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Melcavuk

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  1. Melcavuk
    Here's the first map to be put into the Suneaters Battletome, now two Ages out of date but here is one region of Ghur during an Order occupation of previously Ogor territory designed to be displayed over a two page spread in the Battletome. In the centre we see the first tendrils of the Firestorm that accompanied the Suneaters rebirth along with the blasted deserts from which he emerged. 
    I will also be printing myself some warscroll cards this evening so here is the warscroll for every Suneater unit reduced to A5 size for handy use in games!
     



















  2. Melcavuk
    As i wait to playtest the first iterations of the rules for my Ironweld Expansion I have been adding some borrowed Sigmar artwork to the cover and updating all warscrolls to version 2.0
    Battletome(March).pdf
    Full version PDF (warning many blank pages as I fill out lore)
     
    Cover and Warscrolls

















  3. Melcavuk
    The humble Steamtank has been a staple of the Ironweld since the inception of Age of Sigmar and a beautiful model in the Empire range in the world that was, it was only fitting then that when I came to revise the Ironweld into a new iteration that it found only only one new warscroll but three to reflect the myriad of designs that Ironweld Arsenal can mount on such a reliable workhorse of an engine. One thing I wanted to emphasis in the lore was how vital the fleets of Steamtanks (Now referred to a Coghaulers) were in the expansion of the early Ironweld, reliable and secure they can traverse landscapes hostile to the traditional horse and carts, moreover their ironhide shells can repel the weaponry of marauding tribes making them ideal escorts and transports for the arsenal of the Ironweld cities.
    With that in mind I translated the original Steamtank warscroll into the standard chassis dubbed the Coghauler Bombard, known for its lethal array of weaponry able to rain death down on a foe even as its behemoth weight hurtles towards them.

     
    With the initial Warscroll translating across well, as Ironsworn knights in their giant steeds riding across the battlefield it was time to determine how the Ironweld view and approach magic. From the outset I had been against them wielding magic itself as I do not believe every faction should cover every facet, indeed it would be far more in their nature to try and bring order to the unruly magicks that ravage the realms. With some feedback I was presented with the idea of the Reality Anchor, formed of harvested Realmstone kept in constant motion by the Coghaulers Steamengine it is able to produce localised stabilising effects much like proximity to the centre of a realm, despised by the college arcane for its obsene effect on those who seek to harness magic nearby it has been known to inflict agonising pain, even death to those who try and break through its arcane interference.
    Able to dispell a single spell a turn as though it were a wizard it is perhaps the secondary ability of the Anchor that is most potent, it creates a double layered aura to impede spell casters, with the outer ring providing a small debuff to casting with the inner ring far more lethal.

    Next, it was time to look at who leads the Cogstables into battle, not content to ride in some mere Coghauler each Iron Duke customises their own Coghauler to present their own unique take on their destructive potential, from the volcanic arsenals of Esoteris to the fletchette cannonade of Morghast each weapon is unique only sharing the desire to shoot more than their less noble kin. The Ironduke provides a fantastic centre piece for a Coghauler centric army, not only keeping to the theme but increasing the mobility of nearby Cogwork units (extending not only to Coghaulers but also Cogstriders and Ironsworn Templars)

    As the Ironduke is a character we can look into the Command Traits available, however first as his Coghauler is a mount it can take an Artificer Cogwork, the Ironweld variant of mount traits for their elaborate designs. Key to keeping him alive for prolonged periods on the battlefield perhaps the most immediately useful comes by way of the Ironbark Bulwark, able to ignore the first point of rend for lightweight attacks.

    And to ensure his own Coghauler and those around him keep going making his Command Trait the Artisan Engineer allows him to repair a single Cogwork unit a turn as though he were an Engineer!

    Here we would now have a fleet of Coghaulers speeding down the battlefield with their Ironduke at the helm steering them into a headlong charge at the enemy, able to make makeshift repairs to the fleet whilst his own robust Coghauler deflects feeble blows away. When themeing your army to Coghaulers one house in particular leaps out, the House of Rok are the original innovators of the Coghaulers of the Realms, still utilising the same core chassis as when first concieved their own Cogfleet is perhaps the longest serving and most reliable in all the Weld. 
    Those playing as House Rok halve the damage taken on their Coghaulers when consulting the damage table, working at near optimal capacity even as parts begin to chip away.
     

  4. Melcavuk
    With Artillery and Phalanx looked at I felt it was time to see how the diminuative Pressure rifle wielding Weld Riflemen could perform with the interplay of various abilities within the battletome. Their initial statline whilst reasonable is in many cases risking being outclassed by the cheaper Freeguild Handgunners, however it is the strength of the army as a whole that boosts the Riflemen into the lead. 

     
    -Starting from their own warscroll each Rifleman (barring the apprentice) produced a single shot that hits on a 4+ and wounds on a 4+ (that'd 9 shots at 100 points, 19 at 200 and so forth)
    - At 10 inches or under the strength of the pressure rifle is optimal, adding one to wound rolls making it a 3+ to wound
    - If unharassed by an enemy unit the Pressure rifles may reroll 1's to hit.
    - When entirely stationary and in sufficient numbers and 6's to hit produce 2 hits instead of one.

    So optimally the unit should be immobile, targetting a unit within 10 inches and over 10 models in the Rifles unit (Hit on 4's rerolling 1's, 6's produce two hits, Wound on 3's)

    Adding in the Master of Shot, unlike the Gunmaster this model has no longer got the Engineer keyword, instead he focuses on boosting the attacks of nearby ranged Weld Guard units. In a more limited fashion than the Freeguild general his bonus only applies in the shooting phase, however with the ability to pick upto three Weld Rifles units his boost is nothing to sniff at.
    Adding 1 to hit and wound rolls moves out optimal shooting scenario to:
    Hitting on 3's (rerolling 1s), Hits of an unmodified 6 produce 2 hits, Wounding on 2's

    By tailoring our Cogfort before the game to benefit shooting units we can look at embarking the Weld Rifles onto the Cogfort, this way one unit per turn can potentially shoot in the Hero Phase aswell as the Shooting phase doubling their damage output for that turn.
     
    And since no House values shooting more than Oran, having Oran Ironsworn nearby means if your rifles get locked down into combat they can both retreat and shoot within the same turn.
     
    Thanks for reading!
    Ricki
  5. Melcavuk
    When desinging the rules for the Ironweld Phalanx I wanted them to feel different to your traditional Freeguild with Halberds, they are more robust and advanced but benefit far less in big units as they spend less time in trained military drills than their Freeguild variants instead relying on exquisite advancements in warfare to keep them safe on the battlefield.
    For an army centred largely around shooting I didnt want the Phalanx to suddenly be combat monsters, they are a defensive melee unit that thematically forms a living wall between the oncoming enemy forces and the gunlines of the weld, for this reason they are best when stationary and being charged (as opposed to charging themselves). Adding in the Anchor the Long Lines rule allowed me to reflect the sheer lethality of flinging yourself into an organised line of Weld Phalanx, able to deter oncoming foes from risking themselves in the combat and encourging an enemy to use weaker units to absorb the halberds of the Phalanx. 
    One of the most common comments I have recieved is that a 4+ save would better reflect their role, however there are a number of factors interplaying within the tome that turns the 5+ save they currently possess into sheer brutal resilience.
    To start:
    Weldguard Phalanx naturally reroll ones to save from their Cogplate, however they can boost this to an impressive reroll of all saves if they remain stationary and lock their gears in place. A 5+ rerolling all saves is better than 4+ against rend - and only slightly worse against rend of -1

     
    But then we can look at how the tome has elements to boost that save, with synergy at the heart of the Weld we can look at possibly my favourite of the noble houses the City of Midnight who employ extensive Cogwork augements to their populace, this grants them a resilience beyond that of mortal men. With a friendly Ironsworn unit nearby the Weld Guard can benefit from their Heraldry.

    And with a Hero nearby more trained in the Military drills of the Weld they can be boosted yet further, able to form a tight knit line of Cogplate to deflect even the most savage of attacks.

    The end result of combining these factors is a resilient Phalanx unit comprised of:
    4+ Armour Save, Rerolling all failed save
    6+ to ignore wounds or mortal wounds inflicted.
  6. Melcavuk
    In my expansion of the Ironweld Arsenal it was important to me that everything seemed like a symbiotic melding of man and machine, each warscroll able to benefit from those around them and thus making no one more important than any others. In having modelled my Helblaster it gave me an opportunity to see how the new rules I had written could interplay to turn a good artillery piece into a great heart of an army.
    So first we have the new warscroll, gone are the seperate crew that always got sniped out replaced with a combined warscroll and single base. Then to ensure viability long term on the battlefield we have the rule to replenish crew from nearby labourer units, utilising the Ironwelds training on artillery to sacrafice models in other units to keep the artillery piece firing longer

    Next we have the Cogsmith, in a faction absent of priests or wizards it is the engineers of the Ironweld that provide most of the buffs to nearby units, in this case he has both the passive buff from his Engineer keyword allowing the Helblaster to reroll number of shots, but also his own rule allowing friendly Ironweld within range to always pass a save on a 6+. His Cogwork maintenance ability does not work on the artillery but is always useful to have nearby to repair Cogwork units.

    As our Cogsmith is a character, and an important one ensuring the backlines are constantly firing we can give him a Masterwork Design artefact, to properly boost the artillery and stop pesky foes from hiding behind cover equipping him with masterwork telescopic lenses to spy foes behind any cover he can really enhance the damage output

    And finally, as artillery is the very heart of the Ironweld we have a Battalion that brings everything together, from the ENGINEER through to the labourers to provide a screen and wound pool for the artillery crews right down to the artillery themselves.

