Tomb Kings

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"In that dread desert, beneath the moon´s pale gaze, dead men walk. They haunt the shifting dunes of the breathless, windless night, brandish weapons of bronze in mocking challenge and bitter resentment of the life they no longer possess. And sometimes, in ghastly dry voices, like the rustling of sun-baked reeds, they whisper the one word they remember from life. The Name of the one who cursed them to their existence, more than death but less than life. They whisper the name, Nagash..."

- Extract from the Liber Necris, translated by Mannfred von Carstein



The Tomb Kings, previously known as the Priest Kings in their former lives, or Vizier in their own tongue, are the unliving rulers of Nehekhara, an ancient Human civilization that formed a great and powerful empire some two thousands years before the birth of Sigmar and the founding of the Empire of Man. They are the true monarchs of the Undead, they who once ruled an Empire during a time when the rest of Mankind were little more than barbarians living within wild huts and savage, primitive tribes.

Long ago, during an ancient and forgotten age, the civilization of Nehekhara stood as the shining beacon of Human civilization and achievement; a golden age when its cities shone with a majestic splendor of white marble, its armies conquering entire nations from the face of the earth and their mighty rulers reigning as living Gods amongst Man. But this great realm was razed millennia ago through acts of great treachery and powerful sorcery. The living of the land had long ago perished in a single, mournful night, and in their absence, the dead rose from their tombs and claimed the land anew.

Even as their ancient civilization now lies buried beneath the sands, their once verdant plains turned to searing desert and their mighty and glorious Empire fractured and in ruin, the Tomb Kings have once more awoken from their long sleep. Rising from their decrepit sarcophagi, the mummified rulers of Nehekhara awoke with eyes of burning balefire, their thirst for power, conquest and revenge just as strong in death as they were even in life. They are coming to reclaim their rightful dominion over the Kingdoms of the living, and woe and behold those that would be foolish enought to stand before their onslaught.

History
The ancient kingdom of Nehekhara was at its most powerful when other Men were still primitive and savage, about two and a half millennia before the coming of the barbarian hero, Sigmar Heldenhammer. According to myths and legends of Nehekhara, in the time before Men, Gods walked the world as mortals. It was believed by the ancient Nehekharans that when the Desert Gods first arrived in the Great Land, they fought the armies of vile Daemons and foul spirits that lurked there in great battles that lasted for many centuries. In numerous inscriptions, carved on the tombs and monuments of ancient cities, it is written that Ptra, the Sun God and King of the Nehekharan pantheon, led the final battle against the dark powers.

Riding a resplendent golden chariot, he drove the darkness back; even the most powerful Daemon recoiled from the touch of his divine light. Ptra and the Desert Gods were victorious, and the evil ones retreated nroth to escape destruction. Legends tells that the Desert Gods then transformed the lands into a verdant realm and ruled there for thousands of years until the birth of the race of Man. It is said that these people were so favored by the heavens that Ptra himself bestowed upon them the fertile land that would later be called Nehekhara. In exchange for their worship, the dieties offered to protect and watch over those that dwelt within the Great Land. With the covenant made, the Gods nurtured the people of the nomadic tribes, teaching them how to read, write and build great cities. Thus was the Nehekharan civilization born.

The Founding: The Rise of Settra (-2500 to -2460 IC)
Through centuries of work and culture, Nehekhara, known to its people as the Great Land, was built into a powerful civilization. Its people built great cities out of white stone and carved marble. They constructed vast roads and fleets of ships to connect each city to it's neighbors. Mighty kings, whose every whim was law, ruled the people. Vast armies of disicplined soldiers were raised adn trained in the King's name, and those that invaded their cities were mercilessly cut down. Greatest of these cities was Khemri, the City of Kings, and by tradition, whoever ruled it was considered the King of all Nehekhara. The other cities were each governed by their own king, though all were expected to show loyalty and pay tribute to Khemri. Together, these kings subdued the tribes in the surrounding lands, drove back the Greenskin hordes that plagued the border and ruled from the western deserts of Araby to the eastern Sea of Dread.

