The Layman's Guide to Important Warhammer Characters

So, here it is finally:

The Layman's Guide to Important Characters of the Warhammer World.

Before we get started, I would like to thank some people. To make sure I did not miss anyone extremely important and make a fool of myself, I have contacted certain forum users known for their knowledge of the lore and I would like to express my gratitude for their help:

First of all, Mongoose, for the information on not only the Skaven, but the Lizardmen, the Ogre Kingdoms, the Vampire Counts and the Tomb Kings as well! Surely you deserve the most credits for this, my dear vermin friend.

Second only by the narrowest of margins comes my thanks to Nerror for the Chaos section and his insight into Chaos Champions, to Snorri for the Dwarfs, to Krulltak for the Greenskins, to Vikingkingq for the Empire, and to Xurr for both the Dark Elves and the High Elves. Your help, too, is very much appreciated!

Now that I've got that of my heart, I'd like add some things real quick: This guide excludes the events of the Storm of Chaos as they do not hold relevance for WAR. Thus, characters that have risen to power or become prominent during SoC will not be included in this guide. So sorry, but no Valten, Archaon or Crom for you

So, let's get started then, shall we?

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1. The Empire 1.1. Sigmar1.2. Magnus the Pious1.3. Karl Franz1.4. Volkmar the Grim & Luther Huss1.5. Balthasar Gelt1.6. Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann2. Chaos 2.1. Aekold Helbrass2.2. Arbaal the Undefeated, Destroyer of Khorne2.3. Azazel, Prince of Damnation2.4. Egrimm van Horstmann2.5. Bel'akor3. Dwarfs 3.1. The Ancestor Gods3.2. Snorri Whitebeard and Grombrindal, The White Dwarf3.3. King Gotrek Starbreaker3.4. High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer3.5. Gotrek Gurnisson3.6. Josef Bugman3.7. Ungrim Ironfist, Slayer King of Karak Kadrin3.8. Malakai Makaisson3.9. Rune Lord Kragg the Grim3.10. Engineer Guildmaster Burlok Damminson

4. Greenskins 4.1. Grimgor Ironhide4.2. Gorbad Ironclaw4.3. Grom the Paunch4.4. Gorfang Rotgut4.5. Warlord Skarsnik4.6. Azhag the Slaughterer4.7. Morglum Necksnapper5. High Elves 5.1. Aenarion the Defender5.2. Finubar the Seafarer5.3. Alarielle, Everqueen of Avelorn5.4. Imrik, Dragon Prince of Caledor5.5. Tyrion, Defender of Ulthuan5.6. Teclis, High Loremaster of the White Tower5.7. Eltharion the Grim, Warden of Tor Yvresse5.8. Alith Anar, the Shadow King5.9. Caradryan, Captain of the Phoenix Guard5.10. Korhil, Cpatain of the White Lions of Chrace6. Dark Elves 6.1. Malekith, Witch King of the Druchii & Morathi, Hag Queen of the Witch Elves6.2. Malus Darkblade, Scion of Hag Graef6.3. Rakarth, Beastlord of Krondar Kar6.4. Crone Hellebron, the Hag Queen6.5. Kouran, Captain of the Black Guard6.6. Tullaris of Har Ganeth6.7. Shadowblade, Master of Assassins7. Skaven 7.1. The Council of Thirteen & its respective members 7.1.1. Lord Kritslik, the Seerlord7.1.2 Lord Morskittar, Lord Warlock of Clan Skryre7.1.3. Greylord Skrisnik, Warlord and Seer of Clan Skrisnik7.1.4. Lord Burr, Keeper of the Temple7.1.5. Lord Sneek, Nightlord of Clan Eshin7.1.6. Greylord Azarskittar, Warlod of Clan Khesherisk7.1.7. Lord Paskrit, Warlord-General of all Skavendom7.1.8. Lord Verminkin, Packlord of Clan Moulder7.1.9. Lord Kratch Doomclaw-Clan, Warlord of Clan Rictus7.1.10. Arch Plaguelord Nurglitch of Clan Pestilens7.1.11. Lord Gnawdwell, Clan Warlord of Clan Mors7.1.12. Lord Vittrik7.2. Ikit Claw - Chief Warlock Engineer of Clan Skryre7.3. Deathmaster Snikch7.4. Lord Skrolk, Plaguelord of Clan Pestilens7.5. Warlord Queek Head-Taker7.6. Grey Seer Thanquol7.7. Throt the Unclean8. Lizardmen 8.1. Venerable Lord Kroak8.2 Nakai8.3 Lord Mazdamundi8.4. Ancient Scar-Leader Kroq-Gar8.5 Tehenhauin, Prophet of Sotek9. Beastmen 9.1. Gorthor the Cruel9.2. Khazrak the One-Eye9.3. Morghur, Master of Skulls10. Bretonnia 10.1. Gilles Le Breton, Founder of Bretonnia10.2. Maldred, Duke of Moussilon10.3. Louen Leoncoeur, King of Bretonnia10.4. The Green Knight10.5. Morgiana, the Fay Enchantress10.6. Repanse de Lyonesse10.7. Bertrand the Brigand, Gui le Gros and Hugo le Petit11. The Vampire Counts 11.1. Von Carsteins 11.1.1. Vlad and Isabella von Carstein11.1.2. Konrad von Carstein11.1.3. Mannfred von Carstein11.1.4. Luthor Harkon11.2. The Blood Dragons 11.2.1. Abhorash11.2.2. Valach11.2.3. The Red Duke11.3. The Lahmians - Neferata11.4. Necrarchs 11.4.1. W'soran11.4.2. Melkhior the Ancient11.4.3. Zacharias the Everliving11.5 Strigoi 11.5.1. Ushoran11.5.2. Vorag12. The Tomb Kings 12.1. Nagash and Alcadizaar12.2. Settra the Imperishable12.3. King Phar12.4. Sehenesmet, Vizier of Quatar12.5. Prince Tutankhanut 12.6. Khalida Neferher13. The Wood Elves 13.1. Orion and Ariel13.2. Durthu, Adanhu and Coeddil13.3. Drycha13.4. Arahan and Naestra, the Sisters of Twilight13.5. Skaw the Falconer14. The Ogre Kingdoms 14.1. Greasus Goldtooth, Overtyrant of the Ogre Kingdoms14.2. Skrag the Slaughterer, Prophet of the Great Maw14.3. Braugh Slavelord14.4. Groth Onefinger, First Prophet of the Great Maw14.5. Jhared the Red14.6. Golgfag Maneater, Mercenary Captain15. The Others 15.1. Long Drong's Slayer Pirates15.2. Lucrezzia Belladonna15.3. Katarin the Ice Queen15.4. Sultan Jaffar15.5. Lichemaster Heinrich Kemmler and Krell, King of Wights------------------------1. The Empire

1.1. Sigmar

Sigmar Heldenhammer is probably the most important human character in the world of Warhammer to this date. Born under a twin-tailed comet, he helped drive off a Goblin invasion of his village in IC -15 and shortly afterwards rescued the Dwarven King Kurgan Ironbeard from a Goblin war party. The grateful Dwarf king presented Sigmar with his rune-enchanted hammer "Ghal Maraz" (Skullsplitter in the dwarven tongue). In the following years, Sigmar united the scattered human tribes to form what is known today as the Empire. He began cleansing the lands of the Empire from the Greenskins and finally crushed them in the First Battle of Black Fire Pass in IC -1, liberating his newly founded realm of the Greenskin menace. Thus, Sigmar was crowned Emperor Sigmar Heldenhammer I at Reikdorf, which later became the Imperial City of Altdorf.

After he reigned wisely for 50 years, he put down his crown and embarked on a journey beyond the World's Edge Mountains to the east. There are diverse opinions on what motivated Sigmar to do so, one of them following the rumor that the real Ghal Maraz was stolen and he had set off to reclaim it. This rumor is, of course, heavily denied by Imperial positions as they claim that the weapon wielded by every Emperor following in Sigmar's footsteps is indeed Ghal Maraz. Another theory is that Sigmar returned the hammer to Kharaz Ankor before he vanished and a dwarf delegation presented it as a gift of friendship to the Empire about 500 years later.

Although upon his disappearance, no mortal has ever laid eye upon Sigmar again, he was venerated as a god within a generation. Sigmarism is now the foremost religion in the Empire and as prayers to Sigmar often receive visible answers; Sigmar might truly have become a god.

1.2. Magnus the Pious

Although Magnus the Pious was not the first Emperor to succeed Sigmar, he certainly was the greatest. Born as a noble more than 2,300 years after Sigmar's disappearance in an Empire that was divided and submerged in the turmoil of widespread corruption, fear, civil war and religious persecution, he witnessed the march of the greatest Chaos host ever upon the Old World. As other nations and races rallied to march against Chaos, the Empire was unable to provide any support until Magnus embarked on a journey throughout the Empire, holding a fiery speech in every village or city he came to and reminding the citizens of the Empire of Sigmar's glory and their obligation to oppose the evil surging in from the north.

Over time, Magnus did the impossible and recruited not only the largest, but possibly the most diverse army in Imperial History. Flagellants marched next to state troops coming from all of the Elector Counts; former hedge wizards now trained by High Elven Mage Teclis fought side by side with ordinary citizens who had taken up arms in defense of their homeland.

Needless to say, when Magnus joined his forces with those of the Dwarfs and the High Elves, the Chaos Army was crushed and the Old World saved. "Magnus the Pious" as he had become known, was elected Emperor and co-founded the Colleges of Magic with Teclis; thus ending a time in the Empire when sorcery was punishable by death and making Imperial Battle Wizards an important part of the Imperial Army. He also granted the Artillery and Gunner's school its Imperial Charter.