     
    C&C welcome as always
  7. Melcavuk
    Since I'm still playing around with Warscrolls the concept of building the models is playing on my mind a little bit, I'm pretty happy with my concept for the labourer centric units so have moved on to considering the Phalanx and Ironsworn Units. Below are my current ideas on units and their composite parts:
    Weld Arbalesters/Riflemen - 
    Bodies/Legs - Necromunda Cawdor
    Heads - Human, Bare (currently looking at Van Saar head upgrade kit)
    Weapons - Crossbows from the Empire Crossbowmen kit, Rifles from the same kit of the Skitarii Range Rifles.
    Additionals - Power/Shot pouches made from greenstuff, more ornate heads for the Quartermaster and Master of Shot (thinking forgeworld Ironsiders heads)
    Weld Phalanx/Other - 
    Bodies/Legs - Militarum Tempestus Scions (if considering armoured look, Cawdor if focusing on the more Labourer aspect)
    Heads - Nuln Ironsiders
    Weapons - 1.5mm brass rod cut to 7cm lengths as pikes, the Van Saar energy shields with the hole replaced with a duardin icon and painted to become a far more primitive shield instead.
    Additionals - Open to suggestions.
    Ironsworn Templars - 
    Chassis - Starting with the Forgeworld Ironcircle model as a base, bore a column vertically down the front of the model to craft an alcove for the pilot, removing the neckpiece in the process. Within this cavity mount the pilot (Captain from empire Steam Tank kit), using greenstuff to sculpt the crude leather straps of a harness.
    Pilots arms should stick out horizontally, disappearing into the chassis frame to control the suits arms with legs strapped and supported by metallic pedals below.
    Power source - Do not add the top armour to the chassis, instead utilising the steam engine from the Empire Steamtank kit, cut the barrel in half and mount over the top of the chassis forming a rudimentary top piece.
    Armour - Leaving the shield and shoulder pads off of the Ironcircle, take the rear wheel frames from the Steamtank, cutting each in half until you have 4 semi circles of banded wood. Attach two of these to each of the shoulder frame mounts to make crude wooden armour panelling over the shoulder.
    Weaponry - Angling the hammer to be held in two hands (as the shield will not be attached), replace the hammer head with a suitably Age of Sigmar weapon of your choice. Alternative weaponry build takes the Steam Cannon from the Steam Tank Turret, mounting it on the haft of the Ironcircle hammer and running hoses (made from greenstuff) to the steam engine on the armours back, this gives the suit a short range steam belcher.
  8. Melcavuk
    Approaching the redesign of a faction is a challenging concept, typically GW do the models first and that allows the rules designers to know the constraints of the faction and can build the battletome around a set list of models that are coming soon. This allows a structure that when approaching rules first can... lack, where anything is possible it mistakenly leads to the idea that EVERYTHING is possible, so breaking down the unit options as follows here is what I currently see us as having:
    Duardin Engineer (Existing Model)
    Gunmaster (Existing Model)
    HERO A (Monsterous, built as secondary option to a different kit)
    HERO B (Cavalry or flier)

    BATTLELINE
    Riflemen/Arbalesters (Dual Kit, Battleline if Ironweld) - Working in well with the Gunmasters,
    Phalanx/Something (Dual Kit) - Here I'm considering factoring in the Cog soldier aspect, potentially functioning better when in the presence of an engineer essentially having the Duardin Engineer acting as a buff hero for the Cog aspects of the army. It would rob the labourer aspect of a second unit to benefit from faction specific buffs.
    OTHER
    Ironsworn Templar (Also Builds Paladins Hero) - Non-Monster heavy hitter unit, monsterous infantry.
    Ironsworn Fusiliers/Lancers - Fast Moving Cavalry
    Gyrocopter/Bomber (Existing Kit)
    ARTILLERY
    Helstom/Helblaster (Existing Kit)
    Duardin Cannon (Existing Kit)
    BEHEMOTH
    Steamtank (Needs a new kit, likely a dual kit. My theory was an Iron Dragon rocket spitting tank, Steel behemoth labourer carrier)
    Taking that as a base it means that new kits wise it would be:
    Weld Riflemen (Dual Kit)
    Weld Phalanx (Dual Kit)
    Ironsworn Templar (Dual Kits)
    Ironsworn Fusiliers (Dual Kit)
    Hero B Clam Pack
    Monster/Tank something kit.
    Now thats already something thats rivalling the bigger releases, so I'd say at this stage to add a unit we'd need to remove one of my unit suggestions at each time (barring hero B which I have left spare currently). I think the best plan is add a unit, remove a unit policy (unless anyone can make a convincing counter arguement there
     
    When approaching unit design I would go with the following criteria:
    Does it fit the theme? 
    Does it fill a tactical void in the army? (Not every army needs to fill every void but the army should be competitive based on its own roster)
    Does it bring synergy (Part of why I strive to add the Labourer keyword to Weld guard is to have interplay between them and the artillery in the faction, it gives a synergistic link. And just as artillery benefits from them, they benefit from Ironsworn nearby to inspire them. The benefits cascade down from having a mixed list.
    Is it needed? (As above, not every faction needs to fill every niche, not everyone needs a monster or magic etc unless it forms a cohesive part of the army, theme and roster)
    Is it something better provided by allies? (pretty self explanatory)
    So what is the theme?
    My suggestion is below, but this is simply my suggestion, it is entirely possible that my own interpretation is wrong or needs refining but here's where collaborative debate can help really hammer down the heart of the question "Who are the Ironweld?"
    Industry Driven Humans and Duardin surviving a magical world through innovation and strength of arms.
  9. Melcavuk
    Working out a 1000 point list to test out the battletome when built, also looking for anyone willing to do games at Warhammer World to help test and shape the Battletome as it develops.
    Stormtitan Venomtongue Shaman (Infamy: The Red Mist) - Stumpstave.
    The Redmist infamy (-1 to hit in shooting phase) helps offset his origin flaw (enemies reroll 1's to hit when shooting him), this gives me the chance to make a more noble stormy looking Gargant and combine it with bits from the Archanok kit to make a spiderlike shaman to reflect the fact he is venomtongue. His ability allows friendly gargants to use their least wounded profile 
    Bogdrinker Battleborn (Infamy: Of Ghyran) - Drakecleaver and Gargant Buckler
    By running Bogdrinkers as battleline the pair can cover a larger distance with their Bravery debuff, and with the Infamy of Ghyran this gargant will keep healing until he is put down fully. By using a Gargant buckler he is more resilient in close combat (able to save even the most rending of blows). 
    Bogdrinker Battleborn - Massive Club
    Since friendly non-bogdrinker models suffer the bravery debuff from this marshladen Gargants it made sense for both battleborn to be Bogdrinkers, taking the massive club for this one means that when the Venomtongue casts his spell I have the highest chance of triggering those mortal wounds with 3D6 attacks from this model.!
    Rockhewn Longarm - Gargant Bombard
    Slow but resilient (Halving enemy damage characteristics) the Rockhewn made the most sense to become the Longarm of my host, the range of the cannon offsets his slow movement well and he can sit on an objective long enough to deter enemies.
    Ikar Bezerker Longstrider - Gargant Impaler
    Hitting like a steamtrain and outflanking this Gargant should harass the enemy Monsters, combining his native tusked Ikar origins every 6 to hit with the massive spear generates another attack offsetting is low attack numbers (4 damage a piece though!), and the ability to come on from any table edge means he has a degree of tactical flexibility
     
    So as to the challenge, once the 5 Gargants in this list are built I'd appreciate anyone willing to bring a balanced 1k list to Warhammer world to help clash with the gargants and balance out the fledgling battle tome!

  10. Melcavuk
    What good would an army of unique giants each carving out their own legend be if they had no personality, not unique tales to tell.
    So when fielding an army of Titans using the battletome I felt it was important every unit be treated like a character, with a name befitting the legend they would be known for, as these are Giants however the names would be incomprehensible for mortal kind whose small ears could not hope to comprehend a Gargant name, and their tiny mouths incapable of producing the noises needed to prounounce it anyway,
    So the Gargant name generator allows you to produce the names that mortal men know each Gargant by, defined by their Origins and Specialities to produce personalised names.
     

  11. Melcavuk
    When allies fled left Chaos to roam,
    and evil pillages farm and home.
    When cries of aid met deafened ears,
    our people suffered dire years.
    'Twas then when our need was most,
    when hounded by the endless host.
    Our forebears sought to hide below,
    Through paths they could not truly know.
    'Neath darkest hold and hidden forts,
    through halls of stone that came to naught.
    Past seams of golds and jewels of wonder,
    lies the darkness of the Under.
    Vast halls echo empty across the Realms, a mere relic of times long since passed where stories are still told of vast carriages of gold that left the mountains to flourishing civilisations of Man and Aelf. The oldest still remember the days of the Duardin might across every realm, vast bastions of strength and wealth that formed the bulwark against the tides of Chaos in the early days of invasion that Sigmar might pull back all those unable to defend themselves behind the walls of Azyr. These mighty halls became islands of civilisation in a sea of chaos and death, and for a time their great stone walls repelled all who sought to pillage those that lay within. Yet as months dragged on to years the duardin within began to realise their part in Sigmars great plan, with his gates now sealed they had simply been discarded, a neccessary loss in a war that was only in its opening days. 
    In Ghyran the besieged Duardin of the Mender Conformation turned to their ancient crafts to tunnel beyond their isolation, with chaos on all sides they began to dig deep through the realmplate. So dire was their need that vast seams of gold and jewels were ignored, every man woman and child wielding pick for every moment of their waking life. As supplies began to run low, the hope of ever emerging from the great work began to dwindle, yet seemingly failure encroached on their task the mountains rewarded the perseverance. The Menders emerged in the darkness beneath the realmplate, a vast and empty madness that even the stars dare not stare upon shielded from the light of Hysh by the vast realm of Ghyran above this desolate landscape stretched seemingly endlessly onwards as little reward for a lifetime of labour.
    The only life that flourished in this deep and unrelenting emptiness came at the Hub, a massive mountainous spire jutting down from the Realmplate above, here seems of the Realm stones that invigorated the lands above allowed some small trace of green and life by way of a nourishing fungus to perservere even in the Under. The Menders set to task building their new home here hidden from the realm above, the Hub becoming a network of vast new holds as they sought to cultivate the fungus to feed what remained of their populace and for a time they were sated.
    In time the Menders sought to revisit the vast network that has lead them from their holds above, finding that years spent staring into the vast emptiness of the Under has robbed them of any joys the gold and jewels once bestowed. Yet deep within their heart the Duardin greed still lingered, hungering for something they could as of yet not truly understand, they turned their hands to task and made the seams of metal into a vast array of tunnelling machinery to widen the chasms through which they had made their escape. It was only as they emerged, the searing sun now offensive to their very eyes and bleached skin, turning their gaze to the changed world around them that they truly understood that which they craved. In a world where wealth was in an abundance it had lost all value, the only thing of true value was life itself, it was a currency without comparison and valued beyond even the rarest of jewels.
    The Menders looked upon the realms abandoned by Sigmar, upon those who had been felled on the field of battle and tried to save the wounded that were not beyond their talents. Those who could not be saved on the field of battle were instead taken to the vast depths below that they might be worked on hidden from the eyes of the Hosts of Chaos.
     
    Key Characteristics:
    Pressure Suits
    Sunshield visors
    Medical Gear
    Axes for amputation instead of Mining Picks
    Mechanical Arachnid mining constructs
     
  12. Melcavuk
    One of the key weakenesses in the destruction faction to date has been a lack of real ranged fire power which can cause the faction to struggle against tough ranged armies or those factions able to out maneuver them. Whilst the gitmob faction has a number of unique artillery options they are buried within a small and as of yet un-updated faction that lacks real allegiance benefits, and the Bonesplittas whilst able to fire enough arrows to blot out the sun themselves lack other methods of putting fire down the field.
     
