos, a scout and hunter managed to track down and kill thirty Beastmen ravaging the town of Bechafen. Upheld by trackers and lone hunters, the locals have since forgotten that he was slain ten years after his heroic deed, branded as a Mutant.

Warhammer: History of Benedicta von Carstein

Benedicta von Carstein was a Dreamwalker who turned into a vampire, only to later be slain by Elisinda the Black.

Known in life as Benedicta the Radiant, she was a former mercenary who fought for years until she was the sole survivor of her company after it was thrown against a Necromancer. She found herself plagued by prophetic dreams, and followed them to destroy many Undead. She favoured fire as a weapon, which gave rise to her name. Before the Wars of the Vampire Counts formally began, her dreams led her into what would become Sylvania, where she disappeared. It was later discovered that she had become a Carstein vampire after Elisinda the Black, a priestess of Morr, came out of Ostermark just ahead of the Vampire armies, carrying the fallen Benedicta's head, the priestess having sought the Dreamwalker she had seen in her dreams.

Warhammer: History of Obsidian Amulet

The dark energies of this powerful item surround the wearer and deflect enemy spells and magic weapons.

Warhammer: History of Killer of the Dead

Few survive the life of a Vampire hunter. Of those who do, many quickly turn to other careers, such as the legitimacy of Witch Hunter or the better provisions of knighthood. Those who do not become Killers of the Dead. Having seen the true horror of the Vampires and the infinite legions of the restless dead, they can never look away, and they devote their every waking moment to destroying this unrelenting enemy. Even more shunned and mistrusted than Vampire hunters, these fanatics typically become hermits or outlaws, stealing what they need to survive, so they have no distractions from their cause. Their devotion to their mission means these killers often get good enough to earn notoriety amongst the Vampires—and knowing this, every killer sleeps restlessly, stake in hand, waiting to feel fangs upon his neck and hear the sound of vengeful laughter in his ear.

A Day In The Life

The day is for sleeping, when they find it harder to come for you. For some, the day is for sleeping in a cave in natural stone, strong and protected, a rock blocking the entrance, clutching a stake, because some of them will come for you anyway. The day is not for them. But perhaps it will be cloudy. Perhaps it will rain. Then they need not fear the sun.

Once night falls, you must move, quickly, away from the places you visited the previous night. They may have been watching you and set an ambush, or be prepared to strike at your lair as soon as it is dark. Rise before the sunset, to be away and hidden before they can act.

Night is for hunting. Watch the people who go out at night, for normal folk have no need to skulk around when the sun sleeps. You are no longer one of the normal folk, if you ever were, for you have a stronger calling now, and one that calls louder than laws and fellowship. Those who walk by night may be the undead; watch their habits carefully.

When you have tracked one of them down, strike early in the night if possible, and dismember and burn the corpse so that it does not rise again. Then flee, as fast as you can, before their allies can track you. Do not concern yourself with your destination. Wherever you find yourself, they will be waiting.

Little Known Facts

Killers of the Dead train suitable candidates when they find them and two who meet often work together for a time. It is important to remember that they are obsessive, but not quite what most would term insane, at least not in most cases.

A very small number of Killers of the Dead even maintain a respectable facade, with the help of a wealthy family or group of friends. These backers must be very tolerant, however, as nothing can be allowed to come before the hunt.

Once one has taken the path of a Killer of the Dead, life is bleak. It is rare for a Killer of the Dead to ever pursue another path. Their devotion and single-minded purpose makes it difficult to adjust to any other way of life.

Warhammer: History Grey Ague

This disease is new to the Empire, so those contracting it have little idea what to expect. It starts with an itching at the back of the throat that slowly develops into an intermittent cough. Along with the coughing comes bouts of shivering that grow steadily more severe as the disease progresses. In the final days, the afflicted develops pale gray blotches across their neck and chest, dying or recovering soon thereafter. Those that survive find the marks slowly turn white but never entirely go away. The few that know of the disease also refer to it as the Pale Shivers.

Nelrich the Suppurater’s disease was meant to cause a long period of relatively light illness followed by a swift death. Actually, the Grey Ague is not entirely a disease, nor does it cause the majority of the listed effects. The Ague is, in fact, a magical affliction that causes a body to generate a subtle organic poison. The Grey Seer Asorak Steeleye carefully influenced how the Grey Ague worked, so he could readily manipulate those with the disease. By giving those afflicted the correct “enhancers” early in the course of contracting the disease, the effects are instantly doubled.

The “cure” the Grey Seer and his allies have in their possession instantly eliminates all traces of the poison the Ague generates—which seemingly cures the afflicted, but it does nothing to halt the disease. Anyone drinking the Skaven’s cure that is afflicted by the Grey Ague has all of their characteristics return to normal levels within an hour. But the cured person still has the Grey Ague, and every time they stop taking the Skaven’s cure—they start at the beginning of their ten day stretch, meaning that they need a continual supply of the Skaven’s cure in order to not fall sick again.

A skilled apothecary that has deduced the nature of the Grey Ague can help to permanently cure it, but they need to treat both the disease and the effects of the poison. A Priestess of Shallya can instantly cure the Grey Ague only by successfully casting both Cure Poison and Cure Disease—a fact that they will be completely unaware of.

Warhammer: History of Residue

"When I was still a young boy, I took a job on an expedition to excavate a small Barrow in Wissenland. It had long ago collapsed in on itself, leaving little more than a muddy pit in the ground. Local folklore said the place was haunted or cursed, yet we could find no credible evidence of any Undead activity. So when one of the camp guards stabbed the cook in a fit of rage, we assumed he had been drunk. We tied him up and sent him to Pfeildorf to stand trial. When one of the farmhands we had hired to help with the digging disappeared during the night, we started to get worried. When the Professor in charge of the dig was found with his wrists slit open the next morning, we decided to leave."

—Heinrich Johannes, procurer of ancient artefacts

Residues are sometimes created when another form of Spirit or Wraith begins to fade away, the will that maintained their Undead state incapable of sustaining them any longer. Others are formed when a particularly malicious or miserable person dies who lacks any particular reason to remain in the land of the living. They appear to be vaguely humanoid clouds of dark smoke, though they are usually invisible to mortal eyes. They are little more than a bundle of negative emotions, possessing an almost instinctual desire to spread hatred and rage to others.