1.3. Karl Franz

As the current Emperor, Grand Prince Karl-Franz I Holswig-Schliestein is arguably the most important man alive in the Warhammer world. Having ascended to his position in IC 2502, his reputation is that of a great statesman and diplomat, as well as a patron of arts and science. Although he might be a political genius, he is also a military innovator and a valiant general and certainly not one to idly sit by and talk when action is required. He has personally led the Empire in numerous battles, like the battle of Norduin against the Bretonnians or the battle of Bloodkeep against the vampiric order of the Blood Dragons.

In battle, Karl Franz wields the mighty Ghal Maraz, the sacred hammer of Sigmar passed down from Emperor to Emperor. He is protected not only by the magical protection of the Silver Seal, a magical item given to Magnus the Pious during the First War against Chaos, but also by his mighty Griffon Deathclaw, whom he has a strong bond with. It is said that at the battle of the Bloodkeep, the Griffon stood over its wounded master for three hours, slaying any foe that came near, until the Reiksguard could carve a path through the enemies to rescue their fallen lord.

1.4. Volkmar the Grim & Luthor Huss

Volkmar von Hindenstern, nicknamed "The Grim", is the current Grand Theogonist of the Empire. He commands three Imperial Elector votes, those attributed to his position and that of his subordinates, the Arch-Lectors. Since no Emperor has been chosen without the Grand Theogonist's approval after the Great War against Chaos, this power gives Volkmar a very important position in the Empire.

Volkmar is also no stranger to battle. Whenever he decides to engage in a conflict directly, he is carried into the fray on a grand War Altar bearing the Griffon symbol. Although he is quite efficient with the sword, his greatest powers lie in his faith and the battle prayers he uses to strengthen the ranks of the Empire. Should Vokmar ever be wounded, the giant jade amulet he carries will immediately heal all but mortal wounds by drawing power from the War Altar.Although Volkmar represents the honest, death-to-chaos part of the Sigmarite Church, he belongs to its conservative orthodoxy. Thus, when a young warrior priest named Luthor Huss appeared and openly denounced and criticized the corruption that had supposedly taken hold of the Sigmarite Church, many expected Volkmar to excommunicate him.

Luthor Huss, who had been orphaned by a Chaos raid as a child and joined the Sigmarite Priesthood after proving himself by defeating a Beastmen raid single-handedly, quickly became sick of the corruption he soon discovered after joining the priesthoods ranks. Abdicating the Lectorship and proclaiming the corruption for all of the Empire to see, he began travelling the lengths of the Empire, calling upon the people to find their way back to Sigmar without help from the clergy. But since Huss had never attacked Volkmar personally in his speeches, the Grand Theogonist continually refused to expel him. More concerned with the growing power of Chaos in the north, Volkmar immersed himself in his studies and became increasingly removed from Church affairs, causing many to doubt his leadership while at the same time allowing the power of the Arch-Lectors to grow.

Volkmar the Grim and Luthor Huss depict the split within the Sigmarite Church, one standing for tradition and old beliefs, but possibly corruption, the other for a new way back to the roots of Sigmarite beliefs, but at the cost of great changes.

1.5. Balthasar Gelt

The current Supreme Patriarch of the Magic Schools was originally a member of the Gold Order, the magic school specializing in the lore of metal. Balthasar's main research was concentrated on the transmutation of vile metals into gold. One day, a freak explosion shattered his lab. When Balthasar was next seen, he wore metallic robes and a golden mask hiding his face. Whether the mask is his face transmuted or hides his former, now disfigured face, is unknown.

One thing is certain: the accident only increased his ambition. Challenging the former Supreme Patriarch Thyrus Gormann of the Bright Order to a duel, he defeated him and ended the prominence of fire as he assumed his new title.

1.6. Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann

A devotee of the Sigmarite faith and personally loyal to Grand Theogonist Volkmar, Witch Hunter Mathias Thulmann is one of the most dangerous and determined enemies of the Ruinous Powers. The prejudices against Witch Hunters - being fanatically zealous - do not apply to him. He is well mannered and educated, most often very well dressed, though never without his mantle and brimmed hat.

But most importantly, he possesses a strong sense of morality that often leads him to doubt the actions his profession require him to do. However, there has not been one occurrence in which Mathias failed to go through with his duty, as he feels it stands above his own doubts. Somehow, he can never quite quell the guilt he sometimes feels, and he also cannot escape the nightmares of the events that set him upon the path of the Witch Hunter - the death of his wife and daughter. Sometimes these nightmares even haunt him during the day, and in rare cases Thulmann is overcome by horrific delusions, rendering him unable to act for seconds at a time.

However, his doubts, fears and memories have never stopped him from engaging a foe. Wielding a silver longsword blessed by the Grand Theogonist himself, a pair of black powder pistols from Nuln, his personal copy of the Deus Sigmar, vials of holy water from the Great Cathedral as well as a small silver hammer icon given to him by his father, the late Lector of Bechafen, he has yet to encounter a force of corruption of Chaos he did not uncover and destroy.

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2. Chaos

It has to be noted that most of the Champions of Chaos are - while important during their appearance in history - not affecting the armies or Champions of Chaos that follow them to a great degree. Chaos is so much bigger than any given individual, and to the gods, they are no more than playthings and toys :

2.1. Aekold Helbrass

The Chaos gods are fickle and unpredictable, and so are their gifts. And surely, nothing proves this as much as the story of Aekold Helbrass. One of Tzeentch's greatest mortal champions, he had not only been granted a unique magical sword called Windblade, but also a most unusual gift called the Breath of Life. Wherever he walked, grass sprang green, flowers blossomed and everything else around him turned from death to life. Any living thing he touched began to grow with unnatural speed and even creatures and persons at the brink of death stood up unharmed upon his touch. Chaos is, by definition, neither destruction nor creation; a fact proven by Aekolds mysterious ability. Despite his gift, however, Aekold never hesitates to slay any foe he might encounter; for he is a servant of Tzeentch, the Master of Fate and the most fickle of all the gods of Chaos.

2.2. Arbaal the Undefeated, Destroyer of Khorne

Of all the warrior heroes of Khorne the Blood God, there are few so devoted to their thirsting master as Arbaal. Thousands have felt his axe blade at their necks and now their white skulls lie at the feet of Khorne. Riding on his daemonic mount, the Hound of Khorne (the Blood God's personal Flesh Hound), Arbaal has killed thousands of foes single-handedly.At the city of Praag in the northlands, Arbaal led one hundred Daemons in the assault on its boundaries. It was Arbaal who finally breached the gates of the city and ended the siege. Legends claim that Arbaal slew a thousand warriors that day.

In return, Khorne has gifted Arbaal with his most powerful gift: the power of the Destroyer, which may only be worn by one champion at a time. It furthers Arbaal's prowess and strength even further, turning him into a flawless, perfect warrior. Should he ever be defeated despite his abilities and gifts, the mark will pass on and Arbaal will be turned into a foul Chaos spawn if he survived.

2.3. Azazel, Prince of Damnation

Azazel, Prince of Damnation, the former chief of the Gerreon tribe, one of the great twelve human tribes united by Sigmar, is now the Champion of Slaanesh. Having betrayed Sigmar, he fled to the northern Chaos wastes where he pledged his eternal loyalty to the Pleasure Prince and in return was gifted with daemonhood. He has become the highest general of Slaanesh's armies and gained the ability to see into the very hearts and souls of men, revealing their hidden desires and most perverse pleasures. Few have ever managed to oppose Azazel as most of those who set out to challenge him are convinced by his silver tongue to join the Prince of Chaos instead.

Legends tell of Templars of Ulric, zealous men who vowed before the Flame of their god to bring down Azazel or to die trying. Before they could land one blow on Slaanesh's general, they had been reduced to gibbering imbeciles, slaves to the slightest whim of Azazel and his master. Another tale tells of a Questing Knight called Guido de Brionne who kneeled before the Daemon Prince before he could issue his challenge and had his head cut off while not moving an inch, utterly convinced of the justification of the act.

2.4. Egrimm van Horstmann

The mightiest of the three great cults of Tzeentch, The Cabal, is lead by the dreaded Egrimm van Horstmann. Originally a wizard of the Light College who pledged his soul to Tzeentch for magical knowledge and power unattainable by a mortal, he converted many of his fellow wizards to The Cabal before he was revealed by a wizard called Vespasian Kant. Having fled the remaining forces of the Light College and the Sigmarite Church to the Chaos Wastes, he and his Twin-Headed Chaos Dragon Baudros dwell in their Silver Towers in the Screaming Hills. It is from there that van Horstmann draws the strings of The Cabal, controlling much more of the Empire than anyone would dare to believe. The members of the cult are branded with a mark on their forehead that gives complete control of their will to van Horstmann and his master. The Cabal, whose sign is the unblinking withering eye of Tzeentch on an open palm, often devises infinitely complex battle plans and strategies that span decades, making their opponents play their roles like a predestined act. Whenever one thinks he claimed a victory against The Cabal, he is most likely wrong and just fulfilled his part in one of the cult's everlasting schemes.

2.5. Bel'akor

Bel'akor wears many names, including titles like The Harbinger, The Shadowlord, One Who Heralds the Conquerors, the Foretoken and the Bearer. He was the very first mortal in the Warhammer world who received the gift of daemonhood. But this gift blinded Bel'akor with ambition and he rebelled against the Chaos Gods, thinking himself their equal instead of their Champion. Cursing him with madness and stripping him of his power, Tzeentch denied him a physical form and forced him into a mindless servant of his will. He forced Bel'akor to become the Harbinger, the one who would crown the Everchosen, the unified Champions of all four Chaos Gods. Allowing Bel'akor access to the Crown of Damnation, the symbol of the Everchosen, Tzeentch tormented him even more as Bel'akor could only give the Crown to others but not wear it himself as he lacked a physical form.

So far, Bel'akor has been forced to crown and watch three Everchosen :

The very first one is Morkar the Uniter, after whose coronation Bel'akor descended into madness and missed the battles won by Morkar. Morkar assembled a great army and was given the task of making the Warhammer world a permanent beacon of Chaos. While Morkar marched south, Sigmar had just begun to rise. The two met in a duel in Kislev, a battle often likened to that between gods, but in the end Sigmar was triumphant and ended the incursion of the first Everchosen.