    Why do Suneaters Have Artillery?
    The Suneaters take every walled city, every monument to a pathetic order god and every Order settlement eroding away their domains as a personal insult. In the time before time it was the rule of strength that dictated status within the realm, but as Sigmars pathetic council of gods has curled a mailed fist around the throat of every beast they have come across, choking the very life out of the realms as they seek to erect cities of stone and felled wood to bring civilization to that which ought be left wild. The Sunaters are driven by the desire to put flame to every stone hewn insult of a city that defaces their realms, that they might in time light the very fuse to bring down Azyr itself and restore the nature order of destruction to the Realms. 
    The Suneaters are masters of flame and the exotic fyrepowders of Aqshy, long have they travelled through the realms of fire and beast perfecting the art of destruction and there are few walls in all the Realms that can withstand the full might of a Suneater bombardment.
     
    Tactics:
    The Burnin Bomb Catapult - This ramshackle siege machine is forced through dirt and undergrowth by a crew of ashen grots, filling its cup with a volatile mixtures of squig "extracts" and aqshy fire powders to launch down the field. The improvised nature of the explosives means it is far less than reliable and can just as easily splatter harmlessly against the walls of a city as shatter through them, but it is the maniacle determination of the crew that sets the machine apart loading the cup time and time again in ever increasing volumes of explosive until they get to rejoice in the thunderous roar of the Suneater as their payload finds its mark. 


    These catapults come in cheap at a mere 80 points, designed to be purchased in units of upto three what they lack in potency they make up for in numbers, a number of these catapults in the backfield accompanied by a Gothi can lay down serious bombardment to deter enemy units from approaching vital objectives and cover the approach of your melee units.

    The Pyre Belchers - This great beast from Aqshy is a bloated and tormented creature gorged on the industrial runoff from the cities of man. Its form has swollen and mishapen with the volatility of the chemicals it has been fed but in return it has developed the ability to spit forth huge gouts of flame in the course of a battle. It is forced forward into battle by its Grot handlers, poked and prodded and gorged on lesser squigs that it might launch its payload further forward setting flame to all in its path.

    This unit produces variable levels of fire each turn, whilst this can limit how much you depend on it it also makes the unit an unknown variable to your foes. The fear of its large volume of fire and relatively high damage output coupled with the ability to improve accuracy through immobility makes this a fantastic addition to the arsenal of the Suneaters.

  13. Melcavuk
    A little work done on revising the Suneater batallions, I feel I could do with two more in order to fully fill out the quota within the tome as 2 of the current ones are mixed destruction Batallions with a central theme of Suneaters.

     
    Currently thinking of the following thematic compositions for one of the last two but in terms of rules to fill them out I'm open to suggestions:
    TRUE SONS OF THE SUNEATER
    There are Ogors, especially amongst the older members of the tribes that grow to resent the power the Gothi have garnered through their manipulations of the Suneaters blessings, these embittered beings go to excessive lengths to prove their devotion to a god that would sooner heed the word of a Gothi priest than the prayer of true Ogor Kin. In battle they are visceral, savage beyond compare as they swear to carve their name into the very legends of their kind or die before kneeling to the grots of the migrations.
    Exalted Volsungr
    2 x Fyreborn Slayer Units
    0-4 OGOR units
     
     
  14. Melcavuk
    Here's the current quota of Warscrolls from the Suneaters battletome, I keep deivising new unit concepts but that this point feel I have hit capacity on number of scrolls in a reasonable faction in AOS. If anything I may end up dropping scrolls to replace them with new ones if any are found to lack the right feel for the army
     










  15. Melcavuk
    So here's a first look at what is the basis for a sleek and more refined looking Suneater Tribes battletome. Latest revisions include the newly refined Allegiance abilities for the Faction along with revised prayer and a newlook warscroll layout for 2.0
     
    Along with a handful of screenshots I have enclosed a PDF for everything i have written thus far if anyone wants to do some playtesting for me with proxy models or give feedback.

     






    Download the current WIP tome here: Tribesinprogress.pdf
  16. Melcavuk
    If the Aelves thought themselves fortunate to stunt but a single tendril of the great Migrations they were mere fools, they had not been the target of the migrations long march across the realmscape, nor had they faced the true might of the Migrations warriors, instead to revel in the joy of their ambush showed the arrogance of all of Sigmars pets. Their greatest mistake however was to put thorn to the great beast and then flee without expecting retribution, even as their fleetfooted kin retreated higher out of the valley and into the forests the drums of war began to reverberate, seemingly coming from the mountains themselves. Those animals of higher instinct knew what was to come, great flocks of birds taking to the skies in search of less volatile grounds to make their nests, whole herds of antelopes racing in a crazed stampede through the valleys to find pastures and refuge far from these fields.
    Aelven scouts, hidden high in their perches to watch for signs of the enemies witnessed the arrival the main body of the migration into their secluded valley, vast plumes of smoke rising high up into the skies as every tree seemingly erupted into a rapturous applause of flame in the very presence of such military might, every blade of grass withering to form a carpet of Ash that the divine migrations might not walk upon unworthy ground. Worse still a word carried on the wind, riding the beat of every drum and etching its way into the hearts of those who heard it...
    "Surt'ar....."
    Leaping deftly from their lofty perches the Aelven scouts made all haste toward the refuge of their kin
    "Surt'ar...."
    The very air around the scouts seemingly became thicker with every passing moment, a wave of blistering heat crashing down upon them, the sun long since having retreated behind the clouds of smoke from the migrations Pyres.
    "Surt'ar...."
    One by one the scouts dropped lifeless, their bodies already shadowed in ash as they slumped face first into the dry and cracked earth, the very air in their lungs blistering and burning as they choked out their last few breaths before giving way to the sweet release of death.
    He was awake....
    So game 2 of the narrative series is tomorrow, I get to test out Surt'ar in his post-prison state as a rage fuelled fanatic hell bent on vengeance, where better to start than with a migration that has been assaulted by pesky Aelves. Here's the 2k list I'm looking at:
     
    Surt’Ar – The First - GENERAL
    Gothi Priest - Judgement of the Suneater Prayer (healing)
    Gothi Priest - Volcanic Blows Prayer (Increases rend)

    Aldin Draken x 2 - Battleline because Surt'Ar has the Volsungr Keyword
    Aldin Draken x 2
    Gullveig Ogors x 6 - Battleline, large unit to maximise the benefit of command ability and prayer
    Ashen Grots x 20 (Bows) - Harassment battleline

    Bal Kasta x 2

    Slatr Warbeast
    Burnin Bomb Catapult x 1
    Pyre Belcher
     
    It gives me a decent mix of units and a chance to see how the revised scrolls on the Pyrebelcher and Aldin drakken play out.
     

     
  17. Melcavuk
    Known Names:
    The First (Also known as First Prophet) - Surt'ar is often referred to both as The First and The First Prophet, in terms of the Suneaters both are equally true. When he climbed back through the mighty Jaws of the Suneater he was born again as the very first member of the Suneater tribes, he was also gifted a sliver of the divine power that he pulled from the god that rebirthed him becoming the first ever Volsungr of the tribes
    Forsworn of Vulcatrix - In part Surt’ar owes his unnatural longevity and might to the powers instilled in the life’s blood of Vulcatrix. When the great godbeast was shattered by the puny Duardin god little regard was given to where shards of her form fell. In each of these craters great volcanos blossomed to life pulsing with the scorching heat of every drop of her blood. Robbed of the fight Gorkamorka was not one to turn down a free meal, scouring the realms he found the still beating heart of the great salamander, in one mighty gulp he swallowed it whole. Legend says this heart still lurks within the gods stomach, pulsing undeterred, and from this the First Prophet drank deep of the blood of a Godbeast to sustain him in his long stay in his gods gullet.
    Exalted of the Suneater - Every Volsungr to follow in the Great Prophets footsteps is at best a poor imitation of his power, whilst each stands taller and stronger than any other Ogors they cannot match the sheer potency that came with the First. In this way he is considered the Exalted of their God, the first of his kind and without comparison.
    Surt’ar - The Last Chief of the Iron Klaw clan, and founder of the Burning Klaws this once mortal creature answered to the name Surt'ar before his ascension.
    Ruler Over All - Suneaters despise the cities of order encroaching upon their lands, none more so than Surt'ar whose tribe was butchered by this relentless invasion of order upon the realms. By divine law Surt'ar asserts dominion over all that the light of the Sun touches, by right of his gods power.
     
    Description: 
    His once mundane Ogor form has long since given way to the unrelenting heat of the Suneater, the very blood in his veins boiled his skin until it sloughed away from a mighty molten form. With age and mastery of the winds of Aqshy Surt'ar has resculpted himself a form, sinews shaped from living flows of magma, the pulsing heart of the volcano fuelling his power and every footstep rendering dirt to glass beneath his feet. In this way he stands at over twice the height of any Ogor, more gargant now than his flesh and blood kin, but he has never entered the long sleep of the Exalted, never had his flesh given way to the stone that slows the muscles and brains of his most favoured disciples. In many Ogor tribes his smaller stature than the Exalted would render him secondary to them in the chain of command, yet none contest his rule over all of the tribes, within his heart pulses the very power of their god, his every word revered as divine law, on the field of battle none match his sheer destructive force, his unrelenting will and fury beyond ages.
    In battle he wields two relics of his power (though some contest these had previously been stolen from other tribes):
    Pok'Gar - The Tongue of Vulcatrix is a whip wrought from the living flames of Aqshy, whilst unlikely to have been formed out of the literal tongue of the godbeast (as such a thing would dwarf even the great drakes of the realms) it is an exquisite weapon of destruction, coursing with a life of its own feeding on the very winds of flame that surge throughout the realms. 
    Savar - This heavy magma drenched mace is said to have been formed from crowns taken from conquered kingdoms, each king is said to have burnt alive with all his finery, the great Gothi priests sculpting the bone meal and precious metals with the spark of divine power of their forges into the weapon Savar, butcher of Kingdoms.
    Destroyer of Civilizations:
    Had Surt’ars rampage not been cut short in the Age of Myth there is no telling the damage he could have dealt to the growing expanse of order, indeed the Suneater claim that they would have better held the tide of chaos than any Order alliance had their Prophet been at the head of the Migration. Yet imprisoned he was, for an Age he was alone, cursed with his rage and the burning fury of his god, subject to the unrelenting torrents of the great Falls of Ghyran in a prison of water and arcane sorcery. All that time did nothing to lessen his hatred for the Aelves and their kind, the constant torment honing his blunt anger into a weapon of precise destruction. Now freed unwittingly by Nagash and his Necroquake this titan of destruction has clawed his way out of the pit for the second time in his life, ready to seek out his kin and see what has become of his legacy. Once more at the head of the great Migrations of the tribe it will not be long until he steers it into the very heart of Sigmars cities, that true destruction might reign in the realms once more.
     