Warhammer: History of Borchband the Voice

Borchband the Voice is the Minor God of Rhetoric, venerated in the Reikland by agitators, politicians, and lawyers.

Politicians and other lawmakers in Reikland and Altdorf keep amulets of Borchband submerged in goblets of wine in the hopes of distracting the God from sending out agitators to thwart their plans. Common offerings to Bögenauer include written speeches, acorns, and quills. He has two temples and several shrines dedicated to him in Altdorf.

Warhammer: History of The Skurry-stabbers

The Skurry-stabbers are one of Clan Treecherik's most murderous Clawpacks and they have slain more (many more) of their own clanmates than the enemy (in fact, it has been several years since they've killed anything not from Clan Treecherik). Their current Clawleader is Gristl Twitchslice, an imposing figure who has remained in command of the Skurry-stabbers for an impressive three days. If he can make it to four he will have broken the service record set by Sneer Throtskar over twenty years ago.

Warhammer: History Friedrich von Tarnus

Friedrich von Tarnus was the first Magister Patriarch of the Bright Order. Excelling beyond all of Teclis' many proteges save Volans, Freidrich was there when the Colleges of Magic were formed. Before ascending to his position, the hot-headed wizard served as commander of the Carroburg Greatswords, but was cast out in shame when his magical talent came to light.

Since then, he began crafting magical items of great power, including the Silver Seal of the Emperor. Indeed, it was he who crafted the Staff of the Patriarchs for Volans, which would become the symbol of office for all Supreme Patriarchs thereafter.

Canon Conflict

In older editions, Friedrich von Tarnus was spelled Fredrick von Tarnus. Or Frederick. In 8th Edition, it's spelled Fredrik. It's also unclear whether his leaving the Carroburg Greatswords was self-imposed after his powers manifested (unable to cope with the shame), or if the regiment cast him out.

Warhammer: History of Allure

An old Bretonnian tale speaks of a strange gardener in Parravon who cultivated carnivorous flowers that attracted birds with the sweet aroma of their pollen to eat them. Although many dismiss this story as the fevered imaginings of a madman or as a parable to warn people to not look too closely into the affairs of others, there is a kernel of truth to this legend.

The Bird Flower is a rare species of carnivorous plant indigenous to Lustria. Quite stunning, they bloom in a variety of colours. Each flower is large, about the size of a man’s head, and shaped like a bell. The bright waxen style is perversely phallic, and the flower has no visible stamens. The plant exudes a pale pink fluid that is aromatic and has a sweet, intoxicating taste.

During the exploratory expeditions in 1492, a few sailors brought this interesting species back to the Empire. Most of the plants couldn’t adapt to the colder climate, but a few survived in the gardens of those who could afford to maintain such exotic plants. After a few years, there were rumours of strange, nightly visitors in the areas around the gardens, not to mention the sharp decline in the bird population. And then people started disappearing. What exactly led the locals to attributing the cause of the disturbances to the flowers isn’t certain, but the specimens were all burned and their owners burned at the stake.

Though banned, some gardeners maintain these unusual plants for their nectar. It’s said that consuming a small measure of the fluid evokes powerful dreams and instils a deep sense of calm and tingling pleasure. No one uses the nectar for long as people who sample the fluid tend to disappear.

Warhammer: History of Bretonnian Charger

Though the warhorses bred in the Empire are fine mounts in battle, they pale before the magnificence of the Bretonnian Charger. Over 20 hands high, nobles are especially careful in the breeding of these steeds. Hence, these mounts are in high demand, and only the wealthiest nobles in the Empire can afford the bribes necessary to procure one.

Warhammer: History of Graf Tobias Aschaffenberg

The Aschaffenbergs were granted the Patent of Nobility relatively recently, having been elevated to noble status by Magnus the Pious himself in the aftermath of the Great War Against Chaos. Graf Tobias Aschaffenberg is one of the most powerful members of the house, which is native to Ubersreik. His seat is a large, if somewhat ramshackle, peak-top castle south of the town, overlooking the confluence of waterways that converge to form the River Teufel. Tobias holds the title Marquis of Grey Lady Pass because the defence of that mountain corridor is the most sacred duty of his clan, entrusted to him centuries ago by Magnus himself. It is a duty the Graf takes very seriously indeed, and one he will do anything to fulfil.

The Graf's determination extends to every aspect of his line, of which he is so proud to be a scion. He is utterly ruthless in dealings with other noble households, especially those he regards as scheming against his own, and he has fought numerous duels against those he has fallen out with. As a native of Ubersreik, Graf Tobias regards it as only proper that should the town's status change, he should be the man to assume the mantle of liege.

Warhammer: History of Thieves' Guild

Thieves belong to Thieves' Guilds. They have little choice – the guilds are much better at finding thieves than the watch and insist that all active criminals take advantage of the benefits of membership.

If a city has more than one guild, both normally insist that every thief joins them, and not the other. This leads to gang warfare, so in a few cities, two guilds ignore each others' existence. Thieves in the city must belong to both but pretend not to know about the other guild. The masters of one guild are low-ranking members of the other and are generally left alone. Thieves have to pay two sets of dues and maybe given tasks by both guilds at once, making it difficult for them to avoid offending someone.

In a few cases, the guild has become rich through respectable businesses and has a great deal of influence with the legitimate government of the town. Indeed, a handful of towns are actually run by the thieves' guild, in which case the watch is only concerned with unlicensed criminality. Normally, such towns collapse into anarchy, as the guild allows too much crime, but in a few cases, the leadership imposes stability and a reasonable level of lawbreaking. This often leads to a splinter guild forming, to protect the rights of dishonest thieving folk.

Traveling thieves have to come to an arrangement with every guild they meet. Sometimes this is easy if the guild requires nothing but a percentage. Others, the majority, imposes significant ordeals on potential members and taking one of those trials every couple of weeks is bad for the health. Traveling thieves thus often try to avoid the notice of guilds as well as the watch.