The Time of Strife


At its height, the lands of Nehekhara had expanded and conquered the lands as far north as what is now barbaric Empire of Man, south into the primordial jungles of the Southlands and even east into the foreboding Dark Lands. The King's armies marched across the world, subjugating all before them, and their vast fleets of galleys adn war barques terrorized the Great Ocean. Though Nehekhara and its cities grew in size, wealth and influence, the Kings thirsted for ever greater power. To this end, tehy began to war upon each other.

Over the following years, the Crown of Nehekhara, a symbol of rulership over all of the Great Land, passed from King to conquering King. Dozens of Kings have arisen and fall during this time, so many that their names are not even remembered, but it is known that none had the strength to previal or maintain power for long. With every Nehekharan city's military might turned upon each other, the Great Land was open to attack from invaders. The city of Lybaras was completely destroyed by the scaled creatures that lurked within the southern jungles. Numerous Greenskin hordes and Human barbarian tribes descended from the northern border, destroying and slaughtering as they rampaged unchecked across Nehekhara.

During this time, the Great Land was stricken with drought and plague. No single army, exhausted as they were from war, famine and disease, could hope to hold back the tide alone, but the arrogant and distrustful Kings refused to put aside their differences to form a lasting alliance, bow their knee to another or halt in their pursuit of domination over their rivals. The first great civilization of Mankind stood on the brink if destruction. That all change with the coming of Settra.

Settra the Great


Of all the Kings of Nehekhara, none could match teh splendour, cruelty and arrogance of Settra, the newly crowned King of Khemri. He was a vain and egotistical man, and demanded not only the obedience of his subjects but also their adoration. However, Settra was no fool, and when he listened to his priest he realized that only a leader who could command the respect of the Gods would earn the full adulation of the people. To this end, King Settra, alone amongst all the kings of Nehekhara, paid homage to the ancient Gods; early in his reign he ordered the restoration of temples and erected magnificent statues to be built in their honor.

On the first anniversary of his coronation, Settra beseeched the gods to restore Khemri to its former glory and great him the strength to conquer his rivals, sacrificing his own children in a grand ritual to show his commitment and prove his worth. The next day, the Great Vitae River flooded for the first time in several decades. With the waters, disease was washed away from Khemri and the crop harvest was plentiful for the first time in living memory. This was seen as a sign by both the Nehekharan priesthood and the populace of Khemri that Settra was indeed chosen by the Gods. So it was that Settra became the first Priest King of Khemri, a ruler who commanded not only the loyalty of his people and his legions, but who also wielded the power of the Gods themselves.

Settra was an all-powerful king who had fought alongside his father's legion for many years before ascending to Khemri's throne. He was a ruthless warlord, and his keen tactical and strategic sense was matched only by his courage and martial skill. One by one, Settra brought the other great cities of Nehekhara to heel, leading his legions from the front where he could slate his own battle-lust and thirst for conquest. First the city-state of Numas, known as the Scarab City, fell before his might. Then the city of port-city of Zandri surrendered, and with every victory more warriors flocked to his banner. Before long, Settra commanded the largest and most devout army that Nehekhara has ever known. Vast legions of battle-hardened soldiers marched across the land of Nehekhara, and no mercy was shown to those who would dare oppose his might. In time, all the Kings were conquered and Nehekhara stood unified once more.

The Golden Age
Few rivals emerged to oppose the great king, and those who did were crushed mercilessly, either at his own hands or by those of the Herald Nekaph, his imposing champion. Settra's agents would root out and quell any trace of dissent and the merest hint of rebellion that threatened the stability of their lord's realm, and soon none dared to even think of defying the King of Kings. Thereafter, Settra reigned as the undisputed king of not just Khemri, but of all Nehekhara, and for many decades he suffered no challenge to his rule.