    On the Battlefield:
    Surt’ar is one of the few mid-sized heroes within the Suneater tribes, where as his lesser Volsungr seek out the power of the Magmadrake to lend to their own in the heat of battle, and the mighty Exalted are entombed in the volcanic rock that an Age of rest has rendered upon their forms Surt’ar represents the ideal his kin strive for. This makes him unique in the alliance, whilst large he is not fully considered a monster, toeing the fine line between monstrous infantry and the larger beasts in your army.
    Surt’ar is at his very heart a combat berserker, designed to charge into the very heart of your enemies forces and carve down their heroes, yet with his smaller stature he lacks the resilience of some of your larger heroes and for this reason is ideally supported by Gothi Priests who will further enhance his combat potential either with vital healing prayers to keep him in the fight longer, lending Volcanic blows to enhance his weapons to sunder even the toughest armour into dust or choking his victims in ash so that they might not fight back.
    Utilising Surt’ar alongside the powers from Pyres allegiance ability will be a furious assault upon your opponents defences, coupling his ability to increase the attacks characteristic of a nearby unit along with the Pyres ability to run and charge in the same turn can turn a unit of Fyreborn Fanatics into a blender of flame and beaten steel.
    Unlike most named characters Surt’ar does not show affinity to any particular Tribe within the Suneaters, each of them has been birthed from his own Burning Klaws and it is his energy the powers the Volsungr in every migration. With rumours of his return spreading throughout the tribes Gothi priests can be heard wailing into the mighty Volcanoes of the realms, that he might hear their cry and emerge from the roiling molten rock to lead their tribe into war.
     
    Model Inspiration:
    I had a few concepts in mind for when modelling Surt’ar and in my eagerness I explained each in turn to my partner, whilst perfect at humouring my creativity she can often see things in the design stages that escape my notice due to enthusiasm. In this case it was simple “So its another big monster?”, yes… yes it was, every model I have made for this faction so far has been the constant strive to go bigger, go tougher, but The First isn’t about size its about power and rage, adding another monstrous miniature to the battlefield would make the force unwieldy, whats more it does little to differentiate what makes him different from the rest of his kind.
    For this reason, we’ve actually opted to go SMALLER (ironic that’s in bigger text, right?), currently Surt’ar stands only at twice the height of an Ogor, indeed even with his own trophies adding to height he is smaller than both the Volsungr on Magma Drake and stands just over half the height of the Exalted Volsungr. This is nice for a couple of reasons, firstly he stands it in an army of “bigger” by being unique and midsized, secondly it means I can lop off the behemoth requirement for him and am considering removing the monster keyword too.
     
    MODEL UNVEILING TOMORROW!
  18. Melcavuk
    Today saw the most recent clash between the Aeloran Nomads and my Suneater Tribe Ogors, the first in our narrative series to shape the factions place within the Realms. We decided to use the Open War card in order to generate a decent narrative for the battle beyond the normal objective based clash, it was our first time using the card and the variation in deployment made for an interesting start. The Suneaters tribe came straight down the middle of the field, a roiling unrelenting steamroller of muscle and flame, meanwhile the Nomads scattered to the edges of the field, emerging from two of the nearby forests in a pincer move to surround and envelop the slower and more cumbersome foe. Generating the Torrential Rain card was a nice touch, adding a real sense of atmosphere to the battle whilst our objective was to each take out the opponents messenger (for us these were the people carrying warning back to the rest of their faction of the oncoming war).

    TACTICAL OVERLAY
    As this was the first time in testing out many of the Aelven units I played soft with the Ogors, rather than deleting units I knew to be potent I wanted to see how potent each of the units were, however this couldnt always be the case (closest target, blocking my way etc). Poor deployment made the gladeshards easy prey to even the weaker flying hero of my force, they were initially too far out of range to hit and with a 16 inch move the carrion drake moved from outside their shooting range to in combat with them in a single turn so they didnt hold up too well.
    The Longstriders survived an onslaught of Bal Kasta, Aldin Draken, Grots and catapults, very resilient and putting out a few wounds of their own in return but the Pyre ability (-1 to hit for shooting) and the rain (-1 to hit for shooting) really didnt help the Aelves in this encounter, often making even their normal infantry hit on 6's at range which is just unplesant to far. It also stunted both the Bal Kasta and Aldin Draken shooting however, the former I forgot to use most of their abilities and the latter did reasonably but would be better utilised against a force with more monsters in it.
    The Apex predator rule on the Wyld Runner chariot was fantastic, holding my general in place whilst both the chariot and griffon savaged him and brought him down was a great victory for Charlotte at this point in the battle (I had been systematically deleting units, the centaurs got stood on by the volcanic idol). The battle really went on for about 6 turns, even then both our messengers were on full health (my grot hid in a cave, he's a grot) as time wasnt on our side and the battle was balanced we diced off and Charlotte came away with a well fought win. Narratively as more aelves had died the Ogors dominated the village and took the land but the Aelves filled their mission of getting a messenger through the Suneaters lines to rouse the rest of the Hunt to this new threat.
     
    STORY
    The Aeloran scout crouched low in the lashing rain, her boots sinking into the deluge of mud beneath her and the once life Aelven cloak that shielded her form now sodden with rain hung heavily on her back. Her party had been ordered to take up position in a small copse of trees at the edge of what must have once been a man-kin village, from here she saw her first glimpse of the devastation wrought upon the world when her kind had abandoned it to the tide of chaos. Once mighty stone structures had been shattered as though by the hands of gods themselves, mighty carved pathways through the village now broken and shoddy reclaimed once more by the wilderness, there were no signs of the populace of this once burgeoning settlement, no laughter of children, no ringing of the dinner bells… it lay hollow and empty much like the Aeloran themselves.
     
    Though it must have been nearing midday the heavy clouds had long since drowned out any memory of the sun, darkness swarmed across the battlefield and visibility was rapidly becoming an insurmountable challenge. Yet even through this wall of rain she could see the flickering lights of their quarry, hundreds of torches somehow enduring the outpour as though fuelled by some arcane means, the very rain tasted of the smoke and ash their foe sent out into the wilds. More worrisome was the thunderous footfalls of the beasts that formed their preys procession, at the head of their column lumbered some monolithic creature, the glowing embers of its mask making its haunting visage visible leering in the darkness, with every slam of its heavy feet the trees itself seems to wince and lean away from its advance.
     
    As the last of the enemy procession cleared the treeline, the low drone of a hunting horn spurred the young Huntress from her thoughts, all distraction fading from her mind she felt the doe-kin spirit that shared her form spark into life. The energy of her blended soul coursed and rippled through her form, every muscle twitching with renewed vigour, leaping out of her crouched position her fingers curled tightly around the ironbark bow as her party joined the hunt. Silent save for the last reverberations of the horn still resonating through the treeline the Aelves advanced rapidly, leaping deftly over broken branches and ruin alike, the nearer the came to the enemy force the more they could hear the shrieking riotous laughter of the madness tinted grots still hidden from view, screeching in their primitive tongue to whatever gods they had sworn allegiance to. Notching an arrow, the Hunter took up her position amongst dozens of other archers, even Aelven eyes straining to pick out their quarry through the rain.
     
    As the enemy advance came into view she could feel the ripple of shock resonate through those around her, each doing their best to mask it, but a discernible wince seemed to flood through the battle line. Standing well over twenty aelves in height came the enemy leader, a giant hewn of stone, its every coursing vein glowing with volcanic heat, a savage mask offering only a leering grin of distain to all that lay beneath it. Every step it took seemingly scorching the very earth upon which it stood, on its shoulder stood the screeching maddening grotkin they had heard on their advance, large and bloated for its kind she could not help but feel disgusted at its very form. With this massive monstrosity came lumbering Ogor cavalry, massive even for their kin and clad is heavy beaten iron armour, sat atop fat wingless drakes whose scales glimmered and rippled in the glow of their volcanic master. Behind them came crude metal contraptions, lumbering and creaking with every step mounting crude weapons beneath each arm, what foul monstrosities they were she could not tell but only hope it was not first hand that she would find out.
     
    With every moment yet more horrors came into focus, poorly constructed wooden frames carrying massive rock totems to their god, siege engines carrying burning pay loads, dozens more Ogors and hundreds of screeching Grots… yet it was of little consequence. The hunting horn sounded once more, as one the archers rose from their positions and loosed their arrows, wood slick from rain what would have once been a seamless barrage rapidly descended into madness yet enough seemed to find their mark, Ironbark tips piercing even the rock hide of the monstrous creature at the head of the Ogor column. No cheer went up yet there was a sense of smug satisfaction as the Volcanic entity reeled backwards, short lived however was any joy the Aelves derives at its low rumbling laughter shook the very trees around them, followed shortly by the same lumbering footfall as before, they had done little more than amuse it.
     
    As the rain broke momentarily the Huntress could spy the second pincer of the hunt closing on the enemy across the shattered remains of the village, dozens of stags leaping over low walls as their riders filled the sky with a torrent of arrows instead. The satisfying screech of impales grots punctuated every loosed arrow, Kurnoth hunters from the realm of the forest loosed massive spear like arrows of their own, yet even their mighty blows seemed to do little to the monster at the head of the column. Through the midst of the Ogor ranks she could spy crude bonfires being rapidly assembled by the enemy priests, every bonfire lit beginning to fill the clearing with a heavy smoke that threatened to choke the air around them. Even without the rain this smoke made it hard to place arrow to their quarry, wiping the sweat from her ash stained face the huntress paused for a moment. A sound resonated through her acute hearing even over the clamour of the battle, the strain of wood… a low growl, too late she realised the source of her distraction as the agonising sensation of a crude bolt ripped through her shoulder, the very strength of the shot carrying her forwards as the bolt embedded in a broken wall in front of her. The impact slammed her head to stone, coursing agony flowing through her every thought, blood beginning to blur her vision as she glanced backwards to her attacker. A second party of the giant lizard riding Ogors had approached from their rear… had they been the ones being hunted? Such delirious thoughts had little time to take root however as consciousness began to flee her beleaguered mind and darkness resumed.
     
    Flickers of consciousness… merest glimpses of the battle found their way to the Aelfs mind, she could only watch helpless as her sisters valiantly tried to fight off the lizard riding hunters to no avail, soundlessly whimper as the bloated beasts feasted on their entrails. She could utter no warning as the heavy metal clad Ogors with their crude weaponry seemingly walked from the mighty pyres their priests had erected, belching gouts of molten metal that turned the once peerless gryph chargers of the nobles into screeching piles of singed flesh and molten slag.
     
