Merovech d'Mousillon

"For seven hundred years I slumbered. I awoke to find Mousillon a pale shadow of its glorious past, overrun with vermin, its lands annexed by its neighbours, its very name a by-word for despair and failure. But now, I have returned. Now, Mousillon will rise again. And you, my brothers, will rise with it."

- Merovech, Vampire Duke of Mousillon.

Duke Merovech of Mousillon, also known as Merovech the Mad, Merovech the Butcher and formerly the Saviour of Bretonnia, was the bloody-handed ruler of Mousillon. A fearsome warrior and strong ruler, his desperation to restore the glory of his dukedom would lead him to become an extremely powerful Blood Knight, feared throughout Bretonnia for his bloodlust.

The Saviour of Bretonnia
Around 1813 IC, the Red Pox swept through the fair lands of Bretonnia, killing many of its inhabitants. In that time, Merovech was Duke of Mousillon and a proud warrior looking with envy upon the glory days of Mousillon, during the reign of the mighty Landuin, first Duke of Mousillon, and greatest of the Grail Companions. He was desperate to restore the prestige that his city had in those distant times. With honourable intentions but led astray by corrupt advisers, Merovech set upon the path of dark powers. Thus it came that when the plague struck, the Duke and his knights remained unaffected. Seeing his chance for glory, Merovech mustered his men and rode out against the vile ratmen who beset the lands of Bretonnia. He rode south and broke the siege of Brionne. Believing he was Landuin reborn, he followed the same route as Gilles le Breton and his Grail Companions had taken, and headed east to Athel Loren. He relieved Quenelles from a siege. At the edge of the enchanted forest, he met with the armies of Parravon and the fey folk and battled the Skaven. A great victory was won, and the rat creatures scattered before the martial might of Merovech and his most trusted knights. In the middle of the battle, Merovech was soaked in blood, revelling in the killing. Even after his foe lay unmoving, still he continued to hack at them with his gore-soaked blade. The virtuous and honourable knights of Parravon looked on in horror.

All were invited to celebrate the victory upon the Skaven with a great banquet in the Halls of Mousillon Castle. However, the guests were most horrified by what they saw. Dinner was served by shambling servants and spitted and impaled criminals were set around the hall. Merovech, drunk and feeling ill-appreciated, claimed to be dishonoured. The king expressed his revulsion at what he saw, upon which Merovech accused the king of jealousy and conspiring against the saviour of Bretonnia. Many within Mousillon tell of how the king challenged Merovech, refusing to let one of his dukes battle in his stead. The duel started, it was fierce and Merovech fought like a daemon. The two combatants scrambled and duelled throughout the great hall until, finally, with rage in his heart, Merovech tore out the king's throat. The Duke then filled a goblet with the king's blood, and drank from it. Many have since claimed that there was no duel, and that the king was simply murdered by his insane subject. Regardless, upon witnessing Merovech's act of bloodthirst, the other dukes hastily retreated from Mousillon, pursued by a horde of twisted creatures and malformed peasants.

The citizens of Mousillon believed that, despite his reputation, Merovech was chosen to succeed the king he had killed, with the Fay Enchantress officially announcing him as supreme ruler of Bretonnia. In truth, the Enchantress had publicly denounced him alongside the newly crowned king. Lyonesse mustered its troops and invaded Mousillon, coinciding with a rebellion of the knights in Mousillon who took up arms against their insane ruler. Merovech slew many, but was eventually defeated, upon which the land of Lyonesse claimed a large portion Mousillon.

Though widely vilified, many notable knights and families owed Merovech for saving them from the Skaven armies. After his death they banded together and in spite of the new King's wishes, built a mighty tomb for the dead Duke. This huge stone mausoleum, the size of a small keep, was constructed near the centre of Mousillon. After many centuries his tomb sunk into the marshes of Mousillon and was thought lost forever. Many a Questing Knight set out to find the tomb, but none ever succeeded.

Revenge
Centuries passed before Merovech rose from his tomb, revealing himself to have been a powerful vampire. Merovech's first action upon his return was to overthrow the Varghulf leader of Mousillon, known as the "Old One", taking control of his Undead followers. A sizeable army was starting to take shape, but Merovech needed to search for a champion. Infiltrating tournaments under the guise of a noble Knight of the Realm, Merovech discovered two young brothers, Calard and Bertleis of Garamont. He would go on to fight Bertelis, and whilst he defeated his opponent with ease, he was greatly impressed with the young knight's potential.

