Mobility: 4 (6 on mount)
Training: 8
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
Heinrich Kemmler burnt with the need for power. Having recognized the limits that mortality placed upon him in his early years, Kemmler made it his life's work to escape them. He plunged into the world of Necromancy as a young man, and by the time he had reached his fortieth year he was able to raise entire graveyards of corpses to do his bidding.
Kemmler became a great and much-feared Necromancer, plundering every Wizard's tower and ancient temple he could find in his search for dark truths. In the hills beyond Quenelles in Bretonnia his army had smashed the zombie legions of the Council of Nine, an alliance of nine powerful necromancers. In the dark woods beyond the town of Bögenhafen in the western Empire, he had overcome the three Vampire Wizards of Blutwald and all their armies of walking dead. In the crypts beneath castle Vermisace he had overcome the ancient Liche wizard and all his acolytes and was since known as The Lichemaster. His star was in the ascendant for many decades until ambitious rivals began to usurp his power. United, those who Kemmler had defeated proved stronger than even the self-styled Lichemaster. At the Battle of Ten Thousand Skulls, Kemmler's foes succeeded in driving him to his knees. Although he finally managed to scatter his attackers with a great spell of confusion, his body was broken and his mind blasted in the battle.
For many years Heinrich wandered the Grey Mountains and the Border Princes as little better than a half-sane beggar. It was in the Vaults where by some quirk of fate, he uncovered the tomb of Krell; a long dead Chaos Champion whose burial mound was so magnificent it towered high above him. Here Kemmler struck a terrible pact with the gods. They restored him to his former power and in return, Heinrich swore to slay and destroy in their name. The name of the Lichemaster once again struck terror into the hearts of ordinary folk.
The tales of these two monsters were many. In 2491 IC they attacked the Bretonnian abbey at la Maisontaal which contained a powerful artifact stolen from the Skaven. It was only thanks to the skill and heroism of Duke Tancred of Quenelles that the abbey wasn't destroyed utterly in a three-way battle. Kemmler escaped and fled back in the Grey Mountains while the Skaven returned to Skavenblight with their prize. Tancred returned with much honor and spent the rest of his life chasing the Lichemaster.
The Wood Elves remember Kemmler for the 'Winter of Woes', a season when Kemmler raised a huge army from the many cairns in the forest, ancient human burial mounds long forgotten that were site of great mystical energy closely linked with the health of the Elves woodland home. By attacking in winter the Elves were at their weakest and it was only thanks to the great and venerable treeman Durthu who roused the native wood spirits that the necromancer was defeated, and not before he caused great swathes of devastation to the forest.
Though he perhaps never knew it, Kemmler's wanderings in the mountains were subtly guided by the spirit of Nagash - part of an evil plan that would free Krell and unite him with the forces of the Undead. Nagash's plans suffered a minor setback following the heavy casualties that the Lichemaster's armies suffered at the Battle of Maisontaal Abbey, but in time they bore rich and terrible fruit.
Ultimately Kemmler was destroyed during the opening months of the End Times. The ancient liche and first servant of Nagash, Arkhan the Black joined forces with Kemmler to retrieve Nagash's staff from the vaults of la Maisontaal. Seeking revenge on those who had frustrated him for so long, Kemmler took part in an assault that saw the abbey destroyed and the last Duke Tancred (the name having become traditionally passed on to each new Duke) slain at Krell's hands. However in the last moments of the battle Kemmler rejected the stale and empty future offered by Nagash in favor of Chaos. Once again demonstrating his loyalty to the Dark Gods he attacked Arkhan to stop him getting the staff. In a titanic magical duel Arkhan eventually proved the stronger and Kemmler was killed.
Offensive: Kemmler is a powerful necromancer, able to use the lores of Death, Undead, and Vampire with ease. After turning to the Ruinous Powers, he could also cast from the Lores of Chaos. He also carried a Chaos Tomb Blade, a magical blade that could cut the ethereal and slice through magical barriers. It was poisonous, and those cut by it quickly perished. The Skull Staff, a potent magical artifact in Kemmler's possession, was a staff topped with skulls that constantly gibbered and cackled maniacally. Holding it boosted Kemmler's powers.
Defense: Magical Barriers, and the Ruinous Powers had enhanced his durability somewhat. He also registered as an undead, and was thus more durable then a mortal.
Special: Cloak of Darkness: A large dark cloak that could carry Kemmler across the veil between worlds, allowing for short range teleportation. He could also envelop others in it, causing them to feel lost and disoriented, cold and afraid, until they popped out the other side somewhere else on the battlefield.
Special: Mount: Flesh Spider: A nightmarish creature formed from various bodies that resembles a large spider. Kemmler rode on its back.
Additional Factors:
-Kemmler does not like taking orders
-Beneath Kemmler's robes, his body was covered with scars, cuts and abrasions from his years of madness.
-Kemmler possess a hatred for Bretonnia that goes well beyond the obsessive. Several times he put himself, Arkhan, and his mission in danger just to get another chance to bloody Bretonnian noses.
Mobility: 6
Training: 6
Max Range: A few meters
Preferred Range: Melee
There are few things more dangerous than a violent lunatic, but one of them is an immortal violent lunatic with the strength and speed of a Vampire. Quite what possessed Vlad to bestow Vampirism on the insane Konrad, rather than simply cutting off his head, will never be known. Perhaps Konrad's complete lack of scruples and his tenuous grasp on reality amused the first of the Vampire Counts. Whilst many Vampires use dark sorcery to summon minions, Konrad does not concern himself with such petty things, instead relying (albeit grudgingly) on Necromancers to raise him an army. Instead he preoccupies himself with butchering as many of his enemies as possible.
Konrad von Carstein succeeded Vlad von Carstein as the second Vampire Count of Sylvania. He is infamous as the most ferocious and bloodthirsty of the von Carstein brood, and was one of the last vampires to be sired by Vlad. Vampirism did little to strengthen Konrad's already tenuous grip on reality. His exploits included burning down entire towns because their smells displeased him, and trying and convicting his own mother for the crime of having given birth to him without his prior permission. He also made a habit of killing many necromancers, as they often made the mistake of mocking Konrad's (admittedly pitiful) magical powers.
Vlad's death in 2051 at the Siege of Altdorf left the leadership of Sylvania vacant and was immediately disputed between Vlad's surviving brood. The chief contenders - his 'brothers' Fritz, Pieter, and Hans - all came to unholy ends. Fritz was killed while attacking Middenheim. Konrad killed Hans in a duel over who was the toughest. Pieter was slain in his coffin by Helmut van Hal, a descendant of the infamous Necromancer Vanhel.
After the killings of his rivals, he assumed power and immediately marched to war against The Empire, wishing to emulate the victories of Vlad. Because he had no talent at sorcery, Konrad changed his tack on necromancers and cajoled, bribed and bullied a large number of necromancers into serving him. The undead horde they raised was so immense it was able to triumph against any force sent against it, despite Konrad's insanity and his ineptitude as a general.
After several attempted invasions of The Empire, Konrad's advance was finally halted at the Battle of Four Armies in 2100 IC by a combined force from Altdorf, Talabheim and Marienburg (the battle is remembered mainly for the fates of the Imperial leadership, all of whom were contenders for the Imperial throne: the Count of Altdorf and the Ottilia of Talabheim ordered each others' assassination in the heat of battle, while Helmut, Count of Marienburg, was slain by Konrad).