    She saw, with at least some satisfaction, her noble king fighting the volcanic beast that led the enemy assault, as his great chariot impaled the beast in a fearless head-on charge, a noble griffon descended on the stone-beasts back, the pair clashing and ripping the beast apart stone by stone even against the screeching protest of its Grot passenger. She saw too the hammer blow that shattered her kings chariot… though held out hope he had survived the assault to hunt once more, the spear like bolt that laid low the griffon even over the smouldering wreckage of the volcanic idol.
     
    Great Wyldshard brambles had begun to flood the battlefield, every drop of noble blood that touched this accursed dirt sunk deep into the rain sodden mud. Wickedly sharp brambles erupted forth, they moved with carnivorous intent as they coursed and flowed across the battlefield, a living wall of vine and thorn that sought to stunt the Ogors advance.
     
    As consciousness fled once more her final vision was of the fleeting form of the Wyldmare racing past her, a smile filling her blood-stained lips. The messenger had broken through the Ogor lines, help was coming.
     
     
     
     
     
     





























  19. Melcavuk
    For the Suneater tribes with Artefacts, Spells and Prayers to keep track off within the army there needs to be a good way of staying informed within a game, so along with working out the technical components of these items I've been working on basic card designs to bring them to life within the game. So here they are for judgements and review!

    PRAYERS - MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SUNEATER 
    1)       Wrath of the Blackened Wyrm – A priest channels his will into the thick black smoke billowing from the pyres, coiling it like a serpent to obscure the Suneaters from their foes. Pick one TERRAIN feature within 15 inches of this priest and roll a D6, on a roll of 4 or more enemy models may no longer draw line of sight through or over that terrain feature until the beginning of your next hero phase.

     
    2)       Judgement of the Suneater – The best blades are formed in the hottest of flames, pick a friendly unit within 12 inches and roll a D6, on a 4 or more that unit immediately heals D3 wounds. On a roll of 1 however they are found unworthy and instead the target unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.

     
    3)       Volcanic Blows – Pick a friendly unit within 3 inches and roll a D6, on a 5 or more that units weapons are charged with the force of a volcanic eruption. Until your next hero phase whenever your target unit rolls of a 6 or more to hit increase their rend by 2.

     
    4)       Under the heel of Gork – Select an enemy unit within 18 inches and roll a D6, on a roll of 5 or more that unit counts its SAVE as its movement value until your next hero phase (A unit with a save of 3+ now has a move of 3) as they feel the weight of Gorks mighty foot pushing down upon them.

     
    5)       Burning Blood – Select a friendly unit within 3 inches and roll a D6, on a roll of 4 or more that unit is enchanted. Until your next hero phase, if at the end of any combat phase that unit has lost wounds in close combat their attacker suffers D3 mortal wounds as their foes blood burns at their skin.

     
    6)       Burn it all – Select a friendly INFERNO MARKER and roll a D6, on a roll of 5 or more your prayer has been successful. Roll a dice for every ENEMY model within 6 inches of that marker, on a roll of 6 or more that model suffers a mortal wound as the pyres flame suddenly erupts outwards.
     
    SPELLS - LORE OF THE FLAME
    1)       Fireball
    Casting Value 5
    Pick an enemy unit visible to the caster and within 18 inches and roll a D6, on a roll of a 1 that unit suffers a mortal wound, on 2-4 that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds, on a 5-6 that unit suffers D6 mortal wounds.
     
    2)       Molten Shield
    Casting Value 7
    Pick a visible friendly unit within 12 inches of this wizard, until your next hero phase you may re roll failed saves for that unit, additionally any save roll of a 6 or more inflicts a mortal wound on an enemy unit within 3 inches.
     
    3)       Jaws of the Suneater
    Casting Value 8
    The ground itself seems to warp and shift into a molten burning maw that threatens to swallow a man whole, consuming all in its path until its hunger sates. Pick a visible enemy MODEL within 18 inches that MODEL (damage will not overspill into the unit) suffers D3 mortal wounds, if the roll resulted in 3 mortal wounds (and the model was slain) select another model in the unit and repeat the process until you inflict less than 3 mortal wounds on a roll or the unit is destroyed
     
    4)       Aftershock
    Casting value 6
    The wizard slams his foot against the dirt with a thud that resonates as though a clap of thunder, as they ground shakes and distorts enemies find it hard to find their footing. Until your next hero phase enemy units that initiate a charge move within 9 inches of this wizard must subtract 3 from the result.
     
    5)       Choking Ash
    Casting Value 6
    Pick a visible unit within 18 inches of the caster, until your next hero phase that unit must subtract 1 from all hit rolls as they as surrounding by a thick blanket of ash, if the casting roll for this spell was 11+ that unit must also subtract 1 from to wound rolls until your next hero phase.
     
    6)      Immolate
    Casting Value 8
    The last spiteful act of many a Suneater wizard is to give themselves over entirely to the flame. Every unit friend or foe within 6 inches of this model (including this model) suffers D6 mortal wounds, if the casting roll was 11+ they instead suffer 2D6 mortal wounds as the Suneater revels in the destruction.
    ARTEFACTS - TROPHIES OF AQSHY
    1 - The Elusive Spark
    This shimmering spark was once a fire imp, its essence ripped away by Suneater priests it now fuels a lantern lengthening and distorting the shadows of its bearer into a haunting spectre. Enemy models within 6 inches of this model reduce their Bravery by 2
     
    2 - Drake blood Oils
    Pick one MELEE weapon for the bearer to apply these oils to, this cannot belong to their mount. Any wound rolls of 6 or more with this weapon inflict a single mortal wound in addition to their normal damage
     
    3 - Embers of the first Pyre
    Blessed are those given but a part of the first Pyre of the Suneaters, this model may utilise the Spark of Destruction prayer even if they are not a priest. If the model is a priest they may use this prayer twice in a turn.
    SPARK OF DESTRUCTION: In your HERO PHASE select a terrain feature within 15 inches of this model and roll a D6. On a roll of 4 or more that terrain feature sparks into flame and you may place an INFERNO MARKER on it. Additionally roll a dice for any model (friend or foe) entirely within that terrain feature. On a roll of 6+ that model suffers a mortal wound as they are engulfed in the flames.
     
    4 - Flickerfire Cloak
    The bearers cloak ripples and shifts as though a coursing magma flow, enemy models attacking this Hero in the combat phase must re roll any hit rolls of a 6 as they are captivated by the cloak.
     
    5 - Volcanic Shield
    Hits struck against this shield reverberate with the deafening boom of a volcanic eruption, Cunning Ogors bang their blades against the shield on the charge to send their foes off balance. Enemy units within 3 inches of this HERO may not be selected to attack in Melee until all other units have been resolved.
     
    6 - Bone hewn Effigy
    This model has a small token effigy of the Suneater carved from the bones of a great drake, it is said when the strength of the bearer begins to leave their form they may drain the last of the drakes energies from the bone to reinvigorate themselves. Once per battle in your hero phase you may elect to use this effigy, restoring D3 wounds to this model.
     
    SAMPLE CARDS


     
  20. Melcavuk
    As the name implies the Suneater Tribes consist of more than one Singular migration, back before the Age of Chaos the great prophet climbed from his pitlike grave and set out across the realms to unite his kin in a conquest that would shatter the very walls of the cities of Order. It was here that the first tribe, dubbed the Burning Klaw tribe was formed, born out of Ghur and yet in time many others have sprung up, each led by and tailored to the great Volsungr that leads them. Whilst the Suneaters might naturally seem to favour the wild landscapes of Ghur or the flaming hills of Aqshy they can be found in nearly every realm.
     
    THE PYRE MAWS (SCORCH) -  When the forces of Man, Aelf and Duardin sought to retake the realm from the wilds and chaos that had reigned the did so with supreme arrogance and lack of foresight to the whims of the realms themselves. In the chaos that had descended over the realm the Suneater Tribes had flourished, their trail of destruction cared not if the cities razed were of Sigmars pathetic cohorts or the Dark Gods of the deluded masses, simply that the flames rose high into the night to please the Suneater. To see such glorious destruction come to an end as the forces of Order sought to raise new Cities, their “Seeds of Hope” was an affront to the Great Destroyer, that anything could rise from the Ashes was an insult to the devotion that the Maw Pyre clan had shown in their ravaging of the forests of Ghyran.

    Incensed by this affront to their destructive labours the Maw Pyres migration was ceased, no longer pushing onwards to their homes in the lands of Aqshy and the blistering heats of the volcanic winds in that realm of fire their Prophet turned them back toward these fledgling cities. The wrath of this tribe was unlike anything the mortals had come to expect, the ferocity of their flames tore through the forests of Alarielle in a seemingly unstoppable tide, the very nature of her Sylvaneth making them vulnerable to the heat and flame that sought to devour everything in its path.

    It was then to the great engineers of the Freeguild that she had so often rebuked for their ways of industry that Alarielle went, their smoke belching machinery seemingly more tolerable in the face of the total incinerations of her forest realm. These bewildering machines were put to task by their engineers, digging great trenches through the forest to blockade and surround the tribes of Suneaters as they made their advance. These great trenches were linked to the river Terral, its coursing life giving waters flooding through the trenches and forming a bulwark against the fires and halting the Ogors advance. The wound the Maw Pyres carved into the very skin of the Realm of Life would never fully heal, the heat of their onslaught had burnt deep through the dirt, scorching and sealing the dirt and rocks into blades of volcanic glass that would endure no life to grown in them. To this day this lingering malignant wound persists, a reminder of the outrage of the Suneater Tribes to the fresh onset of civilization seeking to end their joyous infernos.
     
    THE BURNING KLAWS (SHATTER TOOTH PLATEAU)
    The Burning Klaws tribe is said to be the original Suneater tribe, born of the teachings of the first prophet after he was chosen by the great burning god. In the beginning they were few, the Ogor Firebelly wizards had been spread far and wide throughout the realms as they sought new and more potent elixirs to try and mirror their gods mighty powers, however the Prophet was a beacon fire, one great burning pyre that drew all the disparate Firebelly tribes from across the realms toward the Shatter Tooth Plateau in the realm of Ghur. It was here, many months before that the Prophet had been reborn in the stomach of the Suneater, here he had faced trial by fire, combat and of resolve, and it was here he had emerged the champion and prophet of the great God.
     
    In modern days the Burning Klaws are the largest of all tribes, holding dominance in the realm of Ghur whilst many of their kin undertook the great migration to the fires of Aqshy, here they control the greatest site of power in the Suneaters history, one that inspires both the respect and ire of lesser tribes. When each of the great Volsungr left the Burning Klaws to start their own tribes they took with them their own interpretations of the Suneaters whims, it was in this way that his teachings of the Pyres changed, evolved or diluted with every new tribe. The Burning Klaws however stayed true to the teachings of the first prophet and are afforded far more potent magicks than their kin, in battle they are known to field elite Ogor bodyguards for their Chosen Prophet, carrying great slabs of volcanic glass as shields to create an unbreakable wall around their foes, penning them in and pushing them ever closer to the pyres. In this way foes that do not perish in battle slowly roast alive in an ever-tightening cage of fire and shield.
    The Burning Klaws invoke far more Bal Kasta than any other migration, so long and far has their migration marched that many tribes have fallen to their ever onwards onslaught.
     