Warhammer: History and Geography of Barley Motte

Barley Motte is in the north of Lyonesse, close to the border with L'Anguille. Two centuries ago it was the home of the D'ayvle lords, who cooperated with the Ruinous Powers and plotted to bring down the nation. They were defeated by a group of bold adventurers, one of whom was rewarded with the fief.

He was driven mad by the spirits of the D'ayvles, and another group of adventurers defeated the Undead. Once again, the Bretonnian knight among them was rewarded with the fief. A few years later, the knight was revealed to be trafficking with a Dark God, butchering his peasants to keep the fiend happy. The neighboring lords drove him out, and the Garlonds put a steward in place. The steward betrayed his lords to their deaths a few years later but was himself killed in the ensuing battles.

This time, no one wanted the place, so it was abandoned. Over the following years bandits, Necromancers, and Chaos cults have all taken up residence there. They have been driven out, but anyone who takes possession of the place seems to fall to evil. Most people now believe it to be cursed.

Warhammer: History of Wasting Sickness

The Wasting Sickness infests corpses, especially those left long undisturbed. Scholars and surgeons theorize this disease is the result of the stale air found in crypts combined with the unwholesomeness of a decaying body not properly prepared for burial. Cases of the disease can be found recorded in the history of Kislev and Sylvania. One of the most deadly instances swept Erengrad ages ago, killing thousands. It was only stopped through the intercession of the Grand Theogonist, Lothar the Healer, who feared it would spread to the Empire. No one is certain what he did to halt the spread, but stories tell of the divine intercession of Sigmar himself with the more far-fetched ones describing a purging fire from heaven that was given to Lothar by Sigmar himself to cure the sickness.

This disease eats away at the flesh, increasing the subject’s metabolism to a point where it is almost impossible for them to intake enough food to stay alive. Victims become furtive and stressed to the point of insanity, eventually wasting away to nothing, even after gorging themselves for weeks. Many are mistaken for ghouls and are killed in the late stages of the disease by superstitious common folk or misinformed Witch Hunters.

Warhammer: History of Master Moulder

"Fear, stupid man-thing. We make better. Improve-improve. Pain-pain. But, better-better! "

—Tichit, Master Moulder.

Master Moulders are the senior-ranking members of Clan Moulder, a rank just above the more common Packmasters.

Overview

The things created by these sadistic vermins within Clan Moulder's laboratories frighten even the powerful Grey Seers. Nothing is sacred to these vile Skaven. They blend the parts of hundreds of creatures to create something bigger, better, and stronger, a horror that will safeguard Moulder’s place at the top of the Under-Empire's cruel militaristic hierarchy.

Through the techniques of fleshmoulding, these Master Moulders create a menagerie of deadly creatures. Ever evolving, this process involves a combination of surgery and exposure to warp energy to create something new and terrifying. Trained in flesh-shaping techniques passed down generation after generation, they are responsible for Giant Rats, Rat Ogres, and any number of other abominations.

These burly commanders often personally lead their beasts to battle to better inspect the performance of both pack and Packmaster. Master Moulders instill great control and discipline in a pack, largely on account of their ability to cause even more severe pain. Many Master Moulders bear unique (if not downright horrific) tools of their trade, such as the things-catcher - a wicked looking prod with a mechanical grabber.

Warhammer: History of Eckhardt the Brave

Eckhardt the Brave is the Venerated Soul of rural law enforcers. He is recognized by the Cult of Sigmar.

History

The town of Ubersreik pays homage to their personal Venerated Soul each year by publicly executing a criminal in their town square. The victim is branded with the twin-tailed comet and placed in a small box with an angry swarm of bees. Whilst considered cruel, and certainly unusual by other Reiklanders, the townsfolk do this to commemorate Eckhardt, a travelling judge, who died in the same way when he tried to pass judgement on a well-known outlaw that prowled the Reikwald.

Warhammer: History of Ogre Hunter

"If he looks like he could stare down a pack of angry cave bears, he's a Hunter. You can tell, 'cos he'll be wearing a couple of 'em as proof!..."

—Anonymous Ogre

Ogre Hunters are solitary, wandering Ogres, outsiders from their own tribe or perhaps even exiles. Those that survive become fiercely independent warriors and savvy stalkers of beasts. Bereft of a tribe's protection and beefy companionship, the lone Hunter must learn to track and kill, while simultaneously not becoming prey to any ferocious beasts — it is all too common for the Hunter to become the hunted.

To ward off the severe cold of high altitude, Hunters dress in layers of skins and pelts and can also be recognised for their tendency to carry an arsenal of weapons, trapping gear, and skinning knives. When one's days are spent stalking Ogre-eating carnivores, it is best to be prepared. Hunters are incredibly proficient with their specialised gear, able to kill beasts on the move even at range.

Overview

Hunters are among the most massive and independent of their kind, and think nothing of climbing to the top of a mountain whilst tracking a wounded mammoth or bull rhinox. An Ogre becomes a Hunter either by temporarily severing his ties to his tribe to sate his wanderlust, or by being exiled to the harsh white wilderness of the mountain for some slight to his fell Ogres. Either way these ties are not completely severed and a Hunter that excels at his solitary lifestyle drag an impressive kill or two back to the caves on important feast days. A Hunter is generally covered in a network of scars and tattoos, overlaid by the thick pelts of his prey protection from the arctic conditions of Mountains of Mourn. He decorates himself with, tusks, claws, fangs and skulls of the cavebeast that he has single-handedly killed and eaten. A Hunter will typically have a great beast's skull to his gut to illustrate his prowess.

Although most no longer belong to a tribe, Hunters periodically drag in his impressive kills back to an Ogre camp for a special feast day. Some Hunters return to the tribe of their origins, while others wander throughout the Ogre Kingdoms. Hunters are popular visitors, for not only do they drag down some of the largest carcasses, but they liven up any feast with their rich wealth of stories about life on the mountaintops. The profusion of horrible scars and displays of beast skulls and impressive tusks also go a long way towards earning the respect of a local tribe. Before long, a Hunter's solitary ways will take over and he will amble back up the slopes.

