Jump to content

Fluff Problems


Recommended Posts

I'm not a fan of the Age of Sigmar fluff. I like the models enough to keep building and painting them, and the game well enough to keep playing it. But the fluff, just doesn't grab me in the way the old world did.

I was wondering what other people in this predicament were doing as well.

Thanks

EDIT (June 25th, 2018): It's been a year and a half since I first posted the thread and, well, GW has added enough to the fluff that I love the setting now. The thread has pretty much turned into "Let's Talk: Fluff".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 313
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Either continue to play games set in the old setting or make your own background between the raindrops. The AoS setting is like 40k in that it's conveniently huge enough to allow you to come up with your own set of territories set in the Realm of Life or wherever that can be entirely removed from Stormcast or whatever it is in the main storyline you don't like. I imagine my Disposessed/Freeguild force as something between a 40k Rogue Trader household and their respective old WFB armies and don't let anyone tell me any different. Check out @WarbossKurgan and @bottle's armies and battlereports if you want to see some truly awesome, lower-fantasy takes on the AoS setting.

If you were a fan of the old WFB background, GW seem to be noticeably changing course on the AoS background in the new wave of AoS releases starting with the Disciples of Tzeentch Battletome, with a much more old-skool Warhammer emphasis on cities, regular Joe humans, cultists, the enemy within, ect. This new novel looks awesome:

Spoiler

City of Secrets 

A Legends of the Age of Sigmar novel 

In the city of Excelsis, in the heart of the Realm of Beasts, Corporal Armand Callis of the city watch stumbles upon a dark secret and finds himself hunted, with just a witch hunter for companionship. 

READ IT BECAUSE 

It's an in depth look at life in a city of the Mortal Realms coupled with a rip-roaring tale of action and adventure, not to mention a most intriguing mystery, as you might expect of the City of Secrets… 

THE STORY 
Excelsis is the city of secrets, a grand and imposing bastion of civilisation in the savage Realm of Beasts. Within its winding streets and shadowy back alleys, merchants deal in raw prophecy mined from an ancient fragment of the World That Was, and even the poorest man may earn a glimpse of the future. Yet not all such prophecies can be trusted. When Corporal Armand Callis of the city guard stumbles upon a dark secret, he finds himself on the run from his former comrades, framed for a crime he did not commit. Only the Witch Hunter Hanniver Toll knows the truth of his innocence. Together the pair must race against time to save Excelsis from a cataclysm that would drown the city in madness and fear. 

Written by Nick Horth 
 

2526d7c3160cde7462a6fd6bd4def57c_5394.jp

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I'm not big on the AoS fluff either. It's difficult to ground yourself in as it's so vast yet so vague, and we know so little of whether, say, the death of a city would be a minor setback or a catastrophic loss.

Personally I've fluffed my Death as living in a frigid wasteland in the Mortal Realms, where small villages of humans cling to life. They're the reanimated vengeful spirits of those who died, whether for empires that are now long dead, or starving to death after cooking their own. The lost and damned, still unable to truly die and be free, cursed to forever reanimate driven by starvation or the will to fight. I'm not a big fan of Death being beholden to Nagash or the living, so I have a rule where everything is reanimated, as if ancient wizards and kings have also started rising to reap the living and expand their ranks. I also like the idea that no-one truly knows why they're rising.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ignore the stuff I don't like and write up  things I do. 

I was not a huge fan of any of the AoS fluff initially and I still cant stand anything to with Sigmar or the Stormcast (They resemble a child's idea of 'bad ass' to me). However I have listened to a fair amount of the audio stuff and its picking up. 

I have always been drawn more to creating my own backstories within the constraints of the game anyway, I don't take a large amount of pleasure from playing any of the predetermined factions. It is still early days with the fluff though so I would try not to be too sceptical yet. Its open ended enough that you can incorporate fan fiction and there are more and more stories being written. Its very early days lore wise and nothing is concrete. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Realms are very big, you could fit the whole of what the World that Was contained in it many times over let alone a little bit of it like the Old World. It's perfectly acceptable (and I'd even say encouraged) have something very like the Old World existing in the mortal realms. I think that part of the reason of making the Mortal Realms was to allow for just this sort of invention. 

Also although the game is called Age of Sigmar the Mortal Realms have existed a whole lot longer than that many civilisations will have risen and fallen in that time one may have been just like the Old World.

Or set your games in the Old World a kind of Age of Sigme Ancients, there was certainly a precedent for doing this in WFB a number of "dead" characters (manly Orcs and Goblins) were included in Army books. 

Have a look at Tyler Mengel's Endless Deserts stuff he's done writing Tomb Kings into AoS it's good. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the shout out @Double Misfire!

I will admit to being a big fan of the AoS setting, but not for the "headline" stories. I love it for the absolute abundance of freedom to add whatever you want to a tucked-away corner of a Realm and it doesn't feel forced at all.

Our Realm of Death games are set in the Harrowmark:

Quote

 

The Harrowmark in Shyish, has long been considered a cursed and backward region, it has gained an ill reputation for being both a refuge for sorcerers and necromancers, and where the dead do not rest long in their graves.