Though Settra was a ruthless and tyrannical ruler, Khemri, and indeed the whole of Nehekhara entered a golden age of prosperity and plenty under his iron-fisted rule. The war-ravaged cities were quickly restored, and many grand monuments were erected to not just the gods, but now also to the honor of Nehekhara's ever-expanding borders and repel the many mutated mosnters and savage barbarians that had sunk their claws into the Great Land during the Time of Strife.

Rulership
"And behold, the almight God-King Settra did awaken from his sleep of blessed oblivion. His legions, long buried beneath the sands, did arise and stand to attention, awaiting his order. And he did say "War!", and the world did tremble"

- Grand Hierophant Khatep



The Tomb Kings are the sovereign and undying rulers of all Nehekhara. They are all that remains of an ancient and far-flung civilization that had long ago vanished from history, its people long dead and their cities naught but dried ash and shifting sand. These unliving Kings and his personal retinue of warriors and priest are all that remains to remember their passing. Since then, the Tomb Kings have ever reign from their necropolis as they had always done, attempting to imitate the life they once knew and loved.

Alongside these mighty rulers are their trusted advisors, an ancient caste of religious figures known as the Liche Priest. These Wizards of great power were once the keepers of great knowledge and forbidden lore, and the caretakers of Nehekhara's long-passed Kings and Queens. And below them stands the uncountable legions of warriors that serve for him eternally, never tiring nor dying for their unliving master.

Yet there were many ancient and powerful Kings that once ruled the lands of Nehekhara, and like all of them, they too were buried beneath their tombs only to awaken from their crypts to the rays of a dying world. From here, they saw their once ancient ancestors walking amongst it's streets, demanding other Kings to kneel in fealty to him. One by one, each arisen King of Nehekhara has vied themselves in a titanic power struggle over the lands of Nehekhara, each petty Tomb King ruling over his own patch of territory whilst vying for power against other Tomb Kings. The greatest of these unliving rulers are those that claim the dominion of Nehekhara's ancient city-states, cities that were as powerful as any Old World kingdom in it's own right.

Many Tomb Kings behave as if nothing is awry, ruling as if they were still beings of flesh and blood. Perhaps some are truly unaware of their unliving state, whilst others are in denial of their cursed existence or have been driven mad by the sight of their own hideous visage.

Military
Through the polluting side effects of Nagash's curse combining with the ancient Nehekharan magics, and the manner of burial, the Tomb Kings were reborn. Unlike the other mindless creations of Nagash the ancient Kings were reborn with their mind and will intact, due to the embalming rituals performed on them before their deaths. Instead of being reborn in paradise with healthy young bodies as promised by the priests they were born in rotting corpses, the once fertile land they ruled now a barren desert. Large blocks of light infantry armed with bows, axes, maces, spears, and shields are supported by chariots and light cavalry.




 * Skeleton Warriors - The core of any Tomb King army. The mighty armies of the Tomb Kings, are made up of regiment after regiment of valiant soldiers who perished in battle and were interred in the great tomb pits of the king's necropolis. These troops are armoured in light armour and carry shields these warriors fight with either blade or spear.


 * Skeleton Archers - Armed with bows and equipped with arrows blessed by the goddess Asaph. No cover can protect the foe from these arrows which when fired seek their prey like a living predator.


 * Tomb Guard - The Tomb Guard are the bravest and best soldiers serving the Tomb Kings. They serve as their personal bodyguards and palace guards during life and death. Just as they guarded the palace in life, so now they guard the inner sanctum of the necropolis.


 * Skeleton Horsemen - The light armored Skeleton Horsemen are swift and deadly if used properly. Now mounted on skeleton steeds these undead horsemen and their steeds require no rest, food, water or shelter and are relentless in the pursuit of any foe. The Skeleton Horse Archers act as scouts for their Tomb King masters. These troops fire the deadly arrows of Asaph from horseback.


 * Skeleton Horse Archers.


 * Skeleton Chariots - The pride of a Tomb King's army, entire armies of skeleton chariots have been seen, trampling weaker races in their wake. Tomb Kings are the only army that have and can sustain entire armies of chariots, mostly because they're skeletons and don't get tired, and don't require any food or drink.