Merovech bided his time, visiting Bertelis after a series of tragic events had resulted in his brother denouncing him. The morose and bitter young knight accepted the vampire’s offer to train him, eventually accepting the Blood Kiss. His champion chosen, Merovech decided to seal their bond with damnation. The two Blood Knights travelled to Castle Garamont, where the pair slaughtered an entire garrison of Knights and Men-at-Arms, drinking the blood of the slain and burning Garamont to the ground. Merovech summoned corrupt nobles from across Bretonnia to aid his cause, and resurrected his long dead bodyguard of elite Blood Knights, adding to what was becoming a fearsome army. He was now close to enacting his revenge, and conquering all of Bretonnia.

Two years into the vampire's plan, Calard of Garamont, now a Questing Knight, arrived within Mousillon. He disguised himself as a disgraced knight answering the Duke's call. Calard's attempt to kill Merovech would not go as planned however, instead he discovered his brother Bertelis slaughtering knights within a dueling ring, under the gaze of his new master. As the two brothers fought, Ghouls burst into the castle, led by none other than the Old One. Calard's arrival had allowed the Varghulf's few remaining followers to release it and launch an attack on the castle. Merovech entered into a mighty duel with the Vampiric beast, eventually managing to defeat his enemy. As Merovech threw his foe’s corpse onto the duelling ring below, he witnessed Bertelis' destruction. The sudden arrival of the Ghouls had distracted his dark champion, allowing Calard to pierce his brother’s heart with the Sword of Garamont, before retreating from the castle. Despite the loss of his greatest warrior, Merovech would not be set back, he would continue to amass his army and march upon Bretonnia.

The Duke of Mousillon was last be seen at the head of his vast army, having fought his way to the very gates of Couronne itself. He and his elite cadre of vampire knights, his "Seneschals", carved a swathe through the Bretonnian lines, butchering all stood against them. Mounted on black warhorses with eyes that glowed like coals, they thundered forwards, smashing knights from their saddles, cutting down Bretonnia’s finest with contemptuous ease. More knights pressed in to halt their rampage, but all fell before their murderous wrath.

Faster and stronger than any mortal man, these vampire knights fought with callous ferocity. Their eyes were red-rimmed and savage, their slitted pupils dilating as their bloodlust surged. They struck with such force that shields shattered beneath their axes and blades. Their lances punched straight through armoured breastplates, lifting warriors from the saddle and tossing them aside like children. Merovech fought like a daemon, lips pulled back to expose his elongated canines. Blood splattered across his snow-white face as he hacked a questing knight’s head from his shoulders and thundered on, driving his heavily armoured nightmare towards the immense gates of Couronne. He slashed left and right, killing with every stroke. The centre of the Bretonnian battle-line was buckling inward, threatening to break at any moment.

A shadow descended from above, as the freshly crowned King Louen joined the fray, mounted on ferocious Hippogryph. Merovech watched as Leoncoeur killed all around him, while his undead army closed in. The king's mount was pierced by a spear, and fell dead, crushing Louen beneath its bulk. Merovech approached the trapped king as dozens of loyal knights pushed forward, interposing themselves before their king and the murderous vampire knights, selling their lives dearly. Merovech began to laugh as he killed, the hideous sound booming out across the battlefield. The outcome of the battle balanced on a knife’s edge. Merovech hacked down the knights standing between him and the king. He slammed his mighty sword into the standard bearer’s neck, the blade biting through armour, bone and flesh, and the royal banner fell. Merovech loomed over his stricken foe and readied his twin blades. The killing blow would never land however, for Calard had succeeded in his quest for the Grail.

Riding atop a mighty warhorse and wielding a blazing lance, he rushed into the battle at the head of a Wood Elf Wild Hunt. Slaughtering his way through the Vampire's elite Seneschals, he engaged the Duke in a brief but brutal duel. Despite the Duke's superhuman speed and strength he was ultimately defeated, mouthing a curse as his body turned to ash. Merovech, the vampire Duke of Mousillon... was no more.