In honour of the first of the Ogre Hunter. Jhared the Red — it is common for a Hunter to keep a Sabretusk or two to help sniff out his cave-beast prey. These giant, agile feline predators often have tusks jutting from their lower jaws, used for ripping out the guts of beast larger than they are. Those that prove too difficult to domesticate instead provide both a good fight and good meal for their would-be keeper — it is a rare Hunter indeed that cannot boast a set of claw-scars somewhere about his person.

Warfare

A Hunter must learn how best to stalk his quarry. Each beast is formidable in its own right and a Hunter must discover techniques to deal with monstrous creatures of all sorts. For instance, it takes great patience to creep into an ambush position near the caves of the great bear-like cragbeasts, while it takes fast-paced double-tracking trickery to throw off a pack of Sabretusks once they have caught your scent. Knowing how to escape the first blast of icy breath from a Frost Drake or where to aim a throwing spear to best dispatch a Mournfang are lessons that a Hunter must pick up quickly. All Hunters bear horrific scars suffered from their many battles with the monstrous denizens of the mountains — those few errors that don't prove fatal still hurt.

Warhammer: History of Andanti

The Andanti are a hereditary order of secretive Vampire hunters who consider themselves chosen by Morr to be his holy warriors. Membership can be passed on through either sons or daughters, and there is only one Andanti per generation, so although they are all related, they have many names and live in many nations of the Old World. The dynasty traces its roots back to Estalia, where they fought the Undead even before the War of Blood. Now, the Andanti are scattered, and some are born who do not know their destiny as chosen hunters of the dead.

A member of the Andanti is marked by being born with a caul, a thin membrane covering the head. Midwives usually remove these cauls and press them onto a sheet of paper, as they are believed to bring good luck, especially to sailors. If the baby is lucky, a relative who is also Andanti hears of this and takes a special interest. The relative becomes a mentor, passing on knowledge that is hidden even from the other family members. Each Andanti maintains a small library of lore that would be of much interest to Witch Hunters. The young Andanti are trained in combat techniques that exploit the weaknesses of the Undead, and some are encouraged to spend time in the military to hone their abilities fighting mortals before they take on the dead.

Notable members

Kirsten Stumpfnase - Kirsten Stumpfnase was still being trained in the ways of Vampires by her uncle, Dagmar Benadamski, when things went disastrously wrong. He took her to the abandoned Axel Mansion, famous for its haunted reputation, so she could have some experience of Ghosts and the lesser Undead first-hand. When they arrived, it was not Ghosts but a powerful Vampire that they found. Dagmar was killed, and Kirsten narrowly escaped with her life. Now she travels the Old World, learning the ways of the Undead and hoping to track down the Vampire who killed her uncle.

Warhammer: History of Blackshards

lackshards are focuses for negative emotional energy - depression, despair, exhaustion, suffering. Drachenfels create them to absorb and amplify such emotions, and one or two are still present within the castle.

Blackshards are black crystals which radiate a bitter cold in a 3-yard radius, together with a sphere of magical darkness.

If a Blackshard is destroyed by force or magic, it explodes, damaging those around it. The exploding Blackshard fills the area with violent images of despair, anguish and suffering, potentially causing depression in those nearby.

If the Blackshard can be destroyed with a specific ritual ceremony - the Ritual of Lightning, which can be found in Lermontov's Grimoire - a quite different result occurs. With a soft popping noise, the Blackshard collapses in on itself, and flickers out of existence. The pain and anguish bound within the crystal are dissipated and partially transformed into positive emotional energy.

Warhammer: History of Bearers of Creeping Death

In debased rituals, the disease known as Creeping Death was perfected within the Cauldrons of a Thousand Poxes. At its peak, the disease was ladled over hot coals so that it made a deadly fume. Not even the most disease-gnarled of plague monks could long withstand its virulence. Before each battle, doomed plague monk volunteers took vows and lifted up those censers, swinging them so that contrails of death were left in their wake. Those not slain in combat would succumb soon afterward to the Creeping Death.

Warhammer: History of Mandrake Root

The mandrake root is a potent drug used to mask the suffering of tortured lives among the insane in the Old World. A dose of this drug makes the imbiber warm and sleepy. However, it takes only a single dose to become dependent.

The man-shaped Mandrake Root grows in the rotting swamps of Sylvania. It is a noxious, deadly plant that is highly addictive and slowly kills its users but also allows them to shrug off almost any pain.

Warhammer: History of Ironback Boar

A bizzare mechanical contraption created by Chaos Dwarf engineers, an Ironback Boar weighs even more than its living cousins and is just as evil-tempered. Orcs can utilise it as a mount.

Warhammer: History of Sons of Karamox

The Sons of Karamox had suffered horrendous losses during the siege of Averheim, but believed that the blood they had shed and spilt had only drawn them closer to Khorne's favour. They marked in blood each step across the Grey Mountains, culling the weak from their own ranks - and those of rival warbands - if no foes presented themselves by nightfall. By the time the Sons of Karamox had reached Esdari Corrin, their numbers were roughly a tenth lower than at the start of the march, and several smaller warbands within the Army of Skulls had vanished entirely.

Warhammer: History of Hammerwiki: Fire Crystal Caverns

Fire Crystal Caverns is a Warhammer Online location. Nestled in the foothills of the northern Blighted Isle, the Fire Crystal Caverns are a site of significance to the High Elves of Ulthuan. Within these tunnels rest glowing shards, vital to the ritual needed to recover the Scepter of Ulrien from its resting place.

In the Age of Reckoning

The Fire Crystal Caverns are accessible from Thanalorn Forest, and is inhabited by a number of Giant Lizards. Currently only a single quest takes place within the Caverns, Traditions of War I, though the site is also a destination for Order players seeking to earn the Tome of Knowledge Unlock A Matter of Scales.

Warhammer: History of Eataine Guard

The Eataine Guard are a famous formation of Spearmen hailing from the Kingdom of Eataine.