However, the undeniable disadvantage of being dead did not stop Helmut contending for the imperial throne and after the battle he journeyed to Altdorf to ascend to the imperial throne. It was only when his extreme lethargy, pallid skin and disgusting odor developed into full decomposition was it revealed that he was actually a zombie under the control of Konrad! The necromancers controlling Helmut fled as soon as they were found out. Konrad's ploy to become emperor may have succeeded if the magic binding Helmut to Konrad's will had been more complex and thus able to sustain Helmut's decomposing body better. It is interesting to note that Mannfred von Carstein did not try to replicate this (fairly cunning; at least for Konrad) ploy. This would have been an easy way to misdirect and inhibit the Empire, allowing him to conquer it with ease.
Konrad was finally defeated in 2121 at the Battle of Grim Moor by an alliance of Dwarfs and The Empire under Elector Count Helmar of Marienburg - the son of Helmut. In the heat of battle, Konrad's necromancers deserted him and his undead horde collapsed without them. Konrad was the battle's last casualty: the Dwarf Thane Grufbad held Konrad down while Helmar of Marienburg beheaded his father's killer with his Runefang and hacked the body to pieces, burning the remains.
Offense: A pair of longswords, combined with his vampiric strength allows Konrad to butcher his foes with ease.
Defense: Heavy Armor, Undead Attributes
Additional Factors:
-Konrad is utterly insane, his mind bouncing back and forth between drooling stupidity and frothing madness.
-Konrad is TERRIBLE with magic. He can barely hold a few skeletons together. He was forced to rely on other Necromancers to raise his armies for him. He's very sensitive about his lack of magic, and tends to behead those who point it out.
-Was such a terrible leader his own generals and necromancers abandoned him.
-Konrad is required to drink blood regularly in order to maintain his strength (his sanity was long gone well before he became a vampire).
-Vampiric Weaknesses: Vampires share some potent weaknesses and though most do not apply universally, all vampires will have at least one or two. They are all weak to the sun, though to varying degrees. Young vampires will die quickly from any exposure, while long lived Vampires are made uncomfortable by its presence. That is why many Vampire armies, when they march, employ sorcerous means to block out the sun. Vampires are similar in that destroying or wounding the heart can at the very least paralyze them (if old and powerful) or kill then instantly if young. The young ones also cannot handle running water and this may kill them if no escape is found quickly. Silver weaponry is said to be far more potent than non at dealing wounds and slows regeneration. Decapitation, as mentioned, is another effective method while burning is a vulnerability to some vampires. Holy Magic however will wound and kill vampires of all degrees and is a universal weakness. Magic in general is a powerful force to use against them.
Mobility: 4
Training: 7
Max Range: Battlefield (Morale, Commanding Presence)
Preferred Range: With his statues
Ramhotep the Visionary was perhaps the greatest Necrotect in history. His craftsmanship was second to none, and it is said that his statues in the Valley of Kings were so lifelike that the kings of Nehekhara believed the gods themselves had returned to the mortal world. He designed the Grand Necropolis of Rasetra, the Monuments of Eternal Death in Zandri, the Monoliths of the Great Plains and many other architectural wonders. However, Ramhotep took credit for not one of these grand monuments, for to do so would have been tantamount to signing his own death warrant.
In ancient Nehekhara, the finest artisans were commissioned to build grand burial tombs and upon completions, they were expected to commit ritual suicide. Ramhotep was aghast at the thought, for it would deny the world the beautiful creations he had yet to make. Thus, Ramhotep would manipulate the more arrogant Necrotects of the age to take his place. Ramhotep posed as an eager student to the renowned Ramakat the Creative, as a pupil to Emrah the Artisan, and as an assistant to a dozen other legendary architects. These great artisans were stricken with blood-lotus addiction shortly afterwards, consumed in a drug-addled stupor as Ramhotep crafted a mask in their image - one so perfect that none could tell the difference. Ramhotep assumed their identities and oversaw the construction of many magnificent monuments. Each time, shortly before the projects completion, he disappeared and a very confused Necrotect was sacrificed and interred within the tomb in Ramhotep's stead. It is said that they protested loudly - but these were dismissed as the ravings of a mad artist.
In life, Ramhotep was consumed by a frenzied compulsion to create and build. No matter how quickly his underlings accomplished their tasks, it was not fast enough for Ramhotep, for there were always more ambitious and grander projects that needed his attention. However, Ramhotep's vision reached past his mortal lifespan, and as he withered in old age, he realized that the only way he could finish his work was if he was granted the honor of mummification. Thus, after several decades of careful anonymity, Ramhotep removed his mask and agreed to build a pyramid that would rival the majesty of the Great Pyramid of Khemri. Thousands of work gangs slaved and died under the desert sun to build the Sepulchre of the Heavens in Quatar, none dared slacken their pace in his presence, for Ramhotep was quick with the lash and would dole out fierce punishments to those who would jeopardize his art. In his final days, before the last cornerstone was heaved into position, Ramhotep fashioned for himself a death mask and prepared himself for his interment. The king of Quatar was mightily pleased with his tomb and rewarded Ramhotep with an exquisite burial ceremony. For countless centuries afterwards, the artisan's corpse rested within his splendid monument.
Few of Ramhotep's works have endured unscathed through the ages. Half his creations lie forgotten beneath the sands, and those that have remained have been battered by centuries of war and eroded by time and sandstorms. Upon awakening from his death sleep, Ramhotep was horrified, and he set about excavating and restoring his marvels at once. Ramhotep's skill in undeath is as great as it was in life, and the statues that receive his attentions are restored to their former majesty, striding into battle as if they were carved only yesterday. He works relentlessly to maintain his masterpieces, and such is the likeness between these effigies and the gods they represent, that the ancient pantheon blessed them and protects them in battle. With this army of walking statues, Ramhotep intends to pull down the cities of those who defiled his work, slay the inhabitants of these uncultured civilizations, and construct his greatest monument to date: A vast mausoleum built from the bones of his foes. Those who stand in his way feel the lash of Ramhotep's whip, and their flesh parts from their bones as the ancient architect vents his frustration and anger.
Offense: A Whip, and Ramhotep is strong enough that each lash can remove entire chunks of flesh from bone.
Defense: Minimal. He's usually at the back with the statues, which will protect him. He is, however, more durable then most undead troops.
Additional Factors:
-Master Artisan: Ramhotep can make the animated constructs of the Tomb Kings much more durable then they would be normally.
-The mummification process has made Ramhotep flammable.
-Ramhotep is in a near constant state of frenzy as he attempts to drive his forces forward and maintain his statues, and punish his enemies.
-The current state of Ramhotep's works has filled him with a deep hatred for those that don't appreciate them.
-Stone Shaper- Animated constructs in the proximity of a Necrotect can heal minor cracks and breaks sustained in battle, making them even more dangerous foes. This has a range of roughly 50m.
-Ramhotep's Revenge: When the Empire army from Reikland invaded Quatar in the Imperial year 2141, they damaged dozens of Ramhotep's works as they looted the city's tombs. This desecration was bad enough, but when the Steam Tank 'Deliverance' smashed through Ramhotep's Terracotta Wall, the Necrotect entered a fit of apoplectic rage, and he swore he would have his revenge. Ramhotep worked for over a century to complete the restoration of his Marble Army, an awe-inspiring host of hundreds of towering constructs. Such was the demented architect's need for vengeance that, in exchange for eight jade Warshinxes, he enlisted the aid of Arkhan the Black, who raised a mighty bridge of bone through dark sorcery to span the Black Mountains. Ramhotep's statuesque army marched across, and the cities of Ubersreik and Grunburg were all destroyed, despite the fact that every soldier to have been involved in the destruction of his precious masterpiece had been dead for at least 170 years.