The scattered villages and hamlets of the Harrowmark are isolated and parochial. Grubbing what existence they can from the infertile land, the peasants live in small communities of inter-related families, and never venture far from their crude hovels.There are few stone roads here; rutted, half-flooded tracks and paths link most villages, all but impossible to navigate. At times, the mud itself seems to be a living thing, clawing at the legs of the weak and dragging them to a suffocating death. The populace are for the most part concerned with day-to-day survival, raising famished, skinny goats and pigs, tending to what scraps of farmland they have in the hope of gathering enough crops to survive the long and cruel winter.

The villages are in a constant state of disrepair and have barred or boarded windows and heavy doors to keep out the night's predators. Crude fetishes and charms of a dozen gods hang on every lintel and frame. The villagers daub symbols of protection on their doors with pig's blood, to guard against the unnatural horrors of this frightful land. Hanging outside the gates of the most desperate townships can be found criminals and travelers caged in iron maidens, their only companions the crows and vampire bats that feed on them

Wortbad is just such a village, in the middle of the Harrowmark, it is deeply troubled by the undead and corrupted by dark magic. It is surrounded by haunted forests and overlooked by the jagged, foreboding Everdark Peaks. It is a land of perpetual autumn, where farmland lies fallow and untended, with crops rotted in the fields.

 

Our Realm of Beasts games will be set in Blackrocks Bay (once the scenery is ready!)

Quote

Blackrocks Bay - a deepwater harbour riddled with large black rocks (!) carved into the forms of skulls. Between the rocks are the hulks of dozens of wrecked ships, lashed together and linked by a network of wooden walkways and platforms. There is a pirate settlement in the wrecks, with wooden houses built into the hulls of the ships, mostly made from salvaged timbers

For the Realm of Shadows: Duskhaven

Quote

 

Duskhaven was a safe port amidst the treacherous misty seas of Ulgu. The sea around Duskhaven is called Okkam's Reach - a notoriously difficult area of ocean to navigate and there have been many shipwrecks along the coasts around the port. In the Age of Myth the Governors of the island exacted high tolls from passing ships and this of course meant that many smugglers were attracted to operate there as there was a potential to make a lot of money by avoiding the tax. When the Age of Chaos came a Verminous fleet, with typical skaven brilliance, tried to conquer it but only managed to destroy and poison it.

In the Age of Sigmar the forces of Chaos have withdrawn from Duskhaven to fight the Stormcast elsewhere. The port is now a den of thieves and murderers amongst the mist wreathed ruins and ales houses of the Duskers. Remnants of a once great city reduced to clusters of survivors foraging in the gloam.

 

We have also had mini-campaigns set in the Realm of Light and the Realm of Life, each with locations and backgrounds sketched out like these have been.

Don't let the new setting hold you back. Explore its wild fantastical side or flesh-out a small area with familiar-feeling details. It's yours to play with!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Mohojoe said:

I ignore the stuff I don't like and write up  things I do. 

I was not a huge fan of any of the AoS fluff initially and I still cant stand anything to with Sigmar or the Stormcast (They resemble a child's idea of 'bad ass' to me). However I have listened to a fair amount of the audio stuff and its picking up. 

I have always been drawn more to creating my own backstories within the constraints of the game anyway, I don't take a large amount of pleasure from playing any of the predetermined factions. It is still early days with the fluff though so I would try not to be too sceptical yet. Its open ended enough that you can incorporate fan fiction and there are more and more stories being written. Its very early days lore wise and nothing is concrete. 

 

 

This. The part about the stormcast is nail on the head.

I simply see it as an opportunity to write my own. I ground myself instead, that's why my destruction forces occupy an ancient ruined city at the base of a waterfall in a desert/savannah area of Ghur.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the openness in allowing me space for fluff, as i like building my armies own person fluff as much as i like building nad painting my own forces.... no i like making the fluff quite abit more... hmmm...

That said i really hated the initial AOS fluff. Was all very kind of meh vague and bland??? but the more recent stuff is better and more exciting as you aren't super where the narrative is going to go. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have started to like the Stormcast more as the story has developed. The idea of people plucked unwillingly from their previous lives, their memories torn away in the reforging is enjoyably sinister. Once the books started to play on their fears and their loss of humanity in service to a god whose morality is doubtful, they became a lot more interesting. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like others have said, my group tend to make up our own fluff that fits within the overall story. 

Most of it revolves around Russellbogentoff, a crumbling city of men surviving near in the realm of Hysh. They are extremely superstitious by nature, but are attempting to expand their lands to rebuild what is left of a once thriving kingdom.

They're governed by the three most prominent families of Russellbogentoff, one which finances and arms the local militia, one which builds and designs their warmachines, and the last which leads the cult of light against the common threat of the undead.

I imagine life is quite hard for them, but certainly plausible!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Russellbogentoff said:

Like others have said, my group tend to make up our own fluff that fits within the overall story. 

Most of it revolves around Russellbogentoff, a crumbling city of men surviving near in the realm of Hysh. They are extremely superstitious by nature, but are attempting to expand their lands to rebuild what is left of a once thriving kingdom.

They're governed by the three most prominent families of Russellbogentoff, one which finances and arms the local militia, one which builds and designs their warmachines, and the last which leads the cult of light against the common threat of the undead.

I imagine life is quite hard for them, but certainly plausible!

Oh wow, I'd always assumed Russell Bogentoff was your actual name.