The second one was Vangrel, who imprisoned the Great Daemon U'zuhl in Kingslayer and was later slain by a dwarf called Gromrir Goldfist.

When the third Everchosen, Kharduun the Gloried was chosen, Bel'akor reemerged and took control of Kharduun's body, calling himself the Shadowlord and believing he had defeated Tzeentch's curse. But even in his new form, Bel'akor could not touch the Crown of Damnation. His rage eventually destroyed his physical body and the Chaos Gods forced him to resume his position as a guardian to the Crown of Damnation.

Then the most recent Everchosen, Asavar Kul the Anointed arose to march upon the Empire. At the head of a campaign of death and destruction, he brought devastation to the human lands. But Magnus the Pious rallied the Empire and marched upon the Chaos Host in what would become known as the Great War against Chaos. When the two armies collided, Magnus and Asavar Kul found themselves in a duel in Kislev, at the very site Morkar and Sigmar had faced each other a long time before. And just as the first time, the Champion of Man eventually triumphed and Magnus slew Asavar Kul at the climax of the siege of Kislev. Bel'akor howled in rage, knowing that he himself would have been victorious had he been at his full power.

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3. The Dwarfs

3.1. The Ancestor Gods

The Ancestor Gods are the first dwarfs, said to have been formed from the very stone of the world itself by the Old Ones. The three most important ones are Grungni, Valaya and Grimnir.

Grungni is worshipped as the patron of smiths and miners. He is commonly depicted as the wisest of the Ancestor Gods, and thus as the leader of the Ancestor Gods.

Valaya is regarded as the patron of the Runesmiths. She is said to be sleeping deep within the mountains until she is needed again.

Grimnir is the warrior's patron, often depicted with two rune axes. He helped the Asur to close down the northern Chaos gates and then vanished not long after. It is assumed he died in battle. One of his axes is held by Thorgrim Grudgebearer and the other was lost in the battle at the Chaos gates.

3.2. Snorri Whitebeard and Grombrindal, The White Dwarf

The first High King of the Dwarfs after the Ancestor Gods left, he began the Golden Age, and the Dwarfs prospered under his rule. The founding of Karaz Ankor, the Dwarf Empire and the establishing of Karaz-a-Karak as its capital marked the beginning of this new age. A pledge of friendship was made between the races of the Dwarfs and High Elves during the visit of High Elf Phoenix King Bel-Shanaar to the new capital. Through trade with the Elves, the Dwarfen culture prospered, and never again would Karaz Ankor see the quality of craftsmanship employed during this age. Thus, High King Snorri Whitebeard is venerated as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Dwarfen Kings of all time. He died before he could bear witness to the betrayal of the Elves.

However, it is rumored that his vengeful spirit came back from the grave and is actually the White Dwarf, Grombrindal (which means "The White Bearded Ancestor" in Khazalid, the Dwarfish tongue). Grombrindal is a legend of battle, a ferocious fighter that appears seemingly random on battlefields and always turns the odds in favour of the Dwarfs. It is said he wields one of the axes of Grimnir, the one lost at the Chaos gates. He is also rumored to be in possession other artifacts of the Ancestor Gods (such as a rune cloak of Valaya) and other Dwarfen relicts like the Rune Crown of Zhufbar which supposedly was lost when that fortress was overwhelmed. Whoever Grombrindal really may be, he keeps his identity hidden and vanishes from the battlefield as suddenly as he appears.

3.3. King Gotrek Starbreaker

The High King during the War of Vengeance (also known as the War of the Beard), Gotrek Starbreaker's reign was one of the longest in the history of the Dwarfs. After the Dark Elves, who had only recently split from the High Elves, raided several Dwarfen caravans, the Dwarfs demanded recompense of the High Elves, unaware of the civil war raging through the elven race. The High Elves not only declined, but, as a final insult, had the Dwarf ambassador's beard cut off. The loss of a beard is a great shame to any Dwarf, and the Dwarfs did not take lightly to such deeds. Thus, the War of Vengeance, or War of the Beard, erupted, a great war that culminated in the Battle of the Three Towers at the gate of Tor Alessi in 1440, in which the Elves were defeated in a cataclysmic battle.

Fueled by the desire to avenge the affront inflicted to the Dwarfs by the Elves, he personally slew Caledor the Second in the Battle of the Three Towers and took the Phoenix Crown to Karaz-a-Karak, where it remains to this day. Only when the very last elven colony in the Old World was burned to ground did High King Gotrek give in to eternal slumber. By then he was 655 years old.

3.4. High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer

The current High King of the Dwarfs, Thorgrim Grudgebearer can trace back his bloodline to the most noble and ancient Dwarf Lords. It is said that the blood of Grugni and the wisdom of Valaya are his by inheritance. As High King, Thorgrim is tasked with the keeping of the Dammaz Kron, the Great Book of Grudges that holds all slights against the Dwarfen race. It is not written in ink, but with the blood of the High Kings, and only with the blood of a High King may a grudge be settled and the record be striked out from the book, a very rare occurrence.

When Thorgrim engages in battle, he always carries the Dammaz Kron with him. Atop of the Throne of Power, his great seat carried by his four Thronebearers (who each use one of their hands to lift the throne and one to wield their hammers), wearing the Crown of Karaz-a-Karak, Thorgrim descends upon his foes wielding one of the legendary Axes of Grimnir.

Thorgrim ascended to the throne during a siege of Karaz-a-Karak by Chaos forces in the Great War against Chaos, after his father had fallen in battle. Under his guidance, the siege could be lifted and the Chaos forces fought back. He then sent his army to Kislev, where the Chaos host was crushed under the combined might of Dwarfs, High Elves and the Empire under Magnus the Pious. It has to be noted that when Thorgrim ascended his father's throne, he swore to settle every last grudge detailed in the Dammaz Kron.

3.5. Gotrek Gurnisson

Gotrek Gurnisson is a Slayer, a dwarf who suffered a great shame and seeks to redeem himself by seeking honorable death in combat. Leaving their home stronghold as far behind as possible, Slayers set out to seek honorable death in single combat; preferably against a large, vicious monster such as a Troll, Giant or Dragon.

The least successful Slayers (from their point of view) tend to survive because they are the most skilled. As Dwarfs are psychologically incapable of suicide or fighting with the intent to lose, those who continue to survive become ever more skilled as a process of natural selection. There are many famous slayers who have achieved exceptional deeds in killing the beasts they set out to be killed by.

The least successful of them all seems to be Gotrek Gurnisson. Although the only clues to Gotrek's reasons to become a Slayer are hazy visions of twin sorcerers of Tzeentch, it seems that Gotrek was part of an expedition into the Chaos Wastes to find the lost city of Karag Dum. The expedition failed, and there were only three survivors including Gotrek. When he returned, he found a woman and her children dead, possibly his own family. It seems that Gotrek went to a Dwarf Lord shortly after who sent him to an unknown fate. An argument began and at one point, the Lord's guards attacked Gotrek. Gotrek then killed the Lord, his bodyguards, and everyone else who did not flee the room. Afterwards, he cut his hair and beard and became a Slayer, setting out to die an honorable death.

Gotrek is most often accompanied by the human Felix Jaeger, his so-called "Rememberer". They were in Altdorf during the Window Tax riots when Gotrek slew many members of the Reiksguard to protect Felix from being trampled. An epic pub-crawl followed after which Felix awoke to found himself oath-bound to follow Gotrek and record what fate the Slayer met. Fleeing Altdorf as Outlaws, Gotrek and Felix have since encountered many hazards such as the battle against Greenskins at Fort von Diehl in the Border Princes, during which Gotrek lost his eye, a duel against a female champion of Khorne, a werewolf, the Skaven, a Chaos Dragon, the hunt for the Vampire Adolphus Krieger, and many other battles against Greenskins, Chaos Hordes, Chaos Giants and everything else that nightmares are made of. Yet somehow, they have both managed to survive against all odds, making Gotrek the possibly least successful Slayer ever to walk the Old World.

3.6. Josef Bugman

Dwarfs value their ale greatly, seeing brewing as a form of art. Thus, it is not surprising that every Dwarf knows the name of Josef Bugman, the greatest Dwarf Master Brewer of all time. Even among the many, many famous Dwarf ales, not one is a paragon of quality like Bugman's brew.

Having founded his brewery in the eastern forests of the Empire to supply both Men and Dwarfs with his creations, he went upriver one day with a shipment of Bugman's Special Brew for the Emperor himself. When he returned, he found his brewery biurned and all his companions kidnapped or killed in what seemed to have been a Goblin raid. Bugman and the party that had accompanied him to Altdorf swore vengeance on the Goblins and to rescue their brothers in any way possible.

Little was heard after of them after that oath, but tales of cunning ambushed and night raids on Goblin camps quickly spread among those who would listen. Sometimes, Bugman's band would even spring tattered from the wilds to join a Dwarf army riding to battle, but always would they keep to themselves, sitting huddled at their campfire and clasping their precious ale in their hands. After the battle, they would resume their quest for vengeance.

3.7. Ungrim Ironfist, Slayer King of Karak Kadrin

The tales of the Slayer Kings of Karak Kadrin go back to Ungrim's five times great grandsire King Baragor who lost his daughter, who was on her way to marry the son of the High King at Karaz-a-Karak at the claws of the great Dragon Skaladrak, which caused him to take the oath of a Slayer. However, he could not abandon his duties as a King, as the oath of a king to protect and watch over his people is just as important as a Slayer's oath to seek honorable death. So Baragor found a way to honor both vows somehow: he founded the Shrine of Grimnir, they Slayers' Shrine within Karak Kadrin. By accepting donations, he was able to build Karak Hadrin into a haven for Slayers from all over the Dwarf realms, a home to the Slayer Cult. By offering other slayers lodging, food and hospitality for as long as they need it before they resume their quest, Baragor could help them to fulfill their oath where he could not. In return, the Slayers currently staying at the keep were required to help the King defend the Peak Pass, an important trade route through the World's Edge Mountains. As Baragor died with his Slayer's vow unfulfilled, it passed along to his son Dargo with the keep and the lands, and his son became second in a line of what would be Slayer Kings. Ungrim Ironfist is the living descendant of King Baragor, and his family has honored their oaths to this very day, providing for every Slayer who comes to their keep.

