Does your army/general have a back story?

[Thanatos Ares]

As the title suggests, does your army/general have a back story? Is it a long and glorious story full of valour and glory? Or something a little more sinister? 

 

if so I’d love to hear it! Please post here!

 

mine is as follows:

 

Harkon wiped the sweat from his brow, the humidity in this accursed desert was stifling. Nearly a dozen of his warband had collapsed. They had been left to die of course, only the strong survived. They had been traveling through the brass hills enroute to a meeting with a rival warlord when suddenly a realm gate appeared, open and unguarded in front of them. Seizing an opportunity to further his own standing in the sight of his master the dread Grand Marshall himself, Harkon had managed to get his sorcerers to inscribe magical runes upon the structure of the realm gate. It would be hidden from sight to all except those loyal to him.

 

That decision had seemed like a foolish one now, 2 weeks march through a desert with no land marks in sight, no shade from the oppressive red sun. 

 

Suddenly Harkon froze, he could sense a presence. 

"Blood Bound to the fore" he muttered, and the gore soaked warriors of Khorne stamped forward. 

"Tsar-lar take your disc and your chosen of the great magician and scout wide to our left" 

"As you wish" came the reply

 

A voice whispered in Harkons ear

"There can be no victory here, the dead are claimed by another, you cannot win"

 

Harkon spun around his heavy blade swung in a decapitating arc. He braced for an impact that didn't arrive and nearly lost his footing. He staggered momentarily and looked down.

 

"The desert is made of bones" he whispered to himself. How had he not seen this before he wondered? He shook himself out of his reflection. 

 

They stayed in battle ready formation for almost 4 hours and nothing. Harkon was just about to issue the order to March when Tsar-lar appeared looking battle scarred. 

"Report?" Commanded Harkon

"The dead are claimed by another" was all Tsar-lar managed before collapsing to the ground. 

 

It was then that Harkon saw them, in the distance he could make out a group of Knights, motionless. 

He looked back to Tsar-lars body and saw a skull winged motif carved into his forehead. 

 

"You will pay in blood for this sacrilege" Harkon bellowed at the distant Knights.

 

"You will die" came the rasping reply

 

Almost instantly there was a legion of undead warriors surrounding his position. Perfectly motionless, rank upon rank of immobile warriors, the rusty weapons and pockmarked armour barely looked worth carrying. 

 

Harkon had fought the undead countless times before, the skeletons arrayed against him would crumble beneath his warbands swords. He needed to find the undead lord that commanded them.

 

As if he was reading his very thoughts the vampire appeared.

"I am Mes'en Dracul Senef" it said then nodded it's head and raised its sword in salute to Harkon.

 

The combat had initially been heavily in Harkons warbands favour but the endless ranks of skeletons were slowly taking their toll. Suddenly the ranks of Skeletons parted and a unit of Knights could be seen charging. Harkon screamed at his personal guard to about face. The Knights charge hit home like a blow from Khorne himself. Harkons personal guard were decimated yet none of the undead Knights approached him, they just bared their fangs and sneered. A shadow formed over head, which despite himself, Harkon found unnerving. He looked up and saw the remains of a dragon flying awkwardly down towards him.

 

Harkon screamed his praise to the dark gods and charged before the monster had landed. The monster was powerful and resisted his attacks. Suddenly a lance struck Harkon in the throat and he collapsed, chocking on his own blood.

"The dead belong to another" came the words as Mes'en dismounted. "The dark gods have no power here, and your soul belongs to Nagash now" Mes'en smiled as he watched the life blood drain away from the chaos champion. "Your body, however, now belongs to me"

Harkon tried to scream but death had come for him

 

===========================

 

Mes'en Dracul Senef had been born into a noble family in one of the city states once ruled by Settra the great. When the great King had marched upon Nagash he had fought as all soldiers loyal to the throne must do, their duty. During these trying times Mes'en had commanded a Demi legion of his own and had won great renown. Yet a single battle would change his life forever. He had been issued orders to take his warriors to blunt an attack from one of Nagashs generals. Now he had heard rumours of these 'once men' and their supposed fantastical abilities but had never faced one in battle before. 