Nice background too! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Chikout said:

I have started to like the Stormcast more as the story has developed. The idea of people plucked unwillingly from their previous lives, their memories torn away in the reforging is enjoyably sinister. Once the books started to play on their fears and their loss of humanity in service to a god whose morality is doubtful, they became a lot more interesting. 

Same here, I was not overly impressed with these fearless, emotionless and immortal warriors when AoS was released. They way they are portrayed leaves very little to make an interesting story from. But after reading some more they are starting to get some character to them.

Sigmar has basically taken whoever he wanted from wherever they could be found, through torment and physical agony recreated them as superwarriors of godly power, trained for aeons for war and battle, clad them in the hardest metal in creation and armed them with weapons that could shatter existence and kill the gods themselves...And they are all shellshocked as f...

What could possibly go wrong :D

Just wait and see, im sure we will get an AoS version of defect geneseed, the Stormcast will start going rogue im sure of it.

 

But more then the stormcast themselves ive begun to enjoy AoS for what it is. A mythological setting just as abstract and insane as those of ancient greece and rome, and also Norse mythology. These are all full of insane and fantastic stories abstracted by realms and gods and monsters and all of them involving the creation and ruling of the world.

And the best part of these mythologies, as opposed to modern day mythologies, is that these Gods are not perfect and flawless. They are jealous, scheming, angry, passionate and share many of the worse characteristics of humankind. Even if its all very abstract and "fantastic" it thus still become relatable. And most of all, a lot of fun!

I see AoS as a mythology that could very well be the "myth of creation" in a future fantasy setting that takes place sometime after the Age of Sigmar ends and whatever world/worlds thereafter is formed. And for what its worth, the AoS setting is so vast and abstract that it basically opens up for ANYTHING imaginable.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should really read the first book, the one that talks about sigmar vs khorne, and then read all of the Realmgate wars saga books( quest for ghal maraz, balance of power, godbeasts, allgates), its not the old world, but the new story its good in its own way

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Chikout said:

I have started to like the Stormcast more as the story has developed. The idea of people plucked unwillingly from their previous lives, their memories torn away in the reforging is enjoyably sinister. Once the books started to play on their fears and their loss of humanity in service to a god whose morality is doubtful, they became a lot more interesting. 

Yup I was of the same mind when they started to develop them I began enjoying them a lot as well. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@SuperHappyTime have you read any of the novels? I found the battletome fluff (e.g. Seraphon, possibly one of the worst offenders in this regard admittedly) lightweight and unsatisfying, but then read the first book @Miarbi mentions above (the ebook version might still be free, not sure) and found it surprisingly meaty and enjoyable by comparison.

I think there's reason to be hopeful things will improve in future as the canon expands, and one of the strengths of the new setting is that there'll still be scope for people to do their own thing even then, as those who've already posted above seem to be doing very well already! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would say that it's pretty much grown on me as the time has gone on.  I don't think the fluff you get in the starter box is particularly engaging and GA: Chaos is quite lacklustre.  I've recently started on the books and quite enjoying them - a little predictable so far, but shaping out small parts of the realms quite nicely.  Also GA: Death has some quite nice bits in as do the handful of battletomes that I've read through.

I do think writing your own background is much more acceptable than other systems, the realms are intentionally massive so it's easy to slide your own concepts into the universe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should really read the first book, the one that talks about sigmar vs khorne, and then read all of the Realmgate wars saga books( quest for ghal maraz, balance of power, godbeasts, allgates), its not the old world, but the new story its good in its own way

I started reading the AoS novels straight after The End Times books. And the difference in the level was HUGE!! I managed to finish The Gates of Azyr and hoped that Warstorm will bring something more..but none of this. I was trying hard for months (read couple other books in the mean time) to finish it and was stuck in the last one in Chamon (how do you pronounce it BTW?). Every story was the same: "knight-celestant meets knight-castelant meets celestant-azyros, they make a short conversation "for sigmar", "only the faithful", and ****** like this and go forward and win every battle..." I know they had to intoduce new cool minis and repeat in every paragraph what is the difference between all the looking the same/called almost the same knights..

I didn't touch nothing for half of the year untill they were introducing Ironjaws. I bought the audiobook and gave it a try. The stormcasts were a little less boring than usual (drinking blood and finally not being the most saint creatures in MR)..and there was a little more of a story..but nothing comparing to the End Times yet.

Finally I bought the Bonesplitterz book and found it close to the old spirit of greenskinz. And the old spirit of Warhammer. I really hope that with the new level of battletomes comes the new (pre-sigmarines) level of novels. The Tzeentch one looks like it may be happening.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I do understand the argument that people like the freedom for their narratives. But I wonder, did you ever feel the Old World restricted you? @Double Misfire @WarbossKurgan @mmimzie

Because for me, I love those little stories that inspire me to start my own narrative. I ran into the old Lustria campaign and we are currently playing a very enjoyable jungle/pirate island campaign. Read the Nagash novel and the narrative under the Dwarf Mountain inspired me to do set up a Path to glory Skaven v. Dwarf campaign. I never felt restricted I only felt supported by the fluff. 

But with Age of Sigmar... I haven't read a single story that inspired me to create a campaign. I accept that the freedom allows you to do anything but if I think of everything I don't need the background. That being said maybe I just need to read more stuff or have more patience. But it might also be that I just don't find the high fantasy setting as interesting. It's less relatable. 