3.8. Malakai Makaisson

Malakai Makaisson was a very unlucky master engineer of the Dwarfen Engineer's guild. The Iron Clad steam ship he had devised (The "Unsinkable") sunk on its first voyage and his devised Airship (The "Indestructible") exploded on the first flight. As a lot of dwarfs died in both incidents, Malakai was shaved and thrown out of the guild subsequently, causing him to take up the Slayer oath, but not to stop inventing. In IC 2499, he created a new airship, the "Spirit of Grungni." This time the airship proved very durable, surviving both an expedition into the Chaos Wastes and a confrontation with a large Dragon. Another invention of Malakai is the Goblin-hewer, a mechanical axe-thrower that marked his becoming a mercenary working for Dwarfen and Empire armies.

3.9. Rune Lord Kragg The Grim

Rune Lord Kragg the Grim is the most reverent Rune Lord alive, the Master Rune lord of Karaz-a-Karak. He discovered the secrets of a rune which was then named "Master Rune of Kragg the Grim" or "Kragg's Master Rune" after him. Unfortunately, he has not yet found a worthy successor, so if he should die, many of the Rune Lords' secrets from ancient days will accompany him to the grave; including the secret of how to strike the Karaz-a-karak Anvil of Doom. As he is very protective of his lore, he has not even shared the secret of his master rune with any of his apprentices. But as long as he is alive, Kragg will always retain his skills and the eternal scowl on his face that earned him his nickname. Although eternal disapproval is quite common in Dwarfs his age who have seen their race and craftsmanship decline, Kragg brings disapproval to a new level whenever he deems it necessary to ascend from the Underhalls of karaz-a-Karak, where he live in his very own realm, a complex of mines and forges supervised by him.

3.10. Engineer Guildmaster Burlok Damminson

The Guildmaster of the Engineer's Guild of Karaz-a-kark, Burlok occupies a very important position within the hold. Burlok is a very conservative Guildmaster, believing that the preservation of knowledge and maintaining the standards of craftsmanship is more important than the invention of new devices - a fact which didn't keep him from blowing up the entire guild in IC 2350 when performing tests on high pressure vehicles. As the Guildmaster, Burlok is responsible for crafting and maintaining the tools and equipment the other Dwarfs use to build war machines like cannons and gyrocopters.

4. Greenskins

4.1. Grimgor Ironhide

No one knows Grimgor's early history. And after what happened to the last one asking about it, nobody will probably ever want to try and find out about it again. All that is certain is that Grimgor stumbled out from the Blasted Wastes with a guard of hardened, bloody, and scarred Black Orcs one day. He took over the first greenskin tribe he encountered, conquered the second and wiped out the third. All Orcs lust for battle, but Grimgor's thirst for it is exceptional even for an Orc. Whenever he had to go through a day without fighting, they'd start arguing over every little thing, and after another day, he'd kill any Goblin that crossed his eyes. On the rare occurrence that Grimgor's warband went without a fight for three consecutive days, his army was in deep trouble. Within a month of his appearance from the Wastes, Grimgor had assembled a warband surpassing the strength of any other Warlord in the area. Before the first year had passed, he marched upon Karak Kadrin, the Slayers' hold. Camping outside the castle, he never assaulted it, content with defeating the armies the Dwarfs sent against him. In the end, the Dwarfs lost so many soldiers that they were forced to prepare to hold out in their hold until winter, which supposedly would force Grimgor to retreat. However, the winter did not strike Grimgor's forces at Karak Kadrin. Bored after no new Dwarf armies were arriving, he led his army northwest into Kislev. Although the Kislevites tried everything in their power to stop them, Grimgor crushed all three armies they could muster. As he marched upon the city of Kislev itself, however, a huge blizzard set in, killing thousands of Goblins, which forced Grimgor to heed the advice of his shamans and retreat to the World Edge Mountains. Upon his return, Grimgor took up residence in the abandoned Dwarfen hold of Karak Ungor, seizing control from the Red Eye Goblins that had made their home there. From this position, he could start attacks on the Dwarfs' strongholds, the Empire and Kislev, whichever target seemed most suitable at that moment. For years, Grimgor would lead his army into Kislev during spring and wage war on the Skaven of Clan Mor and Clan Moulder, which had entrenched themselves in the tunnels far below Grimgor's new keep in winter. As time passed, the Greenskins pushed ever deeper into the tunnels of the Skaven, with losses on both sides increasing exponentially. But Grimgor would force his forces on and on, seeking for a challenge, unaware that he was closing in on the very heart of Clan Moulder's home base, the "Hell Pit". Throt the Unclean, the Master Moulder recognized this threat and gathered his strongest Rat Ogres to stop the green masses from advancing. Although Grimgor was taken by surprise, he saw a worthy challenge in the Rat Ogres. Placing himself in a narrow tunnel, he met the Rat Ogres one by one, all alone while his forces retreated to the upper levels of the castle. Just when Throt had heard about his newest defeat and concluded he would have to face Grimgor himself, he found the Orc and his armies gone.

Unaware that the Skaven was on his way, Grimgor had once again found himself bored with his adversaries. Concluding that the Rat Ogres must've been the best the Skaven could muster, and that the Humans and Dwarfs were no match for him, he turned his attention elsewhere. This time, he led his hordes to the northeast. Attempting to cross the region where the World Edge Mountains met the Mountains of Mourn, a feat not accomplished by any army before, Grimgor lost a great number of Goblins to the harsh conditions and to his own axe that felled the deserters. The rest of the army, now consisting mainly of Orcs, feared Grimgor more than the environment and climate and after a week, they eventually reached the Great Skull Land, the steppes east of the World Edge Mountains.

Shortly after they had made camp, they were attacked by a Kurgan tribe known as the Yusak, who planned to battle the Greenskins for the glory of their gods. Although the Greenskins were tired and exhausted, they met the savage men and eventually, through the advantage of sheer mass, swiped every last Kurgan free of his saddle and all that remained were broken and dead men and horses. Liking the challenge the Yusak had brought up, Grimgor let his force march on and set up camp in the very heart of Kurgan lands, which was also the shortest route to the Empire. Thus, the raiding hordes from the Kurgan steppes would have to pass through Grimgor and his warband to reach the Empire or accept a long diversion. The Kurgan, ever ready to prove themselves against any foe, assaulted the Orc's warcamp again and again. Grimgor was once more content, for he had found never-ending battle - for now, at least.

4.2. Gorbad

One of the most feared Orc leaders of all time, Gorbad first rose to power by killing the chieftain Crusher Zogoth in a surprise attack through ancient dwarfen tunnels. Having the Broken Tooths (Zogoth's former warband) under his command, Gorbad set out to conquer the goblin tribes in the area, furthering the ranks of his warband. He then formed a mighty WAAAGH! and descended upon the lands of the Empire, taking Nuln and Averheim in almost no time. Having burned Scolland down and personally having killed its elector count and taken his Runefang sword from him, Gorbad rushed towards Altdorf without paying heed to his adviser's warnings about supplies. Gorbad's attack was repelled by Altdorf's valiant defenders quite easily, but Gorbad threw wave after wave against the city. Eventually realizing that the swampy ground around Altdorf made a direct attack useless, he began to wear down the city walls with Rock Lobbas - which were reduced to wrecks by the defender's cannons. So Gorbad decided to use the secret weapon he had been hiding until then - wyverns. Completely taken aback, the Wyverns devastated the city's defenses, and one of them even managed to get through to the palace, sallowing the Emperor himself. But still, even the Wyvern could not take the city gates, and as Gorbad's leadership began to be doubted among the Waaagh! and supplies began to run low in the warcamp, the Waaagh! slowly dissipated. Gorbad and his own Broken Tooths tribe were continually hunted by Empire troops on their way back to the World Edge Mouantins. Eventually, they cornered him with the help of a dwarf army from Karaz-a-Karak. On Blood Peak, near Black Fire Pass, the Broken Tooth tribe met its end. Gorbad's fate, however, is uncertain. Last seen at dusk, standing upon heaps of dwarf bodies, it is unclear whether he survived or not.

4.3. Grom the Paunch

Although Waaagh!s are almost exclusively led by Orcs, there are exceptions. Grom was such an exception. Extremely large for a Goblin he was also extraordinarily fat and strong through a diet of troll meat, which granted him not only regenerative abilities, but also life-long indigestion and chronic flatulence. Having conquered Greenskin tribes throughout the southern World Edge Mountains, Grom finally attacked the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin, and after that, the Empire. Having pillaged Averheim and destroyed Nuln, he later defeated the Prince of Altdorf and laid siege to Middenheim. Supposedly, he crushed the massive city gates with his enormous axe after his fellow Greenskins had been unable to do so. Having accomplished what he wanted in the Empire, he ordered the construction of the very first naval fleet of the Greenskins. Defeating the Imperial Fleet on the way, these newly constructed ships set sail to Ulthuan. There, Grom was finally defeated, though most likely not killed. To this day, goblins throughout the world await his return to free them from the oppression of their larger cousins - not that Grom is no oppressor, but at least he is a Goblin.

4.4. Gorfang Rotgut

Gorfang Rotgut is the chieftain of the Red Fangs, the Orc clan currently occupying the Black Crag, an ancient dwarfen keep taken over by the Orcs long ago. The Crag is frequently fought for, and only the strongest tribes can claim dominance over it for a long time. Gorfang has managed to subjugate most of the surrounding tribes, with exception to the NIght Goblins of Karak Eight Peaks, whose leader, the cunning Skarsnik, he shares a truce with.