During the battle he had managed to fight his way towards the opposing general, a 'once man' of terrible power and ability. Mes'en was a skilled warrior but was no match for the immortal undead. Yet the vampire saw something in Mes'en and during the fighting time seemed to slow and Mes'en was given a simple choice: die here and now or join us and live forever. Mes'en didn't hesitate "I wish to live forever" 

"Very well, I am Aborash and hence forth you shall obey my will" the warrior whispered then bared his fangs and bit

 

Years later Mes'en had vowed to emulate his sires feats of martial prowess and had bested a dragon and cured himself of the thirst. He hadn't ignored his innate control of the necromantic arts and could summon and maintain a legion of warriors with very little effort. 

 

His memory of those ancient days was crystal clear despite the aeons of time that had passed. 

 

Yet there were 3 things that fuelled him, 3 things that would sustain him in his eternal undeath.

 

The first was his shame at fleeing when the great necromancer had requested their aid

 

The second was his shame that Walach, his friend, had fallen to Khorne during the cataclysmic events that had destroyed the world that was

 

And the third was the forgiveness he had had to earn from Nagash himself after he had been summoned to an audience with the great necromancer.

 

"Forgiveness" he smiled to himself.

He had become to full of pride, he had failed Nagash and the price of failure was terrible indeed. Nagash has summoned Mes'en and had stripped away his immortality and his enhanced abilities. 

"You are to live a mortal life time as penance for your failure. If you die then you die. To regain my favour you must complete these 2 tasks. 

1) Being from the bloodline of Aborash you must defeat a dragon in combat, and

 

2) you must sacrifice a champion of each of the races from across the 9 realms to me.

 

Then and only then shall you regain my favour"

 

Mes'en burst into laughter. He had learnt his lessons well, his arrogance and pride had been painfully torn from him.

 

He now served Nagash completely

 

He was now fulfilled, purpose driven and had aeons of battle experience. He despised the schemes of his brothers. All he needed was to serve Nagash, all he needed was to remember one thing

 

"The dead belong to another

[BunkhouseBuster]

Absolutely.  I haven't got anything beyond a synopsis written up, but I have one.  I plan on getting it written up sometime in the coming weeks, depending on how things go at home.

[ledha]

I could post my several pages backstory for all my generals, so here's the quick resume of one, cause i don't want to write a story and give you a letdown after the one writed by Thanatos.

Plus i'm not english, and my writing is terrible.

My Khorne general is a lord of khorne on juggernaut, that i play with a khornate varanguard mini. His name is Travant. Gorelord Travant.

Before, he was the eldest son of the emperor of a mighty empire, relishing himself in the art of battle, war, and physical proess, leading the armies of the empire against their foes, and specifically the zephyrite empire,  a old, much powerful ennemy.  Extremely arrogant and quite  agressive, he was still admired because of his valors : courage, strenght, determination, and endless devotion to his people, able to save several time the empire against the zephyrites.

When his little brother, ill, quite a coward, but a very good politician and a very good administrator was choosed as the head of the empire, Travant became mad of jealousy, but decided to shut his mouth, understanding the logic behind this coronation. When his brother married the empress of the zephyrite empire as an alliance of peace and interest, unificating the two empire, Travant started a civil war against his brother and the zephyrites, absolutely devastated by this "treason" who made all his decades of efforts and battle meaningless.  Ridiculously outnumbered and out-equiped, he and his partisans, and his praetorian guard, the Blood Martyr, were still able to fight during several years on a tie, until they were on the brink of the defeat. Recklessly, Travant found a way to infiltrate in the ennemy capital, trying with his last forces to strike his brother. Able to slaughter his way in the imperial palace, he finally stayed alone vs many. But he still refused to surrender, prefering to die in a last battle. His umpteeth act of bravor, the dead of his 888th ennemy, made him and his armies blessed by Khorne himself and their deamon.

With this newfound help, Travant and his Blood Martyr won the civil war, then came to the Zephyrite Empire and razed it to the foundation.

Now, the ambitious Gorelord Travant is running his own empire. A huge, extremely fortified and codly organized  and disciplined war machine, with dozen of imposing fortress and dreadhold serving as cities, huge roads for helping his armies to maneuver, huge warforges giving his soldiers a equipment approprieted for such mighty warriors, and hundred of khorne temples (Gorechosen arenas).  Canalyzing the rage of his followers and himself not for blind and useless bloodsheld, but with a purpose much greater than this : Expanding it further and further, for, at the end, creating a empire even more powerful and eternal than everything that previously existed.