Slaughter at Eagle Gate

Only one of the Eataine Guard's thirty legions was stationed at Eagle Gate, assigned as Prince Yvarn's bodyguard by royal decree. So battle-hardened were these warriors that it was often said - and not just by the Eataine Guard themselves - that the sum of their experience eclipsed that of the fortress' other defenders combined. Yet the Eataine Guard displayed none of the superiority that should have come with such an accolade. Instead, its warriors silently undertook the most thankless and dangerous of tasks, never once attempting to trade upon their reputation. Each time Eagle Gate came under assault, the Eataine Guard were the first upon the walls, spears gleaming in anticipation.

Battle for the Chasm

Of the Eataine Guard's thirty proud legions, only one remained at this time, and that had been bloodied and battered by war. Under the command of Prince Yvarn, it had fought on the front line of Eagle Gate, had witnessed firsthand the onslaught that had laid the fortress low. Like many exiles of that kingdom, the Eataine Guard had pledged themselves to Caradryan's service in the wake of Ulthuan's destruction. They could not bear to serve beneath Malekith, or even Imrik, both of whom they held accountable for so many of their comrades – including Prince Yvarn.

Warhammer: History and Geography of Numas

Numas is a minor faction of Tomb Kings introduced in the Tomb Kings update for Total War: Warhammer II.

In both Eye of the Vortex and Mortal Empires, they start just to the east of Khemri.

"In Numas they know my name and welcome me, but I am one of a handful of people that is allowed passage through the city gates. In Numas, life has returned to the desert and once again crops grow around the city. Numas is a marvellous place, and over many centuries the pyramids have been restored to their former glory."

—Trader Suli, Extract from the Tales from the Oasis

Numas, the Scarab City, is one of the few cities within Nehekhara that still bear the living within its walls. It was built originally before the time of Settra, thousands of years ago, by King Khesek. This dates it as one of the first human cities ever to be built. It is located near Khemri, further up the Great Mortis River towards its source. It was originally built due to its proximity to very fertile lands just south of the Great Mortis River and north of the Ash River. This location encouraged its foundation and its people were fed in plenty.

Settra, during his reign, conquered Numas and forced it to pay him tribute. As soon as Settra died, however, it rebelled against the grip of its former master and succeeded in gaining freedom. Until the time of Nagash, it was conquered and reconquered by Khemri but could never be held. Then, when Nagash took hold of Khemri, an alliance of the cities of Numas, Zandri, Mahrak, Lybaras and Rasetra fought together to free the land from his tyranny. The king of Lahmia, King Lahmizzar, led this alliance but eventually the allied cities fractured and fought against one another, seeking each others wealth. Later in the sixth dynasty, under King Alkhazzar I, Numas was conquered by Khemri again. From then on, it remained a part of the kingdom of Nehekhara forever. After the awakening, the Tomb Kings of Numas fought amongst themselves to regain the city. There was no peace in Numas until Settra had awoken, and upon taking control, sent all of the lesser kings back to their tombs to await his call.

Sometime afterwards, a nomadic tribe called the Scythans came upon the city and saw Prince Tutankhanut of Numas as a manifestation of their God. In reverence, the nomads pledged themselves to the Prince, tending to the crops which feed their people and in return, Prince Tutankhanut now rules over a living city which he guards ferociously. Such is their devotion to Tutankhanut that they often fight in his service and should one of their numbers die, their body would be ritually picked over by vultures and their bones taken to the necropolis so that they may serve their God for all eternity.

Type: Minor faction

Category: Tomb Kings

Ruler: King Nectanebo

Campaigns: Mortal Empires, Eye of the Vortex

Inhabitants: Liche Priests, Undead, Scythans

Type: Port-City

Location: Southlands, Nehekhara

Population: Unknown

Allegiance: Tomb Kings, Settra

Industry: Agriculture, Trade

Warhammer: History and Geography of Xlanhuapec

Xlanhuapec is a Lizardmen faction in Total War: Warhammer II.

Xlanhuapec, the City of Mist is the second city to be founded and a mysterious place that holds many secrets left behind by the Old Ones. For its own protection, the entire city is perpetually wreathed in banks of coiling mist and it is possible to pass within a few yards of its boundary stones without noting the city’s sprawling presence, so thick are those swirling vapours. Xlanhuapec houses a number of ancient artifacts, including the Placid Pool - reflective waters that allow world-spanning visions; the Device of the Great Beyond - a communications relic through which others from far distant stars occasionally speak, and an Eternity Ship — a great egg-shaped vessel within which time does not flow. These hoarded treasures and more are jealously guarded and it is a death sentence for any outsider to so much as glimpse the city beneath its protective shroud of mists, for Xlanhuapec is sacred ground to the Lizardmen.

Xlanhuapec stands upon an auspicious alignment of the geomantic web and, at all times, one of the city’s Mage-Priests must maintain the cloying cover of mists, a spell that has remained uninterrupted for long ages. The Slann’s very words turn to creeping vapour, which spreads forth to encompass the entire city - a sprawling metropolis that extends dozens of miles in all directions from the mountainous heights of its centremost pyramid. It is said that the mist possesses terrible strength, and in times of need can take the shape of creatures - elemental magic formed from water and air. Few invaders have ever been able to penetrate the city and live to tell the tale, although those survivors have spread many rumours of the city’s matchless treasures.

Known Slann Inhabitants

Lord Huah-Huah

Lord Huinitenuchli

Inhabitants: Slann, Saurus, Skink, Kroxigor

Type: Temple-City

Location: Central Lustria

Population: Unknown

Allegiance: Lizardmen Empire

Industry: Unknown (possibly some Trade)

Type: Minor faction

Category: Lizardmen

Campaigns: Eye of the Vortex, Mortal Empires

Warhammer: History of Beastslayers of Bastonne

"The Squires of the "Beastslayer" Duke are amongst the hardiest of Bretonnian infantry, taking his epithet as their name for good reason."

—The Beastslayers.

he Beastslayers of Bastonne are an elite group of Bretonnian Squires.