So @SuperHappyTime I feel you brother/sister

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Kramer said:

Although I do understand the argument that people like the freedom for their narratives. But I wonder, did you ever feel the Old World restricted you? @Double Misfire @WarbossKurgan @mmimzie

Because for me, I love those little stories that inspire me to start my own narrative. I ran into the old Lustria campaign and we are currently playing a very enjoyable jungle/pirate island campaign. Read the Nagash novel and the narrative under the Dwarf Mountain inspired me to do set up a Path to glory Skaven v. Dwarf campaign. I never felt restricted I only felt supported by the fluff. 

But with Age of Sigmar... I haven't read a single story that inspired me to create a campaign. I accept that the freedom allows you to do anything but if I think of everything I don't need the background. That being said maybe I just need to read more stuff or have more patience. But it might also be that I just don't find the high fantasy setting as interesting. It's less relatable. 

So @SuperHappyTime I feel you brother/sister

I personally felt it was restrictive as an undead fan in context of the fluff how would my army work when I want my vampire lord to be a king of his own grand city? There would be no where to put him where I feel it would be relevant plus it would make no sense, since there are no such kings in the area of the empire and realistically it would be crushed instantly by either mannfred or the empire itself. 

Now in AOS mannfred and neferata are known to corrupt chiefs of tribes, Knights, kings and queens etc. 

Like 40k there are so many worlds and space where you can insert your own stuff that it can easily slot into a campaign without stretching things. 

The AOS realms have been written where you can easily insert your own piece of fluff in any of the mortal realms and in context of how the realms in AOS expand due the pantheon novel GW also had breathing room to create new things without retconning things. 

Right now I am writing up a grand story for my undead and devoted of sigmar army and with the reveal of Excelsis as now a bastion city in the realm of ghur I can still weave my story into the realm without stretching the general lore. 

 

Apologies for the length and I suck at writing comprehension.  


Vampire background story.


Ahem 

The kingdom of Saphra, once known as the city of light, beacon of the god king, now it is known as the city silence also known as the city of the night and endings. 



The kingdom of Saphra enjoyed the patronage of sigmar, long has he watched over this benevolent city of knights and champions. The king was wised and aged and his son was soon ready to take his throne when he died, he had a beautiful wife from the neighboring kingdom and all seemed right for when he shall pass this world into the hands of sigmar. This old king was Alastair Estonov, yet even so deep down he felt something coming that this peace he fought and bled for would not last forever until the onslaught of chaos came...... 

"Defend the pass!" Bellowed the old king as a group of hungry bloodbound charged into the lines, the old king knew he had to stand strong for his people he had to push them back from this pass or they could get straight to the city. He ordered his son to stay with the people even though he was adamant he wanted to defend his home. The old king Alastair knew how headstrong his son was and that's why he had to stay at the city normally a battle like this would not deter the old king but the fact that the war priests were having trouble calling upon the power of sigmar caused him great concern. Still it did not matter he will hold this line even at the cost of his life, he had to protect his people and his son that was his duty as king. That was the duty the god-king gave him. 

Several days pass and still his people hold firm yet the lines are starting to waver, starting to break more and more children of the dark gods storm the pass. The old king would push them back just like before until a mighty lord of Khorne appeared heavy blood coloured armor covered his frame with a mighty two handed axe. He was also riding a mechanical daemon his honour guard bared the same mount. The lord crashed past his own warrior's smashing into the lines throwing bodies and the like in to the air. The battle was over the line broke and the bloodbound swarmed into the lines. Yet as the old king was surrounded the armies of the dark gods did not attack. 

The mighty lord of khorne looked at him and his men made a circle around them. The chosen shouted his name "I am Ganbold heart eater, I have devoured and taken the head's of many kings you gave my warrior's pause but your skull shall be at the blood god's feet.". Old king Alastair said nothing to the warrior, the heretic all he did was mutter a prayer a prayer to sigmar to guide him and to destroy this foe before he reach's his kingdom. 

Several day's later. 

"Prince Benedict! the forces of chaos are sieging our walls what to do we do!?" The prince was not ready for this the fact that the enemy is here mean's that his father, his king has failed he did not want to believe it he could not. He farther was one of the greatest champions of sigmar in this kingdom. He pushed the thought away he could see the fear on his betrothed face and her handmaidens. The prince looked at the captain of his knights he seemed eager to ride out and meet the arch enemy but the prince hoped that reinforcement's of the neighboring kingdoms would come to their aid. Yet no news came, nothing at all. He knew most likely they fell under the same plight. 

Benedict wondered why has the god-king been silent? Is this a test? Did he want to see if his servant's could destroy the arch enemy without his help? The priest's and war priest's had no answer's to the heavy injuries of the soldiers, the injured on the wall's were piling up in the make shift medical center's. His captain broke him from his thought's when he said "The enemy leader is calling for you my lord." For some reason he felt that it was a bad idea but he wanted to see the creature for himself the one that is bringing his people despair. He wants to burn his face into his heart when he destroys and burn's his corpse for the god-king. 