[shinros]

Here is mine doing a story for my death army planning for it to be quite longer posting the first chapter. Made a separate topic for it in the death section. Link for people who want to read further.

 

Me being bored and waiting for a death release I stared at my death army and decided to write a story for them. Don't know if people here frequent dakka I wrote a story for my 40k emperor's children army(first time ever writing a story as well). A mate told me I should start writing considering how much I like reading and making up stories. 

So yeah apologies for the grammar and all that. >_< Plus I think we don't have a fan fiction section.

Chapter 1

He is roughly being dragged by a chain attached to a manacle around his neck. He is underground he is tired hungry he wanted food but where ever this creature is taking him he knew that he most likely would have no need for food again. His death is coming, his end is coming. Behind him a deathmage or in other words a necromancer walked. He is to blame his people kidnapped him from the slave house. He kept his eyes cast low even looking at it's back filled him with utter terror he just saw the small torn ends of it's crimson red cape. 

The pace they were going he could tell they were in a hurry they finally reached a room. He finally looked up to see a large Obsidian throne. The throne is stained with dried blood. The creature turned and smiled showing it's fangs "Well how about we get started then?" 

Edric rubbed his hands he hated this place yet since the Realm gate wars ended and the cities started being established and many more cities are in the planning stages. The various free guilds are in demand. Some are contracted and funded by the church of sigmar or even by powerful noble houses who wish to reclaim old lands. His freeguild the Claws of Sigmar is one of the many city funded free guilds. They came from Hammerhal Aqsha. 

Edric looked at his hands again his dark skin does not seem effected by the sign of frostbite. He rubbed his hands again he looked them over he could still feel the frostbite setting in or it felt like it or perhaps it's just because of the foul realm. Edric looked to his shield and spear rested on a nearby rock, he cursed it's hard to maintain watch as people got to work setting up the outpost. He should be standing tall and firm as is demanded by the Claws of Sigmar. 

Edric reached for his spear and shield. He stood in the correct position, since he does not want to be spotted by Sergeant Baldwin. Even if they are friends he would get an earful if he is not alert. 

Edric stood in place for a few more minutes he looked at his hand gripping the spear his hand is shaking. The need to rub them together is coming back the thought died as his Sergeant stood next to him. He had fair skin and no hair. What made him stand out is his brown moustache. It had grey streaks. 

Edric wondered why he never took a promotion when offered by the General. He looked forward he did not want to be caught staring at Baldwin. Baldwin looked out into the distance, Edric tried to see what he was looking at all he saw is the hard land and mountains in the distance. The only significant thing about the area is the floating rock pieces of the mountains surrounded the summit in a circle. Some mountains were even shaped like an hourglass even so they have been here for a few days so it's not exactly a surprise anymore. 

Baldwin finally spoke "These lands are cursed." Edric thought on what he just said it's clear to everyone here that it is cursed. They don't even whisper the name of the one who rules the realm due to fear of drawing his gaze. Edric looked at his sergeant at the edge of his vision he could see by his body language he is upset, Edric licked his lips "Is something wrong Sergeant?" Baldwin looked at him "Yes there is something wrong. General Leonard is running about on "scouting" runs with our best in a cursed and hostile land." 

Edric tried not to frown he did not like talking about their General he looked around to the other free guild members  their free guild is predominately made up of Azyerites they can easily whisper things back to him. His ancestry is linked to Ashqy something that members within the free guild let him know all the time. Even Baldwin is from ayzr but unlike everyone else he does not treat him any differently. He is the reason why he did not fall into crime like many people have done in the free cities. 

Honestly his Mother is proud with the fact he is part of the freeguild since his father died he pursued any means to put food on the table. The money he earns helps support his Mother and his siblings back home. Edric knew it might be a mistake but if Baldwin is talking out loud like this it's clear he is here for discussion "Is there something wrong with our general going on scouting runs?" Baldwin glowered "If he is actually doing scouting runs! He is just seeking out the foul dead to slay for glory!" 