    THE UR-GORES (FYREWATER GULCH)
    When the Great Migration to the realm of fire occurred, it was the Ur-gore tribe that led the way, their young and inexperienced Volsungr commanded his tribe make the journey that they might bathe in the burning might of the Suneater in a realm that reflected his eternal glory. The first of the great tribes to separate from the Burning Klaws they cut a swathe of destruction from the Ghur gate into Aqshy, however in their wake they often spied the stunty and arrogant Fyre Slayers, these dwarves held no love or respect for the great Suneater but worse they seemed to pillage the Ur-gold left in the ruins of the great advance of the Suneater Tribes. To see anyone finding comfort or solace in their reign of destruction angered the mighty Ur-gores, that their weak and pathetic foes might profit from the glory of the Suneater was a slight that could not be allowed to endure. It was then only proper that the Volsungr found a momentous act of spite to shown dominance over this foe, when they razed their next village the prophet gathered his Gothi Fyri priests to him and set them to task, a great pit was dug in the heart of the ruined village with every precious metal found thrown in. When they had gathered all of worth he stoked a mighty blaze, calling on the primal fires of the realm and his own gods mighty magics the blaze roared with blistering intensity, slowly melting the precious metals into a glimmering, bubbling pool of burning hot metal.
     
    Gathering his most elite kin to him the Volsungr and his priests set to work, shaping and warping the molten metals with agonising efficiency into glistening golden tattoos across the skin of the Tribes chosen. The very touch of the metal was a torturous burning unlike any they had endured before and yet the Ogors endured it as they would any gift from the great Suneater, and when the Volsungr will was completed his tribe marched to war once more, now emblazoned with rippling metallic tattoos formed of the very Ur-gold that they Fyreslayers had sought to pillage from the ruins of their migration.
     The Volsungr of the tribe is a mighty creature, his entire skin covered in rippling and shifting Ur-Gold ever heated by the supernatural flames stoked from inside his destructive soul. He marches as a living effigy and idol to his tribe, considered far more a demi god than mere prophet by those who follow in his wake no blade can pierce his golden hide.
    Such arrogance and spite has left to a fierce conflict between the Ur-gores and Fyreslayers, the latter desperate to reclaim the Ur-gold of their god.
     
    THE ASH WALKERS (MISTS OF ULGU)
    It is said that the mists of Ulgu glow with the brimstone haze in the approach of the Ash Walker tribes, the thick fog that envelops the realm shifting and enhancing the lights from the many torches of the tribe until the very air around them seems to boil and hiss with the encroaching flame. It has been many decades since the Ash Walkers moved into the mists of Ulgu, led by a young prophet seeking to carve out his place in the legends of his people by finding and bringing down the cities of the elusive Aelves rumoured to call the city home. However there are creatures that lurk within the mists of this realm, born and shaped by the ever shifting nature that began to pick away at the migration, ripping Ogor from mount and consuming whole swathes of the Grot accompanyment in a single bite. Beset on all side and never truly seeing their foe the Prophet found himself shaken by not quelled, he spurred his Aldin Draken kin forward with him at the head of the pack, charging headlong into the mists with a ferocious roar and a gout of flame that lit the entire region.
    What fate found the Volsungr is as yet unknown, but with both their prophet and elite warriors having been taken the migration was on the bring of collapse, no Ogor had the strength of will nor the divine status needed  to lead the tribe onwards. Just as it appeared the migration had come to an end the Gothi priests came togther, their shrill voices shrieking and wailing out into the nights sky as they were riddled with visions (or so they say), it is the word of the Gothi that the Suneater wishes them to push onwards into the realm, that their prophet yet lives still waging wars ever deeper into the shifting mists of the realms. WHilst doubtful there was little the Ogors could do to contest the vision, this small flicker of hope was enough to spur them onwards deeper into the mists of Ulgu.
    As time has passed the Gothi leadership of this migrations has shifted and shaped its actions, leaning more heavily on Grots to do the majority of fighting they favour quick strike and hit and run tactics across the realm. The Ash Walkers make extensive use of Carrion Drakes, favouring bow over spear and pulling the mighty artillery and Waagh karts behind them that they might atleast have the eye of the Suneater upon them if his prophets cannot be with them.
    THE DEAD HEADS (GRAVES OF SHYISH)
    The Dead Heads are odd kin to the Suneater tribes, hailing from the rotting lands of Shyish where all life begins to wither and fade they have taken the very energies of the Realm into their migrations. Wielding strange and shifting green flame borne of the darker magicks of the realm they are a disconcerting sight for those that behold them, their warriors dubbing bio luminescent paint across their forms in the vague shapes of a skeletal visage they can be seen leering from the darkness on the still nights as a legion of glowing skeletal monstrosities. For Suneaters this is a sombre migration, gone are the visicious chants, the maniacle laughter or the revellery that comes with a normal migration, instead they set to task with a startling efficiency and near silence save for the occasional grunt or groan of the mighty beasts that accompany them. 
    In battle the Dead Heads make more use of the elite Ogor units than their kin, favouring the Slatr warbeasts and Aldin draken both of whom can march for days without food or sustinence, ideal for a realm where even crops are known to wither with the briefest of glances. It is said that their mighty Volsungr can never know death, having bathed in the ethereal flames deep at the heart of the realm his body lay littered with scars from wounds that could have been mortal to a lesser beast, he dons and ancient carved skull mask  and has adorned his magma drake with skeletal armour. To fight the Dead Heads is to witness the ruthlessness of their commitment to the task, to face sheer burning agony in the eerie green glow of the flame, and when battle is done the Dead Heads efficiency in burning all that fell ensures their battles do little to reinforce Nagashes legions in the realm.
    THE LOST MIGRATION
    Whilst the tribes hail from nearly every Realm there is one that no tribe calls home, the mercurial and shifting metallic realm of Chamon, it is said in centuries past some upstart Ogor tribe within that cursed realm considered themselves the true disciples of the Suneater. What followed was a savage battle between the Suneater migration and the self dubbed Furnace King of Chamon over the true teachings of their destructive God (who likely simply revelled in the fresh destruction and onslaught to be witnessed). It is said the Prophets and Iron Baron clashed over days, weeks and months, every battle sending hundreds of Ogors to an early grave and countless grots, great gouts of flame clashing with cold and beaten ironworks of the Furnace kings yet there was to be little victory found on their side.
    As the months turned to years the first great prophet made a decree, the realm of Chamon was to be blocked to the Suneater tribes, the children of the Suneater could not waste their numbers in such petty conflicts whilst the true enemy of their kind erected yet more cities, walls and fortresses across the other realms that they had neglected. Instead an accord was found, the Iron Barons would send great shipments of the Iron Bark of their realm through the mighty gates to Aqshy and the Suneaters holy site, in return the Fyrepowders of the realm of fire would be sent back, each would pursue the destruction of the cities of Order in their own manner without shedding the blood of other Ogors.
    The accord was sworn, yet shakily held, all together weakened by the rumoured the Iron Barons had made off with a shard of the eternal flame of the Suneater stolen from a fallen prophet. What machinations these Ogor engineers had for such a potent relic was as of yet unknown, though if it was brought to bear against the newly swelled ranks of the Suneaters the conflict might well consume both tribes.
  21. Melcavuk
    The great tribes of the Suneaters are a nomadic people, their every migration an endless march to war for the glory of the Pyre. Many creatures of the realms see the glory of the flame, and seek the blessings of the great Suneater, adding their number to the swelling ranks of devotees following the Great Prophets of the Suneater Tribes.
     
     
     
    HEROES AND CHAMPIONS
    Volsungr on Magma Drake
    In the guttural dialect of the nomadic Ogor tribes the word Volsungr roughly translates to Chosen one or Chooser, both of which apply aptly to the great Volsungr of the Suneater Tribes. They are the highest authority within the tribe, seconded in potency only to the great Suneater himself, they have walked the blasted wastes and faced the great trials in the same way the very first Prophet of this kind did and emerged the stronger for it.
    Each nomadic tribe has but a single Volsungr, the most potent of their Ogor wizard that has risen to dominance, often the oldest and strongest of their kind their skin is rough and blistered from decades walking the flames of their Gods glory, adorned with trophies of civilisations that they have incinerated. To pass the final trial to become a Volsungr each aspirant must tame one of the great drakes of Aqshy, walking alone and unarmed into the Scorch fire Chasm as their prophet had done so long ago. So seldom does such an aspirant emerge from the Chasm successful (or intact) that there are but a handful of Volsungr roaming the realms, each at the head of a great host of the Suneater tribes who recognise their glory.
    Volsungr ride into battle mounted atop their Magma Drakes, a rippling beast of scorching heat and burning hot scales. Their hides are thick enough to deflect even the best of Duardin blade and their great wings allow them to race down the battlefield even carrying to burden of their master atop their backs. In the heat of battle, they can unleash boiling brimstone flame from their wicked beaks, boiling blood and shattering bone with the intensity of the molten magma that erupts from their gullet.
    Tribes form around the Volsungr, seeing them as the prophets of the Suneater and his embodiments within the realms, as such each tribe takes on features of their Prophets, often mirroring his garb and trophies with priests screeching out their new masters interpretation of the will of the Gods. For this reason, should a new member of the tribe seek to take on the position they are cast out into the blistering wastes, for no prophet can endure the word of another, if the Suneater finds the challenger worthy he will protect them and allow a tribe to form around their new interpretation of his will.
     