Upon the battlement's the prince saw the vast army and since the siege started he felt the small flicker of doubt the losing of hope. He gazed upon the chaos lord and their eyes met. The khorne lord Bellowed somehow his voice carried to the walls even when surrounded by thousands of cannibalistic warriors. "Small prince-ling, when your wall's break my army will march into your city take the skulls of your people and I shall have you heart on my plate!" as he said this he bit into a small red object blood matting his face and he smiled with red stained teeth. 

3 day's later. 

"Lord Benedict supplies are running low, there are riots and people praying and screaming in the middle of the street." the prince looked at his captain and spoke "I know yet we don't have the numbers to take on such a foe, I know you want to drop the gate my captain and have our knights charge the foe but we have to wait for reinforcements." The captain looked at his ruler sternly and said "Permission to speak freely my lord?" Benedict nodded to his captain. The captain spoke again "The reinforcements, will never come my lord I suspect that other kingdoms face the same situation sitting here will solve nothing. If we are to die then we shall do so by giving the enemy the fury of sigmar." The prince flinched at his captain's words he knew this but did not want to sacrifice his people he told the rest of the court to leave save his betrothed. 

She kept up a stern face of defiance but Benedict could see the fear and he asked her with a slight shake in his voice. "What can I do my future queen? Queen Sofia? What can I do?" The queen spoke slowly trying to keep a brave face, "My prince and love it is clear strength of arms will not break the foe but we must trust in sigmar I feel his light has not abandoned us." Her word's pained him warrior priests have prayed to the sky, yet no lighting strikes the foe, they pray to heal the injured yet no divine light closes the wounds. Benedict sighed "I shall go to the private chapel perhaps sigmar might give me the answer I require." 

Later on in the day ignoring the screaming of his people in the private castle chapel he knelt. "Oh mighty sigmar savior of saphra, guiding light and vengeful storm please give me an answer! How can I save my people!? I look for answer's I see none in the darkness save the bloody smile of the heretic khornate. Your faithful servant's bleed on the battlements to keep the people safe please answer us! Don't leave us in despair great god king. Take me if my life could save my people I would offer it a thousand times!" Yet after pouring his heart out to the statue of the sigmar. There was nothing save the sound of the dying and the shaking siege weapons crashing into the walls. For once in a long time the prince wept and truly felt lost but something or someone did hear his plea just not the person the prince was hoping for. 

A black shadow sit's in the gloom of a dark world on a throne of bones, he looks at sigmar drawing back into his realm his power leaving his faithful stranded. Those who could not make it to his realm were left to the whims of chaos. Yet he heard a heartfelt plea someone so small and ripe. The being gazed upon this small thing this kingdom living within the realm of ghur. He heard and he bellowed. It seems "Simgar the deceiver, Sigmar the barbarian, Sigmar the traitor has abandoned a bastion of light and man." The great being sent his thought's, his will to the instrument of the kingdom's "salvation". He will send the night itself to bring darkness upon chaos and this small speck of light. 

Reports after reports Benedict read's of riots, killings and other sort of crimes. How could the kingdom fall to this? His farther's kingdom was known as the beacon of sigmar, the people and knights staunch followers to the god king's will. It angered him all his court knew it they had no words and day after day his captain told him the same thing. It was only within the private chapel he had peace. Yet today felt different it felt more cold in here. Until he turned his back and saw a man a bald pale man watching him gauging his reaction. Benedict pulled his sword and the man moved quicker than the eye and forced his sword back into's sheath and held his mouth closed. 

Man said silently showing his fangs. "Ssssssssh, small creature, I have come, I will help you save your kingdom." Benedict eyes widened he could not believe what he was hearing, what this creature of darkness was saying to him. He slowly removed his hand from his mouth and sword. The man spoke again "Ah where are my manners? I am Mannfred Von Carstein. I came to offer you salvation" Benedict heard tales of these creature's blood suckers and carrion drainers, he knew not to parley with such a creature but what choice did he have? He knew it was only a matter of time before they storm the city all neighboring towns has fallen and the warrior priests are without power. 

Benedict spoke plainly "What are the terms of this "help"?", Mannfred walked around the prince it seemed like he was assessing him "I require one thing, you." he said plainly. Benedict mind raced with what he just said does he mean to turn him into a slave? A pedigree blood bag? A thrall? Mannfred smirked "Ah the small mind of the prince-ling think's I am going to turn you into cattle? No, I have something in mind for you and I can only give it to you if you accept it. If not I shall leave and either way I shall take this place considering your effort's I prefer if you were there at least." Benedict's mouth went dry "If I accept my kingdom can be saved?" Mannfred simply smiled and said "Yes". 

Without a word Benedict nodded and said "I accept your offer I shall pay whatever price to save my people from chaos." Mannfred smiled and laughed then he moved in quickly and sank his fang's into Benedict, his vision slowly drained away into darkness. Benedict awoke cold and hungry and he saw Mannfred scratching rune's causally into the holy statue of Sigmar. He looked at the prince while smiling and said "Ah, you are awake, good we have a lot of work ahead of us.." Benedict hissed "What have you done to me Mannfred!" Mannfred's yellow eye's flashed red for an instant and he spoke low with a small growl "You do not address me that way, my new son from now on it's Master, father or... King." Benedict felt a strange compulsion and said "Yes... master...father.." the vampire nodded "Good, now it's time for the rest of your court, come with me son I shall educate you." 