Edric looked forward again. The only reason why he could talk in such a fashion is because he served Leonard's father. He advised him and when he finally passed many wished for him to be General but he turned it down and it went to his son Leonard. Even when they offered him a place within the Greatswords he refused.

Edric began thinking on their mission, Edric went over again why they are here in his head. Many officials are worried about the lord of this realm and his forces Edric is not exactly interested in the talk about the gods and betrayals but it's been said that when the forces of shyish were needed they betrayed sigmar and his chosen. The Stormcast Eternals. Edric has only seen them from a distance but he wondered what it would be like to serve with them. Since some free guilds are established to be auxiliaries to them. 

Still many cities are sending free guilds to establish small outposts near realm gates. In order to prepare in the likely hood that shyish rises against the forces of order. Edric clearly knows fighting the great enemy and the forces of death at the same time would be... troublesome. 

Their outpost is in the process of being built the infrastructure is largely there but they had quite a way to go. Baldwin spat to the ground breaking his concentration "I am going to give him an earful when he gets back!" Baldwin turned to walk away but stopped he turned around "Edric!" Edric turned to face him "Yes Sergeant?" Baldwin walked towards him and handed him a pair of gloves "Wear these. You look bloody embarrassing rubbing your hands together like that." 

Edric smiled as he took the gloves he always looked out for him he gave a small salute "Thank you Sergeant." Baldwin nodded "Right. I better not see you rubbing your hands again be alert we could be attacked at any time." Edric nodded "Yes sir." Baldwin walked away, Edric turned and returned to watch. 

He stood for a few more minutes until he saw a group of soldiers marching towards the outpost in the distance. They held the flag of their free guild. At the front were Demigryph knights and the one leading them is General Leonard. Leonard's demigryph is larger in stature compared to the others and wore a gold and blue barding the colours of hammerhal along with the heraldry of his noble house from ayzr and the sigil of the claws of sigmar. Leonard himself wore gold armour along with with a enclosed helmet stylised as a griffin head.  His long blue cape bore the claws of sigmar iconography. 

Edric would move to get Baldwin but he knew if he moved he would be reprimanded. So he held his place. General Leonard and the group he took on the scouting run started to pass him by Leonard stopped and looked at him. He gestured with his hand "You. The one who does not hold ayzr within his blood and has not been born under the light of sigmar. Report." Edric tried not to sigh in annoyance he refereed to everyone who is not from ayzr in a similar way. 

Edric faced Leonard and saluted "Nothing has occurred so far sir. The construction is steadily heading towards completion." Leonard barely acknowledged  him as he said "I see. I will speak with Baldwin perhaps he has something more useful to say." Edric watched Leonard continue into the outpost along with the soldiers. They did not even spare him a glance either and those that did he could see clear disdain on their faces. 

 Edric turned to look out into the distance. For some reason he felt far colder than before the cold even pierced the gloves he wore. Edric wondered if it is a omen of sorts? 

[Davariel]

41 minutes ago, shinros said:

Plus I think we don't have a fan fiction section.

We totally should though All the background and stories people come up with on this forum are fantastic, I'd love to have a dedicated place to share it all.

As for me, my own army's back story revolves around an ancient union between Sylvaneth and High Aelves. I seem to have more about them in my head than actually written (isn't that always the case ), but here's the origin story/myth of the kingdom they shared:

The Birth of a Kingdom

It was during the distant days of the Age of Myth that an aelven prince named Delthas and his people were first driven to wander the realms. What forced them from their lands, or from whence they came, history has not recorded. For many long years the aelves walked the breadth of existence. It was a life fraught with peril, for in those early days the realms were wild and untamed. All manner of savage peoples and strange beasts beset Delthas and his people, kept at bay only by aelven grace and martial skill. For decades they searched for a new home until at last, when it seemed no hope was left, they came to Ghyran, and the lands of the Sylvaneth. 

The aelves were stunned. This was a place lush and verdant beyond imagining. Many wished to settle the moment they emerged in Ghyran, but Delthas refused. Drawn by some strange calling that seemed to touch his very heart, the prince led his people south through lands unmarked by any path. It was only when they came to a great forest, its boughs alive with a mystical wind, that Delthas knew he had found the home he had been searching for. 