Sethep the Merciless
Mobility: 6
Training: 8
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
The origins of Sethep are shrouded in mystery. It is thought by Imperial scholars that he was one of the students of W'soran, the father of the Necrarch Vampires. After the death of W'soran, it is recorded in ancient Khemri scripture that his students fled the lands of Khemri and made their way north to the Old World. Sethep was a bitter rival of the infamous Necrarch Vampire Melkhior, and the two spent many centuries trying to destroy each other. The name of Sethep spread fear across the whole of the Old World. He was a ruthless killer and cared nothing for the sanctity of life. Wherever he passed, death would follow. The forests where his ruined tomb lay were eerie in their silence. No living creature dared venture near the Vampire Lord, who saw life as a disease that needed to be extinguished.
Whole villages in the province of Sylvania would be found deserted as Sethep tried to create his world of undeath. A cold and calculating killer, Sethep had one of the most twisted and evil minds that had ever walked the face of the Old World. No mortals who crossed his path were ever allowed to live to tell the tale, which lent him his macabre name Sethep the Merciless.
Offense: A long curved dagger. The Staff of Raukhamon: This staff can be used to invigorate undead within 100 meters of Sethep. He also has enhanced strength due to being a vampire.
Sethep is also a powerful wizard and can use spells from the Lores of the Vampires and Death.
Defense: Magical Barriers & Undead Trait. In addition, all units within 50 meters of Sethep find him difficult to target, as his form fades in and out of the darkness (This effect is caused by his staff).
Additional Factors:
-Vampiric Weaknesses: See Konrad. Sethep definitely counts as an older and more powerful vampire though.
-Sethep is a vampire who must drink blood in order to maintain his strength and sanity.
-Sethep is a master of the dark arts, and is less likely to miscast a spell from his lores, and suffers less backlash damage when he does.
-Sethep carries a burning hatred for all living beings, and his ultimate goal is to see them wiped out.
Dieter Helsnicht - Doom Lord of Middenheim
Mobility: 4 (6 on Manticore)
Training: 8
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
Dieter Helsnicht was once a great and renowned wizard who lived in the Empire city of Middenheim during the time of the Three Emperors. Over the course of his studies Dieter learned of the great Necromancer king Kadon and decided to travel to the lands that he had once ruled in the Border Princes in order to find out more about this enigmatic and evil figure. It was while he was there that Dieter first started to hear rumors of the return of Nagash after his defeat by Sigmar. Dieter, drawn by an irresistible curiosity, continued his journey and traveled to the fortress of Nagashizzar.
What happened to him in that cursed place is not known, but he returned to Middenheim a changed man, his hair turned prematurely grey and his skin tinged with an unhealthy pallor. The Doomlord had been born! Shortly after his return word began to spread of evil practices and vile rituals being performed in the dead of night by Dieter and his followers.
Only too aware of where such things could lead, the High Priest of Ulric gathered a company of Knights and descended on Dieter's dwelling. They arrived just in time, disrupting a magic ritual that would have allowed Dieter to raise the dead buried in Middenheim into a powerful Undead army. Shaking his fist and vowing revenge Dieter fled from the city, swooping away over the heads of the astonished High Priest and Knights atop the back of a monstrous manticore.
Dieter was a man of deep, if twisted, intelligence and had prepared for every eventuality. He had built a secret fortress deep in the Forest of Shadows to which he could escape should his activities be discovered. From this dark and evil place he plotted his revenge and slowly built up his strength. Decades passed, and those who had known Dieter Helsnicht had either died or forgotten him, when rumors started that a dark tide of pestilence and death was spreading through the forest towards the Empire. Bands of Orcs and Beastmen were being driven before it, and travel along the road that joined Middenheim and Erengrad became extremely perilous.
Determined to do something about the problem, Einrich Moltke, the Elector Count of Nordland, mobilized his army. He advanced quickly, easily crushing the scattered Orc and Beastman warbands that opposed him However, when he pushed deeper into the Forest of Shadows, disaster struck! As the army marched along an ancient path beside the Lake of Woes, it was ambushed by a powerful Undead horde. Caught in column of march, with the lake on one flank and the Undead on the other, the army was all but annihilated. Some troops attempted to flee across the lake, but Dieter had cunningly concealed units of Undead in the water, so as the troops tried to swim they were dragged below the surface to a horrible death. At a stroke Dieter had wiped out almost half of the Empire forces that lay between him and Middenheim!
One of the few survivors of the battle was the Elector Count himself. When the ambush was sprung he had been leading a unit of Pistoliers that was scouting ahead of the main army. At the head of this small unit he was able to cut his way out of the ambush and make it back to the small village of Beeckerhoven on the Middenheim to Erengrad road. A small garrison had been left here to guard the army's lines of communication, and now this, along with the few scattered survivors of the ambush, were all that remained of the once mighty Nordland army. Grimly the Count organized his meager forces and prepared for a desperate defense. Messengers were sent galloping to Middenheim and Kislev requesting reinforcements.
Fortunately for the Empire, Dieter did not pursue the Elector Count immediately, delaying his advance so that he could perform the rituals that would allow him to add the dead Nordland troops to his Undead host. Even then he advanced very slowly, dispatching Undead horsemen and Carrion to scout ahead of the main army. By the time that the Undead host arrived at Beeckerhoven, the Elector Count had had several days to prepare, and reinforcements from Kislev and Middenheim were already on their way from the east.
Dieter's caution had not been in vain, however, for he knew exactly what forces he faced in Beeckerhoven, and that reinforcements were on the way. He realized that if the Empire contingents were allowed to concentrate into one force they would outnumber his own Undead army. Rather than allow this to happen he determined to strike quickly and attempt to defeat the separate contingents before they had a chance to combine into one unstoppable force.
To this end Dieter dispatched a small force of Undead horsemen north to stop, or at least slow down, the Kislev reinforcements. There was nothing that he could do to delay the Middenheim reinforcements as the village of Beeckerhoven lay between Dieter and the advancing Middenheim army. Instead he prepared to launch a whirlwind assault on Beeckerhoven. If he could just destroy the Count of Nordland's troops quickly enough he would then be able to turn his entire army against the Middenland reinforcements and crush them as they arrived on the battlefield. It is at the point that Dieter launched his assault on Beeckerhoven.
Dieter's plan almost succeeded. He began the attack by assaulting Beeckerhoven with regiments of Skeletons, Zombies and Ghouls, while keeping his chariots and cavalry in reserve. The attack was well supported by Screaming Skull catapults which poured a deadly accurate fire into the village, quickly silencing the Nordland artillery before it caused any significant damage to the Undead forces. The Undead assault troops crashed into the terribly outnumbered defenders and soon furious battles were raging among the streets and buildings of the village. Slowly but surely the defenders were pushed back. The Count of Nordland lead a desperate counterattack at the head of a regiment of Halberdiers, but he was quickly cut off and surrounded by the victorious Undead forces.
Meanwhile, the Count of Middenland had been force-marching his army so that he would arrive as quickly as possible. Although the Steam Tank accompanying the army blew a gasket and had to be abandoned, the rest of the reinforcements arrived just in time to save the last valiant defenders of Beeckerhoven. Sweeping onto the battlefield the Middenland forces crashed into the flank of the Undead army.
The Nordlanders took new heart and redoubled their efforts, and for a moment it appeared as if the Undead army would be hurled back. It was at this moment that Dieter committed his reserves, charging his cavalry and chariots into the midst of the newly arrived Empire troops. Dieter himself led the charge on the back of his manticore, swooping down to engage the Elector Count of Middenland and the White Wolf Knights in furious hand-to-hand combat. The battle hung in the balance as combat raged all along the line of battle.