Benedict could not go against him, he couldn't as he saw Mannfred walked up the stairs all Benedict heard were screams and he followed on. 

They were on the battlement's gazing upon the chaos army. Benedict was with his captain as mannfred watched above on his Dread Abyssal surrounded by wailing spirits and his bone like angels. He looked upon his captain all he saw was hunger in his eye's of course he resisted at first, so did his betrothed and her handmaidens. His captain spoke "My lord shall I gather my knights for the charge?" Benedict nodded to his captain and he left to prepare. Ever since that day Benedict felt he slowly changed he did not care what it cost to save his city, he converted his court with the instruction of mannfred, He had his captain gather all the looters and rioters had them killed and raised as foot soldiers those who challenged him were dealt in the same way. 

Benedict gazed at the Bloodbound banner with his old father tied to it. He looked up toward's Mannfred he spoke to him even though he did not need to utter words. "Dear son display to the dogs of chaos what I have taught you." Benedict looked at his old father and raised his hand the blood bound has stripped most of the meat from his body but even so he focused on him and felt a connection. Amethyst energy danced around his corpse and the body began to twitch even reduced to bones the old king and his old father displayed a strength that far surpassed mortals. The old king tore off his binding's to the shock of the blood bound and stood and gave a scream even though he bared no lungs while slicing a blood reaver in half with his black sword and suddenly around him skeleton warrior's rose with broken shields and swords and began fighting the enemy. 

Benedict raised his hands and then a loud screeching was heard in the winds until a black swarm came that bought utter darkness to them. 

Benedict sat on his throne to the sounds of bat's screeching around him. It has been a long time since that battle but he always think's about it his weakness, his false faith in sigmar the deceiver, sigmar the traitor, sigmar the barbarian and what his new master has shown him. He abandoned his old name he is now lord and master of this kingdom, Benedict Von Carstein. He gazed on upon his kingdom of night. Mannfred has bade him to move to the shyish but there is news of war upon the wind which put that plan on hold. Still his captain the leader of his blood knights gave a new missive from his master. He told him to muster an army to march upon the realm of life. He smiled while taking a cup filled with red liquid to his lips

 

 

Devoted of Sigmar. 

 


"Lord celestant Harkon of the hallowed knights stood in sigmar's throne room in a line along with the other stormhosts each were given a mission by sigmar to handle in the realms. To take a realm gate, city, or hard objective. Still Harkon found it strange that he was left for last until everyone left the room and he stood there by himself. Harkon knelt "Lord sigmar what would you have me do? I am ready to do as you bid." Sigmar sat on his throne and he slowly began to walk down shrinking until he stood just slightly higher than Harkon and spoke "I have another task for you my Lord celestant, I saw your battle in Shyish and you let many of your soldiers die while normal men and women wanted to take up arms in my name. Why?" 



Harkon brows furrowed under his helmet and spoke "Well mortals were frail and the hearts are not truly strong like ours I could not have them fight and die pointlessly when my soldiers can handle the battle at hand and being so close to chaos they will falter unlike us" Sigmar nodded "I can understand your point but you should not underestimate the sheer tenacity and will of those who fight without my essence they will surprise you just as they surprised me when I was trapped within the heavens during the events of the world that was." Harkon confused spoke " I have read the many tales and wars that have occurred but in the end they lost did they not? Hence why you chose us to be reforged so we can truly destroy chaos." 

Sigmar turned away and began walking up to his throne again and said "They did lose but they fought to the last man and women even if it was in vain and now I have your mission" Sigmar sat on his throne and nodded to his castellant the normal man seemed strange standing next to the light of the god king and he announced Arch Lector Varnus Hammersoul of Saphra. The Arch lector walked into the throne room surrounded by war priests and gryph hounds and knelt at the throne of sigmar. Sigmar nodded to the Arch lector and turned to his lord Celestant. Sigmar could sense the confusion of his lord celestant and spoke "Arch lector Varnus I am placing my lord Celestant Harkon under your command for your crusade into the realm of Ghur". 

The Arch Lector looked upon the stormcast warrior and bowed his head lower "Yes Great God king" and Sigmar turned to Harkon "You will follow his commands like my own Lord Celestant Harkon, now you have your task you will make for the realm gate and aid him in his crusade." As lord celestant Harkon walked out the room stunned with the Arch lector he wondered why the god king would do such a thing what did he want him to see or learn? This has rarely happened before. As they walked Harkon saw the scar's covering his dark skin and the battle wear on his face and then the Arch Lector stopped. 

He turned to the Harkon and nodded and said "It's good to have one of sigmar's chosen battling with us considering I am commanding this crusade it would be good to inform you of what we are doing, you should be aware that the stormhosts have taken many realm gates in Ghur of course since the stormhosts have other matter's its up to us the the church militant to handle the rest." He turned away and continued walking down the hall way with Harkon following on and continued "We seek to take the grand city of Saphra the now city of night." Harkon did note a tinge of hate and disgust in his voice." 

They came to a grand hall with the realm gate humming with power and turned to Harkon staring deeply at him and said "Of course it would be good to take more of the outlying towns before we attempt such a thing and as I said before it would be good to have you with us considering what you represent my forces are waiting beyond." Harkon tensed and stepped through the portal with Varnus and they came upon a town of Einsoul as they stepped down the stair's he gazed upon the town. He saw men, women and children going about their business fine line houses and free guild warriors patrolling streets. 