The only surprise was that it was already inhabited.  

All the lands between the mountains in the west and the silvery river that flowed to the east were the domain of Clan Thardir, and like most Sylvaneth they were little inclined to trust outsiders. Undeterred, Prince Delthas led his people deeper into the forest, knowing all the while he was being watched. The truth of what happened next, none can say for certain. What legends survive tell that as the aelves approached the massive oak at the heart of the forest, Delthas walked into the woods alone and vanished. Three days later, he returned with a Sylvaneth woman of unearthly beauty at his side. The prince declared that he had that he had fallen in love with the strange woman, and together they had reached an accord with the Sylvaneth. The aelves would be allowed to remain, so long as they respected the ways of Ghyran, and their peoples would learn to coexist. Delthas' people settled around the base of the oak and began to build a new kingdom, named Thardeia out of respect for the Sylvaneth. Or so the legend goes. 

Though much is lost to myth, one thing is certain: the destiny of the aelves and the Sylvaneth clan would be entwined ever after… 

There are a few more bits of backstory in my plog over in the painting section too, if anyone's interested:

 

[AverageBoss]

I had fluff for my old WFB Vampire Counts. The Vampire the led the army was a mad artist, with each unit of the army as one of his works. I named(or renamed) every unit, item, champion, and mount in the army. Much of my inspiration came from the Castlevania franchise, mostly from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin however.

Now that I have settled on lists I like for my Stormcasts and DoT, I will begin working on fluff for them. My Stormcasts already have some basic outline to them revolving around their planned winter paint scheme (teleporting in via small comets rather than lightning bolts for example).

[Gorks Pokin' Finger]

GORFANG DA IMMORTAL - MEGABOSS OF DA BLOODBREAKA CLAN

From his time as a warboss, to the grueling years of slavery under the Dawi Zharr, Gorfang has emerged from the ashes and risen from his trials into a champion of Gorkamorka. The former Ardboy Boss was sold into slavery following the destruction of his former clan at the hands of Khorne’s followers. During his years of enthrallment under the Chaos Dwarfs, Gorfang claims Gork (or possibly Mork) spoke to him. They told him to start gathering the downtrodden clans and unite them into a WAAAGH! to drive out the forces of Chaos from the mortal realms. With the aid of a convenient Dispossessed raiding party, Gorfang and his Orruks managed to fight their way out of chains and into freedom. They escaped into Ulgu, the Realm of Shadows, before making their permanent home in Ghur, the Realm of Beasts. To show the other Orruks who Da Best Boss is, Gorfang adorns his armour with the heads of his fallen foes. Each one tells the story of Gorfang's trials as an Ironjaw. The Chaos Duardin taskmaster, Rhagrakki Burnfist, his head sits next to the ogor Turokk The Hairy, whose raiding party was stomped into the ground after they betrayed the Bloodbreaka's while escaping the Realm of Ulgu. The scalp of the Deathbringer Kalrak Bloodmarked hangs from the belt of Gorfang after his Bloodbound were broken in a vicious battle with the Bloodbreakas. Gorfang defeated the Khorne general in single combat, avenging the massacre from ages ago that put Gorfang in chains. And the monster's skull that sits on Megaboss' right shoulder? No one knows what it was, only that Gorfang went on a raid with a handful of boyz and returned a week later with the skull intact, along with more Orcs for the WAAAGH! While the Bloodbreaka Clan battle across the continent of Zarcosia in the Realm of Ghur, they have secured a realmgate at their base at Bloodbreaka Hold in the Frattura Mountains. Wherever they go, Gorfang is at the head of his army, offering the promise of the fight-of-fights to the destitute Orruk tribes across the mortal realms

If anyone is interested, there is more lore, as well as battle reports on my army blog on the destruction forum:

 

[Praecautus]

I'll keep it brief as I have not fully written it down.

My army is based in a land call Tagge which for generations had been ruled by the Black Raven family.  The honourable Lord Black Raven had been the protector of Tagge for some time and is well liked ruler. Under his guiding hand Tagge is prospering. 