At this vital moment the Kislev reinforcements arrived, having wiped out Dieter's small holding force. Wasting no time, the Winged Lancers charged into the rear of the Undead units that were attacking Beeckerhoven, decisively turning the tide against the forces of Undeath. As the attack weakened the Count of Nordland seized the opportunity to cut through the thinning ranks of Undead to attack the Doomlord directly.
When the Count approached, Dieter seized him in a vice-like grip and unleashed a powerful spell which would have blasted the Count's soul were it not for the protective Black Amulet he wore. This magic artifact turned the power of the spell back on its caster, stunning Dieter and leaving him helpless.
The Elector Count lunged at the defenseless figure, and ran Dieter through with his sword. With a terrible cry Dieter slumped in his saddle, and the legions animated by his dark will collapsed. Skeletons fell into piles of bones. Zombies stumbled and fell, decomposing before the eyes of the watchers till they became pools of rot on the ground. Ghouls fled into the deep woods. Silence fell over the battlefield, and then with a terrible creening wail, the Doomlord's manticore rose into the air and soared away, bearing Dieter away on its back. The Doomlord's plans had been thwarted!
The Doomlord survived the battle, although he had suffered wounds that would have slain any normal man. Over the coming centuries he would return to threaten Middenheim many more times. From his secret fortress hidden deep in the Forest of Shadows he remains a threat to the Empire's security to the present day.
Offense: Dieter is a powerful wizard who has mastered the Lores of Vampire and Death.
-Chaos Runesword: This weapon was forged by Grungni Ironheart, a Dwarf Runesmith who was corrupted and led astray by the Chaos Gods. A magical weapon, the runes carved into the blade grant Dieter increased strength, skill, and speed.
-Staff of Flaming Death: The eyes of the Staff of Flaming Death glow bright with magical fire and its jaws clatter and gnash constantly. This staff can fire a skull made of pure… well Fire at Dieter's enemies.
Defense: Magical Barriers, and he's protected by his Manticore and summoned Undead. He's also more durable then a normal human, as he was run through with a sword but still managed to survive (albeit stunned into inaction).
Special: Mount: Manticore
Special: Power Scroll: This scroll is imbued with great magical power which is released when it is read aloud. This scroll will allow Dieter to cast a spell from one of his lores at basic power without having to rely on the winds of magic.
Additional Factors:
-Doom Lord: Dieter has an iron will and can bend even the most powerful creatures to his authority.
-Dieter counts as an Undead unit.
Walach Harkon - Grand Master of the Blood Knights
Mobility: 5 (6 on Nightmare)
Training: 9
Max Range: 300 Meters
Preferred Range: Melee
Walach the Dark Star. Walach the Hated. Few legends are as infamous as that of the Grand Master of the Blood Knights. It was this mighty Vampire Lord that brought the curse of Undeath to one of the greatest Knightly Orders of the Empire, and built a kingdom of terror, where his will was enforced by immortal warriors.
But his life in death was not easy. He lost Mikael, his favorite, during a raid on a Sigmarite temple in Gottenburg. The fortress-monastery of the Order was besieged and razed by Empire troops, and Walach's bride, the Vampire maiden Aurora was slain. Most of the Vampires of his Order were destroyed by the priests of Sigmar or the fanatical Witch Hunters of Relicland and Wissenland. But some survived and are scattered across the Old World. Walach himself disappeared and was believed dead, but the world is not that lucky. The Vampire Lord survived.
Walach is a proud warrior. His word is a bond stronger than steel, and though he looks upon humans as cattle, a man of exceptional prowess and courage may catch the his eye, and such warriors he challenges to single combat. Those that then impress him (and survive) he invites to join the ranks of the Vampire knights. Those that fail to put up a decent fight Walach will slay without mercy. Knights of the Blood Dragon Order are all much like their master: proud, powerful and supremely confident in their martial prowess.
Now it is believed that Walach is the master of the Blood Keep once more, and the armies of the dead are said to gather under his banners. Every hundred years the Blood Knights gather to their Keep to feast, recount their deeds and wars, and renew their oaths of fealty to Walach. One day Walach will lead them once again to war and exact revenge for his defeat: a debt that can only be paid in blood.
Offense: Walach is a minor wizard and can use spells from the Lore of Vampires
The Crimson Blade: This is the sword that Walach used to cut down the true Grand Master of the Order of the Blood Dragons. Its keen edge means red ruin to any who dare oppose him. A magical blade, it always cuts much deeper then you think it will. Even wounds that don't slay outright will still cause unbearable agony. Walach is a master swordsman with countless years training and fighting. His strength far exceeds a normal human's thanks to his vampiric nature.
Defense: Bloody Hauberk: Vile magic has fused the blood of Walach’s victims into this armor’s enchantments, providing a shielding aura made of the souls of the damned. As a vampire he is already much more durable then a normal human.
Special: Mount: Nightmare
Special: Blood Chalice: The chalice contains the life blood of the greatest opponents Walach has slain in battle. Their pure and noble blood is a potent source of power to any Vampire who drinks it. By drinking from it, Walach may be healed of minor wounds suffered earlier in battle. He may suddenly become much faster and stronger. He may also, instead of drinking it, pour the blood over his sword, which bursts into flame.
Special: Blood Dragon Standard: The Order of the Blood Dragon's standard was held by Mikael, second-in command to Walach. After his death the Grand Master has carried the banner himself to remind his knights of the legacy of vengeance. This magical battle standard affects all undead units within 300 meters of it. Those affected gain a powerful hatred for their enemy.
Additional Factors:
-Walach is a vampire, and thus must feed regularly to maintain his strength and sanity.
-Vampiric Weaknesses: See Konrad. Walach definitely counts as an older and more powerful vampire though.
The Dark Knight
Mobility: 4 (5 on mount)
Training: 6
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: Melee
Lord Falk of Castle Reces was once a powerful Knight in the service of the Bretonnian King Louis, until one day in a fit of jealousy he murdered a priestess of the Lady of the Lake. His retainers burned his castle to the ground, but his armor survived, horribly blackened and animated by his ferocious will. Now the Dark Knight is the captain and herald of the Undead Host in the service of the Red Duke, cursed to fight an eternal battle in the ranks of the dead.
Offense: The Ghost Blade: An ancient and deadly weapon, the Ghost Blade passes through all earthly armors, and injuries caused by this cursed blade are slow to heal.
Defense: Heavy Armor & Shield, Undead Attributes
Special: Mount: Skeleton Steed
Special: Unholy Presence: The Dark Knight is much more powerful than most of the Knights that plague the world. He feeds on the essence of the living. If injured, he can drain the life-force from others, rejuvenating himself and causing his victim to disintegrate.
Additional Factors:
-Lord of the Dead: The Dark Knight is the Captain of the Undead host of the Red Duke His mere presence invigorates the Undead warriors.
-Unholy Pride: The Dark Knight is as arrogant and self-confident in death as he was in life. This overwhelming sense of pride plus the fact that he is the champion of the Red Duke means that he will always readily accept any challenge issued to him.
The Banshee
Mobility: 7
Training: 4
Max Range: Hundreds of Meters
Preferred Range: ^^
The Banshee is a powerful Wraith, an evil creature that has plagued the lands of Bretonnia for untold centuries. Her mere presence strikes terror into the hearts of all mortals who dare to face her and her wailing cry brings only death and despair to those who hear it. When the Red Duke rose for the first time, the winds of dark magic lured the Banshee into the service of the Vampire lord.
Offense: Wail of the Banshee: While the wail of a normal Tomb Banshee may be painful, The Banshee's cry is powerful enough to disrupt the winds of magic, making it difficult for enemy magic users to casts spells. She can paralyze people with fright, shatter armor, invigorate the undead, send enemies into a fleeing panic, or cause the living to age and crumble to dust.