As Harkon walked with Varnus many of them stood in awe and watched him and made the sign of the hammer Harkon felt uncomfortable for some strange reason perhaps it's because he spent most of his time in sigmar's palace preparing for war and fighting chaos never mingling with the populace. Varnus smiled and said "See and watch, see and look at the respect you are given this is what you are this is what you are to the common man and women." They continued walking and came upon the town square with a large commotion. A man stood there idly looking up at several tied up women in disgust he wore a long brown coat with a flaming feather attached to his hat that strangely did not burn his clothes. 

He began speaking from a holy book of sigmar denouncing the tied up women as heretics and betrayers to sigmar's light as robed men were planting hay around their feet. The women were crying screaming to let them go it seems that this man was deaf to their pleading the towns people upon seeing the Arch Lector and stormcast they made way for them. Varnus looked at the man and spoke "Another soul forgoing sigmar's light Witch hunter Vestos?" The witch hunter stopped and looked at both of them and said "Indeed so Holy one and they will be purged in fire." He continued speaking the list of crimes. 

To Harkon's ear's he was shocked he looked at the women various ages old and young and the crimes he could not believe. Leading men and women into the arms of vampires, Witchcraft, heresy of all sorts he could not believe it. As he was twisting the list within his mind an armed guard approached with an armored man in tow. He looked surprised at the lord celestant and made the sign of the hammer and then turned his anger towards the Arch Lector and witch hunter. He shouted at both of them "You will release them this instant! This city was put under my command and I would not have you burning my citizens in the middle of the street! You came here thinking you control the place up heaving the life we labored to create for these people!" 

The Arch lector was impassive as he spoke "Well General it's my holy duty given by sigmar is to destroy the taint that infest's his cities and to cleanse his lands of darkness you have no Authority here if you don't have the stomach to do what must be done leave." Harkon looked at the Free guild general his anger bursted out into his next words "You crazy fanatics have been burning people left and right instead of giving people hope all you bring is fear!" He looked at Harkon pleading to aid him in his case Harkon felt his stomach turn he can understand the necessity of what Varnus is doing but it felt "wrong" and he spoke without thinking. 

"Arch lector I do feel perhaps it's best to delay their punishment until more evidence is gathered?" The Arch lector looked to the stormcast and then to the free guild general and sighed "Very well Vestos untie the women and take them to cells have more of your men investigate further." The witch hunter nodded and told his men to begin untying the women. Varnus turned to Harkon "You will understand soon enough lord celestant." The General nodded to the lord celestant and thanked him and began having his men dispersing the crowd. The Arch lector turned to Harkon and said "Well it's time we met my force for our holy task." 

As they walked Harkon wondered if he has done the right thing still he pushed such thoughts from his mind and followed the Arch Lector as they got out side the city he saw the grand war altar of sigmar in it's majesty shining with the light of sigmar he then saw robed men and women wielding, clubs, whips and flail's. He saw warrior priests leading congregations and sermons and he saw chained up people in robes with parchments with sigmar's symbol on them words heretics and lists of crimes they were kneeling on the floor in the mud praying. Harkon looked at the Arch lector and seemed like he wanted to speak. 

The Arch lector answered for him "You think them simple armed rabble? You shall see soon Lord Celestant." Harkon bit his tongue and simply stood next to the Arch lector in silence. A day of rest and holy congregations they began marching the thought at the back of his mind wondering how such a force will meet the task that is being laid out for them. They soon came upon a town on the outskirts and soon as they took a step night came upon them like this whole zone is in a gloom of night. The arch lector turned to Harkon on his war altar "That is our objective the town of sephros the enemy undead and their cultists have been shuffling a lot of supplies lately our mission is two fold discover how they are doing this and cleanse this unclean land in the name of sigmar!" 

The robed women and men cheered and shouted and began moving foward lashing themselves and chanting holy prayers to sigmar. Harkon looked this felt wrong why does it feel wrong? As they marched the vampires mobilized skeletons and zombies rose and black magic was chanted. Yet even so the robed men and women got into formation. One group in the center and two on both right and left flank. With a warrior priest at the head of each of course Harkon and Varnus were in the center. Varnus said to Harkon "You shall see the strength we display the flagellants will crush this easily in the name of sigmar." Harkon simply nodded. 

The flagellants charged and as they rushed to the enemy Harkon could see flames springing up from their feet somehow their ferocity grew more and more the close they got to the enemy and they crashed into the lines of the undead. Flagellants died and screamed the name sigmar as they began smashing into the undead. Warrior priests calling on the divine power of sigmar to shield the Flagellants from the deadliest blows but even so many died Harkon tensed he moved to rush down the center to support but the Arch lector shouted at Harkon to hold "You will not move until I command you to do so Lord Celestant." Harkon felt anger pulse in his breast he protested "Why! I have the power to save many of your men! Why!." Arch lector stood on his war altar ignoring his words shutting out the screams of battle. 