An immensely strong Orc, Gorfang has fought many battles, most of them against the Dwarfs, such as the siege of Barak Varr and the attack on Karak Azul in which he broke into the Dwarf Lord's throne room and captured many of his kinsfolk he holds captive to this day. Gorfang is characterized by his unreasonable hatred for the dwarfen race, which cannot be explained by normal Orc bloodlust.

4.5. Warlord Skarsnik

Having become the chieftan of the Moon Tribe after deposing of all his potential competition, Skarsnik is possibly the most powerful Night Goblin Warlord in the Southern Worlds Edge Mountains region. He is a treacherous genius, and his carefully crafted betrayalas and schemes rival those of Tzeentch's servants. Even the Orcs in the region acknowledge his claim on the mountains around Karak Eight Peaks.

The keep itself is still held by the Dwarfs under Belegar, who has named himself King of Karak Eight Peaks, but they are cut off from reinforcements as the Moon Tribe is continuously besieging them. Only once did reinforcements get through the Greenskins and into the camp. When Duregar marched from Karaz-a-Karak to reinforce Belegar's position in the keep, he was ambushed and only under heavy losses for both the keep's defenders and the reinforcements were they able to retreat back into the fortress. Skarsnik continues to taunt them with the vast collection of dwarven beards he is displaying in view of the keep. The Dwarfs know there is no way out, as whenever one of them tries to enter or exit the keep, he will find himself under heavy attack from the Moon Tribe. Still, they continue to hold.

Aside from his cunning, Skarsnik wields a magical weapon called a prodder that allows him to shoot blasts of magic around. He is also almost always accompanied by his Cave Squig Gobbla, a smelly, vicious beast, that is fiercely loyal to him - a very uncharacteristic feat for a Squig.

4.6. Azhag the Slaughterer

Azhag the Slaughterer had one very uncharacteristic feat for an Orc Warlord - he actually employs tactics in battle. He owed this ability to a certain artifact he picked up at the ruins of Todtheim - the Crown of Sorcery, a twisted, cruel magical device crafted by Nagash himself. When Azhag picked it up, the remaining corrupting spirit that clung to the crown mixed with the Orc's feral nature and created a completely new being. Before a battle, Azhag would dictate the strategy in a completely different voice, laden with centuries of knowledge. Not that his fellow Orcs saw much use in trying to flank the enemy instead of rushing their ranks head on, but as soon as Azhag amassed a massive warband, they put up with this new quirk of his. The beast with the genius mind and ferocious power marched its armies into the Empire, all the while destroying every foe it encountered with brilliant tactics, dark magic and the brute power of the Greenskins.

Finally, though, even Azhag was slain. At the battle of Osterwald, Werner von Kreigstadt, Grand Master of the Knights Panther, managed to bring the Orc down, which left the Waaagh! leaderless. The Orcs tried to seize control of the Crown again, but the Waaagh! was slaughtered without its tactician and the Crown taken back to Altdorf where it rests in the deepest Vaults of Sigmar's temple.

4.7. Morglum Necksnapper

The chieftain of the Necksnapper tribe, Morglum led his tribe of Black Orcs west from their origins in the Dark Lands to the east, where he conquered tribes of "weaker" Orcs and goblins. Morglum is known for tactical observations, a feat very uncommon in Orcs, as most of them only care about the fighting itself and not how to do it efficiently. He is not loud and quarrelsome like his brethren. Instead, he is usually silent and stern. When Morglum speaks, he is precise and to the point, resulting in short battle shouts. The most famous among these is the one he brought up at the Battle of Death Pass, where his army of Goblins, Orcs and Black Orcs claimed victory over a Bretonnian force. When the Bretonnians turned to flee, Morglum shouted after them: "Let 'em tell da King. Da east belongs to da Orcs. Da east belongs to Morglum. Da east is green."Morglum rides a boar into battle which he has trained so well that it does not require and guidance by reins, allowing Morglum to use both of his hands for fighting. He wears "Bulak's Bloody Armour", which is splattered with Orc blood that will not wash off. Rumor has it that the fight in which Morglum acquired the armour was not quite fair and thus Bulak's vengeful spirit is still trapped within the armour, causing the Orc blood to remain on it.

5. High Elves

5.1. Aenarion the Defender

It was Aenarion who helped the Asur change from the peaceful people they once were into the proficient warriors they are today. At the Coming of Chaos, when the Elves were hunted down throughout Ulthuan by the Hordes of Chaos, a single adventurer by the name Aenarion travelled to the Shrine of Asuryan and beseeched the Asur's greatest deity for help. When he received no answer, he threw himself into the Sacred Flame as a sacrifice for the rescue of his people. Instead of burning him to ashes, though, he was reborn as the very avatar of Asuryan himself. Stepping from the temple and slaying the Chaos general and his forces that had followed him, he ventured south to meet Caledor Dragontamer, the greatest of the old High Mages.

Caledor immediately recognized him and together they formed the very first army of the Asur, equipped with weapons from the fortress-shrine of Vaul's Anvil and trained by the newfound knowledge of Aenarion. Eventually, they ventured north and eradicated the Chaos host from Ulthuan. Aenearion then married the Everqueen Astarielle and became Phoenix King.

Meanwhile, the Dwarfen god Grimnir revealed to Caledor that the collapsed Slann gates were what gave Chaos a free hold on the world. Caledor developed a plan to trap the corrupting energies and check the tide of daemons, but Aenarion rejected it, as he wasn't prepared to gamble with the future of his entire race. Not long after, a savage Chaos attack engulfed Avelorn. Astarielle was murdered and her children Morelion and Yvraine went missing - though they had been saved and taken into hiding by an ancient treeman.

In maddening grief, Aenarion made a decision that would have an impact on the Elven race he could not possibly foresee: he went to the Blighted Isle to draw the Sword of Khaine, although Caledor warned him by speaking a prophecy. Caledor claimed that if Aenarion saw his plan through, the gods would turn away from him and curse his entire line, and nothing but tragedy would come as a result of his actions. It is said that both the elements and an appearance of Astarielle's ghosts tried to dissuade Aenarion, but he drew the Sword regardless and began a campaign of vengeance that changed him and his followers into ever more brutal and cruel beings. Eventually, he married another woman after rescuing her from a den of Slaaneshi worshippers and held court with her in Nagarythe, the northernmost of the Elven lands. This woman's beauty is said to have been rivaled only by her cruelty: together with her, Aenarion made a sport of torturing captives. Her name was Morathi, and she soon bore him a son named Malekith.

Noticing the changes in his former friend, Caledor decided that he would have to see his plan through without his King's help. But when he and his companions began creating a magical vortex to banish the chaotic energies from their world on the Isle of the Dead, they were heavily attacked by Chaos forces trying to prevent it. Eventually, Aenarion had no other choice but to come to his friend's aid. In a savage battle, he slew no less than four Greater Demons by himself, but the lives of his dragon Indraugnir and countless of his soldiers were lost, buying Caledor the time he so desperately needed. Caledors vortex opened with a bright flash. Daemons ebbed away into nothing, and the forces of Chaos were confined to the Northern Wastes.Mortally wounded, Aenarion returned to the Blighted Isle, where it is assumed he died. Aenarion's last act was to drive the Sword of Khaine back into the altar from whence it came so deeply no Elf would ever draw it again.

5.2. Finubar the Seafarer

Finubar was chosen as Bel-Hathor's successor and remains the current Phoenix King to this day, with Alarielle, his Everqueen. Under his rule, Ulthuan survived not only the last Great War against Chaos, but he also caused trade to flourish further. Still, he feels that his reign may be the last days of a dwindling power. Although he commands a mighty warhost, he has witnessed Ulthuan being attacked not only by the Witch King's hordes, but by the forces of Chaos and even the Greenskins, as well. He does not share the illusion of previous Phoenix Kings that Ulthuan is unassailable.

As a soldier, commander, and also as King, he has met some of these invasions himself. Since his coronation, he rides into battle with the Phoenix Crown, forged in Vaul's Anvil (although the current Phoenix Crown is not the original one as the original is still held by the Dwarfs). The sun seems to reflect from this crown so brightly that it is hard to look at the wearer, hindering ranged attackers to target the Phoenix King. Finubar also swings the Royal Scepter of Ulthuan, which is, other than the current Phoenix Crown, truly ancient. When striking a foe, it envelopes him into blazing flames that the Phoenix King himself is immune to because passing through the Flames of Asuryan grants one permanent immunity to any kind of fire.

Lately, though, visions have been appearing to Finubar that the future of the High Elves may not be as bleak as he thought. The Dragons, asleep for eternity, seem to be stirring once more, offering a small hope of a future for the High Elves. But another, darker vision, has also been promising power to the Phoenix King...the Sword of Khaine, buried deep into the Blighted Isle, sings louder than ever in his dreams...

5.3. Alarielle, Everqueen of Avelorn

Alarielle is the current Everqueen, the chosen representative of the goddess Isha and co-ruler of all High Elves. She is said to be the most beautiful Elf to walk Ulthuan since the days of Astarielle herself, and to inspire this beauty wherever she walks, with fields blossoming and flowers starting to bloom in her wake. With flowing hair like a golden cloud and beauty that is said to move even immortal gods, it is easy to forget her power, the power of nature itself, causing skies to weep with her when she mourns and thunder and lightning descending when she is angered. And angered she is often, as her reign has seen multiple invasions of both Dark elves and Chaos forces. Although she seldom leaves Avelorn to engage in battle herself, it is an omen of courage for the High Elven armies and an omen of destruction for all who oppose them when she chooses to do so. Alarielle does not use ordinary weapons, for as representative of Isha, she is the embodiment of peace and not war. But even her slightest touch has the ability to stun the enemy and the aura of peace that surrounds her can prove lethal to all forces of destruction such as Skaven, Chaos or the Undead.