Defense: Ethereal & Flight
Additional Factors:
Mobility: 4
Training: 5
Max Range: Several Dozen Meters
Preferred Range: ^^
Renar is a bitter and spiteful man. He is the former court magician of Duke Gilon. After the Duke found out that Renar had dabbled in the Necromantic arts, he was stripped of his tide and banished. Full of vengeance and bile, he sought out the tomb of the Red Duke in the hope of bending the ancient Undead to his will. Instead he unleashed the worst evil that Aquitaine has ever faced. Now he serves the Red Duke and is carrying out a mission for his master.
Offense: Renar is a minor wizard who uses spells from the Lores of Vampire and Death
Defense: Magical barriers and robes, undead attributes
Special: Cursed Book: Renar carries the legendary Cursed Book. This book is the reason why Renar fell from grace and began his study of the dark art of Necromancy. The book radiates an aura of pure evil and dread. All enemies within 10 meters of Renar find it difficult to target Renar with CQC or Ranged attacks.
Additional Factors:
-Constant exposure to the necromantic arts have turned Renar into an undead.
-Renar has a deep hatred of Bretonnia.
Mobility: 6 (7 on Abyssal Terror)
Training: 9
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
The Necrarchs are the most reclusive and incomprehensible of the undying Vampires, and none more so than Melkhior, the oldest of the Necrarchs. Melkhior lives far from human settlements and his secret tower is hidden from view in the great Forest of Shadows by powerful enchantments. In the highest chamber of this tower, the most ancient of Vampires works alone. He is decayed, irredeemably evil, and utterly insane.
Melkhior experiments with the living, trying to find out how they can be made to understand the benefit of joining the Undead and how they could overcome their fear of the dead. Countless men have died in Melkhior's obsessive search, but still the answer he searches for eludes him. Pain, suffering and horror fascinate this mad being. The dungeons and torture chambers of his dark tower are filled with wretched prisoners who undergo indescribable agony to satisfy the curiosity of this insane Vampire Lord.
Melkhior's fortress is a monument to suffering and terror, filled with the results of his insane experiments: Zombies that are half-dead and half-alive, severed heads which scream endlessly in the darkness, limbs that crawl in unlit passageways, and countless other horrors created by Melkhior's dark arts.
Now and then the ancient Vampire leads his Undead servants out of his stronghold to capture new victims for his experiments or to swell the Undead legions that guard him. At such times, armies of Zombies commanded by the twisted acolytes of Melkhior pour from the forest and hunt for the living to bring back to their master.
Normally a Vampire's grasp of necromantic magic is limited by his Undead condition. Melkhior, on the other hand, has almost the same knowledge of the necromantic arts as the most powerful living Necromancers, for he has thousands of years of experience in these matters. He is so suffused with dark magic that he is now more part of the world of the dead than the living and is decomposed to the point where he is a skeletal, reeking horror. His eyes are two pools of darkness that mirror the purest evil in everything they see and an aura of death hangs heavily about him.
In the total darkness of his hellish fortress, the ancient Vampire paints on human skins. He paints terrifying scenes of a world where there are no living, where the dead walk the land and withered, Undead trees blight the bleak landscape. Melkhior claims that he paints visions of the future, glimpses of the time that is to come. Perhaps his visions are true and the known world is doomed to the horrible existence of unlife.
Legends say that the mighty Melkhior has been betrayed and defeated by his best apprentice and is now hidden, sleeping a centuries-long slumber, recovering his energies until he will be ready to return and claim back his rightful position of Master of the Necrarchs.
Offense: Melkhior is a very powerful wizard able to use spells from the Lore of the Vampire.
-Painbringer: Painbringer is the black sword of Melkhior, said to be made from the magical life force of insane men. The mere touch of this blade brings insanity and hideous pain. He is also much stronger then a normal human man.
Defense: Magical Barriers & Undead Traits
Special: Mount: Abyssal Terror
Special: Black Cloak of Lahmia: This cloak is one of the great treasures of Lahmia, the city of the Vampires. Merely looking at the cloak can make eyes bleed and sanity vanish. As you might imagine, this makes it very hard to target Malkhior in battle.
Special: Grimoire Necronium: Written by Melkhior himself, this book is one of the greatest works of necromancy. In its pages are described the blasphemous rites and evil spells that allow wizards to summon and command the dead.
With this book, Melkhior can cast his spells without having to rely on the Winds of Magic, though the spells will have only base power. Melkhior must be careful when using the book however, as there is no way of knowing when the book will run out of power.
Additional Factors:
-Vampiric Weaknesses: See Konrad. Melkhior definitely counts as one of the oldest and most powerful vampire though.
-Melkhior is a vampire and must regularly drink blood in order to maintain his strength and sanity.
-Melhior is a master of the Dark Arts and is less likely to miscast a spell from his lore, and suffers less backlash damage when he does.
 |
| It doesn't say, but I like to imagine a tiny Sehenesmet poking out of the top of the head. |
Mobility: 6
Training: 8
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
Before the curse of Nagash swept across Nehekhara like a plague, the city of Quatar was renowned as the center of worship for the ancient Nehekharan gods. Named the White City, Quatar stood at the entrance to a wide pass across the Worlds Edge Mountains, called the Valley of the Kings. Here great statues stood guard over the pass, and any wishing to travel east or west across the mountains had to travel through Quatar and pay homage at the many temples that filled the city. No king ever reigned in Quatar, instead it was the only city to be ruled by the priesthood, and the head of their order was known as the Vizier.
Now Quatar lies in ruins, brought low by the treachery of Nagash. The once beautiful city is a desolate place, haunted by wailing spirits. As the winds of death unleashed by Nagash swept over the city, the priests and worshipers were infected by a horrid plague that bloated their bodies, burned their skin and choked them to death on their own blood. The streets were littered with the dead until finally nothing truly alive stirred within the high walls. Now Quatar is known as the Palace of Corpses, and only a single creature lives within its boundaries.
He is Sehenesmet, the last and greatest of the Viziers of Quatar, and master of magic and artifice. He alone of the priests survived the onslaught of Nagash and has spent the long millennia since the fall of the old kingdoms rebuilding the might of Quatar. Since the priests did not have whole armies entombed with them when they died, as the Tomb Kings did, there are few soldiers for Sehenesmet to command. Instead, he has constructed a vast legion of Ushabti, Bone Giants and Tomb Scorpions to serve him. With this unnatural force he continues to guard the passage across the mountains, long since renamed the Charnel Valley.
Now at the pinnacle of his power, Sehenesmet has perfected his arcane art and melded his own body with that of a Bone Giant. He strides the world on massive legs, and unbelievable strength flows through his immortal body. Combined with his powerful incantations, there are few who can stand against the ancient Vizier and live to tell the tale.
Offense: Sehenesmet is a powerful wizard who uses spells from the Lore of Nehekhara
His Bone Giant Body has incredible strength, and wields a giant scimitar appropriate for its size.
Defense: Magical Shields, and a mild magical resistance (which he can confer to other Tomb Kings near him). He also wears heavy Nehekharan armor.
His Bone Giant Body is enchanted bone, able to take repeated shots from powerful artillery and not slow down. If his body does take damage, Sehenesmet can channel magic into the wounded area and begin healing it.