Overview

The Beastslayers are the personal footsoldiers of the mighty Grail Knight, Duke Bohemond the "Beastslayer" of Bastonne. They are better equipped than other Foot Squires, donning heavier armor, helmets and wielding large halberds instead of the standard greatswords. Much like their fearsome liege lord, they excel at fighting dangerous beasts and ferocious monsters.

Warhammer: History of Orc and Norscan Drums

Used on Norscan longships for slaves to keep time, by drummers in armies, and by Orcs for signals, drums are little more than a piece of skin pulled taught over a barrel. Most drummers just use their hands, but drumsticks are also used.

Warhammer: History of Sigmar's Sons

Amongst the crusaders sent to reinforce Volkmar were Sigmar's Sons, veteran warriors and merciless killers to a man. Each of them had already served in the Red Masquers, an eighty-strong regiment that had fought alongside Volkmar less than a year ago against the Chaos-worshippers of the North.

Whilst on campaign against the many barbarian tribes, the Grand Theogonist had been so impressed by the Red Masquers' repeated refusal to retreat in the face of the baying hordes that he gave them his official commendation, renaming them Sigmar's Sons in honour of their heroic bravery. Since that day, it has been their tradition for each of their number to have the hammer of Sigmar tattooed upon his chest in recognition of Volkmar's accolade. Some of them go so far as to have their entire bodies tattooed with different scenes from Sigmar's life, believing that such dedication will lend them strength when they need it most, in the heat of battle.

Though Sigmar's Sons boast that they are as skilled in battle as any knight of the Empire – and have proved it on more than one occasion – it is their faith that is their most potent weapon against evil. When battle is joined, the righteous anger that seethes in their hearts drives them deep into enemy ranks, swords hacking and stabbing without pity.

When Karl Franz sent for aid from Talabecland, the barracks that contained Sigmar's Sons was the Kriegmarshal's first port of call. There, he hand-picked the best of their number to join the crusade, reasoning that Volkmar would need a cadre of men he could trust in the tumultuous days ahead.

Sigmar's Sons (Swordsmen) is a Empire melee infantry unit. The heart of any battle and the embodiment of Sigmar's will as they heroically engage the foe.

Description

State troops are paid as full-time professional soldiers, ready to answer the call to arms at all times. In addition to forming a standing army to repel enemy attack, state troops also serve as city guards, the fire watch and the enforcers of the law. However, most of the time these soldiers spend their days drilling and training with various weapons to the barked instructions of grim-faced Sergeants and veteran Marksmen. Every state trains its regiments to fight together, providing each other with mutual protection on the battlefield. State regiments often march to battle with detachments of differently armed troops to aid them. These detachments form up close to their regimental units, where they guard vulnerable flanks and provide battlefield support, either by joining their regimental units in the bloody melee of close combat, or by showering oncoming enemies with missile fire. Swordsmen fight shoulder to shoulder with Spearmen, the close range parries and ripostes of swords complimenting the longer reach of the spear. Handgunners and Crossbowmen fell their foes with withering volleys of fire, but should a foe survive through such salvos, a detachment of Halberdiers will bravely intercept them, cutting them down with heavy bladed pole arms.

Abilities

Shielded: Shields have a chance of blocking arrows, bolts, rifle shots and similar small arms fire - but only in a forward facing arc.

Unbreakable: This unit does not suffer any form of Icon stat morale.pngleadership loss and will never rout.

Faction  : Empire

Category: Empire melee infantry

Unit size: 120

Warhammer: History and Geography of Estalia

Estalia is a minor Southern Realms faction introduced in Total War: Warhammer. They are present in The Old World and Mortal Empires campaigns.

They have the misfortune of their province being the spawn point of the Beastmen horde led by Khazrak the One-Eye.

Currently, Estalia uses the Empire unit roster.

Estalia is a nation in the southwestern corner of the Old World, politically divided into several small kingdoms and currently lacking a central government.

Geography

Estalia is a peninsula located in the western Old World, bordered to the northeast by Bretonnia. Its natural borders are the Irrana and Abasko Mountains to the east, the Great Western Ocean to the north and west and the Southern Sea to the south. The northern kingdoms of the Irrana mountains are humid lands populated by fierce and tough hill-fighters, and where solid fortresses guard the mountain passes, while the kingdoms along the south coast are barren but prosperous trading states whose ships ply the Southern Sea as far as Araby.

Estalian cities are solidly built and well-fortified, and of a generally younger foundation than those of the north. The two largest cities, along with both being port cities, also represent the two most important and powerful city-state kingdoms. The rivalry between these two port cities - Bilbali on the north coast and Magritta on the south - and between each and their Tilean neighbours, for that matter - has endured for centuries.

History

Estalia bore the brunt of Sultan Jaffar's invasion from Araby in 1448 IC, which was eventually driven from the peninsula by a combined force including knights from Bretonnia and The Empire during the Great Crusades.  The Estalians have also established a colony by the name of Santa Magritta on the New World continent of Lustria.

The End Times

By 2525 IC, the independence of Estalia's kingdoms had been lost and the entire peninsula had been overrun and suffered under the hideous domination of the Skaven.

Politics

Situated far to the south of the Old World, Chaos is too remote to be taken as a serious danger. With no external threat to unite the people, the region has remained politically fractured, with rival kingdoms warring against each other, as well as against the neighbouring city-states of Tilea, the Arabyans and the Bretonnians.

There are six kingdoms in Estalia. They are Novareno, Bilbali, Obregon, Avila, Magritta, and Cantonia.

Society

Estalians are a hardy people, and claim to be the first humans to have settled the Old World, although this claim is not taken seriously outside Estalia. Those within the cities make their living with fishing and trade. Estalians take great offence to being confused with Tileans, and it is said they will slay any man who mistakenly addresses them in the Tilean language. Estalia is renowned for its Diestros, skilled duellists who ply their trade across the Old World.

Religion

In Estalia, the worship of the goddess Myrmidia is paramount. In fact, the Estalians and Tileans both claim to have been the chosen people of Myrmidia.

There is some evidence that both the Tileans and Estalians are descended from the people of ancient Tylos, who were supposedly saved by Myrmidia.