However at some point this bred jealousy in neighbouring states as well as attracting roving bands of barbarians and raiding  orruks from the north. The border wardens of Tagge are kept busy from fending off raids, outlying villages have been burnt. 

A religious cult has sprung up among the populace, a powerful god of protection who can make the weak strong. Disciples of the cult have taken to having feats together and keeping the skulls of loved ones as protective totems. This cult is spreading across Tagge, its message of hope carried by demagogue priests. Lord Black Raven had tolerated it as he had bigger concerns defending his borders. Eventually some of the priests are found in the lords household for some of his troops have joined, painting their armour red, they are among the best fighters.

One day the Lords well loved daughter goes missing and is found dead at the hands of orruks. The Lord falls into a mighty despair and then a black rage fills his soul. He gathers his red clad troops and marches across Tagge exterminating the orruks he finds. His armour is burns red and he keeps the skulls of the slain and one golden skull to adorn it.

Soon the raiders are pushed back and Lord Black Raven looks to secure his borders. His red clad army marches on state after state adding each in turn to his empire. The cult of protection spreads like a cancer with the army. Magic is outlawed and martial prowess honoured. 

An alliance of people's disposed by the march of the Raven stands firm and retaliates. This fuels the cult, now the dominant political force in Tagge, and Lord Black Raven falls fully into the grip of Khorne. Surrendering his soul for the power of protection, he is reborn as the Deamon Prince Bk'lac Vrena, and the world wept for what it had finally lost. But it wept more for what it had gained.

Fuelled by battle lust the armies Bk'lac Vrena set the land aflame, the alliance of the disposed is swept before them. It's members facing a choice of join or die. Tagge and its vassal states are turned into a furnace of industry - the industry of war.  Cruel blades and wicked armour are produced en masse to feed the army.

Seeing this destruction Sigmar sends forth a storm host to drive the armies of Bk'lac Vrena back into the pit. Months of hard fighting ensue, the mighty storm casts driving hard and liberating town after town. Bk'lac Vrena is driven back by the might of sigmar and his allies.

Eventually cornered in his citadel the Lord of the stormhost dispatches Bk'lac Vrena back to the realm of Khorne and the lands are liberated, the cult disappeared and the people free. Everwise the leaders of the victorious army establish a society of warrior monks to watch for return of Bk'lac Vrena and for 1000 years the lands of Tagge have been free of his presence.

Now the current master of the society is dying, tended by an acolyte he has been training in the art of leadership he explains the history of the society and its purpose. As he dies the last thing he sees are black wings erupting from the acolyte and the sound of bloodletters erupting into the material world, Bk'lac Vrena was back...

 

So I have two armies, a mortal khorne army that represents Lord Black Raven before he became the daemon prince. My second will be a daemon army of Khorne headed by a daemon prince to represent the return.

[Uveron]

15 hours ago, Thanatos Ares said:

As the title suggests, does your army/general have a back story? Is it a long and glorious story full of valour and glory? Or something a little more sinister? 

 

if so I’d love to hear it! Please post here!

Yes mine does... 

Its short, but fits into the larger story i am putting together for my whole army.

Quote

Deep in the city of Spiteforge the Deamon Prince Krythvæhlt resides. It was by his blade that the kingdom fell, and in the bloody revolution that followed he gained his ascension.  Over the century's his fortunes have waxed and waned. Once a rival champion of the gods took control of the city though guile and treachery. Krythvæhlt was imprisoned, chained a deep vault. after years of imprisonment his boiling rage gave him strength to break the chains and have his revenge.

To the day the he still wears the collar that imprisoned him, as evidence to others that his rule cannot be stopped

[Ollie Grimwood]

I’d love to but the Saga of Olrog Iron ead, Gamma Leviathan and Prophet of the Waaagh is about ten sides of A4 long at this point (and is going to get longer very soon) so won’t fit into the thread.  

Suffice to say he is the most Brutal and  most Cunning Warboss to smash his way across the Realms. For more details check out the  Rise of Empires: Realm Hoppers thread in the Narrative section and the Rise of Empires  Blog. 

 

[Chris Tomlin]

Presenting the most famous non-special character in the Mortal Realms...

Megaboss Krunk

[Killax]

Great work guys! Would love to read more, have some ideas for my army but nothing as much fleshed out. What I do think is that it's great to have, it adds character and creates new ideas of where to go with a specific army.