Special: The Sacred Crook of Shapesh: Sehenesmet took all of the religious symbols and statues from the great temple of Shapesh, god of the underworld, and melted them down to make this staff. It is shaped in the image of the crook Shapesh uses to herd the souls of the dead to their resting places and holds the power of life and death. Just holding it doubles the range of Sehenesmet's spells. Also any wound dealt by the Crook in CQC is 'remembered' by it, and stored inside of it. At any point, Sehenesmet may unleash those stored injuries as a magical missile with a maximum range of up to a kilometer. This blast bypasses all earthly armor and cannot be magically dispelled. A unit struck by this blast will be afflicted with all the wounds previously dealt by the Crook all at once. Once unleashed, the number of wounds stored in the Crook resets, and the blast cannot be fired again until more injuries are dealt with it.
Additional Factors:
-Sehenesmet is a master of animating and controlling large numbers of Nehekharan constructs, from Ushabti to Bone Giants and everything in between.
Mobility: 4
Training: 8
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
Khatep is the Grand Hierophant of Khemri, the head of the Mortuary Cult's hieratic council, and he alone knows all its secrets and unwritten lore. Khatep is the oldest and wisest of all the Liche Priests and the first member of their truely deny death's embrace, if not the ravages of time. He is ancient beyond memory, cadaverous and hunched over as if he carries the weight of epochs upon his shoulders.
Following the casting of Nagash's Great Ritual, civil war threatened to destroy Nehekhara. Khatep therefore took it upon himself to restore order. He broke the magical seals of the Grand Pyramid of Khemri and awoke the greatest of the Tomb Kings - Settra. At the end of the mighty incantation Settra arose and smote any who opposed him. Before long all bowed their heads to Settra, and though he once more sat upon the throne of Khemri, his wrath was great. Settra was angry foremost with the Mortuary Cult, believing they had whispered lies about the extent of their powers. In his fury, he exiled Khatep from Khemri and forbade him to set foot within any of the great cities until such time as he could fulfill the Mortuary Cult's ancient promise and reinstate the golden age of Nehkhara. Thus, Khatep wanders the desert in search of scrolls, inscriptions and relics of power that he believes will restore his beloved kingdom to its former glory.
Khatep roams the Land of the Dead to this day, lending his aid to the Tomb Kings when he can. When King Dhekesh of Mahrak battled with the Lizardmen of the south, their ferocity proved too great for his skeletal legions. As reptilian soldiers smashed through ranks of Skeletons, and towering war-statues were hewn by powerful magics, Mahrak stood on the brink of destruction. Then, through a whirling cloud of dust, a single figure appeared and he intoned a single word that silenced the sorceries of his enemy. This stooped being then raised his copper staff, and across the battlefield the broken bones of thousands of fallen skeletons were whole again. The Lizardmen found themselves surrounded and outnumbered, and the sands were soon awash with their blood. Before King Dhekesh could greet the mysterious stranger, he had vanished into the dust-storm. This and a hundred other such tales have been attributed to Grant Hierophant Khatep, the Liche Lord of Khemri.
Offense: Khatep is an incredibly powerful wizard who uses spells from the Lore of Nehekhara.
The Liche Staff: This ancient copper staff is inscribed with the names of all the gods and goddesses of Nehekhara and it grants Khatep mastery of their magical power. This allows him to recast all spells, allowing him to better prevent a miscast.
Defense: Magical Barriers, Undead Attributes
Special: Scroll of the Cursing Word: This scroll curses those who utter vile sorceries, filling their mouths with dung beetles or replacing the air in their lungs with sand. When an enemy casts a spell, Khatep can read from this scroll instead of attempting to dispel it. The caster must take a test of toughness, fortifying their mind and body against the assault on them. If they fail, the spell is not cast, and the Wizard cannot cast any more spells for a while, as they spit out a mouthful of foul-tasting insects. If they really botch the test, they die, as their lungs fill with sand. This scroll can only be used once.
Additional Factors:
-Grand Hierophant of Khemri: Hierophant is the title used to describe the army's highest ranking Liche Priest. The army's Hierophant is responsible for awakening the Tomb King's legions from their ancient slumber. Without his magic, the spirits of these warriors will be dragged back to the realm of souls. Khatep, in the city of Khemri, would be the leader of all other Hierophants. In battle, most Hierophants will defer to Khatep's leadership.
-As a result of the mummification process, he is flammable.
Mobility: 4
Training: 8
Max Range: Melee
Preferred Range: By Settra's side
Nekaph is Settra's chosen herald, his personal champion and most trusted servant, loyal unto death and beyond into the next life. When Settra left the mortal realm, Nekaph was the first to commit suicide, and his body was entombed beside his lord. When Settra the Imperishable awoke from his centuries of slumber, Nekaph's mummified form was already standing by, prepared to fulfill his king's indomitable will and smite his enemies once more.
The Herald Nekaph was not born of noble birth. Indeed, it was whispered that he was not even born of Nehekharan blood and that his parents were from the uncivilized tribes to the north of the Great Land. Thus, as Nekaph grew into a man and joined the legions of Khemri's army, he was considered by all to be little more than an uncouth barbarian. Despite his heritage, however, Nekaph's strength, feats of skill and unswerving loyalty to his king were unsurpassed. Nekaph distinguished himself in battle time and again, and before his eighteenth year he was inducted into the prestigious ranks of the elite Tomb Guard. Within two years, Nekaph had risen to command Settra's royal guard, and soon after he was appointed as his personal herald, for there was no more incorruptible a warrior in all of Nehekhara. As a mark of Settra's trust in his chosen champion, Nekaph was gifted with the Flail of Skulls - an unmistakable symbol of Settra's power and a weapon that the ruler of Khemri himself once wielded on the field of battle.
Nekaph was a formidable man in life, renowned for his powerful physique and uncompromising sense of duty. Even unarmed, Nekaph was deadly, and he could cave in the skulls of his opponent's with a single blow of his fist. Though he slew many enemies at the behest of Settra, it was only when he fought duels on behalf of his king that the Herald Nekaph's true warrior potential was reached, for he would fight all the harder knowing that the honor of his lord was at stake - something far more important than his own life. Nekaph would deflect the blows of his opponent with consummate skill before delivering a fatal blow of his own. Nekaph was not only a mighty warrior, he was also possessed of a great intelligence. This is an essential quality in any Tomb Herald, for they must be able to remember their lord's many and elaborate titles. Indeed, such was Settra's power and achievements that reciting his entire list of titles took Nekaph almost two hours.
Nekaph rides from city to city, as he did in life, at the head of one of Settra's eternal legions. When they arrived at the enemy's gates, Nekaph halts and demands an audience with the city's rulers. When the cowering leader come forth, the Emissary of Settra addresses them and offers them a single chance to surrender. Though his jaw does not move, and no discernible sound ushers from his lipless mouth, Nekaph's trembling foes hear a deep voice in their heads. Rulers of nations quake with fear as Nekaph demands their fealty, and they realize that their doom as arrived. Those that refuse to kneel before the might of Settra, or those that foolishly choose to attack Nekaph's assembled legion, must face the unbridled wrath of Khemri. Leading from the front, Nekaph advances towards his foes, smashing them asunder with every blow of the Flail of Skulls. As the bodies of the enemy stack up and the Undead legions continue their implacable advance, the defenders realize the futility of their resistance - but the Herald Nekaph shows no mercy. The time for surrender has long since passed, for once battle has been joined no parley can be entered into. Defiance is met only with death and, at the battle's end, the skull of another conquered king will hang from Nekaph's magical flail.
Offense: Any weapon he desires, or his lord finds fitting, but most commonly he uses the Flail of Skulls: This flail, is made from the gilded skulls of conquered kings, whose skulls bite into their victims. This magical weapons requires two hands to wield properly. Even without it, Nekaph is so strong he can smash a man's skull with a single hand.