Alarielle wears upon her noble brow a diadem with a radiant gem. This gem is the Star of Avelorn, a gift to the very first Everqueen by Aenarion. This stone is said to be a star from the heavens themselves, placed into Aenarion's hands by Isha. The Star of Avelorn possesses great healing powers. Together with the Shieldstone of Isha upon her breast, a work of unmatched beauty as ancient as Ulthuan itself which deflects blows, the Star makes it difficult for her to receive any mortal blows. Additionally, Alarielle wields the Stave of Avelorn, the symbol of the Everqueen. In earlier centuries, it had been a store of great magical power, but nowadays, most of it is drained as a result of the Sundering.

5.4. Imrik, Dragon Prince of Caledor

The last descendant in the honorable line of the Phoenix King Caledor I, Imrik is one of the few who retain the ability to wake the dragons in time of great need. Where Caledor's skies once teemed with the mighty creatures and the caves below rumbled with their sounds, it is a silent realm today as very few dragons remain and those have fallen into a deep sleep. Thus, even at Imrik's call, only very few will answer, and seldom will he make use of his power to wake more than one dragon at a time. Imrik is currently the only one who keeps the traditional fighting style of his house - to fight atop a dragon. But when he chooses to engage into a battle atop his mighty beast Minaithnir, his foes tremble in fear upon the sight, and rightly so, for together, they are a match for anyone.

5.5. Tyrion, Defender of Ulthuan

Tyrion is undoubtedly the greatest living warrior of the High Elves and Champion to the Everqueen herself. Twin brother to Teclis, he can trace back his line to the very first Phoenix King and his son, Morelion. His valor and prowess have even led to some Elven bards claiming he is Aenarion reborn. During the last major invasion of the High Elves, it was Tyrion who single-handedly slew Urian Poisonblade, the Witch King's personal champion. Although Tyrion does not rely on them solely, his weapons and armour are ancient heirlooms, brimming with magical power. He wears the Armour of Aenarion, forged in Vaul's Anvil, which grants him immunity to fire along with great protection against any kind of weapon and he wields a 4-foot-long runesword, a fearsome weapon that is easily able to cleave through flesh and armour alike. It is also known as Sunfang for the gleaming runes that shimmer up and down its length, blazing with the captured fires of the sun. He rides to battle on the mighty steed Malhandir, which is probably the strongest, fastest and largest steed currently in possession of the High Elves, which is not surprising as it come from the line of Korhandir, Aenarion's personal steed. However, Tyrion is not only a brave and highly skilled warrior, but also a great general. His ability to lead is so highly renowned that his commands are second only to those of the Phoenix King himself. There are many who think he would be a good choice to be the next Phoenix King, but Tyrion is ever aware of the Curse of Aenarion, the curse his ancestor drew upon all of his descendants, making Tyrion unfit to rule because he would be constantly forced to seek out more power.

5.6. Teclis, High Loremaster of the White Tower

While Teclis is Tyrion's twin brother, there could not possibly two brothers more different. Where Tyrion is a master of swords and strategy, strong and fast, Teclis has such a physical frailty that he must sustain himself by magical potions of his own creation, another result of the Curse of Aenarion. However, the power and genius of Teclis' mind more than makes up for his lack of physical strength. When he studied magic at the White Tower as a child, his command of sorcery soon surpassed that of the High Loremaster he studied under. When the Great War against Chaos came not soon after and the Everqueen and his own brother Tyrion had vanished under the assault of the Dark Elves and their Chaos allies, Teclis made his first step on the road to destiny. Setting out from the Tower with a magical blade of his own making and the War Crown of Saphery, an ancient artifact given to him by the High Loremaster, he found his wounded and poisoned brother and the Everqueen he protected under the assault of a Keeper of Secrets, a greater demon of Slaanesh. Using his magnificent powers, Teclis returned his twin brother to full health and together, they brought the demon down. They then turned the course of the war in favor of the High Elves until; at last, Teclis faced Malekith in a magical duel. A match for each other, Teclis finally used the Moon Staff of Lileath, a gift from the Everqueen to create a magical bolt of tremendous energy during a standstill that Malekith was forced to cast himself into the Chaos realms to avoid final death.

Having secured Ulthuan, Teclis ventured on to the Old World to aid the Humans and Dwarfs in their battles. With his magical powers and the knowledge he taught the Empire's hedge wizards, he helped win the war and subsequently would convince the new Emperor Magnus to lift the ban of magic on his people and founded the Colleges of Magic. When he returned to Ulthuan after the war ended, Teclis was made the new High Loremaster of the Tower of Hoeth. Nowadays, Teclis is the most powerful sorcerer alive (excluding the mummified Slann or Nagash, who can hardly be considered alive), or so the High Elves would claim.

When he sets out to battle, Teclis carries with him a myriad of magical items, including the Potions of Inner Strength he needs to sustain his frail body, the Sword of Teclis which he crafted during the Great War against Chaos, as well as the powerful Moon Staff of Lileath and the War Crown of Saphery which increases his unbelievable magical power even further.

5.7. Eltharion The Grim, Warden of Tor Yvresse

One of the mightiest warriors of the High Elves, Eltharion's prowess and fighting skill are (among the High Elves, at least) second only to those of the great Tyrion himself. He was the only High Elven general to ever successfully attempt an invasion of Naggaroth, but while fighting, he was stabbed by a Witch Elf's poisoned blade. While he lay dying, an vision of his father appeared to him and brought the terrible news that Grom the Paunch, the Goblin warlord, had invaded Ulthuan. Enraged by the images of many elves, including most of Eltharion's family, having been slaughtered, Eltharion dragged himself back from the brink of death by sheer willpower and rode back to Ulthuan atop his griffon Stormwing. When he arrived, Grom's shaman Black Tooth had just killed the Warden of Tor Yvresse and the goblins had breached the city's walls. Rallying the few remaining defenders, Eltharion was able to push through the hordes and slay Black Tooth in single combat. With their shaman lost, the green mass was easily pushed back and Grom himself vanished, never to be seen again. Eltharion was named the new Warden of Tor Yvresse, but due to the loss of his entire family and most of his land, the name he is better known under is "The Grim".

Note: As of the 5th and 7th edition of the High Elf army books, this is where Eltharion's story ends. Apparently, he continues his life as a mighty general atop his griffon. Thus, he keeps wearing the Fangsword of Eltharion, a rune-encrusted family heirloom as well as the Helm of Yvresse, the traditional symbol of the Warden of Yvresse. Eltharion also has a deep hatred for all goblins resulting from the goblins' invasion of his homelands and the slaughter of his family.

In the 6th army book, however, Eltharion's story continued and he became a famous blind Swordsmaster:

When, many years later, Malekith led an invasion on Ulthuan to reclaim the Shadowlands, Eltharion led an army to the ancient ruins of Anlec where the Dark Elves where gathering. Hopelessly outnumbered, Eltharion hid within the ruins, hoping to ambush Malekith himself. With his army destroyed, Eltharion finally challenged the Witch King to single combat. Malekith refused and attacked him with sorcery. Easily overpowered, Eltharion was captured and Malekith tried his best to blackmail him into joining his ranks by threatening to kill the other High Elven prisoners. When Eltharion refused, all surviving members of his army were beheaded before him. He himself was taken back to Naggaroth, blinded and tortured almost to death for the amusement of the Witch King. In the end, he was returned to Ulthuan, barely alive, as a warning to the High Elves.

Sent to the Tower of Hoeth to recover, he was trained by Belannaer, the master of the Tower, in the ways of the Swordmasters. Eltharion was a magnificent student, learning quickly and in time matching Belannaer himself in single combat, although he remains blind to this day.

When Malekith invaded Ulthuan once again and threatened Avelorn and the Everqueen, Eltharion was given a contingent of Swordmasters to stall the invasion. Eltharion ended up facing Malekith once again, this time wounding him and making him flee the battle. Together with Alith Anar, the Shadow King, Eltharion led the Asur armies into Naggaroth once again. When they shored up on the dark country, the Dark Elf assassin Shadowblade challenged Eltharion in a duel. Evenly matched, the two duelists fought for a long time before Shadowblade eventually left the field, leaving a poisoned Eltharion behind. Fortunately, Belannaer had arrived in Naggaroth with orders for Eltharion to return to Ulthuan and was able to heal Eltharion. They then returned to Ulthuan.

5.8. Alith Anar, the Shadow King

There are many stories told of the Shadow Warriors, stories of brave and valiant deeds, battles against the darkest of foes, and their hatred of the Dark Elves and sorrow upon losing most of their homeland. However, none of these stories are as well known as that of Alith Anar, the Shadow King and leader of all Shadow Warriors.

The tales of Alith Anar's adventures, each and every one of them a courageous exploit against the Witch King and the Druchii, start from the years following the destruction of Anlec. They include, for example, the defense of Ulthuan during against Malekith's armies by the side of Eltharion the Grim, the crucifying of several hundreds Druchii and dancing in disguise with Morathi before stealing a powerful artifact called the Stone of Midnight from her treasury.

Nowadays, it is hard to tell what stories are true and what stories are false or embellished by the bards, as the Shadow Warriors are a silent and secretive group. He is often thought to be dead, only to return in another battle months or years later.

5.9. Caradryan, Captain of the Phoenix Guard

An arrogant lordling in his youth, rich powerful and conceited, Caradryan was the very archetype of the jaded High Elf aristocrat. However, he completely changed after a pilgrimage to the sacred Shrine of Asuryan, an endeavor every High Elf noble is expected to embark on at least once in his lifetime. It was there that he displayed the most arrogant deed he ever would: sneaking into the holy Chamber of Days to satisfy his own curiosity. What he witnessed there no one will ever know, for when he emerged from the Chamber with the glowing rune of Asuryan upon his forehead, the first thing he did was to take the vows of the Phoenix Guard, which prohibit him from speaking. Having given up all his worldly possessions by the vow, Caradryan committed himself fully to the arts of combat, and quickly rose throughout the ranks of the Phoenix Guards to eventually assume the position as their Captain.