Keep it up!

[OracleOfScales]

This is all way too cool, totally inspired to work on my own fluff. 

[Thanatos Ares]

10 hours ago, OracleOfScales said:

This is all way too cool, totally inspired to work on my own fluff. 

That’s the main reason for this thread!

great fluff guys! Keep those quills scribbling!!!

[Dialz]

I just started painting up a Clan Skyre army and am planning a to start a small skirmish campaign to build a bit of back story for my growing army, here is the backstory I have so far to kick the campaign off :).

 

Warlock Engineer Snek gazed took a another deep breath of frigid air and not for the first time gazed furtively at his dwindling sack of warpstone sparks picturing the warmth and power the small pieces of refined warpstone would bring to his half frozen frame. He couldn’t even feel his tail anymore and that was his most distinguishing feature.

He could see almost nothing in the snow storm that had been seething around him for hours and cursed again the events that had led him to the frozen peaks of the mountains of Maraz in the first place.

Snek was born in the Scaborus Scrawl in the parasite city Deep-Maw, he was gifted with a very acute sense of danger which had helped him not only make it to adulthood (Quite an achievement in itself in a Skyre parasite city) but survive the numerous laboratory accidents that had seen him move rapidly from clanrat, to assistant, to senior assistant to warlock engineer in a very short space of time. Unfortunately this meteoric rise also brought Snek to the attention of the Arch-Warlock of Deep-Maw Scree Ironclaw.

Since Snek was a pup he had a compulsive obsession with combining every compound and chemical he could get his paws on which returned explosive or unexpected results. This combined with his keen nose for danger gave him the uncanny nack of knowing when to be in the laboratory to claim the lions share of the glory or when to be out of the room when his previous mentor was liquefied by an explosion that Snek had convinced him was completely safe earning his untimely promotion. Although if  you asked him he would assure you his rise to power was due to his unrivalled intelligence and the stupidity of his former master (and the hundreds of assistants that had died during his short tenure as warlock engineer, you just can’t get good assistants in Deep-Maw!).

His most recent discovery however is what had lead him to the frozen hell he was currently trudging through.

In a trade with another warlock engineer he has acquired a small shard of what he was told was called Gurgots teeth. The stone was deep purple in colour and constantly felt icy to the touch and he was told had been harvested at the peak of the mountains of Maraz in Ghur and had pronounced hallucinogenic properties. Needless to say Snek ground up and immediately ingested some of the stone.

When he woke up two days later he found a massive hole in the side of his laboratory and all his assistants were dead. Unperturbed he mixed small amount with some refined warpstone and swallowed the whole lot. He felt the usual rush of power that refined warpstone brought on but the the addition of the stone massively increased the length of the effect. This was the holy grail of finds for Snek as in the right quantities this could power deep maw for longer and with more consistency and allow it to burrow deeper and mine much more of the liquid warpstone that existed under the Scaborus Sprawl between refuelling. This would surely make him the Arch-Warlock of Deep-Maw and the most powerful rat in all of the clans Skyre!

Before Snek had a chance to start putting any nefarious plans in order he discovered that he had been betrayed by his stupid underlings and the Arch-Warlock had been made aware of his success. As a ‘reward’ for his accomplishments his small supply of Gurgots teeth was seized and he was tasked with sourcing a more permanent supply from Ghur.

Snek was abruptly awakened from his reverie by the whining noise of the warp stone electrodes covering the armour of his personal body guard Zip-Zap beginning to power up. The snow storm that had been raging was beginning to abate, at the extremities of the storm he could see multiple sets of yellow eyes and they were looking right at him. He felt his fear glands tighten and quickly looked around trying to see where the rest of the small band of stormfiends and the few assistants he had managed to scrape together were so he could take his proper leadership position at the back. He cursed the only underling in sight was Zip-Zap the rest must have been separated from them in the storm. He involuntarily felt his must glads empty, with no other choice he cursed Ironclaw and the stupidity of his subordinates and swallowed one of his remaining warp sparks.

Feeling the surge of power rushing through him he turned to his massive bodyguard, “Zip-Zap, kill quick-quick!”