The Harkon looked up into the sky and light broke through and crashed into the lines of the undead crumbling the center leaving a hole open the female vampire lord sneered. Varnus shouted at Harkon to charge through the gap in the undead lines and take the head of the vampire. Harkon did not hesitate he ran with all his might and when he reached the lines he drew his hammer and sword and smacked aside the undead that were in his path. He saw the female vampire sneering and he charged at her she drew her sword they clashed blow for blow matching his speed with ease. Harkon then stepped back the vampire smiling he charged again this time he flipped back his cape glowing with power and released magical hammers that smacked into the vampire dizzying her a moment that's all he needed. 

His sword flashed in an arc taking the vampire's head from her shoulders and then the undead began to crumble and the Flagellants cheered with praise to sigmar the god king and barbarian but for some reason Harkon did not feel good about this victory. They made their way into the city defense was lighter and they were lucky they did not have a wall. The town was taken in a matter of hours. The arch lector was in the grand house of the town and entered the study it seems it was the vampires den. The arch lector began looking through papers and then Harkon entered the room. 

Harkon spoke he was tense "If you let me fight sooner more of them would of been alive to see our victory." The Arch lector turned and said "If I let you charge into battle too early and you somehow died how would we have dealt with the vampire in a timely fashion? More would of possibly died if you returned to sigmar too soon. Even so they died for sigmar." Harkon's anger grew and grabbed the Arch lector holding him up with his fist the warrior priests moved to defend him but Varnus told them to hold. Harkon spoke cooly "I followed your orders but I shall speak, what I have seen was holy men possibly burning innocent women, throwing men and women into the jaws of battle with almost no hope for survival and even now I hear the screams of men and women being burned in this town how is this right!? Tell me!" 

The arch lector looked directly into the eyes of Harkon, "Harkon we do this because no else can, when you fight for hope and victory all you see is the battles with the hordes of chaos or the vampires and their minions, you don't see what happens after that when you leave we have to ensure the light of the god king stays true, while the weeds and heretics come to undermine us we have to do what is necessary to ensure people are not led astray. Do you think I enjoy doing this? All Arch Lector's must have a heart of stone to do this as you saw in that battle did any of the Flagellants run? Or hide? I am proud of their sacrifice and they hold the god king in such regard that they meet him in the heavens when their souls pass. I know I am in the right." Varnus lifted his Hammer towards Harkon and it shone with a brilliant pure light and he spoke again "Sigmar knows I am right lord celestant." Harkon was bewildered and slowly let the Arch Lector down. 

The Arch Lector then gave Harkon a letter, and told him to read it to his shock and horror. As they marched back to Einsoul the slog was long but when they got to the shining city they were met with cheers and praises. In the town Plaza the Free guild General met them in the plaza and regarded Harkon and Varnus "Another victory for sigmar wonderful!" Harkon was silent he knew what must be done. He stood close to the Free guild General and grabbed him and lifted him up anger in his voice. "You heathen you heretic! You gave innocent people to the vile vampires and made moves to cloud the minds of the people you rule and supplied enemy in hopes of a possible invasion of this town! To take the realm gate for Nagash!." The General looked towards his men "This person is mad! He is not a chosen of the god king! Help me!" the greatswords looked confused for a moment. 

Then the Arch lector stepped forward "We have evidence of your dealings General you shame sigmar with your actions. you and your cohorts will be sentenced to death by burning." Harkon held him down as Vestos's men took him away he nodded to both of them and said "We will find the true extent of his crimes we have done good work for sigmar this day." Harkon nodded to Vestos and the witch hunter took the general away. Harkon stood there and looked at the Arch lector "What now? What must we do?" Varnus responded "Now we rest. Even if you are a chosen of the god king I am sure you must eat and sleep." He said while smiling, Varnus then frowned and said "The burning will commence tomorrow and then we shall report to the god king." 

A day later 

Harkon looked at the general and his conspirators he looked at the General shouted that Death is above all and that Nagash is the one true god and how the Night will come for them all and that the True King of Saphra will be with them. He said this as he burned slowly he did not scream but laughed and laughed until his body stopped. 

Harkon now stood in a line with the other stormhost's as sigmar was handing out his tasks to the stormcast. When sigmar regarded him he stepped foward and knelt to the shock and surprise to the other lord Celestants "Lord sigmar if I may make a request? I wish for my chamber to be assigned to Arch Lector Varnus Crusade." Sigmar looked upon his lord Celestant and smiled.



 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that the books which follow the events of the campaign are the worst. The are like movie novelisations and do not do anything interesting with the setting. The audio dramas, Warbeast, Fury of Gork, bladestorm and the Skaven legends books are all much better. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah as @shinros said it's about just having space for me to make my character. I could have a realm all to my dudes and how that land has shaped and molded them. Or even space in the realm of life. In the old warhammer world the map was kind of set and and the factions and waht they did were rather rigid. bretonia i could be like getonia the city accross the way that had getonia horses that were trained exactly the same as the bretonian horses. It just all ways to confined and everything was pre claimed.

The factions were all tided to who they were so deeply that off shoots seemed silly.. Bretonia had thier horses, tomb kings all had the same curse base on a single area and event (as far as i understand), Dark elves were mostly all hanging out, etc. Skaven were more disjointed and more open for lore interpretations, but now everyone feels like you can do whatever you want with in reason. 

Like if i want a free people army they are just some dudes. i can make like a cool mayer that is a desendent of the person who led these folks to this place hidden in one of the realms. Fightings on the Forces of chaos, Death, destruction, and some order folks that want thier land. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...