5.10. Korhil, Captain of the White Lions of Chrace

Should you ever ask a White Lion who the mightiest elf in all of Ulthuan is, their answer would without a doubt be Korhil. His strength and stature are the stuff of legends, though he is by no means a lumbering giant, wielding the traditional weapon of the White Lions, the axe, with such grace and dexterity that it makes the movements of one of his fellow White Lions look cumbersome. Korhil is a very honest Elf with a noble bearing that has won him many friends among both Ulthuan and other nations. He is among the few that the Phoenix King Finubar trust completely and as such, he has made appearances as his personal champion on numerous occasions.

Korhil became Captain when his precursor was slain by Urias Posionblade, champion of the Witch King. When the bodyguard of the Phoenix King gathered to select a successor from their ranks, it was Korhil who was chosen. Having hunted down and caught the great lion Charandis, a powerful beast warped by tendrils of Chaos and having slain Saurios Nightblade, the leader of a Dark Elf attack upon Korhil's village and master swordsman schooled by Assassins in Naggaroth, in single combat, his deeds spoke highly of him.

Korhil was given the Axe Chayal (meaning Lion's Claw), the traditional weapon of the White Lion's Captain and donned the pelt of Charandis, which had been enchanted by Loremaster Finreir and presented as a gift from the Phoenix King himself and protects Korhil from all kind of poisons. Wielding these powerful magic items, he leads the White Lions into battle to this day.

6. Dark Elves

6.1. Malekith, Witch King of the Druchii & Morathi, Queen of the Witch Elves

Malekith is the Witch king, the supreme ruler of all Dark Elves. He is the son of the first Phoenix King, Aenarion. Shortly after his first wife and his children had been slaughtered in an invasion of Chaos, Aenarion made a dreadful decision that would curse his entire line forever: in searching vengeance for his family, he drew the dreaded Sword of Khaine which had been impaled on the Blighted Isle, never to be drawn by mortal hands. Beginning a campaign of vengeance that changed him and his followers into ever more brutal and cruel beings he eventually married another woman after rescuing her from a den of Slaaneshi worshippers and held court with her in Nagarythe, the northernmost of the Elven lands. This woman's beauty is said to have been rivaled only by her cruelty: together with her, Aenarion made a sport of torturing captives. Her name was Morathi, and she soon bore him a son named Malekith.

When Aenarion died, Malekith thought himself the obvious choice to succeed him as Phoenix king. Assuming that the legacy of his father would guarantee his ascension to the throne, Malekith agreed to let the council vote on whether he should rule. But many amongst the Elf court felt Malekith was unsuited to rule, not only because of the Curse of Aenarion that supposedly befell his whole line, but also because they preferred a less hot-headed leader now the war with Chaos was over. So they elected Bel Shanaar, Prince of Tiranoc, in his place. Malekith was instead appointed Commander of the High Elf armed forces. On the surface, Malekith seemed to be taking the turn of events very well. Indeed he was amongst the first to pay homage to Bel Shanaar upon his coronation as the Phoenix King. Malekith began to serve the new Phoenix King, appearing loyal and becoming a great general.

During Bel-Shanaar's reign, the Cult of Pleasure arose. First seen as just a way of better exploring the pleasures of life, it soon became obvious that it was in reality a cult dedicated to the Chaos god Slaanesh. Malekith swore to eradicate the Cult, and his actions against it brought him great gratitude from the Asur. But in the end, Malekith claimed Bel-Shanaar was a member of the Cult himself, assassinating the Phoenix King with an undetectable poison and claiming he had committed suicide rather than face the shame of an interrogation.

While his followers massacred the unarmed Elven Princes, Malekith set off to enter the Flame of Asuryan, confident he would be able to master it like his father did. But Asuryan would not choose a being so wickedly corrupted. The flames burned Malekith horribly, scarring his flesh until he was barely able to cast himself out of it. He was crippled, and his followers feared the wrath of Asuryan. But his mother, Morathi, nursed him back to strength and had him encased within a magical suit of armour that would hide his scars and lend him strength. By then, the truth had dawned on the High Elves: Morathi was the High Priestess of the Cult of Pleasure, and had plotted with her son to gain control of the Phoenix Throne from the very beginning; the cult Aenarion had rescued her from, having been her very own servants.

Civil war erupted between Malekith's supporters and the rest of the Asur. Eventually, the Prince of Caledor, Imrik, was chosen to oppose Malekith as Phoenix King. He gathered an army of pure elves and eventually defeated Malekith personally. Defeated, Malekith attempted to collapse the vortex created by Caledor Dragontamer to contain the forces of Chaos. He failed, however, and the magical backlash caused large portions of Ulthuan to sink beneath the sea. This event is referred to by the Asur as "The Sundering". Malekith, Morathi and their followers used their magic to transform the great northern cities into the huge floating 'Black Arks' - mobile fortresses they would use to transport their forces and supporters away from Ulthuan. They travelled to the western continent, a wasteland they would name Naggaroth.

Thus, the race of the Asur was now shattered into two factions: the High Elves, in Ulthuan who kept the name Asur, and the Dark Elves, also known as Druchii, in Naggaroth. It is there that the Druchii made their new home, building a new nation while eradicating the native tribes.

For over five thousand years Malekith has now opposed many of the High Elven Phoenix Kings.Nowadays, when Malekith rides into battle himself, he rides his personal Black Dragon, Seraphon, a mighty and vicious beast. Malekith is always clad in his dread armour, the Armour of Midnight, as it is fused to his skin. Few can look upon this armour without dread, this piece of dark magic that makes Malekith nearly immune to physical attacks. However, he wears a single piece that is not a part of the Armour of Midnight: the Hand of Khaine, a gauntlet said to be sanctioned by the Blood God himself, capable of opening terrific wounds upon a single touch. In his hands, he wields a sword called the Destroyer which destroys every magic item it touches. Together with the physical immunity the Armour grants him, it makes Malekith nearly unassailable. Still, it is prophesied that he will meet his end at the hand of a sorcerer...

Morathi, who is called the Hag Queen of the Witch Elves (although they are led by Crone Hellebron, the Witch Elves' true loyalty lies with Morathi), is the only Witch Elf who is allowed to use magical power. On Death Night, once a year, Morathi bathes in the Cauldron of Blood, rejuvenating her ancient body and allowing her to keep her beauty like it was on the day she left Ulthuan.

Riding on a Dark Pegasus named Sulaphet, wielding a lance called Heart Render, she makes frequent use of her magic power - which is very powerful, as she has had more than five thousand years to have perfected it. It was her who first perfected Dark Magic, opening up portals to Chaos planes that granted her unimaginable power.

Together, Malekith and Morathi rule the Druchii. From Naggaroth, Malekith continually plans his invasions against Ulthuan to reclaim what they think is theirs rightfully: the Phoenix Throne.

6.2. Malus Darkblade, Scion of Hag Graef

The son of a rich, noble family from Hag Graef, Malus was everything expected from a Dark Elf - unscrupulous, blood-thirsty, cunning and ambitious. To further his influence even more (and to escape the consequences of an earlier business venture), he embarked upon a journey to the Chaos Wastes to find an ancient, magic treasure. Eventually, he found it, but by taking it, he awakened the Demon Tz'arkan, also called Drinker of Worlds. The demon possessed Malus and threatened to kill him if he didn't succeed in completing a powerful ritual within one year. In order to rid himself of the daemon, Malus had no choice but to follow its orders.

For the ritual to work, Malus needed five certain magical artifacts. The first of these was the Octagon of Praan, a medallion made of brass, carved in the shape of an octogram and covered with runes. It has the power to protect its wearer from all sorcery and magical wards. Fighting numerous Orcs and even a Dragon Ogre on his search for the Octagon, eventually Malus took it from the shaman of a heard of Beastmen after slaying his herd.

After acquiring the Octagon, Malus returned to Hag Graef to equip an expedition for the search for the second artifact, the Idol of Kolkuth. He recovered the Idol from the Tower of Kolkus on the island of Morhaut, the headquarter of a Norse pirate force dedicated to Nurgle which are called the Skinriders. Barely a foot in height and made from brass like the Octagon, the Idol was hidden in a sanctum in another dimension by the sorcerer Eradorius that could be accessed only on Morhaut. The idol has the ability to warp space and time for the wielder, allowing the user transportation to wherever, and perhaps even whenever, he wishes to go by pure force of will. Malus has used it successfully, though he loathed the experience and it was not as accurate as he hoped it would be.

The third artifact was the Dagger of Torxus, retrieved by Malus from a Dark Elf lord's crypt. When he picked up the Dagger, however, the lord awoke and slew all of Malus' men and Malus almost with them. A long, black curved dagger, the Dagger of Torxus is said to be drinking light, which makes it look like an embodiment of the Outer Darkness itself. It has the vicious power to rip out the souls of any creature it stabs and binding it to that point for all eternity, making even the tiniest scratch lethal. Malus survived his wound by the Dagger solely due to the fact that his soul had been taken by Tz'arkan, and thus could not be ripped out. However, the Dagger was no longer Malus' direst concern. His half-sister Nagaira had conspired with his brother Isilvar; together theyd known of the five relics he needed to find in order to free the daemon from its prison and reclaim his

stolen soul. They knew he would seek the Dagger of Torxus in the tomb of Eleuril the Damned, and so theyd arranged for Lurhan, his own father, to get it first. Malus had to slay his father (although he did not know it was his father at first) in order to retrieve the dagger, making his name known as one of a man who had committed patricide. Hunted by his father's followers, he fled, wounded, to Naggor, the city that was an enemy of Har Gaeth in a bloody feud, where he at first faced slavery. Bewitched by his half-sister, he eventually led Naggor's army in an attack of Har Graef alongside Fuerlan, the son of Baneth Bale, the leader of Naggor. With the help of his mother, Eldire, he was able to throw off the spell of his sister and was able to flee once again. But now he had made himself an enemy of the Witch King himself, as he had slain his father, the Vaulkhar (a military rank) of Har Graef and marched upon his own city. As Malekith regards all his servants as his possession, he does not take lightly to the destruction of a Vaulkhar. Malus fled to the Chaos Wastes, where he eventually acquired the fourth of the artifacts, the Warpsword of Khaine. Although the weapon is, as indicated by Tz'arkan, older than Khaine itself, the way that it consumes the blood of its victims certainly takes after its namesake. A double-edged blade, almost as long as a Draich, the blade is slightly wider at the point than at the hilt, giving it extra cutting power. It is a two-handed weapon, a cabochon ruby is placed at where the hilt meets the blade. The sword radiates invisible heat like a furnace, the hilt is always hot to the touch. The blade infuses the wielder with great strength, and can send its user into a murderous frenzy that will not stop until there are no enemies left in sight. Tz'arkan implies many times that the Warpsword is more than just a blade, perhaps meaning that it can do more than cut through steel and flesh as just as easily as it would butter, though Malus has never used the sword for any large acts of power, it also seems to be able to effect magic, seen when Malus uses the blade to greatly weaken, and even shatter a magical barrier.