Defense: Heavy Armor
Additional Factors:
-Settra's Champion: If able, Nekaph will always issue and accept challenges presented to him.
-Herald of Despair: Such is Nekaph's presence and reputation that those who come to battle with him find themselves faced with true fear. They will need to rally themselves, or else be reduced to a panicking wreck.
-Settra's bodyguard: He is utterly loyal, and will not leave his master's side unless ordered to by him. Even then, it is reluctant.
-Flammable: As a result of the mummification process, Nekaph is flammable.
Zacharias the Everliving
Mobility: 6 (7 on Dragon)
Training: 9
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Battlefield
Little is known of the life of Zacharias before he succumbed to the lure of the necromantic arts. He studied under the tutelage of Dieter Helsnicht and it is probably due to this great Necromancer's influence that Zacharias was able to discover the location of the hidden tower of the Necrarch lord, Melkhior. His intentions were to sneak into the tower's crypt and steal away the Book of Nagash which Melkhior had acquired during his many years of unholy afterlife. As he crept into the tower grounds, Zacharias was caught by the minions of Melkhior. That night, rather than killing the over-inquisitive Necromancer, Melkhior gave him the Kiss of the Vampire and decided to take him on as a pupil.
At first Zacharias was horrified by his new vampiric form and swore revenge on the Necrach Lord. Over the following years, though, he began to embrace the power which Melkhior had bestowed upon him. Each night the two would rise and Melkhior would warn Zacharias that he grew bored of his company and that he would probably kill him before dawn. But Zacharias was a keen pupil and would constantly surprise Melkhior with his capacity to learn. Melkhior taught his acolyte everything he knew, but never let Zacharias near his precious Book of Nagash.
Melkhior would often fall into fits of insanity, killing his living servants and drinking their blood in a great feast of flesh. Zacharias was wise and always avoided his master's wrath. It was during one of these occasions that Zacharias boldly crept into Melkhior's chamber. There on a great plinth was the unholy tome. Unfortunately for Zacharias, Melkhior returned to his chamber whilst his pupil was still reading and a great fight ensued. Invigorated by the blood of his dead slaves, Melkhior was too powerful for Zacharias, who barely escaped with his life. Deeply wounded he fled into the Middle Mountains. For the following year Zacharias was pursued by the minions of Melkhior. From one cave refuge to the next he would flee, tired and severely emaciated from lack of blood; he would no sooner find a suitably secluded hiding place then his location would be discovered. Finally he stumbled into a large, dark cavern where he found a small niche deep inside, and there he fell into a sound slumber. Totally exhausted from the fight with Melkhior and the constant pursuit of Melkhior's dark servants, Zacharias' rest was to last for over a decade.
During this time a Black Dragon also discovered the cave. Unaware of the Undead abomination which slept within, she made her nest there, and, as do all Dragons, gathered a small mound of treasure around her. When Zacharias awoke, his thirst was great and the sleeping Dragon was a perfect source of nourishment. Finding soft exposed flesh on the Dragon's underside he bit deep into the slumbering monster. The blood of the great beast flowed through the veins of Zacharias, empowering him with untold strength. Such is the might of a Vampire that even a Dragon is unable to wake from its deathly bite. Over the following month Zacharias drank from the great beast, draining it clean of blood.
Legends say that drinking the blood of a Dragon frees Vampires from their need for blood for the rest of their eternal life. If that is true, then who knows what other powers were bestowed upon Zacharias by the blood of the great wyrm. Using the dark necromantic powers he had learnt from Melkhior he raised the Dragon from death and flew on its back to Melkhior's hidden keep, where he fought a great battle with his master. It is said that so powerful were the magic forces unleashed that the tower was all but destroyed. When the dust and debris cleared Zacharias was the victor.
Of Melkhior no one knows of his fate; some say he was slain by Zacharias, who drank his blood to gain further powers. Others believe that Melkhior is in hiding, licking his wounds whilst plotting revenge on his former pupil. Whatever Melkhior's fate, Zacharias claimed all of the magical wealth that his master had acquired and hoarded over his long rule of terror, including the powerful Book of Nagash. Zacharias now rules over the Forest of Shadows where both the Orcs of the mountains and the people of the forest live in equal fear of the vengeance of Zacharias the Everliving.
Offense: Zacharias is a powerful wizard, capable of using spells from any of the 8 Basic Lores (save the Lore of Life), and the Lore of Vampires. As a vampire he is much stronger then a mortal man.
Staff of Kaphamon: An ancient artifact found by the nomads of Araby under the sands of the Great Desert. This triples the range of all of Zacharias' spells.
As a vampire, he is much stronger than a mortal man, though he is not given to CQC, preferring to throw spells rather then punches.
Defense: Magical Barriers, and Undead Attributes
Scrolls of Semhtep: The long formulas written in these arcane papyri trigger powerful counter spells. Zacharias can use these to halt and dispel enemy magic.
Circlet of Rathek: The jewel in the center of this unholy object has the power of invoking on the bearer the protection of the gods of lost Nehekhara. Using it makes Zacharias practically immune to magical attacks save to other godly magics.
Special: Mount: Zombie Dragon
Special: Book of Nagash: One of the Nine Books of Nagash, which contain the ultimate secrets of Necromancy. With this book, Zacharias can double the power of spells cast from the Lores of Death and Vampire.
Additional Factors:
-As he has supped from the blood of a dragon (a Great Wyrm no less) he no longer has need to drink blood in order to maintain his strength and mental faculties.
-Zacharias is a master of magic and very rarely miscasts. He is also a fountain of forbidden lore, with knowledge of dark secrets and spells that few beings, living or dead, know of.
-Zacharias hates Melkhior (the feeling is mutual), and would likely try to kill him if he found him alive.
Mobility: 6
Training: 9
Max Range: Battlefield
Preferred Range: Melee
"SETTRA DOES NOT SERVE! SETTRA RULES!"
Settra the Imperishable was a king of Khemri. Born in a time when Nehekhara was plagued by drought, famine, disease and war he was determined to lead his people to greatness. He was an arrogant, vain and tyrannical ruler, but also especially devout and instigated the building of many great temples so as to earn the favour of the gods. On the first anniversary of his coronation he beseeched the gods to restore Khemri to it's former glory and to give him the strength to unite all of Nehekhara under his rule. He sacrificed his own children in a grand ritual to demonstrate his dedication, commitment and worth. The gods were pleased and when the Great Mortis River flooded for the first time in decades Khemri was purged of it's sickness and collected a harvest of unparalleled size. Seeing this as evidence that he was the chosen of the gods Settra became the first Priest King of Nehekhara.
Between the great legions of Khemri and Settra's own ruthless military genius he swiftly conquered the other cities and became the first king to unite all of Nehekhara under his rule. He established an empire and instated various leaders in other cities to provide tribute. As the undisputed king of both Khemri and Nekhara as a whole he was adored by his people as the land entered a golden age. Still not content, his armies set sail in mighty war fleets and conquered lands across the globe, with much treasure and slaves brought back to labour on the great monuments that Settra commanded built to glory both the gods and himself.
For all his conquests, he was still frustrated. He knew that there were still lands out there to claim, more than could ever be reached in a single lifetime and also that one day death would take away from him all he had created. In his supreme arrogance he vowed that the grave would never have him, and that he would cheat death. He set his greatest, wisest and most powerful priests on the mission to find a way to achieve this. This group would become the Mortuary Cult a priesthood dedicated, not to any god, but rather to discover the path to life eternal.