Warhammer: History of Doomweaver

Doomweavers are distinct from the lesser Chaos Sorcerers because of their deeper understanding of the workings of magic. These spellcasters select one Chaos patron to serve, and draw upon magic as granted by this profane God. Doomweavers advise Chaos Champions, or at least, bind themselves to a powerful warlord.

Warhammer Lore: History of Sagekill

Made famous by the suicide of one of the Old World’s greatest philosophers and sages, Syclus the Wise, Sagekill is a foul-tasting, powerful poison whose effects are generally painless. The imbiber suffers from vertigo, followed by gradual paralysis of the body. Said imbiber loses feeling in his arms and legs, can no longer walk or wield a weapon, and in several minutes, dies with heart and lungs paralyzed.

Warhammer: History and Geography of Castle Bastonne

Castle Bastonne is a Fortress-City and the ducal capital of Bastonne.

Overview

Castle Bastonne is located almost exactly in the centre of the dukedom. The whole of it and the surrounding town are filled with antiquities made sacred by their association with Gilles the Unifier. Old buildings, statues, and bones, including the head of the ancient Dragon, Smearghus stand testimony to Gilles' prowess. As well, a few ancient stone structures remain as well as a number of sections of the former castle are carefully preserved. Peasants and foreigners are forbidden to enter these places, and even nobles are expected to treat everything with respect. Things have happened over the past 1,500 years, and not everything lovingly preserved has any link to the Unifier. The largest revered structure is the Water Tower in Castle Bastonne.

This was reputedly Gilles' personal residence. Most nobles are not allowed to go beyond the entrance lobby, and peasants can be whipped for looking at it too much. Every so often rumours surface about dark acts performed in secret within the tower, but they are quickly suppressed. The town has the feel of somewhere preserved for the pilgrim trade, and indeed, it is a very popular destination. Peasant pilgrims are guided to the outside of a number of significant locations and to the inside of taverns that pay the guide a cut. Nobles can expect a personal tour, including opportunities to pray within most places. At a minimum, visiting nobles go to Gilles' personal Grail Chapel, and almost all Grail Knights have visited it at least once.

Inhabitants: Humans

Type: Ducal Capital, Fortress-City

Location: Bastonne

Population: Unknown

Allegiance: Bretonnia

Industry: Pilgrimage

Warhammer: History of Skarbrand

"Vecteek couldn’t come. So I came instead. You have called and I have answered. You sought the Harbinger of Doom. I am he, little sorcerer. I am your Doom. I am Skarbrand. I am your death..."

—Skarbrand, summoned forth by the foolishness of Grey Seer Thanquol

Skarbrand, known also as the Exiled One, the Wrathful Reaper, or the Drinker of Blood, was once the greatest of all Khorne's Daemons. An eternity of battle in the Blood God's name had brought Skarbrand victories uncounted. It was he who tore down the gates of Slaanesh's first palace and visited ruin therein. It was he who led the eight Hosts of Murder to their triumph over the combined armies of the other Chaos Gods. In all the endless years of Khorne's existence, no other had piled so many skulls before the Skull Throne, or spilled the blood of so many warriors and innocents alike. Thus did Skarbrand enjoy Khorne's favour like no other, an honor which would eventually lead to his downfall from grace.

Ever since his exile, in all of history, there have been none to serve the Lord of Skulls as completely as Skarbrand. He has taken mountains and mountains of skulls for the Blood God, and filled vast oceans with gore. He has shaken the foundations of eternity with his wrath and left a trail of slaughter across existence, yet still Khorne refuses to rescind his hated decree. There is little regret in the Blood God's black heart and he spares none for Skarbrand, who in tortured exile serves the Lord of Skulls more completely than ever.

History

"I will rip the bones from your body and leave your skin to rot! But your skull I will give to the skull-god, and it will be one among the multitude"

—Skarbrand, The Exiled One

Alas, no being could enjoy such triumphs forever, and so proud was Skarbrand that it was a simple task for Tzeentch to fan the embers of his hubris. One dark day, when Khorne's back was turned and his attention elsewhere, Skarbrand's fierce pride grew hot and, blinded by rage, he smote the Blood God a mighty blow. Powerful beyond measure was Skarbrand, and he had toppled cities with but one blow apiece, but even he could not pierce Khorne's brazen armour. Only the smallest of chinks was cut in the Blood God's armour, but even this was sufficient to draw the terrible fury of Khorne's gaze.

Incandescent with wrath, Khorne seized the Daemon by the throat. The Blood God cursed Skarbrand's name and choked all personality from him, leaving only the bottomless rage that had caused him to attack. Climbing the uppermost tower of the Brass Citadel, Khorne cast forth his arm and hurled the Daemon deep into the Realm of Chaos, banishing the Bloodthirster from his presence. For eight days and nights Skarbrand plummeted, a fiery comet of ill-omen streaking across the unchanging sky. The impact of the Bloodthirster's landing gouged a canyon in the landscape and left his wings tattered and torn. Since that fateful day, Skarbrand has wandered the mortal and immortal realms, drowning his sins in the blood of the slain — though he no longer has the wit to fully understand why.

Frozen in the moment of that rage-spurred betrayal, Skarbrand has become wrath incarnate, a restless fury that cannot be stopped. Wherever Skarbrand treads, order and discipline are replaced with anarchy as those in his path drown in feelings of empty loathing and unrestrained savagery. Even the most rational of beings cannot resist the corruption of Skarbrand's madness. Fast friends and firm allies tear at one another with wild abandon. Craven and brave beings alike claw at their foes without regard for their own lives. Through this anarchy, Skarbrand runs rampant, twin axes hacking and cleaving until there is no one left to kill. His tortured roars echo around the battlefield, waves of pure rage infused with enough force to shatter buildings and pulverise flesh. From then on, Skarbrand became nothing more than a vessel filled with unreasoning hatred and rage, empty of any thoughts or personality of what was once Khorne's greatest chosen.

Battle of Karak Angkul

"No, you shall not escape me so easily. You will burn, mage-rat, and then you will scream. And scream. And scream."