The last artifact Malus was required to find was the Amulet of Vaurog, a heavy, red-gold torque that renders its wearer impervious to all weapons. However, whoever wears it may still be killed by direct force such as bare hands. To find the artifact, Malus has to enter the palace of the Witch King himself, in order to locate the Amulet's position with the Ainur Tel, The Eye of Fate, a powerful scrying tool. Within the palace, Malus is captured by the Endless, Malekith's personal bodyguard and brought before the Witch King. The Malus figures, correctly, that if Malekith, the Witch King, wanted him dead then the Endless would not have gone to so much trouble to capture him and escort him to the fortress. Once Malus has honestly told all about the daemon within him and why he killed his father, Malekith decides to use the various talents Malus seems to possess. After having been used by Malekith for various endeavors, Malus discovers the Amulet is worn by a Chaos champion. He tries to take it from the Champion multiple times, dealing supposedly fatal blows to the spine and abdomen with the Warpsword of Khaine, but each time the Champion is unaffected. Malus finally kills her with his bare hands, calling upon Tz'arkan's power. After that, it is revealed that the Champion was Lhunara, a Druchii woman who served as Malus's lieutenant, and it is hinted, was his lover, who Malus murdered briefly after his possession by Tz'arkan. She was resurrected as an undead revenant and desired only to destroy Malus in revenge for his betrayal.

Having acquired all the artifacts he needed, Malus finally completed the ritual, freeing himself of the Daemon. However, Tz'arkan had tricked him, and took Malus' soul with him when he left. Soulless, Malus wandered through the Chaos Wastes for 10 years, not caring for life or death, with only the Warpsword of Khaine having survived the ritual. Then, one day, a sorcerer approached him and told him he knew where Tz'arkan was. Fearing for his life, the sorcerer had tattooed the map to Tz'arkan's hiding place onto his back to make sure Malus would need him further. Ending the man's illusions by slaying him, skinning the skin from his back and feeding the rest to his ever-loyal Cold One Spite, Malus set out to face Tz'arkan. Facing numerous foes from all the Four Gods of Chaos, he eventually found Tz'arkan within the realm of the Screaming God Child, a crazed entity of Chaos. Malus was able to trick the God Child and flee, but when the entity noticed that, he imprisoned Tz'arkan in Malus' body once more as punishment. From then on, Tz'arkan took control of Malus whenever he went to sleep. Thus, Malus now drinks a magical potion that keeps him awake infinitely. Only when the strength and savagery of the daemon is required does Malus imbibe a sleeping potion to wake the daemon.

After many years, Malus eventually returned to Hag Graef, where, with the backing of Malekith, he became the new Drachau, the lord of the city. Traditionally, the Drachau of Hag Graef is also the general of the Witch King's armies. Nowadays, Malus is one of the preferred servants of Malekith, and upon his bidding, he rides to battle on his loyal and unusually intelligent Cold One Spite with the Warpsword of Khaine in his hand.

6.3. Rakarth, Beastlord of Krondar Kar

The various beasts and monsters of Naggaroth and the Old World have always had their part in the various Druchii armies throughout the years, but it is said that the dungeons of Krondar Kar where never filled with so many, so different and so powerful creatures as they are under the command of Rakarth.

Rakarth's talent showed at an early age, when only eight years old, he tamed a particularly fine Dark Steed named Bracchus that his father had been gifted with. A wild beast, no one was able to subdue Bracchus, and so Rakarth's father ordered it to be killed. Upon this order, however, Rakarth asked his father if he might attempt to ride the creature. If he succeeded, he wanted to keep it as his own steed. Rakarth's father, loving gambles like all Druchii do, agreed. Rakarth advanced towards Bracchus, meeting the eyes of the beast with an ice-cold stare. Recognizing that he was facing a being that outmatched him in both cruelty and ability to inflict pain, Bracchus meekly lowered his head and allowed Rakarth onto his back. From that day on, Bracchus was Rakarth's faithful mount, serving him well until he was slain at the battle of Finuval Plain some thirty years later.

When Rakarth rides into battle today, he is clad in the Beast Armour of Karond Kar and wields his weapon, the Whip of Agony, which inspires unnatural pain in everything it strikes, from the back of a massive Black Dragon that goes by the name of Bracchus, in remembrance to his very first mount. This beast inspires fear even in the most courageous of foes, and those who do not flee are met by its fangs or its tail, or its Noxious Breath, corrosive and poisonous fumes that burn skin and hair and choke any living being to death.

6.4. Crone Hellebron, the Hag Queen

After a battle, the Witch Elves of Khaine bathe in the blood of their enemies to absorb their strength and keep their beauty and youth. As the years pass and they grow old, they have to enter the Cauldron of Blood more and more often so that their bodies do not become bent and cold. The most ancient of the Witch Elves are the Hag Queens, the greatest and most powerful of their kind. It is they who lead the dark rituals upon the Altars of Khaine and cut out the hearts from the sacrifices to throw them to the younger Witch Elves.

Crone Hellebron is the oldest of these Hag Queens still alive, save for only the mother of the Witch Elves herself, Morathi. But while the Cauldron of Blood eternally renews Morathi's beauty and strength, it will not do so for this Hag Queen much longer. Each year she requires more blood for the Cauldron, and each year the effects lessen. Nowadays, Hellebron endures many months as an old and ugly crone for each day of renewed youth.

Still, the memories and bloodletting she has experienced for five thousand years are still renewed as she frequents the field. A true Witch Elf, she will not miss any chance to spill blood in the name of Khaela Mensha Khaine. Unlike other leaders of the Druchii, she does not rely on many magic items to give her strength, carrying into battle only her trusted Deathsword and an Amulet of Fire granting her some magic resistance.

6.5. Kouran, Captain of the Black Guard

Kouran is a cunning commander, one of the greatest military minds the Druchii have. Uncluttered by compassions, mercy, or ego, he does not care at what cost his victories come and is known to take great risks, once having sacrificed a whole army to lure an enemy force into the trap he devised. Nevertheless, to this day, he has always come out victorious in the end. Wielding a Blade of Ensorcelled Iron, a blade of pure iron tempered to the sound of arcane incarnations in ages past which guides his strikes with magical precision and wearing Armour of Meteoric Iron stamped with protective runes, he is a match for any foe he might encounter.

6.6. Tullaris of Har Ganeth

One of the most murderous leaders in all of Naggaroth, tales of Tullaris' cruelty are widely known. The most famous among them is the story of him having a captured town burned to the ground and all its inhabitants killed because he did not like the town's name. It is under his leadership that the Executioners of Har Ganeth have increased their fearful reputation to a point that it is sufficient to mention they are part of an approaching raiding force to cause floods of refuges amongst their enemies. When once Tullaris had embarked on a journey to find the material he needed to craft the Black Amulet he wears, his sons attempted to seize his lands and title. When he returned, he murdered them in their sleep, smashing their skulls with the black stone he acquired. He then hung them up in his laboratory, as a warning to everyone who thought of betraying him.

Tullaris wears the Black Amulet, christened by the blood of his own sons, to this day. A lustrous polished stone with a single glowing rune atop it, the exact making of this artifact is only known to Tullaris himself, but with its power any blow struck on Tullaris might be found to repel on the attacker. He wields the mighty Executioner's axe, which, along with his prowess and skill, allows him to decapitate even the largest and mightiest of foes with a single strike.

6.7. Shadowblade, Master of Assassins

Although he is still very young (only 150 years old), Shadowblade already is a legend among Dark Elves. Dark Elf minstrels sing of his adventures and he makes frequent appearances in bedtime stories for Druchii children. The most famous tale is that of Shadowblade murdering the crew of a High Elf Hawkship. He killed of the crew members one by one, over the course of several days. With their fear and desperation increasing every day, the crew attempted to detect the murderer in their midst and corner him, but they were not successful. In the end, only the captain was left alive to tell of the days and nights of horror.

Shadowblade is fiercely loyal to Hellebron, the Hag Queen of the Witch Elves. He is frequently called upon to dispose of those who have slighted her or her political opponents. Why he kills, Shadowblade does not care. He will take whatever order from his mistress that allows him to do what he loves most - killing. He revels in the sounds of one of his daggers slicing through flesh or the last choking sounds of one of his poisons draining his foe's life away. Studying the deadly martial arts and silent, unseen movements of the assassins of Khaine and the power of every last poison within the world, he was taught that there was no one more important that the Hag Queen and the Witch King himself.

Shadowblade is a master of deception and is able to hide within cities and armies of every major nation on both Naggaroth and in the Old World. He very rarely takes part in great battles, and when he does, it is mostly to assassinate enemy leaders before the battle. Should he ever be discovered, a feat