The priests searched for years and discovered many incredible things, including the art of mummification, but could not find what Settra sought. He lived far beyond any mortal span thanks to their arts, but he could not be kept alive indefinitely. On his death bed, the priests promised that one day he would return and rule over another golden age, a paradise. He died with a curse on his lips and his body was interred in a great pyramid of unsurpassed majesty and bound with the mightiest incantations of power and preservation the cult knew, until his appointed day of awakening. He was succeeded by King Ahtaf I.
Centuries later the Usurper King Nagash cast a great ritual over the entire of Nehekhara, causing countless dead to rise from their graves bound to his will. However, with the Great Necromancer's assassination at the hands of Alcadizaar they were left with no guiding force. Interestingly the hundreds of risen Priest Kings found they had been brought back with their minds, memories and willpower intact - though without the golden bodies and a paradise to rule they had been promised. Immediately they went to war with each other, various dynasties and even families battling for control of their tomb cities. Desperate to stop these Tomb Kings from finishing the work Nagash started Khatep, Grand Hierophant of the Mortuary Cult and oldest, wisest and most poweful of their kind breeched the tomb of Settra so he could restore order.
In death Settra was no less mighty than in life and he quickly dominated or destroyed all who would challenge his absolute authority. Even the so-called Liche King Arkhan the Black was forced to flee before him. After taking control he summoned his priests to explain what had happened. Hearing the tale of Nagash and the failure of his cult to deliver on their promises of an eternal golden age Settra cast his priests away, knowing that they had lied to him and kept most of their powers to, and for, themselves. Khatep in particular was exiled from Khemri and Settra's presence - on pain of his ultimate destruction. Settra vowed to restore his empire to it's former glory and create the paradise on earth he so desired himself. He called this his Reign of a Million Years.
Settra ordered many Tomb Kings to return to their chambers and await the call to return to life, for they would only create unrest and disturb the peace. He commanded that contact with the living be forbidden (unless he commanded it himself of course) and thereafter the Tomb Kings mostly only rode to war in their own defense or to reclaim relics stolen by treasure hunters from around the world.
As well as marching to war against the regular dangers of marauding greenskins, greedy treasure hunters and crusading templars, one of the greatest threats to Nehekhara was the return of Nagash. 1,111 years after his assassination by Alcadizaar Nagash returned to the land of the living, seeking to reclaim his throne in Khemri - in particular Nagash sought his Black Pyramid which dominated the Khemri necropolis. The Tomb Kings immediately followed Settra in his campaign against the Usurper. Leading the united strength of Nehekhara against the foe that brought low his mighty empire Settra defeated Nagash and drove him back north to his fortress of Nagashizzar.
Nagash's vizar, Arkhan however was a different story. Returning to Nehekhara, the Liche King reclaimed his Black Tower and used it as a power-base to establish himself in the Land of the Dead. His repeated raids and incursions, while not a major threat, soon became more than just a mere nuisance. Repeatedly Settra would be forced to do battle with Arkhan and whilst he had a vastly superior sense of strategy and better troops at his command their battles always resulted in a stalemate as he could never hope to match the great necromantic power of Nagash's first and most loyal follower. So Arkhan would submit to Settra's authority and swear fealty before once again defying him just a few short years later. This stalemate might have been broken had the other Tomb Kings assisted but most considered Arkhan a valuable, if untrustworthy, ally.
Eventually Settra felt that his restoration project was complete and once again set his sights on the lands beyond his own. He declared an age of expansion and massed the armies to expand Nehekhara beyond its previous boundaries and make the name of Settra once again feared across the world. This however never came to be.
Before Settra could begin his expansion, he discovered that Nagash had once again returned. The forces he was going to use to spread his rule were instead mobilized to defend Nehekhara. He commissioned all the best troops from various cities to defend Khemri, knowing Nagash would seek his Black Pyramid, and ordered Nehekhara's best architect, Rahmotep, to build mighty walls around the city. The forces of Nagash did indeed invade Nehekhara with Khemri and his pryamid was his final goal, though there was no sign of the Great Necromancer himself. During the final battle for Khemri, Khatep broke his exile to tell Settra about the Destroyer of Eternities, a weapon that may be able to permanently stop Nagash. Settra listened then executed him for breaking his exile. He didn't find the blade in its place, as unknown to him Apophas stole it (at the behest of a Skaven assassin) to kill Nagash and claim his soul for Usirian, god of the underworld. He later fought Arkhan in 1-1 combat and bisected him. The halves were taken to the priests who could stop Arkhan from being reanimated, but one of them was a traitor who stopped the others, and Arkhan's capture was revealed to be a plan to smuggle Nagash into Khemri without having confront the army at the gates. From inside the city Nagash was able to enter the Nehekharan underworld where he battled and consumed Usirian, finally restoring himself to his fullest power.
Settra and his forces were on the verge of defeating Nagash's armies when Nagash revealed himself. Nagash, now a true god of death, was far too strong for Settra's armies who were obliterated by his dark magics. Settra alone was left to face the Usurper but without the blessings of Usirian to protect him was swiftly overpowered. Nagash gave honor to Settra and offered him a place as one of his Mortarchs, to which Settra replied; "SETTRA DOES NOT SERVE... SETTRA RULES!" Nagash responded to this arrogance by dismembering Settra before leaving his head half buried in the sand, helpless to do anything but watch as Nagash's forces razed Khemri to the ground.
After an unknown amount of time Settra was offered the chance for revenge by the Chaos Gods. He was restored in exchange for agreeing to slay Nagash in their name. To this end he traveled north and joined the armies of Archaon at Middenheim. He earnt his place by defeating Kholek Suneater in a battle that lasted four days and flattened much of the forest surround Middenheim. When the united forces of the incarnates attacked Middenheim to try to stop Archaon from destroying the world Settra confronted Nagash during the final battle. He pointed his khopesh at Nagash, and called him a usurper before leaping towards him. Infact instead of attacking Nagash Settra beheaded a Chaos daemon that was about to attack Nagash from behind. He explained to Nagash that, "NOBODY COMMANDS SETTRA." He told Nagash he would claim his skull eventually, but only after killing the Chaos Gods for daring to offer him immortality and the chance to conquer all realities in exchange for servitude. He then charged into battle against the Chaos armies by himself. He was last seen battling the endless hordes of Chaos as the world was consumed.
Offense: Settra is a minor wizard, able to use the weakest spells of the Lore of Nehekhara.
The Blessed Blade of Ptra: This revered weapon has been blessed by the sun god, Ptra. The blade's white-hot edge, infused with the heat of the desert sun, sets the air itself ablaze, and glows so brightly that it blinds Settra's foes.
The Chariot of the Gods: This mighty chariot carries with it the blessings of all the gods and goddesses of Nehekhara, and its wheels blaze with mystical flame. A scythed chariot drawn by four skeletal steeds, all attacks from this chariot (from being run over to being cut by the wheels) are magical.
Defense: Magical Barriers, Heavy Armor, Bodyguards
The Scarab Brooch of Usirian: Made in the image of a skull-carapaced khepra beetle, this talisman surrounds the wearer with the protective energies of Usirian, god of the Underworld. Thus, Settra is defended against all but the most powerful magical attacks.
Special: The Crown of Nehkhara: Incorporating several crowns into one, this regal headdress allows Settra to instill his unyielding will into all those nearby.
Additional Factors:
-The Curse: As with all nobles of Nehekhara, if Settra IS killed, an ancient curse will make sure his killer does not long outlive him. At the moment of Settra's death, the killer will be consumed by a swarm of locusts, or else have their blood turned to sand.
-The mummification process has made Settra flammable.
-Settra's will is absolute, none would dare defy him.
-Settra bows to no one, man or god.
-Incredibly arrogant.
No comments:
Post a Comment