—Skarbrand, during the Battle of Karak Angkul

Whether the being known as Skarbrand was still within the good grace of Khorne when he descended upon the mortal plane to ravaged the Dwarf Hold of Karak Angkul is unclear. What was certain what that, by the foolish efforts of Grey Seer Thanquol, who in his attempt to summon forth the infamous Verminlord Vecteek into the mortal plane, had mistakenly summoned forth the legendary Bloodthirster instead. What the foolish Grey Seer failed to realize was that the magical artifact, known as the Hand of Vecteek, which he tried to use in his summon ritual contained a hidden mark of Khorne upon its palm, a mark carved by its previous owner, Grey Seer Thratsnik as an act of vengeance against the Under-Empire that had abandoned him to his fate of lonely isolation and eventual starvation many decades ago.

Freed upon the mortal plane, Skarbrand wrought a terrible carnage amongst the battlefield, where Dwarfs and Skaven alike fought each other and their allies in gruesome displays of mad rage and uncontrollable bloodshed due to the unnatural daemoic presence of the Bloodthirster. It was only thanks to the efforts of Master Engineer Klarak Bronzehammer, who set off a demolition charge which saw a massive axe of Valaya fall down and sink its blade into the flesh of the Bloodthirsters head, did the Dwarf Hold survive the Daemonic onslaught. Thanqoul, having had enough of risking his life for the ambitions of others, fled the battlefield right after he blasted the Master Engineer with a wave of Warp-Lightning and saw his body fall from the statue of Valaya and upon the rocky hard floor many stories below. Before Skarbrand was sent back into the Realm of Chaos, he whispered to Thanqoul that should he have need of him again, he will be waiting.

Warhammer: History and Geography of Hag Graef Faction

Hag Graef is a Dark Elves faction in Total War: Warhammer II.

Hag Graef the Black Crag is a sinister and foreboding place, built at the bottom of a cold, dark canyon and completely surrounded by mountains of bare rock that stretch into the clouds. It is a city permanently in shadow, for no sunlight ever reaches its walls. Hag Graef is a place of twisted and impossible architecture. Its eight black towers rise from the canyon floor like the ossified remains of some loathsome cephalopod. Between the towers are strung walkways, platforms and bridges of every shape and size. Some are fashioned from withered timber and soot-stained bone, others are crafted from jagged stone or woven from the silk of monstrous spiders.

The larger platforms are so massive as to be towns and villages in their own right, and are supported by gantryworks of iron and stone. It is upon these that the majority of Hag Graef's citizenry dwell, crammed into crooked mansions of cinderbrick and fire-blackened wood; the towers are home only to the city's most powerful Dreadlords. Cramped conditions, combined with the Dark Elves' peremptory nature, ensure that rivalries flare into violence with alarming regularity. Those who do not walk cautiously through Hag Graef's webwork of streets have their throats slit and bodies heaved into the morass of sewage and rotting flesh that covers the canyon floor.

Overview

The rocks below Hag Graef are honeycombed with mines and quarries that are, in turn, threaded through with chain gangs of slaves who claw iron and jet-black stone from the belly of the world. This is the most miserable of existences, toiling far from any natural light, starved on all but the meanest food and chilled to the bone by the piercing wind that howls through the tunnels. Even after death there is no respite -- the mines are riddled with veins of warpstone, whose baleful power animates the dead and keeps them labouring until they collapse into piles of worn bones.[1a] Driven by the wealth of its mines, Hag Graef has risen to become Naggaroth's second city. In fact, it is so prosperous that its armies and influence overshadow even those of Naggarond. So eager are Hag Graef's people to escape their abyssal home that the forced conscription present in other cities is completely unnecessary here. Indeed, over the centuries, Hag Graef has earned a reputation for producing, if not the most disciplined fighters, then certainly the most desperate. The city's mercenary rulers, ever eager for profit, have taken to selling warriors into service elsewhere in Naggaroth, taking with it the opportunity to infiltrate spies.

So rich is Hag Graef in soldiery, slave and coin that were its eight great families ever truly united of purpose, they could doubtless overthrow the Witch King. Naturally, Malekith is aware of this, and spares no effort in keeping the Dark Crag's nobles at one another's throats. He need scarcely bother -- with so much wealth at stake, intrigue and betrayal are already rife. Hag Graef's greatest prize is the position of First Dreadlord -- he who holds this title is the nominal ruler of the city, and all its domains. The First Dreadlord sets the tariffs that govern the city's trade and is an excellent position to take a cut of the all merchantry. With this wealth comes a life of patronage and grand opulence beyond the dreams of other Elves, but few incumbents survive long in office.

Indeed, many of Hag Graef's social elite consider the lavish ceremony of ascension to be little more than the official opening of a new round in a particularly deadly game. None of this deters the city's nobles from competing for the First Dreadlord's chains of office. Arrogance is as rife here as it is in any other quarter of Naggaroth, and no Dark Elf believes himself foolish enough to end his rule shot, stabbed, poisoned, garrotted or beheaded -- he cannot be persuaded of the danger, even though these things have happened to previous rulers more times than can be counted. Life is scarcely less competitive elsewhere in Hag Graef. The eight families constantly vie with one another for the First Dreadlord's favour, even as they plot to have him violently removed from office. Even family ties do not guarantee loyalty -- many a brother or daughter has risen to new heights over the corpses of their siblings thanks to a timely use of poison or by pressing enough gold into an Assassin's hand.

It should, therefore, not be surprising that Khainite Assassin cults flourish nowhere in Naggaroth so well as they do in Hag Graef, where there are always Dreadlords seeking to remove rivals or in need of protection from the machinations of their enemies (or their friends). Even so, there are insufficient hired blades to meet the incredible demand, and an Assassin might well answer to a hundred different masters over the course of a year. As a result, many Assassins sew their mouths closed, sever their own vocal chords or nail their jaws shut to ensure they are no longer physically capable of revealing an employer's identity.

Type: Faction

Category: Dark Elves

Inhabitants: Dark Elves

Type: Fortress-City

Location: Northern Naggaroth

Population: Unknown

Allegiance: Malus Darkblade, Malekith

Industry: Trade, Slavery, Mining