    Exalted Volsungr
    It is said that from the day they are chosen the Volsungr, great prophets of the Suneater tribes are gifted with the touch of the volcano, indeed many have been witnessed in battle belching forth great gouts of flame and magma to douse their enemies and leave them to an agonising death. Such things (the Gothi say) are the blessings of the Suneater, that his mightiest warriors might one day rival the destructive powers of the volcanic mountains of the realms). They are seemingly untouched by flame from the day of Ascension, feeling no heat nor pain at its presence. Indeed, many take to bathing in the Magma flows to cleanse their unsightly crevices of parasites that no Gothi can even be convinced to remove.
    As a Volsungr migration spreads across the realms, leaving a blistering scar of scorched earth in their wake, they share in the power gifted to the Suneater with every pyre to his glory lit, the further they travel and more pyres they ignite the more powers bestowed upon them, to some comes the choking cloud of ash that shadows their every movement, choking out any foes who would dare approach. To others the calloused and coarse skin becomes as hard as the stone of the mountain itself, yet more manifest a mighty bellow that can fell trees and shattered the most hardened rock as though the power of a volcanic explosion.
    It is said that the most aged of the Volsungr reach such power that they need no migration to follow in their wake, they have become the mountain and their Gods chosen warriors, in time these ancient warriors leave their tribe to the next prophet, migrating across the realms to rest at the Maw of the Suneater, the birth place of their tribes and await their gods command. They take no guard with them, nor trophies or treasure... such things mean little to these mighty avatars of their god, instead only their most loyal of Gothi priest are permitted to (and insisted upon) accompany them to their holy site.
    As years turn to decades these warriors fade to myth, yet now as tremors of change ripple across the realm the Suneater stirs from his pit, with a mighty bellow his chosen warriors march forth once more. This once mortal forms changed entirely as their hardened rocklike skin has grown to immense size, no longer can they merely belch the flame, their entire visage has eroded to the rippling orb of flame to drown out even the Sun itself, so much has their power intensified that every crack and crag in their rocklike skin seethes with blistering heat. They are accompanied, as all Volsungr, by their most loyal of Gothi borne high above the battlefield on the shoulder of their prophets. These Gothi are perhaps the unsightliest of the pair, a Grot unlike any other... one that has allowed to both grow fat and old, feasting on the food and treasures their champions no longer require.
    Gothi Fyri
    It is said in Suneater tribes that no Ogor has ever held the rank of Priest to the Suneater, they claim that their deep and booming voices are too like the sounds of volcanoes erupting for the mighty god to distinguish them from the volatile realm of Aqshy and hear their pleas, meanwhile it is the shrill and piercing cries of the Grots that are unlike any other within the realm, able to pierce through the seismic rumbling and volcanic eruptions to irritate the god enough to earn his attention. It has been this way since the very beginnings of the tribe, those grots of particularly loud, shrill or annoying voices picked out from the crowd at a young age and thrown out into the wastelands to earn the attention of their God.
    Each is forced to live in exile until they return with a convincing token of their gods favour, though what is considered convincing is often left open to interpretation, some hunt the great phoenixes of the realm to try and carry off a cloak of flaming feathers as the warm (and burning) embrace of the Suneater. Others climb to mountains top to pluck a shard of the great salamanders burning rocks from the very lip of a volcanoes edge. Of course, many more simply band together in a conniving mob and wait for a more competent grot to complete such a heroic feat, then as their soon-to-be victim heads back to camp the mob descend on them in a flurry of rocks and fists to savagely beat them to death and steal their prize. Such acts often amuse the Suneater enough to let pass... and in doing so he loses but a single priest and gains a handful more as their victims trophy gets divided up between them.
    In battle the Gothi Fyri cut small figures, often able to hide behind the ranks of Suneaters that they might search for favour and blessing from the great god, it is this cowardice and cunning that makes them particularly adept at their jobs, often finding the resolve to channel the gods will when it benefits them most. Aside from their divine talents the Gothi Fyri act as mouth pieces for the great chosen ones of the Suneater, barking out their orders in a shrill and piercing cry to the rest of the tribe, though such cries often boil down to the annoying and hardly helpful “He's right you know”
     
    Gothi Herald
    Some Gothi priests can be seen riding to battle atop a weedy scavenger dragon known to feast on the corpses left in the wake of the Suneater tribes known as the Scorch. The Carrion Drake is a lesser dragon in the realms, lacking in the brute strength of its greater kin and unable to produce volatile breath to drench its foes it instead finds its feasts in the wake of greater creatures, using its acidic maw to burn through cloth, armour and stone to feast on what meats the other predators could not reach. Its cry mimics that of the death wails of its victims, known for capriciously toying with its food before it feasts, often if it can separate a weakened mortal from their people it will strike and retreat, leaving rents gouged in their flesh and relishing the scent of their blood spilling into the dirt as they try and make good an escape.
    Time and time again it will claw at its victims until eventually sweeping from on high to feast. It is said the first Gothi to ride a carrion drake subdued it quite by accident, when scavenging weapons and armour from the corpses left in the Scorch the grot opted for an impromptu break to consume mushrooms to sate a growing appetite (and due to immense laziness), cracking open the breastplate of a fallen human soldier he packed it full of mushrooms before starting a blaze beneath the corpse, relishing the scent of fresh meat blending with the narcotic smokes of the mushrooms. Alerted from his mushroom induced stupor by the cry of a carrion drake above the little grot scuttled across the ground, secreting his small form in a crevice between two rocks and uttering a shocking array of curses as he was left to watch the serpentine dragon feast on his meal. However, as the acidic maw sunk into the crumpled breastplate the vicious liquids merged with the mushrooms, the two combining into a heady haze of madcap madness which was quickly followed by the resounding thud of the now unconscious drake landing on the ground beside it.
    The Gothi saw he opportunity, this new beast would raise him high above the other grots, its guaranteed status, respect (for a grot at least) and most of all meant he'd be a good distance further away from getting stabbed, shot, sat on, fallen on or generally crushed on the field of battle
    Gothi Heralds fly ahead of the great hosts of Suneaters, where their lesser kin are the spark that will burn down all in their path it is the Heralds task to break the will of the people ahead of the host, they are masters of the long hunt, scratching and screeching at their foes until huge trains of refugees march for the safety and refuge of the mighty fortresses of Order. The Heralds ensure that every human, Duardin or Aelf in their path cluster together to hide within their stone walls so that when the main host arrives all of the meat is in one place, in this way they ensure that when the Suneater consumes the souls of the fallen he is now fed meagre scraps, but a banquet fit for a God of his magnitude.
     
     
     
    Beserkr -
     
     
    THE TRIBE
    Ashen Grots –
    Grots by their very nature and small stature often find themselves at the bottom of the pecking order in the mortal realms, yet these cunning creatures are drawn to power either desiring the acquisition of it or to be elevated by their very proximity to it. Those that follow the will of the Suneater do so with a fanatical devotion, revelling with glee in their ability to slip past the walls of the cities of order and start a blaze deep in the heart of their enemies fortifications. These blazes are much like the grots, small and weak when isolated but when many rise up together they are able to topple even the biggest of foes. Ashen grots make up a large portion of the Suneater tribes, and their fanatical cackling laughter ripples through the forces with every fresh pyre lit, they bombard their foes with an endless onslaught of black powder spark grenades or get in close to slit throats with crude but glistening obsidian blades.
    Ashen grots can often be seen in a host of shuffling grey hoods and cloaks as though a roiling tide of ash threatening to choke out all life in the battlefield, their name however is derived from being unfortunately short enough in stature to soak up much of the dust kicked up by the great beasts of the tribe, lending them an unfortunate dusty camouflage whether they want it or not.
     
    The Svangur –
    Sun-bleached and half Starved Ogors saved from the Desert by the will of the Suneater, these fanatics descend on their prey with startling speed and ravenous appetite. Those who have looked upon the face of the Suneater are often driven mad by the experience, gouging out their fingernails in a gruesome display of devotion and forcing in jagged shards of obsidian in their place, others go even further, ripping the teeth from their mouth to replace them with wickedly curved metallic tusks with which to gorge their foes during the feasting on the battlefield. These Svangur never truly lose the hunger they felt when wandering the deserts, it is ingrained into every element of their being and the urge to feast drowns their every sense, on the field of battle they a gruesomely gore drenched sights as they feed on fallen foes before descending pack like onto the next.
     
    In their ravenous and deranged state, the Svangur are a challenge for any general to marshal, they are volatile and often given over to fits of rage that can run rampant and contrary to the will of their Tribal Leaders. And yet these mad Ogors are considered to have been touched by the very hand of the Suneater, they cannot be cast from the camp without risking the ire of their volatile god. Instead such creatures are often led at a distance to the rest of the host, parties of ashen Grots and their Gothi Fyri carrying great torches lure the Svangur as a vanguard to the main body of the tribe, at once limiting the damage they can do to their kin and allowing favourable flanking around an enemy force.
     
    Gullveig Ogors - The Gullveig Ogors live in the unenviable position of being part of the Suneater tribes but devoid of blessings of the Suneater, in this manner they are often considered the lowliest of the Ogors in the tribe (but still far preferable to a mere grot). Due to their precarious role within the tribe those who can afford it often don heavy armour and large slab shields until such a time as they have earned the protection of their fierce and demanding god whilst others are doomed to rely on their (admittedly lacking) wits and their coarse skin to save them from harm. Such things are unneeded after all by those who bear the mark of the Suneater as that in itself would protect them from harm. Often comprised of the tribe juveniles these fanatical followers seek to slaughter and pillage until they have accomplished feats of such destruction as to earn the favour of their God, many leaving their tribes to join that of the most feared Volsungr across the tribes, that they might bask in the glory of the greatest prophets and be led to feats worthy of earning their name. Other still become mercenaries, travelling far beyond the borders of their tribe migrations to seek out their own destinies before eventually returning to their true homes in the tribes. 
     
     
    SAVAGE VETERANS
    Bal Kasta –
    The Bal Kasta (Also known as Akursed) are Trophies of the Volsungr, taken from the firstborn of conquered tribes these massive Ogors would be contenders for Tyrant one day in any other Ogor migration, instead in the Suneater tribes they can never hold rank or power. Those tribes who refuse the enlightenment of the Suneater, too blind to see the true path to glory, and who are too weak to avoid subjugation by a Suneater migration swell within the ranks of the Gullveig of the tribe. But these tribes are hidden from the Burning Gaze of their mighty god, they are not viewed as foes of the Suneater (such a status would make them fearsome indeed), they simply no longer exist in his eyes and therefore can never receive his blessings. As such the flame still burns them as it would never burn a true disciple of their god, they cannot belch forth his devouring fires nor summon the pyres to his glory.
      
    Such is the curse of the Bal Kasta, they will live their entire lives in the service of those chosen by their God but never live to see that power become theirs. Great Volsungr will have full regiments of Bal Kasta within their armies, a striking show of his dominance over the tribes as his fallen foes now serve at his whims in Battle, and in time some of these fallen champions may well be put to use. The Gothi Engineers of the tribes have long since mastered the Fyre Powders of Aqshy, using it to power their catapults payload and feed the mighty Pyre Belchers of the tribes, and whilst no true Son of the Suneater would disgrace himself with using it to mimic the mighty fire belch of the Beserkr there is little that Bal Kasta have to lose, and many find themselves all too willing to try.
     
    These brave (suicidal?) Balkasta have two mighty fire belching blunderbusses strapped one beneath each arm, their form clad in beaten iron plating that might (probably not) resist the flame should the volatile alchemical mixture backfire onto them, each is attended to by their own compliment of Grots tasked with filling and reloading the fire belching cannons as the Ogors simply cannot use their hands for anything other than holding onto this fearsome arsenal. Those who live long enough in battle hope that in time, should their gods eyes fall upon them belching flame from these mighty cannons, they might earn his favour and be elevated from the rank of Bal Kasta, though such a thing is unlikely.
     