The Tomb Kings can also call upon all manners of undead creatures and animated constructs of the dessert, by using magic.


 * Tomb Swarms - The tombs of the necropoleis are infested with the animated dried husks and shells of countless poisonous insects mostly scarabs, and other vicious creatures of the desert. These animated swarms of deadly insects can be call upon to attack and distract an enemy army.


 * Ushabti - The guardians of the statues of the many gods and goddesses of Nehekhara. The Ushabti also stand as guardians around the perimeters of the great pyramids of the Tomb Kings. In times of need, the Liche Priests imbue the Ushabti with tremendous power through complex incantations and charms. These animated constructs are slow if terribly strong and powerful fighters.


 * Khemrian Warsphinx - A monster that towers over infantry, cavalry and even chariots, these animated creatures are more powerful than the largest of elephants, they serve as excellent mounts for the Tomb King himself, or for his elite tomb guard.


 * Tomb Scorpions - The powerful creations of the Liche Priests. Within their carapace is the shriveled corpse of a mighty Liche Priest, though they appear to be dead, their corpse still emits their magical influence animating the construct.


 * Necropolis Knights - Monstrous cavalry that are used by the Tomb King armies. Tomb Guards who in life failed their Tomb King master as punishment committed ritualistic suicide via serpent venom. Now in death they receive a chance to redeem themselves mounted on serpentine undead constructs.


 * Sepulchral Stalkers - Another undead constructs used by the Tomb Kings. Fashioned out of bone, marble and gold. These animated constructs were crafted to have predatory instincts by the Necrotects, they lurk beneath the desert sands ready to spring out and attack the unwary with their halberds while their deadly gaze can transform their foe into sand.


 * Carrion - Carrions are massive scavenging birds, akin to vultures, whose wings are said to darken the sky. These creatures once lived in Nehekhara and their reanimated corpses serve in the armies of the Tomb Kings.


 * Necrolith Colossus - One of the rarer, but more powerful units of the Tomb Kings. The Necrolith Colossus are constructs, painstakingly crafted from jet black obsidian, white marble or dark grey stone and held together by the powerful incantations of the Necrotects. Being the same size of a giant, the Necrolith Colossus is a very powerful and useful to have in a Tomb King Army.


 * Screaming Skull Catapults - The only artillery that the Tomb Kings have. These magical constructs are huge catapults made from bones and crewed by skeletons. They behave as normal stone throwers with one exception; any unit taking fire from the catapult automatically begin to lose moral.


 * Hierotitans - gigantic animated statues of ancient Nehekaran deities of death. These animated titans aid the Liche Priests in the magic phase. Their mere presence increasing the magical power of the priests. These giants are one of the best units available to the Tomb Kings, only second to one.


 * Necrosphinx - The largest and most deadly construct in a Tomb Kings' arsenal. A behemoth of Marble, stone, metal and jade. These constructs resembling mythical creatures of the underworld are borne aloft upon huge wings and are capable of killing a dragon or a giant with one swing of its decapitating blades.


 * Casket of Souls - Within the tombs of the mightiest kings lies a casket sealed with pitch and inscribed with hieroglyphs. Taken to battle by a Liche Priest, the casket can be opened, releasing a blinding light made from countless lost souls, screaming into the air and plunging through the hearts and minds of the enemy ranks.

Dynasties
There have been many Tomb Kings, even before they assumed that name, the Kings of Nehekhara, after it was united, ruled for hundreds of years before their downfall. The High Kings, the ruler of Nehekhara (usually of Khemri) who commanded the loyalty of the lesser Kings of the other cities, are as follows:

Pre-Dynastic Times
The primitive nomadic people who first inhabited the land which would later be called Nehekhara, living in much the same way as the desert nomads of Araby do today.


 * Nehek
 * Zakash
 * Khesek
 * Hekesh

1st Dynasty
After the various cities of Nehekhara grew, Settra was the first King to unite them all under the rule of Khemri, proclaiming himself High King.


 * Ahtaf I
 * Khutef
 * Ahtaf II
 * Utep
 * Wakhaf
 * Sekhef
 * Nekhesh

2nd Dynasty
During the second dynasty, Nehekhara expanded greatly and became very wealthy.


 * Rakaph I
 * Rakhash
 * Rakaph II
 * Pharakh
 * Rakaph III
 * Queen Rasut

3rd Dynasty
A period of turbulence and strife.


 * Khetep
 * Thutep
 * Nagash the Great Necromancer

4th Dynasty
The empire is divided into civil wars, many cities rebel and separatist movements form.


 * Lahmizzar
 * Lahmizzash
 * Lakhashar
 * Lahkashaz

5th Dynasty
The empire is united again and begins to flourish.


 * Setep

6th Dynasty
A period of reconquest, ended by the last invasion of Nagash and the death and final sacrifice of Alcadizaar.*


 * Alkhazzar II
 * Alkhazzar I
 * Alkharad
 * Alcadizaar the Conqueror (-1200 IC)

7th Dynasty
Returning to an Undead mockery of life, Settra rules over his descendants and successors with an iron fist.


 * Settra the Imperishable

Tomb Kings

 * Settra the Imperishable - The greatest living Tomb King and founder of the Mortuary Cult. In life he ruled all of Nehekhara through his iron will, and in undeath he continues that tradition. Though an arrogant, cruel tyrant, under his 150 years of leadership Nehekhara entered a golden age. Settra desires to restore Nehekhara to its former glory and to expand his realm as he did in life- through conquest. Settra fights atop the golden Chariot of the Gods and wields the Blessed Blade of Ptra, and his skill at arms and aura of command makes him a terrifying foe for any enemy to face.


 * Herald Nekaph - Settra's personal champion and sacred bodyguard, whose weapon "the Flail of Skulls" bears the heads of the formidible foes he has defeated in his king's name. When fighting a foe in a challenge Nekaph fights much harder knowing he fights for his king's honor, upon his resurrection Nekaph retains his warrior soul and his devotion to King Settra.


 * High Queen Khalida - Slain by her own cousin Neferata the first Vampire. When reborn as a Tomb Queen, Khalida vowed not to return to rest until she rids the entire world of the hated vampires. Blessed by the goddess Asaph, Khailida moves with serpent like speed and no poison can harm her.


 * Grand Hierophant Khatep - The most powerful Liche Priest of the Mortuary Cult, banished by Settra until he discovers a way to grant true immortality and restore Nehekhara to its former glory. Khatep roams the deserts searching for the answers while appearing seemingly from nowhere every now and again to aid the armies of the Tomb Kings.


 * Arkhan the Black - Nagash's most trusted follower and a powerful necromancer in his own right. Arkhan searches for a means to resurrect his master, travelling the world to retrieve his master's lost heirlooms. He has already recovered the Staff of Nagash and the Liber Mortis (one of the dreaded nine black tomes of Nagash). Until the time Arkhan can gather the rest of his master's lost artifacts and begin the spell to return Nagash, he fights for any Tomb King who can afford his price.


 * Prince Apophas - A prince who killed his own family to usurp his brother's throne. He was cast down and as punishment, he was entombed alive with countless desert scarabs which devoured his still living flesh. Once this punishment was complete, the tomb was opened and his skull was cast into the desert- so great were his crimes, he was denied a permanent crypt. Usirian, the god of death, claimed his soul but the Prince struck a bargain with the god- Apophas would be granted undeath in order to search the world for a perfect soul to take his place in the realm of the dead. Thus Apophas was reborn, his body now taking the form of man-shaped swarm of desert scarabs, with his skull on top in place of a head, the body wielding the same knife he used to murder his own family. Unknown to Apophas, Usirian tricked him, as no soul is ever exactly equal to another, thus Apophas is doomed to spend eternity sending souls to Usirian.


 * Ramhotep the visionary -  The most revered Necrotect of Nehekhara.