    In their desperation to find the attention of the Suneater these Akursed Bal Kasta have been subjected to the most extreme of Gothi engineering, their unfavoured forms however prove poor vessels for the sheer power of their god being forced through them from Gothi incantations. The weakest of Bal Kasta burn alive, their god devouring their souls first and their bodies withering away after, but a rare few can endure the constant agonising torment, learning to crave its agony as a mark of recognition from a god that cannot stand their presence much less their prayers.
     
    Aldin Draken –
    The Aldin Draken are enormous even for Ogors, drawn from the ranks of the Gullveig, these chosen of the Suneater have walked the blasted wastes alone for months on end and entirely without supplies. They are tasked with finding enlightenment that at their lowest moment in their final breath they might look upon the face of the Suneater, be judged and reborn. Perhaps more shocking they have emerged from those daunting wastes with enough of their sanity intact not to descend into the bestial hunger that claimed so many of their kind, and with the physical strength to drag what remains of their half-starved bodies back from the brink of death. Those who emerged from the wasteland are a cruel sight to behold, their skin is blistered and scarred, coarse to the touch but toughened in the eternal heat of the Suneaters embrace, their eyes have blackened to coal seemingly at once unseeing and all too piercing for their kin to endure, some say to be looked upon by the Aldin Draken is to face the wrath of Gorkamorka himself. When they return these champions do not seek food or comfort, instead ascending the peak of the Draken nest, a bustling feeding ground for the enormous stone hide bearing Draken of Aqshy, an irritable bundle of sword-proof hides and jagged teeth prone to belching flame when provoked, here they face their final test. To ascend to the rank of Aldin Draken the champion must first claim his mount from the vicious lizards that populate the Drakens nest, each must engage in mortal combat with the Draken with many succumbing to the cruel claws and wicked beaks of the fattened lizards and feeding the nest.
     
    Those who survive the trials do so through the use of brute force and strength of will to beat a reptile into submission, triumphantly riding their new bruised and beaten companion down from the mountaintop. In battle these Cavalry are slow and cumbersome, the drakes themselves lumbering and covered in heavily armoured scales whilst their riders wield crude heavy crossbows firing obsidian tipped barbed bolts across the battlefield, often first into the fight they are more than a match for many a mortal hero and used as the elite guard for the Prophets of the Suneater Tribes.
     The sacred duty of the Aldin Draken is to accompany the Volsungr into battle, should their mighty prophet fall the Magma drake mount has been known to rampage back through the Suneater Migration wreaking havoc on their numbers. Should this happen the Aldin Draken are put to task, pursuing the distraught beast and bringing it down that it might join its masters body on the Pyre and ascend to the halls of the Suneater together.
    Burnin Bomb Catapults –
    The destructive toys of Gothi engineers these ramshackle artillery pieces have felled the walls of many a city who thought themselves secure from an encroaching migration. Formed of the Iron Bark of Chamon the skeleton of the catapult is impervious to the volatile fyrepowders it is tasked with launching at the enemy, a blessing not extended to its overly eager and some what derange Grot crew. Driven onwards by their fanatical faith the Grot crew drag the catapult from ash and mud to reach their perfect firing position before loading ever increasing piles of volatile fyrepowders mixed with the excrement of the tribes beasts (to make it stick to a target) into the catapult cup. Launching this volatile chemical down the field hopefully before it detonated in their hands, though such a divine act of destruction from their god would only stoke the Grots faith higher.
    A battery of these crude machines is capable of bombarding the villages and townships of order from over their wooden palisades, raining hellfire down upon the populace and inviting them to leave the safety of their walls to fight the tribe in open battle or burn alive in a cage of their own making.
     
    Pyre Belcher –
     This great beast from Aqshy is a bloated and tormented creature gorged on the industrial runoff from the cities of man. Its form has swollen and misshapen with the volatility of the chemicals it has been fed but in return it has developed the ability to spit forth huge gouts of flame in the course of a battle. It is forced forward into battle by its Grot handlers, poked and prodded and gorged on lesser squigs that it might launch its payload further forward setting flame to all in its path.
     
    THE GREAT BEASTS
    Slatr Warbeast –
    When one looks upon the Slatr Warbeast it is hard not to be wowed by the majestic nature of this primal creature, it is not by any stretch of the imagination a creature of traditional beauty but one evolved perfectly for longevity and resilience. Indeed, it has never been recorded of such a creature perishing due to natural causes lending credence to the theory that such a beast may be immortal lest for death by less natural themes. Its flattened and bullish face is akin to many a nightmare as a child with the full stretch of its maw measured at over a cart in width and at least the same in depth to the gullet though I have yet to find an apprentice willing to test that, when looking into its eyes you are struck by the sheer simplicity of the creature not burdened by higher thought or malice. The juveniles of the species are often found in migratory herds travelling alongside the Suneater tribes of Aqshy, seemingly drawn moth like to the pyres to their primitive gods that these tribes are prone to igniting, indeed the subdued state these creatures enter in the presence of such a blaze has allowed ramshackle howdahs to be assembled across the beasts’ broad backs. It is then sadly witnessed that when these savage tribes march to war they goad the Slatr alongside them, bombarding their enemies from afar with crude catapults launching burning debris down the battlefield. Such burning projectiles seemingly spur their mounts onwards chasing the bright lights racing across the sky
     
    Mighty Slatr
    Dwarfing even the regular Slatr these beasts of war can carry units into battle, they are also inspiring to those Suneaters nearby as living manifestations of the might of the Suneater. Crewed by an Ogor chieftain with Bal Kasta as their personal guard.
     
    GREAT TOTEMS OF THE GODS
    Waagh Kart Totem of the Suneater -
    A destruction war shrine that moves with the migrations of Suneaters. The rippling heat and power of the shrine can turn away blades and burn up projectiles before they reach the fanatical followers of the Suneater, but its true potency lies within the trials of flame. Gothi attendants stoke the flames around the giant stone effigy before swinging it forwards, should he prove willing the Suneater musters his energies to belch forth huge gouts of flame from the pyres to engulf loyal warriors, consuming them and letting them emerge unscathed from other pyres of the Suneater. Those who are unworthy however will find themselves consumed by the Suneater in his eternal hunger. These mighty shrines spur the Suneaters warriors onto even great violence and destructions. A physical manifestation of their gods mighty and wrath these mighty war machines are prized possessions of the Prophets and often jealously guarded from the other Migrations.
     
  22. Melcavuk

    A Hidden Truth...

    By Melcavuk,

    A continuation of the background story for my Suneaters
    The tomes of Azyrheim tell little of the battles that quelled Gorkamorkas rebellion, nor the atrocities that followed it at the hands of those who fought in the name of justice and Order. The few tales that have survived to the modern age speak of a host of men, aelf and dwarf the likes of which the young realms had never before seen, all marching in the shadow of the Man-God Sigmar under the mighty flags of Azyr. This massive host was drawn not just from the noble houses within Azyr, but every general (disgraced or otherwise), pirate, corsair and mercenary who owed fielty to the Barbarian king. This vast host spanned from horizon to horizon, some say that its footfalls could be heard across the entire spanning continent of Ghur as it marched across the lands, that its nightly campfires were so many that they threatened to drown out the darkness entirely as though day simply spanned into day once more. It is said that the tides of Gorkamorka were met by this host on the plain of Rok-Gor, a once verdant and beautiful landscape in a realm of savages, the green tides number were twice that of the Order host and beneath the combined footfall of the legions every spec of grass within sight was crushed out of existance. It is said that the mages of Hysh wielded their sun based powers with reckless abandon, forever changing the intensity of the sun in this part of the realm to scorch all life from the grounds below, that so savage was the combat that no native fauna escaped the onslaught.
     
    The battle was savage, with vast number of casualties on both sides, but eventually the god of destruction found himself brought to heel, beaten and bloodied but his thirst for mayhem and war thoroughly saited the mighty Orruk god lay down to revel in his heady onslaught. With the rebellion quashed Sigmar returned back to Azyr, with matters more befitting a god to focus his attentions on he left his grand host to disband themselves, here he trusted in the souls of men to do as they were instructed… a fools hope. His vast host had been raised on the promise of bloody conquest, of glorious trophies and heroic deed, but moreover they had been promised a wealth of gold and treasures that they might use to raise kingdoms of their own. Men lured by such temptations are not so easily swayed into forgetting them, and Sigmars conquest against Gorkamorka had cost them many lives and far more gold than they had been repaid, now left in the midsts of the savage landscape of Ghur these weak men sought to find treasure of their own.
     
    Corrupt generals and greedy nobles all spurred their legions forth into Ghur, they butchered the local populace indiscriminately, Ogors that had no part to play in Gorkamorkas rebellion and mighty beasts older than human memory all under the guise of bringing order and civility to the Realm. Whole Ogor migrations found themselves on the wrong side of man-forged blades, any lands of worth or found to be rich in metals and minerals soon became annexed by Dwarven kings and merchant guilds, the previous owned put to work in slave camps or executed as warning to the savage populace of Ghur as to what happened to those who resisted the recent influx of Order into the Realm.
     
    The Iron Klaw Ogors, who had lived in relative harmony with the man-kingdoms of Ghur for as long as records existed, never took more meat than needed from the human villages around their migrations. To blame them for taking their share would be to blame the man for taking the sheep to slaughter, these Ogors demonstrated immense discipline only picking the elderly or weak from human villages to sait their hungers, never staying in one place long enough to diminish the populace beyond reason. Their demise came without warning, unbeknownst to the tribal elders their migration had setup camp atop a wealth of mineral deposits high up in the mountains at realms edge, it was in the dead of night amidsts a thunderous storm that a dwarven cannonade sought to bring the whole mountaintops down upon them. Flashes of black powder detonating lit up the nights sky, punctuated by streaks of lighting racing to the heavens, war scarred and embittered dwarven veterans marched up the mountainside to butcher those Ogors who survived the savage cannonade. It fell to the young Chieftan of the tribe to muster what little defense he could bring to bear, a mere handful of champions atop mournfangs raced down the crumbling mountainside to meet with their attackers. Fortunate was not however with the young chieftan, struck in the helmet by an oncoming cannonball he found himself flung backward off of his mount, foot still tangled in the saddle straps he was dragged down the mountainside, dazed from the strike and beaten by every rock on his descent his blood crazed mount ran throughout the night deep into the deserts beyond the mountains.
     
    As the dwarves butchered all those Ogors who remained they lacked the insight to know what they had instigated, the nightmare that they had unleashed upon the realms with the soul survivor carried far beyond the charted edge of the realm….
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